Eating Well between the years... Quick, Easy and Leftover Recipes ... Countdown till 2008

Picasso, thank you for the info on the 12th cakes. Never heard of them before but they almost sound like a New Orleans King cake in some countries. Always something to learn here.

Jet enjoy your Chinese food. We might have the same for supper tonight. We have to drive quite a way to get to it but they have the best freshly prepared no MSG food. We will be out buying our Christmas dinner goodies that way anyhow so we might as well take advantage of it.

Have a good day everyone.

• 1 (750 ml) bottle red wine, such as shiraz, cabernet sauvignon or merlot

• 1 orange, quartered, with cloves stuck in it

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• ¼ cup brown sugar, or to taste

• ¼ cup Paula's Texas Orange Liqueur, or to taste (see note)

• Orange slices

In a saucepan, stir together wine, orange quarters and cinnamon sticks. Heat, but do not allow to boil. Keep warm for 5 to 10 minutes. Add sugar and stir until it dissolves. Remove solids; add liqueur. Serve warm, and garnish with orange slices. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Note: Paula's Texas Orange Liqueur is available at select liquor stores.

 Texas,I never heard th word Brawn either. I love head cheese.Our germn butcher makes the best,it just has the right spices. My FIL used to make his own ,which was very good. He always made it for Christmas.the way you described it.

 Berny,thanks for the beautiful Christmas card and the recipes.

I am under the weather and my DH is still not better either.But we will leave,when we are OK again.Since I had a flu-shot, I am getting the flu,but not so bad as I used to get it. I am still writing a few Christmas cards.

 Picasso,thanks for the interestimg story about the Christmas cake.

Jet,this how hectic it used be here,when I still was working.

Renate 

Renate, so sorry to hear both you and hubby are under the weather, and right before your trip. So many illnesses are going around here too right now. DD says that people are leaving work every day to go home because of flu symptoms. Adds stress to the holiday season. Hope you both feel better very very soon.

I love headcheese too but it was to have lots of meat in it, not too much tough jelly and just the right amount of spices. My mother's Aunt Emma made it every year for Christmas and I looked forward to it so much. I have tried some of the stuff at various grocery stores. They are all terrible. They taste nothing like a good headcheese should taste like. Sure wish I could find some at the holiday season. I'd be the only one in the family to eat it but that would be fine me.

My mom also made potato patties out of mashed potatoes.  I could never get them to be like hers but I get a little better each time I try it.  My kids just love them even if they aren't quite perfect.

Thank you Marlene, Texas, Alissa and Lydia for the cards and recipes :o)

Yes,it is not the right time to get sick.But what can you do about it? I can not remember anybody got sick before Christmas.

I am still trying to change the Avatar.

Renate 

waving to all - today off to my last day of work in this year -hurray

see you later -twinkle

• 6 hard cooked eggs
• 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
•  2t prepared mustard
•  One 12 oz can corned beef
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• salt and pepper

Combine ingredients. Cut tops off hot dog buns. Hollow out slightly and brush inside with butter. Fill with egg mixture and put in ice box until just before serving. (That's what the recipes says!) Serve hot or cold.

CROCKPOT CRANBERRY CHICKEN

1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh or frozen (unthawed) cranberries
12 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2 1/4 lbs. total)
1/4 cup catsup
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons cider vinegar 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch blended w/2 tablespoons cold water
salt

In a 3-quart or larger electric slow cooker, combine onion, cranberries. Arrange chicken on top. In small bowl, mix catsup, sugar, mustard and vinegar and pour over chicken. Cover. Cook at low setting until chicken is very tender when pierced (6 1/2 to 7 1/2 hours).

Lift out chicken when done, blend cornstarch mixture into cooking liquid. Increase cooker heat setting to high; cover and cook, stirring 2 or 3 times until sauce thickens (10 to 15 more minutes). Season to taste with salt; pour over chicken. Makes 6 servings.

Easy One Skillet Stroganoff

1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pouch frozen meatless ground "burger" (or fresh)
1 garlic clove
1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 cups medium egg noodles, cooked al dente
1 (8 ounce) container reduced fat sour cream
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Cook onion and mushrooms in oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat until tender- crisp and lightly browned stirring occasionally. Add garlic, and cook for another minute. Add all remaining ingredients except sour cream and parsley; mix well. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover. Simmer 5-10 minutes just to marry the flavors. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream, and sprinkle with parsley if desired.

Hi Ladies,

Twinkle, join you for a cup of tea, it's me the nite owl.  Good thread, as usual.  Lol on the "forced furniture remodling;" we got rid of our son's old beds/dressers just two years ago, the stuff was so beat up.  Now they have a nice set, so if (when) they move, they'll have a start and won't have to sleep on a mattress on the floor, lol.

