Advent Day 25: Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!

Done! We've made it to Christmas Day. Merry Christmas to you and yours. May you have a blessed and healthy New Year. Thank you for reading Big Red Kitchen. Thank you for your emails and comments, you have all carried me through another fun and delicious year. I am truly grateful.

Did you miss any days of Advent? Look here.

Ideas for Your New Year's Eve Celebration
Crab Rangoon
Sticky Asian Chicken
Broccoli Ramen Salad
Fondue Party
Dozens of Appetizer Ideas

Ideas for your New Year's Day Celebration
Brunch Anyone?- Sausage Apple Ring, Too Easy To Be Good Coffee Cake, Scotch Eggs, Hot Fruit Salad, NJ Coffee Cake.
Game Time- Crockpot Grinders, Mini Ham and Cheese Rolls, My Big Fat Italian Sandwich, White Castle-Like Sliders

See you in 2011.

Work true, play hard, pray long, sleep slow. Love deep.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 24: Bacon Bites

Do you need one last simple bite for your Holiday festivities? This nibbler would do nicely. Three or four basic ingredients, short prep and bake time, and very attractive, these Bacon Bites are a hit with every bacon lover. Do try to relax and enjoy your friends and family this time of year. To do so, you must- plan ahead, keep it simple, and search Big Red Kitchen for all your desired recipes.

Bacon Bites
12 pieces bacon, not thick cut
24 buttery crackers
fresh ground black pepper
grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Cut bacon strips in half and wrap around each cracker. Place on wire rack over a foil-lined jellyroll pan with sides and bake in 300 degree oven for 25 minutes or until bacon is crisp. In the last 10 minutes of baking, and if you would like, you may sprinkle a bit of grated Parmesan cheese over each Bacon Bite, then continue baking. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in refrigerator if you dare have any left. Makes 24 pieces.

Make a memorable Christmas Eve. The festivities begin when the first star shines in the evening sky.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 23: Christmas Brunch Part 2- Too Easy To Be Good Coffee Cake

So easy, so beautiful, so delicious. So make it. Quickly put together the night before Christmas and left in a warm spot overnight to rise and work its magic, your family will go crazy over this fantastic coffee cake. You will wake to an overflowing pan of risen dough and buttery sugar all ready to bake for the most comforting coffee cake you may have ever had. This is wonderful when served with a Sausage Apple Ring.

As easy as...
1. Place rolls in a greased non-stick bundt pan.
2. Sprinkle with brown sugar, pudding mix, nut and cinnamon mixture.
3. Top with melted butter.
4. Let rise overnight, then bake.


Too Easy To Be Good Coffee Cake
25 ounces frozen yeast rolls, like Rhodes- about 18
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 sm. box butterscotch cook and serve pudding mix, not instant!
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans, optional
1/2 cup butter, melted

In a well greased non-stick bundt pan, place frozen rolls. Mix sugar, pudding mix, nuts and cinnamon and sprinkle over rolls. Pour butter over top. Cover loosely with foil being sure to grease the side that will touch the cake to prevent sticking. Place on foil or a cookie sheet in a warm area overnight. In the morning, remove foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden. You will need to place a pan or foil under your bundt to catch drips. Once baked, loosen around the edges with a knife, cover with an inverted plate and very carefully flip over. Always flip away from yourself to prevent hot goo from dripping on you. Spoon any excess sauce from the pan over the cake. Serves 8-10.

Come back tomorrow for Day 24 and one last super simple recipe.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 22: Christmas Brunch Part 1- Sausage Apple Ring

Christmas Morning in Big Red Kitchen is a delicious time. While we are opening gifts, enticing aromas drift from the kitchen, like Wassail, Hot Fruit Salad, Scotch Eggs or Eggs Benedict, and New Jersey Coffee Cake. Opening gifts last year took about 2 hours, not because there were many gifts but because we stopped to have coffee and pick on Ma's famous fudge and Italian cookies, play with a toy, dance to Daelyn's Dance Mix CD, and build a Lego set or two. After a while we decided to have our brunch. I have made Hot Fruit Salad every Christmas since Himself and I married 17 years ago. I have alternated the main dish and coffee cake each year and this year I am making Sausage Apple Ring and Too-Easy-To-Be-Good-Coffee-Cake.


Sausage Apple Ring
2 pounds breakfast sausage, I used Jimmy Dean's All Natural
1 1/2 cups buttery cracker crumbs
1 medium apple finely diced
1/2 sweet onion finely diced
1/2 cup white wine or apple cider
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 eggs
------

8 eggs whisked with a bit of milk, salt and pepper
sliced chives

In a large bowl mix first 7 ingredients until well blended. In a plastic wrap-lined bundt pan, firmly pat sausage mixture and cover over with the edges of the plastic wrap. (I laid out 3 pieces of plastic wrap side by side to make one huge piece.) Flip out into a plate and refrigerate overnight or for at least two hours. When ready to bake, remove from plastic and place on a foiled lined jellyroll pan with sides and bake for 50-60 minutes in a 350 degree oven until browned. In the last 10 minutes of baking scramble eggs. To serve, carefully remove the sausage ring to a pretty plate and fill center with scrambled eggs, garnish with sliced chives. Serves 6-8.

