Special Dinners...

Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, birthdays, anniversaries… any special occasion that calls for a special meal. Aunt Sally’s stuffing that no Thanksgiving turkey would be complete without. Cousin Henry’s famous eggnog and the stories that flowed after downing a couple of glasses!

Pam Grubb’s Thanksgiving Favorite

This recipe for sweet potatoes is a must for our Thanksgiving.

Sweet Potatoes

2 ½ to 3 lbs yams cooked and peeled or canned
2 eggs
¾ Cup brown sugar
½ Cup butter melted
1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. cinnamon
Orange juice—up to one cup
1 Cup pecan halves

Mash potatoes (about 6 cups). Beat in eggs and ¼ Cup brown sugar, ¼ Cup melted butter, salt and cinnamon. If potatoes seem dry, beat in orange juice till fluffy. Put in 1 ½ or 2 quart casserole. Refrigerate up to 1 day. Before baking, put nuts on top and grown sugar, and ¼ Cup melted butter. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 20 minutes—longer if refrigerated. Serves 8 to 10.

#####

Margaret's Holiday Favorites ~

These are some old favorites that I usually make at Christmas time...

Hungry Jack Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 box Hungry Jack instant mashed potatoes
1 8-ounce carton sour cream
1 8-ounce container French onion dip
1 1-ounce package dry Ranch dressing mix
1 cups grated cheddar cheese
Directions:
Mix potatoes according to box directions. Mix in other ingredients and 1 cup cheese. Put into 9x13 dish (sprayed with oil). Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees. Serves 8-10.

Asparagus Souffle

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 (18 1/2 oz.) can asparagus spears, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonaise
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Directions:
Beat eggs in blender. Add remaining ingredients one at a time, blending well after each addition. Pour into a lightly greased 1 1/2 quart casserole. Place casserole dish in pan of water * and bake at 350 degrees for about 60 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
* If you need the oven space, the souffle works withour the pan of water.

Tiger Butter

• 1 lb. white chocolate (3 boxes)
• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate morsels
Put white chocolate in a 1 1/2 qt. microwave bowl. Melt on high (approximately 2 minutes) Be careful not to burn!!
Stir in peanut butter until smooth and creamy.
Pour onto a waxed paper lined jelly roll pan and spead to cover pan.
In a 2 cup measuring cup, melt the chocolate morsels on high in the mocrowave
— 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn. Drizzle over the white chocolate mix and swirl with a knife point.
Chill overnight, or until firm. Break into small pieces. Store in the refrigerator.

Tipsy Tomatoes
(adapted from the Charleston Jr. League Party Recipe cookbook)

30-40 sweet cherry tomatoes, washed and stems removed
1 cup vodka
1 t. celery salt
1/4 cup lemon pepper seasoning

Place the tomatoes in a serving bowl or dish. Pour vodka over the tomatoes covering all the tomatoes. (You may need to use more than 1 cup of vodka if the tomatoes are not all submerged.) Refrigerate overnight or for several hours.
In a small bowl, combine the cerery salt and lemon pepper seasoning and mix well. Place the bowl of seasoning next to the bowl of tomatoes along with a small container of toothpicks. YUMMM!!!!

Pear, Walnut, and Blue Cheese Crumble

* 6 large pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
* 1 T fresh lemon juice
* 1/2 cup plus 1 T flour
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 2 T Ruby Port
* 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
* 1/4 cup light brown sugar
* 1/2 t salt
* 6 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces
* 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking pan and set aside.

In a bowl or plastic bag, toss the pear slices with the lemon juice. Add 1 T flour, the sugar, and the port, and toss to combine. Arrange in the prepared dish. In a bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup flour, finely chopped walnuts, brown sugar and salt. Add the butter, working in with your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the pear mixture. Bake until the pears are tender, the juices bubble, and the crust is golden, 40 - 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Cook until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings.


Christmas Leg of Lamb

This is a recipe that was given to us many years ago by Cody Lowe, a former writer at the Roanoke Times. It has become our standard Christmas dinner ever since. For the past several years, I have been able to find New Zealand boneless leg of lamb at Sam’s. New Zealand lamb is the best! This is really easy to make and so good.

• A boneless leg of lamb ~ 5 lbs.
• Several cloves of garlic
• 1 lb. package of bacon
• 2 T. plain flour
• Salt & pepper
• Several wooden toothpicks
• A Reynold’s cooking bag

Cut up several (~25) cloves of garlic into slivers. They have to be thick enough to withstand being pushed into a slit you’re going to cut into the leg of lamb. On the fatty side of the lamb, pierce the fat with a sharp knife. The cuts should be just deep and wide enough to get the slivers of garlic pushed down into them. Stuff the garlic into the slits all over the top of the leg.

Lay strips of bacon all over the top of the lamb, using the toothpicks to hold the bacon in place. I lay the bacon crisscross across the top, making two layers.

Follow the directions on the cooking bag, using the flour to coat the bag before putting the lamb into the bag. Use a meat thermometer. Follow the directions that come with the cooking bag about the time and temperature to cook the lamb.

When done, remove the lamb to a platter and keep warm. Be careful not to let the juices escape the bag. You make leave the bacon on the top of the lamb (I do!), but remember to remove the toothpicks.

Make a roux and pour the lamb/bacon juices into the mixture to make the gravy. This gravy is wonderful and your family/guests will sop it up! (For those of you who are not Southern, that’s what you do with gravy and bread!)

Enjoy!

********

Nov. 15. 2012

Here is a favorite pie recipe that my family loves at Thanksgiving, Christmas, or anytime.  It is from Southern Living magazine, so you know it has to be good!

Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie

Ingredients

• 1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts 
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans 
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1 cup dark corn syrup 
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup bourbon or water
• 4 large eggs 
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 teaspoons cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Fit piecrust into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp.
2. Sprinkle pecans and chocolate evenly onto bottom of piecrust; set aside.
3. Combine corn syrup and next 3 ingredients in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients. Gradually whisk about one-fourth hot mixture into egg mixture; add to remaining hot mixture, whisking constantly. Pour filling into prepared piecrust.
5. Bake at 325° for 55 minutes or until set; cool on wire rack.

Cynthia Ann Briscoe, Birmingham, Alabama, Southern Living
MAY 2005