Reindeer Bar Wrap-Up

 

LAST CALL-REINDEER BAR WRAP-UP

Enjoy one more bite with a savory appetizer sushi style.

Smoked Salmon Wraps
Sushi-style wraps are an impressive and delicious appetizer. Prepare wraps the night before then slice and serve. Recipe makes 20 appetizers and was adapted from cuisineathome.com
Ingredients:

• 1 lb. cold smoked salmon (e.g. Check Costco for their Norwegian brand)
• 1 container garlic and herb cream cheese spread e.g. Alouette brand
• 4 (10 inch) flour tortillas
• 2 cups arugula
• 1 large cucumber, seeded and sliced lengthwise into thin strips
• 8 scallions, sliced in strips

Directions:

• Spread each tortilla with cream cheese leaving a little space around edges.
• Lay salmon piece over cream cheese.
• Place arugula on one side of salmon, add cucumber and scallions next to arugula.
  
• Roll tortillas tightly lengthwise and cover roll in plastic wrap. Make sure wrap ends are covered.
• Refrigerate several hours in plastic wrap. Slice each flour tortilla into fourths. Secure with a toothpick if necessary.

No Reindeer Bar could be complete without some sweet treats
Chocolate Mousse Cups
Decadent chocolate mousse when one bite will do. Recipe makes 15 small appetizers.
Ingredients:

• 6 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate bar, chopped
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1-1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Optional 1 tablespoon Amaretto
• 1 box Mini Phyllo Pastry Shells, appetizer size
• Fresh raspberries

Directions:

• Place beaters in freezer to chill.
• In a microwavable bowl melt chocolate on 50% power for 50 seconds. Continue microwaving in 30 second increments until chocolate melted, set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, whisk egg yolks and sugar. Whisk in ½ cup heavy cream. Cook over medium low heat constantly until mixture coats the back of the spoon.
• Remove from heat whisk in melted chocolate, vanilla and Amaretto if using.
• In a large bowl whip cream until stiff peaks. Stir in 1/3 of whipped cream into cooled custard. Continue folding two mixtures together until incorporated.
• Spoon into shells and chill until serving.
• Top with a fresh raspberry right before serving

Frosted Cranberry Orange Walnut Drop Cookies
A soft tangy cookie with a hint of orange zest. Each bite is irresistible and perfect for your Christmas plate or with your next cup of coffee or tea.
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home and makes 3 dozen.
Cooking Tip: Keep dough chilled and do one batch at a time.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1/4 cup whole milk or half and half
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon or 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 cups frozen fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped in half
• 1 cup toasted chopped walnuts

Frosting Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-4 tablespoons milk

Cookie Directions:

• In a bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add milk, egg, orange zest and orange juice; mix well. Whisk together in a separate bowl flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in cranberries and nuts.
• Chill dough in freezer 20 minutes. Flour hands and roll dough into 2 inch balls.
• Place on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees 11-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Frosting Directions: 

Heat the butter in a saucepan over low heat until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes; transfer to a small bowl. Add in sugar and vanilla. Beat in milk a tablespoon at a time, until frosting reaches desired consistency. Frost the cookies.

REINDEER BAR REOPENING DECEMBER 2021
See you then!

National Cookie Day

DID YOU KNOW

• December 4, 1987, was the first time that National Cookie Day was celebrated.
• 70% of Americans eat cookies at least once a week.
• 33% of Americans prefer the raw cookie dough over baked cookies
• 1 in 3 Americans has eaten a whole box of cookies in a sitting.
• Americans will eat about 35,000 cookies in their lifetime.

Some historical notes:

We can thank the Dutch for more than windmills and tulips. The English word “cookie” is derived from the Dutch word “koekie” meaning little cake.

There have been cookie-like hard wafers in existence for as long as baking has been documented. This is because they traveled well, however, they were usually not sweet enough to be considered cookies by modern day standards.

The origin of the cookie appears to begin in Persia in the 7th century, soon after the use of sugar became common in the region. They were then spread to Europe through the Muslim conquest of Spain. Cookies were common at all levels of society throughout Europe by the 14th century, from the royal cuisine to the street vendors.

