Holiday Party Mix

At Mandy's December Book Club.
Recipe here: http://southern.food.com/recipe/anytime-party-mix-please-everyone-148085

Ingredients:

9 cups toasted corn cereal
4 cups popped popcorn
1 1/2 cups dry roasted peanuts
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cups Nestle Toll House holiday shapes and morsels
1 (7 1/2 ounce) package white chocolate-covered pretzels

Directions:

1 PREHEAT oven to 250°F.
2 Grease large roasting pan.
3 MIX cereal, popped popcorn and peanuts in large bowl. Pour into prepared pan.
4 COMBINE brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, without stirring, 5 minutes.
5 Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract and baking soda. Pour evenly over cereal mixture; stir to coat evenly.
6 BAKE 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
7 Cool completely in pan, stirring frequently to break apart mixture.
8 Stir in Shapes & Morsels and pretzels. Store in airtight container.

Cranberry Margaritas

At December Book Club at Mandy's house.
Recipe here:  http://www.food.com/recipe/cranberry-margarita-2-49227

Ingredients (I multiplied everything by 12 to make a large pitcher):

1 1/4 ounces tequila
1 ounce triple sec
3 1/4 ounces cranberry juice
5 ice cubes
granulated sugar

Directions:
1 Moisten rim of margarita or martini glass with some cranberry juice.
2 Hold glass inverted and dust exterior portion with some granulated sugar so it sticks to the juice on the outside rim.
3 Add ice cubes to a cocktail shaker and top with tequila, triple sec, and cranberry juice.
4 Replace lid and shake vigorously.
5 Pour into prepared glass and serve.
6 Salud!

Holiday Appetizer Wreath

Another recipe from Mandy's December Book Club.
Recipe found here: http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/holiday-appetizer-wreath/4919df64-ea10-4e3c-976a-e626d5d21548


Ingredients:

6 slices bacon

1/2 cup chive-and-onion cream cheese spread (from 8-oz container)

2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

2 cups Green Giant Select® frozen broccoli florets (from 14-oz bag), thawed, finely chopped and patted dry with paper towel

1/3 cup diced red bell pepper

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon sesame seed

Fresh rosemary, if desired

Directions:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Cook bacon as desired until crisp. Drain on paper towel; crumble bacon and set aside.
• Unroll both cans of dough; separate into 16 triangles. On ungreased large cookie sheet, arrange triangles with shortest sides toward center, overlapping in wreath shape and leaving 4-inch round circle open in center (see diagram). Crescent dough points may overlap edge of cookie sheet. Press overlapping dough to flatten.
• Spread cream cheese spread on dough to within 1 inch of points. In small bowl, mix crumbled bacon, broccoli and bell pepper; spoon onto widest part of dough. Pull end points of triangles over broccoli mixture and tuck under dough to form ring (filling will be visible). Carefully brush dough with beaten egg; sprinkle with sesame seed.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. With broad spatula, carefully loosen wreath from cookie sheet; slide onto serving platter. Garnish with fresh rosemary. Serve warm. Store in refrigerator.

Note -- I made ahead of time, placed on parchment paper on serving platter.  Once I was ready to bake it, I slid wreath on parchment paper onto a pizza stone.  After it was baked, I easily transferred it back to the platter using a spatula off the parchment paper.

Pumpkin Pie Seeds

Ingredients:
1 cup pumpkin seeds, rinsed and dried
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions:
Spread the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a large baking sheet and roast them in a 250 degree oven for 45 minutes or until the seeds are completely dry and lightly browned (large seeds may take longer).
 

In a large bowl, stir together the pumpkin pie spice, the salt and 2 teaspoons of the sugar and set aside.  

Heat the oil in a large non-stisk skillet over medium-high heat,.
  

Add the seeds and the rest of the sugar to the skillet, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the sugar melts, about 45 seconds.
  

Scrape the seeds into the pumpkin pie spice mixture and stir to coat.
  

Allow the seeds to cool before eating and store in an airtight container.

Morton Family Strata (featured in the film The Family Stone)

At last weekend's Book Club, I was sharing a tale about my addiction to DVD commentaries and other special features. Then, just last night, I discovered that the "Special Features" section of one of my favorite movies (The Family Stone) was a recipe for Morton Family Strata, which Sarah Jessica Parker's character attempts to make in the film. I've never made it, but it sure sounds yummy!

Ingredients:
8 slices white bread
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced
14 ounces tomatoes, sliced
13 ounces sliced mushrooms, drained (or sauteed fresh)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced into rings
5 eggs
3 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 pinch garlic salt
parmesan cheese
black olives, sliced

Directions:

1. Using a cookie cutter, donut cutter or lid from a jar, cut bread into shapes or circles. Set aside.
2. Place bread scraps in bottom of buttered 13" by 9" baking dish. Layer half of the cheese over bread.
3. Arrange half of the tomatoes and all of the onion rings and mushrooms over the cheese. Cover with the rest of the cheese.
4. Arrange the bread shapes on the cheese. Put slices of the tomato in the center of each bread shape.
5. Combine slightly beaten eggs, milk, salt, oregano and garlic salt. Pour over the bread.
6. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and dot with olives. Cover. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
7. Bake 1-1/2 hours in a 325 degree F oven, or until knife comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes or until firm.
   

To read/print this recipe, click here.