The Best of 2009

#3 Danish Ris Ala Mande (Rice Pudding)

I have had this rice pudding every Christmas since I can remember. My dad served a Latter Day Saint mission to Denmark 40 years ago. (Oh daddy-o......that make you sound really old!) For almost 3 years he lived among the Danish people and I think he loved every minute of it. (Ok my dad just read this post and has corrected me. He was in Denmark for 30 months and he has nightmares to this day that he is being sent back. So maybe he didn't love every minute.) Since that day, Danish traditions and food have been a part of our lives. I have to admit this dessert is my favorite.

I had to add these. The three photos are of my dad on his mission in Denmark. I have tons of them and my kids and I love looking at them. They're a treasure to have. I love technology!

When I was in 9th grade I had a group project in World Geography where we had to do a report on a country. We picked Denmark (Of course. My dad had all sorts of pictures of Denmark, and I quickly became an expert on anything Danish.) We also made this rice pudding as our food from the country. There is something with 14 year old children and the texture of rice pudding. Anyway, nobody ate much and I remember sitting in the locker hall after school with spoons in hand with one friend Jenny B. and we ate the entire bowl.

The tradition that goes along with this dessert is also very fun. In Denmark they serve this dessert at Christmas time. A whole almond is put in the pudding and the person who get's the almond in their pudding has lots of good luck for the coming year. My mom always bought a huge Hersey's bar and the person who got the almond in their pudding won the candy bar. We have eaten this rice pudding on Christmas Eve with a big roast beast dinner, but it is just as lovely for Christmas morning breakfast. The rice pudding is served cold with homemade raspberry jam or cherry pie filling on top. It's wonderful!

My mom used to make the first part of the rice pudding without the whipped cream a lot during the winter on week nights. The recipe is just the basis for a baked custard type warm rice pudding. It is really good with raisins stirred in and then sprinkled with cinnamon before baking. If you don't stir the rice mixture while it is baking a custard forms on the top and a warm rice pudding is in the middle. We would eat it hot with cold milk poured over the top.

Danish Ris Ala Mande

1 c. uncooked rice cooked according to directions

4-5 c. milk

1 c. sugar

4 eggs

Place all the ingredients in a large pot and whisk until combined. Bake in a 375' F. oven for about 1 hour. I stir the rice pudding with a whisk every 20 mins. or so, so the custard gets mixed in with the rice. Take out of the oven when the rice has absorbed most of the milk. Cool completely. Whip 2-3 cups of cream and sweeten to taste. You can add vanilla extract or a little almond extract. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled rice mixture. Serve cold with a small dollop of raspberry jam or cherry pie filling. Don't forget to add the whole almond for luck.

#2 Carrot Pudding

Finished Christmas Carrot Pudding. I loved every bite of it.

All the ingredients in my giant Tupperware. Just mix and bake.

Now don't stick your nose up at this too fast. It is a wonderful dessert, it just has an old fashioned reputation. This recipe came from my grandma Barker. I don't actually remember ever eating it at her house. My mom would make it every Christmas and my Grandma and Grandpa Barker would come over to eat it with us. As a kid I actually thought this dessert was sick. I never tasted it, but come on, Carrot Pudding just doesn't sound good at all. Boy was I wrong.

This year my oldest child has found that Carrot Pudding is delicious. Maybe you just have to grow up a bit to get the nerve to try it. Once you do though you'll be hooked. Hey if you like bread pudding you would love this. I've seen many Carrot Pudding recipes, and they all are made with flour. This recipe is made with bread crumbs instead. And of course I only use Great Harvest Honey Whole Wheat bread crumbs. I'm sure that's why it tastes so good:)

Serve this dessert with a hot lemon sauce and whipped cream. This year year I was out of raisins and I found a great substitute. Dried blueberries. I loved it and so did James and my dad. I think I will make it with blueberries every year. Now if anyone out there in blogging world actually tries this recipe please let me know. I want to see if I can make some converts here. Heck I'll actually give you the loaf of Great Harvest Honey Whole Wheat to make this delicacy. Now that's a deal don't you think? And especially all you Barker relatives. Come on this is Grandma's recipe.......it's got to be good. Love you all!

ps- my handwritten recipe for granny's pudding is on back of the recipe card for Frog Eye salad. Funny thing. At least that recipe card gets used for this recipe!

Grandma Barker's Christmas Carrot Pudding

1 c. grated red potato

1/2 t. baking soda in the potatoes

1 c. grated carrots

1 c. sugar

2 T. molasses

1/2 c. shortening

1 egg

1 t. baking powder

2 c. Great Harvest Honey Whole Wheat bread crumbs :)

1 t. lemon extract

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. nutmeg

1/2 c. raisins or dried blueberries

1/2 c. chopped pecans

I place all the ingredients in a giant Tupperware bowl and use a hand mixer to combine all the ingredients. Place in a greased casserole dish. Mine is an oval 3 qt. casserole dish with a glass lid. It works perfect. I bake in a 350' F. oven for about 1 hour. You can always put the pudding into a metal coffee can and put tinfoil over the top and then steam it for 3 hours, but I've found baking for 1 hour does the same thing. Hey and by the way, where did the coffee can come from?

