Apple Cranberry Sauce

Apple Cranberry Sauce

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The first time I had this was at my best friend’s house in Baltimore…she had clipped the recipe from a Martha Stewart magazine, I believe. It turned out perfect and the kids loved hearing the cranberries “pop” as it cooked. I usually eliminate the salt but add more sugar & cinnamon to taste.

Apple Cranberry Sauce

12 oz. fresh cranberries
1 granny smith apple – peeled, cored and diced
1-3/4 c. water
1-1/4 c. sugar (I use brown sugar or a mix of brown and white)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer partially covered until thick, apple is soft and berries have burst (15-20 min.).  Cool before serving. Serve at room temp and store in fridge.

Christmas Casserole

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My mom always made for Christmas morning! She’d assemble it all the night before, cover & refrigerate then just bake it while we were opening our presents from Santa. See notes below…there are many ways to customize it to your own taste.

Christmas Casserole

4 slices of bread, cubed

1 lb. ground pork or breakfast sausage or breakfast links (chopped)

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

6 eggs, beaten

2 c. milk

salt & pepper to taste

Grease or spray a 9″x13″ pan with oil. In a skillet over medium heat, cook sausage (or links if they are uncooked) until done. Drain off grease and spread over the bread cubes. Sprinkle with the cheese.

In medium bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over the bread and sausage mix in the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm!

Options:

• For lighter version, use egg substitute, skim milk, light cheese, and flavored ground turkey.

• For a spicy flare, use shredded Mexican cheese blend, chopped jalapenos, cilantro, and spicy ground turkey or chorizo. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

• In the summer, mix in 1-2 teaspoons of your favorite fresh herbs, chopped finely: chives, rosemary, thyme, cilantro or oregano. Or toss in chopped fresh mushrooms, tomatoes, bell peppers or pre-cooked hashbrowns or potatoes.

• Try different cheeses, like pepper jack, swiss or white cheddar, or different breads like sourdough, rye, ciabatta rolls (may need to add a little more milk if you’re using thicker, drier breads).

This dish is also great for potlucks and quick weekday breakfasts…just cook ahead of time then simply reheat the entire pan or microwave one piece at a time.

Holiday Cheeseball

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My Aunt Rose used to make this every Christmas Eve for the family get-together at my grandma’s house. It’s best served slightly chilled with crackers.

Holiday Cheeseball

4 c. shredded cheddar cheese

6 oz. softened cream cheese

1/3 c. mayo

2 t. sherry flavoring

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1/8 t. each of celery salt, onion salt, and garlic salt

1/2 c. chopped black olives

1/3 c. minced parsley

Combine all ingredients except olives and parsley with food processor or mixer until smooth. Stir in olives then cover and chill overnight or until firm. Shape into a ball or log shape and roll in the parsley to cover. Keep chilled until served.

Smoky Salsa

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I got this from a friend, who modified it from an online recipe for Chevy’s Fresh Mex salsa. It’s delish! I would suggest starting with 1-2 jalapenos, then tasting and adjusting since peppers vary in heat.

Smoky Salsa

2 lbs. fresh, ripe tomatoes

1 med.-large red onion (I used sweet yellow and it turned out great)

2-4 large whole jalapeno peppers

3/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

3 t. kosher salt

1 T. fresh ground pepper

2 t. cumin

2 t. each fresh lemon & lime juice

1 small red bell pepper, stemmed and cored

On medium-hot grill, cook the peppers and whole tomatoes until charred and split on all sides. Place all in a large bowl or colander to cool (ok to have excess liquid drain off). Remove core of tomatoes and stems from jalapenos (I recommend wearing rubber gloves for this!). Half the jalapenos down the middle, then remove seeds. Roughly chop all veggies.

Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until desired consistency – may need to make in two batches depending on size of your processor or blender. If you want thinner salsa, use juice and seeds from tomatoes. If you prefer it thicker, remove some of the liquid, seeds and center part when cutting and before processing. Add more salt, pepper or jalapeno to taste. Chill for several hours so flavors can meld together. Makes approximately one quart.

If you like a fresher, less smoky salsa, only char half the tomatoes and process the other half fresh. Enjoy!

No-Fail Lasagna

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My mom adapted this from a microwave lasagna recipe picked up at the grocery store and has used it for years. I’ve added some notes about easy ways to customize it to your own taste. It’s virtually impossible to mess it up…you can go a little over or under measurement on all ingredients and it will still turn out. Easy to make the night before, refrigerate, then bake just before company comes. Goes great with Cheesy French Bread, too.

No-Fail Lasagna

1 – 1.5 lbs. ground beef (can use more, or use italian ground turkey for lighter version)

(2) jars prepared spaghetti sauce, any flavor

1/2 c. water

8 oz. uncooked lasagna noodles (about 3/4 of a box)

2 c. light ricotta or small-curd cottage cheese

3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese (or pre-shredded italian cheese mix)

1/2 c. grated parmesan (or parmesan romano)

Cook ground beef/turkey in skillet until lightly browned. Drain off fat. In large bowl, mix spaghetti sauce with water and beef/turkey. In large 13″x9″x2″ or deep rectangular baking dish, spead 1/3 of the meat sauce on the bottom. Cover with 1/2 of the noodles. Spread 1 cup of the ricotta or cottage cheese on top of the noodles.

Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella. Repeat layers once and top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan and mozzarella. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Test doneness by sticking knife into center – noodles should be tender. Make take longer if it was refrigerated overnight. Let set for 5-10 minutes, then cut & serve!

