Baked Brown Sugar Squash

2 medium acorn or butternut squash, halved and seeded
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Place squash in 11x7-inch baking dish. Dot 1 tbsp. butter in each squash half.  Evenly sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon in squash halves. Add enough water to baking dish to just cover the bottom of the pan; cover with aluminum foil.   Bake at 350º for 1 hour, until squash is tender.   Serve with additional brown sugar if desired. Serves 4.

Baked Corn

#11 can cream style corn
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 c. milk
3 Tbsp. butter, melted

In a bowl mix all ingrediants together except for milk and corn. Gradually stir in milk. Then add corn, mixing well. Pour into a baking dish and bake at 350º for 40 to 45 minutes.  Serves 4

Breast of Chicken Parmigiana
(for those who don't want Turkey)

6 (7 oz.) Boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
6 Eggs, beaten
1/2 C. Italian Bread Crumbs
6 oz. sliced Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 stick Butter
2 C. White Cream Sauce
3 oz. Parmiagana Regiano Cheese
1/2 tsp. powered Garlic Salt Pepper

Season chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic. Dip in beaten eggs and dredge in Italian Bread crumbs. Lightly brown in butter clarified butter is really the best for this. Remove from pan and place in a 350 degree oven with 2 slices of Mozzarella cheese on each breast. leave in oven until cheese is lightly browned. Add cream sauce to remainder left in frypan. When cream sauce is hot, place a ladle of the sauce onto the plate, and then place one chicken breast on top. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.  Serves 6.

Cherry Eggnog Quick Bread

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/4 cups prepared dairy eggnog
6 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted and cooled
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped candied red cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 5 1/2x3-inch mini-loaf pans. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and nutmeg in large bowl. Stir eggnog, melted butter, eggs and vanilla in medium bowl until well blended. Add eggnog mixture to flour mixture. Mix just until all ingredients are moistened. Stir in pecans and cherries. Spoon into prepared pans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 15 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack. Store tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature.

Chicken/Turkey Broccoli Stuffing Bake
(this recipe comes from one of my co-workers)

1 Can (26 ounces) cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups milk
1 package (14oz.) Pepperidge Farm cubed herb seasoned stuffing
3 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped broccoli,thawed and drained
2 stalks celery, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (4 ounces)

In a large bowl, combine soup and milk. Stir in stuffing, chicken, broccoli, and celery. Spoon into 3-quart oblong baking dish. Bake at 375 F. for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Makes 12 1/2 cups or 8 servings.

Apple Pie

1 1/4 c flour
1/2 c butter
1/2 tsp salt
2 T sugar
1 T vinegar

Put all the above except the vinegar in a bowl. Mix until crumbly. Stir in the vinegar. Reserve 1/2 c of the mix for the top. Pat the rest intoa pie plate at least 1 inch up the sides.

FILLING
1 c sugar
2 T flour
3 c coarsely grated apples
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix filling ingredients together thoroughly. Pour into the pie shell. Sprinkle the 1/2 c reserved mix over the apples. Bake in a preheated 350ºoven for 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and sift powdered sugar over the top or serve with whipped cream. Serves 8. 

Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake

1 package (7 ounces) caramels
1/4 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup chopped pecans, divided
1 (9-inch) chocolate crumb pie crust
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1¼ cups milk
1 package (3.9 ounce) instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup fudge topping

Place caramels and evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Pour into pie crust. Combine cream cheese, sour cream and milk in blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Add pudding mix; process for 30 seconds longer. Pour pudding mixture over caramel layer, covering evenly. Loosely cover and chill until set, about 15 minutes.  Drizzle fudge topping over pudding layer. Sprinkle remaining pecans over top. Cover loosely and chill until serving time. Serves 8.

Corn Relish

1 1/2 c Corn, frozen
1/4 c Minced red onion
1 ea Small red bell pepper, minced
3 T Honey
3 T Cider vinegar
1/2 t Dry mustard
1/4 t Dill seed (optional)
1 t each Salt and pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed. Pack into one or two glass jars with lids. Make up to two days ahead of time, or at least two hours before serving. Makes two cups.  Serves 2.   Recipe may be doubled, tripled, etc.

Creamed Peas

2 cups frozen green peas
2/3 cup water
1 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup half and half or milk
2½ tbsp. flour
1/2 tbsp. sugar

In a saucepan, bring peas, water, 1 tsp. sugar and salt to a boil.  Stir in butter and half and half. Combine flour and 1/2 tbsp sugar in small bowl and stir into peas. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thick and bubbly. Serves 4.

Cream Cheese Salsa Dip

8 Oz Cream Cheese -- At Room Temperature
1/2 C Salsa
2 Tb Milk
1/2 Ts Cumin
1/2 Ts Onion powder
1/2 Ts Garlic powder
3/8 Ts Cayenne pepper

Stir all ingredients until well blended.

Fried Green Beans

1 pound of fresh green beans
About 1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, well beaten
about 1 teas, salt
About 1 cup finely ground cracker crumbs
Oil
Tartar sauce or catsup

Remove ends from beans and wash carefully. Roll the damp beans in flour, then in beaten eggs to which salt has been added. Roll in cracker crumbs.  Beans maybe set aside until ready to fry.  Heat 2 inches of oil very hot in deep pan. Place a handful of beans in wire basket and drop into hot oil; fry until golden brown, 1 or 2 minutes. Drain on absorbent paper towels; serve hot with tartar sauce or catsup.  Serves 6.

Aroma of Christmas

3 Bay Leaves 3 Cinnamon Sticks
1/4 Cup Whole Cloves
1/3 Lemon, with rind
2 Pieces Orange Peel

Cover with water and simmer.   NOTES : This recipe is for aroma (smell) only...do not eat!