December Recipes

Shrimp Fried Rice ala Golden Dragon

1 small onion
1 cup peas
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 or 4 tablespoons cooking oil
1 egg beaten in a cup (half teaspoon salt added)
1 cup shrimps
1 -2 slices of bacon (diced) or any ham

Prepare the boiled rice according to package directions. Use a large cup (or mug) of long grain rice.

In a wok, or large based pan, heat the oil. Add the onions and diced bacon.
Stir fry over a moderate heat for 2-3 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and add the beaten egg. When it has set, break it up into small pieces and stir.
Turn up the heat and add the shrimps. Fry for 2 minutes.
Add the peas and fry for 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce and mix well.
Add the cooled boiled rice and heat through, stirring constantly.
NOTE: Other vegetables can be added. I frequently used grated carrots, broccoli, diced summer squash.

Marinade for Flank Steak

1/2 cup dry fruity red wine
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Coarsely-ground black pepper, to taste

Fried Apples (Cracker Barrel Clone)

6 Tart Apples, sliced
1 tsp. Lemon juice
1/4 cup Bacon drippings
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/8 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 Dash of Nutmeg.

In a large skillet, melt bacon drippings. Pour apples evenly over skillet bottom. Sprinkle lemon juice over them, then brown sugar, then salt. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes until apples are tender and juicy. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Betty Crocker CAKE COOKIES

1 pkg. any Betty Crocker cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 c. nuts, raisins or chocolate chips (or some of each)

Add nuts, raisins or chocolate chips to cake mix. Beat 2 eggs with 1/3 cup oil and add to dry cake mix. Dough will be thick.
Drop by teaspoon on greased cookie sheet or make freezer cookies and bake later. Bake at 350-400 degrees for 5-6 min

Pumpkin Cookies

1 box spice cake mix
1 15 oz can of real pumpkin
Mix together and drop rounded spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until firm. Frost if you want, cream cheese frosting.

Lemon Cookies

1 box lemon cake mix
1 carton cool whip

In a large bowl, mix the cake mix and cool whip together.
Try to smooth out any dry cake mix crumbles, until well blended.
Form into balls, and roll in powdered sugar.
Cook at 350 degrees (on greased cookie sheet) for 10 min, or until the bottoms are just turning light brown. Take out, remove from pan and let cool before eating.

Fruit-Infused Honey Vinegars
Use as dipping oil for French bread; on salad greens; makes nice gifts in decorated bottle. (Save your attractive wine bottles!)

2 cups white wine vinegar
2/3 cup honey

Combine vinegar and honey in medium saucepan, then stir in one of the
flavor additions below:
Apricot: 2/3 cup apricot jam (Makes 2 1/2 cups)
Pear: 2 (15 ounce) cans pears, drained and diced (Makes 2 cups)
Raspberry: 1 (6 ounce) basket fresh raspberries, mashed (Makes 1 3/4
cups)
Fig: 2 cups quartered, dried Mission figs (Makes 1 cup)

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool.
Pour through a fine mesh sieve or strainer to remove any solids.
Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Chocolate Drop Fudge
1 bag of Chocolate Drops (chocolate cone shaped candies with white filling inside)
1 C peanut butter
1 Tbsp butter
Handful of chocolate chips
Place in microwave safe bowl and heat on high for 2 minutes (microwaves vary). Mix together making sure to stir in any of the white center that may clump a little. Pour into 8x8 pan and let cool at room temperature.

Crockpot Chocolate Peanut Clusters

2 pounds (2 - 16 ounce jars) dry roasted peanuts, salted
48 ounces almond bark white chocolate
4 ounces sweet German chocolate
10 - 12 ounces dark chocolate

Place all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low for 3 hours. Don't touch. Turn pot off and let rest for 20 minutes. Cover a large surface (about 3 square feet) with waxed or parchment paper. Stir mixture completely. Drop by teaspoons full onto wax paper. Let harden and store in airtight containers.

PEANUT BRITTLE

2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
2 cup raw Spanish peanuts
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP butter
1 tsp baking soda
2 Greased cookie sheets

In heavy 3 quart saucepan, over medium heat, combine sugar, corn syrup and water.
Cook until 234 degrees is reached on candy thermometer.
Add peanuts and salt, stirring constantly up to 305 degrees.
Quickly stir in butter and baking soda.
Pour at once onto cookie sheet. Spread with spatula.
Break up when cool.

HOT COCOA MIX

1 pound box Nestle Quik
1 8 quart box of dry milk powder
1 6 oz. jar instant coffee creamer
1 cup powdered sugar

Add 1/3 cup of mix to cup of hot water.

Frosting Fudge

1 12 oz package chips (2 cups)
1 can frosting (NOT WHIPPED!)
Nuts, if desired

Line 8 or 9-inch square pan with foil, extending foil over edges.
Place chips in bowl and microwave on high for 90 seconds. Ovens vary; do not allow to burn. Stir until smooth.
Add frosting to melted chips. Mix well. Microwave 90 seconds. Mix well. Add nuts.
Spread in foil-lined pan. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
Remove fudge from pan by lifting foil. Remove foil; cut into squares.

Make up your own combinations:
Chocolate chips with chocolate frosting
Butterscotch chips with vanilla frosting
Peanut butter chips with chocolate frosting
Chocolate mint chips with chocolate frosting
White chocolate chips with lemon or strawberry frosting
Dark chocolate chips with coconut-pecan frosting

Add any kind of nuts, marshmallows, crushed cookies, pretzels.
Add any kind of flavorings that are complimentary.
So many combinations, so easy, so much fun!