Jello is coming back! Cranberry Orange Dream

I grew up eating Jello. I love Jello. Jello makes you happy.
 My grandmother Leone, my dad''s mom was the queen of making Jello. She would make jello for every holiday and it would always be tasty, colorful and fabulous. Her Jellos had multiple layers of all flavors, and she added things like evaporated milk, cottage cheese and sour cream for texture.

 Leone Mesenbrink married Harold Seamon in the late 1920's and drove to California from Bonners Ferry Idaho. They settled in Guerneville and my dad was born in June of 1930. My grandparents were both German. I didn't get to know my grandfather Harold very well because he died when I was six years old, but I uderstand that his real last name was Rittenhause. His grandfather changed his name to Seaman to disguise his heritage in the early 1900's while immigrating to our country.

Leone was an amazing cook and baker. I still have her original recipes that were given to me by my cousin Darlene. All of the recipes are written in her own handwriting so they are very special to me. Leone passed away when I was in my mid 20's and I wish I could have spent more time with her in the kitchen.

This recipe was given to me by my Aunt Harriet, Leone's daughter. Harriet took over the beloved tradition of making Jello and we all remember Nana when we eat Jello recipes.

CRANBERRY ORANGE DREAM

1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 8oz pkg cranberrry jello (or cherry)
16 oz whole berry cranberry sauce
1 1/2 cups cold water

Combine ingredients together in a large bowl per Jello pkg instructions, add cranberry sauce and place in fridge until thickened.

1 11 oz or 15 oz can of mandarin oranges

After thickened, fold in oranges.

1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c granulated sugar
1/2 c melted butter

Place graham crackers and sugar in a food proccessor and pulse until crumbly. Add melted butter and combine. Or put crackers in a Zip Lock bag and crush with rolling pin. Take mixture and spread in a 13X9 glass dish and place in freezer.

1 8 oz box softened cream cheese
1/4 c granulated sugar
1 tub thawed Cool Whip or 1 1/2 c whipped cream

Mix cream cheese, sugar together in mixer. Fold in cool Whip or whipped cream.

 Spread cream cheese mixture over frozen crust and place in fridge. Pour thickened Jello mixture over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate three hours.

Enjoy!

The Holidays are a time for sharing new recipes. MAPLE-HERB ROASTED NUTS

This time of year we are all getting together with family and friends. Food is usually involved, but great food is always the buzz around town. I have attended many holiday parties over the past few weeks and I'd like to share some of the recipes that I have enjoyed. Now you can bring them to your next dinner party and be invited over and over again because everyone loves your yummy appetizers!


This recipe is the perfect hostess gift or you can make them and give them to your favorite teacher. My nineteen year old son Andrew got in on the action two years ago and made these nutritious and delicious treats for his teachers. It never hurts to show someone how much we love and appreciate them.

    
 MAPLE-HERB ROASTED NUTS
 
PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES

1 1/2 POUNDS  PECANS
2       POUNDS  ALMONDS
2 1/2 POUNDS  WALNUTS
1/2 CUP              OLIVE OIL
1 CUP                 PURE MAPLE SYRUP
3 SPRIGS EACH- ROSEMARY, SAGE, MARJORAM, SAVORY, THYME, AND OREGANO
1 TEASPOON    CAYENNE PEPPER
                            SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE

PICK HERBS OFF STEMS AND CHOP FINELY. COMBINE W/ NUTS, OIL, SYRUP AND CAYENNE PEPPER. TOSS TO COAT.

ROAST ON A SHEET PAN IN A 350 DEGREE OVEN FOR @ 15 MINUTES OR UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN AND TOASTED. YOU MAY NEED TWO PANS SO THAT THE NUTS ARE EVENLY DISPERSED ON SHEET PAN.

REMOVE FROM OVEN AND COOL. WHEN JUST COOL ENOUGH TO HANDLE, SPRINKLE LIBERALLY WITH KOSHER SALT AND FRESH GROUND PEPPER.

STORE NUTS IN AN AIR TIGHT CONTAINER. THEY WILL KEEP FRESH FOR TWO WEEKS. THEY MAY BE FROZEN AND WILL KEEP FOR A MONTH. REFRESH IN OVEN, AFTER THAWING.

YOU CAN SUBSTITUTE OTHER NUTS FOR THIS RECIPE LIKE PEANUTS, CASHEWS, MACADAMIA, ETC...

ENJOY!

Butternut Squash Soup

Well, we all love butternut squash. At least, I do. I especially love having soup this time of year when winter is approaching. The Fall leaves are falling, the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting colder.
It is the perfect time to make soup. This recipe is easy and delicious.

You can roast the squash instead of boiling it to give the soup a more robust flavor.Add a tablespoon of butter and two tablespoons of light brown sugar to squash before roasting 

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

2 Tablespoons butter

5 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 ½ pounds)Or cur squash in half/peel on and roast in 400 degree oven for 45 minutes until soft when pierced with a knife. Scoop out flesh.

2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled russet potato (about 12 ounces)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 sliced leeks (about 2 medium)or 1 diced medium onion

1 apple, peeled and diced

2 sage leaves minced or 1 teas ground sage

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup half-and-half

OPTIONAL:

Freshly ground pepper

2 cloves garlic

 1 teaspoon nutmeg

 1 apple, diced

 White pepper

 Arrow root

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add squash,

potato, salt and pepper to pan; saute 3 minutes. Add leek or onion; saute 10 minutes.

