Christmas Dinner Menu

Christmas Dinner Menu

Ham

Cheesy Potato Bake

Sweet Potatoes

Cranberry Fluff

Broccoli Casserole

7 Layer Jello

Rolls

Egg Nog

Cheesy Potato Bake

• 48 oz. shredded hash brown
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup 
• 1 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/3 C chopped onions
• 1 pt sour cream
• 1/2 C butter (about 1-2 sticks)
• Salt & Pepper

Thaw potatoes, combine everything but potatoes and heat till warm, stirring occasionally. Grease 9x13 pan well. Put potatoes in pan. Pour mixture over and stir up. Cover with crushed corn flakes. Bake at 350 for 45 min- 1 hr or longer if needed.

Praline Sweet Potatoes

3 C mashed sweet potatoes (let cool)- about 4-5

1/2 C milk

2 eggs (makes it custard-like)

1 C brown sugar

1/3 C butter

1 tsp vanilla

Combine & put in 9x13 pan.

Topping:

1 C brown sugar

1 C pecans (I crushed them in my food processor, but you could probably leave them whole too)

1/3 C white flour

1/3 C melted butter

Stir with fork & crumble over top.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Marshmallow Sweet Potatoes

Prick and wash several sweet potatoes. Bake on cookie sheet at 325 or 350 for 45 min-1 hr or until soft when stuck with a fork. Cool. 

Slice sweet potatoes transversely and put into a 9x13" pan. Put slices of butter on top. Sprinkle with brown sugar over top. Add a little salt and pepper. Bake at 375; for 45 min. Scoop/baste. Sprinkle marshmallows on top. Bake 5-10 min longer. 

Cranberry Fluff

2 C raw cranberries (ground in food processor)

3 C tiny marshmallows

3/4 C sugar

1/2 C seedless grapes (sliced in half)

1/2 C walnuts (opt- I don't include in mine)

2 C diced unpared tart apples
1/4 tsp salt
1 C heavy whipped cream (whipped)

Combine cranberries, marshmallows, and sugar. Cover and chill overnight. Add apples, grapes, (walnuts), and salt. Fold in whipped cream. Chill.

*You can add a little more fruit than specified.

Cheese Broccoli Casserole

• 1.5 lbs. Fresh broccoli
• 2 slightly beaten eggs
• 1/2 c. Shredded cheddar cheese. 
• 3/4 c. Cottage cheese
• 2 T. Finely chopped onion 
• 1 t. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 t. Salt
• 1/8 t. pepper
• 1/4 c. Fine dry bread crumbs. 
•  1 T. Butter, melted. 

 Wash and trim broccoli; cut into smaller pieces or spears. Cook broccoli in small amt. Unsalted water about 7 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Meanwhile, in bowl combine eggs, cheeses, onion, salt and pepper, Worcestershire sc. Arrange broccoli in a shallow 1.5 qt. Baking dish; spoon cheese mixture over top. Stir together bread crumbs and melted butter; sprinkle over cheese mixture. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 min. Or until heated through and egg mixture is set. Serve immediately.  Makes 4-6 servings.

7 Layer Jello

Color Order: Lime-White-Yellow-White-Orange-White-Red

9x 13" pan or bigger if you have one. Butter pan. Soften each Jello in turn with 1 C boiling water. When dissolved thoroughly stir in 1/2 C cold water. Pour in pan. Set 45 min or longer. Meanwhile make white layer.

White Layer- 2 C boiling water with 1 C sugar. Dissolve 2 envelopes Knox gelatin in 1/2 C cold water. Stir together. Stir together 2 C sour cream and 2 tsp vanilla and add to water/sugar mixture. 

On top of the first layer- pour on 1/3  of the white mixture gently. Do not pour on while hot!!! This will melt the first jello layer and your colors will mix. Set 45-1 hr. Repeat with each color. White is gentle. Do not pour in just one spot. Leave white layer out of the fridge while setting each layer. 

Rolls

1 pkg dry active yeast

1/4 C warm water

3/4 C milk (scalded)

1/2 C shortening

1/2 C sugar

2 tsp salt

4 1/2 C flour

3 eggs

butter

Soften active dry yeast in warm water (110 degrees).

Combine scalded milk, shortening, sugar and salt; cool to lukewarm. Add 1 C flour. Add yeast and 3 eggs. Beat well.

Stir in 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 C flour (enough flour to make soft dough). Knead lightly on floured surface or use the bread hook of your KitchenAid. Place dough in greased bowl; turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise till double (about 2 1/2 hours).

Turn dough out on lightly floured surface. Divide dough in thirds; roll each third out to 12 inch circle. Spread butter on circle before cutting like a pizza pie, then roll up into crescent shaped rolls. Arrange rolls, point down on greased baking sheets, brush with melted butter. Cover and let rise till very light (about 1 hour). Bake at 300 degrees for 8-12 minutes. Watch very carefully, don't let them burn.

Note: unsalted butter is best so as not to burn.

Egg Nog

Beat until stiff: 12 egg whites. Beat in 1/2 C sugar. Beat till very light: egg yokes, 1 C sugar and 1/4 tsp salt separately from egg white mixture. Combine eggs mixtures and stir till blended thoroughly. Add: 1 qt heavy cream, beaten; 1 qt milk (my mom uses whole, I use the skim I have on hand, hers is obviously creamier but mine is still good), beat well. Add: nutmeg and vanilla flavoring. Serve in punch bowl. Sprinkle with nutmeg for garnish. 

Note: The mixing bowl must be very dry before adding any ingredients. If you wash between mixing the two different egg mixtures, you must dry the bowl very well or it will not thicken and froth.