I love having wassail warming in the crock pot around Christmas time because it makes the house smell very festive.
Wassail
2 qts apple cider 2 cups pineapple juice 1 1/2 cups orange juice 3/4 cup lemon juice 1 cup sugar (or less to taste) 2 sticks whole cinnamon 1 tsp whole cloves studded into a thickly sliced lemon and orange
Combine ingredients and let warm in crock pot or on stove over low heat for an hour. Serve warm. It's great spiked too.
I have never nuked mine because the oven gives it a bubbly/crusty effect.
ANOTHER GUY DIP
HOT SAUSAGE DIP
1 lb HOT SAUSAGE (ground bulk) 1/2 c. chopped onion 1/2 lb sliced mushrooms (= a can pieces and stems) 2 T flour 1 c. sour cream 1 c. milk 1 TBLSP worcestershire 1 Tsp soy sauce 1 tsp paprika
Cook sausage ---set aside.
Saute onions and mushrooms in drippings.
DRAIN fat. Add meat to the onions and mushrooms.
In sm bowl whisk flour, into sour cream and than add milk, worcest., soy and paprika,
Cook over medium heat until thickened.
Great with bread!
I rotate the dips...so if I am doing spinach in a bread bowl, this is a great additional dip because you can use the bread for both.
GUYS love it, I also add a dash of tabasco sauce to make it a little bit hotter if I know it is an ALL guy group.
I never serve the bacon cheese dip and this together...too heavy, and both are hot.
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Raising a teenager is like nailing Jello to a tree
8 oz cream cheese 1 can crab meat (claw is fine, not fancy) 1 T Worcestershire dash Tabasco *Old Bay Seasoning (OBS) *Garlic Powder *Seasoned Salt
My recipe doesn't have a measurement listed. I just shake it into the dip until I get the desired flavor. Maybe a few shakes of OBS, and a couple shakes of the other two.
Melt cream cheese and mix all ingredients. Microwave 2-3 mins. Stir. Microwave 2 mins and serve with crackers. (I add a little OBS to the top for color just before serving).
It's also a great recipe to take to parties, because you can take it cold, and zap in the microwave to heat it up just before serving.
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I'm going to start taking notes! The chestnut recipe sounds wonderful too.
-- Edited by Artemis on Tuesday 14th of December 2010 11:02:47 AM
Do you do the same substitution for Horseradish as Old Bay? Do you sprinkle Paprika on top?
Where does it change in the recipe.
The cheese ball recipe is always a hit. My Mom made in reluctance, and she said that it was gone quickly, mainly from the guys since it is a hardy (sp?) dip compared to spinach or crab.
The only way to explain the taste is that it is tangy with a punch.
We do big Xmas eve party, so come Xmas day it is lounge around and fend for yourself!
Another great appetizer that I make is Water Chestnuts wrapped in bacon.
Pain in the arse, but simple
1 can of WHOLE water chestnuts Bacon, cut in 1/4 slices for the slab.
Wrap the chestnuts in bacon, use tooth picks to secure.
Sprinkle Brown sugar and BROIL until bacon is brown.
I usually use 2 cans of chestnuts and that will be @ 6 strips of bacon. That leaves me enough bacon to do the bacon dip.
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Raising a teenager is like nailing Jello to a tree
I make the same crab dip recipe as Pima's except mine does call for Old Bay Seasoning but not horseradish. It really is delicious, and quick. My kind of recipe. I've heated mine in the microwave rather than the oven with very good results. I can't really tell a difference.
I'm going to save your cheese ball recipe, Pima. That sounds really good.
No old bay on the crab dip, the horse radish gives it the kick. I am sure you can sprinkle Old bay instead of paprika.
That is actually Bullet's favorite dip.
It comes out very creamy and re-heats the next day just as good.
I never tell anyone what the cheese ball is because I don't like bleu cheese either. However, I adore this. It doesn't taste like bleu cheese at all. I guess the garlic, butter, cream cheese and olives mask it.
I also don't like olives either!
My Mom had this at my house about 10 yrs ago and now this is the dish people ask her to bring to any party.
Again, triscuits are the crackers to go with it.
The bread loaf recipe also can be re-heated the next day, just wrap it in foil.
__________________
Raising a teenager is like nailing Jello to a tree
Off topic, but on topic my Mom was here and we were talking about what is a turnip? I googled mashed turnips, and found a recipe that was 50/50 potatoes and turnips. Cook them the traditional way. Instead of milk use broth.
I swear they were the lightest I ever tasted, and could not tell the difference at all in taste.
I did it for Thanksgiving and after dinner when the bowl was empty and everyone had 2nds and 3rds I told them they were also made out of turnips.