Stir in broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until

potato is tender, stirring occasionally. Place half of potato mixture in

blender or Cuisinart. Remove center-piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape);

secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender

lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Repeat procedure with

remaining potato mixture. Stir in half-and-half. Cover and keep warm.

Garnish w/  sour cream and chives

Enjoy!

Let's Make Mud Pies: Carmelized Cauliflower Soup and Easy Hot Rolls

Let's Make Mud Pies: Carmelized Cauliflower Soup and Easy Hot Rolls: November is a beautiful of year. The Holidays are almost here, our heaters have come on from the cold weather, and it is time for soup. Th...

Carmelized Cauliflower Soup and Easy Hot Rolls

November is a beautiful of year. The Holidays are almost here, our heaters have come on from the cold weather, and it is time for soup. There is nothing like a hot bowl of soup to make my tummy happy. This recipe is perfect for an easy weeknight meal or great to serve for company on a special occasion.
In my opinion, cauliflower is an under utilized vegetable. Most people walk right by it because they don't know what to do with it. This recipe will make you a cauliflower believer too.

Who needs bread to go along with soup? I do!
Why make the dough from scratch (I have recipes if you want to go through the trouble), when you can make them look and taste like you made them from scratch and your friends and famly will never know the difference. It's hard to believe, but it is true. Read on to find your next favorite best kept secret to making any meal extra special.

CARMELIZED CAULIFLOWER SOUP

 

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 white or yellow onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 head cauliflower, cored and cut into ½ inch pieces
• ½ bunch thyme, stems removed
• 1 tablespoon fine chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
• 2 cups Chardonnay
• 1 cup Madeira
• 1 cup veal or beef stock (vegetable stock optional)
• 2 cups half and half

 

• 2 T dried potato flakes if needed to thicken
• 4 crostini (lightly toasted thin slices of French bread)
• 1 cup grated Fontina or smoked gouda cheese

 

Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until almost caramelized, about 10 minutes.  Sprinkle the sugar and salt over the onions and continue to cook, stirring until they darken.  Put the cauliflower on a sheet pan, sprinkle w/ 1T olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes until caramelized.  Add the thyme and garlic to pot and cook for 5 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients to pot and cook soup on medium heat for 30 minutes.

Ladle soup into ovenproof bowls, top with the crostini and the cheese.  Place the bowls under a hot broiler until the cheese is bubbly.  Serves 4. 

 

 

Easy Hot Rolls

 

Buy Bridgeford Loaves (comes in a pkg of three loaves and found in freezer section of most grocery stores). Defrost in refrigerator overnight in covered bag so it does not dry out.

 

Divide roll into 10 pieces with a sharp knife and roll each piece into 4 inch long strips. Take each strip and tie in a knot. Place each knot into a greased (shortening or Pam) muffin tin pan. Brush w/ slightly beaten egg and let rise on counter until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve immediately w/ homemade apricot jam and butter.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Oh yeah. Sweet Potatoes

Well, it is almost Thanksgiving. I have so much to be grateful for. It is wonderful to spend time with friends and family on this joyous occasion. I first ate this recipe when I attended Thanksgiving at my sister Julie's house @ 10 years ago. Her wonderful sister in law Mary Ann brought this dish to share and my family won't ever be having another Thanksgiving holiday without it.
Your family will LOVE it too!

Sweet Potato Casserole

3 C. Mashed sweet potatoes( roast in oven for 1 hour@350 degrees or boil)

1/3 C. Brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/3 C. Skim milk

2 T. Margarine/ butter

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp Kosher salt

2 egg whites (Whipped until frothy)

 

Topping

½ C. Packed brown sugar

¼ C flour

2 Tbsp chilled butter

1/3 C. Pecans chopped

1/2  teaspoon cinnamon

 Prepare by  whipping egg whites until stiff. Then take the first six ingredients and mix thoroughly in stand mixer. Fold egg whites into sweet potato mixture and spread evenly in a 13X9 glass dish.

Make the topping by putting all of the ingredients into a cuisinart and blend, or cut ingredients w a pastry blender by hand. Sprinkly topping over sweet potatoes evenly.

350 degrees for 30 min

Serves @ 6 people.

A family favorite for sure! Spanish Rice

Here is the Spanish Tomato Rice recipe I talked about in the last blog.
My mother made this recipe for us and it warms the tummy. Perfect side dish with chicken, tacos, or any main dish. My friend Marie adds red kidney beans to make it a more nutritious dish.


Spanish Tomato Rice

8 Slices bacon

1 C. finely chopped white or yellow onion

¼ C. chopped green pepper

1 1Lb can whole tomatoes

1 ½ C. water

½ can tomato paste

¾ C. uncooked long grain white rice

½ C. chili sauce

1 teas Kosher salt

Dash pepper

1 T. brown sugar

½ teas Worcestershire sauce

 

Fry bacon till crisp and remove from pan. Pour off half the fat. In remaining fat, cook onion and pepper till tender.

Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer 45 minutes. Crumble bacon over top and serve.

Serves 6-8

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook.