Waldorf Salad

When you use red and green apples the salad has a festive look

Waldorf Salad

4 apples - 2 red, 2 green chopped

3/4 C Celery chopped

3/4 C raisins - some people use grapes but my family likes raisins

1/2 C chopped walnuts

mayonaise to moisten

Toss the apples with a little lemon juice to stop browning 

Add the rest of the ingredients, toss and chill

This recipe can be adjusted to your tastes

T-D Round-up

It's Pie Time

I know that Martha would be disappointed

however
after years of making my own crust,

I decided to cheat and it seemed to me
that no one noticed !

Sooooo...

I decided why am I driving myself crazy making crust,

so I just buy the already made crusts.

If you are a purist and just have to make crust
......knock ya self out.......

Perfect Chocolate Pecan Pie 

(As if regular pecan pie wasn't decadant enough)

makes 1 deep dish or 2 shallow

1 c. light corn syrup

3 eggs
1/2 c. sugar

1 pkg. semi sweet chocolate morsels

1/4 c. butter, melted

1 1/2 c. pecan halves

1tsp vanilla

1 deep dish or 2 shallow pie crusts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place cookie sheet in oven to preheat.
In a large bowl, combine corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs, beat well.

Place chocolate chips and pecans in the bottom of fluted pie crust.
(see below on how to flute)

Pour syrup mixture oven pecans.

Place pie on heated cookie sheet and bake for 55-65 minutes
or until deep golden brown and filling is set.

Cool completely. Store in refrigerator.

Sour Milk Pie

This is my grandmother recipe. I know it sounds odd -

if you like mincemeat you'll love this - much more economical!

This has to be my favorite,

I remember as a kid I couldn't wait for her to make it!

1 C milk

2 Tbsp. Vinegar

Mix the vinegar into the milk

 to sour it I usually wait abt 15 min b4 using

1 C sugar

1 C Raisins

1 egg

1 slice of bread - torn into pieces

1 tsp each: nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, 1/2 tsp clove

Mix all ingredients and place between 2 crusts.

Use an egg wash - mixture of 1 egg yolk plus 1Tbsp milk

 brush over the entire crust

Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

how to flute a pie crust

I also will be making a pumpkin pie,

I figured everyone knows how to do this
so I won't bore you w/  mine.

What is on everyone's menu?
Do you have any traditions ?
 What is your family favorite?

Love the Pie Party

T-D Round Up 

Buckeyes

My hsb did his holiday cooking today.....

Buckeyes!

Ingredients:

1 ½ C creamy p. butter

1 stick butter

1 lb. P sugar

1 tsp vanilla

choc. Bark

Mix or Cream ingredients.

Chill the mixture abt an hour

Melt the chocolate bark in a double boiler

just before you are ready to roll

once chilled  knead and roll  

into bite size pieces

kneading gets rid of the graininess

 

 

 

Except the gynormous one for Jane (my sister)

  Dip and roll in chocolate bark

and set on wax or parchment paper

He use to seal over the hole with a wet finger

 but we noticed no one else does it

so he doesn't any more

I forgot the most important part -

You must wear your OSU shirt

and

of course -

watch the Ohio- Michigan Game

Did I mention Ohio won????

Enjoy your Buckeyes....

Coffee Liqueur - Holiday Gift

This is a very easy gift.

I put it in an ikea bottle
but you can use old wine bottles with a cork
and seal with wax
or if you want to give smaller bottles
 put it in glass soda bottles like Crush or Jones
 it can be put in a wine bottle bag
or decorate with a pretty bow

Home Made Coffee Liqueur

1 ½ C strong expresso or very strong coffee -  I have used instant coffee crystals

1 qt. Vodka

1 C brown sugar – or more to tatse

1 Tbsp. Vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Place in glass jars
and allow to age 3 weeks to 3 months

ENJOY

Red and Green Jalapeno Jelly

Red and Green Christmas Jalapeno Jelly

It's a perfect relish to many holiday favorites, or serve it with cream cheese on a cracker.

Prep Time: approx. 20 Minutes. Cook Time: approx. 10 Minutes. Ready in: approx. 30 Minutes.

Makes 6 jelly jars (36 servings).

