Steve Cassidy
Holiday Feasts
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This is the time of year when you can't seem to ever get enough to eat. There's so much great food and so many chances to eat it! Here are some delicious recipes shared with me over the years, to share with you. If you've got some recipes to share, please email me.

Mike Nelson’s Wild Rice Casserole
from 7 News Chief Meteorologist!

1 1/2 Cup Wild Rice (We use Lundberg Wild Blend)
1 Quart Chicken Broth
2 Tablespoons Butter or Margarine
½ Cup chopped Green Pepper
½ Cup chopped Onion
½ Cup chopped Celery
¼ Cup slivered Almonds (Optional)
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
½ Teaspoon of Salt
Dash of Black Pepper
1 can (10 1/2 oz) of Cream of Mushroom Soup

Combine rice and broth in saucepan. Bring to a boio; cover and simmer for 25 mins or longer (until liquid is absorbed by rice)
Melt butter in skillet - saute the vegatables for about 10 mins - Mix with rice and soup and rest of ingredients into a 2 Quart casserole dish
Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot.
Can be made ahead and heated
Can freeze, thaw and reheat.

Dressing

Here is a stuffing recipe that I'm thinking I'll have to double this year. It still may not be enough. Over the years this one of those great recipes that has evolved into what it is now--a little adjustment each time I make it to get it just right. I think it's there.

20 slices whole wheat bread cut in cubes
5-10 slices of rye bread cut in cubes
1 C diced celery
1 C diced onion (about 1 med onion)
1 diced apple (granny smith is best)
1 LB Italian sausage. Leaner is better.
1 C macadamia nuts toasted
2 C chicken stock/broth
¼ LB butter (no salt is best)
½ cup Italian parsley
½ tsp sage
1 TB salt
1 tsp pepper
1 Splash of wine

Sauté celery, onion, apple in a little butter or olive oil. Just till they're soft.In another skillet cook the sausage. (Drain off some of the fat if it's too much.) Meanwhile, combine bread, seasonings in a large bowl. Add the nuts too. Add cooked veggies and sausage to the bread mixture.Melt the butter in a saucepan with the chicken stock. Add this mixture to the bowl and mix thoroughly. Oh! And don't forget the splash of wine. (Splash a little in a glass for you and your sous chef too.) Place the now thoroughly mixed mixture into a casserole dish and bake it for about an hour at 350.

Parmesan Dressing

For a 12-15 pound turkey
4 cups or approximately 1 loaf of day old Italian bread
2 cloves garlic, minced
l medium onion, chopped finely
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
3 eggs or equivalent egg substitutes
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup chopped celery
Chopped gizzard from turkey

Soak the bread in cold water, then squeeze water out. Combine bread with remaining ingredients; mix well with hands. Stuff bird. Any leftover stuffing can be baked in a small oven casserole. Stuffing should puff like a soufflé as the turkey browns. This dressing can be made as a separate entree, and placed in a well greased baking dish as we have done here. Gizzards can be purchased at the grocer, separately. To do a small version of the traditional turkey, a large turkey breast can be use to encase the dressing. When preparing the dressing as a side dish, it is nice to brush the top with butter, for a golden coating. Bake until brown and firm within, approximately one hour at 350.

Cranberry-Orange Conserve

Here's another tried & true recipe for the holidays. Takes about five minutes to prepare and another half hour or so cook. Beats the heck out of that popular stuff you get out of can. (Although that whole serving it in the shape of the can is cool.) This yields about 6 servings.

1 quart unfiltered cranberry juice
1/4 cup apple cider
1 cup sugar
1 orange, peel cut in large strips
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 bay leaves
1 cup toasted hazelnuts
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 pound fresh cranberries

In a medium saucepan, combine cranberry juice, apple cider, sugar, orange peel, ginger, and bay leaves. Simmer until the mixture is reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Add the nuts, vinegar, and cranberries. Continue to cook until the cranberries burst, about 15 minutes.

Cranberry Salsa
Courtesy of Dave Tanin, KOSI 101 News

1 orange
2 heaping tablespoons peeled, finely-minced fresh ginger
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup water
1 bag (12 oz) fresh cranberries
2 limes, juiced
½ bunch cilantro, leaves only, finely chopped
4 fresh serrano peppers, seeded and finely minced
1½ tablespoons rum (optional)

Peel zest off orange with vegetable peeler, making sure not to include whit pith. Finely mince zest. Combine with minced ginger, ½ cup sugar, and water in small saucepan. Place over medium-high burner.Meanwhile, blend cranberries in food processor until they appear finely chopped. Place in small ceramic or metal bowl. When contents of saucepan have reduced to a thick, viscous syrup, pour them over cranberries. Juice orange and add, along with lime juice, 2 tablespoons sugar, cilantro, peppers, and rum. Chill until ready to serve. Makes about 3 cups.

(I usually vary this by adding the zest from the limes, as well. And I substitute habanero peppers for the serranos - because habaneros have such great flavor. But they're thermo-nuclear, so be sure to mince them extremely fine, and add them in VERY small amounts, letting each addition blend in before you get up to the heat you want. Sometimes, all it takes is less than half of one habanero.)