NOTE- If scrambled eggs is not your thing, then fill the center with roasted vegetables or baked apples. Even hashbrowned potatoes would work nicely.

Come back tomorrow for Day 23 and Too-Easy-To-Be-Good-Coffee-Cake.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 21: Broccoli Ramen Salad

To accompany your Asian Meal, this beautiful salad with all shades of green and red cherries makes for a splendid centerpiece and will have your guests requesting the recipe. An old acquaintance of mine always brought this to potlucks and it had tongues wagging and lips smacking. I added the cherries and have learned to blend the dressing in my Vitamix until piping hot, thick, and glossy. So Crab Rangoon, Sticky Asian Chicken, and this salad will make a fabulous New Year's Eve Feast.


Broccoli Ramen Salad
Sauté until golden:
1 cup walnuts or pecans
one package of ramen noodles broken up
4 tablespoons of butter
Drain on a paper towel.

For dressing, mix in blender until smooth:
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 T. soy sauce
pinch salt
pinch pepper

Toss:
1- 10 ounce bag hearts of romaine mix
1- 12 ounce bag broccoli florets
4 ounces dried cherries
ramen mixture
dressing

Note- Ramen mixture and dressing can be made ahead. Do not toss until ready to serve. Recipe is for a BIG salad. If you feel that the entire salad will not be eaten in one sitting then do not toss salad elements together serve separate and let everyone create their own. This way the greens will stay fresh and not get soggy.

Come back tomorrow for Day 22, almost there!

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 20: Sticky Asian Chicken

Let's think past Christmas for just a moment, OK? Like New Year's Eve. Many of our NYE celebrations have included Chinese food, it seems that way for many folks around here as the Chinese restaurants are bustling that night, and their takeout business is over the moon busy. So here is a delicious dish that is easy to make and feeds a crowd. But the best part, no reservations needed.


Sticky Asian Chicken
1 cup butter, yes butter
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
3 eggs, whisked
3.5-4 pounds boneless/skinless chicken thighs, excess fat removed
12 ounces plus 1 cup teriyaki marinade and finishing sauce**
1/2- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, optional
1 bunch green onions, sliced, green only
3 cups of basmati rice, cooked according to package directions

Dip thighs in eggs then flour, shaking off excess flour. Fry in butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Fry each side until golden. Drain on paper towels. Pour 12 ounces of teriyaki sauce in a bowl and stir in pepper flakes then dip each fried piece of chicken in the sauce coating each side well. Shake off excess sauce. Place each piece of chicken on a well greased foil-lined large jelly-roll pan. Bake in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and slice each piece and plate over a bed of rice. Heat one cup teriyaki sauce and pour over chicken, sprinkle with green onion slices and serve immediately. Serves 12.

**Your teriyaki sauce must be thick like a barbecue sauce. I used a pineapple ginger teriyaki marinade and finishing sauce, thick, glossy, and delicious.

For an appetizer, make Crab Rangoon. And for your side dish, make Broccoli Ramen Salad, come back tomorrow for its recipe.

Come back tomorrow for Day 21.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 19: Crab Rangoon

Are you ham and turkied out yet? Try an Asian meal. Last night I attended my CrossFit party and wanted to make something different from my usual Italian fare. Since I was craving Asian food I went with Crab Rangoon, Sticky Asian Chicken over rice, and a Broccoli Ramen Salad. I really like Crab Rangoon but I was very short on time and didn't need to deal with filling, wrapping, sealing, and the frying business that it entails. I like to keep mini Fillo Cups in my pantry to make quick appetizers and figured they would make a great vessel for Crab Rangoon filling. This method for making Crab Rangoon is the fastest and easiest I have ever experienced and since the crab mixture browns a bit, the best tasting.


Crab Rangoon
4 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced or a few dashes of granulated garlic
2 green onions, sliced
6 ounces good crab meat
30 mini Fillo cup shells
duck sauce

Mix the first 4 ingredients together until smooth and fold in crab meat. Using a small spoon, fill each Fillo Cup. Bake in 400 degree oven for 7 minutes. Serve with duck sauce. Makes 30 pieces.

More Fillo Cup Recipes:
Mini Baked Brie Cups
Cannoli Bites
Brie Bites

Come back tomorrow for Day 20 and Sticky Asian Chicken.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 18: Gift Boards

At this time of year many gift baskets, towers, and tins are filled and given. I love them. So pretty and full of lovely things. Himself's office is full each Christmas with amazing baskets and I always tell him to snag the smoked salmon.

