Christmas & holiday recipe roundup!

Christmas season is in full swing and we wanted to highlight a few of our favorite holiday recipes. Christmas for me is about Christ, family and friends, giving and generosity and... food! Food always seems to play a part in creating memories, traditions and comfort. So, enjoy baking and giving away yummy treats, making memories over delicious meals, celebrating with friends at a party or giving your children something to get nostalgic about when they think back about Christmases of their childhood.

Happy holidays from all of us at Boy Cheese Sandwich!!!

• For Christmas morning:

Sausage Breakfast Casserole
German Pancakes
Apple Puff Pancakes
Amish Breakfast Casserole
Chile Casserole
Kathy's Coffee Cake
French Toast Casserole

• Christmas cookies and home-baked gifts:

Nana's Caramels
Chocolate-Dipped Pretzel Rods
Hot Fudge Sauce
Mom's Sugar Cookies
Waffle Brownies
Earthquake Cookies
Mint Brownies
Meltaways
Sand Art Brownies
Peanut Butter Bars
Easy Pretzel Turtles
Thin Mint Crackers

• Non-food gift:

Christmas Potpourri

• Christmas appetizers:

Cranberry Salsa
Wassail
Artichoke Dip

• Christmas salads:

Christmas Salad
Winter Fruit Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing
Pear Salad

• Christmas desserts:

Gingerbread White Chocolate Blondies
Mom's French Pear Pie
Eggnog Cupcakes
Cranberry Bundt Cake with Warm Butter Sauce
Apple Torte with Lemon Sauce

• Meals for Christmas day, after presents -or- for Christmas Eve:)  Most are make-ahead, so you can just warm it up or bake it when family is around and hungry!

Three-Bean Christmas Chili
Classic Cheese Fondue
Chocolate Fondue (pictured below)
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Ski Country Pasta
Mom's Minestrone Soup
Cranberry Chicken
Mimi's Cafe Corn Chowder with Ham
Mom's Lasagna

Crowd-Pleasing Taco Salad

This is an easy and delicious salad that's great for feeding a crowd. I made it again recently for my family of 5 and cut this recipe in half. There was no need to simmer the beef, ketchup and spices with the smaller recipe. Recipe from Taste of Home.

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 medium head iceberg lettuce, torn
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup taco sauce
1 package (10-1/2 ounces) corn chips (I used Fritos)

Cook beef in a large saucepan over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the ketchup, oregano, chili powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, olives and beef mixture. Combine mayonnaise and taco sauce; pour over salad and toss to coat. Sprinkle with corn chips. Serve immediately. Yield: 14-16 servings.

Salad de Maison

Salad:

2 heads romaine lettuce, washed and torn
2 c. cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 c. grated Swiss cheese
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 c. slivered almonds
salt and pepper to taste
1 c. croutons

Dressing:
1/2 c. canola oil
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 cloves garlic, crushed

*Dressing is best if made the night before and refrigerated.

Serves: 10

Spring berry salad

Spring mix greens

Blueberries

Blackberries

sliced strawberries

Mandarin oranges

pineapple tidbits

(may add feta cheese, sliced almonds, dried cherries, Craisins)

Dressing:

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup vinegar

1 cup canola oil

Combine all but oil in blender and mix until well blended.

Pour oil in slowly while blender is on "stir" position. When all oil is in, blend at high speed for 30 seconds.

Stir in 1 tsp. celery seeds

Creamy Tomatillo Salad Dressing

Okay, for those of you who love Cafe Rio salads, this dressing is for you.

I have tried 3 different knock-off recipes, and this one is by far the best & closest to the real thing.
Pair it with our Cafe Rio Pork & Cilantro Lime Rice recipes.

1 c. buttermilk

1 c. mayo

1 pckg. dry buttermilk ranch dressing mix (I use Hidden Valley)

2 tomatillos (husked)

2 Jalapenos (seeded)

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro

Juice from 1/2 fresh lime

1 clove garlic

*Puree all ingredients in a blender.  Refrigerate until chilled.

Makes about 1 quart (so plenty to share)