On Poinsettia Drive

Granola

My friend Wendy Busk made this granola for me. We enjoyed it so much I had to share it with you. Hope you enjoy. Thank you Wendy!

¾ cup veg oil (soy)

1 cup honey (local)

2 teaspoon vanilla

Warm up the oil and honey a little and then whisk in the vanilla.

Pour over the following and stir.

5 cups whole, uncooked oats

1 cup whole natural almonds

1 cup chopped or whole walnuts (I pile the nuts on top of the oats –so they get well-coated with the honey/oil mixture—they get crunchier that way)

Line two cookie sheets, or cake pans with parchment paper (edges coming up sides a bit), pour granola in and flatten out

1 tablespoon or so packed brown sugar, (sprinkle over flattened granola)

Bake at 310° for 30 minutes, stir; put back in the oven for another 15 minutes and keep watching and stirring until dark golden brown.

Let cool and add in

· ½ cup cran-raisins
· ½ cup golden raisins
· ¾ cup chopped dates

You can put your own spin on this sort of recipe in a million different ways!

Picture by Allrecipes

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Easy dessert with pumpkin goodness. They will love it.

1 can (29 oz.) pumpkin, solid pack

12 oz. can evaporated milk

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine above ingredients; pour into greased 13 x 9 pan.

1 pkg. yellow cake mix - sprinkle, dry, over pumpkin mix

1/2 cup chopped pecans - sprinkle over cake mix

1 cup butter - melt and drizzle over all

Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes until golden brown. Top with whipped topping or ice cream.

This recipe came from a MOPS Newsletter that Seven Rivers Presbyterian Church sent out many years ago. Not sure which church member it came from. All I can say is thank you for sharing because it is a real winner. (I just learned that it was Melissa Wood recipe :0) )

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Sweet Potato Gratin

Sweet Potato & Russet Potatoes

I was in a time crunch so I prepared the dish the night before then popped it into the oven the next morning. I also used Colby Cheese and increased the baking time from 40 minutes to 60 minutes before uncovering it in the oven. Came out so tender.

2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 lb.)

2 large russet potatoes (about 1 3/4 lb.)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded Gruyère cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 400°. Cut sweet potatoes and russet potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick slices, using a mandoline or sharp knife. Toss together potatoes, 3/4 cup heavy cream, and salt in a large bowl. Transfer to a lightly greased 2-qt. gratin dish, and spread potatoes into layers. Top with 1 cup Gruyère cheese. Pour 3/4 cup more heavy cream over potatoes, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Gruyère. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake at 400° for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender and cheese is golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack; cool 5 minutes

I came across this today, perfect for all of our Fall dishes.

Tasia Malakasis, Southern Living

NOVEMBER 2013

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Anytime Turkey Gravy

Not cooking a whole turkey but still, want homemade turkey gravy? This quick recipe calls for sautéing turkey wings and necks with some veggies and then simmer the mixture with canned chicken broth. Finish it off with poultry seasoning, sage, chopped parsley and a little bit of flour.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

2 1/2 pounds dark meat turkey pieces (wings and necks)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 (49.5-oz.) can chicken broth

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage

Cook turkey pieces in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Add onion and celery, and sauté 4 minutes. Gradually stir in chicken broth, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet; stir in parsley. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl, discarding solids.

Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium heat; whisk in flour, and cook, whisking constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture is golden and smooth. Gradually whisk in broth mixture; increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes or to desired thickness. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Southern Living

NOVEMBER 2007

Make Ahead: Easy, homemade Simple Chicken Stock adds loads of flavor to our Make-Ahead Gravy. Pour cooked gravy into quart-size zip-top plastic freezer bags; seal and lay bags flat on a baking sheet. Place in freezer. Once frozen, the bags are easily stockable. Thaw three to four days in the fridge before reheating on the stovetop.

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Apple Salad

Creamy dressing drizzled on crisp apples, celery, and walnuts.

This recipe was given to me by one of the new members at the new member interview at Seven Rivers Presbyterian Church.

3 Red Apples

3 Golden Apples

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

celery

2 cups of Mayo

1/4 cup of sugar

3 tablespoons of lemon juice (pour onto chopped apples)

2 cups of whip cream ( add sugar and vanilla for better flavor)

Mix whip cream. Fold in mayo, sugar, apples- cut into pieces, raisins, walnuts. Chill

Photo AE Dairy

Seven Rivers Presbyterian Church

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Butternut Squash Soup with Fontina Cheese Crostini

I'm a fan of butternut squash and here is another way to get this delicious veggie into your Fall & Winter menu.

Soup:

2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 7 to 8 cups)

6 cups low-sodium chicken stock

1/4 cup chopped fresh sage leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Crostini:

1/2 baguette, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves

1 cup (2 ounces) grated fontina cheese

Kosher salt

Directions

In an 8-quart stockpot, add the butter and oil and melt together over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the squash and the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the sage. Continue to boil until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep the soup warm over low heat.

For the crostini: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sage. Sprinkle the cheese on top and season with salt, to taste. Bake until the cheese has melted and the bread is light golden, about 6 to 8 minutes.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the cheese crostini.

Cook's Note: The cooked vegetable mixture can also be pureed (after cooling for about 5 minutes) by ladling, in batches, into a food processor or blender and blended until smooth.

This recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis

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How To Make It Happen

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Paula Deen Pumpkin Cheesecake

This is Paula Deen's recipe from 2007. I was so proud of Grandma, 84 yr old Claire. We challenged her to make a pumpkin cheesecake and she Googled it! This is what she chose and it was the best. We recommend it.

CRUST:

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 stick melted salted butter

FILLING:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin

3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:

In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

For filling:

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place in oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Paula Deen Recipe

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Cranberry-Apple Granola Muffins

It is like grabbing an apple pie to go with baked in dried cranberries, cinnamon granola, and Pink Lady apples.

1 1/2 cups (about 6 3/8 oz.) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup cinnamon granola (such as Nature Valley), divided

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 (5-inch) parchment paper squares

1 large Pink Lady apple (about 8 oz.), cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Stir together flour, cranberries, baking powder, apple pie spice, salt, baking soda, and 3/4 cup of the granola in a large bowl. Whisk together applesauce, brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add applesauce mixture to flour mixture, stirring until just combined.

2. Fit 1 parchment square into each of the lightly greased cups of a 12-cup muffin pan, pressing folds into paper as needed. Divide muffin batter evenly among prepared muffin cups in pan. Lightly press apple pieces into tops of batter, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup granola. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 22 to 27 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 30 minutes). Drizzle with Sticky Maple-Caramel Sauce before serving, if desired.

Southern Living

SEPTEMBER 2016

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Chipotle Blue Sauce

This is an excellent sauce to change up your steaks or roast.

5 oz soft blue cheese, cubed

3 1/2 tablespoons herb garlic butter (1/2 stick), cubed

1 cup yogurt blue cheese dressing

2 teaspoons chipotle pepper sauce

Cut cheese and butter into small cubes. Place both in medium saucepan on medium heat, cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until melted. Stir in dressing and pepper sauce; remove from heat when sauce is bubbly. Serve sauce over roast or steaks.

I don't remember where I came across this recipe back 2015, but this is one sauce I use time to time.

Picture Growing Up Bilingual

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Guacamole

While storing in the refrigerator, keep your guacamole from changing color by placing a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture.

5 ripe avocados

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/2 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped

1 garlic clove, pressed

3/4 teaspoon salt

Tortilla chips

1. Cut avocados in half. Scoop pulp into a bowl, and mash with a potato masher or fork until slightly chunky. Stir in chopped red onion and next 4 ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap, allowing wrap to touch mixture, and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Serve guacamole with tortilla chips.

Cilantro Guacamole: Mash avocado, and stir in ingredients as directed. Stir in 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro and an additional 1 Tbsp. lime juice. Cover mixture, and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Southern Living

MAY 2007

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Provide

Prayers for Texas and for those in the path of Hurricane Irma and for those in the path of the fires.

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Zucchini Pie

Zucchini loaded with creamy melted cheese.
This recipe came from Aunti Nor and is known as "Jenny's Zucchini Pie". Thank you for sharing it Aunti Nor.

3 cups grated zucchini

4 beaten eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 cup grated Monterrey cheese

1/2 cup grated onion

1 cup Bisquick

salt & pepper

Combine all ingredients and pour into a greased 9" pie pan. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes till brown.

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Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

Blueberries, cream cheese, maple syrup perfect for breakfast brunch, or even dinner.

12 slices of French bread or sourdough bread thin sliced (6 slices cut up into cubes)

2 8 oz. pkg of cream cheese

1 cup of blueberries

12 eggs

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 cups milk

1 tablespoon of cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

For the sauce

1 cup of sugar

2 tablespoons of cornstarch

1 cup of water

1 cup of blueberries

1 tablespoon butter

Arrange the bread in a buttered 13 x 9 inch pan; cut the cream cheese into squares and place over bread; sprinkle the blueberries over the cheese; arrange the bread cubes over the top of the blueberries.

In a large bowl mix the eggs, syrup, milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg whisk well pour the mixture over the bread mixture; chill the mixture overnight.

Bake at 350 for about an hour or till it is puffed and golden brown.

Sauce

In a small sauce pan mix the water, sugar, cornstarch over moderately high heat until it is thickened, then add the blueberries. Simmer for about ten minutes or till blueberries burst then pour over French toast.

This recipe comes from my friend and co-worker Sheri O'Neal. It is so good. She made it for a breakfast staff meeting. I think we need to have more of those.

Picture Creative Culinary.com

Note: To cut on calories I omit the sauce and exchange fresh blueberries for a can of blueberries or mixed berries to go right on top of the casserole. It provides sweetness and sauce like baked into the casserole.

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Chewy Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

The best old-fashion oatmeal raisin cookies. They never go out of style.

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2cup packed dark-brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, whisk together oats, flour, raisins, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl as necessary. Add egg and vanilla; beat until combined. Gradually add oat mixture; beat just until combined.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto two baking sheets, Bake until cookies are golden brown but still soft, 12 to 16 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 24

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Super Moist Cream Cheese Pound Cake

This has to be the best I have ever tasted. A #1 keeper for me. Super moist and picture perfect when it came out of the oven. This is the first pound cake from scratch I have ever made.

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon table salt

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until combined. Add vanilla extract, and beat just until blended.

Combine flour and salt in a small bowl; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into a greased (with shortening) and floured 10-inch tube pan.

Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire rack (about 1 hour).

Southern Living FEBRUARY 2016

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