Please share your Holiday favorites here! 

Not exactally a holiday recipe but it was a great additon to the smoked Boston Pork Roast!

Smoked Pork Rub

• 
  1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• 
  1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar  
• 
  1 teaspoons garlic powder
• 
  1 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
• 
  3 Tablespoons Paprika
• 
  1 teaspoon crushed celery seed
• 
  1 teaspoon chili Powder
• 
  1 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 
  3/4 teaspoon allspice

Preparation

1. Stir together all
   ingredients. Store in an airtight container up to 1 month.

I found this recipe on the "Recipe" thread and knew some of you would love this.  I am tempted to make it to give it away. 

http://www.recipegirl.com/2011/12/12/almond-roca-2/

Here are all of the recipes I made for yesterday's lunch.  The sauce freezes well or you can divide the recipe into thirds for one batch of sauce. 

2012 Cookie Swap Lunch Recipes

Hummus Vegetable Dip

Purchase 1 container regular hummus.  Mix in ¼ cup each diced red onion and tri-color bell pepper.  Garnish with fresh chopped flat leaf parsley and a sprinkling of paprika.  Serve with pita crisps or falafel chips.  Instead of paprika, use a sprinkle of ground red pepper for a bit of heat.

Garlic Bread

¼ cup butter or margarine, softened

2 green onions, finely chopped (chives)

3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 Tablespoon minced fresh rosemary.

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Chabaco “Rainin’ Grains” ciabatta loaf, cut horizontally in half

In a small bowl, mix the first 6 ingredients.  Spread on each half of the ciabatta.  Place cut sides together and wrap in tinfoil.  Heat it in a low oven for 30 minutes.  Cut the loaf into 1-inch diagonal slices and serve warm.

Chopped Salad

1 pint grape tomatoes

3 pickling (Kirby) cucumbers or 1 European cucumber

1 bunch scallions

1 yellow bell pepper

1 bunch radishes (10)

3-4 tender ribs celery

½ cup Italian dressing

Minced parsley (optional)

Chop vegetables into bite size pieces.  Toss with salad dressing.  Garnish with minced parsley.

Roasted Vegetable Sauce

1 (#10) can Cento San Marzano tomatoes [That's 12 cups] 

12 cloves garlic, peeled, whole

3 Vidalia onions

8 carrots, peeled and trimmed

6 red bell peppers, seeded

6 zucchini

6 summer squash

1 lb. mushrooms

1 large eggplant

Italian Seasoning

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400°.  Prepare veggies and cut into medium pieces.  Toss with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with kosher salt.  Mix in 2-3 tablespoons Italian seasoning.  Arrange in a single layer in a large roasting pan.  Roast 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until tender.  Cool.  Process the cooked veggies in batches with the canned tomatoes.  Mix all batches in a large bowl.  Adjust seasonings.  Separate into freezer containers.

Vegetable Lasagna

3-4 cups roasted vegetable tomato sauce

1½ - 2 packages whole grain lasagna, cooked al denté, drained, and arranged in single layer on waxed paper

2 (10 oz.) boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

4 cups ricotta

2 eggs, beaten

1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 (12 oz.) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

1 (16 oz.) bag frozen chopped onion, thawed

4 cups shredded 4-cheese blend

2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

Cooking spray

Bowl of clean water

Spray lasagna pan with cooking spray.  Mix the ricotta, eggs and 1 cup Parmesan cheese in a bowl and set aside. Mix artichoke, roasted red peppers, onions in a bowl and set aside.  Place 4-cheese blend cheese in another bowl and set aside.  Place a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the springform pan.  Cover the sauce with strips of slightly overlapping lasagna strips.  Scatter some of the ricotta mixture over the lasagna strips. Using your hands spread the cheese mixture evenly over the noodles.  Rinse hands in bowl of water.  Evenly scatter some of the vegetable blend over the cheese. Spread a little more sauce and sprinkle the layer with 1 cup of cheese.  Repeat with two more layers ending with a little sauce.  Reserve 1 cup of the 4-cheese blend cheese and 1 cup Parmesan cheese.  Cover with foil and bake for 60 minutes at 350° or until heated through.  Uncover and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.  Let stand on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Serve.  Note:  I make the lasagna at least 1 day ahead, cool it and refrigerate it.  I remove it from the pan the next day and portion it out.  I microwave each portion before serving.

Cheaters Meatballs in Red Pepper Pesto

1 package Trader Joe’s mini-meatballs, thawed

1 (16 oz.) jar Turtledove Company Roasted Sweet Pepper Pesto

Mix meatballs and pesto.  Place in a covered casserole and microwave, stirring occasionally until hot.

Holiday Rush Cookies

1 box cake mix

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

¼ cup butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350°

Mix cake mix and very soft cream cheese and butter until well blended.

Roll into 1” balls and put on baking sheets.  (2” spaced)

Bake 10 – 20 minutes until almost firm.  Rotate the sheets part way.

Store them in a cool place.  (I made the devil's food, and I'm going to make lemon and vanilla (yellow cake mix))

Browsing through a Small Stock Journal, I found several delicious sounding recipes using dates, which are used in many Middle Eastern and African dishes since they have lots of date palms there. I thought I would post a couple of recipes that sound good for Christmas goodies.