Back from Vegas.  The chef's dinner was great.  The Wynn is a world unto itself, we didn't go to any other hotel.  Oh, thought of you ladies - I went for my first facial and shampoo and style early Monday morning; it was so relaxing I came back to our room and slept for about 5 hours!  It was a nice treat and I'd do it again.

Everyone, TY for the cards and recipes, enjoy looking at them.

Texas, enjoyed the Dickens quote, have copied.  Seems like there's no one amongst us that doesn't like "A Christmas Carol."  p.s., I like "Scrooged" too...

Renate, glad some of the computer saga is getting worked out.  The flu, ick - did you get a flu shot?  Nothing worse than having to travel when you're not feeling well.  Eegaad, you should have heard all the horking coughing going on while we were flying..

Berny, glad to hear you're catching up.  Hey Marlene, glad to see you're back and that your pesky class is probably over.

Kath, how lucky you are to get some old family recipes handed down.  It's always best if someone who knows how shows you.  Except for a few items, I taught myself how to cook - good thing I had Sis' boyfriend's fraternity brothers to experiment on - lordy, they ate anything.

Jet, you still have snow?

Erna, lol, am giggling with your nickname, this new BB is probably not making you smile at times, I just growl at mine (something you learn to do if you've had dogs for awhile).

Off to dig in recipe boxes, lydia :)

Lots of my recipes came from the "Chicago Tribune" Food Section.  -  this one from the 80's...

LENTIL AND BROWN RICE SOUP

Prep time:  25 min.

Cooking time:  1 hour

6 C. low-sodium chicken broth

2 C. water

1 1/2 C. lentils, picked over and rinsed

1 C. brown rice

1 can (28 oz.) whole tomatoes, broken up, undrained

3 carrots, peeled, cut into 1/4 inch slices (I cut mine smaller)

1 C. chopped onion

1/2 C. chopped celery

3 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 tsp. each:  dried crushed basil, oregano, thyme

1 bay leaf

1/2 C. minced fresh parsley

2 T. red wine venegar

Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

1.  Mix chicken broth, water, lentils, rice, undrained tomatoes, carrots, onions, celery, garlic, basil, oregano, thyme and bay leaf in large Dutch oven.  Heat soup to boil; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer until lentils and rice are tender, 50-55 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Remove and discard bay leaf.

2.  Stir in parsley, vinegar and pepper.  If necessary, thin with additional water or broth.

SWEET POTATO PONE

350 deg., 1 hr., 8 servings, 235 calories

1/2 C. butter

2/3 C. firmly packed light brown sugar

3 C. shredded, peeled sweet potato (about 1 pound)

1/2 C. milk

1 T. rum or brandy

Grated rind of 1 orange

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp each, ground ginger, nutmeg

1.  Preheat oven to 350 deg.  Butter 8 x 8 x 2-inch square baking pan, Set aside.

2.  Beat together butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended.  Stir in sweet potatoes, milk, rum, orange rind, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Spoon into prepared pan.

3.  Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until set and lightly crisped on top.  Serve warm.

With all this talk of the flu I thought you might enjoy this true story from a couple of years ago.  It is sort of funny now, but it certainly was not at the time!

My GF and I spent the day starting our Christmas baking.  We made a number of cookies that day, but by the next day both of us had come down with the flu.  That year there was a very bad strain of the flu going around - the worst part of this particular strain was that it was not killed off by heat i.e. baking.

We had to throw away everything we had made or risk passing this very nasty flu on to all our loved ones.  I suggested giving the cookies only to people we disliked, but my GF is nicer than I am and nixed the idea.  When I think of all the time, effort, and money that went in the trash that year....  You know, I don't think this story is all that funny.  I might have to give it a few more years.

hello friends

so good to see you back lydia - thanks for the recipes!! i knew you would have a jolly good time in vegas!!

picasso that is unfortunate about all your goodies and a ruined christmas being sick- we had christmas like this too - i remember one time when i was the only healthy one  - my parents, my sister, ex-husband and  son he was just 1 years old then, were all so sick - too sick to even sit to look at the tree or have a meal. So i spend all christmas eve decoratoing the big family tree to my desire - had a nice drink doing that, watched some old movies and had a great time - no fights, no big meals it was actually very peaceful christmas day i spend reading and every other hour i went on my rounds from bedroom to bedroom to fill up tea, soup, crackers, medication and all.... but i sure hope this will never happen again...

twinkle

Hello all! Just running by really quick! Made candy last night, and then I had to get up this morning and come into work (didn't get to bed until after 2:00) since we will be closed Christmas eve and Christmas day, so as of right now I am working and then tonight I have to clean and would like to bake some cookies.

Lydia- we still have some snow on the ground.....not a whole lot left since it rained last night. We have a chance for more snow Christmas Eve!!! I hope we can get some!

Berny and Renate I got your cards yesterday! TY for the recipes!

Well I had better run! Later Jet