Merry Christmas

From My Home to Yours, Wishing You All 

A Merry Christmas and a Wonderful Holiday!

xoxo 
Gina 

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Recipes: Cheers to Plum Pudding

• Cook Time:37 minutes

 

Tagged:

Cheers to Plum Pudding! This is a take on a timeless classic that our fore-families enjoyed during the Yuletide season. Plum Pudding has received a bad rap the past couple of generations because of its sometimes-unappealing look and almost bland, but sweet, flavor. Because our ancestors lacked the array of flavors so widely available today, they were content with any sweet that could be prepared at home. So, using a little Yankee ingenuity, this age-old dessert has no lack of flavor and can now be enjoyed yet again, gracing our holiday tables with a twist.

 

Foodie Byte

If this is a bit too many eggs for you, simply substitute 1 1/4 cups egg substitute.

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray
2 cups evaporated skim(fat-free) milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup pitted dried plums(prunes)
1(10-ounce) jar cherries without stems, in syrup
1/2 cup dark or flavored rum, or 2 teaspoons rum, almond or vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
5 eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 cups flour
Whipped topping or ice cream if desired

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Spray a 9-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
In a blender or food processor, pulse milk, sugar, dried plums, cherries(with the syrup), rum, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg until well blended and the plums have been reduced to very small bits.
Transfer to a bowl, and stir in the beaten eggs and melted butter.
Vigorously blend in the flour until well incorporated and almost lump free.
Pour in prepared pan and bake 35-37 minutes, or until the the middle is set and the edges spring back when touched.
Remove from oven to cool slightly before serving with whipped topping. This is great completely cooled as well.

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Recipes: Christmas Oyster Stew

• Prep Time:30 minutes
• Cook Time:45 minutes
• Serves:6

 

Tagged:
bacon, black pepper, celery, chestnuts in shells, dried chives, dried thyme, light cream, onion, raw oysters, salt, shrimp, sweet potato, vegetable broth, white potato,

Oysters have been part of our Holiday custom for centuries. Oysters were plentiful on our shores and have been used in stuffing since the Puritan era. Did you know that oyster dressing was originally stuffed between the skin and meat of the turkey? For the first hundred or so years of New England colonization, it was a rampant debate of which is better tasting, loosening the skin around a fowl to stuff or simply pack it into the cavity of a dressed bird.

Regardless, oyster stew is a New England classic. In this recipe, our chef has taken this perpetual meal-in-itself and added even more Yankee ingredients and to give you a satisfying recipe that ties the past to the present.

 

Foodie Byte

Ingredients

1 pound large chestnuts in shells (you can also buy jarred chestnuts that are pre-peeled and cooked)
1 slice bacon, diced
1/2 small onion, peeled and minced
1 celery rib, thinly sliced
1 cup diced, white potato
1 cup diced, sweet potato
1 tablespoon dried chives
3 cups vegetable broth
1 pint(about 16 ounces) raw oysters, drained
3 ounces small shrimp, drained
1 cup light cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Preparation

Place chestnuts in a large bowl and cover with boiling water for 30 minutes.
Remove from water and carefully slit the bottom of each with an 'x' on the rounded bottom of each chestnut. Place on a large, microwave safe dish and cover with a wet paper towel.
Heat, on high, for 2 minutes.
Remove to let cool to room temperature before peeling and chopping.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, add the bacon and cook over medium heat until almost crispy.
Add the chopped chestnuts, onion and celery and continue cooking with the bacon until celery is crisp tender, about another 3-4 minutes.
Add the potatoes, chives and vegetable broth.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender without falling apart, about 6-7 minutes.
Add the oysters and shrimp, cooking another 4-5 minutes or until the edges of the oysters start to curl.
Add the cream, salt, pepper and thyme.
Stir and serve immediately.

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Recipes: Pumpkin Pancakes

• Prep Time:10 minutes
• Cook Time:5 minutes
• Serves:4

 

Tagged:
allspice, almond milk, bob's red mill gluten free oats, cinnamon, energ powdered egg replacer, gluten free baking powder, gluten free bisquick, honey, lemon juice, maple syrup, pumpkin,

Pumpkin Pancakes finish out the holiday season in style!

