French Quarter Dip

This delicious dip is interesting with a nice contrast of flavors and textures. It is both sweet and savory, creamy and crunchy. A party-perfect dip. We enjoyed it tonight as a part of our New Year's Eve get-together.

This is very easy to prepare. Toasting the pecans is not a must if you're in a hurry.

Give it a try.

YOU WILL NEED:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

Assorted crackers


Directions 
In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, onion and garlic. Transfer to a serving dish. Set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Cook and stir over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in pecans.  Cool slightly. Spoon over cheese mixture. Serve with crackers. 

Makes about 8-10 servings.

Enjoy~Everything in Moderation

A couple of DELICIOUS Ham Leftovers Recipes

I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas celebration and I hope you were able to enjoy your family and friends as well as DELICIOUS food, as I did!

Here are links to a couple of my previous posts that are perfect for using your ham leftovers.

Both received rave reviews from my bunch!

The first is Pasta Primavera with Smoky Ham (an old Bon Appetite recipe). This is delicious and not heavy - especially good after all the heavy holiday meals. (It is photographed above.)


The next is a simple throw together, Ham/veggie Casserole.



A simple but tasty recipe for mixing up those ham leftovers.

ENJOY~ Everything in Moderation

Crissy's Sausage Bread (a re-post)

My friend Crissy shared this delicious recipe after I devoured my portion in the teacher's lounge during the holidays. She was kind enough to give me some extra AND the recipe to share on my blog.

Perfect for breakfast or brunch, and is pretty much a meal in itself, rather than just "bread". This is a perfect holiday breakfast for all to enjoy.

You must give it a try.

SAUSAGE BREAD (makes 2 loaves)

YOU WILL NEED:

Frozen bread dough

6 oz. Shredded/grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1 green pepper, chopped
1 pkg. sausage, browned and drained (hot or spicy sausage- depending on your taste)


Take bread dough out of the freezer the night before and let rise (cover with wax paper). The next morning, flatten dough and mix filling ingredients. Spread filling down the center. Lift sides and roll down (so no filling comes out of sides) and seal. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

When done, remove from oven and butter top.

Devil's Food Cake Mix Cookies (a re-post)

Simple and so good- these are great to add to your cookie sampler platter for Christmas.

It's always good to have a box of cake mix handy for those unexpected times when cookies are needed.

I make them with and without nuts, with and without powdered sugar--and they're always a hit.


1 box devil's food cake mix
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tbsp. water
1/2 c. vegetable shortening (I don't ever cook with shortening, except when an old recipe of mine calls for it and I don't want to change a thing.)
1/2 c. chopped nuts *optional
Powdered sugar
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cake mix, eggs, water and shortening until well blended. Stir in nuts. Shape into small balls, then roll in powdered sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. You may do a second dusting in powdered sugar after they are baked and cooled for a whiter cookie.

 Makes about 48 cookies.

Italian Pizelle Christmas Cookies. (A repost)

Growing up Italian. It doesn't get any better. In my family, my grandmother would bring us a tray each Christmas filled with her specialties . There was always a nut bread, fruitcake, homemade crescent rolls, and Pizelle cookies.

Pizelles are actually not as fattening as most cookie recipes. They are beautiful, crispy, and on the lighter-tasting side.


Grandma's were always anise-flavored, but vanilla is another popular flavor.

The beautiful design is created from a  Pizelle cookie maker.











You will need:
6 eggs
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
5 cups flour
5 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. anise oil (or pure vanilla extract)


Beat eggs and sugar well. Add melted cooled butter. Add anise oil, then dry ingredients. Mix well with a mixer on med. speed. till smooth.With floured hands, roll dough in ball (2-3 heaping teaspoonfuls). Place dough slightly off center - just a tiny bit back- close lid and cook for about one minute.

*It is okay to open the lid to see if they are done- it will not affect the cookie to check a few times.




They should be slightly golden brown.



They lift very easily off the griddle with spatula.



Cool on a flat surface, then begin stacking them.








These are delicious served just as they are.

They are also great sprinkled with powdered sugar (especially at Christmas time- they'll look like a big snowflake cookie!)

You can also shape them to make a waffle cone for ice cream, but you need the proper form for this. You can form it to the bottom of a cup if let it cool in the cup, then it will be a perfect cup to fill with ice cream, drizzled with chocolate...yummmmm.


Enjoy~ Everything in Moderation

Lisa's Asparagus Rolls (a popular re-post)

I presented a New Year's Eve presentation on our local morning news program in the past and I featured a recipe shared with me by my facebook friend, Lisa Laird.  Lisa told me this was her most requested recipe that she takes often to parties, potlucks, etc.

This is the perfect holiday recipe to take to any party and to serve as a light appetizer at your Christmas or  New Year's Eve celebration.

I prepared it the other night for my man and he gave it two thumbs up. I've taken it to Christmas parties and it also received a lot of compliments and I had many recipes requests.

Here's what you will need:

ASPARAGUS ROLLS

1 bunch of fresh asparagus (thin)
1 block of cream cheese or a small tube of Garlic flavored Cream Cheese
1/2 pound thinly sliced deli salami
sea salt
pepper
Parmesan cheese

1. Take one asparagus and bend it, it will snap where it needs to be cut off. Cut the remaining spears in the same place.

2. In a pot of boiling water plunge the asparagus for 1 min (longer if thinker asparagus is used)

3. Immediately place the asparagus into a bowl of ice water to shock it, which stops the cooking process and keeps it bright green

4. Dry the asparagus with a paper towel and season with salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese

5. Take a slice of the Salami and spread a thin layer of cream cheese over it



6. Take about 3 asparagus spears and wrap the salami/cream cheese around the spear.

Stack on a platter, chill 15-30 min and serve.
You can also sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top.

Enjoy~ Everything in Moderation

Semi-Homemade Cinnamon Rolls (a re-post)

As if you can't tell from the photo, this is one of the MOST DELICIOUS treats I've ever tasted! You will be SHOCKED at the taste, the texture and presentation--it truly tastes like a "from-scratch" recipe...and all it needed was a little help from a friend!

My friend Gail shared this recipe with me years ago at Christmastime. She brought the warm pan, fresh from the oven to my home for me to serve to my family for Christmas Eve breakfast.

It was a special time for us. My middle son had just graduated from boot camp and was home on leave. And Gail herself had just learned she had breast cancer but was still going about her business, doing what she does best...cooking up mouth-watering recipes.

*UPDATE: This was 6 years ago and she is cancer-free! HALLELUJAH!

We share a love of food, and feeding those we love, along with many other interests including writing. Gail and her husband, Michael are the publishers of GOOD LIVING IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS and GOOD LIVING IN WEST FRANKFORT magazines, and they have published some of my articles in those magazines.

This is good anytime of year but it makes a nice warm gift at Christmastime. It is perfect for a nice brunch or breakfast.

Give it a try!

YOU WILL NEED:

1 frozen Bag of Rhodes cinnamon rolls (12)
3/4 cups nuts-broken
*take out the 2 bags of cream cheese icing that comes with rolls (to use in another recipe later)

Spray a 9x13 pan with Pam.

Melt 1 stick butter and 1 cup to 1 1/4 cup light brown sugar. Melt in saucepan until it bubbles. Then add broken nuts.

Pour over bottom of a 13x9 pan. Take slices of rolls and lay flat in pan.
Let rise (about 3 hours if frozen-till they meet together)

Bake at 350 degrees till golden on top (20-25 min.)

Run knife around sides, flip upside down.

Serve warm.

Take a bow.

THANK YOU, GAIL!

Enjoy~Everything in Moderation