Staff Party Recipes

Poppyseed Chicken
6 - 10 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream chicken soup
8 oz sour cream
1 tablespoon of poppyseeds
black pepper, to taste
1 sleeve Townhouse or Ritz Crackers, crushed
1 stick margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 375. Spray casserole dish with Pam. Place chicken breasts in dish. Mix soups, sour cream, poppyseeds, and pepper. Spoon over chicken. Top with crushed crackers. Drizzle with melted margarine. Bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour. I bake until internal temperature of chicken reaches 170 degrees

Buttery Corn
frozen corn
1 stick margarine
1/2 cup sugar
salt & pepper to taste

Melt margarine in saucepan. Add sugar, cook till disolved. Add corn, salt & pepper. Cook until corn is tender.

Green Beans Almandine
Frozen whole green beans
1 stick margarine
1 pkg sliced almonds
minced onion, to taste
salt, to taste
coarse ground black pepper, to taste

Melt margarine. Saute almonds. Add green beans, onions, salt & pepper. Cook till beans are tender

Baked Carrots
Carrots
Olive Oil
Mrs. Dash Original Table Blend Seasoning

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash and cut the ends from carrots. Cut each carrot in half. Place carrots on pan and drizzle with Olive Oil. Sprinkle with Mrs. Dash Original Table Blend. Turn carrots and repeat on other side (adding more oil may not be necessary). Bake for 30 minutes.

I served hot buttered rolls, tea, water with lemon, and several desserts. Everyone seemed to love the menu. In fact the recipes are posted at the request of several guests!

Gifts...Door Prizes...Presents....Drawings...

Tis the season for giving to those we love. Often even gifts to those we may not know at party gift exchanges. I love pretty wrapped gifts! I also love stockings.

Hence a great idea for giving gifts is to place a few items in a stocking. Cute stockings can be found at Dollar Tree, Everythings a $, etc. For my families stockings I use nice stockings. However, for gifting in place of a gift bag or wrapped gift the cheaper version is great. In fact at the dollar type stores you can find nice things for stuffing the stockings. People enjoy 'digging' thru the stocking for their surprises! Following are some examples I have for the stockings that will be used for the drawings @ CUPC Christmas Banquet:

cheese spread
crackers
candy

Christmas mug
2 pkgs of hot chocolate
dis towel
Little Debbie christmas tree cakes
candy

candle
cookies
candy

All the items were purchased at Dollar Tree. I know most people will be excited to be a winner.

My family loves receiving their stockings on Christmas morning. Kent even fills one for me. I put some fun, some useful, and even some necessity items in the stockings. One year we put several gift cards in the kid's stockings and finished filling with their favorite snack itesm.

Each year I edeavor to think of new things....If stockings aren't a part of your family tradition, try it. Everyone will love you for it!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

Great Cold Weather EASY Meal

Creamy Taco
1 lb hamburger meat
Minced onion, to taste
Chili seasoning
1 tall can evaporated milk
1 can crushed tomatoes (I use 1 can tomato sauce)
1 lb Velveeta cheese
1 can Rotel
1 can Cream mushroom soup
1 can Ranch style beans, drained

Brown & crumble meat with minced onions, drain. Combine all ingredients. Simmer until hot. Serve over Fritos.

Peach Cobbler
2 sticks margarine
1 large can peach slices, undrained
1 butter flavored cake mix
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Melt 1 stick margarine in 9x12 casserole dish @ 375 degrees. Add peaches. Sprinkle cake mix over peaches. Slice stick of margarine into small pats. Place ontop of cake mix. Mix cinanamon & sugar and sprinkle over margarine. Bake approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: can use 2 cans apple or cherry pie filling in place of peaches

Appetizers

Check these out and let me know what you think....if you have something you think other's would enjoy please feel free to SHARE!!!

Bacon Crisps
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
1 lb sliced bacon, cut in half
1 sleeve Waverly Wafers or other buttery rectangular crackers

Preheat the oven to 250 or 350 degrees. See following note!
Place 1 teaspoon of the cheese on each cracker and wrap tightly with a strip of bacon. Place the wrapped crackers on a broiler rack on a baking sheet and put the baking sheets on the oven rack. Bake for 2 hours, or until the bacon is done. Do not turn. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot or at room temp.

