Christmas Party Ideas

This is my first year really out on my own and I can't wait to host my first Christmas part. My parents were never into hosting parties so this is totally new to me but I do have some ideas which I'm going to share. 

DISCLAIMER: I have not tested any of these so if it doesn't work don't blame me. 

Christmas Wreath: I got this idea from a friend who's hosts a Christmas party each year. You would make a rice cripsy treat mix but with cornflakes instead of rice cripsies and add a little green food coloring. What I'm thinking will be best is to add the food coloring to the marshmallow mix first and then add the cornflakes. Then shape it into a circle on a piece of parchment paper (this will let you transfer it onto your serving plate without worrying about making a mess or the wreath sticking) and add and few red hots here and there to look like berries. 

Pine cone cheese ball: I got the idea to make my own cheese ball and then shape it into a pine cone and add sliced nuts to the outside to look like a pine cone. 

Rice cripsy gingerbread house: I saw the FoodNetWork Challenge were they were building a city out of rice cripsies and got the idea to do the same for my gingerbread house. Last year I got a kit and just felt like I didn't have enough options but I don't fell like I'd be able to correctly bake the gingerbread in the creative shape I want. My solution is to make the house out of rice cripsies, this will let me create any shape I want and to change it at any point because I can just shave it away. I'm also thinking about doing a less traditional design and decorations, but I'm still working on it. 

If you have any ideas about what else I could do for my Christmas party please comment. 

Turkey Tips

This year for Thanksgiving we tired something new with the turkey. I had been watching a bunch of FoodNetWork and learned how much I was doing wrong. Instead of stuffing the turkey with stuffing, which we normally do, we filled the turkey with apples, oranges, and a few lemons. 

I learned that this is suppose to help keep the turkey really moist and that the stuffing can really dry out the turkey. 

What also really helped my turkey turn out perfect this year was basting the inside just as well as the out, now you only get one shot at basting the inside of your turkey and that's before it starts cooking so don't try to when it hot. 

While your turkey is cooking cover the main section with foil this will keep that part from getting too done too fast. 

A Holiday Tradition

For my family it's not a holiday unless we have sticky buns. Thanksgiving dinner was actually postponed once because the sticky buns weren't ready.

It's a very simple recipe, all you need is an box of hot roll mix, melted butter, cinnamon, and sugar.

First you prepare the hot roll mix as directed and then instead of making it into rolls put the dough in a greased bowl and leave it in a warm place to rise. After the dough has doubled in bulk punch it down and let it sit for another 30 minutes.

Next coat golf ball sized balls of the dough in the melted butter and then coat them in your sugar and cinnamon mixture. Then place the balls in a well greased bunt pan.

You can add nuts, raisins, or whatever you'd like in between the layers.

Let the rolls rise for about an hour before baking.

Bake the rolls at 350 for about 30 or until they are golden brown.

Let the rolls cool in the pan for a few minutes and then invert them onto a serving plate and then ENJOY!

Grilled Cheese

Today I was making grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner; usually I make up the sandwiches and then I spread butter on each side so they don't stick to the pan. I have never done it any other way. Today however I didn't have any softened butter so I decided to change things up and just butter the skillet before I put the sandwich on it.

Turns out it worked great! Instead of having to put a paper towel on the plate to soak up the grease from the grilled cheese I had a nice toasted, dry, and delicious sandwich to go with my tomato soup.

Nachos

I had the nachos at Taco Bell for the first time a few days ago and I thought how this would be a quick but fun dinner to make at home. So of course a few days later I had to try it and, in my opinion, they turned out better than the original. 

I started out with cooking some hamburger with taco seasoning. I find that it's not worth it to cut corners on hamburger, if you get a really good quality fresh hamburger you can really taste the difference. 

While the meat is cooking, chop up some tomatoes. Try to avoid using a really plump tomato because you'll get too much liquid. Also chop up a few green onions to go on top. 

