Favorites Festive Family Recipe

Every family differs when it comes to holiday dinner traditions. Some never stray from Grandma's fruitcake recipe while other families, a bit more adventurous, explore cookbooks and magazines to uncover a new dish.

Chef Andrew Schloss believes a happy medium exists between the traditional and the not-so-customary holiday meal and offers three quick and convenient recipe twists for your festive classics.

First, start with a can of shrimp, a little garlic and some dried dill weed and transform your regular mashed potatoes into a delectable seafood side dish.

Next, substitute your traditional green-bean casserole with a quick Easy Cheesy Herbed Creamed Spinach dish. Combine a few cans of spinach with a little garlic-and-herb cheese and you've created a simple side, packed with flavor and nutrition.

Finally, finish the meal with a treat from the sugarplum fairy. Use a can of whole plums - which are an excellent source of vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium and fiber - a can of peaches, some cinnamon and some sugar, and blend the sweet flavors together to create a Peach-Plum Crisp.

Don't forget that the holidays are about spending time with family. While you want your meals to look and taste fantastic, you needn't spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Remember to stock your pantry with canned foods, like those in Schloss' recipes, which are already cooked and will dramatically reduce your preparation time. In addition, a University of Massachusetts study found that recipes using canned ingredients are similar in nutritional value and taste value to those made with fresh or frozen ingredients.

SHRIMP MASHED

POTATOES

Courtesy of Andrew Schloss, "Almost From Scratch"

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 (8-ounce) can shrimp, 

chopped

1/2 large fish-flavored 

bouillon cube, crushed

1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed, or 2 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped

1 (16-ounce) package mashed potatoes, refrigerated

Black pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the shrimp, bouillon and garlic and cook until the shrimp are opaque, about 30 seconds. Stir in the dill and potatoes and heat through, stirring often. Add the pepper.

Entertain Easily at Brunch

Even if you've got a hectic end-of-the-year schedule, you can gather family and friends for a joyous holiday celebration. Entertaining can be relatively carefree and inexpensive if you plan a casual brunch. 

Brunch is generally served between the traditional hours for breakfast and lunch, a convenient time that leaves the evening free for you and your guests. Easy on the cook, a brunch menu usually stars comforting and simple-to-prepare dishes, most often based on nature's own convenience food, eggs.

For brunch, you can cook up versatile eggs to please almost anyone. Omelets are a popular brunch choice. You can flavor your omelets simply with herbs and cheese or dress them up with a fancier filling, such as garlic-laced creamed shrimp.

Another option is scrambled eggs, the top egg choice across America. To suit everyone, offer plain scrambled eggs with an assortment of different toppings from which your guests can pick and choose their favorites. 

Consider veggies such as sauteed mushrooms, onions and bell peppers; two or three cheeses, perhaps brie or feta, cottage or ricotta, mozzarella, Swiss or Cheddar; and, for a flavorful zip, chopped or minced herbs, such as chives or dill, an herb blend from curry powder to Italian seasoning, or maybe a prepared sauce or two, like pesto or salsa.

For a more unusual treat, serve Baked Eggs in Bread Bowls. With this recipe, simple ingredients that you're likely to have on hand combine into handy, but elegant, individual servings. Preparation is an uncomplicated matter of stirring together the flavoring ingredients, spooning the veggie mixture into hollowed-out rolls, slipping eggs into each nest and baking. While the eggs are in the oven, set the table and cut up fresh fruit for a colorful compote and toss a crisp green salad. Because bread and carrots are already in the egg dish, that's all you need to round out the meal.

Baked Eggs in Bread Bowls

6 servings

6 Kaiser or round rolls (about

4-inch diameter), uncut

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons reduced-fat

mayonnaise

2 cups shredded carrots

(about 8 oz.)

6 eggs

6 tablespoons (about 1.5 oz.) 

shredded low-moisture, 

part-skim mozzarella cheese

Fresh dill sprigs, optional

Slice tops off rolls about 3/4 inch from top. With fork, scrape out insides of bottoms of rolls, leaving about 1/2-inch wall all around. Save crumbs for another use. Set rolls aside.

In medium bowl, stir together mustard and mayonnaise until well blended. Stir in carrots until evenly coated with mustard mixture. Spoon 1/3 cup of the carrot mixture over bottom and up sides of each roll to form a nest. Place rolls and tops, cut side up, on baking sheet. Break and slip an egg into each carrot nest. Sprinkle 

1 tablespoon cheese over each egg. Bake in preheated 325 degree F oven until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard, about 30 to 35 minutes. Garnish with dill sprigs, if desired.