Serve warm with lemon sauce, and fresh whipped cream. The carrot pudding reheats perfect. When you need a bowl just pop it in the microwave and 45 secs. later you'll have a steaming bowl of Christmas goodness.

Lemon Sauce

1 c. sugar

2 c. water

1/4 c. butter

1 T. corn starch

1/4 c. or more lemon juice

dash of nutmeg

Bring to a boil and let it boil a minute or two. It will thicken up slightly. I like it cooled, but it's good warm on top too.

Three Holiday Desserts #1 Gingersnap Fruit Pizza

A little bit of summer in a slice.

I think the pomegranates look like rubies.

I'm on a Sweets overload about now. I'm going on an extreme diet Sat. or at least I have good intentions. I have three desserts though that I am excited to share. These are treats only made for Christmas therefore making them all the more special.

I thought everyone has had fruit pizza in there life, but we had a neighborhood Christmas gathering the other night and one of my neighbors had never had this delicacy before. (Now those of you who know where I live, please notice I use the word neighbor loosely. I realize I don't have neighbors in the way most people do, but I do have people that live relatively close. They can at least hear me when I am screaming at my children or worse a husband. Any house in my line of sight is considered a neighbor. There's only a few of us up this little canyon.) The neighbor who had never tasted fruit pizza is from North Carolina. Maybe that has something to do with her never tasting the delights of fruit pizza, or maybe she's just never lived. Well now she has.

This was a holiday inspired/Hollie inspired Gingersnap Fruit Pizza. My sister Hollie came up with the idea last Christmas. It's wonderful. The Gingersnap crust is delicious as a cookie, but add fresh fruit to that, and you're remembering warmer days in the sun. You forget that it's -2' F. outside, and that your boogers freeze the minute you step outside to jog. You're in a state of bliss for a few minutes. You could always make this at your next neighbor gathering, or maybe you're gathering for New Year's. I've actually heard you can consider Fruit Pizza a health food. There's so much fruit involved we won't worry about the frosting or cookie crust. You know it's kind of like my favorite vegetable of all......Carrot Cake!

Gingersnap Fruit Pizza

Gingersnap cookie:

3/4 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1/4 c. molasses

2 3/4 c. flour

2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. ginger

Combine the butter, sugar, egg and molasses together until creamy. Add the dry ingredients. Mix completely. Pat the cookie dough into a large silver cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 'F oven for 10-15 mins. Until the crust is puffed in the middle. Don't over bake. That's bad. Once the crust is cool top with frosting.

Frosting:

1 8 oz. package of cream cheese

1 c. powdered sugar

Beat until combined. Fold in 1 8 oz. container of Cool Whip. Mix until combined. Spread on top of cooled crust and top with your favorite fresh fruit.

Kiwi

Strawberries

Raspberries

Blackberries

Mandarin Oranges

Fresh Pineapple

Pomegranate Seeds

Grape

Sliced Bananas

Whatever tickles your fancy.

Merry Christmas

All is calm, all is bright.

Creme Brulee French Toast (My Uncle Brad needed this recipe. It was lovely this morning.)

1/2 c. butter

1 c. brown sugar

2 T. light corn syrup

Bring these three ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan. Spoon the syrup into a 11x 15 inch casserole dish. A 9x13 inch pan would work too.

1 loaf french bread (maybe part of a second loaf)

5 eggs

1 1/2 c. half and half

1/4 t. salt

1 t. vanilla

Slice the loaf of french bread into 1 inch slices. In the casserole dish with the brown sugar syrup place the slices of bread covering the whole pan. I had to use a few slices of a second loaf to cover the whole pan. Mix the remaining ingredients together and pour over the bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next morning preheat the oven to 350'F. Place the casserole dish in the oven and bake for 30 mins. Take the foil off and test to see if the bread is done. It shouldn't feel soggy, but a little firm. Serve immediately by cutting into slices and inverting on a plate. Serve with Buttermilk Syrup and whipped cream.

I love Christmas! It is finally here and all the days and weeks of hustling and bustling have finally brought about the most perfect day of the year. Our bakery has given a huge sigh of relief. I swear you can actually hear it. I love that bakery. For the last two weeks the ovens, lights, mixers, mill, and employees have been going 24 hours a day. Last night at 5pm James put her to bed. She'll get a well deserved nap. We aren't opening our doors again until Monday morning. We are all content.

Christmas morning was perfect. Santa found us, we have enjoyed playing with our toys, being together, reading books, and taking long winters naps. Seth has loved being able to wear jammies all day. We stayed home today. I love just staying home sometimes. Home is my favorite place on earth. It's beautiful, it a happy place, full of happy sounds of kidlets playing, covered in wrapping paper and packaging, and James has built a warm fire in the fireplace. I'm never leaving. I think I have enough food to last for the long haul. James replenished my year supply of chocolate chips last night. Both semi sweet and milk. I should be set for a while.

My oldest believes that Christmas breakfast this morning was Manna from heaven. He's had it for all 3 today. That is, all three meals. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He's content. There's enough Creme Brulee French Toast to make him happy for at least one more meal. Maybe we'll just stay home tomorrow too. Merry Christmas to all those I love. I feel blessed to have you in my life. I am blessed to know the real meaning of Christmas too. I am grateful for my savior, and the blessings I recieve from following his example and teachings. Happy Christmas!

