Pumpkin Spice Cappuccino

Pumpkin Spice Cappuccino

You can easily re-create that wonderful after dinner coffee you've had at your favorite restaurant. Treat yourself and make this easy drink at home this weekend after a busy day of shopping!

Make your own Pumpkin Cappuccino by combining about 4 ounces of light cream with 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, warm lightly. Next, fill two heavy mugs about half full with your favorite coffee. Top each with the warmed cream/spice mixture. Garnish with whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel and a sprinkle of pie spice or cinnamon.

Tres Leches Coffee

Tres Leches Coffee

Are you needing a great gift for a "foodie" on your list? This recipe makes enough to share with your friends and would be perfect with a couple of glass mugs like these that sell for next to nothing at Walmart! It's as easy as mixing up the Tres Leches milk syrup...

Stir together:

1-14 oz can of evaporated milk

1-14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk

1 Cup heavy cream

Add 4 oz. hot coffee or espresso to the mug, add 5 oz. hot milk, 3 oz. of the Tres Leches syrup and 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract. Top with whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel sauce and a cherry. Don't worry about the calories, you can diet after the holidays are over!

Super, Super Bowl Food!

Super Bowl Sunday makes us decide, good or bad? There will be lots of temptations out there, Buffalo This and French Fried That. Maybe we'll just have a little of each, that's the way I like to do when faced with hard decisions! Here's some of the most popular Super Bowl fare that's out there right now...

Jalapeno Popper Dip Print
Substitute low fat cheese and mayo to lighten this up~
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temp
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup parmesan
1/2 can sliced pickled jalapenos
2 jalapeno peppers, de-seed and chop finely
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, parmesan and jalapenos in a bowl and pour into a baking dish. Mix the panko bread crumbs and parmesan and sprinkle over the dip. Bake in a 375F oven until bubbling hot and golden brown on top, about 20 minutes.

Applebee's Wonton Chicken Tacos Print

for a healthier version go HERE

1lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts (sliced into small chunks)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons stir fry sauce
8 tablespoons Asian toasted sesame dressing
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1 cup coleslaw mix
2 tablespoons Asian toasted sesame dressing
10 wonton wrappers
oil (for frying)
4 tablespoons green onions (sliced)
4 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
4 tablespoons red onion (diced)

In a bowl or sealable plastic bag. Combine stir fry sauce, Asian toasted sesame dressing, soy sauce, and teriyaki sauce. Add chicken and mix well with the sauce. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
In a medium bowl toss coleslaw mix with 2 tablespoons of Asian sesame dressing. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Add chicken with the marinade and stir fry until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove from the skillet and transfer to a bowl. Add about 1/2 inch of oil to the skillet over medium high. Fold the wonton wrappers into a triangle formation (imagine "taco") but do not seal. Use tongs to keep the wrapper open and fry one side at a time until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. To make tacos- place a small amount of the chicken mixture into the bottom of the fried wonton. Top with coleslaw mixture, green onion, cilantro and red onion.

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls (a.k.a. Crack Bread) Print
from Plain Chicken
1 unsliced loaf of (round is preferable) sourdough bread
8-12 oz cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
3 oz bag Oscar Mayer Real Bacon bits
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Tbsp Ranch dressing mix

Using a sharp bread knife cut the bread going both directions. Do not cut through the bottom crust. Place slices of cheese in between cuts. Sprinkle bacon bits on bread, making sure to get in between cuts. Mix together butter and Ranch dressing mix. Pour over bread. Wrap in foil the entire loaf in foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Unwrap. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Loaded Baked Potato Dip Print
from My Recipes
1 (2.1-oz.) package fully cooked bacon slices
1 (16-oz.) container sour cream
2 cups (8 oz.) freshly shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup sliced fresh chives
2 teaspoons hot sauce
Garnishes: cooked, crumbled bacon; sliced fresh chives; freshly cracked pepper
Serve with: waffle fries

Microwave bacon according to package directions until crisp; drain on paper towels. Cool 10 minutes; crumble. Stir together bacon and next 4 ingredients. Cover and chill 1 to 24 hours before serving. Garnish, if desired. Serve with crispy, warm waffle fries. Store leftovers in refrigerator up to 7 days.

Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls Print
from Annie Eats

For the egg rolls:
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1-15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1-9 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry with paper towel
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
1-7oz can diced green chiles, drained
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 package of egg roll or wonton wrappers

Preheat oven to 425F. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
In a large bowl mix together corn, beans, spinach, cheese, chiles, onions, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Using a small spoon, scoop a small amount of filling onto the wrapper. Starting at a corner, carefully start to roll the wrapper. When it’s slightly rolled, tuck in the two side and continue rolling to the last point. Wet your finger with water and dab a bit on the corner to seal the egg roll. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling, placing them slightly apart on the baking sheet.
Lightly spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes, flipping them at least once during baking. Serve with salsa or Avocado Ranch Sauce.
For avocado ranch:
3/8 cup mayonnaise
3/8 cup sour cream
3 Tbs buttermilk
1/2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 green onion, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1 avocado, peeled and pitted
Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. Use immediately.

Mudslide Brownies Print

My advice is to budget for this splurge, these get 5 ♥'s!

from Southern Living

6 (1-oz.) unsweetened chocolate baking squares
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

3 large eggs

4 teaspoons espresso powder, divided

2 tablespoons plus 2 tsp. coffee liqueur, divided

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

2 tablespoons whipping cream or half-and-half

2 tablespoons vodka

2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Garnish: chocolate-covered espresso coffee beans, chopped

Melt 4 chocolate baking squares and 1/2 cup butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and transfer to a large bowl. Add sugars; stir well. Stir in eggs, 2 teaspoon espresso powder, and 2 teaspoon coffee liqueur. Add flour and salt, stirring until blended. Stir in pecans.

Spread batter into a lightly greased aluminum foil-lined 13" x 9" pan (or see note). Bake at 325° for 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies appear set on top. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Melt remaining 2 chocolate baking squares and 2 Tbsp. butter in heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in remaining 2 tsp. espresso powder, whipping cream, vodka, and remaining 2 Tbsp. coffee liqueur. Add enough powdered sugar to make a good spreading consistency, beating at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread frosting over cooled brownies; garnish, if desired. Let stand until frosting is set. Use foil to lift uncut brownies out of the pan. Cut into bars to serve.

Note: For really thick, showy brownies, we baked these in an 11" x 7" pan at 325° for 26 to 28 minutes. If you prefer not to add any alcohol to this dessert, you can use sweetened coffee. Instead of the coffee liqueur and omit the vokda.

Turtle Bay Resort Lava Flows Print
A delicious tropical treat~ from The Coterie Blog
46 oz pineapple juice
40 oz coco lopez
1 pint half and half
ice
frozen strawberries in syrup
2 tablespoons water
clear cups
straws

It's really easy but my measurements aren't exact. It's one part pineapple juice to one part coco lopez (cream of cocnut, it's in a can.) Usually it takes about three cans of coco lopez to one big can of pineapple juice. Then you add half and half until it turns white. So I'd say about 1 pint of half and half. In a separate bowl puree strawberries, sugar and water. Or you can puree frozen strawberries in syrup with a little water that seems to work a little better. You want it to be somewhat thick, almost like a syrup texture. Pour strawberries in the cup about an half an inch to an inch high. Put ice in your blender and pour the coconut mix in unitl it's at an even height with the ice. Blend, then pour in the cup with strawberry mix. The strawberries should come up the sides of the cup. If it doesn't, either thin out your strawberries a little bit, or before pouring the coconut take the cup and swish the strawberries around so they stick on the sides of the cup.
Yummy additions: Blend a banana in with the pina colada. That's my favorite way of having it.
Blend and friut in with the pina colada. That's how T-Bay makes all their smoothies.
Cut a pineapple in 4 sections around the core. Take one section and cut in half length-wise. Make a 1/2 inch insertiondown the length of the section. Cut width-wise in 1 inch sections. you can use this to go on the side of the glass. We also put a marichino cherry with an umbrella and poked it into the pineapple.