I wanted Big Red Kitchen to have her own special gift that was sentimental and really represented my traditions, background, and experiences. I love small meals of crackers and bread with various cheeses, meats, spreads, fruits and nuts, and olives. Many cultures have names for these kind of tiny meals such as the British Ploughman's Lunch, the Bavarian Brotzeit or "Bread Time," and the Italian Antipasti all of which are served on a platter, plate, or wooden board. I went with the rustic look of a board. Any wooden cutting board will do.


How to create your gift board...

1. Choose a nice cutting board that you think the recipient may like.

2. Run a piece of waxed paper down the length of the board and tuck under the board, overlapping underneath, tape together. This will protect your board from being scratched by any of the packaged items you place on the board.

3. Place your chosen items over the board and tape in place with a large piece of clear packing tape, this is so everything does not slide around. Be sure the tape only touches the waxed paper and not your beautiful board.

5. Wrap with clear cellophane and secure with tape under the entire package.

6. Top with a label and bow.


Need ideas for your serving board? Try small packages of...
nuts
seeds
dried fruits
chocolate
spreads
cheese
meats
jams
crackers

For this serving board, I created an Italian Theme to include a garlic and herbed goat cheese, Italian truffle cheese, salami, and almonds with rosemary. I also included a box of crackers under the board and gifted it all with a bottle of Rosa Regale. Oh, and its really cool if your name is stamped into the board.

Come back tomorrow for Day 19.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 17: Homemade Herbed Rice Mix

While we are on the topic of homemade mixes, I may as well toss this one your way. I think I have placed enough sweet recipes on here during Advent to choke a small village of horses. Here is a savory one, but not without a story first. A long time ago I planned a huge Make-A-Mix Party for the ladies at church, 75 to be exact. I chose to make this Herbed Rice Mix, Italian Dressing Mix, Hot Cocoa Mix, and a jarred mix called Cranberry Hootycreeks (the best jarred cookie mix ever!) Are you doing the math yet?

That is 75 Mason Jars and pounds and pounds of flour, sugar, rice, spices, vanilla chips, etc. Ma helped. She and I looked ridiculous at Costco with our huge trolley of ingredients- oh plus all the bins, measuring spoons, measuring cups, and funnels needed. She and I figured we had well over 500 pounds of goods in my SUV. 75 women made a total of 825 mixes in under 45 minutes I could not leave things well enough alone, oh no, not me! I had the ladies bag their Italian Dressing Mix in individual button bags, made material toppers for the jars, along with ribbons and had printed out hundreds of labels for all their mixes. So here is the run down- 75 women made a total of 825 mixes in under 45 minutes. You should have seen Ma. She was like the Food Gestapo, "No heaping, no heaping, it has to be exact! You heapin' women you!" she shouted. Boy she and I had a good laugh later that night when we imagined that some of those mixes that went home were going to be awfully salty or sweet. You never saw so many women having so much fun, it was great!

Herbed Rice Mix- adapted from Taste of Home Dec/Jan/1995, pg 19.
3 cups basmati rice, jasmine is nice too
2 T. instant chicken bouillon granules**
1/4 cup dried parsley
1 T. dried minced onion
1/2 tsp. dried granulated garlic, not powder
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves, not powdered

Combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container.

For gift-giving, include this label:
Combine 2 cups water and 1 T. butter in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Stir in 1 cup Herbed Rice Mix. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. 6 servings.
Store in cool, dry place for up to one year.

**If you have a sensitivity to MSG, which most bouillons contain, then omit and boil rice in natural chicken broth, then salt to taste.

Come back tomorrow for Day 18.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 16: Wrapping Gift Mixes, Hot Cocoa and Cherry Simmer

I have a story. And it's a cute one. While in college, one of my brother's friends applied to the mall during Christmas to earn some extra money. He was interviewing with a mall manager who asked him his qualifications and he was pleased that he was qualified for the position. At the end of the interview the manager said, "I have one more question, can you wrap?"
My brother's friend was a bit taken aback and had no idea why he would be asked such a question. So he stood up, cleared his throat and in his loudest voice said, "My name is Dave and I can rap, wikka, wikka, wikka, wikka, wikka, wikka, wikka."

We still get a good laugh over Dave's many antics and he is still one of the funniest guys I know and when he and Rob get together every ones sides hurt from laughing so much. Do you have people like that in your life?

I like to use good ole brown lunch sacks to wrap my gift mixes. It is quite easy to do, see the photo up top? Simple. Make accordian-like folds, pinch the top corners together, and staple. I like to use red raffia to wrap around the bag a few times and secure with a gift sticker. Be sure to include directions inside your mix bag for making the hot drink.

Here are Big Red Kitchen's favorite hot drink mixes. I do not care for non-dairy coffee creamer powder because of the hydrogenated oils. Are there any brands without it? So I substitute powdered milk.

Old Fashioned Hot Cocoa
1 cup non-dairy coffee creamer powder, or powdered milk
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cocoa
1/4 semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup mini marshmallows

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and place in zip-top bag or jar and place in brown lunch sac with these directions:

To one mug boiling water add 1/3 cup mix. Stir and enjoy.

