WINNER OF MY NOVEMBER GIVEAWAY!

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It is just a few clicks and a few minutes of your time to help others in this Holy Season!!!

My grandson pulled the winning name from the hat and "Anne of Home School Blogger" won the $25 Target Gift Card....Will be posting another giveaway soon, so be sure to check in to see what it is! Thanks to all that entered this giveaway and all of my followers...Have a Wonderful Holiday Season...

CRANBERRY PIE, CRANBERRY SALAD & A CRANBERRY TREE!!

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CRANBERRY PIE

INGREDIENTS:
1 recipe Sour Cream Pie Crust-(below)
5 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar (add up to another 1/2 cup if you like sweeter or decrease by 1/2 cup if you like tart)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
pinch of cloves
zest from one orange
4 teaspoons instant tapioca
2 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into small chunks

DIRECTIONS:
Place oven rack in the middle position. Place another rack beneath it with a cookie sheet to catch any drips. Preheat oven to 325°.
Prepare pie crust. While it is chilling, combine cranberries, sugar, walnuts, spices, zest, and tapioca in a bowl.
Roll out the crust and transfer it to your tart/pie pan. Pour the filling on top. It's ok if it looks like there's a little too much filling; the filling cooks down quite a bit. Dot the top of the tart with butter.
Bake for about one hour, until the crust is well-browned and the filling has cooked down and is bubbly. If the crust starts to brown before the filling is done, cover just the crust with a ring of aluminum foil.
Sprinkle top with sugar, if desired. Allow to cool and set completely before serving. This pie is excellent with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

SOUR CREAM CRUST

INGREDIENTS:
1 c. (2 sticks) (8 oz.) softened butter
1 c. sour cream
2 c. flour
1 egg white
sugar

DIRECTIONS:
Mix butter and sour cream into flour until thoroughly blended. Form into two discs and chill overnight or until firm.
Roll out one disc of chilled dough on a floured surface (for rolling out instructions, see below) but you don’t really need to use the parchment paper with this dough) to about 1/4 inch thick, and line 9″ pie pan with the crust. Brush inside of pie crust with beaten egg white.
Recipe from The Kitchen

ROLLING DOUGH!
This is the key – you roll it out, but between two sheets of parchment paper. (I’ve used plastic wrap too.) It should be big enough to contain a circle of approximately 12 inches in diameter when you’re done (or really, a big square off of most rolls of parchment paper). You put the hard disk between the sheets of parchment, and then you start to roll. The way to roll, is to only roll in one direction — away. Start in the middle and roll away. Then turn it about an eighth of a turn and roll away — start in the middle and roll away. Just one roll. Keep turning and rolling until you have a big flat circle. Now this is the part that always is the worst — moving it from nice flat counter into pie dish. I like to use a Pyrex glass pie dish. Now, peel off one sheet of the parchment, leaving the other on. Put the pie pan face down on the dough, turn it over, and with the parchment still on, press into the pie plate. Then carefully peel off the parchment. Feel free to patch up holes, and fold over the edges and crimp with your thumbs or with a fork

FRESH CRANBERRY SALAD

Tired of the gelatin based salads? Try this fresh cranberry salad instead. It is always a big hit at dinner!

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound cranberries
8 ounces miniature marshmallows
2 cups white sugar
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
1 banana, sliced
1 cup unsweetened whipped cream

DIRECTIONS:
In a food processor or blender, coarsely grind the cranberries. Place ground cranberries in a large bowl and stir in the marshmallows, sugar and pineapple. Let mixture stand overnight in the refrigerator. Just before serving, stir in the sliced banana and whipped cream.
Recipe from my daughter Cathy

CRANBERRY TREE

This cranberry tree can also be an air freshener.

This cranberry tree will make a lovely addition to your fall and winter holiday decorations. If you use the freshest cranberries, your cranberry tree will last up to two weeks or even longer. Stud it with whole cloves, and you also have an aromatic air freshener. This is a fun project for older children. Read through the instructions to catch the tips and hints before you begin.

