Holiday Cooking

I love cooking for the Holidays, it seems traditions are changing so much for faster pace, as I read on FaceBook and other places more and more people are changing traditions and I am just not ready to for that yet. Our menu changes every year it seams as we find a new recipe or have a new addition to family, I love trying new dishes so please share some recipes with me.

Merry Christmas to everyone. My wish for all of you is good health and spending time with family.

The first recipe is one shared from a friend of mine who is always cooking up something wonderful so I am gonna try it also..

Brown Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe

1/4 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional - 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or 1/3 cup chopped nuts (I use white chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add brown sugar. Stir until smooth and then mix in the egg. Stir together the flour and baking powder then add to brown sugar mixture. Mix in the vanilla. If desired, add chocolate chips or nuts. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool before serving.

UN~STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

I saw this easy, healthy recipe and had to try it. I'm glad I did! My family says I can make this again, and I don't mind if I do!

Cabbage is a superfood with lots of nutrients! Among many other health benefits, it is known for healing stomach ulcers and preventing cancer --especially colon cancer. It is a very alkaline forming food. Eat it often!

1 1/2 to 2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
1 tablespoon oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small cabbage, chopped
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and onion and cook, stirring, until ground beef is no longer pink and onion is tender.

Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.

Add the chopped cabbage, tomatoes, tomato sauce, pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until cabbage is tender.

Moms Lasagna Recipe

I have to share this one from my mom, we all love it.

1 1/2 lbs Ground Chuck/Beef
1 (28 oz) Can Tomatoes
1 (14) oz) Can Seasoned Tomatoe Sauce
1 jar Spaghetti Sauce mix
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pck Lasanga Noodles
2 (6 or 8 oz) Pkg thin sliced Mozerella cheese
1 cup Cottage Cheese
a bit of oregano
1 cup grated parmeson cheese, grated
Brown ground chuck and drain
mix first 4 ingredients, cover simmer slowly, stir once.
salt to taste.

Cook noodles in boiling salt water until tender, following package instructions. Drain and Rinse in cool water.

Place half of noodles in 9 x 13 inch baking dish(I find using a larger, next size up pan works good also) cover with 1/3 of sauce mix, thin layer of Mozerella, 1/2 of cottage cheese, repeat layer, top with parmeson cheese.

Cook at 350 for 30 min. let set for abour 10 min. Eat and Enjoy.

Banana Pudding

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Cookies OR 2 bags Vanilla Wafers

6 to 8 bananas, sliced

2 cups milk

1 (5 oz.) box French Vanilla pudding

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12 oz.) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

Line the bottom of a 13x9 inch inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer.

Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth.

Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture.

Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended.

Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies.

Refrigerate until ready to serve!

Pecan Pie Cupcakes

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup butter, melted

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.

Spray a miniature muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. (The spray with flour in it works best!)

Fill each 3/4 full.

Bake in preheated oven for approx 18 minutes.

NOTE: Generously spray your pan with cooking spray with flour. Once they come out of the oven let them cool for one minute then flip them out onto a cooling rack. If they cool in the pan they'll have to be chiseled out.

Also don't fill the pan to the very top, they will overflow if you do.

MANDARIN ORANGE SALAD

My family's favorite side dish!!

1 pkg Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix (use dry) I would use sugar free

1 Large can Crushed Pineapple (undrained)

2 Medium/Large cans Mandarin Oranges (drained)

1 pkg Cool Whip 8 oz ( and you could use fat free)

Mix together Cool Whip and Instant vanilla pudding (do NOT make the pudding, just use it dry). Add undrained crushed pineapple and both cans of drained Mandarin Oranges. (Use as many mandarins as you like, more/less) Save a few mandarin oranges to decorate the top of salad. Refrigerate until it thickens again maybe a couple of hours before you need to use it.

Use as a side dish with a meal or serve with ice cream as a dessert!

You can make this healthier by choosing low/no sugar instant pudding mix and cool whip, and fresh mandarins. I particularly like the whipped cool whip for my salad as per the original. Try it a few times to see what suits you best. YUMMY!!