I love guacamole, and my dad showed me a really easy way to make it at home. All you need is a ripe avocado, some fresh salsa, and sour cream. Peel and pit the avocado and mash it up in a bowl. Drain the liquid out of the salsa you're going to use and mix it in with your avocado, the you can add as much or as little sour cream as you want. 

For the nacho cheese I kept it simple and just melted a little Velveeta in the microwave. I had never made anything with Velveeta before (that didn't come in a box) and let me tell you and can get messy so be prepared. 

Once that's done you're ready to build your nachos. What I like about this set up was that I just put all the ingredients out and let everyone build their own. The standard approach was to start with a layer of chips, then meat and cheese. Then you put a little guacamole and sour cream followed by your veggies and you're all set!

Grandma's Cinnamon Buns

This is my grandma's recipe for cinnamon rolls and they are the best ever. Not only are they big but every one of them is soft and gooey.

Dough:

2 packages active dry yeast

1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

2/3 cups plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (divided)

1 cup lukewarm 1 percent milk

2/3 cup butter (1 1/3 sticks)

2 teaspoons salt

2 eggs, slightly beaten

7 to 8 cups all-purpose flour, or more if needed

Filling:

1 cup melted butter (2 sticks; divided)

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (divided)

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

1 1/2 cups raisins (optional)

Cream cheese frosting:

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 to 4 teaspoons 1 percent milk

To make dough:

Combine yeast, warm water, and 1 teaspoon sugar in a cup and stir; set aside.

In a large bowl, mix warmed milk, the remaining 2/3 cup sugar, 2/3 cup butter, salt and eggs; stir well and add yeast mixture. Add half the flour and beat until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour until dough is slightly stiff (dough will be sticky).

*Note: after making these many times I've found that you need about 7 1/2 cups of flour total.

Turn out onto well-floured board and knead five to ten minutes, adding just enough flour to keep dough from sticking. Place in well buttered glass or plastic bowl; cover and let rise in warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

*Note: if you have a bread making you can place all of the ingredients in that and set it to dough and avoid the kneading and rising effort.

When doubled, punch down dough and let it rest five minutes. Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a 15-by-20-inch rectangle.

*Note: if you have a plastic tart board with the measurements on it this is a great time to use it.

To make filling;

Spread the dough with 1/2 cup melted butter. Mix together 1 1/2 cups sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over buttered dough. Sprinkle with walnuts and raisins, if desired.

Roll up jellyroll fashion and pinch long edge together to seal. Cut into 12 slices.

*Note: when you go to cut the dough use a very sharp bread knife for best results. To get the cinnamon rolls all the same size start by cutting the roll in half then cut each half in half again. Then you will have four even pieces that you can now cut into thirds.

Coat the bottom of one 13-by-9-inch baking pan and one 8-inch square pan with remaining 1/2 cups melted butter, then sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Place the cinnamon rolls evenly in each pan.

*Note: I've found that the aluminum disposable 13-by-9-inch pans work the best for these cinnamon rolls. They come in packs of three and if you use two and put six in each they fit perfectly.

Let rise in warm place until dough is doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Preheat over to 35o degrees.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until nicely browned. Let cool slightly, spread with Cream Cheese Frosting.

To make frosting:

Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a bowl until smooth. Add vanilla and enough milk to achieve drizzling consistency. Drizzle frosting across top of each bun.

*Note: Unless you want an inch of frosting on each roll only use 8-oz of cream cheese and 2 cups of powdered sugar. It will give you the perfect amount.

If you aren't going to be eating these right away let them cool and then cover with the lids that come with the aluminum pans. Once you're ready to serve, microwave them for about 25 seconds to reheat them.

Italian Night

I needed a quick meal over the weekend but I also wanted it to be complete. I decided on all Italian and making baked ziti with garlic bread and salad.

The first thing that you'll want to do is cook the noodles. I used penne pasta and followed the cooking directions on the box. While the pasta was cooking a mixed about 6 oz. of ricotta cheese and a handful of a prepackaged Italian cheese blend together in a bowl.

Once the pasta was done cooking I drained it and rinsed it with cold water. This helps to stop the pasta from cooking anymore and to remove the starch so the noodles don't stick together. Then I mixed the noodles with my cheese blend and stirred in about a third of a jar of marinara sauce. What's great about this dish is that you can personalize it to your taste by adding less or more of cheese or sauce, it's all about what you like.

Once that's done and in a baking dish I put it into a 350 degree preheated oven for about 20 minutes.

While that is baking I get started on my garlic bread. I like to use fresh french bread but if you have some left over from the day before that works too. First you need to cut the bread in half and spread it with butter. Then I like to sprinkle it very lightly with garlic powder, be careful with it because if you over do the garlic powder the flavor will be overwhelming. Then I sprinkle it lightly with garlic salt. I like this combination because I've found that too much of either is overwhelming but if you only use one your garlic bread will turn out more like toast.

I put the garlic bread in with the ziti for the last four minutes of baking, then I take the ziti out and turn the oven to broil. Just let the ziti sit while you broil the garlic bread for about three minutes more. During this time you can throw together a super simple salad.

For the salad I like to have the bagged romaine lettuce then all I have to do is quarter some cucumber and grape tomatoes and I'm done. For me the grape tomatoes have the best flavor and the organic ones are delicious.

Once the bread is golden brown on top it's time to pull it out. You can then use tongs to hold it while you cut it with a very sharp bread knife so that you don't crush it.

Now you have a wonderful meal that everyone can enjoy, especially you because its was so fast and simple to make.

Beef Enchilada Casserole

This recipe is a great single dish dinner and has plenty of ways to personalize.

 

Ingredients:

1 lb 95% lean ground beef

1 tbsp Southwest Seasoning Mix

¼ tsp salt

1 can enchilada sauce

¾ cup water

½ cup medium thick and chunky salsa

12 yellow corn tortillas

¼ cup snipped fresh cilantro, divided

1 cup shredded Colby & Monterey Jack cheese blend, divided

Sour cream and lime wedges (optional)

 

1. Combine beef, seasoning mix and salt in skillet; cook over medium-high heat 8-10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking beef into crumbles as it cooks. Add enchilada sauce, water and salsa to skillet. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat.

*Note Southwest Seasoning Mix can be replaced with regular taco seasoning. You can also use red or green enchilada sauce if you prefer. Also you can spice it up using hot salsa.

2. As beef mixture cooks, place tortillas in a stack and cut into 1-in pieces using a pizza cutter. Snip cilantro using kitchen shears.
3. Arrange half of the tortillas evenly over bottom of a nonmetal baking dish; top with half of the beef mixture and half of the cheese.  Sprinkle 2 tbsp of the cilantro over cheese. Top with remaining tortillas, beef mixture and cheese.

*Note you can use any type of cheese that you want, I personally like the Mexican Blend.

4. Microwave baker on HIGH 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with remaining 2 tbsp cilantro. Serve with sour cream and lime wedges, if desired.

*Note I like to add a little chopped romaine lettuce and pinto de gallo on top and serve with Spanish style rice.

Skillet Lasagna

I first tried this recipe because it was a quick alternative to traditional lasagna. While it isn’t a replacement for traditional lasagna this recipe is delicious in a pinch.

Ingredients:

1 jar (24-26 oz) marinara sauce

3 cups water

8 oz lasagna noodles

1 lb bulk hot Italian turkey sausage or sausage links, casings removed

2 garlic cloves, pressed

2 oz Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, divided

1 cup fresh whole milk ricotta cheese

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ tsp coarsely ground black pepper

Additional grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine the sauce and water in large skillet. Cover; bring to boil.

*Note if you use the full amount of water the end product will be slightly soupy, so I would suggest using about a half cup less.

2. Meanwhile, wrap the noodles in a clean kitchen towel and break crosswise into quarters. Stir the noodles into sauce. Cover; reduce heat and simmer 16-18 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.

