Peppermint Tini Cocktail

You will need a martini glass, a shaker, ice and a small peppermint candy cane.
Fill shaker half way with ice
Add 2 shots of your favorite Vodka
1/2 Shot of Peppermint Schnapps Liquor
Shake until well chilled
Pour into martini glass
Garnish with the candy cane

Alternate garnish:
Crush the candy cane
Wet the rim of the martini glass and roll in the crushed candy cane on half of the glass. Then add the mixture. It gives your guests the option of the added sweetness and it looks festive.

Merry Christmas!

Pumpkin Spice Cocktail

You will need martini glasses and a shaker filled with ice. This is really yummy and has a little kick!

1/2 oz. Goldschlager Liquor
1 oz Irish Cream Liquor
1 oz. Kahlua Liquor
1 bag of small red cinnamon candies
Pumpkin Pie Spice

Drop 3 to 4 candies into the bottom of the martini glass
Combine the liquors in the shaker and shake well chilling and combining all the liquors.
Strain the liquid into the martini glass
Sprinkle the top with Pumpkin Pie Spice

Happiness is a great Thanksgiving Cocktail!

Apple and Gruyere Salad with Creamy Vinaigrette

This will make four servings.

1/2 head Romaine lettuce about 3 cups of torn leaves (washed and dried)
2 oz. curly endive about 1 cup of torn leaves (washed and dried)
2 oz. Gruyere cheese 1/2 cup cut into small cubes
1 Apple cut into thin slices
1 Tab. Red wine vinegar
Kosher Salt and Freshly cracked Pepper to taste
1 Tea. Dijon Mustard
3 Tab. Olive Oil
1 Tab. Mayonnaise

Place the lettuce in a large salad bowl
Add cheese and apple to the lettuce

In a small bowl or a dressing shaker add all the remaining ingredients except the mayo and the oil whisk or shake until all the ingredients are well combined and everything has dissolves.
Add the oil and mayo and whisk or shake until it becomes well mixed
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine and serve.

Enjoy!

Spicey Turkey Roast

1 Whole boneless Turkey approx. 4 Lbs. thawed
8 large garlic cloves
3 Tab. rosemary
1 Tea. Paprika
1 Tab. freshly Cracked Black Pepper
1 Tea. kosher Salt
2 Tab. Olive Oil
2 to 3 Rosemary sprigs for garnish
1/8 Tea Red Pepper Flakes for garnish optional

Unroll the turkey roll on a cutting board
Combine garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. Turn it on and begin pouring in the olive oil until the mixture is coarsely chopped.
Spread half the garlic mixture over the inside of the turkey roll and then re-roll it.
Tie with butchers string about every three inches so the meat stays int the original rolled shape.
Spread the remaining garlic mixture over the top of the turkey roll.
Place on a rack in a roasting pan
Roast at 350 degrees F for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours until it has an internal temperature of 170 degrees F
Remove form the oven and let it stand for twenty minutes
Remove the string
Cut into the size slices you prefer and place them onto your serving dish
Garnish with the rosemary sprigs and the red pepper flakes.

Happy Turkey Day!

Sliced Baked Potatoes

4 Medium Baking sized potatoes washed
1 Tea. Kosher Salt
3 Tab. melted Butter
3 Tab. freshly chopped Herbs (Thyme, chives or sage at this time of year I'd chose the sage)
1 Tab. Dried Thyme
2 Tab. Dried Sage (if your fresh herb is sage otherwise use the same as the fresh herb)
4 Tab. grated Cheddar cheese
1 and 1/2 Tab. Parmesan cheese

Cut into the potato making very thin slices but not cutting all the way though the potato
Place the potatoes into a baking dish fanning the slices slightly
Sprinkle with the salt and drizzle with the melted butter.
Then sprinkle all the herbs over the potatoes
Bake at 425 degrees F for about 50 minutes
Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese over the top
Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until they are lightly browned and the cheese id completely melted. The potatoes should be soft inside which you can check to see if they are done by using a fork.

Cranberry Jam

I made this last year and it turned out great. I gave it away to friends and neighbors as a little Thanksgiving treat.

1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Cranberry Juice or fresh (I used fresh)
1 12 oz. Pkg. of Frozen Cranberries
1 and 1/2 Tea. Ground Cardamon
1 Star Anise
1 Pinch Kosher Salt

Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over a high heat stirring constantly bringing it to a boil. Continue to stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Reduce heat to a simmer until the cranberries burst stirring occasionally for about ten minutes. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool.
Pour mixture into a covered container and refrigerate for twenty-four hours.
This will yield three cups and can be easily doubled or tripled.

