Christmas 2022

Food for Christmas Eve….Jesus dinner ….in Christmas Jammie’s, red tablecloth over ottoman, lights off except candles on ottoman, then nativity with costumes after dinner. Have mark be narrator…did a good job. 

Eat: 

Naan bread with garlic butter, fish sticks, hummus, sliced cheese, olives, cucumbers, grape juice, mixed nuts, grapes or raisins. Had cookies from neighbor for dessert…just plan on that or hot chocolate for dessert. 

Christmas breakfast: 

Rolls—try six sisters — did moms and 21 rolls was overflowing not dispersed with gooey stuff. Need layering instructions from six sisters. Only use 16 with 8 rolls first layer and 8 rolls next layer. Need to cover with foil half way through and only cook for 30 min I think. 

https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/gooey-caramel-breakfast-pull-apart/

Sliced oranges with powdered sugar

Egg nog and water 

Did Mel’s tater tot breakfast casserole with sausage. Not my favorite .  Try something new next year. 

Dinner…do everything during the week before except roast searing. Can do roast ingredients before even. 

Did instant pot potatoes…8 min with water in bottom. Heated up again in instant pot on Christmas. Worked great. 

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/lion-house-dinner-rolls/

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/perfect-pot-roast-and-gravy/

Did sliced cucumbers for veggie 

Made chocolate Bundt cake…not needed…do hot chocolate next time for dessert if anyone wants. It’s a good easy dessert though if need one. Put a bunch of crushed candy canes in it. SPrinkle with powdered sugar and spray with whipped cream when serving. A little overdone though…maybe lessen time a few minutes. I left out choc chips though…could also leave out chips and add peppermint chips. Ooo that would be so good. 

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/super-moist-fudge-bundt-cake/

Did fluff salad the day before but too much salad for our fam…half the recipe. https://www.melskitchencafe.com/cranberry-fluff/

Going to repeat Christmas breakfast for new years day 

Homemade Donuts

 

I got this from Max’s preschool because they made EASY donuts and they were so good! If you can’t read my notes I 1/3 the recipe, but kept the same amount of glaze. I used my deep fryer. The potato in it is the key! We made on Halloween and cut out bats and pumpkins, making again!  

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11lKu4qgiiq5OZudikDsb25M1xsijGUExTqlg-Ns-mr4/edit

Strawberry Poe Sour Cream Crumb Bars

 https://therecipecritic.com/strawberry-pie-sour-cream-crumb-bars/

These were good! I didn’t have enough sour cream so I used vanilla yogurt which was fine. 

Copy cat Dairy Queen ice cream cake and ice cream sandwiches

 My kids wanted ice cream cakes for their birthdays. We did cookie dough instead of vanilla ice cream. And I couldn’t get the whip cream to hold up while I iced the cake so I got my cake turntable and turned it on a shelf in the freezer as I iced it. I had crushed Oreos so instead of an ice cream cake for Lucy‘s birthday I made chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches and coated them in the cookie crumbles. They were both really good.

https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/copycat-dairy-queen-ice-cream-cake/

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/cookie-ice-cream-sandwiches/

Peach Homemade ice cream-grandma Glo

 This is so yummy and I need to remember the brand of my ice cream freezer’s paddle doesn’t ever move. Only the canister on the outside moves.  ✅ 

Millions of peaches- chicken

 Peach Lime Chicken

Adelynn said guess what we made in foods at the high school today? Peach chicken! To which I was elated because we have a mmm over abundance of peaches :)

Chicken Caprese Casserole

 https://www.eatyourselfskinny.com/cheesy-caprese-chicken-quinoa-casserole/

This was so different and good! 

The person I got this from used rice, but I think the quinoa was great! I used canned diced tomatoes, and garden cherry tomatoes and garden basil so yummy! Oh and Costco rostisserie shredded chicken 

Taco Dip

 

Creamy homemade dill Mac salad

Thalmans tripled and only needed to double and Made this for Memorial Day reunion 2022. Nice change. Makes too much dressing especially if you triple.  

