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Potato Oatmeal Wheat Yeast Rolls

November 24, 2009 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
potato-rolls

potato-rollsWhat You Need:

1/2 C potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 C quick cooking oats
1/2 C of butter, room temperature and divided
2 (1/4 oz.) pkgs. active dry yeast
1 C of warm water (115 degrees)
2 eggs
2/3 C of sugar
1 t salt
4 C of bread flour, divided
1 C of whole wheat flour

How to Make It:

In a saucepan put the potatoes and just cover with water.
Over high heat bring the water is brought to a brisk boil.
Boil the potatoes until very tender about 8 minutes.
Drain the potatoes saving 3 TBSP of the cooking water.
In a mixing bowl put the oats and add the 3 TBSP of potato water stirring until the mixture is crumbly.
Mash the potatoes in a mixing bowl and add 6 TBSP of the butter
Stir in the oat mixture until blended together.
In a mixing bowl put the yeast and stir in the water until the yeast is dissolved.
Add the eggs, sugar, salt, 2 C of the bread four and the potatoes to the yeast, stirring to mix in well.
The remaining bread flour is added with just enough wheat flour to form stiff dough.
Lightly flour a flat surface and lay the bread dough onto the flour.
The dough is kneaded 6 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
Place the dough into a non metallic bowl that has been well greased.
Coat all sides of the dough with the oil by turning it over once.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
The oven is set to preheat to 350 degrees F
Grease two 9 inch round pans.
Put the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface.
Separate the dough into 32 equal size balls.
Place the balls into the round pans with the sides touching.
Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Put the rolls on wire racks to cool then brush with the remaining butter.

Makes 32 rolls

The tops of these rolls can be sprinkled with garlic butter or cinnamon sugar.

Filed Under: Breads and Muffins, Christmas, Recipe Cards Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Host a Theme Dinner This Christmas

November 24, 2009 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
tableholidayfood1

tableholidayfood1Christmas dinner always seems to be a mad crazy rush. Sure the family gets together and great time but it can always be better. Why not host a Christmas theme dinner this year.

Are you asking yourself what is a theme dinner? It’s a dinner based around a specific theme. Of course in this instance the theme should be based around Christmas. Here are a few ideas for a Christmas theme dinner:

• Family history of holiday meals

Think back in your own family history. Maybe your family is of European, Asian or African descent. Fill the table this year with foods that reflect what would have been eaten by your family members hundreds of years ago. Research the traditional dress of the time so that everyone can look the part.

• Spiritual themes

Christmas is not just about spending time together but the spiritual significance. Everyone could dress as the people did in biblical times and enjoy foods prepared as they would have been enjoyed in the New Testament around the time that Jesus was born.

• Holiday recipes

Holiday recipes come from all sorts of cookbooks. You may decide on a down home Christmas meal or eat dinner as the Pilgrims may have enjoyed it with pheasant instead of turkey as the main dish. Try a recipe book based on holiday songs or poems. You’ll find a lot of references to meal ideas with those.

• Regional foods

Regional themes can reflect the variety of traditions in different corners of your own country. How about a traditional New England feast or a Southwest meal? Go down south to Texas and you will find some other favorites you may not have thought to add to your Christmas meal before.

• Holiday movies

Let’s start with holiday movies. Take your favorite movie and use that as a starting point. Use the time period and any mention of food in the movie to set up your menu and what the attire will be for the evening.

These are just a few ideas for a Christmas theme dinner. Be sure to plan early so that everyone can have enough time to add their special touch. It might be a tradition that will carry on for years and years to come.

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Breaded Turkey Bites

November 23, 2009 By The Recipe Mom 1 Comment
turkey-bites

turkey-bitesWhat You Need:

1/2 C of dry bread crumbs
1/2 C of green pepper, chopped
2 egg whites
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 drops of hot sauce
1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 T of canola oil
1 C of ketchup
1/2 C of water
1/4 C of lemon juice
1/4 C red wine vinegar
2 T molasses
2 T of brown sugar
2 t of dry mustard powder
1 t chili powder
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1/2 t pepper

How to Make It:

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the bread crumbs, green pepper, egg whites, garlic and hot sauce.
Break up the turkey into the mixture and mixed well.
Shape the mixture into small meatballs.
Pour the canola oil into a skillet over medium heat.
Lay the meatballs in a single layer into the oil.
Cook 8 minutes, turning frequently until browned on all sides.
Drain the meatballs and put them back in the skillet.
Whisk together in a mixing bowl the ketchup, water, lemon juice, vinegar and molasses.
Add the brown sugar, mustard, chili powder and both peppers and whisk in until combined well.
Cover the meatballs with the sauce.
Allow the mixture to come to a boil then turn the heat to low.
Simmer covered for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Makes 10 servings

If you want turkey on your buffet but don’t want to cook a whole turkey this is the way to go. The hot sauce, chili powder and cayenne pepper may be omitted.