Enjoy!

Royal Cider Cocktail

This is served in a coffee cup and is great on those cold winter nights.

6 oz of Apple Cider (heated in microwave for one minute)
1 Cinnamon stick
1 large shot of Crown royal

Remove the coffee cup with the heated cider from the microwave
Top with the Crown royal
Add the cinnamon stick

Serve hot sip and snuggle up.

Enjoy!

Rock Gobbler-Tini

You need a shaker filled with ice and a large martini glass.

1 Shot Wild Turkey
2 Shots Cranberry juice
2 Shots Chambord Liquor
2 Shots Amaretto Liquor

Shake well then pour into the martini glass and serve.

Happy Turkey Day!

Ginger Snap Cocktail

This should get your friends and family into the holiday spirit!

You will need a tall glass filled with ice and a shaker filled half way with ice and a blender and a shallow bowl.

You will need:
8 Ginger Snap Cookies crumbled and turned into crumbs in the blender pour into the shallow bowl
1/2 shot Ginger Brandy
1 shot Spiced Rum
4 shots of Eggnog (use a good eggnog don't skimp it will be worth it)
1 Tea sugar
1/2 cup of warm water

Mix the sugar with the warm water making sugared water.Let the sugar fully dissolve.
Wet the rim of the glass in the sugar water then dust the edges with the ginger snap crumbs in the shallow bowl. Now your glass is ready.

In the shaker pour in the rum, ginger brandy and the eggnog
Shake it really well
Pour into the glass and serve with a ginger snap cookie on the side.

Happy Holidays!

Creamy Roast Turkey Gravy

You will need the hot drippings from the roasted turkey
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 and1/4 Tea. Dried Sage, crushed
1/8 Tea. ground red pepper
Milk or light cream as needed

Remove the turkey from the roasting pan place on platter and cover with foil.
You will find crusty bits left behind in the roasting pan.
Pour the drippings back into a measuring cup skimming the layer of fat off the top.
Return 1/2 cup of the skimmed dripping back into the roasting pan save the rest in the measuring cup you will need them later.
Stir in flour and sage and the red pepper.
Cook stirring constantly over a medium heat until it bubbles.
Remove from the heat.
Add enough milk to the drippings in the measuring cup to equal 2 and 3/4 Cups total.
Return to the heat adding the milk mixture.
Cook stirring till it thickens and begins to bubble.
Cook and stir one minute more to cook out any starchy taste from the flour.

Happy Turkey Day!

Mashed Potatoes and Carrots

This is a rustic dish and you will find it is lumpy. They are supposed to be that way. However if your family likes them super smooth and creamy then just whip them more and they will turn a pretty orange color. This recipe serves eight.

This makes a nice presentation ad combines two Thanksgiving favorites.

3 lbs. of boiling potatoes roughly 8
1/2 lb. Carrots roughly 4
6 Tab. Butter
Kosher Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper to taste
6 Tab. Milk

Peel the potatoes and carrots cutting them into about one inch sized chuncks.
Place them into salted water bringing it to a boil.
Cook until they are fork tender about 25 minutes
Drain then return the potatoes and carrots to the warm pot.
Add the butter, salt and pepper
Mash the potatoes and carrots with a potato masher leaving them fairly chunky
Beat in the milk with a wooden spoon
check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste if needed

Enjoy!

Savory Orange Stuffing

1 Package of herb seasoned stuffing mix 16 oz.
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup butter
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tea. grated orange rind

In a skillet melt the butter and saute the onion and celery until tender
In a large mixing bowl add onion and celery mixture and all the other ingredients except the chicken stock
Mix everything really well until it is all nicely combined
Then add the chicken stock and again mix well
Loosely stuff bird right before cooking it or grease a baking dish and bake at 350 degree F for thirty minutes or until heated through,

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Yams with a Twist

1 ea.can 31 oz candied Yams (Drain yams reserving the liquid)
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 ea. can 11 oz Mandarin Oranges drained
1/4 cup of Butter

Arrange the yams,pecans and orange slices in a casserole or baking dish
Dot randomly with pieces of butter
Pour the reserved liquid over the top of everything
Bake uncovered for thirty minutes at 350 degrees F

Serve hot and bubbling
Enjoy!

