With the holidays coming who has some good recipes to share?

Question

Any type will do. Appetizers , snacks, main courses, etc. etc. etc.

Answer 1

These make a great Appetizers! My Sister makes the Almond Pinecone Dip yearly for Christmas Eve.

ALMOND PINECONE DIP:
1 1/4 cups whole natural almonds
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup mayonnaise
5 crisply cooked bacon slices, crumbled
1 Tablespoon chopped green onion
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Assorted Crackers for serving
Spread almonds in a single layer in shallow pan or cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring often, until almonds just begin to turn color. Combine softened cream cheese and mayonnaise; mix well. Add bacon, onion, dill and pepper; mix well. Cover and chill overnight. Form cheese mixture into shape of pinecone on serving platter. Beginning at narrow end, press almonds at a slight angle into cheese mixture in rows. Continue overlapping rows until all cheese is covered. Garnish with artificial or real pine sprigs that have been cleaned. Serve with assorted crackers

BACON AND TWO ONION CHEESECAKE:
6 slices bacon,cooked - (diced )
1 large sweet onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (minced)
2 cups (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup half-and-half
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 eggs
2 green onions (thinly sliced)
Assorted Crackers for serving
Cook bacon until crisp in large skillet; remove to paper towels. When cool, dice into small pieces. Cook sweet onion and garlic in drippings until tender. Drain in strainer; discard bacon drippings. In bowl combine ricotta cheese, half-and-half, flour, salt and cayenne pepper; beat until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time; beat until smooth. Reserve 3 tablespoons bacon for garnish. Stir remaining bacon, sweet onion, garlic and green onions into ricotta mixture. Lightly grease sides of an 8-inch or 9-inch springform pan; pour batter into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until set. Remove to wire cooling rack; cool to room temperature. Garnish with reserved bacon. Serve with assorted crackers,

Substitution: Vidalia-type sweet onions are particularly good in this recipe. If sweet onions are unavailable in your area, simply substitute yellow onions.
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This can be served as a Side Dish or for Dessert......

STRAWBERRY JELLO SALAD
2 (3 ounces) packages Strawberry Flavor Jello
1 cup boiling hot water
2 (10 ounces) packages frozen strawberries
3 Bananas - mashed
1 (16 ounces) can crushed pineapple - drained
1/2 cup walnuts - chopped fine
1 pint (16 ounces) sour cream
Dissolve Jello in 1 cup boiling water.
Add frozen strawberries to Jello. Stir bananas, pineapple and walnuts into Jello. Spread half Jello mixture in 8"x8" pan. Cool slightly (it sets up quickly). Spread sour cream over cooled Jello. Pour remaining Jello on top. Refrigerate.

Answer 2

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie:

Crust:
Graham Cracker Crumbs 1/2 cup
Sugar 1 1/2 oz.
Butter, melted 2 1/2 oz.

Mix your crumbs and sugar together. After melting the butter add a little at a time to the crumb and sugar mix. Use only what you need to hold it together. Then add the mix to a pie tin and press down making sure the bottom is flat and even. Then bake for about 10-15 mins in a still oven at 325F until firm and let it cool before adding the filling

Filling:
Pumpkin Puree 1/2 cup
Brown Sugar 1/4 cup
Milk 1 1/4 oz.
Egg Yolks 1 1/4 oz.
Salt Pinch
Cinnamon Pinch
Ginger Pinch
Nutmeg Pinch
Gelatin 4 sheets
Cold water 6 oz. (atleast)
Egg whites 3 oz.
Sugar 3 oz.
Heavy Cream (to lighten chiffon) 1/2 cup
Heavy Cream, whipped (for garnish, optional) 6 oz.

You can use either a graham crust or pie crust for this.

With your cold water add your gelatin to it. It's suppose to melt, but you can still grab it later, and set it aside.