Cherry Simmer
1/2 cup Cherry Kool Aid with sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
4 tsp. lemonade mix with sugar

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and place in zip-top bag or jar and place in brown sack with these directions:

Individual Servings- stir 2 tsp. mix into mug of hot apple cider or cranberry juice. Also nice in hot red wine. For one gallon- stir entire contents of mix into one gallon of hot cider, cranberry juice, or red wine. This can be done in a crockpot.


For other fun gift wrap ideas:
One Ordinary Day- Greening up Gift Wrapping
thekitchn- Pretty Packaging Ideas for Homemade Cookie Gifts

More Drink Mixes:
Hot Cocoa Mix
Spiced Cider Mulling Minnow
Hot Cocoa Pods

Come back tomorrow for Day 17.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 15: Spice Cookies

A cookie that bring's me right back to my childhood. Do you have a scent memory? With clouds nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon whirling through my kitchen while these cookies bake, I remember sitting at the kitchen table watching Ma wrap gifts. I remember my nursery school had sent home a calender counting off days to Christmas and how every evening my dad would lift me onto the counter to reach the calender and cross off another day. I remember how my parents sang "He knows if you've been sleeping..." to get me to go to bed because Santa would know. The scent of cloves reminds me of Christmases Past. The other night when I went to bake these cookies I quickly found that I did not have ground cloves so had to grind whole ones in my coffee grinder. That is the way to go people. And fresh whole nutmeg over a microplane is a must as well. Give these a try, maybe you will have a happy Christmases Past flashback too.

Spice Cookies
1 1/4 c. sugar
5 c. flour
1 c. milk
3 eggs
1 T. baking soda
1 T. baking powder
2 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted
1/2 cup butter
1 t. vanilla
1 t. fresh ground nutmeg
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. fresh ground cloves

Sprinkles for decoration
Icing, recipe below

Mix all ingredients well. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out cookies and place on parchment lined cookie sheets. I used a small scoop that I had lightly greased and then dipped into flour between each cookie- each cookie was about a 1 inch ball. In a 325 degree oven bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire cooling racks and continue with the rest of the dough until all the cookies are baked. Cool completely. To ice, dip each cookie in icing, shaking off the excess. Then dip in sprinkles that have been poured in a bowl. Place on wire racks to set up. Store in airtight containers until ready to serve. Makes about 100.

Icing
3 cups powdered sugar
6 t. light karo syrup
8 t. milk
1 t. vanilla

Mix all together. Mixture will be thick and shiny. If too thick for dipping add a few drops of milk at a time. Do not get it too thin or it will not set up and the sprinkles will drip off.

Come back tomorrow for Day 16.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 14: Quick Hollandaise Sauce

When a recipe states "Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble" that is usually code for "Robin Sue will scramble the eggs at least once while trying this recipe and will have to start over again." "Careful" in a recipe spells disaster for me, mostly because I am always in a hurry. Oh I can do the fancy sauces that call for using the back of a spoon to test them, but on Christmas Morning when sugar plums are dancing in my head, I don't want an "Iron Chef" challenge. I want a guarantee. You may argue that taste is sacrificed here, but you know what is not? Time with my family.


For the last 2 Christmas Mornings, Ma and I have made Eggs Benedict using greased silicone cupcake cups in a covered skillet filled with about 1/3 inch of water to poach the eggs, hence the ridges seen in the photo below. While the eggs cooked we placed Canadian Bacon and sliced English Muffins on a jelly-roll pan and placed in a 400 degree oven until the muffins are toasted. We also made this Quick Hollandaise Sauce and everything came together in under 15 minutes.



Quick Hollandaise Sauce- by Ma and I
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 mayonnaise
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
2 pinches Kosher salt
dash Cayenne
1/2 T. Butter

Mix the first 7 ingredients until smooth. Heat in microwave for 45 seconds or until hot but not too much or you will "break" it. Add butter and mix until smooth. Serve over Eggs Benedict or roasted vegetables, great with asparagus. Makes 1/2 cup sauce.

Come back tomorrow for Day 15.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 13: Pool of Butter Biscuits

Perfect for Christmas Morning, a quick side with hot soup, or a snack with afternoon tea. Serve with honey butter or jam.

Now don't click away yet. I found this recipe on thekitchn called Butter Dips. I love making biscuits on weekend nights and serving them with ham, honey butter, and various jams. The thing about biscuits that I do not like is rolling them out- such a big mess- flour everywhere. Although thekitchn rolls theirs out, I figured I could simply spread the dough out in the dish over that big pool of melted butter. You see, in this recipe you do not cut the butter into the biscuit dough, you melt it in the dish then bake the biscuits in that golden pool of goodness. I adapted the recipe and technique to suit my needs, click here to see how they do it. You will find these to have a lovely golden crust on the bottom as seen in the photo above. The center is incredibly light and fluffy. The BRK gang loved these! I have made these twice, one plain and one with cinnamon sugar sprinkled over top. It's easy, follow along...