Classic Green Bean Bake

This is another simple non time consuming recipe and it can easily be doubled of tripled depending on the size of the group you are hosting.

1 10 & 1/2 oz can of Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 cup of Milk
1 Tea. Soy Sauce
Pepper to taste
2 pkg. 9 oz frozen fancy cut green beans cooked and drained per package directions
1 2.8 oz can french fried onions

In a 1 and 1/2 quart casserole dish soup milk,soy sauce and pepper.
Add the green beans ad half of the can of french fried onions
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbling stirring half way through the heating
Top with the remaining french fried onions then microwave for one minute then serve.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sweet and Sour Onions

I am not usually a fan of dishes cooked in the microwave but this one is really delicious and it is so fast and easy to put together and it will make a nice presentation on any holiday table.

1 16 oz pkg. frozen small while onions
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup tarragon wine vinegar
1 Tab. sugar
1/4 Tea. kosher Salt
1/4 Tea. freshly cracked black Pepper
2 Tab. Tomato Paste
2 Tea. Olive Oil
1 Bay Leaf

Place the onions in a 11/2 Quart casserole dish then cover with wax paper
Microwave on high for eight minutes, stirring after four minutes then drain.
Return onions to the casserole dish and add all the remaining ingredients.
Cover again with wax paper then microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes or until boiling.
Stir well, discard the bay leaf.
This will serve about five people.

Enjoy!

Peach-Cranberry Yam Bake

We are headed into Thanksgiving Holiday so I thought I would give you a few holiday dishes this month that you might enjoy trying. This particular dish is very quick and simple to make.

2 18oz. cans of Candied Yams (not the plain type)
Reserve 2 Tab. of the syrup from the can and set it aside
2 16 oz cans Peaches drained
1 16 oz can Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
2/3 cup of Pecans coarsely chopped
2 Rosemary sprigs for decoration

In a large bowl combine Yams and the Peaches mixing well.
In a smaller bowl combine the reserved liquid with the whole cranberry sauce.
Pour the yams and peaches into a buttered 9 X 13 inch baking dish
Drizzle the cranberry sauce mixture over the yams and peaches.
Sprinkle the nuts over the top of all the ingredients
Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Garnish with the 2 Rosemary sprigs and serve.

Enjoy!

Red October Cocktail

This is the perfect after dinner or cold night by the fire sipper.
In a rocks glass fill with ice

Add
1/3 shot Chambord Liquor (Raspberry flavored it's delicious)
1/3 shot Vodka
1/3 shot Baileys Irish Liquor

Cheers!

Quaalaude the Cocktail

As the holidays approach and the madness begins added to by not having enough time or money. Step back take a breath and make yourself one of these little beauties. You will feel better.

Fill a tall glass with ice.
1/2 oz. Vodka
1/2 oz Kahlua Liquor
1/2 oz Baileys Liquor
1/2 oz Frangelico Liquor
Fill with milk

Then just sit back sip and relax!

Halloween Garlic Mashed Potatoes

This is a fun way to gross out your friends or your kids for that matter and it is so simple.It is a tradition Garlic Mash recipe with some food coloring for a bit of fun.

6 large potatoes peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
2 Cloves of garlic
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
2 Tab. Butter
2 Tab. Milk (more if needed for added moisture)
1/2 cup Sour Cream
Food coloring

Boil potatoes and garlic until they are tender
Drain water
Add 2 Tab. Butter
Add sour cream
Add Milk
Whip until the mixture is light and fluffy
Add salt and pepper to your liking

Now for the fun part you can add food coloring to make the potatoes black as i have done and let me tell you it makes the potatoes look gross. The other option is to turn them a dark shade of green. Red is too light an becomes a pretty shade of pink so don't waste your time. Plastic bugs that won't melt at the bottom of a pile of mashed potatoes will get a rise out of the small kids.

Trick or Treat!

Witches Caldron Cocktail

One year I found little broom plastic skewers at the local party store that I used with this fruity drink to hold the garnish. Be creative and you will make your party one to remember. You will need a tall clear glass and a small amount of dry ice.
The dry ice will make the drink smoke and give off that witches caldron look.

Fill glass with ice and one small piece of dry ice.
1 Shot vodka
1 shot Madori Liquor (green melon liquor)
Fill with sprite
On a plastic skewer add a slice of blood orange for an extra eerie presentation.

Happy Haunting!