Here's to a very happy Thanksgiving to all! Be grateful~
--------------------------------
Appetizer Tray
•½ of a pound fresh asparagus
•½ of a small head cauliflower, broken into small florets
•1 cups thinly sliced, unpeeled cucumber
•½ cup diagonally sliced carrots
•4 ounces fresh mushrooms (if large, slice in half)
•4 ounces Italian dressing
•Red Leaf lettuce, for tray garnish
•6 ounce jar artichoke hearts, drained
•½ of a 5-ounce jar pimento-stuffed olives, drained well
•12 peperoncini (pickled Italian peppers)
•1 pint cherry tomatoes
•2 ounces sliced Mozzarella or Provolone cheese
•2 ounces sliced salami
•2 ounces sliced pepperoni
•Partially cook asparagus in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain. Chill in ice water to stop cooking, drain again.
Partially cook cauliflower in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain. Chill in ice water and drain again.
Place asparagus, cauliflower, carrots, and mushrooms in 9×13 inch baking dish, keeping vegetables separated.
Pour dressing over top.
Cover tightly and chill for 8 hours or overnight. Drain vegetables.
Line a large platter with leaf lettuce. Arrange marinated vegetables, artichoke hearts, olives, peperoncini, tomatoes, cheese, salami and pepperoni on platter.
---------------------------------------
28 Holiday Crescent Rolls
•1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
•1/4 cup warm water
•1 pinch white sugar
•1/2 cup white sugar
•2 eggs
•1 cup warm water
•1/2 cup vegetable oil
•1 teaspoon salt
•4 cups all-purpose flour
In a large bowl, stir yeast, 1/4 cup warm water, and a pinch of sugar.
In another bowl, beat eggs in 1 cup warm water; add oil and salt. Mix egg mixture into yeast, and add sugar. Gradually add flour. Cover with a damp cloth, and allow to stand at room temperature for 1 hour, then place in the refrigerator and allow to rise overnight. This dough is rather sticky, and will raise to at least twice it’s size.
Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each section out into a circle on a floured board or wax paper. Cut into pizza slice shapes, and roll slices large end to small end. Place on greased flat baking pans, and allow to rise for 2 hours.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 minutes.
----------------------------------------
Easiest Prime Rib Ever
•4 cups, yes cups, coarse kosher salt
•8 to 12 pound prime rib roast
•2 tablespoons ground black pepper
•1 to 2 tablespoons seasoning salt
Preheat oven to lowest heat, 210 degrees F.
Cover the bottom of a roasting pan with a layer of kosher salt. Place the roast, bone side down, on the salt. Season the meat with the ground black pepper and seasoning salt, then cover fat layer completely with kosher salt. The salt bakes into a crisp "crust", flavoring it perfectly, and brushes/breaks off after cooking.
Roast in preheated oven for 4 to 5 hours, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 145 degrees F.
Remove from oven and let rest for at least 20 minutes. This sets the juices and makes the roast easier to carve.
Note: Be sure to remove all the salt from the roast before carving.
---------------------------------------------
Corn & Bean Bake
•1 pound French-style green beans, steamed until crisp-tender
•1 can (11 ounces) shoepeg corn, drained
•1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
•1/2 cup sliced celery
•1/2 cup chopped onion
•1/2 cup sour cream
•1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
•1 jar (2 ounces) diced pimientos, drained
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/2 teaspoon pepper
•1/2 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 13 crackers)
•2 tablespoons butter, melted
In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients. Transfer to a greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Combine the cracker crumbs and butter; sprinkle over vegetable mixture.
Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until topping is golden brown.
About 6 servings, easy to double.
----------------------------------------------------
Cranberry Carrots
2 pounds fresh baby carrots
1/2 cup jellied cranberry sauce
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Place 1 in. of water in a large saucepan; add carrots. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.
In the same pan, combine the cranberry sauce, butter, brown sugar, lemon juice and salt.
Cook and stir until cranberry sauce is melted and mixture is smooth. Add carrots; stir to coat. Heat through.
----------------------------------------------
Mashed Potatoes for Six
•2 pounds red or white potatoes, peeled & cut into chunks
•1/3 cup milk
•1/4 cup butter, softened
•¼ sour cream
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/4 teaspoon pepper
PLACE potatoes in 2 quart saucepan, adding enough water just to cover potatoes.
HEAT to boiling; reduce heat.
COVER & simmer 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. DRAIN.
RETURN potatoes to pan and shake gently over low heat to dry them. This makes mashed potatoes much fluffier.
WHIP potatoes until no lumps remain.
ADD milk in small amounts, whipping after each addition.
ADD butter, sour cream, salt and pepper.
WHIP until light & fluffy, adding more salt/pepper as needed.
VARIATIONS:
BUTTERMILK MASHED POTATOES, substitute buttermilk for the milk.
GARLIC MASHED POTATOES, cook 6 cloves garlic, peeled with the boiling potatoes. Whip soft garlic into potatoes with butter, 3 oz. softened cream cheese–and salt & pepper.
CHEESY MASHED POTATOES, add 1 cup shredded cheese with the butter, sour cream, salt & pepper.
---------------------------------------------------
Dawn's Pancetta Brussel Sprouts
•1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed
•2 tablespoons olive oil
•3 ounces paper-thin slices pancetta, coarsely chopped
•2 garlic cloves, minced
•Salt and freshly ground black pepper
•3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth
Partially cook the Brussels sprouts in a large pot of boiling salted water, about 4 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until beginning to crisp, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts to the same skillet and saute until heated through and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Add the broth and simmer until the broth reduces just enough to coat the Brussels sprouts, about 3 minutes.
--------------------------------------------------------
Marie's Pumpkin Cheesecake
• 2 (8 ounces each) packages cream cheese, softened
•1/2 cup white sugar
•1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
•2 eggs
•1/2 cup pumpkin puree
•1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•1 pinch ground cloves
•1 pinch ground nutmeg
•1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
•1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed or make your own from heavy whipping cream
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.
Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Cover with whipped topping before serving
--------------------------------------------------------
Cranberry Mold
I love this Jello mold at Thanksgiving time. It is delicious even without its creamy topping.
Depending on your salad’s shape, you can spread the topping in a layer over the gelatin; or if you use a ring-mold, put the topping in the center. Alternately, you could serve the topping in a bowl on the side, so it’s optional.
•1 (6 ounce) package raspberry flavored gelatin mix
•2 cups boiling water
•1 (16 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce
•1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
•1 cup chopped celery
•1 cup chopped pecans
•1 teaspoon orange zest
•1 (4 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
•1/2 cup whipped topping, or amount to taste
Place the gelatin into a bowl, pour in the boiling water, and stir until the gelatin dissolves. Mix in the cranberry sauce, pineapple, celery, pecans, and orange zest until evenly blended. Pour the gelatin mixture into a mold or serving dish.
Chill in the refrigerator overnight, or up to 8 hours.
To make the topping, beat the cream cheese with half of the whipped topping. Fold in the remaining whipped topping until well blended. Unmold the gelatin, and spread with the topping mixture.