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NUTTY DATE DELIGHT

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup flour

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1-1/2 cups dates, finely chopped

1 cup walnuts, in small pieces

1/2 cup blanched almonds, in small pieces

  Place butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a mixing bowl. Thoroughly combine. Add flour and baking powder and thoroughly mix again. Add dates, walnuts and almonds, mix well. Place in 9" x 13" greased pan. Bake in 350 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes or until cake turns golden brown. Cut into squares. Allow to cool before serving. (Makes about 40 pieces)

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DATE CRESCENTS

1-1/4 cups butter melted, divided

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp. salt

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

3 cups flour

2 tsps. baking powder

1 cup finely chopped dates

3/4 cup ground blanched almonds

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 icing sugar

  In a bowl, combine 1 cup butter, eggs, milk, salt and vanilla. Gradually sift in flour and bakng powder. Knead until soft dough is formed, adding a little watr if necessary. Form into ping-pong size balls and allow to rest, covered with a cloth for an hour.

  In the meantime, make the filling by thoroughly mixing the remaining ingredients, including remaining 1/4 cup of butter.

  Roll out the balls to a 3" to 4" diameter, one at a time, then place 1 heaping teaspoon of filling on the center. Fold over to cover the filling, then pinch the edges together, forming into a crescent shape.

  Place on a baking sheet, bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 20 minutes or until crescents are golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet and allow to cool. Place on a serving platter and sprinkle with icing sugar. Makes about 36 pieces.

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(These sound good too!)

DATE FRUIT CUP

4 Cups water

2 cups whole date, ptited

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup raisins, washed

6 whole cloves

2 tblsp. lemon juice

1/2 cup whipping cream

  Place water in a pot and bring to a boil. Add dates and cook over medium heat foar 5 minutes. Remove dates with a slotted spoon, resrve the water. Allow date to cool. Peel and set aside.

  Bring the reserved water to a boil again, add sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Stir in raisins, cloves and dates. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add lemon juice; cook for another 5 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.

  Place in fruit cups; whip cream and place over dates before serving. Serves 6 to 8.

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DATES WITH BANANAS

1 cup whipping cream

1 tblsp. sugar

1 cup whole dates, pitted and thinly sliced lengthwise

3 large bananas, sliced in the middle lengthwise, cut into 1/2" thick half rounds

1 tsp. cinnamon

  Mix cream and sugar, whip. Place in bowl, add dates and bananas. Toss gently; place in 6 to 8 serving dishes. Sprinkle with cinnamon; chill for 1/2 hour before serving.

                PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

1 1/2 C flour

1 tsp baking soda

Salt

1/2 C shortening(Can use the Crisco sticks or shortening)

1 egg

1/2 C brown sugar--packed

1/2 C granulated sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 c peanut butter--I've used both the creamy and one with nuts in it)

Sift flour, soda and salt.  Set aside. 

Beat egg. 

Cream shortening, add sugars and egg, beat well.

Stir in peanut butter.

Add flour mixture.

Form into small balls, flatten with fork dipped in flour.

Greased cookie sheet.  375*   for approx. 10 min. 

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

1 cup PB - not reduced fat or generic brand

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

24 chocolate kisses

In a large bowl, cream PB and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla; beat until blended.  Roll into 1 1/4 inch balls.  Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until the tops are slightly cracked.  Immediately press one chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Thank you Ann, I've printed both of these out and will be using them the next time.

Here is the best Black-eyed pea recipe for New Year's!

David Holloway's HOPPIN’ JOHN

Makes 10-12 generous servings

1 pound bacon

1 large onion, chopped

1 large bell pepper, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped

2 cans chicken broth or stock (water will do, about 4 cups)

1 pound smoked sausage, chopped in 1-inch chunks

1 pound dry black-eyed peas (soaked)

Bay leaves

Red pepper, to taste

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 can (14-ounce) diced or whole tomatoes

 Rice, cooked (about 3 cups, give or take, depending on how thick you like it)

Green onion, chopped, for garnish

Brown the bacon in a Dutch oven. Remove the bacon and eat it.

Sauté the chopped onion, bell pepper and celery in bacon grease until onions are clear. Add garlic and cook for another minute or so, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add stock, sausage, peas and seasonings.

Cover and let simmer for about 2 hours. Check for doneness of peas before proceeding.

Add tomatoes and cooked rice and cook, uncovered, on low heat, stirring often to prevent sticking.

Sprinkle chopped green onions on top prior to serving.

Note: Good smoked ham can be substituted for sausage. You can also use half ham and half sausage for a new twist on an old recipe.

You can toss it in the leftover ham bone from your Christmas feast. It adds a great, new layer of flavor to the dish

BLACK EYE PEAS WITH HOMINY  

1 pkg. blackeye peas, cooked (or two cans blackeye peas)

1 can of white or yellow hominy

1 small can of diced green chile

1 can Chicken Broth

Salt and pepper to taste

   Mix cooked blackeye peas, hominy and green chile together. Add chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes to meld flavors. Serve warm. (Simple but yummy)

I always try to include this dip recipe in our New Years Eve Dinner:

SHRIMP DIP

1 CUP HELLMANN'S MAYONNAISE

1 LARGE CREAM CHEESE SOFTENED

1 CUP ONION FINELY CHOPPED

1 CUP CELERY FINELY CHOPPED

3 SMALL CANS VERY SMALL SHRIMP (RINSED)

CREAM MAYONAISE AND CREAM CHEESE TOGETHER.

ADD ONION AND CELERY MIX. BLEND IN SHRIMP

 BLT  Dip

2 c.  grated cheese (mild or sharp)

1   8 oz. container sour cream

1   pkg. ranch dressing mix

1/2 c.  bacon bits or baco's  (I used baco's)

Mix all ingredient's, chill, and serve with crackers. ( I used a multi grain cracker)