Thanksgiving: New Side Dishes

Every family has their favorite holiday side dishes. At our table we always have mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce and rolls. I like to mix it up each year and add a new side dish to the dinner table too. Below are several recipes that go well with just about any holiday meal.

Spinach Bacon Salad

Ingredients:
8 strips bacon
3 tbsp. bacon drippings
4 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. spicy mustard
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp white sugar
1 red onion, very thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 hard boiled eggs
1 pound spinach leaves, washed and dried
Optional: Dried cranberries or cherries

Cook the bacon until crisp; remove from pan, draining on paper towels. When cooled crumble and set aside. Pour off excess bacon drippings, leaving 3-4 tablespoons in pan. Measure out 4 tbsp. of the bacon grease, remove the remainder and return the 4 tbsp. to the pan. Add the vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, spicy mustard and sugars to the pan, simmering until the sugars are dissolved. In a large bowl place the spinach and red onion. Pour over the warm dressing, tossing very lightly. Top with chopped boiled eggs and the cranberries or cherries.

Bean Salad with Herb Dressing

Dressing Ingredients:
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. olive or vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce OR
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 c. wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Combine the ingredients and whisk until mixed. Set aside.

Salad Ingredients:
1 (16 oz.) can wax beans, drained
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 c. diced green bell pepper
1/4 c. diced red onion

Combine the salad ingredients. Whisk the dressing again and mix with the salad ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Broccoli Bacon Salad

Ingredients:
1 lg. bunch fresh broccoli
5 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked, drained,crumbled
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise (light or regular)
1 tbsp. sugar

Cut broccoli into small pieces. Mix with the eggs, bacon, peas and cheese. Stir the sugar into the mayonnaise. Add to the salad ingredients and toss gently to mix. Keep refrigerated until serving time.

Dilled Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh brussel sprouts
2 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
3 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1/3 cup water
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. butter
3 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Slice off ends of the brussel sprouts and remove any damaged leaves. Cut each brussel sprout into slices,. Heat the oil in a skillet, add the sprouts, cooking until coated with oil and bright green in color. Add the salt, pepper, dill, water and lemon juice; cover and cook 2-4 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat to a serving bowl. Toss with butter and Parmesan cheese. Serves 4.

On OFL we have fresh cranberry recipes:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/cranberry.html

~Brenda

Stocking Up for the Holidays

Thanksgiving is around the corner, so if you haven't stocked up for holiday baking and cooking already, it's time.

Obviously everyone has their own special dishes they love making at the holidays. Get out those recipes and make a list of the ingredients. Divide it into items that can be bought ahead of time to put in the pantry, refrigerator or freezer, and the items that have to be bought fresh. Watch the sales and buy the items that can be stores ahead of time. Put your fresh ingredients list on the bulletin board, or in your organizer.

This list is a general list of items most everyone will need at some point during the holidays.

Baking soda

Baking powder

If you haven't replaced these two items in the last year, then it's time.

Yeast
It's much cheaper to buy a jar of yeast instead of the small packets. The one I have in my refrigerator is good until April 2013 and cost $4.99 on sale last month.

All Purpose Flour
Buttermilk Baking Mix

I keep both on hand at all times. I buy 10 pound bags of flour, and keep the baking mix on hand (stored in the refrigerator) for biscuits and dumplings.

Granulated White Sugar

Brown Sugar

Confectioners' Sugar

I buy a 1o pound bag of the granulated sugar and 2 pound bags of the others.

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Milk Chocolate Chips

White Chocolate Chips

Butterscotch Chips

I buy 4 bags of the semi- sweet chips, plus 2 each of the others.

Vanilla

Cinnamon

Ground Ginger

Ground Cloves

Allspice

These are the spices I use the most for baking during the holidays. I always have vanilla extract and cinnamon on hand, but I just bought small amounts of cloves and allspice.

Margarine

Butter

Sour cream

Cream Cheese

Eggs

I stock up on all of these items during November and December. The sales have started, and over the years I've found the closer it gets to Christmas the less they put these things on sale. There are exceptions, but I grab them when I see a good sale.

These are a few of the other items I keep on hand during the holidays to make cookies and breads.

Canned Pumpkin

Oatmeal

Molasses

Vanilla and Coconut Pudding

Various Nuts

Assorted Cake Mixes

On OFL we have an article on emergency substitutions:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/substitutions.html

~Brenda

Family Menu: Chicken and Potatoes

We try to avoid fried food at our house, but sometimes I give in and oven fry chicken and potatoes, which is far from health food, but it tastes wonderful. I put together this coating for chicken last week, and remembered to jot down the measurements. The spicy potatoes are something I do more often, but tend to change the spices each time. It's a very flexible recipe, as you'll see.

