Monthly Archives: December 2015

Dec27

Easy Cheese Ball

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cheeseball1_550A quick post as I’m cheering on the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS!!!!  Made this cheese ball last night and wanted to share.  It’s easy, quick and delicious.  And, it’s made with ingredients that  you typically have on hand.  Hope you enjoy as we do, and I’ll hopefully be making it for a post-season Chiefs game!!!

~Connie Kaye

Cheese Ball

  • Servings: depends
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Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup each mayo, melted margarine, sour cream
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 tbsp minced onion
1 tbsp steak sauce

Chopped pecans

Mix the first 5 ingredients well.  Form into ball and chill.  Roll in chopped pecans before serving.  Best with Ritz crackers.

Dec22

Homemade Noodles

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Homemade Noodles

Just in time for the holidays!  My kids grew up loving homemade chicken and noodles at grandmas.  Well, it’s time for the grown up kids to make them on their own 🙂   So, here’s a pretty close version of what Grandma Pat used to make.  Brandi and Courtney – here ya go.  I’ll give you the noodle run down, and how you get the chicken and broth is debatable. One other thing….my first teaching job led me to southeast Kansas, where I learned that eating chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes is the norm.   May sound crazy, but it’s not too bad.

Broth/chicken options:

  1.  Purchase a whole chicken, and simmer slowly with a bunch of onion, celery, carrots and seasoning.  When chicken is done, remove from broth and let cool until you can debone it, or “pick” the chicken.  When the broth cools, skim the fat and stuff from the top and run through a strainer.  You will have delicious broth with which to cook your noodles.  You can also do this with cut up chicken, chicken breasts, etc.  The key is really seasoning the water as it cooks — you might also add some chicken stock to give the flavor a boost.
  2. Easy option – purchase a rotisserie chicken, and “pick” it as noted above.  To cook the noodles, you can still create some delicious broth using chicken STOCK, not broth.  Those new flavor packets work well too.  I would flavor with onion, etc…and let is simmer, before adding noodles.   Lastly, with either option, you might add a couple drops of yellow food coloring to give it a richer color (learned that one in the restaurant business from my Dad)

So, for the noodles, follow recipe below, and double as needed.  Note that you make and store them, or cook immediately.  Delish!

~Connie Kaye

Homemade Noodles

  • Servings: depends
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Ingredients:
2 Cups flour
3 egg yolks
1 egg
2 tsp salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup water

Make a well in the center of the flour.  Add egg yolks, egg and salt; mix thoroughly.  Mix in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough is stiff but easy to roll.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts.  Roll dough, one part at a time, into paper-thin rectangles on well-floured, cloth-covered board.  (keep remaining dough covered)  Loosely fold rectangle into thirds; cut crosswise with sharp knife into 1/4″ strips for narrow noodles.  Shake out strips and place on towel until stiff and dry, about 2 hours.  You can also cut smaller and throw them in the pot if you’re ready to go.  Note, the flour on the noodles will thicken the broth, so don’t shake it all off if you’re cooking now.

Break dry strips into smaller pieces.  Cook in hot salted broth or water 12 -15 minutes.  Do-ahead tip:  After drying, the noodles can be covered and stored no longer than 1 month.

 

 

Dec21

Pecan Brittle anyone???

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I’m not a fan of peanut butter.  I am sure this sounds un-American but it’s the way it is.  I can go as far as a little mini Butterfinger but that’s where I draw the line.

Today a co-worker brought Pecan Brittle — what a brilliant invention.  I don’t own a candy thermometer, but I’m going to score one and make this for the fam this week.  Here’s a pic:

pecan brittle

I’ve included her exact recipe, so if you follow it to a T, you should be good.  Happy holidays!

~Connie Kaye

Pecan Brittle

  • Servings: depends
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Ingredients:

Ingredients:
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 T real butter
1 c white Karo syrup
1 c white sugar
1 c large pecan pieces
Dash of salt
1 candy thermometer

  1. Cover a large bread board (18/20 or so) with heavy-duty aluminum foil and coat with butter
  2. Mix together the vanilla, baking soda and butter and set close to where you will be cooking
  3. Mix the Karo syrup, white sugar, pecan pieces, and salt in a sturdy pan and cook until the mixture reaches the hard crack stage. A wooden spatula works best.  Mixture will thicken as it cooks.  It will get kind of foamy and turn a golden color when ready.
  4. When syrup mixture is cooked to the hard crack stage, remove immediately from the heat and add the vanilla, baking soda, and butter. Mixture will foam.  Stir well.
  5. Immediately pour onto the buttered bread board and spread out the mixture. Be careful it will be extremely hot.

6    Let mixture cool just enough that you can start pulling the edges out to a very thin layer.  You will want to butter your fingers for this part.  Work your way to the center until all is pulled out.

7.         Let cool completely and break into pieces.  Place in a pan, but don’t cover for several hours

Dec17

Shots anyone???

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Shots anyone???

Nothing like a little “elegant” shot to get the night started as you host or attend holiday parties.   Right?  I was searching for something for a pre-holiday dinner shot (or after…whatever works) and a friend suggested Brass Ball Shots.  Not sure how the name was going to match up with the taste, but I mixed ’em up, and they’re good.  I’ll share below…make sure you get the liquor really cold (just mix and leave in fridge) and if possible, serve in small frosty shot glasses.  Yum!

~Connie Kaye

Brass Ball Shots

  • Servings: depends
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Ingredients:

Equal amounts Grand Marnier orange liquor (or Triple Sec), Peach Schnapps, and Pineapple Juice.

