Tips for Helping Make Your Holidays Merry and Bright!

I plan to send you ideas and recipes which could help make December a little easier to enjoy!  I will start with the beginning of your entertaining.  The appetizers!  Time is of the essence and you do not need to spend time putting together an array of appetizers.  The night is young and you just want to have fun!

Think about this plan; there is no need to fill everyone’s appetite at the beginning of the event, so get out serving trays that add a razzle dazzle to your table or wherever you want to display your appetizers.  Grapes and cheese I know sounds boring, but it does not have to be.  Go to HEB, Whole Foods, or Central Market and pick up small cuts of plain and exotic cheeses.  Use your imagination and purchase all types of breads and or crackers to serve the cheese.  Add a small bowl of honey and jams to add color and taste.  And here is a recipe you could make and takes no time at all to assemble.  Remember the password, not for technology but have having a good time "Let’s Have Some Fun"!

Veggie and Fun Pizza (Appetizer)

2 - 8 ounce cans of Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

2 - 8 ounce packages of cream cheese (room temperature)
½ cup of sour cream
½ cup of Hellman’s Mayonnaise
1 package of Hidden Valley Fiesta Dip (If you have my book, you know by now, I love this stuff)

Toppings which you can do ahead, the day before to save time

¾ cup of chopped green and red bell pepper (not ¾ cup each, just total ¾ cup of the bell peppers)
¾ cup of green salad onions
¾ cup of chopped broccoli florets
¾ cup chopped cauliflower
¼ cup grated radish
½ cup of grated carrots
¼ cup each of black and green olives (optional)
1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese grated on the fine side of the grater

Spread and press by hand the crescent rolls onto a jellyroll pan.  This is the base of the Veggie and Fun Pizza.  Bake crust for 7 to 8 minutes at 350 degree until lightly browned.  Remove from the oven and let the crust cool.  Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, and Hidden Valley Fiesta Dip Mix until well blended.  Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the cooled crust.  Sprinkle all vegetables evenly over the top, ending with the finely grated cheese.

Cover the Veggie and Fun Pizza with plastic wrap and press down the vegetable into the cream cheese mixture.  Chill for 3 to 4 hours or overnight.  Cut into squares!  Enjoy with your grapes, cheeses, and your favorite bottle of wine or cocktail!

Now this is getting the party started and having fun!

Staying in Touch

Hello to everyone!  I sincerly hope your Thanksgiving Holidays added another year of wonderful memories.  The month of December is guaranteed to be a month filled with many goals and deadlines.  Stay with me, follow me to new ideas to help make additional memories with family and friends and those 4 legged furry friends.

I have a book signing scheduled Sunday, December 4, Grace Community Church on the Gulf Freeway starting at 8:30 am till 1:30 pm.  I will be offering my sweet breads and I will bring my couture of cheesecakes.  Just in time to give ideas for the holidays.

I will be offering my springform pans.  The springform pans have high sides, which my cheesecakes have been formualted to use with. 
These spring form pans will sell for $15.00 each,
or a special combined price, cookbook and springform pan for $35.00 a set.
My cookbook sold separately is $23.95 each.

Stay tuned, I will post recipes.  Thank you!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

To all my family, my dear friends, and all who have patronized me by purchasing my book and viewing my blog, you all are very dear to my heart!

Thinking of you today, I want to offer my sincere thankfulness to all of you!  This has been an exciting year in which I wanted to see my dream come true.  September 8, 2011 will be in memory forever, the day my books arrived.  There is still work to accomplish and I have plans for the future!

So come on keep following me, "Let's Have Some Fun"!  I will continue to give to you recipes which are from me and my kitchen.  My heart and my soul, my kitchen!

I love you all dearly and I give thanks to you!!!!!!  I hope your day is filled with memories that will last a life time and beyond!!

Pumpkin and Spice Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

Hello!  How are you?  Have you started cooking and baking?  I have turned into a cooking and baking machine, BUT I love it, I love every bit of the standing endless hours in the kitchen, having my hands feel as if they are sand paper and feeling as if I am so tired and yet so much more to do!  This is my passion.

I share with you a recipe I have created.  I started thinking about this over the weekend and as we speak I have this recipe in the oven cooking.  So here you go, I hope you enjoy!  And by the way, if you cannot fit this in for Thanksgiving, you can make later in the season!

Step one

Slice 1 to 2 inch cubes from a loaf of French bread.  If your French bread is not stale, place in your oven to promote your pieces to dry and become stale.

Step Two

Prepare and bake recipe for a Spice Cake
Mix by hand in a bowl and you may need a wire whisk to blend
1 1/3 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon and ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
2teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup of butter
2 cups flour
2 eggs
1 cup milk
Grease and flour a 9 X 13 pan
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes until done.

Once the cake is baked and cooled cut cake in 1 to 2 inch cubes and place on cookie sheet until cubes are dry.  You can promote the dryness by placing in a 200 oven until pieces become dried.

Once your bread and spice cake have become stale and or dried out.  Prepare custard sauce for baking.

