CUPID’S KABOBS

1-1/2 cups cold milk
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup (8 ounces) cherry vanilla yogurt
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
Assorted fruit–seedless grapes, apple chunks, strawberry halves and/or pineapple chunks
Fresh mint sprigs

In a bowl, combine milk and pudding mix; mix well. Let stand for 2-3
minutes. Add yogurt; mix well. Fold in whipped topping. Refrigerate. Thread fruit onto bamboo skewers; add a mint sprig on the end of each to resemble feathers on an arrow. Serve with dip. Yield: 4 cups dip.

Fireside Coffee for a Romantic Valentine’s Day

2 c Hot Cocoa Mix
1 c Instant Coffee
1 ts Cinnamon
2 Non-dairy Creamer
1/2 Sugar
1/2 Nutmeg

Mix together the cocoa mix, instant coffee, cinnamon, creamer, sugar, and nutmeg.

Sauteed Polenta & Butter Beans – Catalan

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 16-ounce tube prepared plain polenta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 teaspoon paprika, preferably smoked, plus more for garnish (see
Note)
1 15-ounce can butter beans, rinsed
4 cups packed baby spinach
3/4 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup shredded Manchego or Monterey Jack cheese
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high
heat. Add polenta and cook in a single layer, stirring occasionally,
until beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and
garlic to the pan, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add
onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring, until just tender, 3 to 5
minutes. Sprinkle with paprika; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir
in beans, spinach and broth; cook, stirring, until the beans are
heated through and the spinach is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in cheese and vinegar. Serve vegetables over polenta. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.

Serves: 4 Points: 3
This dish is a satisfying vegetarian meal complete with spinach, beans
and polenta, inspired by classic Spanish flavors. note: Look for
smoked paprika with other specialty spices; it’s available in three
varieties: sweet, bittersweet and hot. Sweet is the most versatile,
but if you like a little bit of heat, choose the hot variety. You can
find Spanish products in specialty-foods stores or online at
tienda.com. Make it a Meal: Enjoy with a green salad tossed with
sherry vinaigrette and a glass of Jean-Luc Colombo Cotes du Rhone

NEW ORLEANS RUM CAKE

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding
(3 4/5 oz.)
1/2 c. cooking oil
1/2 c. rum or sherry
4 eggs
1/2 c. water
1/2 to 1 c. chopped nuts
(pecans)

Grease tube or Bundt pan well and place chopped nuts in
bottom, scattering evenly over all. Batter is to be poured
over nuts.

Batter: Combine ingredients and beat 2 minutes with
electric mixer. Pour in cake pan and bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 60
minutes. Check for doneness at 50 minutes with toothpick. Top
of cake will split open so looks quite pretty. Remove from
oven when toothpick comes clean. Poke holes in cake with ice
pick. Spoon glaze over top of cake so will run in holes. Let
sit 30 minutes to 2 hours before removing from pan.

Glaze For New Orleans Rum Cake:
1 c. sugar
1 stick butter
1/4 c. rum
1/4 c. orange juice
Place in small pan and boil 2 to 3 minutes before spooning over cake. Will seem like too much, but will soak in. This cake can be frozen for future use if sealed well. Can be heated slightly when taken from freezer just before serving.

Hot Fudge Sauce

1 package semi sweet chocolate chips

2 tbs butter

1 can condensed milk

2 tbs water

1 tsp vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan, over medium heat, melt chips and margarine with
milk, water and vanilla.  Cook and stir constantly until thickened,
about 5 min.  Serve warm over ice cream.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Raspberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups (350 ml) flour
1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
2 tsp (10 ml). baking powder
1/2 cup (125 ml) milk
1/2 cup (125 ml) butter, melted
1 large egg beaten
1 cup (225 ml) raspberries frozen or fresh
Topping:
1/4 cup (60 ml) pecans, chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup (60 ml) flour
2 tbsp (30 ml) butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (175 C.).
In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, and baking powder, set aside.
In another bowl, beat together milk, cooled melted butter and egg.
Add wet mixture to the bowl with the flour mixture, blend until just mixed, do not overwork.
Spoon about 1 tbsp (15 ml) of batter into prepared muffin cups.
Divide half the raspberries among the muffin tin’s cups and top each with remaining batter, then add the remaining raspberries.
For the topping combine pecans, sugar, flour, and butter and sprinkle over batter.
Bake at 350 degrees (175 C.) for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browning and a toothpick comes out free of batter, be careful to not overcook.

RICH CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN TRUFFLES
Yield: 48 servings

2 1/2 c Vanilla wafers, crushed
1 c Almonds, toasted & ground
1/2 c Powdered sugar, sifted
2 ts Cinnamon
6 oz Chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
1/2 c Libby’s Pumpkin (canned)
1/3 c Coffee liqueur
1/4 c Powdered sugar, sifted

*Note: Apple juice may be substituted for coffee liqueur if desired.

In medium bowl, combine vanilla wafer crumbs, ground almonds, the 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and cinnamon. Blend in chocolate, pumpkin, and coffee liqueur. Form into 1-inch balls. Chill. Dust with remaining powdered sugar just before serving.

Thanksgiving Recipe – Baked Cranberries

1 Quart Fresh (or frozen) Cranberries, washed, culled & drained (2 pkgs @ 12 oz. each)

1 to 1 ½ Cups Sugar

½ Cup Water

1. While culling berries, pierce each one with a needle to curtail bursting while baking

2. Place berries in a 3 quart round, shallow pyrex casserole dish & sprinkle with 1 cup sugar.  Toss to coat berries.

3. Make a hole in the center of the berries & pour water into hole.  DO NOT STIR.  Cover Casserole.

4. Bake @ 300º approx. 25 – 45 minutes or until tender.  DO NOT BAKE LONG ENOUGH FOR BERRIES TO BURST.  They should remain whole.

5. Drain off berries & reserve liquid.  Taste and if additional sugar is needed, add it to the  liquid.

6. Microwave liquid until THIN syrup forms.  I use a Qt. Pyrex measuring cup for this step.  WATCH CAREFULLY SO IT DOES NOT CARMALIZE.

7. Pour light syrup over berries.  If additional liquid is desired, cook 2 parts water to 1 part sugar to a thin syrup and pour over berries.

8. Chill well before serving so flavors marry.

Thanksgiving Recipes

Cranberry Ice

Lovely citrus lends flavor to tart cranberries in this refreshing sorbet
that can be served up for dessert, as a palate cleanser between meals or to
liven up turkey in place of cranberry sauce.

Ingredients
2 (12 ounce) packages fresh cranberries
2 cups white sugar
1 1/4 cups fresh orange juice
1 cup fresh lemon juice

Cooking Instructions
1. In a large pot, add cranberries and enough water to cover. Boil until
cranberries begin to pop. Drain and put through a food mill placed over a
large bowl.
2. While still warm add sugar to dissolve in the warm berries. The amount of
sugar may vary depending on the tartness of the berries, so if you decide to
add more sugar remember that the mixture will be tarter when it has been
frozen.
3. After dissolving the sugar in the berries, stir in fresh squeezed orange
juice and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Pour in 8 or 9 inch square pan and
freeze overnight. Take out of the freezer 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Nutrition Facts Servings per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 173cal
Total Fat: 0.2g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 1mg
Carbohydrates: 44.8g
Fiber: 2.5g
Protein: 0.5g

More Recipes for Thanksgiving