What Do You Call These Cookies?

Well when our family was in New York a few years ago visiting the Food Network Studio and Kitchens, Emeril called them Russian Tea Cakes. I've heard them called Mexican Wedding Cookies, Snowballs, Pecan Sandies........same cookie, just different names. I don't really care what they're called. I just wanted to eat one the other day. I have only made these a few times. You have to be in the mood for them, and even then, you need to have a place to take them because they aren't the kind of cookie you could eat the whole batch like say a Gingersnap. I was craving them the other day though. The reason for the crave was the famous Christmas Recital was that day.

Each year for Christmas my boys have a recital to showcase their amazing talents:) Each family is asked to bring a plate of cookies to share after the recital. Last year as I was eyeing the cookie table I spied these little Mexican Wedding cookies. I usually only have them at Christmas time, and I was excited. I walked over to the table and gently grabbed a cookie. My friend must have seen the whole scenario because right as I was opening my mouth to take a powdered sugar bite she said, "That's not what you think it is!" She knows me well.

Pew! Yuck! Sick! It was actually a day old powdered sugar doughnut hole sneakily masquerading as a Mexican Wedding cookie. The bite went into the garbage as well as the rest of the doughnut hole. I could have said a swear word, but I didn't since we were in the church, but I lost my appetite. I didn't eat anything else. I was dis-a-point-ed! So this year I made sure there were Mexican Wedding cookies at the recital. I made them, and I ate one or two. That's all I needed to satisfy my hankering.

Russian Tea Cakes according to Emeril

Recipe from Food Network

• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar, plus more for rolling cookies
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Cream butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the vanilla then gradually add the 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Sift the flour, measure, then sift again with the salt. Add gradually to the butter mixture. Add the pecans and mix well.

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten slightly using the bottom of a glass, then bake for 20 minutes, or until edges are very lightly browned. Remove the cookies from the baking sheets and roll in powdered sugar while still hot. Cool on wire racks and roll cookies again in powdered sugar before serving.

Once they are completely cooled, cookies may be stored in airtight containers for up to 1 week.

Who Invented Frog Eye Salad?

Pretty layers!

Last week my mother called with my assignment for the annual Garner Family Christmas party being held Sunday night at her home. I love getting assignments! Is it going to be a lovely salad or a fantastic holiday dessert, or maybe a drop dead appetizer? But alas, I was assigned to bring the Frog Eye Salad. I ABSOLUTELY HATE FROG EYE SALAD! Really, who invented the crap. It's not a texture thing because I love rice pudding, and tapioca pudding. I don't know. I've just hated the stuff my entire short legged life. It's sick! As my mom was asking me to make this all I could think of is, "Well it will at least make a good blog post if nothing else."

So I committed to make it. I didn't tell my mom I hated the stuff, but a few days later my daddy-o called just to tell me that I'm his favorite daughter, and he loved me stinking guts (Hollie's in Africa for a few days so she'll never know I just said that about the favorite daughter thing. It's true though.) and I confessed my hatred of Frog Eye salad to him. He laughed and told me to make what I liked and then he became a traitor. He told my mom. She called saying I could make any kind of fruit/jello-y salad. Truth be told I just don't do well at those kind of salads. I just don't make them, or maybe they're just not my fave at a buffet table full of all sorts of other goodies. First off they usually get mixed with your funeral potatoes, and that's gross, and second if you're going to eat something sweet why bother with jello, when you can have a coconut tart, or chocolate love sheet cake, or super delicious egg nog! Anyway I made the salad.

I had to prove I made the stuff.

James said he took a spoonful, just so he could remember why he hated the Frog Eye too. It's not just me. I didn't take any, but some folks did. Thanks for taking the Frog Eye family. You took one for the team. I did make another jello salad too. I'll give you that recipe, because it's actually a good salad. It really should be called a dessert, but if you call it a salad you can eat something else for dessert! The good jello salad is just called Pretzel Salad, but that title doesn't give you the full effect. It should be called Raspberry Jello Goodness On Top Of A No Bake Cheesecake Filling On Top Of A Pretzel Cookie Crust. It's good, and quite pretty to boot. Next time your asked to bring Jello, bring the Pretzel Salad. People will actually eat it because it's good, not because they pity you.

Pretzel Salad

2 c. pulverized pretzels

1/4 c. sugar

1 cube butter melted

Combine these together and press into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Bake in a 350'F oven for about 10 mins. Cool completely.

1 8oz. package cream cheese

1 c. sugar

1 8oz. container of Cool Whip

Combined the cream cheese with the sugar and whip until smooth. Fold in the Cool Whip. Top the pretzel crust with the cream cheese mixture.