Grandma Food

Somewhere along the way I've lost a recipe. It was one I clipped from the pages of Woman's Day that first year of marriage, 1970. Every week when I'd check out at Safeway, I'd reach for a Woman's Day or a Family Circle. They were our saving grace from a steady diet of spaghetti or tuna casserole! I picked up a Family Circle the other day and was surprised how thin it's got... and it costs $1.99 now. They were 20 cents when I was a newlywed... good thing too, because our budget for the week was $10.

In my neck of the woods, Chicken and Dumplings are one of those old-fashioned favorites that stirs up a lot of controversy-- the fluffy "dropped" versus the flat "rolled" variety. I grew up with the flat kind and never had a love affair with them until I found the recipe for the FLUFFY ones in Woman's Day. I was so enamored that I couldn't wait for my husband to taste them. He was a wise man even when he was young. He bragged about them, ate two bowlfuls and for the next two years I made them often. Then one day as we were finishing dinner, he said he loved his Grandmothers FLAT dumplings. My hackles went up, just for a second, but I definitely took umbrage to the fact that he loved her dumplings. After I got over that bump, I immediately started searching for a good recipe for the flat ones! Count yourself lucky if you've had a recipe passed down to you. Grandmas make the best ones so I went to a pro... my Sister-in-law's Mom!

Southern Chicken Dumplings~PRINT
Pauline Wallace~ she knows a thing or two about dumplings!
Chicken Broth:
1 whole chicken, pick one that's on the smaller side and it will be more tender

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 chopped onion
2 stalks celery, sliced
water
In a large soup pot cover the hen in water seasoned with salt and pepper.Add the celery and onion and stew the chicken covered until the meat is tender, about an hour. Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Strain broth through a colander to remove vegetables, discard veges. Pour broth back into pot and reheat to boiling while you make the dumplings.

Dumplings:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons Crisco
1/2 cup milk
Sift flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in shortening, then add milk and mix. Allow dough to set about 15 minutes to let the baking powder do it's thing, namely a rise that will make the dumplings tender as a Mother's/Grandmother's Love!  Roll dough onto heavily floured surface to 1/8" thick. Cut into inch wide strips and cut into 2" lengths. Drop [floured] strips into boiling chicken broth and simmer covered for 15 minutes. Serves 6.
*Two secrets here, make sure you roll them thin, they will cook faster and you have less chance of them being "doughy." The second one is to dredge the strips again as you place them in the broth, the flour helps to thicken the broth. See why Grandma had the best dumplings???

There are cookbooks out there that are full of "Grandma Food."

One that I love, Being Dead is No Excuse by Gayden Metcalf and Charlotte Hays has  been called the official Southern Ladies guide to hosting the perfect funeral! Inside the covers are the tried and the trues, the dishes that comfort and heal.

Methodist Party Dish~Print

If you refuse to cook with corn flakes, skip this recipe. 
1 2-pound package hash browns
10 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 pint sour cream
1 can (10 3/4-ounces) cheddar cheese soup, not diluted
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
Topping:
2 cups corn flakes
1 stick butter
Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare the hash browns according to the package directions. Combine the cooked hash browns with the other ingredients and place in a buttered 13 x 9-inch casserole dish. Top the casserole with corn flakes and dot with butter. Bake 40 minutes, or until golden, crisp, and bubbly. After you've eaten your fill, ask your doctor to write a prescrition for Lipitor!

