So a few of you have asked for some of the Recipes from the shower. So here ya go...
ROASTED RED POTATO BITES
from cook book called Party Foods
1 1/2 Pounds red potatoes (about 15 small)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cupHellmanns's or Best Foods Real Mayonnaise
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
10 slices bacon, crisp cooed and crumbled (I sliced before I cooked mine)
1. preheat oven to 400'. On large baking sheet, arrange potatoes and bake 35 minutes or until tender. Let stand until cool enough to handle.
2. Cut each potato in half, then cut thin slice from bottom of each potato half. With small melon baller or spoon, scoop pulp from potatoes leaving 1/4 inch shell. Place pulp in medium bowl; set shells aside.
3. In medium bowl, lightly mash reserved pulp. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon or pipe potato filling into potato shells.
4. Arrange filled shells on baking sheet and broil 3 minutes or until golden and heated through.
Makes 30 bites
(I made these the night before without placing under the broiler until I was ready to use them, they worked out fine!)
PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE PIE BITES
from the Betty Crocker Fall Baking Recipe Book
1 box refrigerated pie crust, softened
3 eggs
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin (I used freshed pumpkin I rendered down)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Chocolate Drizzle (optional)
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1. Bring pie crust to room temp for 15 minutes. Unroll pie crust; using rolling pin, roll out each crust to 12 inches. Use 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter to cut 15 rounds from each crust.
2. Heat oven to 350'. In small bowl, beat 1 egg white (reserve yolk), brush dough rounds with egg white. Press rounds, eggs wash side up, into 30 miniature muffin cups. From leftover dough, cut small pumpkin stems about 1/4 inch long; attach to top of each dough round.
3. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add pumpkin, reserved egg yolk, remaining 2 eggs, the vanilla and pumpkin pie spice; beat on medium speed until smooth. Spoon 1 generous tablespoon filling into each dough cup.
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until filling is set and crust is lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack.
6. In small microwave bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on high 1 minutes, stirring once, until softened and chips can be stirred smooth. Stir in oil. Spoon into small resealable food storage plastic bag; seal bag; Cut off tiny corner of bag. Squeez ba to drizzle chocolate over cooled pies. Store in refrigerator.
SNOW CAPPED GINGERSNAPS
from Gold Medal Extra Special Holiday Baking Recipe Book
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 shortening
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 1/4 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar
1 package (6ouces) white baking chips
1 tablespoon shorting
White sparkling sprinkles sugar
Mix brown sugar, shortening, molasses and egg in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.
Heart oven to 375'. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls; dip tops into granulated sugar. Place balls, sugared sides up, about 3 inches apart on cookie sheet to wire rack; cool completely.
Cover cookie sheet with wax paper. Place chips and shortening in microwaveable bowl. Microwave uncovered on Medium-high 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring every 15 seconds, until smooth. Dip half of each cooled cookie into melted mixture; sprinkle with sprinkles. Place on wax paper; let stand until coating is firm.
about 4 dozen cookies.
BAKED ZITI WITH PUMPKIN AND SAUSAGE
from Toll House Nestle Holiday Recipes
This was one of Caylas favorite dishes at the shower
4 cups (12 ounces) dry regular or whole wheat ziti
1 can (15ounces) pure pumpkin (I used fresh pumpkin I rendered down myself)
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon slat
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 can (12 fluid ounces) Evaporated Fat Free Milk
4 links (12 ounces) fully cooked Italian-seasoned chicken sausages, cut into 1/4inch slices
1 package (6 ounces) or about 4 cups pre washed baby spinach
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part skin or 2% milk reduced fat mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounce) shredded Parmesan cheese,
1. Preheat oven to 425'. Spray 4-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and set aside for later use. Drain pasta; return to cooking pot.
3. Meanwhile, combine pumpkin, flour, garlic powder, salt, nutmeg and cayenne pepper in medium skillet over medium heat. Slowly add evaporated milk, stirring until smooth. Cook stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture begins to thinken slightly. Pour over pasta in pot. Add sausage and reserve pasta cooking water; stir well.
4. Spread half of pasta mixture into prepared baking dish. Top with spinach. Cover with remaining pasta mixture. Lightly spray piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray. Cover ziti with foil, greased-side-down.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through. Combine mozzarella and Parmesan cheese in small bowl. Remove foil; sprinkle with cheese mixture. Bake uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
I made this up the night before and didn't bake it til I was read to serve it...it worked out perfect, just covered and stored in the fridge over night.
CRANBERRIES (or POMEGRANATE) AND CITRUS BROCCOLI SALAD
from Betty Crocker Holiday Recipe Book
Tip: Make the salad a day ahead...it tastes even better when all the flavors blend...but it can be made the day of!
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing (I used mayonnaise)
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
3 cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets (about 8 oz)
1 medium orange, peeled, cut into bite-size chunks (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup pomegranate seed (from 1 pomegranate) or sweetened dried cranberries (I used cranberries)
1/3 cup roasted salted sunflower nuts (I didn't add these)
2 tablespoons sliced red onion
1. In large serving bowl, mix mayonnaise, orange juice, sugar, salt, and pepper.
2 Add remaining ingredients; toss until well coated. Store covered in refrigerator.
HAM AND SWISS BRUNCH BAKE
from Betty Crocker Holiday Recipe Book
This was one of everyones favorite recipes
1 loaf (1lb) French bread, cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (I really just used however much I needed to cover)
8 oz thinly sliced cooked ham (I used however much was needed)
8 oz thinly sliced swiss cheese (used however much was needed)
4 eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup progresso plain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1. In ungreased 13x9 inch glass baking dish, arrange half of the bread slices overlapping as needed (I covered the whole bottom, you couldn't see any openings at all) Brush bread in dish with mustard (this is where I just used as much as was needed). Top evenly with ham and swiss cheese, overlapping as needed. Top with remaining bread slices, arranging them over first layer of bread slices to make sandwiches.