Cookies arrived in America in the 17th century. Macaroons and gingerbread cookies were among the popular early American cookies.

In most English-speaking countries outside of North America, the most common word for cookie is “biscuit.” In some regions, both terms, cookies and biscuits are used.

Cookies are classified into different categories, with the most common ones being:
Bar cookies – Drop cookies – Filled cookies
Molded cookies – No bake cookies
Pressed cookies – Refrigerator cookies
Rolled cookies – Sandwich cookies

Ever Ready Note: Checking statistics of all the blog postings I've put on Pinterest this one has been the most popular. 

Dustpan Cookies
You will need the following:

a brand new dust pan, cellophane wrapping paper, ribbon, copy of the poem below and 2 dozen cookies.
Directions:
1. Bake 2 dozen of your favorite cookies.
2. Print a copy of the poem using the link below. 

Link to printable tag link with Dust Pan Poem
http://christmas.organizedhome.com/crafts/all-occasion/dustpan-cookies3.

3. Place cookies in dust pan and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Then wrap dustpan in cellophane and tie the poem on with ribbon.

Dust Pan Cookies Poem
While baking you some cookies,
there was knocking at the door.
As I jumped up to answer it,
the pan fell to the floor.

I stood among the cookie crumbs
and wondered what to do.
The day was late, the time was short,
I had no gift for you.
I bent and swept the cookies up
into a small dustpan.
A friend like you, I told myself,
would surely understand.

The gifts that matter most in life
are those the heart does send.
With that in mind, I give to you
these cookies from a friend.

An Ever Ready Cookie Special 

Almond Joy Cookies are the next best thing to the candy bar. Safeway grocery store (bakery) has the most amazing Almond Joy Cookies ever. But if not one in your neighborhood try these Almond Joy Cookies, an Ever Ready Special. They're a close second.

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2018/12/new-years-eve-holiday-central-part-one.html

Share with a friend

Reindeer Bar Return

Reindeer Bar-Step Up to the Bar and Enjoy Some Savory Treats

Cherry Bourbon Meatballs

Crockpot Meatballs with Cherry Bourbon Sauce
No fuss recipe using only 5 ingredients. Let your slow cooker do the work for this recipe.
Ingredients:

• 1 bag frozen pre-cooked Italian meatballs (about 36 meatballs)
• 1 (13 oz.) jar cherry or black cherry preserves (preferred brand Bonne Maman)
• ½ cup ketchup
• 3-4 tablespoons bourbon
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• Optional: Add a little heat with hot sauce

Directions:

• In a saucepan mix all the ingredients except meatballs.
• Cook on medium low heat 5 minutes.
• Add frozen meatballs to crockpot. Pour sauce over the meatballs. Stir to combine.
• Cover and cook on high one hour. Then turn to low and continue cooking 2 hours. Stir occasionally.

Cheddar Veggie Appetizer Torte

Small wedges are tasty finger foods served warm or at room temperature. Recipe adapted from Taste of Home Magazine.
Ingredients:

• 1-1/3 cups finely crushed multigrain crackers
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 small zucchini, finely chopped
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 cup mini sweet red and yellow peppers, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 carton (8 ounces) spreadable garlic and herb cream cheese e.g. Boursin cheese
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 

Directions:

• Use a food processor for this step. Pulse crackers to crumbs and add in butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. In a large skillet, saute the zucchini, mushrooms, onion and peppers in oil until tender. Pat mixture dry on a paper towel. Arrange on top of cheese.
• In a large bowl, beat on low speed cream cheese spread with eggs just until combined. Pour over veggie mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Place springform pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; remove sides of pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers.