NOTE: You can also bake at 350 for 40 minutes if in a hurry!
Yield: 24 Bacon Crisps

Bacon Wrapped Breadsticks
1 pkg of 24-4 1/2 inch long sesame breadsticks (usually on grocery aisle near salad toppings)
12 slices bacon
2 teaspoon garlic salt or powder
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine the parmesan cheese with garlic salt and set aside. Cut the bacon slices in half so they are approximately 5-inches long. Wrap each bread stick with one slice of bacon, starting at one end and ending at the other. Place wrapped bread sticks on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 15 minutes or until bacon is browned. Remove from oven and immediately roll bread sticks in cheese mixture. Let cool and serve at room temperature.

Yield: 2 dozen

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in confectioners sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Shape chilled cream cheese mixture into a ball. Wrap with plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Roll the cheese ball in finely chopped pecans before serving.

Cream Cheese and Pecan Stuffed Berries
20 whole large strawberries, hulled
8 ounce cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each strawberry so the berries stand upright. Place berries, cut side down, on a serving platter. Carefully cut the berries into 4 wedges, cutting almost to, but not through, the bottoms with a criss-cross cut. Fan wedges just slightly, taking care not to break them. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until combined but still stiff. Using a teaspoon or pastry bag with decorative tip, fill the strawberries with the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the stuffed strawberries. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Mini Cheeseburger Puffs
1 pound ground chuck
2 teaspoons steak seasoning
Garlic salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons minced onion 1
package puff pastry sheets
20 (1-inch) slices Cheddar Cheese
Crisp fried bacon, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the first 5 ingredients. Hand-form patty to 1/4 normal burger size, about 2-inches in diameter. Cook burgers to medium. Do not overcook. Roll out thawed puff pastry. Cut 10 (6-inch) even panels. Place burger in center of square and top with 2 slices of cheese. Fold edges up and twist on top. Bake 20 to 25 minutes and serve warm.

Ranch Cheese Ball
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (1 ounce) package Ranch-style dressing mix
2 cups chopped pecans
4 pecan halves

In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, and dressing mix. Form into one large ball or two smaller balls. Cheese ball shapes easily to form a tree or bell, too! Roll in chopped pecans to coat surface. Decorate the top with pecan halves. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Sausage Dip
16 oz mild Jimmy Dean sausage
2 8 oz pkgs of Cream cheese
1 can of Rotel Tomatoes & Chilies
Small carton of sour cream

Brown sausage. Crumble the sausage as it cooks. Drain. Add remaining ingredients and cook till bubbly….stir often.

Sugar and Nut Glazed Brie
apple wedges
1 14-ounce round of Brie
½ teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1 tablespoon melted margarine
1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts or pecans
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
pear wedges
lemon juice
crackers

In a small bowl stir together the sugar, nuts, vanilla & melted margarine. At serving time, place the Brie on an ovenproof platter or pie plate. Bake at 500 degrees 4 or 5 minutes or until the Brie is slightly softened. Spread the sugar mixture in an even layer on top of the warm Brie and bake for 2 to 3 minutes longer, or until the sugar melts. Brush the fruit wedges with lemon juice and arrange them around one side of the Brie. Place crackers around the other side.

Swedish Meatballs
1 can of chili sauce
1 jar of grape jelly
1 package of frozen meatballs

Heat in a crockpot till done or simmer stovetop. Serve with toothpicks

Zesty Cheese Ball
16 oz cream cheese
1 jar shredded dried beef
1/3 cup Zesty Italian Salad Dressing

Mix all, chill, shape and cover with pecans. Serve with Townhouse crackers.

Christmas Tips

A friend forwarded me a newsletter she receives. Following are a few tips I thought worthy of sharing:

• Add a sweet holiday fragrance to your crackling fire. Toss in a handful of dried mint leaves, orange peel or cinnamon sticks.
• When guests are coming to visit for Christmas, welcome them by decorating bedrooms with strands of twinkling lights on a small tree or string a few strands across the headboard or dresser.
• Put on some Christmas music, light some candles, and open your Christmas cards at dinner so everyone can read and enjoy them together.
• Decorate a small velvet pillow with colorful, vintage Christmas brooches! Just pin them on and tuck into the corner of the sofa. So festive!
• Make cookie giving fun...tuck wrapped cookies in a Christmas stocking.
• Give a loaf of your favorite sweet bread tucked inside a holiday oven mitt. Wrap the loaf securely then tuck inside. Miniature loaves also make wonderful mitten stuffers.

