Stuffing (or Dressing)

With the upcoming Thanksgiving feast on it’s way here is how we make our homemade stuffing.

This is a FAVORITE of everyone at our table and something I have to make the most of if we want to have any leftovers!

You can adjust this to the quantity you need (add another loaf of bread and more of the seasonings). I use 2 king size loaves of white bread for a 14 lb turkey.

2 loaves of bread cubed and baked at 350 to toast them (almost like a crouton)
1/2 medium onion diced
1 long stalk celery diced
3/4 to 1 stick of butter
about a cup of chicken stock
celery salt, sage, poultry seasoning (I use about 1 tsp of each to start)

Cube the bread and bake at 350 until toasted (I do this in a few batches)

Melt the butter and add the diced onion and celery cooking about 4 minutes or until softened

Mix into the bread cubes and add the seasonings

Add chicken stock slowly stirring frequently until the desired consistency

Taste test and add more seasoning to your desired taste!

You can stuff your chicken/turkey or you can cover with tinfoil and bake at 350 until heated through. Remove and bake about 5 minutes more to get a bit of a crunch layer on top.

Homemade stuffing is a staple in our house. It’ so simple to make and I know exactly what’s in it!!

Cake Balls

These are a fun dessert to take to a party or make and have at home for school lunch desserts, after dinner desserts or small treat!

While these are all over Pinterest now, years ago my aunt made these after she baked a cake to long.  She actually made them with the frosting mixed into the cake mix and then warmed the rest of the frosting in a pot and rolled them in it.   Needless to say, they didn’t hold up well so she tried some with making her own melting chocolate.  Boy I wish she had patented the idea 🙂

You can see how we make them on my Facebook page here:  Cake Balls

 

 

Aunt Chere’s Cutout Cookies

These cookies are perfect for making any kind of cutout cookie, not just for Christmas!!

The recipe is listed on our Facebook page:  Aunt Chere’s Cutout Cookies

Grandma Ruth’s Preserve Thumbprint cookies

These cookies are delicious!  Rich buttery flavor with the touch of fruity sweetness from the preserves.

The man’s mother makes a cookie tray for each of her children.  These are one of her cookies and my favorite by far!  This year she turned 80 and has realized it’s too much work to make so many cookies.  She made a 3 ring binder for each of her grandchildren with all of her recipes and a beautiful handwritten not to each of them.  What a special gift!!

Last night we made her thumbprint cookies.  This was my first shot at making these and while not as pretty as hers (which are always perfectly round), they taste the same!  We are bringing them to a family party tonight.

These are ridiculously simple with easy ingredients and dough that is perfect to work with!

2 Cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup butter softened

2 eggs, separated

1/8 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

finely chopped pecans (or walnuts) to roll cookies in

Any flavor fruit preserves (I used apricot and raspberry)

Preheat the oven to 350F.  In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, butter, egg yolks, salt and vanilla.  Beat at low speed scraping the bowl often until smooth (about 2 minutes).

Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls.

In  small bowl whisk the egg whites until foamy (this is clear with many bubbles)

Dip each ball into the whites and then into the finely chopped nuts.

Place about 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheets (or parchment/silpat)

Make a depression in the center of each cookie with the back of the teaspoon.

Bake for 8 minutes, remove carefully and place a small teaspoon of preserves in the center.  Return to oven and bake for approximately 7-9 more minutes (or until lightly browned on the edges).

Makes about 36 cookies!

 

Italian Chocolate Cookies

These are my absolute favorite cookie.  I love the hint of cloves sweetened with the cocoa and light powdered sugar icing.  You can add chocolate chips (truly my favorite way), raisins, or nuts to these as well.

Growing up this was a staple Christmas cookie in our family.  I remember watching my mom make them and waiting until they were cool enough to grab a few off the tray!

I alternate between our family recipe and an Italian friend of mine who has a slightly different version.  Her’s contain less clove and uses Crisco in place of the lard our family recipe calls for.

They are easy to make and look pretty when displayed with other cookies.  The taste is fabulous and even better with a cup of coffee or tea!

Here is the recipe I used for these cookies

4 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup cocoa

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP Crisco (shortening)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP milk

3/4 cup chocolate chips (or raisins or chopped nuts)

Mix flour, salt, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, sugar, chips and Crisco with a pastry blender until pea size balls form.

Mix vanilla, egg and milk together in a separate bowl.  Add to flour mixture and stir by hand until all dry ingredients are blended.

Roll into walnut size balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes.  Dip in icing or frosting when cool and decorate

Christmas Cutouts

Christmas cookies are a great way to make a family tradition. No matter how busy we are and other traditions have been outgrown, the cutting and decorating of the cookies is something that draws us all together.  It’s a fun family thing to do and the kids like seeing their cookies displayed on the cookie tray at our family gathering.

I like to try all sorts of recipes and last year made 2 different types of cutouts so we could vote on our favorite.  This year I decided to try the widely “Pinned” Sour Cream cut out cookies.

The dough was made and the rolling, cutting and of course eating began.

I found this dough to be a stickier dough you have to knead with flour or powdered sugar after you pull a chunk out (I mix a bowl of flour and powdered sugar to sprinkle on the rolling pin and mat) to keep from sticking. But it was easy to roll and cut.

I made the dough two days prior to us being able to get together and make the cookies.  It kept very well in a sealed container in the fridge.

The cookies had a “crinkly” look to them right out of the oven and were very puffy but settled down smooth.  The recipe received the “approval” of the kids as they said they tasted great without the frosting.  It made a nice big batch of cutouts also.

After the frosting was made and colored everyone went to town to get them decorated.

And another year of memory making was had!

Here is the recipe I used:

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup sour cream

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

4 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

Cream together butter, sugar and salt with electric mixer.  Blend in sour cream, egg and vanilla.  Mix together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to sugar mixture slowly mixing well.  You can leave dough in the bowl and cover with plastic and chill for an hour.  Roll out using flour/powdered sugar as needed to keep from sticking.  Cut into shapes and bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes (slightly brown at edge).  Let cool for 2 minutes then transfer to wax paper to cool.  Frost as desired