Hoppin' John Bake

Black-Eyed pea casserole.

Half a 16-ounce bag black-eyed peas (1 cup)


6 cups chicken broth, divided
1 cup uncooked rice or more slices bacon
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon fine table salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely shredded

Put black-eyed peas in cold water overnight. Drain and rinse well.

Add peas to pot with 4 cups broth. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until tender but not falling apart. Drain.

In heavy, medium saucepan, stir rice with remaining 2 cups broth. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to very low, cover and simmer 18 to 22 minutes until rice is tender. Fluff with fork, cover.

In heavy skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon. To drippings, add bell pepper, onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, about 8 minutes, until tender. Transfer to large bowl; stir in salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 7-by-11-inch glass baking dish.

Add black-eyed peas, rice, bacon and 1 cup shredded cheese to vegetables. Combine, top with remaining cheese and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese has melted. Serve hot.

Helen Evans Brown's Corn Chili Bread

Mr. Beard writes: "The late Helen Evans Brown was a specialist in California's traditional foods. This recipe is extremely moist" -- yes, delightfully so. ... "It is one of my oldest bread recipes, and one of my very favorites. I have often served it for large parties, doubling the recipe, which is very simple."

3 ears corn, husks and silk removed (I used 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels)
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup sour cream
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, well beaten
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup very finely diced Gruyere or Monterrey Jack cheese
4-ounce can diced green chiles, drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter 9-by-9-inch glass baking dish or 21/2-quart soufflé dish.

If using fresh corn, scrape kernels from cobs. Put (fresh or frozen) corn in large bowl. Add cornmeal, sour cream, melted butter, eggs, baking powder and salt; stir to mix. Fold in cheese and chiles.

Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake about 45 minutes, until lightly browned and firm. Serve warm. "With melted butter," wrote Mr. Beard.

Makes 9 to 10 servings.

Candy Cane Cooler By: intoxicology.net

1 ounce vodka

1/2 ounce peppermint schnapps

1/2 ounce B&B (Benedictine and brandy)

1/2 ounce half-and-half

Peppermint stick for garnish

Mint sprig for garnish

Ice

Add vodka, peppermint schnapps, B&B, and half-and-half into a shaker with ice. Shake lightly to chill and strain into old-fashioned glass full of ice and stir. Garnish with a peppermint stick and mint sprig.

Mulled Wine

Makes 8 servings  

4 cups apple cider

1 (750-ml) bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon (or red wine of preference)
1/4 cup honey

2 cinnamon sticks

1 orange, zested and juiced

4 whole cloves

3 star anise

Peel of one orange, cut into wide strips, for garnish

Combine the cider, wine, honey, cinnamon sticks, zest, juice, cloves and star anise in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Pour into mugs, add an orange peel to each and serve.

Poinsettia cocktail

1/2 ounce Cointreau

2 ounces cranberry juice

4 ounces champagne

3 whole cranberries for garnish

Chill liquid ingredients ahead of time. Pour the Cointreau and cranberry juice into a chilled champagne flute. Stir well, and top with champagne. Float the cranberries on top for garnish.

Christmas Spirit Shooter

• 1/2 ounce sour apple schnapps
• 1/2 teaspoon grenadine
• 3/4 ounce cinnamon schnapps with gold flakes (preferably Gold Strike brand)

Directions Pour the sour apple schnapps into a 1 1/2-ounce shot glass.

Gently pour in the grenadine. (It will sink to the bottom to make the red layer.)

Shake the bottle of cinnamon schnapps, then turn the bottle upside down to bring the gold flakes to the top. Measure out 3/4 ounce. Hold a small spoon upside down inside the glass, directly over the apple schnapps layer. Gently pour the cinnamon schnapps over the back of the spoon to make the third layer.

By: Tasty25 Staff

A true one-of-a-kind healthy & delicious recipe! This Mojito Fruit Salad, sent in by Lillian Vargas from San Antonio, TX, is a tasty & creative way to get in your daily serving of fruit, along with 100% of your daily suggested Vitamin-C intake! This sweet tasting treat takes only 5 minutes to make, and can be served fresh or chilled in the refrigerator for an hour before serving. Rate and comment below, let us know what you think, and Happy Cooking!

Let's make it!

1 Cup cubed, seeded watermelon
1 Cup seedless grapes
1 Cup cubed cantaloupe 1 Cup strawberries (Cut in halves.)
1 Cup kiwi (Peeled & cut into quarters.) 1 Cup fresh blueberries
3 Sprigs fresh mint
1 Tsp. white granulated sugar
1 Tsp. honey
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Directions: (Approximate cook time: 5 minutes; Serving size – 4-6 adults)

1. Mix the watermelon, grapes, cantaloupe, strawberries, and kiwi in a bowl with a tight-fitting lid; Top fruit mixture with blueberries.
2. Stir mint, sugar, and lime juice together in a bowl, crushing mint with the back of a spoon while mixing to extract flavors; Pour over fruit mixture.
3. Just before serving, gently toss or flip the sealed bowl several times to coat the fruit with the dressing. (Serve fresh, or refrigerate 1 hour before serving for cold salad.)
4. Eat & enjoy!

By: Angela Stablier-MSTV

Serves 10.
This recipe is really easy to make and a nice alternative to Egg Nog.  Since its almost like a classy milkshake, serving it in more formal glasses will impress and delight your guests.  Preparation is easy, tasty and fun, so let's make some!

Let's make it!

2 qts. whole milk (must have)

1/4 gallon. French Vanilla ice cream

1 fifth Brandy

1 fifth Dark Rum

1 qt. Custard ice cream

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

2 Dashes of Nutmeg &/or Allspice

1. Mix milk, ice cream and liquors together with electric mixer.

2. Mix in about half the Custard ice cream (slightly less than 1 quart).

3. Store in freezer until about an hour before serving.

4. Serve with sprinkles of nutmeg and cinnamon over the top of each glass if desired.

"They have been fun to create, especially to perfect the pie shape and all with the icing. The Ramsey family gave us two thumbs up!" said Lizano. The Simon Says... ornaments are $25 each, or three for $65. Lizano said she also will be selling the ornaments at the Arts Market of New Orleans in Palmer Park, which is operating both Saturday and Sunday this weekend.

Savory Simon is all the company has to market in this first Christmas without pies.   The home page of their website says, "Many unsolicited campaigns have come to our attention; they take precious time to manage. We appreciate the attempts to help, but ask those using the Hubig's name, brand or likeness to cease their campaigns.