Eggnog Bread

1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 cups egg nog
3 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup cut glazed mixed fruit

Beat sugar and egg in mixing bowl. Beat in melted butter. Add egg nog. Mix. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg over egg nog mixture. Stir until moistened. Mix in pecans and fruit. Turn into greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake in 350*F oven for about 1 hour until an inserted wooden pick comes out clean. Let stand 20 minutes. Turn out onto rack to cool.

Potato Rolls

By far the best buns I know how to make. Slightly sweet. Worth the extra effort.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup plus 1 tsp sugar, divided
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup hot potato water, drained from cooked potatoes
1/4 cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast (2-1/4 tsp.)
2 large eggs, fork beaten
4 cups flour

Stir butter, 1/2 cup sugar, salt, and potato water together in large bowl until butter is dissolved. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

Stir 1 tsp sugar into warm water in small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over top. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir to dissolve yeast. Add to potato mixture.

Beat in eggs. Add flour. Mix. Knead on floured surface about 7-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with tea towel. Let stand in oven with light on and door closed about 2 hours until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down. Shape into rolls the size of eggs. Arrange on greased baking sheet. Cover with tea towel. Let stand in oven with light on and door closed about 1 hour until doubled in size. Bake in 350*F oven for 15-18 minutes. Makes 24 rolls.

Comfort Roast

This roast is delicious served with Creamy Horseradish Sauce, Mashed Dilled Potatoes, and Roasted Sesame Vegetables. It makes a special dinner which I often make around the holidays.

3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp prepared horseradish
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp Montreal steak spice
3 lbs beef sirloin tip roast

Combine first four ingredients in a small bowl. Place roast on a large plate. Rub mustard mixture over entire surface of roast. Chill, covered, overnight. Place roast on greased wire rack set in 9x9-inch pan. Using this pan will ensure that you can put the roast and a vegetable dish into the oven at the same time. Bake, uncovered, on bottom rack in 475*F oven for about 30 minutes until browned. Reduce heat to 300*F. Bake for another 2 to 2-1/2 hours until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of roast reads 160*F for medium or until desired doneness. Remove from oven. Cover with foil. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Roasted Sesame Vegetables

1 lb parsnips
10 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 large onion cut into 12 wedges
2 Tbsp olive or cooking oil
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp maple (or maple-flavored) syrup
1 Tbsp frozen concentrated lemonade, thawed
2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

Put first 7 ingredients into large bowl. Toss until vegetables are coated. Spread evenly in greased 3-quart shallow baking dish. Bake, covered, in bottom rack of 300*F oven for 1 hour. Combine maple syrup and concentrated lemonade in small bowl. Drizzle over vegetables. Stir until coated. Bake, uncovered, for another 1 to 1-1/4 hours until vegetables are tender-crisp. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Mashed Dilled Potatoes

4 lbs peeled potatoes, cut up
1/4 cup butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Cook potato in boiling salted water in large pot until tender. Drain. Return to same pot. Place uncovered pot on hot burner. Turn off heat. Stir potato or shake pot until any excess liquid is evaporated. Mash. Cover to keep warm.

Melt butter in small frying pan on medium. Add garlic. Heat and stir for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add milk. Bring to a boil. Add potato. Mash well.

Add next 4 ingredients. Mix well. Place into serving dish and sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Creamy Horseradish Sauce

So many people tell me they don't like horseradish, but I haven't had a single person say they didn't like this sauce. It's delicious to serve with roast beef dinner. In fact, I prefer making this sauce to making gravy for my beef roasts.

1 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp prepared horseradish
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients in small bowl. You can make it up to two days ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until serving.

Chocolate and Pear Muffins

These are another of my splurge recipes because of the chocolate bar. I like to make these for extra special breakfasts that happen around Thanksgiving and Christmas. These freeze well for up to 3 months.

2 cups flour
1-1/3 cups chopped, peeled fresh pear
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3-1/2 oz. milk chocolate bar, chopped
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cooking oil

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Beat remaining 3 ingredients with a whisk in a small bowl. Add to well. Stir just until moistened. Fill 12 greased muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake in 375* oven for about 25 minutes until wooden pick inserted in centre of muffin comes out clean. Let stand in pan for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool.

Cranberry Sausage Rolls

This isn't the cheapest thing you can make because of the packaged pastry, but if you keep your eyes open for sales on the cranberry sauce and breakfast sausages, these make a nice touch to a very special Thanksgiving or Christmas Brunch. 

140z. package of puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
2/3 cup whole cranberry sauce
8 pork breakfast sausages
1 large egg, fork-beaten

Roll out 1/2 (1 square) of puff pastry on lightly floured surface to 8-inch square. Cut in half to make 2 rectangles.

Spread 2-1/2 Tbsp. cranberry sauce on each rectangle, leaving 1 inch edge on 1 long side. Cut each rectangle in half crosswise, for a total of 4 squares.