1 cup chopped red or green bell pepper

1 Tbsp -1/4 cup chopped jalapeno pepper depending on taste

5 cups white sugar

1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

1 (6 fluid ounce) container liquid pectin

food coloring - optional

Remove stems, veins and most of the seeds of the bell and jalapeno peppers. Mince peppers in a food processor. In a 5-quart pot over high heat, combine bell peppers, jalapenos, sugar and vinegar. Bring to a rolling boil; boil for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.

 Stirring constantly, add the pectin and let mixture continue to cool for 2 minutes more.

 Now stir for 1 minute.

Pour into hot, sterilized jars and top with sterilized lids.

Secure lids with bands and allow jars to cool slowly, creating a vacuum seal.

Cooking forThanksgiving

I'm in the process of cooking for Thanksgiving. I try to get as much done as possible beforehand.
Here are a few of the ones I've made in the past week

Cranberry Sauce

3/4 C sugar

1/4 C water
3/4 Orange Juice

1 bag cranberries

My secret ingredients:

1/2 - 3/4 C  of orange marmalade (more or less to taste)

Put all ingredients in a sauce pan Cook until all cranberries have popped

Sweet Potato Casserole

11/2 lb. sweet potatoes'

1/2c granulated sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 beaten egg

3 Tbsp. butter, cubed

1 tsp. vanilla
cinnamon
Nutmeg
ginger

Topping:

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour 2 Tbsp. butter 
orange rind
chopped pecan pieces

Pecan halves

Scrub and peel sweet -potatoes. Cut off and discard woody portions and ends. Cut potatoes into cubes. Cook, covered, in a small amount of boiling water for 25 to 3 s-minutes or till tender. Drain.

Combine hot sweet potatoes, granulated sugar, milk, egg, the 3 tablespoons butter,oj, seasonings and vanilla. With a wooden spoon, stir to break up potatoes but not completely mash them. Put mixture into a greased 2- quart square baking dish.

Combine brown sugar and flour; cut in the 2 tablespoons butter till mixture. resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecan pieces and sprinkle crumb mixture on top of potatoes. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven about 25 minutes, or till set.

Garnish with pecan halves, if desired. Makes 8 side-dish servings.

Hermit Bars

These are one of my sisters favorites ( another favorite are Buckeyes).

These  are easy to make and great gift for Christmas

Hermit Bars

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup molasses

1 egg

3 cups flour

1/2 cup warm water

1 tsp. soda

1 cup raisins

1 tsp. each ground cinnamon and cloves

Mix the raisins,baking soda and  warm water 
in a seperate bowl to plump up the raisins.
 While they are plumping up, in a separate 
cream butter and sugar together. 
Add the rest of the  ingredients together.

Spread on a 12x18 pan 
Bake in oven for 10 minutes 
at 400 degrees.
 When cooled cut into bars.

Orange Juice Cake

This recipe was given to me by a very dear friend, Ginny, 

who has since died. I think of her every time I make this 

cake and I'm still thankful for her friendship and love 

and miss her words of wisdom and encouragement.

Ingredients

Orange Juice Cake

3/4 cup orange juice

1 package (3 ounces) orange Jell-O powder

4 eggs

1 box yellow cake mix

2 Tbsp grated orange rind (optional)

¾ C vegetable 0il

GLAZE

2 cups Powdered sugar

1/2 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon orange rind (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt pan . (This can also be made in a regualr 9x13 pan). In large mixing bowl beat 3/4 cup orange juice, Jell-o-and eggs for 2 minutes. Beat in cake mix,- grated orange rind and oil for 1 minute. Pour into pan. Bake for 45 minutes.

Isn't this batter a pretty color ?

When done immediately prick holes in top with fork Make rows 1/2 inch apart.

Mix powdered sugar, orange juice and rind, pour over top of hot cake.

This is the first time I used a squeeze bottle to put it on the cake.

I was surprised -it works so much better that spooning.

I wish I cut this so you could see the beautiful orange color this cake is

 I think this cake tastes better after it has set for 24 hrs - however, you can let it sit for a few hrs.

It's packed and ready to go! I will be freezing it til Thanksgiving

If you are looking for something different please try this cake - I have also made it lemon using lemon jello and lemonade  - even can use lime and limeade

Tasty Tues