Do you have any tips? Remember Christmas is about sharing...share some of yours!!!

Holiday Beverage Recipes

Just as for gatherings you carefully select the perfect recipes so should you plan your beverages. I like my guests to have two choices. Often one choice is simply water with sliced lemons and/or limes floating in the watler.

For a great sweet iced tea for the holidays try Lipton's Sleepytime Tea. It is a very mild flavored tea. I have served it a couple times for our ladies holiday tea. Once I combined Sleepytime and Lipton's Vanilla Tea.

I have preapred each of the following delicious recipes. The hot chocolate recipe can be made and stored in an airtight container for individual servings or you may use it for gifting.

Christmas Wassail
64 oz. apple juice
54 oz. apple cider
12 oz. frozen orange juice
1 can pineapple juice (with 3 cans water)
Whole cloves
2 teaspoons allspice
Cinnamon sticks

Place a few whole cloves & allspice in a spice bag or simply tie in tulle or cheese cloth. Mix together remaining ingredients in large pan. Add spice bag. Bring to a boil. Serve warm.

Wassail Tea Punch
4 c. hot brewed tea
1 c. sugar
1 (32 oz.) bottle cranberry juice
1 (32 oz.) bottle apple juice
2 c. orange juice
3/4 c. lemon juice
2 cinnamon sticks
24 whole cloves, divided
1 orange, sliced

In a large pot over medium high heat, combine brewed tea and sugar. Mix well and add cranberry juice, apple juice, orange juice, lemon juice, cinnamon sticks and 12 whole cloves. Bring mixture to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a large punch bowl. Press remaining 12 whole cloves into orange slices and add to punch bowl. Punch can be served hot or cold.

Frozen Punch (THIS IS THE BEST EVER!!!!!)
3 small pkgs Strawberry Jello
Water
16 oz Lemon Juice
2 64 oz cans Pineapple Juice
2 – 2 liters Ginger ale
1 oz Almond Flavoring

Mix Jello in 9 cups hot water. Add flavoring and Lemon juice. Stir in Pineapple juice. Add 4 cups cold water. Pour into 3 gallon size zip-lock bags and freeze. Chill Ginger ale. Remove punch from freezer and thaw for about 2 hrs till slushy. Pour Ginger ale over slush.

Hot Apple Cider Wassail
½ gallon apple cider
2 pts ginger ale
16 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup red hots

Pour cider and ginger ale into large coffee pot. Place cloves, cinnamon sticks, and red hots into coffee pot basket. Perk for 15 minutes

Volcano Punch
3 cans frozen fruit punch concentrate
1 64oz-can pineapple juice
1 can cream of coconut
2 2-Liters ginger ale
ice cubes

In a large punch bowl add the 3 cans of frozen fruit punch concentrate. Keep one of the empty frozen juice cans. Fill the can with water 6 times and add to punch bowl. Add pineapple juice, one bottle of ginger ale, and ice cubes then stir. Then add as much of the 2nd bottle of ginger ale as possible leaving at least 3 inches from the rim of the punch bowl and stir again. Pour in the can of cream of coconut on top. Serves 50

Caramel Apple Cider
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup brown sugar
3 cups apple cider

Bring cream & brown sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan over med heat.
Stir in the cider and water and raise temp to med high. Heat just until the
cider begins to steam, about 4 minutes. Divide into 4 cups and top with 2
tablespoons of caramel whipped cream.

Caramel Whipped Cream
½ c heavy cream
1 T. brown sugar

In a small bowl whip the heavy cream with the brown sugar until soft peaks form

Hot Buttered Pineapple Drink
1 (48 ounce) can pineapple juice
2/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 teaspoons brown sugar
4 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Remove cinnamon sticks and serve hot. Makes 5 cups.

