Holiday Cheese Ball

Ingredients:

16 oz Cream Cheese (do not use reduced fat), room temperature

10 oz Crushed Pineapple, drained

3 T Chopped Green Onions

1 1/2 C Chopped Pecans, divided

1/2 C Finely Diced Green Pepper

1 T Lawry's Seasoned Salt

Directions:

Mix together cream cheese, crushed pineapple, green onions, 3/4 C pecans, green pepper and seasoned salt. 

Form into a ball. 

Refrigerate for 1 hour. 

Roll in remaining 3/4 C pecans. 

Serve with crackers using a cheese knife!

Note: If any ingredients seem particularly moist, dab with paper towel before mixing in. 

* Adapted from my aunt Karen's recipe

Black Currant Scones

Ingredients:

2 1/2 C All-Purpose Flour

1 T Baking Powder

1/2 t Salt

1/2 C Sugar 

1 1/2 C Dried Black Currants (or other dried fruit)

1 C Heavy Cream (or Plain Milk Kefir)

3 T Unsalted Butter, melted, optional 

Extra sugar for dusting, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Pour dried currants into heavy cream and let soak while mixing dry ingredients. 

In a large mixing bowl, sift or or whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. 

Stir in currant and milk mixture and mix until combined. 

Roll out dough to 1 in thickness and cut into circles or triangles or scoop into spoonfuls. Place desired shapes onto parchment-lined baking sheet.

Paint scones with butter then sprinkle with sugar, if desired.

Bake in center of oven until golden, about 15 min. 

Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving. 

Top with lemon curd and clotted cream and serve with black tea!

Yield: About 2 dozen small scones or 18 larger scones 

* Adapted from my friend Sarah's recipe

Norwegian Spice Cookies

Ingredients:

3 C All-Purpose Flour
2 t Ground Cinnamon
2 t Ground Ginger
1 t Ground Cloves
1/2 t Ground Nutmeg
1/2 t Ground Cardamom
3/4 t Sea Salt
1 C Butter, room temperature
1 1/2 C Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 t Vanilla Extract
1 Egg White (optional)
1 T Water (optional)

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.

Add eggs, one at a time mixing in between, and add vanilla and mix several minutes until slightly fluffy. 

Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients.

For cut-out Cookies: Cover and refrigerate dough for one hour before rolling out and cutting with cookie cutters.

For softer, round cookies: Skip refrigeration step. Roll into 1-inch balls.

For either shape, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place dough shapes or balls on parchment-lined cookie sheets. If desired, mix egg white and water to create egg wash and brush on tops of cookies. Bake 10-12 minutes or until slightly golden. Remove to cooling rack.

Serve with coffee or black tea.

* Adapted from http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/norwegian-spice-cookies

Slow-Cooker Chicken and Navy Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb Navy Beans, rinsed (and soaked overnight, if desired)

8 C Homemade or Quality Chicken Broth

2 C Pre-Cooked Chicken, diced or shredded

2 T Olive Oil

1/2 t Granulated Garlic

3 T Dried Minced Onion

1/2 lb Carrots, peeled and sliced

6 Celery Stalks, sliced

1 Bay Leaf

1 T Fresh Rosemary (or 1 t Dried Rosemary)

1/2 T Fresh Thyme (or 1/2 t Dried Thyme)

1/2 t Smoked Paprika

1/2 t Ground Black Pepper

2 t Sea Salt (plus more to taste)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in slow-cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. 

Taste for salt and add more if needed. 

Serve with fresh rolls or cornbread!

* Adapted from https://www.happy-mothering.com/02/recipes/slow-cooker-navy-bean-soup/

Pork or Turkey Breakfast Sausage

Ingredients:

1 t Salt

1/2 t Dried Parsley

1/4 t Rubbed Sage

1/4 t Ground Black Pepper

1/4 t Dried Thyme

1/8-1/4 t Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1/4 t Ground Coriander

1 lb Ground Pork or Ground Turkey

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine all herbs and spices. Stir well. 

Place ground meat in a large bowl. Pour spice mixture into meat and use a fork to stir and combine. 

Use immediately or cover and refrigerate up to overnight. 

Cook in skillet over medium heat or as you would any ground sausage. 

Note: For hot sausage, add 1/4-1/2 t Cayenne Pepper. 

* Adapted from http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/tsr-version-of-jimmy-dean-pork-breakfast-sausage-by-todd-wilbur-250325

Creamy Tomato Bisque

Ingredients:

2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Medium Yellow Onion, diced

3-4 Garlic Cloves, peeled and crushed

2 T Chopped Fresh Basil Leaves (or 2 t Dried Basil)

1/2 T Fresh Oregano Leaves (or 1/2 t Dried Oregano)

1/2 T Fresh Thyme Leaves (or 1/2 t Dried Thyme)

1 28 oz Can Whole Stewed Tomatoes or Crushed Tomatoes, undrained

1 14 oz Can Italian Style Diced Tomatoes, undrained

2 C Chicken Broth

1/4 C Heavy Cream or Heavy Whipping Cream, plus more to taste and for garnish

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft. 

Add garlic, basil, oregano and thyme. Cook for about 2 more minutes. 

Add the cans of tomatoes (including liquid) and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5-10 minutes. 

Using an immersion blender, blend soup in the pot to desired consistency. 

Add 1/4 C (or more to taste) cream and add salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve topped with shredded Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of additional cream. 

Yield: 4 Servings

* Adapted from October 2017 MyMagazine

Quick and Easy Chocolate Pie (with Crustless Option)

Ingredients:

1 or 2 Unbaked Pie Crusts, regular, gluten-free or graham cracker

7 T Cocoa Powder

2 C Sugar

4 Eggs

1/2 C Melted Butter

1 12 oz Can Evaporated Milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a large bowl, whisk together cocoa powder and sugar. 

Whisk in eggs and melted butter. Whisk in evaporated milk. 

Pour into prepared pie crust(s) and or custard baking dishes.

Bake pie(s) for 50-60 minutes or until center is no longer jiggly. 

For crustless pies in custard baking dishes, place filled dishes in a larger baking dish and add hot water to the dish up the level of the pie filling in the custard cups. May take less time to bake than pies. 

Serve warm, room temperature or cold with whipped cream. Refrigerate leftovers. 

Yield: 12 Servings

* Adapted from http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2012/05/easy-chocolate-pie/