2. In medium bowl, beat eggs and milk with wire whisk until well blended. Carefully pour over sandwich. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour but no longer than 12 hours.
3. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, parsley and butter.
4. Heat oven to 375'. Sprinkle crumb topping over casserole. Bake uncovered 30 to 35 minutes or until sandwiches are puffed and golden brown.
I did make this up the night before, but didn't add the topping til the morning before cooking. It worked out great.
CANDY CANE CAKE
from Betty Crocker Holiday Recipe Book
1 package Betty Crocker Super Moist white cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon red food color
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
VANILLA GLAZE
1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon regular vanilla or clear vanilla
1. Heat oven to 350'. Generously grease 10 to 12 cup fluted tube cake pan with shortening (do not spray with cooking spray); lightly coat with flour. Make cake mix as directed on package; using water, oil and egg whites. Pour about 2 cups batter into pan. Into small bowl, pour about 3.4 cup batter; stir in food color and peppermint extract. Carefully pour pink batter over white batter in pan. Carefully pour remaining white batter over pink batter.
2. Bake 38 to 42 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack or heatpoof serving plate. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
3. In small bowl, mix powder sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and the vanilla. Stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth and consistency of thick syrup. Spread glaze over cake, allowing some to drizzle down side. Store loosely covered at room temperature.
PEPPERMINT CREAM BROWNIE TORTE
from Betty Crocker Holiday Entrees Recipe Book
1 package Betty Crocker Original Supreme Brownie Mix (with chocolate syrup pouch)
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
Peppermint Cream (below)
Dark Chocolate Ganache (below)
10 to 12 hard peppermint candies, coarsely crushed
Chocolate trees if desired
1. Heat oven to 350'. Line rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, with 17x12-inch piece of aluminum foil. Grease bottom only of foil with shortening. Make brownie mix as directed on package for fudgelike brownies, using water, oil and eggs. Spread batter in pan bake as directed. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 1 hour.
2. Make peppermint cream and dark chocolate gananche. Remove brownies from pan, using foil to lift. Cut brownies crosswise to make 3 equal rectangles. Trim sides if desired.
3. To assemble torte, place 1 brownie rectangle on serving platter; spread with 2/3 cup Peppermint Cream. Top with second brownie rectangle; spread with Dark Chocolate Ganache. Top with third brownie rectangle; spread with remaining cream. Refrigerate uncovered until serving.
4. Just before serving, sprinkle with candies and arrange Chocolate Trees on top. Store covered in refrigerator.
Peppermint Cream
1/2 cup whipping (heavy) cream
1/2 package (8ounce size) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Beat whipping cream in medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form; set aside. Beat remaining ingredients in medium bowl on low speed until blended; beat on medium speed until smooth. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.
Dark Chocolate Ganache
1/4 cup whipping (heavy) cream
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Heat whipping cream in 1 quart saucepan over low heat until hot but not boiling; remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips until melted. let stand at room temperature about one hour or until slightly thickened.
MINI MAC AND CHEESE PIES
from Pinterest
1 1/2 cups Ritz crackers, crushed (I used one whole sleeved and used my food processor to crush the crackers
2 cups white cheddar cheese, grated and divided
4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
4 1/2 cups cooked elbow macaroni (about 8ounces uncooked)
One 5.2 ounce container of Boursin Garlic and Herb cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch red pepper flakes
Parsley, for garnish, optional
1. Preheat the oven to 350'. Generously spray 8 cups of your muffin pan with cooking spray (I used the mini muffin pans instead and it worked great)
2. In a large bowl, combine the crushed Ritz crackers, 1 cup of the shredded white cheddar cheese, and the melted butter, mixing well until the mixture holds together and resembles coarse sand.
3. Divide the mixture among the muffin cups and using your fingers of the back of a spoon, firmly press the crust into the bottoms and up the sides of each muffin cup.
4. In another large bowl, combine the cooked (and still hot) macaroni with 1/2 cup of the shredded white cheddar, the Boursin cheese, and the butter, mixing well.
5. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, milk sour cream, salt, and red pepper flakes, mixing well.
6. Add the egg/milk mixture to the cooked macaroni, mixing until all the ingredients are melted and smooth.
7. Place about 2-3 tablespoons of macaroni mixture into each muffin cup (you will probably have little leftover macaroni, I did. Save this and bake it separately, if desired.)
8. Top each muffin cup with the remaining white cheddar.
9. Bake the mac and cheese pies until lightly golden on top about 20 to 25 minutes.
10. Let cool slightly before removing from the muffin pan, garnish with parsley.
PINEAPPLE RASPBERRY PUNCH
from Holiday Celebrations Book
5 cups Dole Pineapple Juice
1 quart raspberry-cranberry drink
1 pink fresh or frozen raspberries
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Ice
Chill ingredients. Combine in punch bowl.
