Christmas Brunch
1 lb. bulk pork or venison sausage
1 cup finely chopped ham or thick-sliced bacon
12 slices French bread
3 cups frozen hash brown potatoes
½ tsp. salt and pepper
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
12 eggs, beaten
2 cups whole milk
1 large tomato, fresh
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 green onions, chopped
Brown all meat together, stirring to crumble, then drain.
Place French bread slices in the bottom of buttered 13x9x2 dish. Layer meats and cheese with hash browns on top. Salt and pepper hash browns.
Combine eggs and milk, beating well together. Pour over all ingredients in baking dish.
Place thin slices of tomatoes on top of all. Season. Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese over tomatoes.
Sprinkle optional green onion over all. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Bake in 350-degree oven 1 hour or until center is set.
-- courtesy of Susie Trial
Grandma's Christmas Morning Quiche
¾ loaf sandwich-style bread, cubed
1 lb. breakfast sausage
1 lb. American cheese, shredded
6 large eggs
2¾ cup milk
1 tsp. salt
Brown sausage in skillet and set aside on paper towels to drain.
Cube ¾ of a loaf of bread. Butter a 9x13 dish and spread cubed bread evenly to cover bottom.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 6 eggs, salt, and milk until smooth.
Evenly sprinkle cooked sausage over bread cubes. Top with all shredded cheese. Then pour egg mixture over entire dish, making sure to evenly coat all ingredients.
Cover with foil and let refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and begins to brown (check at 30 minutes).
-- courtesy of Amanda Michelle
Christmas Pecan Swirls
2 cups butter, softened
16-ounce cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
2¼ cups finely chopped pecans
1⅓ cups sugar
In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla.
Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Divide into three portions. Wrap each in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 16x9 inch rectangle. Combine pecans and sugar; sprinkle over dough to within ½ inch of edges.
Roll up each rectangle tightly jelly-roll style, starting with a long side.
Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 2 hours.
Unwrap and cut into ⅜-inch slices. Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets.
Bake at 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 7 dozen.
-- courtesy of Hope Vaillancourt
Holly No-Bake Cookies
6 tbsp. butter
32 large marshmallows
1 tsp. green food coloring
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 cups good corn flakes
90 red cinnamon Red Hots candies
Melt butter or margarine with all 32 marshmallows together over low heat. Keep stirring to melt, as needed.
Remove from heat after melted.
Stir in green food coloring and vanilla. Stir well until a uniform green color, with no streaks.
Fold in all corn flakes into marshmallow mixture. Stir until completely coated.
Drop by small teaspoons full onto wax or parchment paper.
Place 3 red cinnamon candies in the center on each cookie. Let dry several hours or chill in refrigerator until set and dry.
-- courtesy of Freda Gable
Christmas Trifle
1 box yellow cake mix
1 box each of vanilla and chocolate pudding mixes
1 banana
5 or 6 strawberry slices
handful blueberries or blackberries
4 cups milk
red and green Christmas sprinkles
1 medium container Cool Whip
Make cake following package directions and put into a jelly roll pan and bake as directed. Cut two rounds to fit trifle bowl.
In a glass trifle dish, place one of the cake rounds into the bottom. Top with prepared instant chocolate pudding mix. Place banana slices along the sides, not too close together.
Add another layer of the yellow cake. Scatter blueberries or blackberries along the top and sides of this cake layer.
Top this layer with prepared vanilla pudding. Place strawberry halves along the sides, not too close together.
Top the entire top of this trifle with Cool Whip and sprinkle various Christmas sprinkles, including red and green trees to make it look festive.
-- courtesy of Rose M. Helle
NAN Dining Guide Kitchen Talk on 12/26/2014