Nutrition information per serving of 1/6 recipe without dill garnish: 250 calories, 9 gm total fat, 216 mg cholesterol, 561 mg sodium, 231 mg potassium, 26 gm carbohydrate, 12 gm protein and 10% or more of the RDI for vitamin A, riboflavin, thiamin.

Breezy Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

Lemon Meringue Pie seems to say warm weather, maybe because it's as yellow as sunshine and has clouds of sweet meringue. Simple to love, it was a real challenge to make until now.

Here's a recipe that's quick and easy but still has that homemade flavor you crave. Starting with a lemon bar mix gives it a luscious citrus flavor, while eggs and sugar make it taste so fresh and rich. And the crust? Golden, buttery and sweet. 

Serve the pie warm from the oven for oohs and ahs, or for easy Lemon Meringue Bars, just make the recipe in an 8-inch square pan and serve chilled. 

Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon Pie:

• 1 package Krusteaz Lemon Bar Mix (1 pouch each lemon filling mix and complete crust)
• 3 whole eggs
• 1/3 cup water

Meringue:

• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

For Lemon Pie: Press full pouch of complete crust firmly into bottom of lightly greased 9-inch pie pan or 8x8-inch pan. Bake 8 minutes (crust will be pale). In medium bowl, whisk full pouch lemon filling mix, water and whole eggs together until well-blended. Pour over hot crust. Bake 22-26 minutes or until center does not jiggle when shaken and top begins to brown. 

For Meringue: Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until frothy. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until stiff glossy peaks form. Spread over baked pie. Return to oven; bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve pie warm, or chill if served as a bar. 

Makes 1 pie or 16, 2-inch bars.

Traditional Mother's Day Southern Breakfast Recipes

An Easy and Delicious Mother's Day Breakfast

Make this Mother's Day unforgettable with one of these breakfast menus, or use your imagination and substitute. 

Quick and easy but delicious, the breakfast casserole is put together the night before.  A delicious cantaloupe smoothie and easy muffins make this breakfast memorable. 

Western Ham and Egg Casserole

Make this casserole the night before, then refrigerate and pop it in the oven in the morning. 

Ingredients:

8 slices white bread, crust removed, cut into cubes 

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese 

1 1/4 cups cubed, cooked ham (about 8 ounces) 

1/2 cup finely chopped onion 

1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper 

6 eggs, beaten 

3 cups milk

Preparation:

Place bread cubes in a lightly greased 12x8x2-inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with cheese, ham, onion, and green pepper.  Whisk together eggs and milk; pour over ham and cheese mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours.  Remove from refrigerator; let stand for 30 minutes. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40 minutes or until set.

Western ham and egg casserole serves 8.

An Extra-Special Mother's Day Breakfast

Here's an elegant breakfast for anyone who loves to cook.  Perfect for Mother's day or any special occasion breakfast.  For a touch of indulgence, serve this breakfast with champagne and orange juice Mimosas. 

Eggs Benedict - Fruit Compote With Pears

Sour Cream Cinnamon Rolls

Strawberry Smoothies or Mimosas

Hot Coffee or Tea

Southern Breakfast

Here's a traditional Southern breakfast, from grits to biscuits and gravy. 

Grits

Scrambled Eggs Deluxe

Ham with Red Eye Gravy

Biscuits with Sausage Gravy or Pecan Pancakes

Orange Juice, Hot Coffee, or Tea

Always remember to add a bud vase with her favorite flower to give any breakfast in bed that special touch.  Don’t forget the cards and her other gifts too, she will start out the day with a HUGE smile on her face and go to work showing off what her family did for her.

Simply Cooking Recipe for Lovers

Preparing a meal for just the two of you can be quick and easy, especially if you keep eggs on hand. Versatile eggs are a high-quality protein food portioned by nature to suit small households. Egg producers have made eggs even more convenient by offering 6- and 8-count packs to retailers. However many eggs you buy, they'll keep in the refrigerator, with insignificant quality loss, for at least three weeks from the time you bring them home.

With eggs in the fridge, it's easy to add a welcome change of pace to your menus. Eggs can also help you include more vegetables in your diet, as the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend. Quiche in Pepper Pots is a good example of an entree that combines egg protein with the vitamins, minerals and fiber of veggies. 

These novel individual quiches are easy on the cook, too. Simply choose any colorful vegetable blend you like to fill the peppers, pour on an egg-and-milk custard and bake. Got company coming? Then just multiply the recipe to suit the number of servings you need.