1 large box of Raspberry Jello

2 c. boiling water

2-3 16 oz. bags of frozen Raspberries

Combine the Jello and water and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Pour in the frozen raspberries. I have tons of raspberries from my garden so I used about 1/2 gallon of berries. You can use blackberries, or strawberries too. My favorite is at Thanksgiving I grind up a 16 oz. bag of fresh cranberries and use them instead of raspberries. Use whatever you like. I let the jello thicken up a bit with the frozen berries. Make sure that your cream cheese layer is completely sealing up the edges of you pan. You don't want your jello soaking down into the pretzel. Pour the jello and berries on top and refrigerate for a few hours to set. It's delicious. I ate the last bit for breakfast today:)

Seriously! Oreo Truffles

Yumminess in a little coat of chocolate. That's what these babies are. I love them and since there isn't even a crumb from one of these truffles left, you could say my family loves them too. I made them Sat. in between weddings, basketball games, receptions, and pizza making. 50 pizza's to be exact. Actually I didn't make a pizza, I just told people what to do. I'm good at that. I threatened my boys lives if they touched my truffles while I was away. They were angels. All truffles were accounted for that night when I came home from the pizza making reception. I don't know what I wanted to do with the truffles. Put them on a serving tray and serve them to people who came for tithing settlement maybe, but they never made it to tithing settlement.

Sunday morning on the way to church I look over and noticed Seth had a huge chocolate ring around his mouth. He'd snitched an Oreo truffle. Or at least that's what I thought. All the other kids wanted one now. Sorry you'll have to wait until we get home I said. They were sad, but alas, Seth saved the day. He quickly retrieved 4 Oreo Truffles from his pocket. Boy I was glad he pulled them out when he did. Can you imagine if they'd have melted in his pocket. By the time James got home from church there were only a couple of truffles left. The four lovely children had eaten them all. Nothing left for the tithing payers at church. Those folks would have to settle for super mini Snicker's, but at least they didn't know they almost had Oreo Truffles.

The recipe came from a Kraft Food and Family magazine a few years ago. You can do many different variations on these treats. This time I used the Mint Creme Oreo's and milk chocolate to dip them in. You could use white chocolate or dark, and any kind of Oreo. You decide. They are best kept refrigerated, but make sure you have someone to share with or you'll eat them all yourself.

Oreo Truffles

1 pkg. Oreo's

1 8 oz. package cream cheese

Place all the cookies into a food processor and buzz until you have fine crumbs. Add the cream cheese and buzz until the mixture comes together as if it were a dough. Roll the mixture into walnut sized balls and refrigerate until hardened a bit.

2 pkg. chocolate chips melted

Place the chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 1 minute. Stir. Repeat until chocolate is melted completely. Don't over heat though. Dip Oreo balls into the chocolate and place on waxed paper until hardened. Enjoy!

Licorice Caramels

We're in full Christmas mode here at the Clawson's. The bakery is going crazy, the snow has fallen, and it's time to create a little Christmas at home. First order of business is Licorice Caramels. This is one of those traditions that came from my mom. We spent family night last night wrapping all the tasty little nuggets of black caramel to give to our favorite people. Actually they may never make it to friends and neighbors. We might just eat them all.

Last Sat. we had a full day of activities, but there was one quiet touching moment that I wanted to share. My daughter had a violin recital at a local nursing home. I don't really love going to nursing homes. When I was little my grandma great (that's what we always called her) lived in a nursing home. I remember walking down the halls every week with my mom as she went to put my grandma great's hair up in pin curls. The old people would just stare at you blankly and it was a little scary for me. Ever since I just don't feel real comfortable at nursing homes. The recital was beautiful though. Some older folks listened quietly with soft smiles, and others I'm not sure knew what was going on, but the kids did fabulous and shared their talents with others.

There was one little man in a wheel chair who's wife came to visit him during the recital. She walked up to him and gave him a gentle kiss on the head, and leaned down to whisper something in his ear. Then she grabbed his hand softly and placed a handful of homemade caramels wrapped in waxed paper. I'm sure they were his favorite Christmas treat. We watched as he tried to open the little wrapped gifts. He had a hard time, but I'm sure he loved each and every caramel. I thought it was such a sweet moment between this older couple. She was still doting on her husband with his favorite things. I grabbed James' arm and told him that when he is in a home I'd bring him licorice caramels every Christmas and sit with him as he ate each one. We laughed at the thought of what too many licorice caramels would do to an old mans system. It's kind of like eating too many beets. You sometimes think your bleeding to death. Well too many licorice caramels will do the same thing. Only a lovely blue tint. Gross, but true.

Now I am not a black licorice fan. In fact I hate black licorice, but I love these caramels. I don't know why that is, but it's true. This is an easy recipe, and you can adjust it to make other kinds of caramels too. You can leave out the black food coloring, and anise flavoring and just have naked caramels, or you can add some chocolate chips at the end and make chocolate caramels. Anyway you do it, it will taste lovely.

Licorice Caramels

1 c. butter (Yep 2 whole sticks)

1 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 c. light corn syrup

1/4 t. salt

2 c. sugar

3/4 t. black food coloring

3/4 t. anise oil or anise flavoring

Slowly melt butter in heavy, large pan. Use fork to swirl butter up sides of the pant to prevent sugar crystals. When melted, add the rest of the ingredients, except food coloring and flavoring. Turn heat to medium high, cook and stir constantly with a flat bottom wooden spoon. (Don't cook on high and stir constantly. It burns quickly and easily. I usually scorch the bottom of the pan and there will be dark brown chunks floating everywhere. As long as they're not black chunks, you should be ok.) Cook to softball stage. For me that is 232' F. I live at 4800 ft. above sea level. Check your thermometer and altitude and adjust accordingly. Remove from heat and add the black coloring, and anise flavoring. Mix until combined thoroughly. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Let set overnight in a cool place. Cut into squared and wrap in waxed paper. For chocolate caramels add about 1/4 c. semi sweet chocolate chips after you've removed the caramel from the heat. Good Luck!