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slice up 1/2 stick of butter and place it on the bottom of an 8x8 inch dish.


When the oven reaches 450 degrees place dish of butter in oven to melt for one minute. Meanwhile mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, slowly pouring buttermilk into mixture until just blended. Remove the baking dish of melted butter from oven and spread biscuit dough over melted butter with floured fingers.


Using a dough cutter/scraper that had been dipped into the melted butter and then in flour, cut the biscuits into 9 even squares.


Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden.


Enjoy with honey butter, ham, and jams. So light and fluffy!

Pool of Butter Biscuits- adapted from thekitchn
1/2 stick butter
1 1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
2/3 cup buttermilk- thekitchn used regular milk, either are great

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slice up butter and place it on the bottom of an 8x8 inch dish. When the oven reaches 450 degrees place dish of butter in oven to melt for one minute. Meanwhile mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, slowly pouring buttermilk mixture until just blended. Remove melted butter from oven and spread biscuit dough over melted butter with floured fingers. Using a dough cutter/scraper that had been dipped into the melted butter and then in flour, cut the biscuits into 9 even squares. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden. Makes 9.

Note- Recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9x13 inch dish for 13-15 minutes.

Come back tomorrow for Day 14.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 12: Hot Tarragon Mustard

This is Himself's Grampa Camper's recipe. It is an old family recipe that was given to me from my MIL soon after I married Himself, so that I could make it for him. This recipe is mostly made during the Christmas Season and is a great accompaniment to ham. Slightly sweet, with just the right amount of heat, and enough tarragon flavor to tickle mature palates, this 2-day-to-make mustard is worth the little bit of fuss that goes into it. In case you were wondering, Himself called his Grandfather Grampa Camper because he had a camper. Makes sense.


Hot Tarragon Mustard- Grampa Camper
2- 2 ounce cans Colman's Mustard powder
1 cup tarragon vinegar
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 t. Kosher salt
1/2 stick butter

Add mustard powder to the tarragon vinegar and let set overnight, do not stir. I have let mine sit up to 2 days. In a double boiler over water on medium heat, whisk together mustard mixture. Add one egg at a time whisking constantly until the mix is smooth, add sugar, salt, and butter and continue whisking until mustard comes to 145 degrees for at least one minute to insure the eggs are cooked. This will take about 20 minutes. Pour into any size clean glass jars you wish, let cool completely then cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Will last 2 months in refrigerator. Label and gift. Makes a scant 4 cups.

Come back tomorrow for Day 13.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 11: Cream Cheese Clouds

During this busy season I find it helpful to have some foods stored up in the freezer for a quick dessert, appetizer, or complete meal. These little clouds play a big part in having a beautiful dessert on the table at a moment's notice. The clouds can be pulled from the freezer while diner is being served and will be defrosted in time to join the coffee or tea service.


Cream Cheese Clouds
1- 8 ounce brick of cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup heavy cream
cherry pie filling

In a large mixing bowl using a hand held or stand mixer, mix together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Slowly add cream and whip until mixture is whipped to a light and fluffy cloud. Line cookie trays with waxed paper and spoon about 1/3 cup sized mounds of the cream mixture on trays and makes a well in each mound using the back of a spoon. Freeze up to 2 hours on trays then remove to an airtight container to store in the freezer. Makes 15 clouds.

To serve- Fill each cloud with cherry pie filling or filling of choice, even fresh fruit is delicious.

Note- You can get very creative with the flavors for this recipe. Lemon, coffee, chocolate, Grand Marnier...and with a variety of fruit, the mixing and matching can go on forever!

Come back tomorrow for Day 12.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 10: Date Nut Bread

This is my favorite Christmastime bread. Dark, dense, sticky-sweet and with a big schmear of cool cream cheese over top makes the perfect breakfast with my morning coffee. Ma makes it for me every year. She will call and say, "I'm making the Date Nut Bread!" This year I am making it for you. It is very simple to do and I will type out the recipe just as Ma had written it out for me. I can't remember when Ma started making this bread around Christmas, it always seemed to be right from my beginning, I can't remember a year without it. Maybe Ma can fill us in on where it came from and when she started making it. Ma?

Date Nut Bread- Ma
Mix together 1/2 pound chopped dates, 2 1/4 cup boiling water, 2 tsp. baking soda.

Stir until foamy. Let cool. Add 1 3/4 cups sugar, 1 egg beaten, 2 3/4 cups. four, 1/3 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 cup chopped walnuts.

Pour into 1 greased 9x5 inch loaf pan plus one more smaller loaf pan. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 45 minutes. (I filled one 9x5 inch loaf 3/4 of the way full and poured the rest of the batter into a 5x5 inch pan- the small loaf finished in 45 minutes, the large in 60 minutes.)

This freezes well.