Oven Fried Chicken

Ingredients:
3-4 pounds chicken pieces
1 tbsp. stick margarine
2/3 cup Bisquick
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. seasoning salt
1/4 tsp. garlic pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove fat from the chicken, rinse and don't pat dry. Set aside. Melt the margarine in a baking sheet by placing in the oven. While it's melting, place the Bisquick and seasonings in a pie plate or bowl and mix with a fork. Coat each piece of chicken by rolling both sides in the dry mixture. Place on the pan with the melted margarine skin side down. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the chicken tests done, turning over after about 20 minutes.

Notes: I fit it all into one pan but sometimes the pieces are bigger and I use two pans. If you do this then put 1 tbsp. margarine in each pan to melt. Baking time will vary depending on how big the pieces chicken are.


Spicy Potato Wedges

Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
6-8 medium potatoes

In a ceramic or metal bowl mix the ingredients except the potatoes. Set aside. Scrub the potatoes clean. Cut the potatoes into wedges. They don't have to be the same length, but try to keep them all the same thickness. Arrange in a single layer in a 9 x13 pan, or two if needed. Bake at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning once.

Note: I used about 6 white potatoes, that were medium in size. Red potatoes also work well for this recipe.

On OFL we have more chicken recipes:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/chicken1.html

~Brenda

Holiday Entertaining: How Much Do I Need?

One of the biggest concerns for most people when entertaining is "How much food and drink will I need?". No one wants to run short, but on the other hand, you don't want to over buy either. The following will give you an idea of what you need to figure, depending on the number of guests.

Meat: Deli or other sliced meat

4 guests-3/4 to 1 pound total

8 guests- 1 1/2 pounds

16 guest-3 pounds

Cheese: Cubed or sliced

4 guests - 6-8 ounces

8 guests- 1 pound

16 guests- 1 1/2 pounds

Salads: Pasta, Coleslaw, Spinach etc.

4 guests-1 pound

8 guests-2 pounds

16 guests-4 pounds

Chips: Tortilla, Potato, Pita chips etc.

4 guests-4-6 ounces

8 guests-8-12 ounces

16 guests-1 pound

Rolls: Any type of rolls or slices of French/Italian bread

4 guests-8-12 total

8 guests-16-20

16 guests- 3 dozen

Cookies/Bars/Pieces of Cake

4 guests: 8

8 guests: 1 1/2 dozen

16 guests: 3 dozen

Punch/Juice/Iced Tea etc.

4 guests: 48 ounces

8 guests: 96 ounces

16 guests: 1 1/2 gallons

Coffee or Tea

Figure 2 cups per person

There are variables that may need to be applied to your get together. I would consider kids around ten and up as an adult. Some will eat more and some less, but it will most likely even out. If you have quite a few kids coming to your get together I'd double the cookies and bars. If there are a lot leftover send each child home with a small plastic bag of cookies. I try to keep the plastic holiday treat bags on hand during the holidays.

TURKEY SERVING GUIDE

I love turkey and can never have too much leftover, so I always buy more than what I need. This guideline will help you figure what size you'll need to serve as a general rule.

8-12 pound turkey: 2-4 people *see note below

12-16 pound turkey: 5-7 people

16-20 pound turkey: 8-10 people

20-24 pound turkey: 11-13 people

If you have more than 13 people you'll most likely want to either cook two turkeys. I've also served turkey and ham for a large number of people.

Note: A whole turkey breast is a great alternative when there are only 2-3 people for a holiday meal. There isn't any dark meat, but if it's cooked in a crock pot the meat stays moist, and it's usually on sale throughout the holiday season.

On OFL we have some nice recipes for Autumn Butters:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/fallbutters.html

~Brenda

Pumpkins & Apples, Oh My...

I love pumpkin bread, and apple bread, but really wanted to try a bread that used both. I looked around, and ended up combining a few recipes to make these muffins, which turned out very moist and tasty. Perfect for breakfast or snacks. They didn't last long!


Apple Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup pure pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 c. peeled, diced apples

Topping:
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 tablespoons brown sugar

In large bowl, combine the flour, spices, soda and salt into a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin, and oil with a whisk, or fork. Add this to the dry ingredients, stirring until JUST moistened. Stir in diced apples. Spoon the batter into greased/sprayed muffin tins or paper lined muffin cups filling almost to the top. In a small bowl mix the cinnamon with the brown sugar using a fork. Sprinkle a little of this mixture over the top of each muffin. Bake muffins at 350°F. for 35 or 40 minutes until done. This made 18 regular sized muffins.