For fast, nutritious eating other times, you can use the remaining eggs you have on hand in a variety of ways. Toss slices or wedges of hard-cooked eggs with greens and other veggies for a main-dish salad; poach eggs right in your favorite soup; reheat leftover pasta and veggies and pour on eggs to make a skillet scramble. 

Quiche in Pepper Pots

2 servings

• 2 medium (about 4 oz. each) green, yellow or sweet red peppers
• 1/2 cup (about 8 oz.) frozen vegetable blend, thawed
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup skim or low-fat milk
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed

Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds. Sawtooth or scallop pepper edges, if desired. Stand peppers upright in custard cups or muffin-pan cups. Spoon 1/4 cup of the vegetables into each pepper. In small bowl, beat together eggs, milk and seasonings until well blended. Pour about 1/3 cup of the egg mixture over vegetables in each pepper.

Bake in preheated 325 degree F oven until knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 60 to 70 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition information per serving of 1/2 recipe using green and yellow peppers; broccoli, sweet red pepper, mushroom and onion vegetable blend; and skim milk: 119 calories, 5 gm total fat, 213 mg cholesterol, 89 mg sodium, 283 mg potassium, 10 gm carbohydrate, 9 gm protein and 10% or more of the RDI for vitamins A, B12 and C, riboflavin, phosphorus.

Monterey Wine Country Style

Today's busy schedules can make throwing even the smallest dinner gathering seem like an overwhelming task. Why go through all of the hassle? 

David Mirassou, a sixth-generation family member of America's oldest winemaking family, says entertaining is well worth the effort because there is nothing better than enjoying an evening of great food and wine with friends and family. 

Mirassou's secret is to focus on making one fabulous feast, such as a popular crowd-pleasing paella that not only feeds everyone, but also creates a festive atmosphere that encourages jovial conversation. To complement the paella, simply purchase a variety of olives and nuts to serve as appetizers, along with a fruit-forward wine, and guests will leave satisfied. Mirassou has adapted his family's classic paella recipe to be even more fitting of his California heritage, complete with fresh seafood, artichoke hearts and Mirassou's new Monterey County Riesling. 

Mirassou Monterey Paella

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 45 to 50 minutes

• 1/2 pound linguica, Italian or Polish sausage, sliced 1/4-inch-thick on the diagonal
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 11/2 cups long-grain white rice
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup Mirassou Monterey County Riesling
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron (or 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric and 1/8 teaspoon paprika)
• 2 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 package (9 oz.) frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and cut in half
• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 8 mussels
• 8 hard-shell clams
• 16 medium prawns, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas 

Brown linguica or sausage in a large stainless steel pan or skillet for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently; remove from pan and set aside. Add oil to skillet; add onion and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes. Add rice and cook for 5 minutes more or until translucent; stir in the stock, wine, saffron and linguica or sausage. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer over low heat, loosely covered, for 15 minutes. Remove lid and season to taste with salt and pepper; top with tomatoes, artichoke hearts and bell pepper. Nestle the seafood into the surface of the rice; cover and cook over very low heat, loosely covered, for 10 minutes or until the mussels and clams have opened and the prawns are pink. Stir in peas and cook for 1 minute.

Note: Discard mussels and clams that do not open.

Serving recommendations: Paella is excellent for entertaining, and is best served family style right from the skillet. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley and lemon wedges, and pair with the same wine used in cooking the paella. Serves 8.

A single-dish feast, such as paella, can be an excellent idea for people who don't have much time for entertaining.

Mom's Sushi Rice Recipe

"Simple and easy sushi rice from my mom's recipe. Can be modified to your taste."

Prep Time  : 10 Min

Cook Time : 25 Min

Ready In    : 1 Hr 35 Min

Served for  : 4 people

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups Japanese sushi-style rice
• 1 (4 inch) piece konbu dried kelp (optional)
• 3 cups water
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

Directions

1. Place rice into a large, deep bowl. Fill with cold water and rub rice together with hands until the water turns milky white. Pour off the cloudy water, being careful not to pour out the rice. Repeat 3 or 4 times until you can see the rice through 3-inches of water.

2. Drain the rice in a fine strainer, then place into a saucepan along with konbu and water. Allow to stand for 30 minutes. Stir together rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved in a small bowl, set aside.

3. Cover, and bring rice to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes.

4. Scrape rice into a bowl; remove and discard the konbu. Stir in vinegar mixture until well incorporated and no lumps of rice remain. Allow to cool at room temperature. For a shinier appearance, use an electric fan to cool the rice rapidly.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Moms-Sushi-Rice/Detail.aspx