Filed Under: Appetizers, Christmas, Recipe Cards Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Slushy Freezer Fruit

November 22, 2009 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
frozenfruit

frozenfruitWhat You Need:

4 C of water
1 C of sugar
3/4 C of orange juice concentrate
3/4 C of lemonade concentrate
3 firm bananas, sliced
1 (20 oz.) can unsweetened pineapple tidbits
1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 C maraschino cherries, halved

How to Make It:

Place a large saucepan over medium heat and pour in the water.
Stir in the sugar and both of the concentrates.
Cook the mixture 3 minutes stirring constantly being sure the sugar is completely dissolved.
Take the pan from the stove and fold in the bananas, pineapple, oranges and cherries.
Cool slight and pour into a 3 qt. freezer container and freeze overnight.
Remove 1 hour before serving, stir slightly and enjoy.

Makes 12 servings

Preparation Time: approximately 1 hour 5 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 3 minutes
Freezing Time: approximately 8 hours
Total Time: approximately 9 hours 8 minutes

This dish is yummy and adds a little fruit to your Christmas buffet. For a more colorful Christmas touch add red and green maraschino cherries.

Filed Under: Christmas, Kid Friendly, Recipe Cards, Side Dishes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Non Food Necessities for Your Christmas Dinner

November 21, 2009 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
utensils

utensilsWhen it comes to preparing the Christmas dinner making a shopping list of food seems to come natural. What about the other necessities you need? There never seems to be enough pans and utensils to pull off the perfect Christmas dinner. Here are a few ideas to add to your shopping list.

No one wants to have to make a last minute substitution because they forgot something at the store. When you are making a list of the grocery items you need, don’t forget the utensils. Unless you have a large family, most people don’t use every pot, pan and spatula in their kitchen unless it is Christmas.

To save on storage space and money, look for items that are disposable. It makes clean up easier and is a little lighter on the pocketbook.

• Aluminum roasting pans for meats
• Square aluminum side dish pans
• Round aluminum cake pans for cakes and rolls
• Serving utensils
• Plastic silverware, paper plates and napkins
• Thermometers for both meats and candy
• Plastic mixing bowls
• Trash bags

It’s not really a long list but makes the clean up much easier. Instead of using all of your baking pans and washing them repeatedly, it is easier to cook sides and meats in disposable aluminum pans. They hold up well when cooking and can be thrown away afterwards. Any extra pans can be used for take home items. If gives them a container to carry the food and reheat the food once they get home.

There always seems to be a problem when it comes to plates and silverware. There enough for 8 but not enough for the entire family. Party supply stores sell Christmas plates, napkins and silverware that resemble the real thing. The family won’t mind and your holiday table will still look elegant.

When preparing meats for a large crowd a thermometer is necessary. Turkey takes a long time to cook and you want to be sure it is cooked throughout. A meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh will let you know when the turkey is done. If the turkey comes with a pop up you still need to ensure the turkey is cooked through with a meat thermometer. Creating the perfect fudge or other types of candy also need a thermometer to ensure they come out perfect every time.

There is a lot to pulling off the perfect the Christmas dinner but by planning ahead you can keep the stress and work to a minimum. These tips can help in making Christmas day special for all.

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Creamy Cheese Cubed Potatoes

November 20, 2009 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
potatoes

potatoesIf you prefer you may also use southern hash browns with peppers and onions.
What You Need:

2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans cream of celery soup
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. chive and onion cream cheese
1 (2 lb.) pkg. frozen cubed potatoes
1 (4 oz.) pkg. cheddar cheese, shredded

How to Make It:

The oven temperature is set to preheat to 350 degrees.
With a non stick cooking spray generously spray a 9×13 baking dish.
In a large microwavable bowl put the soup and cream cheese.
Microwave on high, covered 3 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted, stirring occasionally
Take from microwave and fold in the potatoes until well coated.
Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Bake in the preheated oven 35 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the potatoes evenly.
Put back in oven and bake 2 minutes longer until the cheese is starting to melt.

