The holidays are a time for friends and family and good old-fashioned home cooking. Who can resist the tempting smells coming from the kitchen at this most favorite time of year? Holiday dinners were among my favorite, most memorable meals as a child. Our family shared our holiday meals with different relatives each year, but wherever we were and whoever we were with, we always knew to expect good food and enjoyable family gatherings that we would remember for months to come.

When I was a child, it was always a tradition in our family to have turkey for Thanksgiving and ham for Christmas. We would also always enjoy mounds of creamy mashed potatoes and gravy, candied yams with lots of butter, brown sugar, and melted marshmallows, and I could always count on sampling my dad’s famous fruit salad. He would meticulously cut each fruit into bite-size pieces (apples, oranges, grapes, bananas, and raisins), and mix it all together with a generous portion of homemade whipped cream. Homemade cranberry sauce was also always a special holiday treat.

Now that I’m married we have even more family to share our holiday meals with. With so much family, though, we rarely get to host dinner at our house. It’s always nice to go to someone else’s house to eat, but then we don’t get any of the leftovers! We usually end up taking advantage of the holiday sales at the supermarket though, and then we can have our own little feast. I’ve had a lot of fun over the years devising ways to use up the leftovers from our own holiday meals–and I’d like to share some of my favorite recipes with you.

Turkey and Rice Soup

2 1/2 cups turkey, cooked and diced

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 6-ounce box long-grained rice

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup onion, diced

1 cup carrots, grated

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients with 6 cups of water. Simmer, covered, until rice is cooked, approximately 30 minutes. Great with fresh bread.

Turkey Spaghetti

8 oz. spaghetti or other pasta

1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup

3/4 c. grated mild cheddar cheese

2 c. leftover cooked, diced turkey

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional – diced celery and/or diced onion to your taste

Prepare soup as directed. Prepare spaghetti as directed then drain. Combine spaghetti, soup and remaining ingredients. Stir until cheese melts. Serve and enjoy!

Mashed Potatoes and Ham Bake

2 cups mashed potatoes

2 tablespoons mustard

2 cups ham, cubed

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-sized bowl, mix mashed potatoes and mustard. Spread potato mixture in the bottom of a greased 8-inch square baking pan. Arrange ham on top of potatoes. In a small bowl, mix cottage cheese and cheddar cheese. Spread over ham. Bake until mixture is heated through, about 30 minutes.

Chopped Ham Sandwiches

2 lb. leftover ham, chopped into bite-sized pieces

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 c. ketchup

1/4 c. vinegar

1 c. water

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Fry ham in a skillet and sprinkle flour over it. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Simmer for 1 hour and serve on toast or hamburger buns. Makes 15 to 20 sandwiches.

Originally published at Suite 101. Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What’s for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For recipes, tips to organize your home, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.

Bake a tasty holiday treat today
The sweet aroma of baking Christmas cookies is a telltale sign that the holidays have arrived. And while the weather outside might be frightful, a cookie right out of the oven can warm your heart.
Holiday baking is an activity that is often rich in family history, just like decorating the Christmas tree. Christmas cookie recipes are regularly passed down from generation to generation, and many people can name several holiday cookies they baked each year growing up with their parents, friends or grandparents.

Finding Your Christmas Cookie Recipe
If you’re an inexperienced baker, start this year with easy Christmas cookie recipes. Here are some possible resources where you can find Christmas cookie recipes:
- Christmas magazines
- Lifestyle magazines
- Cookbooks
- Cooking websites
- Blogs
- YouTube videos
- Online cooking groups
- Cooking classes

How can you tell if it’s an easy or an advanced recipe? First, look at the list of ingredients. Chances are, the more ingredients, the more steps involved. Read the directions to see if they’re easy to follow. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself, but if you’re planning to bake for a major event, it’s probably a good idea to have a couple simple recipes on hand in case something goes wrong with one of your batches.

Organizing Your Cookie Recipes
Come up with a method to organize the recipes that don’t come in an assembled book. Some people like to use small recipe cards, others prefer large binders. It’s a good idea to cover your recipes in a protective layer, like lamination or a clear slip cover. You should also devise a way to make the recipes easy to find. You could organize them in alphabetical order, by the time of year or season, or by the friends you traditionally bake them with.

There are many other factors to consider when deciding which cookies to bake, such as who you’ll be baking with. For example, if children are taking part, try a recipe where they can use Christmas cookie cutters in shapes like stars, trees, snowmen or angels. You can find cookie cutters at craft stores, department stores and dollar stores. Get some icing and other accents to jazz up the cookies. If a child isn’t old enough to use baking utensils, decorating is a great way to get them involved.