Yams, A Very Misunderstood Vegetable

I love yams. They are delicious, nutritious, and dang tasty. I've learned though that most people are on one of two teams. You either like yams, or you don't. There is no in between. I remember telling someone once that they'd really like yams if they put a ton of butter and cinnamon sugar on them. Their response was that they'd tried it and it still tasted like shi...with a "T" on the end. (This is my 6 year old's favorite way of describing things. I'm afraid I thought it was so funny when I heard him say it, that I couldn't even get mad. Anyways I have no idea where he heard that word anyways!)

When all of my kids were little they loved to eat yams. I'd bake tons of them and then just mash them up with the good stuff (butter and sugar) and feed all of my juicy, fat, happy babies tons of yummy yams. Sometimes their skin would even get a lovely orange hue from eating so many. Well one evening I was changing a yam diaper (you get the picture. It didn't look a whole lot different coming out as it did going in.) when I noticed the corner of a dollar bill in the diaper. My children were something of vacuum cleaners at my house at a certain age. There was always something un-edible in their diapers. Crayon pieces, torn paper....... I'm not the best mother I guess. This night is was a torn dollar bill piece. I got the giggles since it seemed a whole lot like the Walgreen's commercials that had been playing over the holidays. Everywhere Walgreen's customers turned dollar bills where popping up, and they were popping up in diapers for me. It was quite humorous until I noticed there were two zero's on that bill. It wasn't a $1 bill it was a $100 dollar bill. Where the heck had my baby come up with that. Needless to say we searched through the entire diaper. I am not below digging through yam shi...with a "T" on the end for $100. You would have done it too! We found about 75% of that $100 bill. We washed the orange corner thoroughly and took the taped pieces to the bank. We exchanged the soiled 75% of a bill for a nice fresh clean one and the bank didn't even ask why the bill was a little orange. The end of the story comes to my oldest child. He had taken the $100 bill from J's planner and then felt guilty for taking it. Instead of just putting it back he tore it into pieces and threw them in every corner of the house. Luckily our human vacuum cleaner had picked up a key part of the bill. All was well. We had a great opportunity to teach a lesson on honesty, and Jed is still alive to tell the story. Barely.

I'm here to tell you though that I have actually convinced a few people of the yummy-ness of yams with this next recipe. It comes from a real Kentucky cook I believe. My sister Hollie introduced our family to "Sweet Potato Pie" as it is called in the south a few Thanksgivings ago. I believe she got it from one of their dental school friends in Kentucky. Anyways who cares where it came from, let's just be thankful we have it now. I actually cook it year round, it is that good. And best of all, everyone in the fam loves it. I don't have one picky yam eater thank heavens.

Sweet Potato Pie

3-4 c. mashed yams or sweet potatoes

1/2 c. sugar

1/3 c. melted butter

1 t. vanilla

1/4 c. milk

2 eggs

I usually bake about 3-4 yams for about 1 hour in a 350'F oven until they are soft and starting to ooze a brown syruppy stuff. Let the yams cool a bit and peel. I the just add the whole yam to the bowl. Whip the yams together with all the ingredients and pour into a casserole dish. I use a deeeeeep dish pie pan. It's the perfect size. Top with the topping:

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. flour

1/4 c. melted butter

1/2 c. chopped pecans

Sprinkle on top. Bake at 350' F for 25-30 mins. or until the center of the casserole has puffed slightly. I usually bake it a little longer than the recipe states. Serve.

Balls! Cheeseball's That Is

I am so sorry. I just couldn't help myself on that title. I just had to do it and I know you all got a little chuckle, no matter how dainty and refined you may act. Deep down inside we all like a little sassy talk. I think it's healthy. Maybe I'm just justifying my vulgar side, but if I died tomorrow you would miss that about me. I'm sure of it! (I have to tell J that all the time so he remembers I'm a one of a kind, kind of gal!)

I love the festive holiday season and all the old traditional recipes that get dusted off every Nov. and Dec. I mean how many of us make pumpkin pie, carrot pudding, or even sugar cookies very often. Only during the holidays do I make these wonderful recipes. There is something about bringing out the Christmas lights that sends me into a frenzy of cooking. I want to make it all. You should see the stack of recipes I've ripped out of every food mag I take. If all goes as planned, we Clawson's should gain about 32 lbs. each this month from all the food I want to make. Hopefully not, but today is going to be a good start. I made the season starter Cheese Ball.

