December 13, 2008

Whew! I'm exhausted just reading BigSis' baking itinerary! I couldn't pull that off if my life depended on it. Seriously! I'm not known as the baker in the family. I haven't given up yet, but by nature, I'm a cook. I have never liked to measure, so that part of baking is a real struggle for me. (“My brain doesn't work that way” or as my sons would say “That's not the way I roll”.)

But, appetizers, on the other hand, are right up my alley! Since earlier this week, BigSis mentioned one of our favorite appetizers, Cheesecake Crunchy, I decided that I would share another ‘all time' favorite.  These Stuffed Mushrooms Italian are another surefire hit to take to any Christmas party. And, they're easy, easy, easy to make. I've been asked for this recipe so many times!

Stuffed Mushrooms Italian

24 large mushrooms
1 pound hot Italian sausage
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 shallots, minced
1/4 c. Progresso Italian Breadcrumbs
1/2 stick plus 1 T. butter
1 c. or so seasoned dry stuffing mix (any flavor)

Wipe mushrooms clean, and remove stems. Saute very lightly (only about 30 seconds on each side) in 1/2 stick butter.

Remove sausage from casings and cook in skillet until brown. Drain. Saute shallot in 1 T. of butter until translucent. (I cheat sometimes and just saute the shallot with the sausage.)  In mixing bowl, combine cooked sausage, shallot, cream cheese, and breadcrumbs. Stuff generously into mushroom caps.

At some point after making these for years, we added this one ‘secret ingredient' that wasn't in the original recipe. After stuffed, turn the mushrooms upside down and gently press into the dry stuffing mix, just until the top is covered with a layer of stuffing mix. (The dry stuffing mix on top adds a nice crunch and wonderful texture to these mushrooms.) Put in a 13 x 9 casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees until hot. I like to keep them in a few extra minutes until the tops are browned a little. Serve immediately.

Buon Appetito!

~LilSis

December 12, 2008

Lots o' baking is going on in my itty bitty kitchen this week!  I've tried to choose recipes that have universal appeal, and that are holidayish.  Most are pretty easy to make, with a decent “profit margin” but I've thrown in a few that are a bit more challenging and expensive to keep me on my toes!

I thought you might like to see what's coming out of my kitchen, since this IS the primo baking season and perhaps you're in the market for a good sweet recipe.  So far, just since last Saturday, I've already prepared multiple batches of each of these:

• Gingerbread from Cooks Illustrated.  A subscription is required to access this recipe, but don't be put off by that.  Cook's Illustrated is the only food site that I pay a fee for, and to me it's totally worth it.  Their product reviews alone are invaluable, and their recipes always work.  They have total credibility with me.
• Chocolate Sheath Cake – it's a classic recipe that you can find lots of places, including on RecipeZaar.  Moist, chocolaty, delicious!
• Super Moist Pumpkin Bread with walnuts (vegan) from AllRecipes.  This is a unique recipe with coconut milk but no eggs and no dairy.  It's fabulous!  I made lots of them for our last bake sale.
• Cranberry Pumpkin Bread from RecipeZaar. I first found this recipe when my freezer went on strike recently and I had to use up a giant bag of thawed cranberries.  It's very easy, extremely moist, and the combination of flavors is surprisingly good.
• Strawberry Bread.  I've been making this forever, and don't know where I originally got the recipe, but this version from RecipeZaar is similar to mine. In this bread, the pecans are non-optional in my book.
• Root Beer Bundt Cake from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. This was a new recipe to me, and I'm glad I tried it.  It's really really moist and deeply chocolate.  I don't get that much root beer flavor without the icing, but it's wonderful regardless.
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars from the back of the Nestle's package.  You can find the recipe on RecipeZaar too.
• Texas Pecan Pie Bars from The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather. This recipe makes a ginormous batch of these wicked bars, but I still made a second batch.  They were that good.

