Lora's Sweet Potatoes

These were a big hit at our latest Thanksgiving dinner, and a special request from a particular guy in the congregation, so here you go, Aaron! Lora is currently dairy-free (due to baby A) so she includes notes on substitutions.

Lora Price's Sweet Potato Casserole

I make it dairy-free by substituting almond milk (unsweetened) and dairy-free butter.

3 c. cooked mashed sweet potatoes (3 med. sized potatoes, skinned)
1/2 stick melted margarine
1/2 cup sugar (1/4 cup is still plenty sweet if you're watching sugar)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk

Mix all ingredients together and put in a greased baking dish.

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 stick melted margarine
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix all ingredients together and crumble over potato mixture.  Bake at 350 for 35 - 40 minutes.
Enjoy!

Party Meatballs

by Kathy Sikorski Brasier

I may have gone back for seconds of these. And thirds. And maybe the one on my 2-year old's plate that she didn't eat, I ate. Just maybe.

Party Meatballs
Mix together:
2 eggs, beaten
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon pepper
Add and mix together:
3 lbs ground beef
Shape into 1-inch meatballs. Place into 3 greased 13x9 baking pans.

Sauce: 2 cups ketchup
1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
½ cup chopped onion
Mix together; pour over meatballs. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until cooked through. Yield: about
7 dozen meatballs

MOIST SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE

By Barb Roberts


This was served at coffee hour last week, and was devoured quickly! I heard many requests for the recipe, so here you go...


Moist Sour Cream Coffee Cake


1 ½ CUPS GRANULATED SUGAR
¾ CUP BUTTER OR MARGARINE, SOFTENED
1 TSP VANILLA
2 EGGS
2 CUPS FLOUR
1 TSP BAKING POWDER
½ TSP BAKING SODA
1 CUP SOUR CREAM


1 CUP CHOPPED PECANS
1/3 CUP FIRMLY PACKED BROWN SUGAR
1 ½ TSPS GROUND CINNAMON

MIX PECANS, BROWN SUGAR AND CINNAMON. SET ASIDE.




PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES.

BEAT SUGAR, BUTTER AND VANILLA IN LARGE BOWL WITH ELECTRIC MIXER ON MEDIUM SPEED UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY.

ADD EGGS, ONE AT A TIME, BEATING WELL AFTER EACH ADDITION.

MIX FLOUR, BAKING POWDER AND BAKING SODA. ADD TO SUGAR MIXTURE, ALTERNATELY WITH SOUR CREAM, BEATING UNTIL WELL BLENDED AFTER EACH ADDITION.

SPOON HALF OF THE PECAN MIXTURE INTO GREASED FLUTED TUBE PAN OR 10 INCH TUBE PAN. TOP WITH HALF OF THE CAKE BATTER. REPEAT LAYERS.

BAKE 55 TO 60 MINUTES OR UNTIL TOOTHPICK INSERTED IN CENTER COMES OUT CLEAN.

COOL 10 MINUTES ON WIRE RACK. LOOSEN CAKE FROM SIDE OF PAN WITH SPATULA OR KNIFE. INVERT ONTO WIRE RACK AND GENTLY REMOVE PAN. COOL COMPLETELY…. GLAZE IF DESIRED.

Caramel Popcorn

by Jean Quinn

Another popular one! If I hadn't eaten so many Christmas cookies today, I'd make some myself. Yum!

2 - 7.5 oz. bags hull-less popcorn
2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks of butter or margarine
1/2 cup Karo Syrup
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. baking soda
2 T. creamy peanut butter

Put popcorn in a large pan. In a saucepan, melt butter, add Karo syrup and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes and remove from heat. Add vanilla, soda and peanut butter and mix well. Pour over popcorn and stir well. Bake 1 hour @ 250 degrees F, stirring every 15 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Dip

by Sylvia Musheno

This is the dip that was served last week and was a big hit with young and older alike! Before I left coffee hour, I tracked down Sylvia to demand this recipe for the blog, and was stopped in the hall on the way to my car with a request for it! So here you go--like a big bowl of cookie dough (without the salmonella fear of raw eggs.) Or, like one bite at a time cheesecake--either way, you win!

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup powdered (confectioner's) sugar
2 Tb. brown sugar
3/4 cup chocolate chips (mini are a great size for this)

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Beat in sugars until well blended, then stir in the chips. Serve with fruit, animal crackers, graham crackers, etc. for dipping. Stand back to avoid the stampede.

Cowboy Caviar Bean Dip

by Ronica Skarphol Brownson


My original recipe is from my Aunt Carol, but I made a few changes to suit our preferences, and it's easily adaptable. (It will probably be different the next time I make it, but this is today's version!) This is kind of a family tradition at the holidays, and it is always a big hit. It makes a lot but keeps well in the fridge since it's in a vinegar/sugar dressing. I mix it up in an ice cream bucket. Serve with a slotted spoon.

• 2 cans black eyed peas  (rinse & drain)
• 2 cans pinto beans  (rinse & drain)
• 2 cans black beans   (rinse & drain)
• 2 cans shoe peg corn  (drained)
• 1 small can chopped green chiles (drained)
• 1 can sliced jalapenos, drained and chopped fine
• 1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped fine
• 1 med. diced onion (chop fine)
• 1 c. chopped celery (chop fine)
• 1 c. chopped sweet peppers (I used a mix of red, orange and yellow.)

Bring to boil:

• 3/4 c. cider vinegar
• 1/4 c. oil
• 1/2 c. sugar
• juice of one lime
• 2 T. Penzey's Bold Taco seasoning (or any taco seasoning)
• 1 T. Creole Seasoning (Tony Chachere's, or any other all-purpose season salt--to taste.)
• 1 T. Crystal Sauce (or Tabasco)

Bring to boil----cool and pour over ingredients. I do the dressing first, and by the time the veggies are chopped, it is cool enough to pour over. Allow to marinate several hours in the refrigerator. Serve with a slotted spoon and tortilla chips (scoops are perfect).  Keeps a long time in fridge. This can easily be cut in half, but this size serves a crowd!

Cinnamon Rolls

by Jean Ross
(this is a variation of Caramel Monkey Bread.)

2 loaves frozen bread dough
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 large or 2 small boxes vanilla pudding (not instant)
2 tablespoons milk
Cinnamon to taste

Thaw bread, but not raise (approximately 8 to 9 hours in refrigerator).
Break 1 loaf in chunks in bottom of 13x9 inch cake pan (ungreased).
Melt butter; mix in brown sugar, pudding mix, milk and cinnamon.
Pour over dough. Break second loaf into chunks over top; let rise 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350.  Let cook 10 minutes and flip out onto a tray.