Christmas Dinner 2010

We had a typical Christmas dinner, with a few new recipes.

Here's the menu:

Party Cheese Ball with crackers

Ham with choice of Ginger Mustard Sauce or Waldorf Sauce

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole

Green Bean Casserole

Ambrosia Jello Salad

Seven Layer Salad

Pumpkin Cake Roll



and the recipes:


PARTY CHEESE BALL

• 2 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
• 2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 Tbsp. chopped pimento
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped green pepper
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. lemon juice

Beat together the cheeses until well blended. Add rest of ingredients and mix well. Shape into a ball or spoon into a small bowl. Store in refrigerator
You may also opt to roll the cheese ball in grated or finely chopped nuts!
Serve with Triscuits, Ritz crackers or any other appetizer cracker!



Ginger Mustard Sauce (this was SOOOOO good!)

• 1/3 c. minced onion
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. white or black pepper
• 3 Tbsp. Dijon or spicy brown mustard
• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 2 Tbsp. vinegar (I used white vinegar)
• 2 tsp. brown sugar
• 1/4 c. whipping cream (I used evaporated milk)

In small saucepan, cook onion in butter until very soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add ground ginger, salt, and pepper and remove from heat.
In a small bowl, combine mustard, egg yolks, vinegar, and brown sugar and beat well. Add a spoonful of the hot onion mixture and stir well. Then stir all of the mustard mixture into the saucepan.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened. Stir in whipping cream. Cool 15 minutes, then chill until cold.



Waldorf Sauce for ham

• 2 c. apple juice or cider
• 2 inch cinnamon stick
• 1/2 c. sliced celery
• 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
• 1 c. chopped apple
• 1/4 c. coarsely chopped walnuts
• 2 Tbsp. raisins
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 4 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbsp. water

In a small saucepan combine apple juice and cinnamon stick; bring to boiling. reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick.
In a skillet cook celery in butter until tender but not brown. Stir in apple juice, chopped apple, walnuts, raisins and brown sugar; cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir cornstarch water mixture into the apple mixture. cook and stir about 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Serve warm or cold with ham.



Cheesy Broccoli Rice casserole

• 16 oz. frozen broccoli, cooked and drained
• 2 c. cooked long grain rice
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 4 Tbsp. butter or margarine, divided
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 1 1/4 c. milk (I used evaporated milk, left over from the ginger mustard sauce)
• 1 4 oz. can mushrooms, undrained
• 2 c. shredded American cheese, divided
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 c. bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350° Grease a 2 1/2 - 3 quart baking dish
In a large bowl, combine the broccoli and rice; blend well.
In a saucepan, cook the onion in 3 Tbsp. butter until softened. Add the flour and stir until blended. Stir in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add mushrooms with liquid and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir into the broccoli and rice mixture and spoon into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining 1/2 c. of cheese.
Melt remaining butter and toss with bread crumbs; sprinkle over the casserole. Bake for 25 minutes until hot and bubbly and topping is browned.



Sweet Potato Casserole

• 1 large can sweet potatoes, drained
• 1/4 c. margarine
• 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. orange juice
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 10 oz. bag miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350°.
Use an electric mixer to mash the potatoes. Blend in the margarine, brown sugar, orange juice, and cinnamon. Spread evenly into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Top with miniature marshmallows.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven until marshmallows are puffed and golden brown.



Green Bean Casserole:

• 4 cups (32 oz.) regular cut green beans, cooked
• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 1 2.8 oz. can french fried onions, divided

In 1 1/2 qt. casserole dish mix soup, milk, pepper and 2/3 c. (1/2 can) french fried onions. Stir in beans. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Top with rest of french fried onions and bake an additional 5 minutes.


Ambrosia Jello Salad

• 2 small boxes orange Jello (regular or sugar-free)
• 2 c. boiling water
• 2 c. ice water
• 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
• 10 to 12 oz. can mandarin oranges
• 1/4 c. shredded coconut

Make Jello according to directions, using the boiling and ice water. Chill the Jello until slightly thickened. Fold in the drained pineapple and oranges and coconut. Put in serving dish and chill until firm.



Pumpkin cake roll

cake

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

CAKE: Preheat oven to 350°F Butter 15x10-inch baking pan. Line pan with wax paper; butter paper. In a large bowl, mix (I used a wisk) the sugar, flour, baking powder, 2 teaspoons of the pumpkin pie spice and salt. Stir in eggs and pumpkin until well blended and smooth. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Place clean kitchen towel on work surface; dust with 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar. Loosen cake around sides of pan with small knife. Turn out onto sugared towel, wax paper-side up. Fold 1 side of towel over short side of cake, then roll up cake jelly-roll style. Cool cake completely (I did it in the fridge).
FILLING: In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, 1 cup confectioners' sugar, butter, and vanilla until well blended and smooth.
ASSEMBLY: Unroll cake onto towel. Peel off wax paper. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cake. Using towel, roll up cake and place seam-side down on serving platter. Trim ends of cake. Enjoy right away or refrigerate until ready to serve. Sprinkle cake with additional confectioners' sugar just before serving.