Place 1 sausage on each pastry square along edge that is opposite to uncovered edge. Brush uncovered edge with egg. Roll up each starting at sausage end, jelly-roll style. Press seam against roll to seal. Repeat with remaining pastry, cranberry sauce and sausages. Cut each roll into 3 equal pieces, for a total of 24 pieces. Arrange, seam-side down, in single layer on greased baking sheet. Brush with remaining egg. Bake in 375*F oven for about 35 minutes until pastry is puffed and golden and meat thermometer inserted in centre of sausage reads 160*F. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 24 rolls.

Option: The baked rolls can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. To reheat from frozen, arrange them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake in a 375*F oven for about 18 minutes or until heated through.

Nutritious Bread

1 package active dry yeast
3 cups lukewarm water
1 cup powdered milk (not made up)
 1/2 cup honey
4 cups whole wheat flour (or 3 cups whole wheat flour and 1 cup wheat germ)
1 1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
Melted butter

In a large mixing bowl dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the milk and honey, then the 4 cups whole wheat flour. Beat with a whisk until lumps disappear (it will be no thicker than cake batter). Let the dough rise for 1 hour.

Add the salt, oil, and white flour, working in all the flour the dough will take - until it’s not sticky. Knead for 3 to 4 minutes, until the dough is smooth. Put the dough into a large greased bowl and turn it once so it’s greased on both top and bottom. Cover the top with a towel. Let it rise 50 minutes. Punch down and let rise 40 more minutes

Shape into 2 large smooth loaves and put them in loaf pans which have been greased with shortening. Let rise in the pans, covered with a towel, 30 minutes. Set the time for 15 minutes to remind yourself to preheat the oven to 350*F.

Bake for 1 hour. When right out of the oven brush the top with melted butter.

Option #1: Bake only 1 loaf and roll the other half of the dough into approximately 2-inch rolls. Bake on a cookie sheet at 350*F for 25-30 minutes. Rub a cube of butter over the tops of the warm rolls.

Option #2: Take the unbaked round rolls from above and flatten them into circles about the size of your palm. Fold each circle of dough around a small wedge of cheddar cheese and 2 Tbsp of browned ground beef. Bake sealed-side down on a cookie sheet for 25-30 minutes at 350*F. Serve with barbecue sauce or mustard for dipping.

Chicken Pockets

This is definitely not the most frugal dish, nor is it quick to make. However, my kids love this so much that it's a super-special treat and I thought I'd include it. I suppose if you come across some coupons for the crescent rolls and can buy them with a coupon on a sale and get cream cheese at a great price, it could fit into a tight budget.

1 cups cooked, deboned, diced chicken
1 3-oz. package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 Tbsp chopped chives
2 Tbsp milk
Salt to taste
2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls
4 Tbsp melted butter
Crushed crouton crumbs

Combine the chicken, cream cheese, chives, milk and salt. Mix very well. Unroll 2 packages of crescent rolls and press each pair into a rectangle. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of each rectangle. Fold dough over and seal edges tightly. Roll each packet in melted butter and then in crouton crumbs. Place on a baking sheet and bake 20 minutes at 350*F.

You can also prepare the chicken mixture ahead of time and freeze it in a ziplock freezer bag. Just thaw it the day you want to make the packets and proceed with the recipe as usual. These can also be eaten cold.

Serve with applesauce or a fruit salad.

 

Spicy Pumpkin Muffins

My favorite pumpkin muffin recipe because it's so moist and flavorful.

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup raisins
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Topping:
2-1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices until well combined. Mix in the raisins to coat well with flour mixture. In a smaller bowl, beat the egg with milk, pumpkin, and oil.
   
Stir the egg mixture, all at once, into the flour mixture, mixing only until combined. Fill greased or nonstick muffin pans 2/3 full. Sprinkles with the sugar/cinnamon topping. Bake at 400*F for 20-25 minutes, until nicely browned. Serve warm.

Cranberry Tea

1 cup cranberry juice
3 cups prepared iced tea
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and chill.

Twice-Baked Potatoes Deluxe

6 baking potatoes
Salt and pepper
Butter
Milk
1/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and pressed dry

Bake the 6 potatoes. While still hot, slice each potato in half lengthwise and carefully scoop the baked potato into a large mixing bowl. Save the skins. Mix the potatoes with the remaining ingredients, using salt, pepper, and butter to taste and enough milk for desired “mashed potato” consistency. Put the potato mixture back into the skins. Serve immediately, or freeze them in a freezer bag. Remove as needed and heat on a cookie sheet or flat baking dish.

Jiffy Salad

1 small head lettuce
2 to 3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup oil
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Shred the lettuce, top with hard-cooked eggs, and toss with the other ingredients whisked together for dressing.

Fresh Baked Asparagus

1 to 1-1/2 lbs. fresh asparagus
Salt and pepper
3 Tbsp butter

Rinse and trip the stumps off the asparagus. Place it in one or two layers in flat baking pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dot with butter. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes at 300*F. The asparagus will be crunchy and not lose color.