Virginia's Butter Beans~PRINT

This recipe comes from the late Virginia Owens, a St. James' parishioner - and the recipe is a Mississippi Delta funeral favorite.
2 (10 oz) boxes frozen butter beans, cooked and drained
6 slices bacon, crumbled
1/4 to 3/4 cup minced green onions
1/3 cup minced celery
1/3 cup bell pepper, minced
2 tbsp flour
2 cups drained canned tomatoes
2 tbsp brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Fry the bacon and then saute the minced vegetables in the bacon grease. Add the flour, tomatoes, salt, pepper and brown sugar. Add the cooked and drained butter beans. Adjust the seasonings, pour into casserole and top with crumbled bacon. Bake until bubbly. Serves eight to ten and freezes well.

Methodist Fried Chicken~PRINT

1 chicken, cut up.a nice, medium-size yard bird
2 eggs
2 cups whole milk
2 cups flour salt black pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
fat for frying (Crisco, vegetable oil, or a combination. Crisco is a nice way of saying "lard.")
Lightly beat the eggs and blend with the milk. Combine the flour, salt, pepper (a generous amount), and baking powder in a doubled brown grocery bag.shake to mix. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg/milk mixture. Shake chicken, one piece at a time, in the bag of flour until well coated (at this point, some cooks prefer the double-dip method where they repeat the egg-wash-and-flour procedure).
Using a preseasoned black-iron skillet, heat enough oil to almost cover the chicken. When you drop the chicken in, the fat sizzles! Frying is an art. The real art involves the grease, which must not burn but cook at an even, medium-hot level. Cooking time will vary according to the size of the piece of chicken. Approximately 20 minutes. Serves three to four.
GRANDMA SECRETS: Do not crowd the chicken when frying. Turn only once, when golden brown on one side. Remove pieces from the skillet and drain them on a brown grocery bag that has been covered with a layer of paper towels.soaks up extra grease better than anything!

The Methodist Ladies' Chicken Lasagna Florentine~PRINT

6 lasagna noodles, uncooked

1 (10-ounce) package chopped frozen spinach, thawed

2 cups cooked, chopped chicken, about 3 medium breasts

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons white pepper

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream

1/3 cup homemade mayonnaise

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste

Butter pecan topping (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the noodles according to package directions, drain and set aside. Drain the spinach well, pressing between layers of paper towels. Combine the spinach, chicken, cheddar cheese, onion, nutmeg, salt, pepper, soy sauce, soup, sour cream and mayonnaise in a large bowl. Stir well to blend. Arrange half the noodles in a lightly greased 11-by-7-by-1 1/2-inch baking dish. Spread half the chicken mixture over the noodles. Repeat this procedure with the remaining chicken mixture and noodles. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Butter Pecan Topping. Bake, covered, for 55 to 60 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Serves eight.

Butter Pecan Topping:
2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 cup chopped pecans

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat; add the pecans and cook for 3 minutes. Cool completely.

Martha Jane Howell's Pineapple Casserole~PRINT

2 cans (20 ounces) crushed pineapple

5 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup grated sharp cheese

Ritz crackers

1 stick real butter

Drain the pineapple. Grease a 2-quart oblong casserole dish and put the pineapple in the bottom. Sift the flour and sugar together, blend it with the cheese and then sprinkle on top of the pineapple. Cover with crushed Ritz crackers, a tube or a tube and a half will do nicely. Melt the butter and pour over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Serves eight.

"Think of these teas as Methodist chardonnay. Methodists rarely drown their grief in anything stronger than flavored tea. Mint tea and almond tea are refreshing in the Delta summer and won't cause you to say things you regret later. The mint tea is a legacy of a long-gone minister."

Almond Tea~PRINT

4 cups strongly brewed tea

3/4 cup water

1 can (60 ounces) frozen lemonade, thawed

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons almond extract, a little goes a long way

Combine all ingredients. Stir it until the sugar is dissolved, and serve over ice. Makes about twelve cups.