 

Foodie Byte

Gluten free pancakes do not bubble like regular pancakes, so you will have to check them.

Ingredients

1/2 box gluten-free Bisquick
2 tablespoons EnerG Powdered Egg Replacer
1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oats (optional)
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large squirt of honey
2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 can pumpkin
1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 1/4 cups almond milk (OR) milk of your choice (soy, rice, etc)

Preparation

Preheat griddle to 300°F.
In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients up to the honey. Combine well.
Add baking powder and lemon juice, letting it "bubble."
Add remaining ingredients and stir well.
If the batter is too thick, add your choice of milk to get the desired consistency (thicker will be fatter
pancakes, more watery will be a thinner pancake).
Pour spoonfuls onto the griddle, checking with a plastic, flexible spatula for brownness on the underside. Once it's brown, flip it.
Serve with syrup, sliced fruit or just eat them plain.
Can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen. Reheat in a toaster oven (microwaving makes them rubbery).

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Recipes: Very Berry Tofu Smoothie

• Serves:3

 

Tagged:
berry, blueberry, raspberry, smoothie, strawberry, tofu,

Are you merry when you eat a berry? If so, then whip up the Very Berry Tofu Smoothie, where you can experience all of their luscious flavors in one sip.

 

Foodie Byte

Ingredients

1/2 package House Foods Premium or Organic Tofu Soft
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup raspberries
3 Tbs. honey
1/2 cup ice

Preparation

Combine all ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth.
Serve and enjoy!

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Recipes: Holiday Cranberry Salad

• Prep Time:15 minutes
• Serves:12

 

Tagged:
apples, autumn, christmas, cranberry, entertaining, fall, holiday, oranges, salad, thanksgiving,

Sweet fresh orange and apple chunks accent the tart flavor of the cranberries to create this classic holiday side dish.

 

 

Foodie Byte

Using fresh oranges, apples, and cranberries gives this salad a robust flavor that’s hard to resist.

Ingredients

1 cup Fuji apple, fresh, with peel, 1/2-inch diced
3 cups whole cranberries, fresh
3/4 cup orange, fresh, with rind, 3/4-inch diced
1/2 cup celery, fresh, finely chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup whole berry jellied cranberry sauce
1/2 cup pecan pieces

Preparation

Process orange in a food processor for 30 seconds.
Combine all other ingredients (except pecan pieces) with orange in Cuisinart and pulse 8 to 10 times or until ingredients are coarsely chopped.
Stir pecan pieces into mixture.
Cover and chill.

Nutritional Information

Calories 122, Carbohydrates 24g, Fat 3g, Fat Calories 30, Fiber 3g, Protein 0.66g, Saturated Fat 0.29g, Sodium 8mg. Daily Values: Calcium 11.37mg 1%, Phos 19.03mg 2%, Copper 0.08mg 4%, Zinc 0.25mg 2%, Panto 0.15mg 2%, Biotin 0.3mcg 100%, Magnesium 8.85mg 2%, Iron 0.22mg 1%, Vitamin B6 2%, Vitamin C 17%, Vit E-a-Toco 1%, Vitamin A 1%. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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Recipes: Wild Rice with Cranberries & Slivered Almonds

• Prep Time:10 minutes
• Cook Time:65 minutes
• Serves:8

 

Tagged:
cranberries, slivered almonds, wild rice,

Wild Rice with Cranberries & Almonds makes a great holiday side dish.

AHC Tips:

MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: Confirm all otheringredients are made gluten-free, including the chicken broth, and this recipe can be made gluten-free.

Diabetes Friendly:

Wild rice takes longer to cook than other rice but it has a lower glycemic index of 45 compared to white rice with a glycemic index of 70. This rice is a great holiday side dish too and is crowd-appropriate.

 

Foodie Byte

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red or white onion, diced
3 1/2 cups water
1 cup fat-free, reduced sodium chicken broth -or-beef broth
2 (4-ounce) boxes wild rice
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted or plain
1/3 cup dried cranberries or 1/2 cup of fresh cranberries

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the water and chicken broth to the pan and bring to a boil.
Add the rice; cover and cook according to package directions; usually about 50-60 minutes.
Remove the lid and add in the toasted almonds and cranberries; use a fork to mix together.

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