Fajitas for a Crowd

Thalmans tripled this and made these for the family reunion Memorial Day 2022 and people requested the recipe. Served with freshly cooked tortillas, cilantro, sour cream, lime wedges, salsa, quac, alvocados and quesadillas for the kids.

 https://thewanderlustkitchen.com/sheet-pan-fajitas-for-a-crowd/

INGREDIENTS

• ▢2 pounds boneless - skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• ▢1 red bell peppers - sliced
• ▢1 yellow bell pepper - sliced
• ▢1 large yellow onion - sliced
• ▢2 1-ounce packets Old El Paso™ Fajita seasoning
• ▢4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ▢2 10-count packages Old El Paso™ Flour Tortillas for Fajitas (6-inch diameter)
• ▢Toppings: sour cream - guacamole, cilantro, lime wedges, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat your oven to 425° Fahrenheit. Divide the chicken, bell peppers, and onions between two rimmed half-sheet pans.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the fajita seasoning and vegetable oil. Drizzle half of the mixture over each of the sheet pans. [*can omit step 4 and Judd and Katie grilled the chicken on a grill just until it had grill marks and then tossed with vegetables] Toss the chicken and vegetables until well coated in seasoning.
• Place both sheet pans in the preheated oven. Roast for 10 minutes.
• *Turn on the oven’s broiler. Broil the fajitas, checking and stirring every 60-90 seconds, until charred to your liking (about 3-5 minutes total).
• Serve with flour tortillas and choice of toppings.

Easy No Knead Peasant Bread

Easy HOmemade Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

Dark Chocolate Brownie Granola Bars

St. Patrick's Day Food

Whole Grain Green Hulk Muffins

 Grasshopper Pie

Irish Soda Bread from Suzie Gardiner

Good Smoothie Recipes

These are a few I made up that turned out pretty good.

 Creamy Choc Blueberry

1 banana

1 scoop of vanilla plant protein

1/4 C. Whipping Cream

1/4 C. of cocoa

handful of mixed greens

1/4 C. of unsalted mixed nuts

1 C. of blueberries

3/4 C. plain yogurt

2 C. oatmilk

 

Choc P.B. Protein Shake

1 C. yogurt

1 handful of mixed unsalted nuts

2 scoops of choc plant protein powder

1 handful of greens

2 T. P. B. powder

a t. Cocoa

fill up tho 4 C. mark on blender with oat milk and push smoothie or Blendtec.

Cottage cheese pancakes

 https://momsdish.com/recipe/177/cottage-cheese-pancakes

These were fluffy and yummy with that kodiak berry syrup forms Costco. Surprisingly didn’t have a cottage cheese texture and big cottage cheese flavor. Kind of like a German pancake or crepe taste. We loved them!

Grandma Glo pancakes

 

Brownie Batter Muddy Buddies

 We had a game night and I made these and put pretzels and m and ms in it along with seven layer taco dip.  It was great. The only problem I had was that I put in the whole brownie mix instead of what the recipe called for so I had to shake some powder off at the end. 

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/brownie-batter-puppy-chow/

French Bread

 I have always been afraid to make this but shouldn't have been. It was so yummy! I double and took two loaves with costco lasagna to sick neighbors. They loved it. https://www.melskitchencafe.com/french-bread/

Fruit Salad

 This was so yummy! I can't remember the combo I did anymore.  So sad but I think I did canned pineapple, defrosted frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries or mixed berries, and ?? marshmallows?? Grapes?  I can't remember at all. so sad. https://www.melskitchencafe.com/fruit-salad-with-creamy-glazed-dressing-my-favorite-fruit-salad/

Thanksgiving Food

 We did a turkey.  We don't like meat that much except for homemade turkey soup and this meal  https://www.melskitchencafe.com/the-best-leftover-turkey-soup/  Thinking next year, lets just do a breast.  Nobody wants to cut turkey after a day of cooking and clean up. 