Candy Cane Cocoa
Submitted by: Verushka

Makes 4 servings Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ready in: 15 Minutes

Ingredients
4 cups milk
3 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 peppermint candy canes, crushed
1 cup whipped cream
4 small peppermint candy canes

Directions
1 In a saucepan, heat milk until hot, but not boiling. Whisk in the chocolate and the crushed peppermint candies until melted and smooth. Pour hot cocoa into four mugs, and garnish with whipped cream. Serve each with a candy cane stirring stick.

Pecan Pies

No matter how you say it: "puh-KAHN" or "PE-can," these are yummy pies!

Classic Pecan Pie

1 c. dark corn syrup
1 c. sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/3 C unsalted butter, melted
¼ tsp. allspice and freshly grated nutmeg
1 c. pecans (halves and pieces)
1 deep dish 9-inch pie shellPreheat oven to 425°
Mix sugar and corn syrup thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients, except pecans.

Place pecans in pie shell. Pour remaining ingredients over pecans.Place pie pan on foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° and bake for 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Brown Sugar Pecan Pie

1 c. light corn syrup
1 c. dark brown sugar
½ tsp. kosher salt
1/3 c. unsalted melted butter
2 tsp. pure vanilla
3 eggs, slightly beaten, at room temperature
1 ¼ c. pecan halves
1 deep-dish 9-inch pie shell, unbakedPreheat oven to 350°Combine all ingredients but pecans and mix thoroughly.Pour half the pecans into the pie shell. Add the filling mixture, then scatter the remaining pecans on top.Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Diabetic Pecan Pie
From Jenn Alonzo

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup sugar free syrup (Quite a few companies make them, I used Log Cabin)
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Sugar Substitute (Splenda for baking works well)
1 Tablespoon Flour
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cup Pecan Halves
1 Unbaked 9" Pie Shell
1/2 Tablespoon Milk

Directions: Melt butter and put it to the side to cool down. Add in order, eggs, syrup, salt, sugar substitute, flour, vanilla extract, and butter. Beat the mixture on slow speed until it is blended smoothly. Stir in pecans and make sure they are coated with the mixture. Pour into pie shell. Brush crust rim with milk. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes to an hour.

Betz's Good Sugar Cookies
Submitted by: Tricia Weimer

Makes 4 dozen Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ready in: 9 Hours" This recipe has been handed down from my great-great grandmother at least.
We're not sure how far it goes back, but does go back to the early 1900's at least. "

Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt

Directions

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and lemon extracts. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually blend into the creamed mixture to form a soft dough. Cover or wrap dough, and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll the dough out 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

Gingerbread Boys And Girls
Submitted by: Cindy B.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen

" These cookies are formed by cookie cutters. By using a toothpick to make a hole in the top of the cookie, you can hang them on the tree. You can also make paint out of egg yolks, and food coloring to make them more colorful--use as much food coloring as needed to create desired hue. My girls and I would spend hours making these cookies each Christmas so
we could hang them on the tree. "

Ingredients
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups dark molasses
2/3 cup cold water
7 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon crushed cloves (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 egg yolks
10 drops food coloring
1/2 teaspoon water
3/4 cup raisins
Directions

Mix shortening, brown sugar, and molasses thoroughly. Stir in 2/3 cup water. Blend flour, soda, salt, and spices; stir into molasses mixture. Chill for about 1 hour.

Roll the dough about 1/4 inch thick. Cut with boy and girl cookie cutters.

Make egg yolk paint by blending egg yolks and 1/2 teaspoon water. Divide the yolk among a few small bowls, and add food coloring to each cup for desired color.

Paint the clothes and decorations on the cookies as desired. Carefully transfer to a lightly greased baking sheet. Using a toothpick, make a hole in the top of each cookie. Press raisins into dough for eyes, nose, mouth. Use bits of candied cherries for coat buttons, and strips of citron for ties.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly, then carefully remove from baking sheet.

Marianne's Toffee
Thanks to Judie for sending this is in!

Over medium heat, in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven, combine:
2 cubes butter
1 Tbl white Kayro syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 Tbl cold water

Stirring constantly, heat until 1 shade darker than brown sugar (this takes a while)
Pour onto a flat, un-greased, pan (pizza works best)
Break up 1 BIG Hershey bar and place pieces on hot toffee
'Frost' toffee with melted chocolate
While still warm press 1 cup finely chopped nuts (almonds or walnuts) into chocolate.

Creamy Squash Soup

Ingredients
3 pounds butternut squash, halved, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 cups diced onion
4 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 quarts chicken broth
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
2 TBSP olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream (Um, "light" cream is ok too if you're trying to eat lighter.)

Heat up the olive oil in a saucepan. Toss in the squash, onion, carrots,and garlic and salt. Sautee for a couple of minutes. Add the broth. Simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are very tender, about 40 minutes. Puree soup in a blender or food processor with the butter. (Or with a stick blender. Then you don't have transfer hot liquid in & out of containers.) Whisk cream into soup. Adjust the seasoning. Serve in some nice bowls with a pinch of nutmeg. Enjoy!