Another good shot recipe, although I don’t know the name, is to use equal parts Malibu Rum, Peach Schnapps, Mango Malibu Rum, and pineapple juice.

Dec15

Crockpot Crack

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Not that we all need more chocolate this time of year, but hey, it’s the holidays, and we all need some good go-to’s for family, friends, work, etc.

So here’s another drug recipe — well, not really.  A co-worker makes this and swears by it.  Super easy and no way you can mess it up.

unnamed
Photo credit keyingredient.com

Happy holidays, and thanks for stopping by!

~Connie Kaye

Crockpot Crack

  • Servings: depends
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Ingredients:

1-16 oz jar unsalted peanuts
1-16 oz. jar salted peanuts
1-12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1-12 oz. bag milk chocolate chips
2-10 oz. bags peanut butter chips
2 – lb. pkg white almond bark or vanilla candy coating

layer all ingredients in a large crockpot, starting with peanuts.  (at this point I hope you are using a crockpot liner).  Turn the pot on low, cover with lid, and leave sitting for 2 hours.  Remove lid and stir to combine.  Replace lid and leave sitting for another 30 minutes.  Stir again then spoon mixture onto wax paper or non-stick aluminum foil.  Allow to harden for at least one hour.

 

 

 

Dec7

Cranberries….pecans…pineapple…yum!!!

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I stole this recipe out of a magazine from Dole, and want to share here as it is fresh, crunchy and absolutely delicious.  I’m not a big fan of stuff suspended in jello, but I can handle this.  It’s frequently requested, so Dole, here ya go.   Hope you enjoy as much as our family does.  Also, the original recipe uses walnuts but the hub isn’t a fan, so I use pecans.  (I’m nice like that)   So, your choice on pecans or walnuts.

cranberry salad

Happy Holidays!  ~Connie Kaye

Festive Cranberry Pineapple Salad

  • Servings: depends
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Ingredients:

1 Can crushed pineapple
2 small pkg raspberry jello
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 chopped apple
2/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Drain pineapple, reserving juice.  Reserve 1 tbsp pineapple, set aside.  Add enough cold water to measure 3 cups, pour into saucepan.  Bring to a boil, remove from heat.  Add boxes of jello and dissolve, stirring for 2 minutes.   Stir in cranberry sauce.  Pour into large bowl and refrigerate for about 1 1/2 hours or until slightly thickened.  Stir in apples and walnuts or pecans.  Place in a pretty bowl and refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.  Garnish with apples, pineapple or nothing…it will be amazing either way!

Dec7

Easy Salad for the Holidays!

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I thought this might be a good time (maybe a little late for Turkey Day) to share a couple of quick, delicious jello salad recipes that are frequently requested.  This first is a Blueberry Jello Salad that my brother considers dessert.  My barrel racing friend, Jeanne, is the one who created it and it’s always requested at the holidays.  I’ll also post a Cranberry Jello Salad which I stole from Dole that is so delish and easy.

Enjoy the holiday season!

~Connie Kaye

Blueberry Jello Salad

  • Servings: depends
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Ingredients:

In an 8×8 or 9×9 pan, mix one box of raspberry jello as directed and let firm up.

In saucepan, dissolve over low heat, and let cool (I use a whisk):
1/2 package unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 oz cream cheese

When fairly cool add to jello, and let it firm up.

Last step – small box raspberry jello and 1/2 can blueberry pie filling.   I recommend only using 1 3/4 cups water with this jello layer to make sure it’s firm enough with pie filling.

Double all for a 9×13 pan.

 

Dec6

Crab….avocado…got your attention yet?

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I had this appetizer as my meal a year or so ago at the Saltgrass Steak House while on a work trip in Westminster, Colorado. No words to describe how great it was.  Not sure why I got inspired this weekend to try it, but so glad I did.  I wanted to post with the holidays approaching, as it’s kind of “fancy” but super easy!!!

It’s this amazing stack of chopped avocado, pico de gallo and crab meat, served with tortilla chips or crackers.  I asked the waiter how they got it in this nice cylinder shape, and he said they used a piece of PVC pipe.  Not having that today, I improvised, chopping in half a cup that we brought home from the local sports bar.  Yep….FANCY —

mold

redneck cup chopped in half sitting on destination fancy white plate

I lightly sprayed the inside of the cup with cooking spray, placed on plate, and then stacked avocado, pico and crab, finishing it with a little chopped parsley.  My concern this entire time is that I might overpower the flavors, so that’s why no additional cilantro.  You truly could taste all flavors.  My wonderful neighbors invited us over for amazing ribs, so this was a great appetizer while the food finished on the smoker, and with a couple of brewskis and football!  (KANSAS CITY CHIEFS WIN BABY!!!)

crab stack

Hopefully you will enjoy as much as we did….it’s  super rich, and also, you can use imitation crabmeat.  I didn’t but it’s probably just as good (and cheaper)!!!

Happy holidays!

~Connie Kaye

Crab Avocado Stack

  • Servings: lots
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Ingredients:

3″ wide cylinder (PVC pipe, plastic cup or other device), as tall as you wish to go with the number of people you are serving

Crabmeat – imitation or real (I throw some crab legs in with seasoning and boil)

Pico de Gallo

Avocados – medium ripe work best so you can actually chop them up

Chop crab and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.  Chop avocados and season with salt and lemon juice to prevent browning.  I do all of it ahead of time and when ready to serve, put together.  Spray inside of object that you’re going to use to construct this beast with cooking spray, then place on plate, and layer away.  You can do it in any order, but I recommend avocados, pico and finish with crab.  Finish with chopped parsley and serve with tortilla chips.