I remember as a kid the week before Christmas was just so dang exciting. My mom would spend all day in the kitchen making the foods that made Christmas, Christmas at our home. I love wrapping licorice caramels, packing up ice cream buckets of Cracker Jack popcorn, and smelling the wonderful smell of Praline Pecans. One extra special treat my mom would make was a Velveeta Cheese Log. At my home as a kid Velveeta was a staple. I remember when J first saw this he whispered in my ear that he never knew anyone actually ate Velveeta. He said he thought is was only fish bait. Wrong-o buddy. We loved it! A Velveeta Cheese Log was wonderful. My mom would make a really big one and then cut it in half and give one to our favorite family friends and we'd get to eat the other one the week between Christmas and New Year. Velveeta Cheese Log took patience. You had to roll the cheese out thin, spread cream cheese, chili sauce, chopped olive, and green chili's on top and then roll it up cinnamon roll style. It was pretty to cut into. We slurped it up every year. My brother Marc still makes it every year. I need to, I'm just lazy sometimes.

I do love to make a good cheese ball though. J loves cheese and crackers and he loves having a few of these cheese balls in the fridge when he comes home from a loooongg day of Christmas baking himself. He'll open the fridge and take one look at it and sigh and then tell me I'm the best wife, and he loves my stinking guts. It doesn't take much to make him happy.

There's no real rhyme or reason to this cheese ball. Just add what you like. I love blue cheese so my cheese ball always has blue cheese in it. It always needs some kind of onion, and something sweet, but other than that, just think of the possibilities. I'll post the ingredients I use, but please improvise. I don't think I've ever made a cheese ball that wasn't loved. So here's to the kick off of the season. Enjoy it and the snow!

Cheese Ball Lisa Style

2- 8oz. packages cream cheese

1/2 -1 c. blue cheese crumbles

1 c. yellow shredded cheese

4 chopped green onions

1/2 c. crushed pineapple

Beat all the ingredients together until smooth and combined. Divide the mixture into 2 and roll each dollop of cheese mixture in chopped pecans or other favorite nuts. The cheese is kind of soft at this point, but it will set up a little stiffer as it rests in the fridge. Serve with your favorite crackers.

Some other options may be: green and red bell peppers chopped for Christmas color. Cherries instead of pineapple. Different cheeses or add some dill or basil. Use what you have, and you'll be supprised at what you make.

Cracker Toffee

What in the world is Cracker Toffee you may be asking. Let me tell you, it is so dang good. I have quite a few toffee lovers in my family that request this recipe frequently.

J comes from a mother who every Oct. sets out to dip 3000 lbs. of chocolates for everyone she knows and loves and we are very happily and thankfully recipients of all her hard work every year. Usually the week or two before Christmas my in-laws, decked in their best Christmas attire, make the rounds to all their children's homes, bearing pounds of delicious chocolates, big square bricks of the worlds best toffee, and giant candy canes for the kids. It's always so fun to have them come, but dang it I wish they wouldn't let the kids know we now have chocolates. I usually try to hide them for as long as possible. I would like to eat them all by myself, but that never happens. Last year we broke them out on a beautiful ski day in Jan. with the whole fam, and enjoyed every little morsel. Even the Black Walnut ones:)

Back to the giant square of toffee though. It is chocolate coated on both sides and then covered in sliced almonds. Can I just say I don't remember the last time I actually tasted this brick. James totally and completely eats this giant baby on his own. He may share with Jake, but the two of them are very un-generous.

I have learned how to make Eileen's toffee and I must say it is the best, but very particular. Actually it's a little demanding to make. You have to watch the weather, the humidity, the phases of the moon, how much water is added, watch the sugar crystals, .......you get the idea. So when a toffee need arrives and I don't want to be too domestic, I love making this Cracker Toffee. You can make it fast enough to eat it for an impromptu family night. It is fast, easy, and pretty dang good. I had a shower for a beloved little niece a few weeks ago and had a platter full of Cracker Toffee. It was devoured, and recipes were requested. I promised a blog post, and here it is. So sorry it took a little longer than I anticipated, but I still love you all.

I received this recipe a few years ago from a favorite friend that has since moved on in life. Actually she just moved to Texas, but that is the end of the world as far as I'm concerned. This new and mysterious world of blogging has kept me in contact with her though. I am indeed thankful for that. I miss her, dang it! Everything about her. She is just a tiny little girl, but she had some of the most naughty recipes. Thigh Pie, Kitty Litter Cake, and Cracker Toffee to name a few. You knew she liked something when she would say, "That was so good it made my thighs twitch!" So thanks Lori for the Cracker Toffee recipe, and yes folks it is thigh twitching good, so eat up!!

Lori's Cracker Toffee

1-2 packages saltine crackers

On one of your big silver cookie sheets, cover it completely with tin foil. The tinfoil will go up the sides a little, but I have more going over the ends. It makes the toffee easier to get out. Line the entire cookie sheet with Saltine Crackers. It usually takes about 1 1/2 sleeves of crackers. Don't overlap if you can help it, and if there is a little space that's ok.

1 c. butter

1 c. brown sugar

In a sauce pan place the butter and sugar together and bring to a boil. I usually stir with a wire whisk to make sure the butter gets incorporated. Boil the two together for 5 mins. stirring constantly.