Other suggestions:

• add a layer of fresh spinach or diced, fresh tomatoes (seeded and drained)

• add finely diced carrots or sliced mushrooms to sauce mix

• pour the water into the spaghetti sauce jars, cover & shake, then pour into bowl to get every bit of sauce

• make vegetarian version by using chopped portobella mushroom instead of ground meat

• add more italian herbs like fresh basil or oregano if you like it “herb-ier”

• try with red chili peppers mixed in sauce if you like it zippier

• add pepperoni or turkey pepperoni slices in one layer for a more pizza-like version for kids

lasagna sauce

lasagna sauce

lasagna ricotta

lasagna ricotta

lasagna mozzarella

lasagna mozzarella

Coconut Lime Ice Cream

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This recipe is from the great Carrie Wong, owner of Extreme Chocolates in Salem, OR. She has many other great recipes on her site! It’s good with or without lime…try adding shredded coconut at the end or topping off with toasted coconut when serving.

Coconut Lime Ice Cream

1-1/2 c. milk (2% or whole)

21 oz. cream of coconut (the sweetened Coco Loco type found in the drink mixers section at grocery store)

2-1/4 c. heavy cream

2 T. lime juice + 1 t. lime zest

Mix all ingredients and chill for several hours or overnight. Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s directions.

Zucchini Cakes (Mock Crab Cakes)

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Zucchini is one of those fabulous foods that can take on pretty much any other flavor when cooked the right way. So when life (or neighbors) hand you zucchini, go ahead, make cakes! This is a poor man’s version of crab cakes – I found the recipe many years ago and have, of course, changed it to my liking. It’s still one of my favorites I make often because it’s a great appetizer that can be made ahead of time then cooked right before serving.

Zucchini Cakes

4 c. shredded zucchini (approx. 1 med. size zuke)

4 eggs, beaten

2 c. Italian bread crumbs + extra for rolling*

2 T. melted butter

2 T. Old Bay seafood seasoning (or to taste)

2 T. chopped fresh or 1 T. dried parsley

1 small chopped onion

Vegetable or olive oil for frying

Fresh lemon or tartar sauce

Squeeze excess liquid out of shredded zucchini using your hands, pressing against strainer, or squeezing into paper or tea towel. Combine all ingredients (except oil, lemon, tartar) and mix well. Chill for 30 minutes or overnight until ready to serve. Form into cakes using 2-3 T. or an ice cream scoop of mixture. Roll cakes in additional breadcrumbs. Fry the chilled cakes in lightly oiled pan over medium heat until lightly browned. Serve with lemon wedges & tartar sauce.

Note: can also be made on indoor grills, just put lid down with light pressure.

*If using homemade toasted breadcrumbs, may want to add salt & pepper and/or other seasonings to taste. You can also use a mix of regular and panko, and you may need to add more in case you didn’t get enough moisture out and the zucchini is extra soggy.

zucchini cakes web

Summer Chipotle Lime Broccoli Slaw

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I found this recipe in the Weber’s “Way to Grill” cookbook and modified it a bit. It’s amazing on fish tacos or just by itself in the summer. You can use coleslaw, but I found the broccoli slaw doesn’t get as soggy and holds up better.

Summer Chipotle Lime Broccoli Slaw

8 c.  or (2) 12-oz. bags of broccoli slaw

1/3 c. dry or 1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 c. mayo

4 T. lime juice (about 2 medium limes)

1 T. sugar

1 t. canned chipotle in adobo sauce, minced*

1 t. kosher salt

Place all ingredients except slaw in a large bowl and blend well. Add in slaw and toss until coated. Refrigerate at least an hour before serving.

*These come in small can…I blend it all up then freeze in teaspoon size lumps until needed. Can also use chipotle cubes (looks like bouillon cubes). 1 cube = approx. 1 chipotle, but it’s best to add a little then more to taste. Can also add more lime juice or mayo the next day if slaw dried out and needs moisture.

Buttermilk Bars

Buttermilk Bars

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Been to Starbucks and tried their special coffee cake? Well, these Buttermilk Bars are pretty darn close to that. Plus, they are easy to make, taste better, and cost less!

Buttermilk Bars

2 c. flour

¾ c. brown sugar

½ c. chopped walnuts

1-1/4 c. white sugar (or less)

½ c. shortening (I prefer butter flavor Crisco)

Mix together like a pie crust, until crumbly. Take out 2 cups of the mixture – use 1-1/2 cups of this and press into a 9”x13” cake pan. Save the other ½ cup for topping.

To the rest of the mixture, add:

1 egg

½ t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. soda

1 c. buttermilk

Blend well and pour this mixture over the crust mix. Spread out evenly with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle remaining ½ c. of crumbs on top. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.

Fruit Kuchen

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Growing up on a farm in the Columbia Basin of Washington, we had an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables available nearly year-round. This old German recipe is an easy way to use up fresh, ripe fruit. My favorites were always raspberry and apricot. Consider making two pans of it, there’s hardly any more effort and it will disappear quickly!

Fruit Kuchen

1 c. butter or margarine, softened

1 c. sugar

4 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1-1/2 c. flour

2-1/2 t. baking powder

Fruit of choice (see below)

Sugar & cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar together, add eggs one at a time, until well blended. Then add vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder. Blend into creamed mixture slowly. Pat this dough into an ungreased 10”x15” cookie sheet or jelly roll pan (pan should have edges on it, not the edgeless sheet type). Overlap fruit pieces onto dough, or put spoonfuls of puree on top of the dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350° for 40-55 minutes. Let cool in pan and cut into squares for serving. Kuchen also freezes well.

Fruit that works well:

2 quarts canned apricots, drained (or fresh apricots, quartered)

About 3 c. fresh rasperries, blackberries, marionberries or blueberries

3 c. thinly sliced apples (sprinkle with more sugar if of the tart variety)