2021 we made turkey, heatable mashed potatoes from costco--(best decision!), green bean casserole, orange jello with marshmallows, veggie tray from costco and olives, stuffing from Mrs. Cubbison's box (I love it every year. It tastes good because you add your own celery and onion with butter. ),  one of Margaret's butternut squashes, and I tried these rolls.  I loved them because I love pumpkin and rosemary. They were soft and I think I would make them again another time in the fall but probably not for thanksgiving. We crave white, buttery, fluffy rolls on Thanksgiving. If I could make again, I probably would have done these https://www.melskitchencafe.com/buttery-cornmeal-crescent-rolls/

We did candy houses the day after because they took so long to assemble! After you use royal icing to put together you have to let them dry which takes time. If don't have time, might need to hot glue.  I used a lot more icing than I thought. It went really fast.  I can't remember for sure but I am pretty sure that I used the recipe with the egg whites that Katie posted on here a while back and this one with meringe powder https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/royal-icing/  I think they both worked fine. 

Lentil Chili Instant Pot or Slow Cooker and the Best Cornbread Muffins

 This was so good and so easy!! I didn't put any beef in it. I made it in the instant pot along with some of these corn bread muffins. I made them all white flour and they tasted like a muffin. https://www.melskitchencafe.com/vegetarian-lentil-chili-instant-pot/

https://www.blessthismessplease.com/the-best-cornbread-recipe/#tasty-recipes-25444

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey, optional
• ½ cup chopped yellow or white onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 ½ cups (about 340-397 grams) brown lentils, rinsed, picked through and drained
• 1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and small diced
• 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• All the chili toppings your heart desires

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Instant Pot: Using the saute function, brown the ground turkey/beef (if using) with the onions and garlic, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.
• Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, lentils, green bell pepper, chili powder, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Secure the lid. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes (if you are impatient, you can quick release right away, but liquid may sputter through the valve). After 10 minutes, quick release the remaining pressure.
• Stir the chili and add any additional broth if you want to thin out the consistency (it will thicken as it cools). Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve with any and all chili toppings your heart desires.
• Stovetop: In a 5- or 6-quart pot over medium heat, brown the ground turkey/beef (if using) with the onions and garlic, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.
• Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, lentils, green bell pepper, chili powder, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30-40 minutes until the lentils are tender, stirring occasionally and moderating heat so the chili doesn’t burn on the bottom.
• Add additional broth, if desired, to thin out the chili. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve with any and all chili toppings your heart desires.
• Slow Cooker: In a 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium heat, brown the ground turkey/beef (if using) with the onions and garlic, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.
• Add the ground meat to the insert of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, lentils, green bell pepper, chili powder, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper.
• Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir the chili, and add any additional broth if you want to thin out the consistency (it will thicken as it cools). Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve with any and all chili toppings your heart desires.

Cornbread Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup neutral oil or melted butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup milk

---

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan or cast iron skillet well and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine well.
3. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and add your oil or butter, milk, and egg. Stir just until the mixture comes together and there are only a few lumps remaining.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Serve hot.

---

NOTES

• You can make it it in a 9-inch round cake pan, square baking dish, or 9-inch cast iron skillet. Bonus! You can also make these into muffins or double the recipe and toss it in a 9×13-inch baking pan. You’ll just need to adjust the baking time if you are making muffins or doubling the batch. Muffins take around 15 minutes to bake and a doubled recipe takes 35-40 minutes to bake.
• Use yellow cornmeal in this recipe. White works fine, but it just doesn’t look the same. Golden yellow cornbread is a must. Also, don’t try to sub any of the cornmeals used for making tamales – they are a different grind and the texture doesn’t come out the same.
• To make this recipe gluten free simple sub the all-purpose flour for a gluten free 1:1 baking flour.