First whip the 4 oz of heavy cream and set aside. Mix by hand the puree and all the spices including the salt with the sugar. Then add egg yolks and milk. You are going to cook the pumpkin mix over a bain marie until it reaches 180 F. While thats going if you have a standing mixer whip your eggs whites until foamy and then add your sugar. Whip eggs until there is a 3 second ribbon (where the batter streams down the whisk for at least 3-5 seconds) Meanwhile, when your pumpkin mix has reached 180F turn heat off and get your gelatin but before adding it, sqeeze as much water out of it as possible, then add it to your pumpkin mix. The heat will melt the gelatin and mix until dissolved. Cool over an ice bath. Once the egg whites and sugar become a 3 second ribbon and the pumpkin mix is cooled down add the meringue to the pumpkin mix, but DO NOT OVER MIX. Let it have swirls in it, then add your cream you whipped earlier and again DO NOT OVER MIX, or else you will lose volume and the fluff it has. Then add your mixture to a pie tin with a crust and chill, until ready to be served.

Answer 3

THANKSGIVING DAY SALAD
2 c. water
1 (6 oz.) pkg. raspberry flavored gelatin
2 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen, sliced strawberries, thawed
1 (16 oz.) can whole cranberry sauce
1/2 c. pecan pieces
Lettuce leaves
Medium size saucepan
Measuring cups
Large mixing bowl
Mixing spoon
Can opener
2 quart ring mold
Serving platter
Sharp knife
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Pour over the gelatin in the mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve the gelatin. Add the strawberries and cranberry sauce, stirring to break up the sauce. Stir in the nuts. Pour into a pretty 2 quart ring mold. Refrigerate overnight.
Before Thanksgiving dinner, unmold the salad on a large platter (to help unmold the salad, run a knife around the edge of the mold; dip the mold into warm water for a few seconds, being careful not to get water on the salad. Place serving platter over the top and turn over, holding both together.) Surround with lettuce leaves. Refrigerate and prepare the topping.

Answer 4

This is SO easy and I always get raves.

1 can (2 pound 8 ounce) cut sweet potatoes, drained
1 can (8 ounce) crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup pecan halves
1/4 cup sliced dried apricots
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place sweet potatoes in ungreased 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over potatoes. Bake, uncovered, 45 minutes or until heated through.

Answer 5

This is a VERY east, elegant and delicious appetizer!

Three-Onion Goat Cheese Tart

6 slices bacon
2 cups diced onions
3 shallots, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves, pressed
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
½ cup dry white wine such as chardonnay
½ package (17.3 ounces) frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed (1 sheet)
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 log (3.5-4 ounces) goat cheese
additional fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut bacon into small pieces using Chef’s Knife. Cook bacon in (10-in.) Skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from Skillet; drain on paper towels. Drain grease from Skillet (do not wipe out).

Dice onions using Chef’s Knife. Thinly slice shallots using Ultimate Mandoline fitted with thin slicing blade. Add onions, shallots and sugar to Skillet; cook and stir over medium heat 10-12 minutes or until caramelized. Add thyme, garlic pressed with Garlic Press and black pepper; cook 1 minute. Add wine; stir to loosen browned bits from bottom of pan using Silicone Flat Whisk. Cook 1-2 minutes or until onion mixture is almost dry. Remove Skillet from heat; stir in bacon and set aside.

Unfold puff pastry onto Rectangle Stone; lightly roll seams using Baker’s Roller®. Using Pizza Cutter, cut to form three strips. Separate strips on baking stone. Brush pastry with egg white using Chef’s Silicone Basting Brush. Cut goat cheese in half crosswise using Utility Knife; slice using Egg Slicer Plus®. Place 4-5 cheese slices in a single row down length of each pastry; top with onion mixture. Bake 20-22 minutes or until pastry is deep golden brown.

Remove tarts from oven. Cut each tart into four squares using Bread Knife. Cut squares diagonally in half, creating 24 triangles. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired. Serve warm.

Yield: 24 appetizers

Nutrients per serving: (1 appetizer): Calories 80, Total Fat 4.5 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol 5 mg, Carbohydrate 8 g, Protein 2 g, Sodium 85 mg, Fiber less than 1 g

Cook's Tip: Chicken broth, water or apple juice can be substituted for the dry white wine, if desired.

Answer 6

these small crackers, with an avocado paste and shrimps or caviar