Mint Tea~PRINT

16 cups water (1 gallon)

7 tea bags

7 sprigs fresh mint

Rind of 3 lemons

Juice of 7 lemons

2 cups sugar

Bring half the water to a boil. Add the tea bags, mint and lemon rinds. Steep for 12 minutes. Add the lemon juice and sugar to the remaining 8 cups of water. Mix with the tea and serve over ice. For funeral purposes, I wouldn't garnish each glass with mint, though that's a nice touch for less-somber occasions. Serve it from a glass pitcher.

Bing Cherry Salad with Coca-Cola~PRINT

You knew there was going to be a Jello salad in here, didn't you?

2 (3-ounce) boxes cherry gelatin

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

1 (15-ounce) can black cherries, drained

2 cups juice, reserved from pineapple and cherries, heated

2 (8-ounce) bottles Coca-Cola

1 cup pecans

Dissolve the gelatin in the hot juice, then add the Coca-Cola and pour into a dish. When gelatin starts to congeal, stir in the pineapple, quartered cherries, and pecans. Chill until firm. Serves sixteen.

Almond Tea

Almond Tea~PRINT

4 cups strongly brewed tea

3/4 cup water

1 can (60 ounces) frozen lemonade, thawed

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons almond extract, a little goes a long way

Combine all ingredients. Stir it until the sugar is dissolved, and serve over ice. Makes about twelve cups.

Mint Tea

Mint Tea~PRINT

16 cups water (1 gallon)

7 tea bags

7 sprigs fresh mint

Rind of 3 lemons

Juice of 7 lemons

2 cups sugar

Bring half the water to a boil. Add the tea bags, mint and lemon rinds. Steep for 12 minutes. Add the lemon juice and sugar to the remaining 8 cups of water. Mix with the tea and serve over ice. For funeral purposes, I wouldn't garnish each glass with mint, though that's a nice touch for less-somber occasions. Serve it from a glass pitcher.

Celebrate!

New Year's Eve is just around the corner and even if the refrigerator is bulging at the seams, you're probably thinking about snacks for New Year's Day. With all the games, it's an excuse for one more big party before the diets begin!

Taste of Home's Best Holiday Recipes 2011 has so many yummy recipes, I've used it over and over the last few weeks. So kids, before the ball drops... before the New Year's Resolutions begin... let's be bad one.more.time!

French Quarter Cheese Spread PRINT RECIPE
Heide Blaine Hadburg Safety Harbor, Florida
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, onion and garlic. Transfer to a serving plate; shape into a 6-in. disk. Set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Cook and stir over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in pecans. Cool slightly. Spoon over cheese mixture. Serve with crackers. Yield: 8 servings.

Asiago Chicken Spread PRINT RECIPE
James Korezenowski Fennville, Michigan
3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes    
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup salted cashew halves
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Assorted crackers or toasted baguette slices

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, saute chicken in butter for 5-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in cashews. Remove from the heat; cool. In a food processor, combine the mayonnaise, onion, cheese, basil, pepper sauce and chicken mixture; cover and process until blended. Press into a 2-cup bowl; cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. If desired, unmold onto a serving platter; serve with crackers or baguette slices. Yield: 2 cups.

Pepperoni Pinwheels PRINT RECIPE
Cynthia Bent Newark, Delaware
1/2 cup diced pepperoni
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 egg, separated
1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls

In a small bowl, combine the pepperoni, cheese, oregano and egg yolk. In another small bowl, whisk egg white until foamy; set aside. Separate crescent dough into four rectangles; seal perforations.  Spread pepperoni mixture over each rectangle to within 1/4 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a short side; pinch seams to seal. Cut each into six slices.  Place cut side down on greased baking sheets; brush tops with egg white. Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 2 dozen. 