Christmas Cookie Favorites
The following list will provide you with an idea of some traditional Christmas cookies you might want to bake this season:

- Shortbread
- Pfeffernusse
- Fruitcake balls
- Peppermint cookies
- Sugar cookies
- Gingerbread
- Rum balls
- Eggnog truffles
- Candy cane cookies

With a pinch of cheer and a dash of laughter, you’ll be sure to have success baking your Christmas cookies this year.

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From the book: Christmas In Dairyland (True Stories From a Wisconsin Farm)

When I was a kid growing up on our dairy farm in Wisconsin 40 years ago, cookies with a date filling were my dad’s favorite kind. Here is the recipe.

• 3/4 cup butter or margarine (softened)
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 5 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• several tablespoons of milk if the dough seems too dry
• Jam: blackberry, black raspberry, strawberry, red raspberry, plum conserve, apple conserve, or date filling (recipes for plum and apple conserve and date filling are included below.)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, margarine, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. If the dough is too dry, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk. If the dough seems too wet, add 1/4 or 1/2 cup of flour.

Roll out dough. Use either a small round cookie cutter or one large round cutter. Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet. Put one teaspoon of jam (or other filling) in the middle of the smaller rounds or off to one side of the larger rounds. Place another small round on top of the small rounds; fold the larger rounds in half. Use a fork to crimp the edges together and to poke holes in the top. Bake for 15 minutes, or until light brown.

This recipe makes about six dozen filled cookies.

The recipe can also be used to make cut-out Christmas cookies frosted with colored icing.

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~ Plum Conserve ~

If plum conserve is made specifically for filling cookies, store any that remains in the refrigerator and use on toast or biscuits. The conserve can also be sealed in pint jars. (This recipe makes about three pints.)

• 8 to 10 fresh, large, ripe plums
• 1/2 cup of water
• 4 cups of sugar
• 2 cups of raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Pit the plums and chop into small pieces. Place in a large saucepan and add the sugar and water. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the lemon juice, raisins and walnuts and cook for 10 minutes longer, stirring constantly. (Note: Recipe can also be made using 3 cups of chopped apples instead of plums. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.)

~ Date Filling ~

• 3 cups chopped dates
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 2/3 cups water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Put all ingredients into a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (10 or 15 minutes).

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About The Author

LeAnn R. Ralph is the author of the book: Christmas In Dairyland (True Stories From a Wisconsin Farm). Share the view from Rural Route 2 and celebrate Christmas during a simpler time. Free shipping on autographed copies. http://ruralroute2.com; bigpines@ruralroute2.com

The Holiday Season is upon us and soon we will be frantically searching for yummy recipes to serve our family and friends. Many of the leading food manufacturers have spent 1000’s of hours testing and perfecting recipes for you to enjoy.

The recipes below are a few of my favorites and may become yours too!

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Basic Bread Stuffing

• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
• 12 cups bread cubes, white and whole-wheat bread
• 2 tbsp. McCormick® Parsley Flakes
• 1 tbsp. McCormick® Bon Appetit Seasoning
• 1 1/2 tsp. McCormick® Poultry Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. McCormick® Ground Black Pepper
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

1. Melt butter in large skillet or Dutch oven, add onion and celery, and sauté until onion is transparent.

2. Place bread cubes, parsley, Bon Appétit, poultry seasoning, and pepper in large bowl and toss to combine. Add to onion mixture and chicken broth and toss to coat bread cubes lightly.

3. Stuff loosely into neck and breast cavities of bird and truss bird. As an alternative, place stuffing in casserole, cover, and bake with turkey or chicken during last 45 minutes of cooking.

Variations:

Herb Stuffing: Add 1 of following to bread cubes: 2 teaspoons Rubbed Sage, 2 teaspoons Ground Thyme, or 2 teaspoons Ground Marjoram.

Chestnut Stuffing: Wash 1/2 pound chestnuts and cut slits on both sides of shells. Bake in 500 degree F oven 15 minutes. Cool. Remove shells and skin from nuts and place nuts in salted water. Cover and boil 20 minutes. Drain and finely chop. If preferred, use canned chestnuts, drained and chopped. Toss with bread cubes.

Oyster Stuffing: Cook 1/2 to 1 pint small or medium- size oysters in oyster liquor until the edges of oysters curl. Drain and chop or leave whole as preferred. Toss with bread cubes.

