Searching for different Christmas Dinner Recipes

I am on the hunt for some new and different Christmas Dinner recipes. The possibilities are endless. In searching I have found some really great looking recipes I am adding to our meal this year.

This may just be a year round keeper as we love egg salad & avocados. I think I will modify for Christmas dinner in the form of deviled eggs! We get tired of boring deviled eggs, but how great to mince avocado lemon juice & red onions in with your normal egg mixture! Then fill your egg whites. I think it will be really pretty as well!

*** I made this egg salad this evening to see what it was like, I added a couple shakes of cayenne pepper & brown horshradish mustard, decreasing the amount of mayo & not adding milk. It is delish!

 I am going to make this broccoli and add crumbled bacon to it as well. Always love finding new veggie recipes.

Holiday Gift Baking Ideas

An "Impulse buy" turned into a great Holiday baking find! I don't normally buy the magazines at the grocery checkout. But yesterday I was waiting in line and this one caught my eye! So after glancing through it I bought it. You can never have too many recipes!

There is a list of some of their baking products inside the first couple pages. Did you know that Hershey makes 'cinnamon chips'? (like chocolate chips only cinnamon) I had no idea.  I really love their butterscotch chips, the flavor is a bit more 'buttery' than other brands and they are a bit cheaper. (check out the website www.hersheyskitchens.com ) This will be one to bookmark!

more ideas - www.hersheyskitchens.com

What a great little cook book! The best thing is that you can make several of these (some are super easy) and give them as gifts to friends & family! I don't know too many people that don't love getting homemade goodies during the holidays (at anytime for that matter). Like this one below Cookie Pops! You can get your kids involved in this one.

Snowflake Lollipop Cookies

Recipe courtesy www.hersheyskitchens.com

Use your favorite cookie recipe
and then add a stick & decorate!

Here it is. . .Jalapeno Chicken

Since you have had to wait a week for my next post, I decided to bring out my favorite recipe of all times Jalapeno Chicken! This recipe was made for us at a friends house when we lived in Ft. Myers in the early 90's. We fell in love with this dish and have been making it ever since.

Such a versatile and guest friendly recipe. You control the heat for each separate piece of chicken! Have company coming that doesn't like spice? put the topping on their chicken before you add the jalapenos. . .taste is a bit different but still delicious!

Click to enlarge

I season my flour with Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, seasoned salt & black pepper. You can use any seasonings you like.


This is what your chicken will look like when ready
can be a little more brown on top if you can wait that long! LOL



My Favorite Cookie - Oatmeal Scotchies!!

As a kid I always loved anything butterscotch! Didn't matter, I loved it if it had that warm buttery taste! So my favorite cookie was always Oatmeal Scotchies. Comfort food! Mmmmm. :)

Two of my favorite cooking assistants

So, here is the recipe I used, had to modify it in the middle of baking as the first batch came out tasty but flat. So, this is the result. . .the picture shows both the flat ones and the good ones!

Click to Enlarge

Good & Bad

Sheri's Famous Chili

If you have ever been to my house for any length of time or multiple get togethers you have more than likely tasted this Chili. Usually it is in the form of Frito Pie** (which I found in PA they had not heard of "Frito what?"). So it was a lot of fun explaining and watching them come to love one of our families favorite dishes.

When it gets cold out, I start making chili. Usually, I make a large pot and then freeze leftovers in small containers for quick meals in the coming weeks. Lately I've had to do this because I was used to making large quantities to feed family, members of Youth & College Bible Studies at our home and I couldn't seem to make a small pot of chili! I'm getting better at this, well maybe. My son-in-law likes it when I make a lot of chili because he knows he'll get a few bowls for his lunches.

So, here is the recipe:

Click to enlarge recipe

The thickening is the key to this chili. I am not a fan of runny chili, in a large pot I have had to repeat the "thickening" process 2 or 3 times. It is a matter of preference.

Optional Variations: use ground turkey or pork; add beans - Black beans go really well in this chili; I have also made it without the smoked sausage & its good. Serve with Corn Bread or rice or see Frito Pie directions below. . .

Chili with wheat sourdough rolls

**Frito Pie - to make frito pie, make your chili and then as you plate or bowl it up place Frito's Corn Chips on the plate or in bottom of bowl; spoon chili over fritos, top with cheese, lettuce, onions & sour cream. Like you would top your tacos, whatever you like. Then enjoy! 

Sheri's Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Panera Bread has the best soups, my favorite is the Chicken & Wild Rice. Of course we move so much that several times we did not live near a Panera. :(

So, I decided to make my own recipe up. This recipe is super easy & fast, everyone will think you slaved over it! The only difference is I do not add carrots. If I did I would add shredded carrots as I don't like the big chunks of carrots in their soup. But that is a personal preference.

Click recipe to enlarge

 If you are not one that likes to make rice, you must try these rice packets from Uncle Ben's! They are the best and so easy! 90 seconds in the microwave! Really great when you don't have a lot of time. There are quite a few flavors as well. For this recipe I used this one:

Cold Weather Comfort Food. . .Soup & Grilled Cheese

When the temp drops I start thinking about soup! I love how it warms you up. I remember as a child, in Boulder, CO, we would play out in the snow until we were about frozen & then come inside to eat Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese! YUM!

I still love Campbell's tomato soup today, sometimes though I want a little more to it so, I add on to this great soup starter! It is easy and can be very delicious!

Sheri's Tomato Soup & Grilled Ciabatta

1 Large can of Campbell's Tomato Soup
1 c milk
1 can of petite diced tomatoes garlic & onion flavored
Rosemary to taste

Whole Wheat Ciabatta rolls sliced
Sliced jalapeno Jack cheese

Stovetop: In sauce pan mix together soup, 1 cup milk, tomatoes drained; Add rosemary about 1 tsp;
Oven: pre-heat to 375; place ciabatta rolls open face on stone or cookie sheet; place 1 or 2 slices jalapeno jack cheese on each side; place in oven till cheese melts; You can broil for a few seconds to crisp up the top if desired.

I grind some pepper on top of the soup,
you can sprinkle cheese or just get creative!

Other options: Feta cheese, croutons or bacon crumbles on the soup; of course on the bread you can use any type of cheese or bread for that matter. This can be a very versatile meal!