Turnips are also much cheaper.
I have also done scalloped, and they taste the same. Calorie and protein wise everything I have read, says they are better. Kind of like sweet potatoes being better than traditional potatoes.
My favorite recipe for an appetizer is:
Bacon Cheese Dip in Bread
8 slices of bacon diced 1 onion diced 1 clove garlic, minced * 1 tsp of crushed red pepper for a kick -opt. 1 cup colby jack cheese 1 cup parm cheese 1 cup mayo 1 loaf French/Italian bread -hollowed. Cut top to replace later.
Fry bacon, onion, and garlic until bacon is SLIGHTLY crispy. Set aside and cool.
Add remaining ingredients and cooled bacon mixture.
Put into hollowed out loaf and replace with lid. Wrap in foil. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. When you wrap it in foil make sure you can get easy access to the bread lid to check on it after the 30 minute marker. You want the cheese to be melted inside.
Make some knife slices for people to tear and use hollowed out bread as dipping pieces.
It will be devoured in minutes, and travels very well because the bread keeps the dip hot.
Other appetizer requested by people
~~~~Cheese Ball
1 container of crumbled bleu cheese 1 8 oz cream cheese 1 stick of BUTTER (not margarine) 1 clove of garlic minced
Mix everything together.
Roll in ball
Roll ball in 1 small can of chopped black olives, drained.
Wrap in saran and refridgerate until firm
serve with Triscuits...butter type crackers will not work because they will break apart when trying to "dip into it"
Combine everything together. (can do it the night before). Sprinkle paprika and bake at 350 for @20 minutes until bubbly. Serve hot with any type of cracker or bread.
-- Edited by pima on Monday 13th of December 2010 12:02:39 PM
-- Edited by pima on Monday 13th of December 2010 12:04:19 PM
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Raising a teenager is like nailing Jello to a tree
Super Bowl and BCS title game favorite h'ordeuvres, snacks, and letusjustadmitwearenotgoingtoeatanythingelsetoday stuff?
My wife makes "pigs in a blanket" ("cows in a blanket"?) with "beef smokies" wrapped in crescent roll dough. No seasoning, no recipe, just wrap them up and brown the dough per the can directions. Easy, quick, and there are NEVER any left.
I make little individual "nacho pizzas" using round tortilla chips, sour cream, medium salsa, grated goat cheese, and ,chopped not ground, prime beef sirloin. Tabasco to taste for my more manly buddies and haberano relish on the side for the one actual Latino. Note: Pastry bags are an efficient way to do 200 of these. I think it tastes better than just piling everyting up in a big pile.
Popcorn, Orville Redenbackers Tender White, with real butter and cold Budweiser.
Litttle miniquiches useing prefab 3 inch shells, quiche mix from the dairy case, fresh steamed broccoli (it won't get done if you put it in the quiche raw!), and whatever sausage is handy. No jokes about "real men don't eat quiche" from anyone who has met me personally...
Hamburgers when we can catch a cow...
-- Edited by BigG on Sunday 12th of December 2010 02:09:01 PM
-- Edited by BigG on Sunday 12th of December 2010 02:10:16 PM
Thanks for those tips, BigG. I am going to jot them down and put with my cookbooks. I hear a tip and think I will remember and then when I am cooking can't remember!
That makes sense on the potatoes. I have had inconsistent results making potato salad and I bet I let the potatoes soak too long before cutting them up.
The key to light and fluffy potatoes is control of moisture content.
For mashed potatoes, drain the spuds using a colander. Shake gently to dislodge surface moisture. Do not allow them to sit over the drained water. Put them over a dry bowl to finish draining. Use half and half instead of milk.
Make LOTS. Good fluffy mashed potatoes reuse as excellent potato pancakes (what are those German and Polish words??). Try to get some fresh Vidalia onions for flavor.
Course sea salt and butter rubbed on bakers removes moisture and gives a fluffier product. If you want to eat the skins, reduce salt addition to the interior.
My wife does a wonderful brussels sprouts dish with elephant garlic, lemon juice and olive oil.
Had a gift card for a lovely dinner out with my hubby. These nights are too far between with our budget these days! We splurged on an appetizer and dessert. Yum!
One of the dishes was a sweet potato cheese gratin. It was so light and flavorful, it didn't feel like eating a heavy potato dish. The other dish was a brussel sprouts with garlic and lemon juice and oil. Neither one of us like brussels sprouts, but the server insisted we would change our mind about this vegetable.
It was amazing.
Anyone have any good recipes they want to share or dishes they would like to replicate? I mostly hate cooking, but I do enjoy eating. Looking forward to hearing some good suggestions.
