Hot Cocoa Mix

The girls and I first tasted this hot chocolate at a caroling party for AHG in Patterson.  Mrs. Marci Morden was kind enough to share her recipe with us, and we've been making it every winter since.  :)

Hot Cocoa Mix

10 cups instant dry milk powder

4 3/4 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 3/4 cups sifted unsweetened cocoa powder

1 3/4 cups powdered non-dairy creamer

1. 1.  In a large mixing bowl, combine milk powder, confectioner's sugar, cocoa powder, and creamer. Stir till thoroughly combined. Store cocoa mixture in an airtight container. Makes about 15 cups mix, or enough for about 45 servings.

1. 2. For 1 serving, place 1/3 cup cocoa mixture in a coffee cup or mug, and add 3/4 cup boiling water. Stir to dissolve. Top with dollop of whipped cream or a few marshmallows, if desired.

Favorite Potato Salad

6 (2 pounds) medium potatoes

3/4 cup chopped sweet pickles

2 tablespoons chopped onion

3/4 cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons sliced or chopped pimiento*

2 teaspoons salt or to taste

1 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds

Potato Salad Dressing (see recipe below)

6 hard-cook eggs (5 chopped and 1 sliced)

Fresh parsley

Paprika

* Pimientos are roasted sweet red peppers that have been preserved in oil. TIP: After opening and using part of a jar of pimientos, to prolong life of remaining pimientos, add a teaspoon of white vinegar and refrigerate.
In a large pan over medium-high heat, add potatoes and cover with cold water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, approximately 12 to 15 minutes or until just tender. Remove from heat and drain. NOTE: You can remove the skins when the potatoes have cooled enough to hold. As soon as you can handle the potatoes, cut the warm potatoes into bite-sized chunks and place in a large mixing bowl.
Add sweet pickles, onion, celery, and pimiento to the potato chunks. Sprinkle with salt and celery seeds; stir until well blended.
Prepare Potato Salad Dressing. Pour salad dressing over the potato mixture; toss gently. Add 5 chopped hard-cooked eggs, gently mixing into potato salad. Refrigerate salad several hours. If potato mixture gets too dry, add additional mayonnaise and 2 teaspoon sweet pickle juice.
Place salad into a large serving bowl and garnish with remaining sliced hard-cooked egg. Sprinkle parsley around edge of bowl and sprinkle paprika over sliced eggs. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight before serving.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Potato Salad Dressing:

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 1/2 tablespoons prepared mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon sweet pickle juice

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, prepared mustard, sugar, and sweet pickle juice; stir until well blended.

Cranberry Pork Roast

I first made this from one of my mom's cookbooks when she was in Romania adopting Joy and Gabriel.  It's easy and festive!  Go ahead and use a cheap cut of Pork roast - like a pork butt.  It turns out juicy and yummy!

Cranberry Pork Roast

3-4 lb Pork Roast

salt and pepper

1 cup cranberries (or use can of whole berries)

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp. grated orange peel

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper;  place in Crock Pot.  Combine other ingredients; pour over roast  Cook on low 8-10 hours.

Baked Potato Soup

This is what Naomi requests for her birthday every year. Well, at least the last 4 years in a row! It is easy and super yummy! We usually don't add the bacon or cheese, but save it to sprinkle on top. It's good either way!

Baked Potato Soup
Yield 6 servings

Ingredients

• 12 slices bacon
• 2/3 cup margarine
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 7 cups milk
• 4 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
2. In a stock pot or Dutch oven, melt the margarine over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes and onions. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
3. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted.

Original recipe here: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Potato-Soup-I/

Turkey Tetrazzini

This is one of my favorite meals!! I have it copies exactly like I got it from Marilyn of the Urban Homemaker.

www.urbanhomemaker.com



TURKEY TETRAZZINI

I use turkey leftover from Thanksgiving or cubed chicken during the rest of the year.
Quick and delicious!

Serves: 6-8 servings (2-1/2 qt casserole)

3 cups diced turkey pieces (or chicken)
10 oz whole grain pasta of choice or use spaghetti *
½ cup melted butter
½ cup whole wheat pastry flour or 6 TB unbleached white flour *
1-3/4 cups hot milk, low-fat if desired *
1 cup Turkey or Chicken broth (homemade is tastiest)
1/4 cup cooking sherry or white grape juice
½ tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 Cup fresh mushroom slices, sauteed in oil or butter OR 4 oz can mushroom stems and
pieces, drained
½ Cup Parmesan Cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions until just barely tender or use leftover spaghetti or
other pasta. Rinse, and drain.
2. Make the sauce by blending flour into melted butter and cook and stir over medium heat about
1 minute; remove from heat. Blend in milk and chicken broth. Return to heat; cook and stir until
thickened.
3. Blend in sherry, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and mushrooms. Combine pasta, turkey, and sauce and
place in casserole dish. Top with Parmesan Cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes
or until bubbly. Make two casseroles, one for the freezer and one to serve.

(THM version:  Use 1 1/2 - 2 tsp. glucci instead of the flour, Dreamsfields pasta instead of regular pasta, and half and half instead of milk.)

Chinese Chicken Salad

Mark and I love love love this salad!! We always serve it with crusty bread. The recipe is adapted from my Betty Crocker Cookbook.

Chinese Chicken Salad

1/2 package Ramen noodles broken up (without seasoning)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/2 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded,(3 cups)
1 small carrot shredded (1/2 cup)
1 T. sesame seed
1T chopped green onion

Dressing:
1/3 cup mayo
1 T. sugar
2 T. hoisin sauce (in oriental section of grocery)
2 T. white wine vinegar
1 T. sesame oil
1 tsp. soy sauce

I usually double the lettuce to make it all stretch farther. :o)

The Silver Palate's Corn Bread-Sausage Stuffing With Apples

This recipe is from my wonderful sister-in-law, Lucia. She is an excellent cook, and always brought the stuffing for our Thanksgiving dinners. Since she lives across the country from us now, I had to get the recipe and make it myself. I've made it for two years in a row now, and it is delicious every time. It's Mark's favorite.

The prep for it is time consuming, but well worth it!

Corn Bread-Sausage Stuffing With Apples

- makes enough stuffing for a 20-pound turkey, 12 to 14 portions -
Adapted from Silver Palate Cookbook

Ingredients

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onions
3 tart apples (Jonathan and Winesap are good), cored and chunked; do not peel
1 pound lightly seasoned bulk sausage (breakfast sausage with sage is best)
3 cups coarsely crumbled corn bread
3 cups coarsely crumbled whole-wheat bread
3 cups coarsely crumbled white bread (French or homemade preferred)
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1 1/2 cups shelled pecan halves

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. Melt half of the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook, partially covered, until tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes, Transfer the onions and butter to a large mixing bowl.

3. Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet. Add the apple chunks and cook over high heat until lightly colored but not mushy. Transfer the apples and butter to the mixing bowl.

4. Crumble the sausage into the skillet and cook over medium heat,stirring, until lightly browned. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the mixing bowl and reserve the rendered fat.

5. Add the remaining ingredients to the ingredients in the mixing bowl and combine gently. Cool completely before stuffing the bird; refrigerate if not used promptly.

6. If you do not wish actually to stuff the bird (goose or duck. for example, can make the stuffing greasy), spoon it into a casserole. Cover the casserole and set into a large pan. Pour hot water around the casserole to come halfway up the sides, Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, basting occasionally with the cooking juices from the bird or with the reserved sausage fat if necessary.