Pumpkin and Spice Custard Sauce – whisk in a large bowl until well blended.
1 can pumpkin pie filling
3 eggs
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoon vanilla
¼ cup praline pecan liquor
2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup golden raisins
3 tablespoon of melted butter

Place 3 heaping cups of the French bread cubes and 2 heaping cups of the cubed spiced cake in the bowl of the Pumpkin and Spice custard sauce.

Let the custard sauce soak with the cubes bread until the breads are fully soaked.  Mash with hands or spoon to entail bread has been thoroughly soaked.

Place Pumpkin and Spice Custard Sauce and Bread into a 9 X 13 casserole dish which has been greased with butter.

Bake at 350 degree preheated oven for one hour.  Let cool and refrigerate.  Maybe served cold or heated in microwave along with whiskey sauce.  Recipe for whiskey sauce follows;

 

Whiskey Sauce

1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 ½ tablespoon of water – blended together
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/3 cup whiskey and bourbon

Place heavy cream in a double boiler and bring to boil, add the cornstarch and water mixture, whisk until cream becomes thickened.  Make sure the bottom of the pot does not burn.  Once the cream has been thickened, remove pot from heat and stir in sugar and bourbon.  Let the whiskey sauce cool.  Serve with bread pudding, enjoy and have fun! (If you feel as if sauce has not thickened to the right consistency place sauce in a microwaveable bowl and heat slowly, whisking in between heat settings until the sauce has thickened to your performance).

Fresh Apple Cake and a Brown Paper Bag!

Bunko was great at my friend’s home last Friday, November 18, 2011.  For dessert my friend offered us an Apple cake baked in a Bundt pan along with a brown paper bag.  The apple cake is baked in a Bundt pan and when the cake is done, straight from the oven you place the Bundt pan and hot cake into a brown paper bag, folding over the sides until the next morning.  Remove from the pan and enjoy! 

Okay I went through my recipes which date back forever, and when researching the recipe anything involving a brown paper bag is not environmentally friendly at this point in our lives.  So my oldie but goodie recipe books found a recipe which could be much like my friends.  I changed the recipe making it my own by using half oil and half butter.  Forget the half oil and 1 stick of butter, use 2 sticks of butter.  The apple cake will taste like an apple streudel! Delicious! Enjoy! Have Fun!
Butter makes everything better!

Place in a bowl and following these instructions;

Mix by hand
2 cups of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
(Please make sure to always use fresh spices, do not use spices which were used last year and placed in your pantry until you use again a year later.  Always freeze your spices once the winter months are over and use again the next fall)
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon ginger
2 sticks of butter room temperature
2 cups flour
3 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 cup of sliced toasted pecans
3 granny smith apples, peeled cored and sliced
And 1 large grocery brown bag. 
Okay I was at HEB Sunday, and when checking out I could find a brown paper bag.  Spec's is a great resource for acquiring large brown paper bags. 

Mix all ingredients by hand and pour into a greased and lightly floured Bundt pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, no longer.  While the cake is still hot from the oven, place the whole cake with the Bundt pan and place into brown paper bag, fold under the top of the bag and let cool over night.  The cake will continue baking, so please just bake for an hour.

Now when I looked at the Bundt this morning, (bringing the cake to celebrate someone in my office their birthday), I thought, this cake is not going to come clean from the Bundt pan.  I was wrong, once I turned over the cake the cake come out effortlessly onto my serving dish.  Enjoy and remember “Let’s Have Some Fun”!

Hot and Spicy Saltine Crackers

Okay I attended Bunko tonight, and all my Bunko girls are extremely awesome women.  I love them dearly and we have been friend s forever.

My dear friend Patti had Bunko at her home tonight and she had these awesome crackers on her appetizer tray.

I share with you a recipe which is inspired by her, by her Bunko night at her home!  Love all my Bunko girls dearly.

If you have my cookbook, you will know that I love spicy in the kitchen!  These are extremely fun and are so enjoyable!

Mix in a bowl

1 ¼ cup Canola Oil

3 Tablespoon crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing (dry)
1 package Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch (dry)
1 teaspoon of granulated garlic

Open a box of Saltine Crackers – 4 sleeves

Place crackers in a gallon size zip lock plastic storage bag.  Do not get discouraged, all crackers will fit in the gallon size zip lock plastic bags.

Pour the mixture over the crackers and zip lock the bag.  Flip the bag every 2 hours turning in different until all crackers have been coated with the oil flavored mixture.  Overnight will bring the best results.  Remember just have fun!  Enjoy!

Sugar n' Spice Pickles

These pickles are awesome and so easy!  Okay they are a lot of fun!  Super simple, please enjoy!

1 gallon of Del Dixie Hamburger Dills – You can purchase these at Sam’s or Walmart. 
Of course Sam’s cost less
6 cups of granulated sugar
4 tablespoons of crushed red pepper – in the spice isle
1 whole bulb garlic which has been peeled and large coarsely chopped for optimal results

Drain the entire jar of pickles.  Once well drained, place all ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix by hand until all ingredients are incorporated.  Refrigerate for a week and then ready to serve. 