Come back tomorrow for Day 11.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 9: Skillet Cookies

Another no-bake cookie for when you need a quick treat during this crazy, busy time of year. A delicious crunchy, nutty, gooey cookie rolled in dessicated coconut making it appear as a snowball. These look wonderful on a Christmas cookie tray. This recipe comes from my MIL and she wrote on the card "One of D*n's Favorites." So I asked Himself if that was him or his brother Don, we could not make out if it was an "o" or an "a." So Himself said, "Make them and see if I can remember." That guy is always up for a sweet treat! Well I don't care who it was written on the card because the name is now "Robin Sue!"


Skillet Cookies- adapted from Mary Lou
1 stick salted butter
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup chopped dates
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups crispy rice cereal
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup dessicated coconut

In a skillet over medium heat add butter, sugar, and dates. Stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes together and starts to simmer, simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla, cereal, and nuts. Mix well and roll into one inch balls rolling each in coconut as you continue until all of the mixture is used. Makes about 2 dozen.

Note- 2 of my readers came back and said there was trouble with rolling the cookies. I made them again and for some reason had trouble as well even though the first time I did not. So if you are having trouble here is what to do. Roll cookies while they are still hot, as long as you can tolerate it, if not pour small amounts onto parchment paper to cool a few seconds then roll. To roll grab a small hand full and squeeze into a ball as if you were making a fist- be sure you hands are greased. They will be football shaped at first, but let rest while rolling the rest of the mixture. Then go back and press each cookie into a nice ball then roll in coconut. Also when cooking the butter, sugar and dates be sure the mixture comes together well. At first the gee of the butter will separate but it will come together then start simmering. At this point simmer for the 2 whole minutes. I also used whole dates in which I diced myself, so they we good and sticky. While cooking I did stir and press the dates using the back side of a spatula, this made them even stickier. The first day I made the cookies it was humid, no problem, the second time, it was cold and dry, so weather may affect this recipe. All in all if you still have trouble, press into and 8x8 inch dish and cover with coconut and slice into squares or bars- still delicious, and very much like a granola bar but crispier!!

Come back tomorrow for Day 10.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 8: Eggnog Muffins

I created this recipe after seeing Ice Cream Bread on thekitchn.com. I figured if one could make that bread using ice cream, then why not use eggnog in place of ice cream- it's eggs, sugar, and milk too. These little muffins are a breeze to make and a serendipitous discovery as well. Have you ever had a French Cruller? Well, let's just say this is Muffin meets French Cruller. The texture is fantastic and the flavor is clearly Eggnog. The Eggnog Icing is a must so that you are set for an easy and delectable muffin with your morning coffee or afternoon tea. Simple for the little ones to join in and make too.


Eggnog Muffins
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour**
2 cups regular eggnog, not lite or lowfat

In a large liquid measuring cup, measure 2 cups eggnog. Add flour and whisk until well blended. Pour evenly into a well greased regular muffin tin. Bake in 350 degree oven for 12-13 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Drizzle with Eggnog Icing. Makes 12 muffins.

Eggnog Icing
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 1/2 tsp. eggnog
fresh ground nutmeg for sprinkling, optional

Mix well. Will be thick. Drizzle over muffins. Sprinkle each with a little nutmeg if desired.

**If you do not have self-rising flour, for every one cup of all purpose flour add 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt. Whisk well.

Note- I made the first batch of muffins in cupcake liners and felt they were a bit difficult to release from the paper. I suggest you bake these directly in a well greased muffin tin. After removing from oven, run a knife around each muffin to remove from pan.

Can also be baked up in one dozen greased, 4 ounce jelly Mason Jars in 18 minutes! To go made nice.

Come back tomorrow for Day 9.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 7: Sugar Cookie Baking Kits

This is the time of year when I like to give gifts from the kitchen. Homemade fudge, candies, cookies, drink mixes, you name it, I have gifted it. I like sugar cookies but the thought of mixing, rolling, cutting, baking, and decorating them can take all afternoon. Now if I think that way, I am sure others think that too. I do love a good sugar cookie this time of year but my time is limited with all the other Christmastime activities going on. One year I gave the gift of time, so to speak. I gave my friends these Cookie Baking Kits with homemade sugar cookie dough, sprinkles, icing, a cookie cutter, and directions on how to bake and decorate the cookies. Everything was right there for them and what they got was a nice time with their children listening to Christmas music and baking cookies together.


The recipient of this gift can try their hand at decorating their baked cookies with the icing you have supplied or simply sprinkle their cookies with sprinkles before baking.


Items you will need to put your kits together...
5 cellophane bags with twisty ties
curling ribbon
5 cookie cutters
plastic wrap to wrap dough
One recipe Sugar Cookie Dough -below
5 button bags for sprinkles- found at Michael's
various sprinkles
One recipe Icing- below
5 ziptop plastic snack sized baggies for icing
5 print outs of directions- below

Big Red Kitchen's Favorite Sugar Cookie Dough
3 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
3 sticks unsalted butter
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 cup milk
1 T vanilla extract
8-10 cups flour

In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, soda, baking powder, milk, and vanilla. Mix well. Add in one cup of flour at a time until the dough is a rolling consistency. Not too sticky. Once the dough is mixed separate into 5 logs and wrap in plastic wrap. This dough recipe will make 5 Cookie Baking Kits.