You will need:
1 to 2 pounds of fresh cranberries (frozen will not work)
1/4 cup (about) whole cloves
Styrofoam cone (green cones recommended)
50 (about) round toothpicks, broken in half

Optional Sparkle Glaze:
1 egg white
1/4 cup (about) granulated white sugar

Instructions:
Begin placing cranberries next to each other about 1/4-inch from the base of the cone.

Push the sharp end of the half-toothpick about half way into the stem end of the cranberry. Reverse the toothpick so that the broken thick end goes into the hole you just made. Then push the sharp end into the styrofoam cone. Place the first cranberry in the second row in between two cranberries in the first row to facilitate full coverage of the cone.

Continue placing cranberries around the cone, ending with one large one at the top.

Using whole cloves, push the stem end in between the junctions of the cranberries into the styrofoam to fill in any blank spots.

Optional Sparkle Glaze:
Whisk egg white until frothy. Use a pastry brush to put a light glaze of egg-wash over the tips of the cranberries. Sprinkle the granulated sugar over the cranberry tree while egg-wash is still wet. Let dry.

Tips and Hints:
Be sure to use round toothpicks, not the flat ones. The flat toothpicks are not sturdy enough.
Use larger cranberries at the base and smaller ones at the top.
Cranberries vary in color. You can stagger them in random color patterns or place them from dark at the base up to light at the top for a designer touch.
Use the leftover cranberries in your favorite recipe or freeze to cook later.

SWEET, SWEET, SWEET POTATOE RECIPES!

"SWEET POTATOE RECIPES"

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It is just a few clicks and a few minutes of your time to help others in this Holy Season!!!

SWEET POTATOE BREAD

This bread is delicious!

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 1/2 cups self-rising flour
2 cups sweet potatoes (mashed)
2/3 cup water
4 eggs beaten
1 cup raisins (coat with flour)
1 cup chopped nuts (coat with flour)
3 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
Cream sugar and oil. Add eggs, sweet potatoes and water. Gradually add flour and spices. Mix in raisins and nuts. Spray 2 large loaf pans with cooking spray and coat with flour.
Pour in mixture. Bake at 325 for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly before serving.
Recipe from Church Cookbook

SWEET POTATO PIE

INGREDIENTS
1 recipe Sweet Pie Crust, recipe follows
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch deep pie pan and ease the pastry into the bottom and sides of the pan. Press the dough into the shell and crimp the edges in a decorative pattern. Using the tines of a fork, lightly dock the base of the shell. Place the shell into the oven and bake until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the bottom with the egg white. Set aside until ready to use.
Rub the sweet potatoes with the vegetable oil and roast in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until very tender. Remove and set aside to cool. Peel the potatoes and pass the flesh through a fine mesh sieve using a rubber spatula. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of smooth sweet potato puree.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sweet potato puree with the sugar, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the heavy cream with the eggs and whisk to combine. Add the cream and egg mixture to the sweet potato mixture and stir to blend. Pour the batter into the prepared pie shell and place the pie on a sheet pan. Bake until the center is set and the tart is golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

SWEET PIE CRUST

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons bleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons ice water, or as needed

DIRECTIONS:
Sift the flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and shortening. Rub the fats between your fingertips and thumbs, or use a pastry blender, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 1 tablespoon at a time, work in enough ice water just until the dough comes together, being careful not to over mix.
Shape into a smooth ball of dough, flatten into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 days.
Recipe from Emeril Lagasse

GLAZED SWEET POTATOES

INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon for greasing
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter.
Cut each of the sweet potatoes into 8 evenly shaped wedges. Lay them out in the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and allow to dissolve. Mix in syrup and cook until smooth. Pour the glaze over the yams and sprinkle with nutmeg.
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for about 45 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork but they still hold their shape.
Recipe from The Neelys

SWEET POTATO BISCUITS

DO NOT OVERWORK THE DOUGH!! DO NOT KNEAD!!!