Makes 12 servings

Preparation Time: approximately 5 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 40 minutes
Total Time: approximately 45 minutes

You may use hash browns or potato slices to make these cheesy potatoes.

Filed Under: Christmas, Recipe Cards, Side Dishes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mixed Floret Vegetable Salad

November 20, 2009 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
broccoli

broccoliWhat You Need:

4 C of broccoli florets
2 C cauliflower florets
6 carrots, cleaned and cut into slices
2 C of frozen peas, thawed
3 celery ribs, cut into slices
1/2 C onion, chopped fine
1/2 C of red seedless grapes
1/2 C of green seedless grapes
1 C of mayonnaise
1/2 C of milk
2 T cider vinegar
1 T of sugar
1/2 C of sunflower seeds

How to Make It:

In a large salad bowl put the broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peas, celery, and onion and toss together.
Add the grapes and stir gently to combine.
Whisk together in a separate bowl the mayonnaise, milk and vinegar.
Whisk in the sugar until completely dissolved.
Pour the dressing over the salad and gently stirred to coat.
Sprinkle the top with the sunflower seeds.
Put in refrigerator and chill at least 60 minutes before serving.

Makes 12 servings

Preparation Time: approximately 20 minutes
Chill Time: approximately 1 hour
Total Time: approximately 1 hour 20 minutes

This is a refreshing mixture of fruits and vegetables with a crunchy twist. Instead of the sunflower seeds you may add any type of nuts. Make the salad your own by mixing and matching different fruits and vegetables.

Filed Under: Christmas, Recipe Cards, Soups and Salads Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sweet Swiss Cheese Bread

November 18, 2009 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
cheesebread

cheesebreadWhat You Need:

1 (1 lb.) loaf Hawaiian sweet bread
1 (8 oz.) block of Swiss cheese
1/2 C of unsalted butter, melted
1 T of garlic, minced
1 t of salt
3 slices of red onion, chopped

How to Make It:

The oven temperature is set to preheat to 350 degrees.
Cut the bread at 1 inch intervals to within 2 inches from the bottom.
Cut the Swiss cheese into 1/2 inch slices and put into the cuts of the bread loaf.
Place the butter, garlic and salt into a small mixing bowl and stir to combine.
Add the onion and turn to coat well with the butter mixture.
Carefully spoon the butter mixture over the bread allowing it to run down all sides.
Wrap the bread completely in heavy duty aluminum foil.
Put in oven and bake until the cheese is completely melted about 25 minutes.

Makes 12 servings

Preparation Time: approximately 10 minutes
Baking Time: approximately 25 minutes
Total Time: approximately 35 minutes

This bread is simple and easy to make and everyone will like the taste. It’s sure to be a hit at your Christmas buffet. You may leave the onion out if you prefer. Decrease the salt by 1/4 tsp if you use salted butter.

Filed Under: Breads and Muffins, Christmas, Recipe Cards Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Hot and Spicy Lemon Shrimp

November 17, 2009 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
lemonshrimp

lemonshrimpWhat You Need:

1 lb. butter
3 lemons, sliced
3 T of pepper
1/2 t of salt
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 T of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t of hot pepper sauce
2 1/2 lbs. shrimp, uncooked in shells

How to Make It:

The oven is set to preheat to 375 degrees.
Over medium heat in a large saucepan melt the butter.
To the melted butter add the lemon slices.
Gently stir in the pepper, salt and garlic.
Blend in the Worcestershire sauce and hot pepper sauce.
Bring the mixture to a moderate boil.
Turn the heat to low, cover and simmered for 30 minutes, stirring often.
Place the shrimp in a single layer into the bottom of a roasting pan.
Pour the simmered sauce over the shrimp.
Place the roasting pan in the oven and bake 20 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through and pink.

Makes 12 servings

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 50 minutes
Total Time: approximately 1 hour 05 minutes

Your buffet will be complete with these shrimp as the opening to your Christmas dinner. Serve warm, covered in sauce and add lemon slices on the side.

Filed Under: Appetizers, Christmas, Recipe Cards Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,