Cinnamon-Apple Hot Toddy
1 (46 ounce) can apple juice or cider
1/3 cup cinnamon red hots

Place red hots in a coffee filter and place in the percolator basket of a coffeemaker. Pour apple juice into the water well of the coffeemaker and brew.

VERY Rich Hot Chocolate Mix (Great for gifting)
8 cups dry milk
1 pound instant chocolate drink, like Swiss Miss or Nestle's Quick
1 cup Cremora, Coffeemate, or Pream
4 heaping tablespoons powdered sugar
Miniature Marshmallows

Mix the ingredients and put them into a plastic container or double plastic bag. I use the cone shaped clear disposable plastic Wilton decorator bags. Top with miniature marshmallows. Label the mix "Rich Hot Chocolate. Add 1/3 cup mix per ¾ cup of boiling water." Makes 24 cups

Cranberry Iced Tea
2 quarts Iced Tea
6 oz can frozen cranberry concentrate, partially thawed and undiluted
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sugar

In large pitcher, combine the cranberry and orange juice. Stir until both are well mixed. Then pour in the ice tea. Add the sugar and mix until you dissolve the sugar. Cover and place in refrigerator to chill about 1 hour. Serve in ice-filled glasses.

Raspberry Lemonade
1 can of frozen pink lemonade
1 32 oz bottle of raspberry soda (Wal-Mart has a great generic one)

Mix together and serve.

Hot Raspberry Cider
8 cups apple cider or apple juice
1 cup frozen raspberry juice concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick

Combine all ingredients in 4-quart saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture starts to simmer. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick. Serve warm.

Soup, Salad, & Dessert Nite

Since we had a deputizing home missionary family I decided they may enjoy a home setting as opposed to another restaurant. However, my sensitive thoughts didn't come until almost too late. I decided to have the ministry families of CUPC join us. Hence, I needed a quick and easy menu. I served 13 persons from my beautifully Christmas decorated tables. I used mugs for soup since they fit nicely on the dinner plates allowing room for salad & crackers.

Following is my menu. I doubled both the soup and salad recipe. I had enough soup left for a meal for our family. I had only a serving or so of salad left.

Easy Potato - Sausage Soup
1/2 lb. ground pork sausage
1 bag Ore Ida frozen diced hash brown potatoes
2 tablespoons minced onions
1 (141/2- oz) can Chicken Broth
1 (10 3/4 - oz) can Cream of Celery soup
1 (10 3/4 - oz) can Cream of Chicken soup
1 (103/4 - oz) can Cream of Mushroom soup
Shredded carrots for color
2 cups evaporated milk
2 cups water
salt and black peper to taste

Grated Cheddar Cheese for garnish

Brown Sausage in a large pot over medium heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain & return to pot. Add potatoes, salt, pepper, minced onions, carrots, and water to sausage. Bring to boil, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in soups and milk. Cook stirring often until thoroughly heated. Garnish with cheese.

Mandarian Nut Salad
1 bag Spring Mix Salad
1 small can mandarian oranges, drained well
1/2 cup fresh blueberries, optional
3/4 cup glazed walnuts

Mix all ingredients well. Serve with raspberry vinagrette salad dressing, poppy seed dressing, or any other dressings.

Desserts
I chose a few simple desserts. These were arranged as a dessert buffet.

Pepperide Farm Coconut Cake (they are available in you grocery freezer) was garnished with peppermints. Often I garnish the same cake with twisted lemons, blueberries & mint leaves.

Strawberries and grapes were combined in a trifle dish. Chocolate Nutella was served as fruit dip.

Leftover candies were arranged nicely on a small Christmas platter.

The entire meal took less than 1 hr to prepare. Everyone enjoyed a festive time of being together. The greatest blessing was I did not labor in the kitchen so long that I couldn't enjoy our house guests. Everything was prepared prior to leaving for church. Once service was over I simply needed to warm the soup, fill the glasses, and place the food on the table.

Guests raved over the simple menu as I had served my delicious prime rib recipe. Once the kitchen was cleaned I was able to sit a moment and relax knowing Kent and I fulfilled scripture of being hospitable and had spread holiday cheer!