*Note if you try to break more than on noodle at a time they will splinter and ruin the look of the dish so carefully break one at a time.

3. As noodles cook, place sausage into another skillet, cook and stir over medium-high heat 6-8 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking into crumbles as it cooks. Add pressed garlic; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir sausage into noodles and sauce.

*Note the very best garlic press I have found is the one made by pampered chef it works great every time.

4. Mean while grate the Parmesan cheese. Chop parsley; set aside 1 tbsp parsley for garnish. Combine cheeses, remaining parsley and black pepper in bowl. Scoop cheese mixture over noodles. Cover skillet and simmer gently 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted and ricotta mixture is heated through.

*Note to save even more time you can buy the Parmesan cheese already grated. Also if you use the same scoop that was suggested in the cookie recipe it will improve your final presentation.

5. To serve, sprinkle lasagna with reserve parsley and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Picture Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

I used wonder why everyone seemed to enjoy (and request) my chocolate chip cookies. I didn't use a fancy recipe or some secret ingredient. It was through this that I learned how important the preparation and execution are and also how having the right tools for the job makes all the difference when you're baking .

I start out with the standard recipe found on the back of the Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookie package which appears as followed.

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

1 cup chopped nuts

Now here is the first step in your preparation, you are going to need to plan ahead and set out your butter a few hours before you plan to make your cookies. You can try to soften the butter in the microwave but a word of caution, if you end up microwaving it too long and the butter become partially melted your cookies will not turn out the same.

Once your butter is soft (about room temperature) you are ready to start. Here is where your first tool comes in very handy. I use my KitchenAid Standing Mixer to mix all my ingredient, I use to use a food processor but the KitchenAid is much better. Place the butter and the sugars in the bowl and cream them using the flat beater attachment (it will become very smooth once the butter and sugars have throughly combined).

Next you will add the egg and vanilla extract to the bowl and once again mix until well combined.

At this point you can add all of your dry ingredients to the bowl (you don't need to sift them together like the recipe calls for). Keep the mixer on to the lowest setting until the dry ingredients have partially incorporated in to the cream mixture otherwise you will have flour fly out of the bowl. Once it's incorporated you can turn up the speed and mix until it is smooth and completely combined.

To add the chocolate chips use a large rubber spatula to fold them into the dough. This will also allow you to mix in any ingredients the might have been stuck on the bottom or sides of the bowl.

If you are going to add any nuts you will want to make sure that you have chopped them into small uniform 1/4 inch chunks. Any smaller and they will only add texture not a lot of flavor but too much bigger and they will ruin the look of your cookies.

You are going to want to preheat your oven to 375 degrees F, make sure it has reached this temperature before you put in the first batch otherwise it will change your bake time.

Here's another tool tip for forming the cookie dough. I use a tablespoon sided ice cream scoop (you can get them at any kitchen store). It makes each cookie the perfect size and shape and decreases the mess of getting the dough from the bowl to the baking sheet.

I put ten cookies on a sheet at a time. I start with a row of three then the next row I only put two and space them between the ones above them then repeat. This prevents the cookies from touching getting ugly straight lines.

Bake for ten minutes, or until they start to brown, in your preheated oven.

When you take them out of the oven they should still be slightly soft in the middle. Now don't rush to take them off the baking sheet, you have to let them set for a full minute before you touch them. This allows them to set-up and they will also continue to bake some on the sheet. There is one exception, if your spacing was off and some of your cookies are touching then right when they come out of the oven separate them with your spatula, which is your next helpful tool.

If I had any secret weapon when I'm baking cookies this is it. At a kitchen specialty store called Kitchen Kaboodle I found a cookie spatula. It's a small metal spatula that has a very thin edge which allows you to remove the cookies from the baking sheet and place them on the cooling rack without wrinkling them and keep that picture perfect shape.

By the time your next batch is done your first batch should be completely cooled and can be moved to a plate or enjoyed right off the rack.