Christmas Gift Ideas

Gifts in a Jar

https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/recipes-for-gifts-in-a-jar/

54 Magical Ways to Use Mason Jars

https://www.countryliving.com/diy-crafts/tips/g2132/mason-jar-christmas-

crafts/?slide=9

101 Gifts in a Jar

http://thefrugalgirls.com/gifts-in-jars-recipes

Reindeer Bar Goes on Pause for a Day to Celebrate

Looking Ahead 

Pick up some cookies at your local bakery. Remember to share some of your cookies with your family and friends! A great way to get started is by making a list of your favorite cookies to bake and enjoy. Then organize your baking tools and start your assembly line. How about a recipe for Almond Joy Cookies from Ever Ready?

Use #NationalCookieDay to post on social media.

2020 Return of the Reindeer Bar

The popular Reindeer Bar made its first appearance on Ever Ready in 2014 offering food and drink ideas for the holiday season.

Time to step right up for 2020 Reindeer Bar Return. This week enjoy some savory treats and sweets with a holiday drink. Create a tablescape using resources from the thrift store, Dollar Store and Dollar Tree. Consider repurposing seldom used Christmas decorations. 

Santa Clausmopolitan Special
Be sure to order at the Reindeer Bar, a Santa Clausmopolitan. It's a festive holiday drink specially made with Pomegranate-Cranberry juice, vodka, a touch of citrus, crushed ice and a few frozen cranberries. Sip and enjoy your drink with an appetizer plate. Recipe makes 4 drinks.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Pomegranate-Cranberry juice or Cran-Raspberry juice
• 1 cup vodka
• 1/4 cup orange liqueur
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• Crushed ice
• Frozen cranberries

Directions:

• In a pitcher or large cocktail shaker add juice, vodka, orange liqueur and lime juice. Shake. add crushed ice and mix again.
• Pour into chilled martini glasses and add a few frozen cranberries to each glass.

Maple Dijon Sausage Bites
The combinations of sweet and savory with unusual pairing of ingredients bring flavors together in one simple bite. These mini bites taste great as a breakfast item or as an appetizer. Taste test before increasing Dijon mustard. Shells can be filled ahead, refrigerated and baked later in day. Recipe makes 15 shells.

Ingredients:

• 1 package mini fillo appetizer shells
• 1 lb. Italian sausage or breakfast sausage
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1-1/2 -2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/3-1/2 cup green onions, diced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1-1/2 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese or shredded 4 cheeses

Directions:

• Brown sausage in olive oil with green onions. Drain grease, crumble meat and return back to pan. Add syrup, mustard, and seasoning to meat. Mix well, cook on medium low about 8 minutes. Add in cheese and stir until it melts.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fill each fillo shell (no need to thaw) with 1 tablespoon of filling. Place each fillo shell in a small appetizer muffin tin for stability during baking.
• Bake 8-10 minutes.

Cheddar Veggie Appetizer Torte

Cherry Bourbon Meatballs

Purposeful Acts of Kindness

Spread Some Cheer

In the midst of the current COVID crisis, it's a time to focus on those things one can control and look at what one can do to help others.

The crisis has impacted many and by making a commitment to share purposeful acts of kindness can bring encouragement and practical help to family, friends and those in your community. This holiday season is the perfect time to share purposeful acts of kindness. Consider some of the following

• Food Gift Baskets 
  
  #SHARE A MEAL WITH THIS DINNER’S ON US RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS
  One simple way to share a meal is through a simple “Dinner’s On Us!” random act of kindness. Get the kids involved in choosing a meal and shopping for the ingredients. This basket in photo has the fixings for a spaghetti meal. Since it doesn't have any perishable ingredients you could just leave it at a random door. Print and attach a label Dinner’s On Us. Drop the basket on someone's  doorstep you know would appreciate the gesture. 
  

• Donations to Homeless Shelters, Women Shelters, Food Shelves and Veterans Hospitals 
• Blessings Bags for the Homeless and Women Shelters (type in Blessing Bags in GOOGLE for more ideas) 
  
  
  
  
  
  
•  Care packages for new parents which include diapers and a gift card. 
• Pre-made gift baskets and boxes are really convenient—and often a lot faster—but there’s something to be said about the homey comforts of a unique, personalized, made-by-hand care package. Check out Dollar Tree and Dollar Store for baskets or bins and other ideas.  
• Share your baking with others.
  