Pear Mushroom Strudels PRINT RECIPE
Carole Resnick Cleveland, Ohio
1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup butter, divided
2 small pears, peeled and thinly sliced
3/4 cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
10 sheets phyllo dough (14 inches x 9 inches)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, cook mushrooms and onion in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Stir in pears; cook 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat; stir in the Gruyere, almonds, mustard, salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature. Melt remaining butter. Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface; brush evenly with butter. Sprinkle with 1-1/2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese. Layer with four more sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter and sprinkling with cheese. (Keep remaining phyllo dough covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out. Spread half of the pear mixture in a 2-in.-wide strip along a short side of dough. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with the pear side; pinch seams to seal. Brush with butter. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Repeat with remaining phyllo, butter, Parmesan cheese and pear mixture. Bake at 375° for 16-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes. Cut each strudel into 12 slices. Yield: 2 strudels (12 slices each).

Just in case you want to make some drinks to go with all these great appetizers... here's a few links to some yummy ones from Taste of Home:

Caramel Vanilla Martinis

Cranberry Glogg

Sangria Wine

Meemaw's Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies

photo courtesy of The Food Network

What do you do with all those little peppermint candies that Sonic so kindly puts in our bag of burgers? Well, if you're like me and have been saving them all year long, have I got a great recipe for you! From the Queen of Sweetness herself, Ms. Paula Deen... I trust her cause she's not skinny and she's a Meemaw, just like me!

Meemaw's Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies

from Paula Deen PRINT RECIPE

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup puffed rice cereal

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 cup rolled old-fashioned oats

1 (8-ounce) package toffee bits

White chocolate, for dipping

15 peppermint hard candies, crushed, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars. Scrape the sides of the mixer bowl and beat in the oil, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the flour mixture in 3 small additions, scraping the sides of the bowl after each one. Slowly beat in the rice cereal, coconut, and oats. Fold in the toffee bits and refrigerate the dough, covered, for 1 hour. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough on 2 cookie sheets, leaving at least 1-inch of space around each drop. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool. Using a double boiler, melt the white chocolate. Dip the cookies into the white chocolate and sprinkle crushed peppermint to decorate. Allow to cool or serve warm. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

photo courtesy of The Food Network

APPLE PEAR CIDER PRINT RECIPE

from Paula Deen

4 cups apple cider

4 cups pear juice or nectar

4 teaspoons dark brown sugar

2 (2 1/2-inch) cinnamon sticks

4 whole cloves

4 black peppercorns

4 allspice berries

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Let steep, off the heat, for at least 20 minutes. Reheat, and then strain and serve.

Percolator Punch

Here I set with my cup of coffee and in the distance, I can hear the school bus. The bus struggles to make the steep grade up our mountain, we are between a "hill and a holler" so it kind of echos back. Peaceful.

Mornings when I was a kid were comforting too. Mom would have the radio tuned to KWTO's Bill Ring show and they would play "Oh What a Beautiful Morning." The kitchen would be warm and the smell of fresh perked coffee filled the air. Remember before Mr. Coffee when our Mom's actually perked a pot on the stove?

I started drinking coffee when I was 12 I think. My Grandma Risley would give me a sip of hers when we would visit. She'd say, "Let me fix you a cup of your own" and she'd doctor it up with a splash of cream and a spoonful of sugar. I loved it and I still do. Mine is brewed in a pot that grinds the beans on one side and brews on the other. I love the whirrr of the blades that turn on at 5AM. It's the only reason I can make myself get out of bed and face the day!

A couple of years ago, I found an old electric percolator at a local flea market. There it set, the gleeming chrome made it look brand spankin' new! They had a little kitchen table set with Harvest Gold Corelle dishes that transported me back to my childhood, to that house on Summit Street. I brought that shiny percolator home and made this...

Percolator Punch

9 cups apple cider

1/2 cup cinnamon red hot candies

Pour apple cider into percolator, place candies in percolator basket. Cover and begin the perking cycle. When the cycle is complete, remove the basket and leave punch in the pot to keep warm.         

PRINT RECIPE

House Wine of the South~Iced Tea!