Makes 8 cups

This recipe courtesy of McCormick, Inc.

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Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Prep: 5 mins – Ready In: 17 mins

• 1/2 cup maple-flavored syrup
• 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
• 1 can (40 oz.) sweet potatoes, drained

BRING syrup and butter just to boil in large skillet on medium heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer about 2 minutes.

ADD sweet potatoes. Cook on low heat 10 minutes, gently turning sweet potatoes frequently to glaze. Garnish with pecan halves, if desired.

Makes 6 servings

This recipe courtesy of Kraft Foods.

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Granny Shaffer`s Black Walnut Fudge Pie

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup dark corn syrup
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 2 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups Hammons Black Walnuts
• 10-inch unbaked pie shell

Beat eggs slightly; add sugar, syrup, cocoa, melted butter and vanilla. Whisk until thoroughly mixed. Measure black walnuts into unbaked pie shell; cover with chocolate mixture.

Bake one hour at 350 degrees. Cool to room temperature.

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Makes one 10-inch pie – 8 servings

This recipe courtesy of Hammons Black Walnuts.

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Spiced Holiday Coffee

Prep: 5 mins – Ready In: 5 mins

• 1/3 cup MAXWELL HOUSE Coffee, any variety
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 3 cups cold water

PLACE coffee, cinnamon and cloves in filter in brew basket of coffee maker. Place marmalade in empty pot of coffee maker.

PREPARE coffee with cold water. When brewing is complete, stir until well mixed. Pour into large cups or mugs.

Serve with sugar, if desired.

Makes 6 servings

This recipe courtesy of Kraft Foods.

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About The Author

Dawn Connors owns and operates Back of the Box Recipes web site where you will find hundreds of brand name recipes from leading manufacturers and producers. For more recipe ideas visit her web site at: http://www.backofthebox.com Back of the Box.

admin@backofthebox.com

Sometimes it is the simple things in life that make us happy. Easy Christmas gifts in a jar are one of those simple things. And they can become one of your family’s Christmas customs you enjoy year after year.

Love to make gingerbread cookies? Why not put the ingredients in a jar; write the recipe on red construction paper; cut the construction paper to the circumference of the jar; and wrap the construction paper around the front of the jar with white ribbon. Place a green bow on top of the lid of the jar. Then your friends have one of your favorite Christmas cookie mixes in a jar recipe.

Brownies are delicious gifts anytime of the year, but especially during the Yuletide season. Look up your favorite brownie recipe and put the ingredients into a cool-looking jar. List the the recipe, roll it up, and place the rolled recipe into jar along with the ingredients. Wrap the jar in colored plastic, and tie the cellophane with a bright, red ribbon.

How about those spice green and red candies? You can find them sold in most stores. These are perfect Christmas mix recipes you can stuff in a jar and wrap in colored plastic.

Jelly beans in a jar are another traditional holiday gift. Quick & easy to fill your jar. Jelly beans are delicious and low in calories as well.

M&M’s in a jar is another wonderful Christmas treat. Buy a bag of red and green M&M’s. You might mix & match-plain & peanuts. A green Coke bottle works well with these candies, and anyone would love to receive it.

A traditional Christmas gift in a jar is the colorful hard candies, such as peppermint sticks; Christmas hard candies with filling; red and white mint swirl candies. What a great way to save money and have an inexpensive Christmas gift idea for a large extended family.

For chocolate lovers, why not find some delicious chocolate pretzels to put in a jar. They come in packages and are available in your local grocery store. What a sweet treat this gift would make. Everyone will love it.

How about theme gifts in a jar? Some examples are chocolate golf balls, chocolate baseballs, chocolate footballs, and chocolate soccer balls. Any of these fun theme gifts would be a hit with anyone who enjoys these sports. You might even use a few real mini-balls to make a great homemade, non-food Christmas gift in a jar.

No matter what you choose, whether time-honored, far-out, home baked, or bought in a store, making easy Christmas gifts in a jar is fun and allows you to be as creative as you want to be. Christmas mix recipes can be an inexpensive treat to give to your friends, colleagues, and even members of your family. The best part is you can go to your local store or shopping mart and gather all your favorite sweets and chocolates to make as many jars as you need. Most of these jars make fun, holiday gift ideas under 10 dollars. Have fun and be creative!

