Holiday Recipes!

Well it is that time of year where we all have family get togethers for the holidays. I know I love cooking food for this time of year and I thought with Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner, it would be nice to share some of my favorite holiday recipes. I hope you find this useful when looking for fun recipes for the holidays!

APPETIZERS/DIPS


Cheese Ball
1/3 lb Virginia baked ham
I bunch green onions, chopped
2 pkgs cream cheese
*Finely chop onions and ham. Mix into cream cheese that has been softened. Form into a ball and refrigerate overnight. Serve with Ritz crackers.

Spinach Dip
1 envelope of Lipton vegetable recipe soup mix
1 (16 oz) sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
*In medium bowl, mix soup mix, sour cream, mayo, and lemon juice. Stir in spinach and water chestnuts. Chill.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball
I (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter
1/4 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
Chocolate graham crackers (broken into pieces)
*In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sugars, beat just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Place cream cheese mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap, shape into a ball. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Before serving roll cheese ball in pecans. Serve with graham crackers.

Creamy Nog Punch
1 gallon vanilla ice cream
1/2 gallon egg nog
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
16 oz cool whip, thawed
*Scoop ice cram into a punch bowl. Pour eggnog over ice cream and sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon. Gently stir in whipped topping. Serve immediately. Sit as needed. Makes 1 1/2 gallon.

Pinwheels
Medium size tortillas
3 green onions
3/4 cup celery
Small can chopped black olives
Chopped ham
Small can chopped green chilies
*Soften cream cheese and add all the ingredients and mix together. Spread on tortillas and roll up. Wrap the rolls in plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to serve, unwrap and slice.

CASSEROLES/SIDES

Cheesy Potato Casserole
1 bag country style hash browns
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups corn flakes, crushed
3 green onion tops, and most of the green part, chopped
1/4 cup butter, melted
*Mix soup, sour cream, salt, pepper, green onions and cheese in a large mixing bowl. Add hash browns and stir to combine. Place in greased 13x9 pan. Top with butter and corn flakes mixed together. Bake 350 for 45 minutes until bubbly around the edges.

Sweet Potato Bake
3 large sweet potatoes
2 sticks unsalted butter at room temp.
1 cup sugar
Salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
* 1). In a large pot cover sweet potatoes in cold water. Bring to a boil over med-high heat. Cook until potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes. Using tongs, remove potatoes and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel and thoroughly mash potatoes in a bowl.
2). Cut one stick of butter into equal pieces and place in bowl with warm mashed potatoes. Add sugar, salt and vanilla, mix together well. Whisk in eggs until mixture is combined and smooth. Stir in milk adding 1 tbsp at a time, just until mixture in moist ans no longer stiff (you might not use all the milk).
3). Pre-heat oven to 350 and mist a 7x11 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pour sweet potato mixture in baking dish and spread evenly. Melt second stick of butter. In a bowl mix walnuts, flour and brown sugar. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over the potatoes, then drizzle melted butter on top.
4). Bake until topping in brown and crispy and sweet potato mixture in cooked through, 35-40 minutes.

Broccoli-Mushroom Casserole
Salt and Pepper
5 cups broccoli florets
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1.4 tsp crushed red pepper
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/ cups low fat milk
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tbsp grated parmesan
* 1). Pre-heat oven to 350. Mist a 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook broccoli for 4 minutes. Drain, rinse, pat dry and transfer to dish.
2). Warm oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, saute for 3 more minutes. Add to dish, season with salt, pepper and red pepper.
3). Wipe out skillet, return to medium heat. Melt 2 tbsp butter and flour. Cook stirring until smooth, about 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and bring to a boil. Whisk until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add mustard; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over broccoli.
4). Melt remaining 1 tbsp butter. Mix bread crumbs and parmesan. Stir into butter. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Green Bean Casserole
1 can green beans
1 Can french fried onions
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cur grated cheddar cheese
*Alternate layers of green beans and onions in baking dish. Mix mushroom soup and pour over vegetables. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, until heated through.

Broccoli-Rice Casserole
1 cup white rice
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chipped onion
1 (12)oz pkg frozen broccoli
1/4 cup butter
1 (8oz) jar cheese whiz
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can mushrooms, sliced
*Cook rice; saute onion and celery in butter. Add cheese, soup and broccoli to rice. Then add it all to the onion/celery. Mix together and then put in greased 9x13 casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

DESSERTS


Caramel Corn
2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks margarine
1/2 cup Karo
1 tsp salt
1 tsp butter flavoring
*Boil 5 minutes and add 1 tsp baking soda. Pour over 8qt popped popcorn( not bags) Bake at 250 for 1 hour.

Caramel Heath Bar Cake -This is my moms recipe and it is Mitch and I's all time favorite cake...it is delicious!! 
1 box chocolate cake mix (devils food)
1 can eagle brand milk
1 bottle caramel topping
Small carton of cool whip
Heath Bars, chopped up (or any candy topping you prefer)
*Bake cake mix according to directions in a 9x13 pan. When cake is finished, let sit until slightly warm, and poke holes throughout the cake with the end of a wooden spoon. Pour eagle brand over cake, then pour caramel topping over cake. When cool, frost with cool whip and sprinkle heath bars over top.

Chocolate Chip Cake
1 yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1 cup melted butter
1 cup sour cream
1 small pkg of chocolate instant pudding
1/2 bag milk chocolate chips
*Mix all ingredients together. Pour in a greased bunt pan. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Cherry Dump Cake- this is super easy and so good! 
1 can cherry pie filling
1 can crushed pineapple (drained, but leave a little juice)
1 yellow cake mix
Pecans, chopped (optional)
2 sticks of margarine
*Mix cherry pie filling and pineapple together. Then put them in a 9x13 pan. Pour the yellow cake mix over the top. Put nuts over the cake mix. Slice the 2 sticks of butter and place all over the top of the cake mix. Bake @ 325 for 1 hr. and 15 min.

Peach Cobbler
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1 3/4 cup sliced peaches
1 cup sugar
*Melt butter in a 9x13 pan. Mix one cup sugar, flour, baking powder, milk and pour on butter. Dont stir. Add peaches on top. Add remaining sugar over this. Bake @350 for 30 min.

Apple Pie
5 granny green apples
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour-self rising
2 tbsp cinnamon
3/4 stick butter, melted
1/8 cup sugar
2 deep pic crusts - one inverted
*Preheat oven to 400. Mix ingredients, sprinkle sugar on top of filling. Place 2nd crust on top. Bake for 45-50 min.


These are just a few of our favorite holiday recipes, but I hope you can enjoy them as much as we do!