On OFL you'll find these recipes:

Pumpkin Ginger Muffins

http://oldfashionedliving.com/pumpkin4.html

Pumpkin Maple Cheesecake

http://oldfashionedliving.com/pumpkin2.html

Apple Brunch Recipes

http://oldfashionedliving.com/applebrunch.html

~Brenda

Last Minute Halloween Treats

We aren't having our Halloween bonfire with our teens and their friends until the weekend after Halloween, so I still have time to decide on treats for the party. If you are rushing around this week trying to figure out a homemade treat to make, try one of the following recipes. I'm going to make at least two of the following bars, plus I'll pick up candy after Halloween when it's marked down. Teens eat a lot, so I may have to make 3 or 4 pans now that I think about it:)

Halloween Crispy Bars

Ingredients:
1/4 cup margarine
1 pkg. (10 oz.) marshmallows
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal
2 cups candy corn

Grease a 9x13 pan with margarine or spray well with pan spray.In a large pan, slowly melt the margarine over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir constantly until they have completely melted in with the margarine. Remove from heat. Stir in cinnamon and vanilla. Add the rice cereal and candy corn. Stir until well coated. Spread margarine on your hands and press into the pan lightly until even in the pan. Chill, then cut into squares.

Crispy Caramel Chocolate Bars

Ingredients:
5 cups crispy rice cereal
1 bag caramels of 49 caramels
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
3 tbsp. water

Melt the caramels over low heat, mixing with the water. In a large bowl place the cereal. Add the caramel and mix. With buttered fingers, press the cereal mixture into a 13 x 9 inch buttered pan. Sprinkle the chocolate and butterscotch chips evenly over the top of the cereal mixture. Place in 200 degree oven for 5 minutes until morsels are soft. They won't actually melt, but will be soft so they can be spread. Remove from the oven and use a butter knife to spread and swirl the softened chips evenly. Cut in squares.

Triple Chocolate Bars

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. cocoa
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup stick margarine
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups cocoa crispy rice cereal

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter or spray a 13x9 baking pan. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well with a dry spoon or fork. In another large bowl, beat the margarine and brown sugar until light. Add the eggs, milk and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in the chocolate chips and the cereal to mix well. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool. Frost if desired, or cut into squares and serve as is.

German Chocolate Bars

Ingredients:
1/2 cups margarine, stick variety
1 pkg. German chocolate cake mix
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 (6 oz.) pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips
2 cups toasted oat cereal or crispy rice cereal
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.. Melt the margarine in a 15 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch jelly roll pan by placing in the oven once it's heated. Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the melted margarine and pat evenly onto the pan. Sprinkle with marshmallows, chocolate chips and cereal. Drizzle condensed milk evenly over the top. Bake 20 minutes. Cool and cut into bars. Makes 48 bars.

On OFL you'll find more recipes for Halloween:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/main.html

Mexican Bean Burrito Soup

My husband loves my chili, and I appreciate his loyalty to one of my dishes, but sometimes I just want to shake it up with something different. Today I put together a soup that mixed a few recipes with my own twist and I came up with Mexican Bean Burrito Soup.

Mexican Bean Burrito Soup

Ingredients:

1 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 lb. ground beef chuck
1 cup smooth taco sauce
32 ounces ready to serve beef broth
1 cup water
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. Adobo seasoning with cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1 can Northern, pinto or black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can refried beans
3/4 cup uncooked instant brown or white rice
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips

Heat the oil in a soup/stock pot and saute the onion until soft. Add the ground chuck, breaking apart as it browns. When the meat is browned and no longer pink, add the beef broth, water, taco sauce, spices and beans. Mix with a wooden spoon, and bring to a boil. Boil for 5-8 minutes, then add the rice. Cover, and simmer for 5 more minutes if it's brown instant rice. If it's white instant rice, remove from heat at that point and cover. Allow it to sit covered for up to ten minutes after removed from heat.

Serve in bowls with shredded cheese and crumbled tortilla chips. Serves 6.

OPTIONS: If you want to leave out the meat, add another can of beans. This would also be good with shredded cooked pork or chicken in place of the ground beef. Sour cream and extra hot sauce could be served with it as well.

On OFL I shared more spicy soups:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/soups.html

~Brenda