Saturday, November 22, 2014

Leader Enterprise - Nov. 19, 2014 - Thanksgiving Dishes






Cranberry Apple Salad

It’s that time of year when we stop and think about our abundant blessings and spend more time pondering our ‘attitude of gratitude’.People who are grateful are happy people.Learning to be thankful reduces stress and helps you to be less susceptible to illness.

Robert Louis Stevenson once stated,”The person who has stopped being thankful has fallen asleep in life.”Have you stopped to count your many blessings today?

Think of some reasons to be thankful.If the only prayer you said your whole life was ‘thank you’ it would suffice. We often take for granted the very things that deserve our most gratitude.

I am very thankful for each of you who show support for this column and the beloved recipes I share.Thank you for encouraging me and commenting to me when you see me out and about.It means more than you'll ever know.

I'm also grateful for birthdays.I won't say how old I am today,but am thrilled I now get to get Medicare.(grins)
Life is a gift,that's why it's called the present.We need to make the best of it while we have breath. 
Here's a few random dishes to consider adding to your Thanksgiving menu.

CRANBERRY APPLE SALAD

2 cans (1# each) whole cranberry sauce
2 c. boiling water
1-6 ozs. pkg. strawberry jello
(could use raspberry or cherry also) 
2 Tb. lemon juice (keeps apples from browning)
1/2 tsp. salt, optional
1 c. mayonnaise
2 c. diced apples
1/2 c. chopped nuts 

Place cranberry sauce in saucepan on stovetop;melt over medium heat,being sure to stir.Drain;reserving liquid and berries.Mix together cranberry liquid,boiling water and jello;stir until jello is dissolved. Add lemon juice and salt.Chill until mixture mounds slightly on a spoon. Add mayonnaise(a whisk works great for this step);beat until smooth.Fold in cranberries,apples and nuts.Pour into 2 qt. mold or dish.Chill overnight. Yield:10-12 servings.

When I served these awesome bars as samples at the library fall festival,I heard many 'MMMM's' and even an "Oh Boy"....we laughed and said we should rename the bars "Oh Boy Gooey Bars".SO tasty!

GOOEY BARS

1 (16-18 ozs) box yellow cake mix
3/4 c. nuts, optional
1/2 c. butter (or margarine), softened
1 (1 lb.) box powdered sugar
(about 3-3/4 c.) 
1 (8 ozs) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9" X 13" baking dish. In medium bowl, combine cake mix, nuts and butter (will be crumbly). Press into prepared pan. In same bowl, mix together powdered sugar, cream cheese and egg; beat until smooth. Spread over bottom layer. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool and cut into small squares. Yield: 24-30 servings

I didn't think a simple recipe for cheesecake could be improved upon until I enjoyed this lovely recipe with added Biscoff. It is a brown sugar cookie spread that is found in the peanut butter aisle. It's rich and delicious. Don't miss this one. This recipe is great without the Biscoff too. Top with fruit or pie filling if making it plain.

This dish adds such a special touch to any meal.Paula knows her stuff!

PAULA DEEN'S SWEET POTATO BALLS 
4 lg. sweet potatoes 
2/3 c. packed brown sugar 
2 Tb. orange juice 
1 tsp. orange zest 
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg 
2 c. shredded coconut, sweetened 
1/2 c. granulated sugar 
1 tsp. ground cinnamon 
1 large marshmallow per potato ball 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the potatoes until tender, then peel and mash. Add brown sugar, orange juice, zest and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, toss the coconut with sugar and cinnamon. Press mashed potatoes around each marshmallow, creating a 2 to 3-inch diameter ball. Roll the balls in the coconut mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Watch carefully for the last few minutes of cooking; the expanding marshmallows can cause the potato balls to burst open.



EASY BISCOFF CHEESECAKE PIE 



1 (8 ozs)pkg.cream cheese, softened

1 Tb. lemon juice
1/3 c. (powdered or granulated) sugar
5 - 6 heaping Tablespoonsful Biscoff spread 
1 (8 ozs) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 regular pre-made graham cracker (or chocolate) crust 
In large bowl, combine the cream cheese, lemon juice, sugar, and Biscoff spread with a mixer; beat until smooth. Add the whipped topping and mix until combined; do not over-mix. Spread the mixture in the pie crust and refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

We are big Duck Dynasty fans.I treated myself to Miss Kay's cookbook last Christmas and think this recipe is the best I've ever tasted when it comes to corn casseroles.

MISS KAY'S CHEESY CORN CASSEROLE

1 stick (1/4 lb) butter, melted, plus a little more for the casserole dish
1 can (15 ozs)whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (15 ozs. cream style corn
1 carton (8 ozs) sour cream
1 box (8.5 ozs.) Jiffy corn muffin mix
2 c. grated cheese, divided: 1-1/2 cups in mix and 1/2 c. sprinkled over top

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly butter (or spray) 9"X13"casserole dish. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into the casserole dish. (Don't forget to sprinkle remaining 1/2 c.cheese over top). Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool a little before serving. Yield: 12 - 15 servings

Happy Thanks-Living Y'all! Don't be afraid to gobble til you wobble. 

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