Holiday recipes I loved!!!!

well one of my favorite pastimes is cooking these are a few interesting and favorite holiday recipes!

Crescent Bacon-Cheddar Pinwheels

Not really a holiday recipe but they were gone in a flash! ;-)

 Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) can Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
• 2 tablespoons ranch dressing
• 1/4 cup cooked real bacon pieces
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate into 2 long rectangles. Press each into 12x4-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut lengthwise into 2 long rectangles. Press each into 12x4-inch rectangle.
3. Spread dressing over each rectangle to edges. Sprinkle each with bacon, Cheddar cheese and onions.
4. Starting with one short side, roll up each rectangle; press edge to seal. With serrated knife, cut each roll into 8 slices; place cut side down on ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake 12 to 17 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm. 

Cranberry Salad

I LOVE this salad!!!

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped cranberries
• 1 large orange
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup finely diced celery
• 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 (3 ounce) package raspberry flavored gelatin mix
• 2 cups hot water

Directions

1. Combine the gelatin with hot water (don't let stand). Grind cranberries and orange (including rind) mix with sugar. Stir in nuts, celery and pineapple. Mix with prepared gelatin and chill. 

The flavor definitely improves the next day, so make it the day before you need it.

Cranberry Sauce

I guess I just like making things on my own, taste oh so much better!

Ingredients

• 12 ounces cranberries
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup orange juice

Directions

1. In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice. Stir in the cranberries and cook until the cranberries start to pop (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

I let them cook longer than 10 minutes just so it would get a little thicker, but after it is cooled it does thicken up more. While they were boiling I gave them a good mash or two with my potato masher and the consistency was perfect.Be careful though the cranberries really do pop and spatter so make sure you have a cover ready!

Yummy Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

• 4 cups sweet potato, cubed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup milk (or evaporated milk)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• you can add cin
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water to cover. Cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and mash.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, white sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. I used a mixer and really made it creamy mmmmm
3. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish.
4. In medium bowl, mix the brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.
5. Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown

I found that baking the sweet potatoes held more of the flavor I put 5 large sweet potatoes on a cookie sheet in a 375F oven for about 1 1/4 hours. Then I sliced them in half and used a potholder to squeeze the potatoes. The insides popped right out of the skin; I didn't even need a spoon.

Frothy Orange Drink

Ingredients

• 1 (6 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 10 ice cubes

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender; cover and process until thick and slushy. 

Justin LOVES this recipe!!! his mom makes a recipe just like it!

Green Bean Casserole

I can't have a holiday without this dish!!! pretty straight forward

Ingredients

• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans Campbell's Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 cups cooked cut green beans
• 2 2/3 cups  French Fried Onions

Directions

1. Stir soup, milk, soy sauce, pepper, beans and 1 1/3 cups onions in 3-qt. casserole.
2. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25 min. or until hot. Stir.
3. Top with remaining onions. Bake for 5 min. more. 

Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C).
2. To make Pastry: Cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the flour and chopped nuts and stir until mixture becomes crumbly. Set aside 1/4 cup to use as a topping.
3. Press pastry mixture into 8-inch square pan (I put them into cupcake tins with the liners) and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on rack.
4. To make Filling: Beat together the white sugar, and cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the egg, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla and mix well. Spread filling mixture over baked crust. Sprinkle reserved mixture on as a topping.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on wire rack and refrigerate. 
6. Top cheesecakes with a spoonful of seedless raspberry jam
7. Melt some white chocolate in the microwave (see included instructions below) and drizzle over the jam covered cheesecake! mmmm enjoy!

Melted chocolate:  Place up to 6 ounces of chopped chocolate bars, chocolate squares, or chocolate pieces in a microwave-safe bowl, or measuring cup. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until chocolate is soft enough to stir smooth. The chocolate will hold its shape after it starts to melt, so stir it once every minute during heating.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust (from the all you magazine)

Ingredients

• crust:
• 1 1/2  cups  gingersnap cookie crumbs (from about 30 cookies)
• 1/2  cup  finely chopped pecans
• 6  tablespoons  unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4  cup  sugar
• filling:
• 3  8-oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2  cup  packed light brown sugar
• 1/4  cup  sugar
• 2  large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1  cup  canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2  cup  sour cream, at room temperature
• 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons  pumpkin-pie spice

Directions

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch spring form pan.
Cover outside of pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil.
Stir together all crust ingredients until crumbs are moistened. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

Make filling:
With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and both sugars until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs and yolks one at a time.
Add pumpkin, sour cream and vanilla; beat well. Reduce speed to low and beat in flour and pumpkin-pie spice just until combined. Pour filling into baked shell.
Place cheesecake into a large roasting pan; fill pan with 2 inches of hot water. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until cheesecake is set around edges but still slightly jiggly when lightly shaken (cheesecake will firm as it cools). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate, tightly covered, for at least 10 hours, until thoroughly chilled and set, or for up to 2 days.


Hope you like the recipes I loved them ;-)