Kerry Beck gives free advent calendars with daily Christmas activities to prepare your family for Christmas. Your family will learn more about Christmas customs with some of her daily activities. You can get her FREE Advent Calendar Countdown at http://www.christmascelebrationideas.com/.

Use this simple countdown strategy to keep Christmas preparations hassle-free, avoiding a last minute crunch. For a full menu and shopping list, visit http://www.rushhourcook.com/holiday.htm and click on the Recipe link.

Day 12

Avoid last minute menu madness. Choose your menu for the Big Day as well as quick-and-easy option for the busy pre-Christmas days. Record your holiday meal plan in your Holiday Notebook. Collect all your recipes in one place and staple together or tuck them into your
notebook.

Day 11

A careful indulgence: Before completely committing to your menu, check to see if any of your guests has food allergies or special-food needs. If you are having a potluck, or people are bringing side dishes be sure to know the ingredients, so you can advise your guests. If you have a vegetarian attending, provide one or two casseroles they can enjoy. The same goes for diabetics, the heart-conscious, etc. Although the holidays are a time of feasting, offer options for those who have to indulge carefully. While making your inquiries, firm up the time for the meal.

Day 10

A merry mail call: If your holiday greeting cards haven’t been mailed, now is the time! Or use the e-mail card tips in this guide for quick delivery. Make sure any last minute catalogue shopping comes with a holiday delivery-guarantee.

Day 9

Deck your dinner with delegation. Analyze your list and don’t hesitate to call on guests to bring an appetizer, wine, or dessert. Company will be so glad they don’t have to do the main meal; let them have the privilege of bringing a side dish. Use this strategy to mark off as many items as possible. Look at the recipes that are left on your list and read through
their instructions carefully before making a master ingredient list. Think through the process of how each recipe will be prepared and if there is a better alternative to conserve time or if the recipes

Day 8

Stock check: After delegating some of the recipes, make a master ingredient list. Make sure to check that you have the applicable pots, pans, utensils, etc., for preparation and serving. Call your local market to order the meat for your main entrée. For boned items such as turkey, plan on 1 pound per person. For boneless meats like ham or tenderloin, plan ½ pound per person.

Day 7

Work ahead: Highlight anything that can be done ahead of time. Example: cheese can be shredded; onions can be cut and placed in airtight containers in your freezer for up to 4 weeks.

Day 6

Supermarket sweep (part one): Purchase all non-perishable items and frozen items. Keep all holiday items together in your pantry and on a single shelf in your freezer (or place a holiday sticker on them so they are not accidentally used in a different recipe). Nothing is worse than
trying to make wild rice without wild rice. While still at the grocery store, unload your cart in an organized manner. Re-check your list, as you go, making sure you haven’t forgotten anything. Ask that like items be bagged together. This will make for easier unpacking at home. (Make sure to send cards and packages out via priority mail today, if you haven’t done so already.)

Day 5

The slow thaw sand table toppings: Pick up your main entrée. Place large meats in the back of your refrigerator to begin thawing. A large turkey can take up to 4 or 5 days to thaw. Allow approximately 24 hours per 5 pounds of turkey. Table toppings: Decide on table setting, centerpiece, iron linens, polish silver, you get the picture.

Day 4

Supermarket sweep (part two): Shop for all perishable items. Clean out your refrigerator before you go so you have plenty of room to unpack! Again, make sure to mark items with a holiday sticker to avoid the a missing-ingredient mystery.

Day 3

Odds and ends: Pre-bake any pie shells and tidy up the house. Make any gelatin molds or frozen desserts.

Day 2

Cooking countdown: Slice and dice everything that can be prepped in advance. Peel and cut your vegetables,

Day 1

The Mad-dash: Run any last minute errands. Make your Christmas Eve meal an easy one, because your biggest day of cooking is less than 24 hours away. Prepare any sauces or chilled desserts today. Use family teamwork to conquer as much cooking as possible, freeing more time for everyone to enjoy the upcoming feast. Assemble a Cheese Strata that sits overnight in the fridge and can be quickly cooked on Christmas morning. Hang up your stockings; set your coffee pot, and tuck everybody in.

Day 0

After breakfast, have family members help do a quick “clean up.” Then set the table for the evening to come. Make sure to take time during the busy day to pause and reflect on the deeper meaning of the holiday to you and your family.

From my Rush Hour Kitchen to yours… Happy Holidays!

Visit http://www.rushhourcook.com/holiday.htm for a full holiday meal plan with shopping list and [http://www.changeyourlifechallenge.com] for a free weekly newsletter with sanity-saving solutions.

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