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 heaping tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) softened butter
2 to 4 tablespoons milk (depending on the moisture of the potatoes)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate, large bowl, mix the sweet potatoes and butter. Add the flour mixture to the potato mixture and mix to make a soft dough. Then add milk a tablespoon at a time to mixture and continue to cut in. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and toss lightly until the outside of the dough looks smooth. Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thick and cut with a biscuit cutter. Place the biscuits on a greased pan and coat tops with melted butter. Bake for about 15 minutes. (Watch your oven: If the biscuits are browning too fast, lower the temperature.)
Recipe from Paula Dean

Fragrance Pick: Estée Lauder Sensuous

Estée Lauder Sensuous Eau de Parfum Spray ($29.50 - $75.00, esteelauder.com)Right now this is my signature scent - I never leave out for a date without spraying a little bit of this on. I'm addicted to this warm woodsy fragrance. It's undeniably feminine and sexy.

Holiday Time = Good Cause PR

How was your Thanksgiving? I really enjoyed it. Spent time with my family and enjoyed the all the great food. Thanksgiving really makes me reflect on all the good people in my life.This is also the time of year where you read numerous articles and see various news segments on how people are helping those in need. I saw one early this morning about a toy donation program in Los Angeles that let

WARM THANKSGIVING WISHES!

From my home to yours

"Warm Thanksgiving Wishes".

May your home be toasty warm inside and filled with memories as sweet as homemade pumpkin pie, as bright as autumn leaves. And may your loved ones gathered near and loved ones far away have many reasons to give thanks today and every day. May your holiday be joyful and may happiness surround it, with good things on your table and those you love around it!

"Happy Thanksgiving"

APPLE CIDER PUNCH & MULLED APPLE CIDER!!

APPLE CIDER PUNCH

My granddaughter served this at her son’s baptismal party…It is so good and thought you might want to try it for the holidays!

INGREDIENTS:
1 gallon apple cider
1 12 oz can frozen cranberry-raspberry juice (Welch)
3-5 cinnamon sticks
12-15 whole cloves
1 teaspoon lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:
Tie up cinnamon sticks and whole cloves in cheesecloth & remove when done
Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer 20 minutes.
Serve hot or cold.

MULLED APPLE CIDER

Have you ever been enticed at a party by a wonderfully smelling mulled cider that tasted delicious. Well now using this recipe you can make your own Mulled Apple Cider!

To spice up one quart of apple cider, use one stick of cinnamon, about twenty whole black peppercorns, 3 whole cloves, and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. In addition to these four ingredients, prepare some zest from a citrus fruit. Use the zest from half a lemon, lime, or lemon-sized orange for each quart of apple cider. If you're using medium lemons, use about a third of the zest. Large oranges - use a quarter of the zest per quart of juice.

Select a pot or pan large enough to hold all the apple cider. Toast the cinnamon, cloves, and peppercorns to bring out their distinct flavors and aromas. Do this by simply heating your pan over medium heat with the spices in the pan. Toss the spices in the pan occasionally to prevent burning. The spices should become very fragrant within a minute or two.

Pour the apple cider into the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. When the apple cider gets warm, stir in the brown sugar so it fully dissolves.

Once the apple cider is boiling, reduce the heat so it just simmers (small bubbles form and rise to the top in a steady rhythm, but not at a furious rate). Add the citrus zest at this time. Don't add the zest earlier because you don't want the brief hard boil to break up the zest to the point where you will have difficulty straining it.

Maintain the simmer for thirty minutes. Do this with the lid off because it's easier for me to keep it at a constant simmer this way.

Pour the mulled juice/cider through a fine mesh strainer and into the container of your choice. If your cider has a great deal of particulate matter, you may want to place a cheesecloth or coffee filter in your strainer to filter out the fine particles. Serve hot.

You can let the cider cool and then refrigerate for up to a week. Bring it back up to a simmer before serving.
Recipe from Cooking For Engineers