Spritz for Christmas

 They’re a buttery crisp dainty little cookie ~ they’re Spritz cookies!

The sweet little cookie was new to me when I met Bill.  His mother always made a “ton” of them this time of year.  And, it would not be Christmas here, if I didn’t bake them.

Years ago, I used the old Mirro aluminum cookie press:

Then, graduated to this one:

 

And now, I use this one great tool with a push button: 

The electric cookie press works like a charm, once you get the hang of it.  It’s an automatic one-touch operation that takes practice, practice, practice to get the feel of how to control the amount of dough released.  Then, it’s easy to create great cookies and cleaning is easy also.  Plus, it does much more, with discs for making cheese straws, filling deviled eggs, pasta shells and pastry.  It’s a winner!

Here’s the cookie recipe I use, from Betty Crocker’s Cookbook, circa 1978:

Spritz Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
2¼ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla

Method:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix butter and sugar.

Mix in remaining ingredients.

Place dough in cookie press; form desired shapes on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake until set but not brown, 6-9 minutes.
Immediately remove from cookie sheet to rack to cool.
Decorate as desired or not.
Makes about 5 dozen

Note for decorating:   

Dab cookie with small amount of light corn syrup, with a toothpick or small brush, before sprinkling with colored sugar; the sugar will then adhere to the cookie.

ENJOY!

Disclaimer:  Cuisinart, or no third party, is involved with this post; the content is solely my opinion.

Creamy Spaghetti Squash w/Garlic

Spaghetti squash is one versatile veggie; it’s nutritious and tastes good too!

However, it probably doesn’t get all the love it deserves.  It has a delicate buttery taste, without adding butter; making it a healthy substitute for pasta, if a person is limiting carb intake.

Scooped out

Nearly done cooking

This is a creamy dish, that’s easy to pull together.  If you’ve never cooked the squash, this is a good recipe to start with!  Next time, I will be adding more garlic…

Creamy Spaghetti Squash w/Garlic

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash

1 small onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup half and half or milk

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tablespoon dried parsley

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut squash in half and remove seeds.

Bake squash, cut-side down on a baking sheet for about 45 minutes, until fork tender, let cool to handle.

Shred squash with a fork, lengthwise like spaghetti strands, set aside.

In a hot skillet, sauté onions and garlic until tender.

Add shredded squash and mix.

Season with salt and pepper.

Blend in chicken broth and half and half.

Add cheese and parsley, combine well.

Remove to serving dish.

Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan, if desired.

Serve

ENJOY!

Spicy Pumpkin Pie with a Story

Bill is the pumpkin pie connoisseur in this family, and he likes it spicy!

This pie is synonymous with this time of year and it’s always a great dessert.

I cannot even think of pumpkin pie without remembering a neighbor who lived beside us in Louisville years ago.  She ran over to me one day with a “pumpkin pie” in her hand, asking what happened to it…

“Uhhhhh, oh my gosh, Beth!”

She bought a large pumpkin, scooped out the stringy stuff and seeds, and set them aside; next, she threw the flesh (meat for pies) into the trash.  Then she proceeded to make her pumpkin pie ~ of stringy stuff and seeds mixed with evaporated milk and spices ~ poured the conglomeration into a pie shell and baked it.

It was disgusting!  She was upset, ready to bawl, while I tried controlling myself by not laughing hysterically until she left!

‘Nuf said, here’s the recipe for a spicy pumpkin pie, it’s delicious!

Spicy Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 can (16-ounces) pumpkin
¾ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves
1 can (12-oounces) evaporated milk
Pastry for 9” one-crust pie*

Method:

Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Beat eggs slightly with a whisk.
Beat in remaining ingredients.
Pour into unbaked pie shell.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.
Bake for 45-50 minutes longer until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Transfer to wire rack and cool.
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
*My pie crust recipe is way back here.  

ENJOY!

Salmon-dill Loaf

I’m a great fan of salmon, cooked, or not, any which way.  Bill, not so much, which makes me come up with different methods of cooking it.

OK, so it’s not a pretty thing coming out of the can and doesn’t look much better cooked.  It’s because of that slimy gray skin and freaky-looking bones…

Before Bill eyes those bones and aims for the garbage, I devour them.  For that reason, growing up, I made a point of being in the kitchen when Mom was opening a can. 

The bones soften up when cooked and are a good source of calcium.  And you won’t notice the skin after it’s cooked.  If it bothers you, your cat or dog will love it.

This makes for a simple, easy, inexpensive meal.  It’s a salmon loaf that’s healthy, and makes a good sandwich leftover also!

Salmon-dill Loaf

Ingredients:

15-ounces can salmon, drained with skin removed

6 ounces can water chestnuts, drained and diced

1 egg, beaten

½ cup celery, diced

½ cup Vidalia onion, diced

¼ cup ketchup

½ teaspoon dried dill

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon seasoned pepper

2-3 dashes hot sauce, optional

4 Lemon wedges

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine all ingredients, except lemon wedges, in a large bowl.

Transfer mixture to baking sheet, and form a loaf.

Bake until top is lightly browned, about 35-45 minutes.

Serve with lemon wedges.