June is National Iced Tea Month...did you know that? We should have been celebrating all month, but better late than never! Nothing tastes as good as a tall glass of tea, tinkling with ice cubes and a big slice of lemon. As a child of the South, sweet iced tea has always been part of my daily life. And when made correctly, it can be a wonderfully sweet and refreshing drink on a hot Summer day. Enjoy on the back porch, preferably in a rocking chair!

Classic Southern-Style Iced Tea
There are as many ways to brew iced tea as there are Southern grandmothers. I grew up on iced tea made by bringing a small amount of water to a slow boil and then pouring it over the tea bags to form a concentrate. More water was added to finish the process. I guess I'm biased toward this method, but it definitely does make good tea.
6 regular-size tea bags (You can use Orange Pekoe, Oolong, green tea, Lipton -- pick your favorite.)
2 cups boiling water
6 cups cold water
Granulated sugar or other sweetener to taste (optional)
1. In a glass measuring cup or ceramic teapot large enough to accommodate the boiling water, place the tea bags. Pour the boiling water over the tea bags. Cover and let steep for 15 minutes.
2. Remove the tea bags, being careful not to squeeze them (squeezing the bags will add bitterness)
3. Pour the concentrate into a two-quart pitcher and add the cold water. Sweeten, if desired. (Some Southerners put in as much as 1 1/2 cups of sugar)
4. Let cool, then chill and serve over ice.
Makes two quarts
*Tea will become cloudy if refrigerated while still warm. Add a little boiling water to clear up the cloudiness.


Blueberry-Lemon Iced Tea
1 (16-oz.) package frozen blueberries
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
4 cups water
3 family-size tea bags
3/4 cup sugar
Bring 1 (16-oz.) package frozen blueberries and 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and pour through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, using back of a spoon to squeeze out juice. Discard solids. Wipe saucepan clean.Bring 4 cups water to a boil in same saucepan; add 3 family-size tea bags, and let stand 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags. Stir in 3/4 cup sugar and blueberry juice mixture. Pour into a pitcher; cover and chill 1 hour. Serve over ice.
Southern Living, JULY 2007

Peach Iced Tea
3 (11.5-ounce) cans peach nectar
2 quarts brewed tea1 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Stir together all ingredients; chill until ready to serve.
Curtis Aikens, Southern Living, AUGUST 2002

Mock Tea Sangría

1 (10-oz.) package frozen raspberries, thawed

1/3 cup sugar

1 family-size tea bag

2 cups red grape juice

1 lemon, sliced1 lime, sliced

1 (16-oz.) bottle orange soft drink, chilled

Process raspberries in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Pour puree through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a large container, discarding raspberry seeds. Bring sugar and 3 cups water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring often. Remove from heat; add tea bag. Cover and steep 5 minutes. Remove tea bag with a slotted spoon, squeezing gently; cool tea mixture slightly. Stir together raspberry puree, tea mixture, grape juice, and lemon and lime slices. Cover and chill 2 to 24 hours. Stir in orange soft drink, and serve immediately over ice.

Southern Living, DECEMBER 2008

Hibiscus Tea Punch

4 cups boiling water

8 Red Zinger or hibiscus tea bags

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 (25.4-ounce) bottle sparkling apple cider, chilled

Garnish: lemon wedges

Pour 4 cups boiling water over tea bags. Cover; steep 10 minutes. Discard tea bags. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Chill until ready to serve. Stir in sparkling cider, and serve over ice. Garnish, if desired.

Coastal Living, MAY 2003

Mint Julep Iced Tea
8 mint leaves
1 lemon, sliced
1 lime, sliced
1 cup bourbon
3 cups cold sweetened tea
Cubed or crushed ice
Combine first 3 ingredients in a 2-quart pitcher, pressing with spoon to crush mint. Stir in bourbon and tea. Add ice.
Coastal Living, MAY 2002

*One more little tidbit of knowledge I found on the Internet...The only tea grown in America is found about 20 miles south of Charleston on Wadmalaw Island at the Charleston Tea Plantation, now owned by Bigelow.
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