We love to entertain in our house. We love all the holidays and celebrating each one in some way or another with our family and friends. I look forward to sharing new recipes and decorating tips with you throughout the year!

PAULA DEEN’S CORN CASSEROLE

Ingredients:
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8-ounce) package corn muffin mix (recommended: Jiffy)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar (optional)

Here’s How You Cook It:

In a Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cans of corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream, and melted butter.
Pour into a greased 9 by 13-inch casserole dish.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
Optional: Remove from oven and top with Cheddar. Return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Let stand for at least 5 minutes and then serve warm.

SLOW COOKER HAM: MAPLE BROWN SUGAR RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

• 7-8 pound bone-in spiral-cut ham
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all natural maple syrup (yes, please use pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup)
• 2 cups pineapple juice

HERE’S HOW YOU COOK IT:
Use a 6-7 quart slow cooker. Unwrap the ham and discard flavor packet. Place the ham into the slow cooker stoneware, flat-side down. Rub brown sugar on all sides. Pour on maple syrup and pineapple juice. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. An hour before serving, baste ham with the collected juices from the bottom of the slow cooker. When cooking is done, remove carefully and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before carving.

PAM’S BEEF STROGANOFF

I have no idea where this recipe came from, as it is not the traditional stroganoff most people are familiar with from their own kitchen. No mushrooms will be found in this version, that is for sure! Though, you could add them if you would like. I remember my mother used to make this all of the time when I was a child. I assume she got the recipe from my Grandma, but I am not really sure. I hope you like it.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. ground beef (you can substitute turkey, but I recommend beef)
• 1 tbsp. all season salt
• 3 tbsp. celery seed
• 1 tsp. mustard (I like brown mustard)
• 32 oz sour cream
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 16 oz. wide egg noodles (We like to use No Yolk)

HERE’S HOW YOU COOK IT:

• 1/2 c. onion, chopped (which I cook with the beef while it is browning)
• 1/2 cup beef broth (which I add to the ground beef after it is fully cooked. I add this just before I put in the sour cream and other ingredients)

Big, Thick, Hearty Thighs Recipe

Courtesy of Rachel Ray 365: no repeats cookbook. enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 tbs EVOO
• 8 Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 Small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 5 Garlic cloves
• chopped 1 tbs Fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 cup Dry white wine
• 3 cups Chicken stock
• 3 Med. – small red bliss potatoes, cut in half and thinly sliced
• 1 cup Fozen peas
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup Flat leaf parsley, chopped
• Crusty bread, to pass at the table

Here’s How You Cook it:

Preheat a large skillet or wide soup pot over med-high heat and add EVOO. Season chicken w/ salt/pepper. Add chicken to skillet and brown on both sides for 3 minutes. Scoot thighss to the edges of the pan, making some space in the center of the skillet. Add the onions, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes.

Add the wine and chicken stock, turn the heat up to high, bring up to a simmer. Add the potatoes and stir everything together. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove lid and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Add peas, lemon juice, lemon zest and parsely and cook for 1 more minute to pass heat through.

Creole Potato Salad

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs red potatoes
• 1/3 cup mayo’
• 1/3 cup Zatarains creole mustard
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon Zatarain’s creole seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup crumbled bacon (optional)
• 2 tablespoons green onion

Here’s How You Cook It:

Cook potatoes, Drain. Mix all condiments and spices together in small bowl. Stir mixture into potatoes. Add tomatoes, scallions and bacon. Toss together. Enjoy!

Sweet Sausages Braised in Onions

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 8 links (2 lbs.) sweet italian sausage
• 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 3  tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (5-6 sprigs)
• 3 garlic cloved, chopped
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Coarse salt
• Coarse black pepper

Here’s How You Cook It:

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil. Add sausages and briwn on both sides (about 4 minutes). Remove from skillet and reserve for later.

To the skillet, add onions, thyme, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook onions, stirring frequently, until they begin to brown (about 5 minutes). Add the balsamic vinegar, chicken stock and honey. Bring to a simmer and then return browned sausages to pan. Braise sausages in skillet until they are cooked through and the sauce has reduced by half (about 8 to 10 minutes).

Serve with mashed potatoes, or do I like do and serve with perogies!! Yum!

Belly Bombs (JB’s Family Recipe)

Belly Bombs are a family favorite in our house. My mother used to make them when I was growing up. The recipe is extremely simple, which is why I like making them when it is my night to cook (yes, I make them for dinner).  Here is what you need:

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 pinch of salt

Here’s How You Cook Them:

Mix all of the above ingredients in a pourable bowl. Heat a frying pan or griddle and pour the batter to desired size. Cook until the edges start to darken and flip and cook until other side browns.

We like to serve ours with fresh fruit and turkey sausage. I also like to warm up the syrup in the microwave (it really does make a difference). You should be able to make about 6 pancakes from one batch of batter.

 PILLSBURY’S CINNAMON ROLL WAFFLES WITH CREAM CHEESE GLAZE

 INGREDIENTS

• 1 can Pillsbury® Grands!® refrigerated cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

 HERE’S HOW YOU COOK IT:

1. Heat waffle maker; spray with cooking spray. Remove cinnamon rolls from can; set icing aside.
2. For each waffle, place 1 cinnamon roll in center of waffle maker; close. Bake 3 to 4 minutes or until waffle is thoroughly cooked and golden brown. 
3.  Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir together reserved icing, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until glaze is smooth. 4 Serve glaze over hot waffles.

NOTE: Be sure to spray the waffle iron in between each waffle. The sugar from the cinnamon roll can make the waffles stick.

These are also delicious served with real maple syrup instead of the cream cheese glaze. Add some toasted pecans for extra crunch.

RAINBOW SUGAR COOKIES 

 INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tube of Sugar Cookie Dough
• 1 pack of gel food coloring
• Sugar to roll cookies in

HERE’S HOW YOU COOK IT:

• Start with a tube of Sugar Cookie dough. Separate the dough into five equal-sized pieces. Then use gel food coloring to tint each piece into a differenet color of the rainbow. Add as much gel coloring as it takes to get vibrantly colored dough.
• Spread two pieces of parchment paper onto a clean countertop. Use one piece to roll out each piece of dough, and the other piece to layer the dough that has been rolled out.
•  As you roll out each piece, aim to have them roughly the same size and shape. But don’t panic…it doesn’t have to be perfect!
• Use a sharp knife to snip away any unsightly edges.
•  Starting with a short side, roll up the dough into a long, thin log.

• Gently roll the log into sparkling sugar.
• Use a sharp knife to slice the dough into 1/2″ pieces.
• Dip the tops of each cookie slice into sparkling sugar, then place on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake your cookies in a preheated oven just until set.
• Remove, cool and enjoy with a cold glass of milk!