Immediately pour over saltines. I drizzle it slowly and try to cover as much of the crackers as possible. There will be bare spots, but they will get covered eventually. Bake the crackers in a 350' F. oven for 10-12 mins. The syrup will be bubbly and fill in any holes you had. Take pan out of the over and let sit for 6 mins. Turn off oven and leave the door ajar. (Just do exactly as the recipe states and you won't be disappointed.) Pour 1 pkg. of chocolate chips over the crackers. Use whatever you like. My fave is with semi sweet chips, but I'm a dark chocolate lover. Milk chocolate is lovely too. Put the sheet pan back into the oven that has been turned off and let it sit until the chips start to melt and turn shiny. Take out of oven and spread the chips until the chocolate covers the Cracker Toffee. Sprinkle the top with chopped nuts if you like nuts. I love pecans. I usually place the cookie sheet in the fridge or freezer to quicken the process. I'm impatient! But if you have patience let it sit on your counter until the chocolate is set. Break into pieces and enjoy the thigh twitching goodness!

I Am Thankful For Razzleberry Pie

Razzleberry among Pumpkin, Pecan, and Lemon Chess

I promised  a friend a while ago I would post the recipe for the amazing Razzleberry pie my family has for Thanksgiving every year.  Even a pain in my neck won't keep me from making this treat this year.  Years ago when J and I were mere newlyweds, we lived close to a favorite aunt and uncle of mine.  Actually they are great aunt and uncle, but I'm not very politically correct.  Great aunt and uncle seem so far removed and these two aren't.  We love them!  My aunt Jean brought over a frozen pie one night to welcome us into the neighborhood.  I baked it a few days later and to our surprise it was the best pie J or I had ever, in our long legged and short legged life, had!  Immediately I called my aunt to beg for the recipe.  Again, you know how I hate someone who won't share a recipe, but Aunt Jean came through with flying colors.  She had actually figured out someone else's recipe who wouldn't share and was now passing it on to me.  I will love her guts forever!  

The best thing about this pie is that it actually make 5 pies, and you freeze them for later use.  Trust me, you will want all 5 pies.  They come in so handy when you need a dessert in a pinch.  Also you might want a few extra copies of the recipe.  I'm afraid everyone I've given this pie to asked for the recipe later.  It's that good.  

A few years ago I taught a Macey's class on pies and used this recipe.  One lady in the audience lives in my neck of the wood and asked if her daughter could enter it into the County Fair.  Of course I said she could.  The recipe wasn't mine to horde.  It's for everyone.  The daughter made the pies, entered, and won first place.  She was now on to the State Fair.  Again there she entered, and won!  First place in the Utah State Fair for this lovely Razzleberry Pie.  It really is that good.  

Once my friend brought over a Razzleberry Pie for a church meeting and Emma was lucky enough to get a piece.  She was making all sorts of yummy sounds.  "Mom you have got to get this recipe!"  she told me.  Both Erin and I laughed.  Of course I did.  Tomorrow night the 16-18 year old young men are coming to my house for a pie contest.  One of them is making Razzleberry Pie James said.  It's his favorite and he loves to make them.  Small Razzleberry world!  Everyone loves this pie!

Razzleberry Pie

Crust:

6 c. flour

3 c. Crisco

3 t. salt

1 1/2 c. cold water

In a large bowl place flour and salt and cut Crisco into the flour until it resembles coarse meal.  I actually have found it is easier to use you hands to make this dough than a pastry blender.  Add the water and just bring the dough together.  Don't over mix or it will get really tough.  Divide the dough into 5 big dough balls.  Each dough ball will then be divided into a top and bottom crust.  I roll out 5 bottom crusts and place them in 8or 9 inch disposable pie pans.  After all the bottom crusts are ready I divide the filling equally between the 5 pies.  Then top with the top crust, crimp the edges and vent the pie.  I place tin foil over the top of the pie and place in the freezer for later use.

Filling:

4 3/4 c. water

3 1/3 c. sugar

1 large raspberry jello package

3 rounded 1/3 c. measures of cornstarch

Stir constantly and bring the ingredients to a boil.  Boil until it is clear and thick.  Fold in:

1 lb. frozen raspberries

1 lb. frozen blackberries

1 lb frozen blue berries

I usually add extra berries since I have gallons of them frozen from my garden.  Do what you got to do.  Also if I don't have all the berries I've done it with just raspberries, or I usually add Huckleberries into the mix.  

When you would like to bake a pie take it out of the freezer and brush the frozen pie with a little cream or milk and sprinkle white sugar on top.  This makes the pie sparkly.  Bake in a    375'F oven for 1 hour from frozen.  Make sure the pie is puffed up completely in the middle.  I sometimes have to bake an extra 10 mins. or so.  This pie really is dang good!!

Happy

Tues. morning at 4:53 am my world came crashing down.  Not horribly crashing, but enough to keep me from blogging, eating, cooking, running, reading, or anything else I love.  I have a giant pain in my neck, actually a pinched nerve in my neck that caused my whole left arm to go numb, and I am ashamed to admit, James has now seen me at my all time worst moment in life.  Even having babies naturally was nothing compared to what he saw Tues.  I won't go into detail, you don't want to know anyways.  

