December 24: Christmas Morning Casserole

I am sharing our families favorite Christmas morning meal. I hope you enjoy it.  It needs to be prepared Christmas eve.

2 lbs sausage links
3 slices white bread
2 1/4 c milk
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard, opt
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
10 eggs

On Christmas Eve,  brown sausage, drain;  then cut into bite-size pieces. Cut bread into cubes and place in bottom of 9 x 13 baking pan. Layer sausage on bread. In a large bowl, combine milk, eggs, mustard and salt. Beat for 1 minutes. Stir in cheese. Pour over the bread and sausage layers. Cover with aluminum foil and place in refrigerator overnight. 

On Christmas morning, take casserole out of refrigerator and let stand for 30 minutes. Bake in 350 oven for 30-40 minutes.  

December 23: Sour Dough Pancakes

I love love love sour dough pancakes. You will need a sour dough start for this recipe.  I was at a cooking class at church and Inez shared this recipe with us. 

At night, mix with 1 cup sourdough start:
2 c flour
2 c milk
1 tsp salt
Leave out on kitchen counter.

In the morning:  Take out 1 cup start and put it in the fridge in air tight container.

Mix the rest with:
2 tsp baking soda, or
1 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
2 TB sugar
3 TB oil

Cook on hot griddle.

December 22: Whole Wheat Bread

Cooking with whole wheat has been a passion of mine. I have taken many classes on using whole wheat and have taught many classes also.

I have owned a Bosch mixer since I was 18 years old and have been making whole wheat bread since then. I like many different whole wheat bread recipes but one of my favorites is the Bosch recipe. Here it is. Hope you enjoy!

6 c very warm water

2 TB salt

2/3 c oil

2/3 c honey

2 TB instant yeast

2 TB Dough Enhancer

10-16 c ground wheat

In mixing bowl combine water, salt, oil, and honey. Then add the yeast. (Make sure the water is not too hot.) Add dough enhancer. Slowly add wheat and mix until dough pulls slightly away from the sides of the bowl. Knead until gluten is properly developed. (You will be able to stretch it without holes easily forming.)

8-12 minute in Bosch Standard or Universal. 12-18 min. in Bosch compact. 5 minutes before the dough is ready, add the Dough Enhancer. Shape into loaves on hard greased surface. Rise in 150 oven 15-20 minutes. Turn heat up to 350 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

+++Make a batch at dinner time and use some of the dough in your meal, such as pizza, sopapillas, scones, dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, or braided bread.

December 21: Veggie Pizza (An appetizer)

This fun, great for entertaining, yummy recipe comes from the 'Case Family Cookbook' I compiled many years ago. 

2 pkg crescent rolls
8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 c mayonnaise
Grated Cheddar cheese
1/2-1 pkg Hidden Valley dressing mix
Cut up veggies: olives, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers
(or any others you like)

Heat oven to 375. Unroll both cans of dough; separate dough into 4 long rectangles. In ungreased 15x10x1-inch pan, place dough; pressing bottom and up sides to form crust. 
Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. In small bowl, mix cream cheese, mayonnaise and Hidden valley dressing mix. Spread over crust. Top with vegetables. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate.

December 20: Orange Rolls

I love this recipe at Christmas time.

1 c. hot water or orange juice 
½ c. butter
½ c. sugar 
2 tsp. salt

2 Tb. yeast 
3 eggs, beaten
5 to 6 c. flour

Heat the water, sugar, butter, and salt in microwave 1 to 2 minutes. Mix 2 cups flour with yeast. Add liquid and eggs and rest of flour. Mix well and then knead for 5 minutes and refrigerate overnight. Roll into rectangle.

Spread with filling:

1/3 c sugar Grated orange rind (from 1 orange)

1/3 c butter

Roll up jelly roll style. Slice. Bake in greased cookie sheet at 350 for 12 minutes.

Glaze:

2c. powdered sugar Juice of 1 orange

Blend together (may not need all of the orange juice.)

Drizzle over war rolls on cooling rack.

December 19: Bran Muffins

My friend, Shellie, brought these muffins to work one day. They were delicious. I was happy to hear they had Zoom cereal in them. It is a whole wheat hot cereal that I grew up on. My dad use to call it "Zoom mush." I never really appreciated it then. I do now. I love it.

Measure:

2 cups Grapenuts

4 cups Zoom

Pour 2 cups boiling water over cereal and set aside.

Mix together:

2 ½ cups sugar

1 cup softened butter

4 beaten eggs

Add:

1 qt buttermilk

5 cups flour

5 tsp soda

2 tsp salt to above mixture.

Then add cereal mixture and mix well.

Put large spoonfuls in greased muffin tins and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Mixture can be stored in fridge up to 4 weeks.

It makes a lot.

December 18: Cream Cheese Mints

My dear friend, Neida, shared this recipe with me. They are divine. I know I am posting a lot of sugary treats. But it is Christmas time. 

Makes 8 dozen.

3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 TB butter
3 c confectioners' sugar
2 drops peppermint oil
Food coloring paste

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, butter and confectioners' sugar. Mix in peppermint oil. Color as desired with food coloring paste, or leave white. Roll mixture into small balls and place on waxed paper. Flatten wit a fork dipped in confectioners' sugar. Let dry for about 2 hours on waxed paper, then freeze or refrigerate.

If stored in airtight container, these can be frozen for a couple months. These can also be molded.