Icing for Cookie Baking Kits
3 cups powdered sugar
6 t. light karo syrup
8 t. milk
1 t. vanilla

Mix all together. Mixture will be thick and shiny.

Note- Divide icing evenly into 5 ziptop plastic snack sized baggies and seal.

Instructions for your Sugar Cookie Baking Kits
Keep refrigerated until ready to use. Use within 5 days or freeze.
On a floured surface roll out chilled cookie dough to 1/8 thick. Using the provided cookie cutter, cut out as many cookies as you can. Place on a cookie sheet and re-roll dough and continue to cut cookie dough until all the dough is used. Decorate a few with sprinkles prior to baking- press sprinkles gently into dough. Bake in 500 degree oven on the bottom rack for 3 minutes then the top rack for 1 minute. Watch closely that they do not burn. Remove to cooling racks. To decorate with the provided icing, snip a small corner of the plastic bag off and decorate cookies with pretty designs. Enjoy!

To Assemble Kits
Wrap each log of dough in plastic wrap and place in a cellophane bag along with a baggie of icing, a button baggie of sprinkles, and baking directions- to print out baking directions, highlight the directions above, right click your mouse and click on "print", when your print window comes up, in the small box that reads "page range" click on "selection," then increase number of copies to 5, finally hit "print" at the bottom of the box. Tie on a cookie cutter with curling ribbon. Curl ribbon. Refrigerate or freeze before giving. Give to 5 friends. Done.

Another BRK Kit- How to Make Your Own Gourmet Caremel Apple Kit

Come back tomorrow for Day 8.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 6: Hurry Up Pepper Jelly

If you have been following Big Red Kitchen for a while you know that Robin Sue likes to cut corners. Her Ma calls her lazy- and Robin Sue heartily agrees! She enjoys day-dreaming. She procrastinates. She would rather do anything than clean house. Well Robin Sue does not like to can as in putting up, preserving, or making jams and jellies. Her favorite things to purchase at Farmer's Markets are the jams and jellies just so she does not have to make them herself. But here's the rub, Robin Sue loves Pepper Jelly and it can be hard to find during the winter months unless she is willing to fork over 6 bucks for a thimble-sized jar of Harry and David's. So she put her thinking cap on and found a recipe using apple jelly. It didn't work as the recipe had prescribed, so she went to work and two jars later had a successful lazy Pepper Jelly that is super fast, inexpensive, and easy. Himself was in charge of naming this jelly. Pretty good huh? He also knows that his wife is always in a hurry.

Hurry Up Pepper Jelly
18 ounce jar apple jelly
1/2 red pepper sliced
1-2 heaping tablespoons chopped jalapeno peppers, RS used jarred, gasp!
1 drop red food color, optional but nice

Place all ingredients in a medium sized pot and over medium heat bring to a simmer. Once it begins to simmer set your kitchen timer for ten minutes, allow to simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from heat, using tongs pull out the red pepper strips and pour jelly back into apple jelly jar. Place lid back on and refrigerate. Once cool, pour over cream cheese or use it as a dip for tortilla chips.

Note- Do not simmer longer than 10 minutes or you will have a jar of solid goo, yes, you can trust me on this one. The jar of hot jelly may seal, but because you are NOT using a sterile jar, this is NOT canning! You must refrigerate jelly and use within 10 days. If you want to can this, then you will have to use a sterile jar and lid. OK?

Other than pouring this over a brick of cream cheese, you may also like...
Pepper Jelly Ham

Have you missed the previous Advent Days? Click here and scroll through.

Come back tomorrow for Advent Day 7.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 5: Long Lasting Hot Buttered Rum

It shocks me that I have yet to post on this recipe. While living in Germany it was tradition for the military folks to travel all over Europe to visit the various Christmas Bazaars. Spangdahlem AFB always did an exceptional job especially those 22 Stinger Spouses. Every year they sold Glühwein- hot spiced wine, and Hot Buttered Rum. They did have the biggest following. One thing they did that was really neat was that they sold this Long Lasting Hot Buttered Rum in small jars, or you could purchase their cookbook and make it yourself. I bought the book.


Just a spoonful or two of this batter added to hot water and a splash of rum will definitely warm the cockles of your heart for the evening. You will feel it go all the way down! We also serve it sans rum and call the drink Toffee Steamers. A scoop in our morning coffee for a Toffee Coffee has been found to be delicious too.