I was so desperate, I went to the doctor though.  I never go to the doctor.  I have to be having a baby or something like that and then I only stay until the baby is out.  I never go back for check ups, nothing.  "We'll see you in 6 weeks."  they say.  That doesn't happen.  We've been lucky, or blessed or we're just too cheap to go to the doctor, plus they never have anything wonderful to tell you.

I went to two different Chiropractors. I was that desperate.   As I'm sitting in the office, James is looking at me like he's afraid to touch me, while tears are rolling down my cheeks. The doctor comes in and starts his routine.  As he is walking around me, touching parts, and clicking, and all sorts of weird things I looked at him and said, "My mother would love you!"  (She's a witch doctor you know.) Then I looked at James and said, " You didn't tell me we were coming to a witch doctor!"  I love it when some doctor comes into the bakery, gets a little chummy with James and then we go to them.  It's always such a treat.

Well this guy got right to the point.  This is what he said.  "Well I've done some energy testing on you and your body is telling me that you have a DEEP EMOTIONAL SADNESS that is causing the problem. "  He went on to ask if I was depressed, stressed, sad.......on and on and honestly he was talking about the wrong gal.  Hello, my name is Lisa and I am happy!  Obviously he didn't ever see me play the part of Happy in The Seven Dwarfs.  "I'm Happy. Happy, Happy, Happy!" was my big line.   My mom said I was amazing!  I am the epitome of a happy girl.  I thought everyone knew that.   My husband is wonderful, he is tall, dark, handsome, fun, and dang it I've tricked him into thinking I'm amazing.  He loves everything about me.  He even told me the other day he loves it when I squeal in the car when it's cold.  He used to hate that.  He loves me.  I have 4 perfect children (most of the time), a beautiful life by any ones standard.   Heck, I even get all the free bread I ever want.  My life is good.  It always has been!  I looked at James and could see he was trying to stifle a big laugh. This guy was nuts, and we both knew it. Or maybe he secretly wanted to be Oprah.  Who knows.

After a second visit of cracking and making me cry again he finally admitted he couldn't do anything for me.  Try a physical therapist he said.  He does want me to come back when I've managed the pain to find out what my deep sadness is from.  I'm sure he thinks he can solve the worlds problem.  Of course I'll come back in a few week I said.    That's what I told the OB-GYN......seven years ago!  Fat chance.

I have a wonderful physical therapist who makes house calls.  He's in my ward, and he is now one of my favorite people.  I'm feeling better, and he laughed at my Deep Emotional Sadness story.  He said I just got lucky and twisted wrong.  That's the way to look at it.   Anyway if you can think of anything traumatic that's caused me a deep emotional sadness would you please remind me.  For now I'll stick with being happy!  Happy that my pain in the neck is going away!

These Are Some Hot Buff Chicks, Dip

Running/canning gals.

Beef ready for the steam table.

Look at that equipment. It's old and I'm amazed it still works.

Cappuccino girl. (Just teasing Jill!)

The second annual running girls Sat. outing at the Preston Cannery is always such a treat. Ok, maybe not a lovely treat, but after you get home with all your goods the time is always well spent. Our adventure started at 4:20am a few Sat's. ago as we loaded our 300 lbs. of raw chicken into the back of C's truck and off we went.

I remember the first time we pulled into the parking lot of the Preston Cannery. All it was, was a tin shed with steam rising out of it. Could this really be, I thought. I think I was expecting something a little more stainless steal shiny in appearance than this, but tin shed it was. Into the shed we go with chicken in hand, as well as beef this year. There are lots of other people there making anything from sweet and sour sauce, bean dip, tomato soup and stew. I love wandering and questioning others on what they are making. I'm sure as I leave a group after asking them 20 questions they are all looking at each other asking, "Did you know her? Who is that weird lady roaming the cannery?" but hey, I'm learning a lot, and maybe someone will let me taste something sometime:)

We can chicken each year and it is the best. I've put it is pasta salads, soups, enchiladas, but my favorite is Buffalo Chicken Dip. Delish!! One of my beloved sister-in-laws made this dip years ago for a family outing, and I've just kind of Lisa-fied it. It is dang good with celery sticks, or Stacey's Naked Pita Chips, or as a topping for Bruschetta too. This dip is the reason I got up at 3:40am last Sat. I must really love it, and I love the company I was with too. Try this dip for a Thanksgiving appetizer or other family gathering. It makes quite a bit, and easily stores in a container in the fridge. When you want some all you have to do is put some on a plate and microwave for 2 mins. It's that easy.

Enjoy and thanks again running buddies for the fun time canning our chicken bosoms, hot chocolate (cappuccino for Jill), and laughs! I love it when we laugh so hard Kerry cries!

These Are Some Hot Buff Chicks, Dip

1 large can chicken breast or 2 bosoms chopped or 1 small rotisserie chicken

2 8 oz bricks cream cheese

1 c. Franks Hot Wing sauce

1 c. ranch dressing, or mayo, or sour cream (whatever you've got)

1 c. or more crumbled blue cheese

1/8 c. sugar (totally optional)

Mix all the ingredients together in your mixer. The chicken gets completely pulverized. It turns pretty dang smooth. Place the mixture in a large baking dish. I use a deeeeeeep dish pie plate