I prefer saving all jars from my jams, picante sauce, all glass jars.  Place marinated pickles in these left over glass jars.  Refrigerate pickles and can be given to persons you know will thoroughly enjoy these.

I use these pickles on sandwiches, hamburgers, in tuna salad, and chicken salad.  The possibilities are endless.  Add on top of an 8 ounce cream cheese about 1/2 cup, serve with my hot n' spice saltine crackers, following this post.  Remember, just have fun!

Cherry Delightful Salad

Here is a recipe you can add to your Thanksgiving planning!  Remember you have to have some fun!
This is my rendition of a cherry salad I used to make when I was first married.  Adding the cream cheese and Amaretto, makes this fruit salad extra special;  and are you not, extra special!
1 can Comstock Cherry Pie Filling
1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 can 8 ounce crushed pineapple – drained
1- 8 ounce Cool whip
1 cup sliced toasted pecans

Mix the above ingredients and add the Amaretto and cream cheese  which has been creamed with the cream cheese.

¼ cup Amaretto

1 - 8 ounce cream cheese – room temperature
Mix the amaretto and cream cheese until well blended and cream cheese is creamy and not lumpy.

Chill before serving, enjoy!

Honey “n” Crunch Chicken Strips

Hello!  I share with you a new recipe for oven baked sweet and tangy chicken strips!  My recipe is easy and so good!  I know you will enjoy!  Remember a phrase to work with in the kitchen,  “Let’s Have Some Fun”!

Prepare a cookie sheet with sides lined with parchment paper

3 boneless skinless chicken breast – trim the edges from fat and cut into approximately 1” wide and 4” long strips

Lightly salt and pepper chicken

Set aside chicken while you mix the dipping ingredients for the coating

Mix in a bowl;

Honey and Tang Coating Sauce
2/3 cup of mayonnaise
1/3 cup prepared mustard
4 tablespoons of white balsamic pear infused vinegar, if you do not have this vinegar, use any flavor of a white vinegar.  Apple cider vinegar would be a good choice.  Get creative, use your imagination, and that one phrase I love, have fun!
1 teaspoon of granulated garlic
¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper – If you cannot take the heat use black pepper instead.  If you have my cookbook you have read I like having some spice in the kitchen, heat is good.
3 tablespoons of honey
½ teaspoon of Lawry’s seasoned salt

Kikkoman Panko Japanese Style Bread Crumbs – 1 Box 8 ounces

Coat each piece of chicken into the Honey and Tang Coating Sauce
Then roll each piece into the Panko Bread Crumbs.  Do not pour the entire bread crumbs in a bowl, just pour as needed.  You may have some bread crumbs left over for future recipes.

Place chicken gently on your prepared cookie sheet

Bake in 350 degree preheated oven.  Bake for 25 minutes, gently turn each piece and bake another 25 minutes.  Enjoy!  These are crunchy, moist, and delicious.

Okay, enjoy with a glass of wine, salad, you could make a marinara sauce with pasta to serve, or prepare my special baked potatoes I have posted on my blog.  The sky is the limit, just have fun!  To re-heat, keeping the crust crunchy, best to use your oven or if you have a toaster oven.  The microwave will result in a soggy crust!  Keep the crunch! 

Pasta and Peas

This recipe was introduced to me by my husband.  We were young and living in our apartment and he had a craving for Pasta and Peas.   If you have my book, you have read, pasta was not a regular dish made at my home.  The thought of pasta and peas intrigued me.  Mike helped to teach me what he was used to eating.  Since those early years of experimenting, I share with you my version.  The main thing, just have fun, “Let’s Have Some Fun”.

1 can Le Suer Peas
2 cups raw pasta – choose from the following, small shells, elbow macaroni,
small bow ties or even angel hair spaghetti
1  onion - chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil, you can also add a couple of tablespoons of butter, if you wish a richer base
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 cube chicken bouillon
A pinch of Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
Pepper to taste
½ cup Grated Asiago Cheese

Saute the chopped onion and olive oil until tender, along with adding a pinch of salt, to help make the onions sweat and cook with the olive oil.

Add the liquid from the canned peas and 1 cup of water.  Season with the garlic, chicken bouillon and pepper to taste.   Simmer while the water is getting prepared to boil and cook the pasta.

Cook the pasta in boiling water, you can salt or not salt, whatever you prefer.   Cook the pasta just until cooked, less than al dente.  Drain the pasta but do not rinse.  Add the undercooked pasta in the flavored water which has been simmering with the chopped onions.  Add the peas, continue until the pasta has cooked.  Most of the water should be absorbed at this point.  Turn off the fire and set aside until pasta has been absorbed, but do not cook out the liquid completely, and then add Asiago Cheese. 

This is a warm and comforting dish.  Growing up this was a main dish which was enjoyed by my husbands family.  I would say, a bottle of wine, a salad and if you dare a fresh loaf of Italian or French crusted bread and butter would be awesome.  Remember the rule;  Just have fun!