Lemon Jello Salad

This salad was made only once a year at Christmas when I was growing up! I love it!

Mix Lemon Jello as directed on package. Add 1 Can Crushed Pineapple (Save Juice) Add 1 cup chopped walnuts, Cut up 1 small bottle of marachino cherries (save juice), 1 1/2 cup marshmellos, 2 cut up bananas.
Mix all together in a 9 x 12 glass pan and let set.

Topping:
1 cup of juice (pineapple jc and cherry jc combined) add water to make a cup if not enough.
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Tbsp corn starch
1 well beaten egg
Mix over heat until thickened.
Then mix into 1 cup of Whipped Cream (cool whip won't work)
Spread over jello salad.

Chicken and Artichoke Casserole

1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 T butter
2 14 oz cans chicken broth
5 chicken breasts
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained
3/4 stick butter
1/3 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/8 cup half and half
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried rosemary

Saute mushrooms in 2 T butter and set aside. Pour 2 cans chicken broth in large pot and add water to cover chicken breasts. Bring to a boil. When chicken is cooked through, shred with two forks. Remove from broth and save 1 1/8 cups. Cool. Arrange chicken in casserole dish. Top with artichoke hearts (I like to chop them into smaller pieces.) Set aside. Melt 3/4 stick butter, stir in flour, salt and pepper and cook until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually stir in 1 1/8 cup reserved chicken broth and light cream. Cook and stir as mixture boils and thickens. Blend in Parmesan cheese and rosemary. Pour over artichokes. Sprinkle mushrooms over the top. Bake at 325 for 30 minutes and serve over rice. If you have more Parmesan, sprinkle it on top just before baking. This recipe freezes well- just wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze before you bake it.

Kneaders Rasperry Bread Pudding

Kneaders Raspberry Bread Pudding
(I found this recipe on the sister cafe blog & it sounds so great!)

Cream Mix
1 1/2 loaves aged, white bread
1 quart heavy cream
3 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

In large bowl combine cream, sugar, egg and vanilla. Cut bread into 1 1/2" cubes and add to cream mixture, coating bread well. Let stand 30 minutes stirring every 5 minutes to allow cream to absorb completely.

Fruit Filling
5 cups frozen raspberries
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup apple juice

Combine raspberries, sugar and apple juice, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
Layer a 9x13 dark baking dish 3/4 full with bread mixture, pour fruit filling over bread mixture, spreading evenly, top with remaining bread. Bake 40 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve warm. Top with vanilla sauce.

Vanilla Sauce
1 1/3 cup butter
5 tablespoons flour
3 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup sugar

Over medium heat melt butter, and add flour stir 10 minutes until it has a nutty aroma, do not brown. Add salt, cream and sugar and boil till mixture is thick, remove from heat adding vanilla. Serve this wonderful sauce cold.

Cranberry Salsa

You will need:
* 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple
* 1 can of cranberry jelly with berries
* 1/4 cup of sugar
* 2 green peppers
* 1 jalapeno pepper
* 1 bunch of green onions
* 1 bunch of fresh cilantro

Chop green peppers, jalapenos, green onions, and cilantro very finely. In a serving bowl mix cranberry jelly, crushed pineapple, green peppers, jalapeno, green onions, cilantro and sugar. Once well mixed refrigerate for at least 1-3 hours before serving. Serve with chips or in a warm crockpot on top of "lil smokies"

Mom's Happy Birthday Baked Pasta!!

I make many "versions" of this baked pasta dish...
here is the recipe for the one I made for my mom's 50th birthday!!

2 T EVOO
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14.5 oz ) Italian diced tomatoes
1 t Italian seasoning
1 T brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 oz fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
16 oz penne rigate pasta
15 oz ricotta cheese
12 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a large pot of water to boil to cook the pasta. While the water is coming to a boil, sauté the garlic with 2 T EVOO. Stir in tomatoes, brown sugar, and seasonings. Simmer 5-10 minutes then stir in basil and turn off heat. While sauce is simmering, add salt to boiling water and cook the pasta to just under al dente – it should have a nice bite left to it. Drain pasta and add ricotta cheese to the hot pasta pot. Mix in the tomato sauce and pour into large baking dish. Top with the fresh mozzarella and bake until top is brown and bubbly, about 15 minutes.

Sweet Potato Casserole

4 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups cornflakes cereal, crushed
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
Preparation

Bake sweet potatoes at 400° for about 1 hour or until tender. Let cool to touch; peel and mash sweet potatoes.

Beat mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, and next 5 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon potato mixture into a greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish.

Combine cornflakes cereal and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle diagonally over casserole in rows 2 inches apart.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle alternate rows with marshmallows; bake 10 additional minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.





Southern

Breakfast Christmas Wassil

20 ounces cranberry juice
10 ounces apple juice
3 3/4 ounces pineapple juice, frozen concentrate -- thawed
3 3/4 ounces lemonade, frozen concentrate -- thawed
3 cinnamon sticks

Directions:
In a large saucepan combine juices, concentrates and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add water if desired. Serve hot or cold