TOMATO PUDDING

Courtesy of Shirley Bruns


1 can tomato puree (8 oz.)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
Mix above and boil for five minutes.

In mixing bowl put:
2 cups bread cubes (crust removed)
Pour over cubes:
1/2 cup butter (melted)
Add tomato mixture to this and
Bake in buttered dish about 30 min. @ 350 degrees.
If it looks too wet, bake a little longer.
Serves 6

Tip:
This is an easy recipe to double and it makes a colorful addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas table. It's also an easy dish to take with you to a friend or family's house.
Tomato pudding is an excellent side dish with ham, turkey, or chicken. It's sweet enough to be called a dessert.


"It was only a cup of water with gentle grace bestowed,
But it cheered the lonely traveller upon life's dusty road.
None noticed the cup of water as a beautiful act of love,
Save the angels keeping the records, away in the land above.
The trifles in secret given, the prayer in the quiet night,
And the little un-noticed nothings are great in our Saviour's sight!"
~Author Unknown

Tater Tot Casserole

This was delicious, spicy, great left over for more than once.
INGREDIENTS:

1 bag tater tots
1 1/2 pounds spicy Italian sausage
1/2 chopped onion
2 cups shredded cheese, divided
1 dozen eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Oven Temp: 350º
Recipe Cooking Time: 55 to 60 minutes
Pan Type: 9 x 13" baking dish

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven.
Place tater tots in bottom of baking dish.
Pour 1 cup of shredded cheese over the top of tater tots.
In a skillet brown the sausage with onions, then place over the top of the cheese.
Beat the eggs with the milk, salt, pepper and garlic, pour this mixture over the sausage.
Place tater tot casserole into oven and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the tater casserole from oven and pour the remaining 1 cup of cheese over the top. Return tater tot casserole to oven to finish baking.

VEGGIE WREATH

At Christmas make it into a wreath.
INGREDIENTS:
2 packages refrigerator crescent rolls
2 8 oz pkgs cream cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
1 package Hidden Valley Original Ranch Dressing mix
4 to 6 cups assorted chopped vegetables - chop in a food processor
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Remove crescent dough from packaging (do not unroll).
Cut each tube into eight slices.
Arrange in an 11-in. circle on an ungreased 14-in. pizza pan.
Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing to a serving platter; cool completely.
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, dill and garlic powder until smooth.
Spread over wreath; top with broccoli, celery, carrots, cauliflower and red pepper, any firm veggy you love.

Form a bow garnish with celery leaves. Yield: 16 servings.



The rest of the year press the crescent roll dough onto a large non-stick baking sheet. Stretch and flatten to form a single rectangular shape on the baking sheet sealing all perforations. Follow all other directions above and cut into small squares to serve.

Cheesy Corn Bites

Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
1 large egg
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
48 scoop-shaped tortilla chips (one 10-ounce bag)
Chopped chives or cilantro, for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, pepper jack cheese, egg and corn.

2. Arrange the chips on a large rimmed baking sheet and place 1 teaspoon corn mixture in each.
Bake until the filling sets, about 20 minutes.

3. Sprinkle the corn bites with the chives; serve warm.

Taco Bean Soup

This dish is SO easy to make and the clean-up is even easier! It is low-fat, high in fiber, and VERY flavorful. I love adding sour cream, cheese, avocadoes, and tortilla chips... be as creative as you want! You can also add tomatoes, chopped onion, cilantro, salsa, guacamole, olives, or anything else you'd like!

Lyndi blend (onions, garlic & mild fire roasted peppers)
1 can aduki bean or kidney beans (15 oz.)
https://www.shoporganic.com/product/eden_foods_aduki_beans/10
1 can black beans (15 oz.)
1 can refried beans with lime (15 oz)
1 can cannelloni beans (15 oz)
1 can corn (15 oz) drain or use frozen corn nuggets.
1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz)
1 c. water
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix

Sauté Lyndi blend. Put in large cooking pot and add all remaining ingredients (Do not drain) Simmer for 20-30 min. Or you can combine all ingredients in a large crock pot on high for 2-3 hours.

Party Hors D oeuvre

FRIED RAVIOLI

Ingredients
• Olive oil, for frying
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups Italian-style bread crumbs
• 1 box store-bought cheese ravioli (about 24 ravioli)
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 jar store bought marinara sauce, heated, for dipping

Directions
Pour enough olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F.

While the oil is heating, put the buttermilk and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Working in batches, dip ravioli in buttermilk to coat completely. Allow the excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Dredge ravioli in the bread crumbs. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet, and continue with the remaining ravioli.

When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried ravioli to paper towels to drain.
Sprinkle the fried ravioli with Parmesan and serve with a bowl of warmed marinara sauce for dipping. Yields 4 to 6 servings.


Mexi Dip

3 Italian sausages, casings removed
1 Tbsp spicy paprika
cup aduki beans (optional)
1 cup Asiago cheese, cubed
½ cup Fontina (or Gruyere), cubed
corn chips or flour tortillas quartered and heated

In a medium skillet, sauté the sausage breaking it into small pieces as it cooks for about 10 minutes. Add the paprika and remove from heat. Add the beans.

Fill a small casserole dish (5x7) with the cubed cheese and spread the sausage mixture on top.
Bake in a preheated 400F oven until the cheese has melted and is bubbling, about 12 minutes.
Serve with the tortilla chips.