Tag: nani’s cranny

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

<Loaded Mashed Potatoes Loaded Mashed Potatoes[/caption]This favorite recipe is a delicious variation of plain mashed potatoes. It can easily be made ahead and reheated. Beats that last minute mashing!

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds medium baking potatoes
  • 1 cup milk
  • 12 ounce container (1 1/2 cups) French onion dip
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 cup Asiago cheese
  • 1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon

Directions
Peel potatoes and cut into eighths. Place in large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and return to saucepan. Using a potato masher, mash potatoes with milk. Blend in dip, salt and pepper. Place potato mixture in shallow 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and bacon. Heat @ 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until hot.

Old Fashioned Fruitcake

Fruit Cake is a joke among many and I agree that there are a lot of really bad fruitcakes out there. This is a favorite recipe from my Mom’s collection and this is a really, really good fruitcake. She used to make it every Christmas and we all looked forward to it. She would actually make it at the beginning of the month and keep it moist by wrapping it in cheesecloth that was soaked in wine. She would check it frequently and rewet the cheesecloth when it dried out. The recipe calls for liquor, but she always used some type of sweet wine. Try this fruitcake, you won’t be disappointed.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound vanilla wafers, rolled fine
  • 1 pound raisins
  • 1 quart nuts, she used pecans and walnuts
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 pound candied fruits and dates
  • 1 Tablespoon liquor

Directions

Mix all of the ingredients and mix in the 1 Tablespoon of liquor. Line the bottom of one large loaf pan or 2 small loaf pans with wax paper. Refrigerate overnight. The next day remove cake from pans and wrap in cheesecloth that has been soaked in wine or liquor. Keep in refrigerator. If cheesecloth dries out, add more liquor. Keeps indefinitely.

Pecan Squares

Pecans
Pecans
Pecan pie is one of my favorite desserts. This favorite recipe is almost as good as pie. The best thing about bars is that you can cut them small and sample them all!

Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cup light or dark corn syrup
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups pecans, chopped


Directons
In a large mixing bowl blend together flour, 1 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup butter and salt until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press firmly and evenly into a greased 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Bake @ 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Meanwhile in another bowl combine eggs, syrup, sugar, melted butter and vanilla. Stir in pecans. Spread evenly over hot crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until set. Cool and cut into bars.

Categories
Cookies

Peanut Blossoms

I’m sure this is many family’s favorite recipe. No collection of recipes would be complete without this old fashioned Christmas goodie.

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon soda
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • Hershey’s chocolate candy kisses

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll balls in additional sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake @ 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Once removed from oven, top each hot cookie with candy kiss, pressing down so cookie cracks around edges.

Grandma’s Old Fashioned Sour Cream Raisin Pie

This pie was always a favorite of my Mom and Grandma. They both loved it and considered it the ultimate dessert. My Mom still orders sour cream raisin pie when she sees it on the menu at Baker’s Square, but she insists that hers is better!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup cornstrach
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 cups milk
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 egg yolks, beaten
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 baked pie shell
  • Whipped cream

Directions
Mix raisins, cornstarch, cinnamon, milk, sugar, nutmet, and salt together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Add sour cream to beaten egg yolks and then add to mixture in saucepan. Cook until bubbly.
Add lemon juice and cool slightly. Pour into pie crust and chill until set, at least 3 hours or more. Top with whipped cream. Can decorate with pecan or raisins.

Turkey Souffle’

Turkey Souffle
Turkey Souffle
This favorite recipe comes from a dear lady who is now deceased. She used to love to make this for her family at Christmas time. It is a nice way to use up some of that leftover turkey.

Ingredients

  • 6 slices white bread
  • 2 cups diced cooked turkey
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 cup celery, chopped
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheese

Directions
Cube 2 slices of bread and put into bottom of 8x8x2 inch pan. Combine turkey, vegetables, mayonnaise, and seasonings, put over cubed bread. Trim the crusts from remaining 4 slices of bread and lay these over the turkey mixture. Mix beaten eggs and milk together and pour over all. Cover and chill for 1 hour or overnight. When ready to bake, spoon soup (undiluted) over top. Bake for 1 hour @ 350 degrees, sprinkle cheese over top last 5 minutes of baking.

Hot Mushroom Dip

This is a delicious and easy favorite recipe of mine for a mushroom dip. You can vary the flavor by the variety of mushroom you use. It’s a real crowd pleaser.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound sliced mushrooms
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Saute onions and mushrooms in butter for 5-6 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and cook another 5-6 minutes. Add sour cream, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Pour into shallow oven proof dish and sprinkle with the cheese.
Bake @ 375 degrees for 20 minutes.
Serve with crackers or crostini.

COPIA Hot Chocolate

COPIA was a center for wine, food and arts in Napa, CA. Unfortunately it is now closed. I was there a few years ago on Valentine’s Day and the focus was chocolate. We went to a chocolate class and tasted many degrees of chocolate. In my opinion, the darker the better. This is a favorite recipe of mine that I got from COPIA, created by Nicole Plue who was then the Pastry Chef at Julia’s Kitchen at COPIA. It is rich and delicious and makes a wonderful after dinner drink. In fact, dessert is not even necessary with this. It is YUMMY!

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 ounces (3/4 cup) E. Guittard 61% Cacao Semisweet chocolate wafers
  • 3 cups half and half
  • 1 strip, about 1/2×3 inches, orange zest
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup brandy, (optional)

Directions
Place the chocolate in top of a double boiler. Place over simmering water and heat until melted. Meanwhile combine the half and half, orange zest, cinnamon stick and brown sugar in a large saucepan. Heat over medium heat to a gentle boil, then strain.
Slowly stir the melted chocolate into the hot half and half until blended. Add the the brandy, if desired.
Keep warm in the top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. If the hot chocolate is overheated it becomes too thick (I used a small crockpot).

Chocolate Cherry Bars

Chocolate Cherry Bars
Chocolate Cherry Bars
I think this is a recipe that won the Pillsbury Bake-Off many, many years ago. It was indeed a family favorite recipe of my Mom’s. We loved it when she made these rich, gooey bars. They are easy and one of those recipes that you can whip up on a minute’s notice.

Ingredients for Cake

  • 1 package fudge cake mix
  • 1 can cherry pie filling
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 eggs beaten

Ingredients for Frosting

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 5 Tablespoon butter
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 6 ounces chocolate chips


Directions
Mix together in a large bowl the cake mix, pie filling, almond extract and eggs. Pour into a greased and floured 13×9 inch pan. Bake @ 350 degrees for 25 to 30 min.

In a saucepan, combine sugar, butter and milk. Bring to a boil and stir constantly for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips and mix until smooth. Pour over warm bars. Cool.