Still on the agenda for this weekend:

• Almond Toffee from CookieMadness.net.  Absolutely an A+ recipe!  I made bunches of it last year, and got rave reviews.  You MUST have a thermometer to make this!
• Soft Peanut Brittle from CookieMadness.net.  Another great one from Anna!  I don't usually care for traditional peanut brittle, but this is nothing like that.  It's flavorful, tender, and just delicious!
• Pralines from The American Family Cookbook by the Culinary Arts Institute. I think this cookbook is out of print, but I've seen it on ebay.
• Outrageous Oreo Crunch Brownies from Culinary in the Country.  Christmas Oreos and brownies together in a recipe adapted from the Barefoot Contessa?  How bad can that be?  I'll also do some without the Oreos.
• Chocolate Fudge from the back of marshmallow cream jar.  You know the one.
• Mrs. Busch's Caramel Bars – a finalist in the Dallas News' cookie contest a few years ago.  The recipe's been taken offline, darnit.  I'll post it another time if these come out as good as I remember them.
• Razz-Ma-Tazz Bars from CookieMadness.  I've never made these, so I'm trusting the Cookie Queen that these will be incredible.  I'm doing them with my homemade cranberry jam instead of raspberry since that's what I have.

That's it!  I've already eliminated 2 or 3 things from the weekend's list, and I still have more than one little elf can do!  I better eat my Wheaties this weekend, you think?  All of the expense and all of the work will be SO worth making some money for this incredible charity!

~BigSis

December 11, 2008

I'm always in a baking mood at Christmas, but since I'm in “Bake Sale Mode” this year, I REALLY have cookies on the brain.  Lots of other folks do too:

• Recipe Girl shares her favorite Christmas Cookies and Candies
• Paula Deen's favorite Christmas Cookies are in Good Housekeeping
• Marye from Baking Delights has some favorite Christmas Cookies
• The Food Network has 12 Days of Holiday Cookies
• Martha Stewart has a Holiday Cookie feature of course
• Southern Living's Santa's Cookies are shortbread cookies 8 ways
• Gourmet Magazine's Favorite Cookies span 1941 to 2008
• Dallas News has a bunch of Holiday Cookie stories

Bake on, elves!  I'll be back on Friday with the scoop on what I've been baking this week for the SPCA Bake Sale.

~BigSis

December 10, 2008

If you're having a Christmas party, or attending one that you need to bring an appetizer to, I have a winning idea for you.  This is an extremely simple no-bake dish called Cheesecake Crunchy that works every time, and it looks fancy.  Plus it's deeelicious!  I've been making it for more than 20 years, and I have no idea of where I got the original recipe.  You'll want to start it early enough to allow plenty of chilling time.  I usually make it the day before I need it to make sure it's thoroughly chilled and set.

Cheesecake Crunchy

1/4 stick butter, melted
3/4 cup cheese crackers, crushed (I prefer CheezIts)
1/2 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, drained and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups sour cream
1 pound cream cheese, softened (2 8-ounce blocks)
Dashes of Frank's Red Hot Sauce to taste
Extra cracker crumbs and olive halves for garnish, optional

Brush the bottom of a 9″ springform pan with the butter, and sprinkle the crushed crackers over it to form a crust.  Combine the remaining ingredients together with a hand mixer until smooth.  Gently pour over the crust and spread evenly.  Garnish by sprinkling a few extra cracker crumbs over the top and arranging the olive halves, if you wish.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight.  When ready to serve, remove the sides of the springform pan and place cheesecake on a serving platter.  Serve with more CheezIts or other crackers of your choice.

I wish I had a photo to show you, but I don't dare make this dish right now since I don't need to take it anywhere and I would eat the whole thing.  Seriously.  Give it a try and let me know how you like it!  If you don't make it at Christmas, keep it in mind for New Year's Eve!

~BigSis

November 29, 2008

Usually the day after Thanksgiving, we'll have turkey sandwiches, which we did.  Then, the remaining leftovers will be used in some basic turkey noodle soup. I'm really tired of that and didn't feel like doing it this year, so I was on a mission to find some different soup recipes. Here are my top three!

• I love Tortilla Soup and Chicken Enchilada Soup, so this Creamy Mexican Turkey Soup from The Recipe Girl is right up my alley!

