By Staff
Expecting family and friends but not sure when they will arrive1/2 Sometimes they arrive early and sometimes they arrive later at night. Be prepared.
Two great recipes that can get you through this uncertain time is a good breakfast casserole for early arrivals and a chicken salad that can be made ahead and used for a meal when your guests arrive.
Serve with crackers or chips and top off with a good dessert. You might want to make up a batch of pimento cheese for those who would enjoy a sandwich. We will include all three recipes for you to add to your holiday meal planning. Also, other holiday treats are included this week.
Chicken Salad
6 boneless skinless, cooked , cooled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 c. chopped grapes
1t. garlic salt
1 1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 c. mandarin oranges (save the juice)
1/2 c. sliced almonds
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix mayonnaise and juice from the oranges. Stir in the remaining ingredients; adding the oranges last. Serve on croissant.
Breakfast Casserole
4 slices of bread
1 lb. sausage, cooked and drained
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 t. salt
6 eggs
2 c. milk
1 t. dried mustard
1/2 t. pepper
Tear bread into small pieces and spread in a 9"x13" baking dish sprayed with cooking oil spray. Spoon sausage over bread. Sprinkle cheese over sausage. Beat eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper all together. Pour over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 45 minutes. May make ahead and refrigerate before serving.
Pimento Cheese
1 lg. pkg. shredded cheddar cheese
1 small jar of chopped pimento
mayonnaise (enough to make to the consistency you want)
Mix ingredients well in mixer and use to spread on crackers or bread for sandwiches.
Wonderful Yummy Easy Cookies
1 box Duncan Hines yellow butter cake mix
1/2 c. oil
2 eggs
Blend all ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until light brown. Let cool. Children love these iced with butter icing and decorated.
Chocolate Cheese Ball
3-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1-12 oz. pkg. mini chocolate chips
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 c. powdered sugar
Crushed pecans
Mix ingredients except pecans, divide mixture and form balls, roll in crushed pecans. Serve with ginger snaps. Make two balls.
Ro-Tell Cheese Dip
1 lb. hamburger
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes
1 lb. Velveeta Cheese, cubed
1 onion, chopped
Brown beef and drain; add chopped onions and pepper. Saut/ until tender. Add tomatoes and cubed cheese. Cook on low heat until cheese is melted.
French Bread Bowl with Dip
Slice top off of French bread loaf and spoon out bread in the middle. Be sure not to break the crust. Mix the following together:
2 c. shredded cheese
1/3 c. green onion
1 can chopped mild chilies with juice
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. chopped ham
Dash of cayenne pepper
Place mixture in hollow of bread. Hollow out the top and place it over the top of the bread. Use heavy Reynolds wrap, fold twice, and make a pad for the loaf to sit on. Place another sheet of wrap and close completely. Bake 350 degrees for one hour. Slice Cross ways or take off top to serve. Use as a chip dip or with crackers.
Spoon cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch fine salt
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/3 cup jam, such as a berry, plum or cloudberry
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Melt the butter in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter browns lightly and smells slightly nutty, about 15 minutes.
Transfer the butter to a medium bowl – be sure to get all the tasty brown bits – and cool slightly.
Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in another medium bowl.
Whisk the egg yolk, sugar and vanilla into the cooled browned butter.
Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture to make a uniform but crumbly dough that looks like wet sand.
Scoop out dough with a small teaspoon (the kind you set the table with, not the ones you measure with).
Rock spoon gently back and forth against the side of the bowl, packing the dough into the spoon, then scrape/slide the spoon against the inside of the bowl to make spoon-shaped cookies.
Trim excess dough with your fingers and slide out onto the prepared pans, preserving their shape. (Try to make sure you form an even number of cookies, since these sandwich together.)
Bake cookies until just browned, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cool almost completely on the baking sheets, and then transfer cookies to a rack to cool. When cool, spread 1/2 teaspoon jam on the flat side of a cookie, and then sandwich together with a second cookie. Repeat until all cookies have met their match. Lightly dust the cookies with the confectioners' sugar. Serve.