Ham and Sausage Jambalaya

Hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas! Now that Christmas is past I can once again think of recipes for things other than Christmas goodies and deserts. This recipe has always been a family favorite. Sorry I don't have a picture of it but will post one next time I make it. The recipe makes a lot but it reheats well. It is a great way to use left over holiday ham for a real change of pace. Enjoy!

Ham and Sausage Jambalaya

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 package Kielbasa, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 lb ham, cubed
• 1 can stewed or seasoned tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp tabasco (or more per taste)
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice

Directions:

In large dutch oven heat oil. Add kielbasa, onion, peppers, celery and garlic. Cook 8 - 10 minutes. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, ham, bay leaf, tabasco, thyme and allspice. Simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. Add rice. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until rice is tender. If necessary add additional broth or water. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

Christmas always makes me want to bake cookies and these are one of my favorites. They stay soft and chewy and just say Christmas! They remind me of the ones you see at the grocery stores, but much better as they are seasoned with love. They are easy to roll out and work great for using Christmas shaped cookie cutters but also look very festive just cut out with a biscuit cutter, or a glass, into round shapes, frosted and sprinkled with colored sugar.

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
• 1 egg
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, butter, cream cheese, salt, almond,  vanilla and nutmeg. Beat until smooth. Add egg and beat until  blended. Stir in flour until a soft cookie dough is formed. You may need to add a little less or a little more flour. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough 1/3 at a time to about 1/8 inch thickness, refrigerating remaining dough until ready to use. Cut into desired shapes with lightly floured cookie cutters or biscuit cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets or parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Leave cookies plain if you are going to frost, or brush with slightly beaten egg white and sprinkle with candy sprinkles or colored sugar.

Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until just starting to brown on edges. Cool cookies completely before frosting.

I like to frost mine with a cream cheese frosting.

Frosting:

• 4 oz (1/2 of 8 oz package) cream cheese, softened
• 1 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar to a fairly firm consistency that spreads easily. Add food coloring to frosting for festive decoration and then sprinkle with colored sugar or candy sprinkles.

These never last long at my house and make great gifts. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Homemade Turkey Breakfast Sausage

I was surfing around the web today, looking at recipe blogs - and man, their are some really great ones out there! I was really impressed by the quality of the writing, pictures and variety of recipes, I'm feeling like a very small fish swimming with dolphins!

While I was looking around I came across a recipe that I really have to try. This recipe for Homemade Turkey Breakfast Sausage, as well as the picture, came from Cora Cooks. She has a terrific site so wander over - you won't be disappointed.

This sausage sounds not only tasty but also healthy - I have to give it a try, how about you?



Homemade Turkey Breakfast Sausage

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp ground sage
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Combine salt, pepper, fennel seeds, sage, and crushed red pepper in a bowl and stir to blend. Add ground turkey and mix with hands to combine. Add maple syrup and mix with hands again. Shape and flatten into 3" round patties.

Heat skillet on medium and add olive oil. Cook sausage patties about 5 minutes until lightly brown on one side and turn to brown on second side. Remove sausage patties and drain on paper towels. Serve warm. Makes 6 - 8 small patties.

Blueberry Banana Cream Pie

 I have been making this pie for years and it's always a hit! The combination of banana and blueberry flavors along with cream cheese makes an extremely tasty pie. I've seen it on many sites but most often those recipes are made with whipped topping. I still make mine with Dream Whip and I think it makes a much tastier pie.

 I didn't have a picture of it so this picture is borrowed from Taste of Home. I decorate the top of mine with some of the Dream Whip and cream cheese mixture, but it looks good with the bananas on top also. If you are like me a picture sometimes makes a difference in whether I try a recipe or not.

 I hope you try this one - it is definitely a keeper!

Ingredients:

• 2 prepared pie crusts (9 inch)
• 2 envelopes Dream Whip
• 2 bananas
• 1 can blueberry pie filling
• 2 (8 oz) cream cheese - softened
• 1 cup sugar

Directions:

Cream together the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy.

Prepare Dream Whip according to package directions. When whipped to peaks fold in the cream cheese mixture.

Slice bananas and place half in each pie crust. Set aside about 1/2 cup of Dream Whip mixture. Top bananas with the Dream Whip and cream cheese mixture, half in each pie crust. Spoon half of the blueberry pie filling over each pie and decorate top of pie with set aside Dream Whip mixture. Refrigerate to chill.
Enjoy!!

Brownie Delight



This is a rich layered chocolate dessert that I make for family get-togethers. I'm expected to bring it to all of them and never have any leftovers to bring home. It's a really simple recipe and I never tell them how simple it is to make, I just let them think I slaved in the kitchen for hours. This recipe came from a booklet from Taste of Home called Start With a Mix.

If you enjoy brownies and you like chocolate this is worth trying!

Ingredients:

• 1 package brownie mix (13-inch x 9-inch pan size)
• 2 packages (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 carton (16 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
• 2 cups cold milk
• 1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans - optional

Directions:

Prepare and bake brownies according to package directions, using a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Cool completely. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar for 2 minutes. Fold in 2 cups whipped topping. Spread over brownies.

In another bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix; beat until smooth. Refrigerate for 5 minutes; spread over cream cheese layer. Spread with remaining whipped topping and sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate until serving. Yield 12-15 servings.

My First Post

Hi!
I'm new to the world of blogging and anxious to get started. I have a passion for cooking and a totally over the top collection of cook books but of course have lots of family favorites. I love to try new recipes and usually follow them the first time and then make my own adaptations. Those are the ones I want to post here and hopefully you all will enjoy them as much as my family does! Check back soon as I hope to start posting them shortly!