Creamy Mexican Turkey Soup

• This Fiesta Turkey Soup from Southern Living looks great, too. You can also find this recipe in the Southern Living Christmas Cookbook.

Fiesta Turkey Soup

• I have very fond childhood memories of SisMama's Chicken and Dumplings, so this Hearty Turkey Soup with Parsley Dumplings from AllRecipes also sounds really good to me, even though it requires a little more work.

Since BigSis is vegetarian, she doesn't have to worry about what to do with the leftover turkey. I, on the other hand, have leftovers from an 18 pound turkey, so I'll be making some soup this weekend.

~LilSis

November 23, 2008

Thanks for all the recipes, BigSis! I love the Spinach Artichoke Casserole recipe but since HayHay doesn't like artichokes, I'm going to do the Crumb-Topped Brocolli Bake for something different.  I might even use the french fried onions on top instead of the crackers. I love the different versions of the Green Bean Casserole, too. They all look yummy! For me, I would really like to have two “green veggie” sides, but I'm trying to simplify this year since it's only the four of us.

You're right BigSis, those Turkey Candy Corn Cookies are seriously cute! I love those! And no, I don't have any candy corn left from Halloween! Since I don't have SisMama here to make the pies, I'm going to make a couple ahead and freeze them. (My family will actually be in shock. They are so deprived when it comes to dessert.)

Since I've been reading some really great food blogs lately, I'm getting inspired to try more baking. I'm really going to make an effort to bake more homemade goodies for the guys!

Both of those desserts from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody look awesome! The Cranberry Streusel Cake from Amanda's Cookin' is definitely one that I'm going to try. I love cranberries and I don't like cakes with loads of frosting so this one looks like a winner to me.  Another from Amanda's Cookin' that looks amazing is the  Blushing Pom Holiday Cheescake. I'm really not a big “cake eater”, but man, oh man, cheesecake is another story!

Since I have to freeze my desserts this year, I'm going to try the Eagle Brand Basic Pumpkin Pie recipe that Cookie Madness has in her Thanksgiving Menu. She says it is easy enough for her daughter to make, so I thought it was a good choice for me, being a “novice baker”. And, for my first ever homemade pecan pie, I'm going to make the 2008 Thanksgiving Pecan Pie from Cookie Madness.  She says this recipe freezes well.

My pie baking day was supposed to be today, but HayHay won 2nd place in his surf contest yesterday morning, so now we have to be back down at the beach this morning for finals! I'll just have to survive on little sleep for the next two nights.

So, here is my Thanksgiving Day Menu.

• Roasted Turkey from Tip Top Meats

• Refrigerator Potatoes (Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes)

• Crumb-Topped Broccoli Bake

• All Recipes Creamed Corn Like No Other

• Canned Jellied Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce (I prefer homemade, but my family prefers canned)

• Eagle Brand Basic Pumpkin Pie

• 2008 Thanksgiving Pecan Pie

I know, I know; there's no stuffing on the menu.  If SirHoney wants stuffing, he's going to have to pick it up at TipTop when he picks up the turkey.  Not only do I not have time, but I can't make it the way his Mom does, so I don't even try anymore.

We'll have a big relish tray full of giant green olives, black olives, and sweet pickles.  And I'm sure I'll end up baking some “store bought rolls”.  No time for homemade rolls either!

I also didn't include a gravy.  I LOVE SisMama's giblet gravy.  Again, I don't have time to make it, but my guys “drench” their potatoes with creamed corn anyway. They won't miss the gravy, but I'll sure miss it! Hey, SisMama, wanna freeze some and bring it with you to Vegas for me? (tee hee)

~LilSis

November 22, 2008

Since I've been vegetarian for over 14 years, you won't find any turkey tips here today.  I'll have to leave that up to LilSis or SisMama.  What you will find are a few quick links that might give you an idea for something a little out of the ordinary this Thanksgiving.  LilSis, these first 2 links and photos are for you and your candy corn obsession!  Do you have any left from Halloween?  No, I didn't think so.