• Places to donate new and used books https://www.joincake.com/blog/where-to-donate-books/ 
• 20 places to donate used books https://www.becomingminimalist.com/20-places-to-donate-used-books/

Holiday Spread

This week I'll be sharing six recipes and a holiday drink submitted to a magazine for their holiday issue.

Cheddar Veggie Appetizer Torte

Cherry Bourbon Meatballs

Maple Dijon Sausage Bites

Smoked Salmon Sushi Style Roll ups

Frosted Cranberry Orange Walnut Drop Cookies 

Chocolate Mousse Cups

Santa Clausmopolitan

Chocolate Kiss Cookies

 
for keeping our spirits merry and bright with holiday baking and cooking. 

with Chocolate Kiss Cookies made with a dark chocolate batter, rolled in colorful sprinkles and topped with a dark chocolate Hershey Kiss. A fun holiday cookie kid friendly and perfect for celebrating a purple Sunday win for the Vikings!

But note these cookies aren't just for Christmas as you can change up the color sprinkles to match the holiday e.g. Valentine's Day, 4th of July and there's plenty of Hershey Kisses flavors to choose from. 

Recipe adapted from sallysbakingaddiction.com and makes 24 cookies.

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup Dutch process or unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Dark Hersheys Unsweetened Cocoa) 
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup butter softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¾ cup nonpareil sprinkles
• 24 Hershey’s Kisses unwrapped (I used special dark flavor) 
  

Directions:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a bowl beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract, and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined.
• Place dough in freezer for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat baking mats, set aside.
• Pour the sprinkles into a small bowl. Roll dough into balls about 3 teaspoons of dough per cookie, then roll each ball into the sprinkles to coat. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, 2 inches apart.
• Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes.
• Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Press the chocolate kisses into the center of each cookie. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
  
  UP NEXT:A week long extravaganza of holiday ideas including sweets and appetizers.

Turkey Wild Rice Casserole Topped with Biscuits

  This is a 

Thanksgiving leftovers meal. I raided the refrigerator and came up with  

Turkey Wild Rice Casserole Topped with Biscuits 

Cook's Notes: A hearty dish using reimagined Thanksgiving leftovers, reminding  me of a pot pie. Recipe serves 4 and was adapted from Taste of Home October/Novembers 2020. A delicious dish that can find a place at your table any week, any month. Chicken can substitute for turkey.

I did anticipate wild rice for Thanksgiving so brought a bag from Minnesota. While it is a Midwest staple, it can be scarce to find in the southwest. 

Cooking Tip: Reserve 1/3 cup of sauce for the next day to reheat casserole as rice does absorb the liquid. Refrigerate until needed. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup each diced carrots, mushrooms and celery
• 1 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw) 
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth, undiluted (low sodium)
• 1/4 cup 2% milk
• 1 teaspoon each herbes de Provence and parsley flakes.
• 1 cup grated Swiss cheese or white cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine e.g. Sauvignon Blanc
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• 3 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken
• 2 cups cooked wild rice
• 1 tube refrigerated 5 buttermilk biscuits, quartered

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
• In a medium sized skillet melt butter and saute celery, carrots, onions and mushrooms for 3 minutes. Reduce heat cover and steam for 5 minutes more. Add in peas, wild rice and turkey. 
• In a bowl whisk flour, milk, broth, wine, and spices. Mix in grated cheese. Reserve 1/3 cup set aside. Add rest of sauce to skillet with turkey, veggies and wild rice. Cook on low heat until sauce thickens about 5-7 minutes. Stir a few times. Salt and pepper to taste.  
• Lightly grease a 2-1/2 quart baking dish. Add turkey/rice/veggies mixture to dish. 

• On wax paper unroll tube of refrigerated biscuits. Arrange four on top and cut 5th one to fit in spaces. 

• Bake at 375 degrees about 18 minutes. Biscuits should be browned on top, but also check to make sure biscuit dough on bottom touching filling is cooked. Filling should be bubbling.