Long Lasting Hot Buttered Rum- adapted from the 22 Stinger Spouses
1 pound light brown sugar
8 ounces honey
2 sticks salted butter
7 ounce jar marshmallow creme
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, I used fresh
1 T. vanilla

In a large bowl using your stand mixer or hand mixer, beat all ingredients until well blended. Pour into a one quart jar and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Stores for 3 months. To serve, place one or two tablespoonfuls in a mug of boiling water. Add a splash of rum and top with whipped cream. Also good as a virgin drink topped with whipped cream and we like a scoop every now and again in our coffee. This makes great gifts, simply give in smaller jars with a gift tag stating...

"Long Lasting Hot Buttered Rum- Store in refrigerator up to 3 months. To serve, place one or two tablespoonfuls in a mug of boiling water. Add a splash of rum and top with whipped cream. Also good without rum topped with whipped cream called a Toffee Steamer. Try a scoop in your coffee for a Toffee Coffee."

Come back tomorrow for Advent Day 6.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 4: Eggnog Gingerale

Gingernog. Eggale. Alenog. Nogale. I had no idea what to call this beverage, so I called it what it is- Eggnog Gingerale. Any better ideas? I do like eggnog but find it quite rich, even cutting it with a little milk leaves it a filling treat. But then I learned of cutting it with gingerale and huzzah! What a great drink it is. Top with a little whipped cream and a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg. Cheers!
Eggnog Gingerale
Eggnog
chilled gingerale
whipped cream, optional
ground nutmeg

Fill glass halfway with eggnog and top off with gingerale. Top with whipped cream if desired then a dash of nutmeg. But also great without the whipped cream, quite refreshing!


Come back tomorrow for Advent Day 5.

Robin Sue

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Advent Day 3: Crockpot Grinders

This is the perfect meal to fix then go Christmas shopping, errand running, or galavanting- it will be ready when you are!

Growing up in New Jersey we called Subs Hoagies. After moving from Boston to NJ in the first grade, I had no idea what a Hoagie even was. I was introduced to the Hoagie when my school had announced that next Friday would be Hoagie Day and posted little signs of bears all over the school that read "Hoagie Day Friday." I thought we were going to eat bears. I was a bit apprehensive to say the least. But when Friday rolled around I was relieved to find out that a Hoagie was simply a submarine sandwich, yum! So I grew up calling them Hoagies and if I wanted one heated then it became a Grinder.


This Grinder starts out with a round loaf of Italian Bread which is then sliced to make 6 sandwiches, but not all the way through the bottom.


In assembly line fashion, make 6 piles of cheese, lunch meat, and onions and pepper rings to fit down in your bread slices. Be sure the pepper rings are drained well to prevent a soggy sandwich. Sprinkle with Italian Seasoning like basil and oregano. I used Penzey's Tuscan Sunset.


Fold each bundle of cheese and meat in half and tuck down between every other slice of bread. Seal very well in two layers of heavy foil.


Place a small aluminum pan, over turned on the bottom of the crockpot so that the Grinders do not sit directly on the bottom. You can use balls of foil as well. Add 1/4 cup of water to the crockpot. Place Grinder on top of pan or balls of foil and cover. Cook on low for 4 hours.


When cooking is complete, carefully remove from crockpot, unwrap, and slice through each sandwich to separate from each other. Be careful it will be very hot. Drizzle the inside of each sandwich with a little olive oil if you would like. Makes 6 sandwiches. The center two are quite large and need to be cut in half. Feeds our family of five perfectly!


Here is a close up of my daughter's Grinder, she did not want onions and peppers, silly girl.

Note- We did have one small, 1 square inch soggy area, probably from not draining the peppers well. We also felt the sandwich could have gone another two hours as it showed no burnt or gummy areas. Man, we could have stayed out shopping another 2 hours!

Crockpot Grinders
one round loaf Artisan Italian Bread
18 slices provolone
18 slices Mortadella
18 slices sweet or hot Capicola
18 slices Genoa Salami
sweet pepper rings
thin onion slices
olive oil
oregano and basil
Large 6 quart oval crockpot

Slice bread 13 times, almost all the way through but leaving 1/2 inch space at the bottom. Layer three slices of cheese and top with 3 slices each of Mortadella, Capicola, and Salami. Top with pepper rings and onions. Sprinkle with Italian Seasonings and repeat 5 times. Fold each bundle in half and tuck down between every other slice of bread to create 6 sandwiches. The sandwich may have "arched" its back, gently push down and wrap tightly in one then a second piece of heavy foil. Place in crockpot on top of a small aluminum foil pan or balls of foil, do not touch bottom of pan. Pour in 1/4 cup of water (I never like to have a "dry" crockpot, it just seemed to make sense to me to have a little water in there), it does nothing for the sandwich since it is wrapped up so tightly in foil. Cover and cook on low for 2-4 hours. To serve cut each sandwich apart, drizzle the insides lightly with olive oil, and enjoy. Makes six sandwiches with the center two being quite generous in size.

Note- you may not need all the meat and cheese as the sandwiches on the ends are a bit smaller and will not hold as much.

Another BRK Crockpot Favorite- Italian Sausage Cacciatore

Come back tomorrow for Day 4.

Robin Sue

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