Turkey Candy Corn Cookies from Pillsbury start with refrigerated sugar cookie dough and are seriously cute!

Thanksgiving Turkey Candy Corn Cookies

Turkey Pops from Bakerella are adorable and beyond imaginative!

Bakerella's Turkey Pops

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cake from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody looks scrumptious!

Mini Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecakes are also from Peabody…she's got this pumpkin thing DOWN!

Cranberry Streusel Cake from Amanda's Cookin' looks like a fabulous use of the berries.

Gramma's Woozie Cake from BetterRecipes is made with sweet potatoes in a cake instead of pie.  Grand Marnier puts the “Woozie” in the cake!

Chef's versions of Green Bean Casserole from DallasNews take a classic and add a twist.  The Green Bean Tempura with Cream of Mushroom Mousse and Fried Onion Praline from Anthony Bombaci at Nana sounds amazing!

~BigSis

November 21, 2008

LilSis, I hear that you put a call out for easy Thanksgiving recipes, and I have one for you.  I'm not a huge expert on what is freezable and what is not, so I can't make any promises about that.  I can tell you that this Spinach Artichoke Casserole is so so easy, that it's almost as quick as a made-ahead frozen dish.  The hardest part is cooking the onions, and I bet Big T will do that for you!  Most casseroles with these two vegetables have cream cheese, heavy cream and/or canned soup.  This one does have small amounts of Parmesan and sour cream, but I think it's lower in fat than the others, and the flavor is fantastic.  I've made this a couple of times.

Spinach Artichoke Casserole

2 (14 ounce) cans artichoke hearts, drained and halved
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup butter (or olive oil)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I use more!)
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper
2 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese

Cook onions in butter or oil until tender.  Meanwhile, arrange artichokes in bottom of a greased casserole dish.  Drain spinach very thoroughly, pressing out as much water as you can.  I like to just pick up a handful with clean hands, and squeeze it completely dry.  To the cooked onions, add the spinach, sour cream, 1/4 cup Parmesan, salt and peppers.  Spoon spinach mixture over artichokes and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Bake uncovered at 350º for 25 to 30 minutes or until completely heated throughout.

I also found a couple of recipes from AllRecipes that I thought sounded really good for Thanksgiving.  How about Carrot Broccoli Casserole with cheese, but without rice or canned soup? I love carrots and broccoli together, and cheese would just make the combo even tastier!  Crumb-Topped Broccoli Bake sounds delicious too.  Again, no rice since you have those scrumptious mashed potatoes for your starch.  It has crushed Ritz crackers on the top, and calls for a can of process cheese sauce.  I think that means Cheez Whiz! 😀

I hope you like one of those.  Maybe someone will have an idea we haven't thought of yet!

~BigSis

November 6, 2008

• CookieMadness whipped up these brownies from the new cookbook called Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, which I just ordered and can't wait to get!  Can you ever have too many great brownie recipes?  I say, heck no!
• I've had a lot of biscotti, but NEVER with banana so I'm really tempted to try Picky Palate's White Chocolate Dipped Cinnamon and Banana Bread Biscotti.  These would make beautiful Christmas gifts!
• Joe from Culinary in the County reminded me of a delicious recipe I used to make frequently called Cowboy Cookies.  They're hearty and full of goodies!
• I'm SO dying to make this Guatemalan Hot Chocolate Bread, thanks to Culinary Concoctions by Peabody!  Chocolate and bread together?  Count me in!
• Bakerella just proved that there IS a new cookie under the fall sun!  It's Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Maple Brown Butter Frosting.  They look tender and full of flavor!
• It's a Vegan Sushi Party over at the Post Punk Kitchen. The Elephant Roll is calling my name!

~BigSis

November 4, 2008

Plan on watching, and hopefully, celebrating this historic election with friends? If you're like me, I always like to serve some “festive cocktails” for special occasions. There are some  great ideas for Election Day Cocktails on Simply Stated that your guests might enjoy while awaiting the election results. These two are quite colorful!

Election Day Cocktails

Cheers!

~LilSis