ENJOY!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

'TWAS THE NIGHT OF THANKSGIVING

Twas the night of Thanksgiving, I just couldn't sleep.
I tried counting backwards; I tried counting sheep.
The leftovers beckoned--the dark meat and white,
but I fought the temptation with all my might.

Tossing and turning with anticipation,
the thought of a snack became excitation.
So, I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door
and gazed at the fridge, full of goodies galore.

I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes,
pickles and carrots, beans and tomatoes.
I felt myself swelling so plump and so round,
till all of a sudden, I rose off the ground.

I crashed through the ceiling, floating into the sky
With a mouthful of pudding and a handful of pie.
But, I managed to yell as I soared past the trees...
“Happy eating to all ~

pass the cranberries, please!”

author unknown

Chicketti ~ Turketti, maybe

Thumbing through Mom’s recipe box, I saw this recipe, which would be a great way for your leftover turkey.

The recipe is typed (remember typewriters?) on a small piece of paper, on both sides and the sheet is yellowed and sort of messy by now.  She usually wrote the name of who she received the recipe from somewhere on the recipe, but not this one, so the source is a mystery.

This is very good, and is actually easy to make, not as time consuming or bewildering, as it may seem. 

I didn’t stray far from the original recipe, just used less meat, spaghetti and cheese, since the original makes 8 or more servings.  Once baked ~ there you have it ~ a delicious tasty comforting meal for a chilly winter night!  It could even be made ahead a day…

Give it a go for your leftover Thanksgiving turkey ~ it’s delicious!

This is Mom's original recipe:  
Chicketti

Ingredients: 
1- 4# to 5# chicken
2 cans consommé
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped pepper (green)
¾ cup finely cut celery
¾ teaspoon paprika
½ cup chopped pimento
4 cups uncooked spaghetti, broken into thirds
1¼ cut up ripe olives
2 cups grated cheese (I use cheddar)

Method:
Cook chicken, add salt, pepper and 3 cups water.
Cover and cook on high heat until steam appears then turn to low and simmer until tender, about 2 hours.
Cool, then remove meat from bones, cut in good sized pieces.
Stir in chicken, consommé, and mushroom soup, measure and add water to make 6 ups, return to kettle, heat to boiling.
Sauté onion, green pepper and celery in heated shortening; sprinkle with paprika and then add this and pimento to chicken mixture.
Then add spaghetti.  Cook on high until steaming, then on low until spaghetti is tender, about 39 minutes. 
If serving, immediately, fold in olives and 1 cup of cheese. 
Serve on large platter sprinkled with rest of cheese.
If made the day before, reheat then fold in olives and 1 cup of cheese.
Serves 8 to 10.  

This is my version for 4 to 6 servings:

Chicketti

Ingredients: 
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 cups cooked)
6 cups water or more
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 cups uncooked spaghetti, broken into thirds or fourths
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped pepper (green)
¾ cup finely cut celery
1 (10 ounces) can sliced mushrooms
1 cup chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
½ cup chopped pimento
1¼ cups black olives, sliced into thirds
1½ cups grated Cheddar cheese, divided 

Method: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large pan, cover chicken with water, add S&P, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.
Remove chicken from pan; set aside 1 cup broth for later use and use remainder of broth for cooking spaghetti.
Cut chicken into bite-size pieces when cool enough to handle.
Bring broth; adding water, if needed, to a boil.
Cook spaghetti until al dente, about 3 minutes; drain well.
Meanwhile, in large skillet, sauté onion, pepper, celery and mushrooms until tender.
Blend in reserved broth and soup.
Add spaghetti and stir.
Season with paprika and pepper.
Add olives, 1 cup cheese and combine.
Add chicken to spaghetti mixture and toss lightly.
Transfer mixture to a 2-quart baking dish.
Scatter remaining ½ cup cheese over top.
Bake for about 45 minutes, until heated through and cheese melts.
4-6 servings

ENJOY!

Mom's Oyster "Dressing" Last Thanksgiving

Hands down, this is the favorite dish on our Thanksgiving table!

Mom always called it Oyster Dressing and we still do ~ you may remember this recipe from years past, if you’re a follower here.

It’s perfect:  rich, delicious and succulent.  It’s simply layers of rich butter crackers, lots of butter, half and half, seasonings and oysters.  Don’t crush the crackers to crumbs; break them up with a light touch. Use less crackers for a crisper dish.

Just "do what I say and not as I did" last Thanksgiving!  I made the dish, and baked it, but when I pulled it out of the oven, it looked very strange.  It was totally dry and crisp and hard as a rock.  Then it dawned on me, I had forgotten to add the half and half. 

That’s the Thanksgiving I was nearly run out of town…

Mom’s Oyster Dressing

Ingredients:

2 pints shucked oysters, reserving liquor
1 stick butter
2 sleeves Club Crackers*
¾ to 1 cup half and half
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Butter a 9” x 13” baking dish liberally.
Crumble crackers into chunks.
Spread half of the crackers in the baking dish.
Top with one pint of oysters.
Dot with ½ stick butter.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Repeat layers.
Pour reserved oyster liquor over top.
Pour half and half over all, just to top of layers, do not cover completely.
Bake in 375 degree oven till bubbly and top is brown, about 30-45 minutes.

*Use less crackers for a crisper dish


It's Delectable!

ENJOY!