Wassail

4 stars
Submitted By Shelly

Boil the following ingredients together for 15 minutes and then put in crockpot to keep warm till ready to serve:

5 qt water
2 Tablespoons all spice
3-4 cinnamon sticks
1 gallon apple cider
12 oz frozen concentrate orange juice
12 oz frozen concentrate lemonade
2-3 cups sugar

*This recipe makes a lot.  When I made it for a Christmas party at our house I made a 1/4 batch twice and it was a good amount for 10 adults and 14 kids.

1/4 recipe

5 cups water

1/2 Tablespoons all spice

1 cinnamon sticks

1/4 gallon apple cider

1/3 cup frozen concentrate orange juice

1/3 cup frozen concentrate lemonade

3/4 cup sugar

Christmas Pecans

These pecans have become one of our favorite traditional Christmas treats.

submitted by chris
5 stars

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water
1 pound pecan halves
1 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Grease one baking sheet.
2. In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg white and water until frothy. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Add pecans to egg whites, stir to coat the nuts evenly. Remove the nuts, and toss them in the sugar mixture until coated. Spread the nuts out on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake at 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes.

Mediterranean Chicken, Bean & Pasta Soup

4 1/2 stars

submitted by Chris

2 tsp olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
2 medium carrots, cut into thin half-circles
2 large celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 can (28 oz.) whole tomatoes, finely chopped, including juices
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken (I used leftover turkey)
1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup ditalini (small, short pasta tubes) (I used leftover wild rice)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley (or 1-2 Tablespoons dehydrated)
8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced (or 1/2-1 teaspoon dried)
Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add shallot, carrots, and celery. Saute until the vegetables are beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add chopped tomatoes with juices, chicken broth, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Uncover the soup, remove the bay leaves, add cooked chicken, beans, and pasta. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper, add 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley and 8 leaves fresh basil, thinly sliced. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese. Serve.

Serves 6 to 8.

Pumpkin Pie Squares

I'll start eating and cooking healthier foods when the holidays have passed, I promise!

submitted by Chris
5 stars


Crust:
1 cup sifted flour
1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup butter
Combine all ingredients with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly.  Press into ungreased 13 x 9 pan.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Pumpkin:
1 15 oz can pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Combine; mix well.  Pour over crust that has been baked 15 minutes and bake for another 20 minutes at 350.

Topping:
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tblsp. butter
Combine; sprinkle over pumpkin filling which has been cooked for 20 minutes.  Cook for another 15-20 at 350 until filling is set.  Cool in pan.  Serve plain or with whip cream or ice cream.

Creamy White Chili

I forgot to get a picture until after we started eating--sorry for the sloppy bowl shot.

This may look a little unexciting, but it is sooo good!

Use low fat sour cream for a healthier version.

5 stars
submitted by Chris

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon oil
2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies (if you like less kick, add just one can)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream
In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately. This is especially good served with tortilla chips. Makes about 6 servings.
recipe from melskitchencafe

Spanakopita

Submitted by Kelsey 

Makes 25 triangles

5 Stars

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 ½ lbs. spinach

1 tsp dill, dried or fresh

¼ cup parsley, dried or fresh

3 scallions

1 ½ cup feta

2 egg whites

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp butter

Olive oil cooking spray

1 package phyllo dough.

Saute onion and olive oil until onion is translucent in a large pot.  Add spinach to pot and cook until spinach has wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and place mixture on 8 sheets of paper towels and let cool.  Once the mixture has cooled, squeeze out as much liquid as you can.  (see picture)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place in mixing bowl and add dill, parsley, scallions, feta, egg whites, salt, and pepper. 

Separate one sheet of phyllo from the stack and spray evenly with cooking spray.  Place another sheet of phyllo over the first sheet and press the two sheets together.  Repeat with cooking spray and one more sheet of phyllo (total of 3 layers of phyllo).  Cut the layered phyllo dough into 5 even strips.  Place 2 heaping tablespoons of filling 1 inch from the end closest to you.  Fold the bottom right corner over the filling to the edge to form a triangle.  Fold the triangle up, bringing the point at the bottom left to the rest along the left.  Turn the lower left corner over to touch the right edge.  Continue turning the triangle over until you reach the end of the phyllo. 

Place filled phyllo dough triangles on a large baking sheet and brush with melted butter.  Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Spinach and Gouda Souffle

Serving Size - Serves 8, in 6 oz ramekins

4.5 Stars

Submitted by Kelsey

1/2 stick unsalted butter

Melted 1/4 pound Gouda, grated, plus more for dusting the ramekins

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk

4 large eggs, separated

6 ounces fresh spinach, washed, steamed, squeezed dry, and finely chopped

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Baking Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F with a baking sheet on a rack in the middle of the oven.

Brush the insides of six 6-ounce ramekins with a little of the melted butter followed by a dusting of Gouda.
Put the remaining melted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When it foams, reduce the heat and gradually add the flour, stirring until there is no trace of flour left in the mixture, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk in a thin stream and cook, stirring until the mixture thickens to the consistency of a heavy cream. Turn off the heat and whisk in the egg yolks until incorporated. Stir in the spinach and 1/4 pound Gouda and season with the nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Set aside.

Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl with an electric mixer until stiff but not dry. Stir one-quarter of the egg whites into the spinach mixture to lighten it. Fold the remaining egg whites into the spinach mixture.
Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins, filling them to just below the rim. Run your finger around the inside rim of the each ramekin to make a groove in the mixture.

Bake about 20 to 25 minutes, until risen and golden brown on top. Serve immediately.

Note – I purchased my ramekins at Cost Plus, see link below.
http://www.worldmarket.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4052930

Also, as this recipe makes a lot of souffles, I generally make them, cover them with s and put them with saran wrap, and put them in the freezer.  When you want to have one for breakfast, put it in the oven frozen as the oven is heating up.  When the oven is at the correct temperature, set the timer to bake for 20 to 25 minutes.