Whether you’re planning a big celebration or a quiet family get together, a little snack is always welcome!  And, this is one snack that is both easy and much appreciated.  Enjoy!

1 package (8 count) refrigerated ready-to-bake bread sticks
1 (16-ounce) package smoked cocktail sausage links

garlic butter (soften butter and use fork to smash in garlic powder until evenly distributed)

assorted mustard and other dipping sauces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll out bread sticks slightly with a rolling pin.  Butter one side of the bread sticks with the garlic butter.  Cut dough into 2-inch strips.  Wrap sausage links with a strip of dough being sure the buttered side is next to the sausage link.  Place wrapped sausage links on a baking sheet.

Bake approximately 15 to 18 minutes or until dough is lightly brown.

Even though there are many breakfast casserole recipes, there are few which call for using bagels.  We love bagels in our house but rarely get to the end of a bag without ending up with a few getting stale.  This is a delicious way to use up the whole bag of bagels.

This recipe is very hearty and tasty and is worth setting your alarm for!

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound cooked ham (diced)
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 plain bagels (slice thin)
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
12 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Put butter in heavy skillet over low heat. Add ham and onion. Sauté until onion is transparent, about 2 minutes.  Set aside.

Slice each bagel into 4 thin slices. Arrange 6 bagel slices in lightly greased baking dish. Top bagels with ham and onion mixture, then cover with the Cheddar cheese. Cover cheese with remaining bagel slices.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bagel layers.

Bake at 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until eggs are firm and cooked through.

You may still have a house full of guests this weekend.  If so, a hearty breakfast is in order.  Rather than the same old pancakes, try cheesing it up a bit with some ricotta.  The addition of nutmeg is another layer of flavor that will certainly please everyone.  This is a great recipe that will surprise your tired guests, and family, too!

1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs, separated
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg into a large mixing bowl.  Whisk together being sure all the ingredients are blended together well.

Place the egg yolks in a separate bowl and add the buttermilk, ricotta cheese, and lemon peel, and whisk until completely blended.

Add the ricotta/buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and blend until just combined, and set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium high speed until soft peaks begin forming.

Carefully fold the egg whites into the mixture.

Put a skillet on medium heat and coat the skillet with oil.  Pour a 1/4 cup of batter onto the hot skillet.  Cook 2 minutes or until bubbles appear around the edge.  Flip and continue cooking 1 minute or until a light brown.

Makes about 12 to 15 pancakes.

This is a great way to use up your leftover turkey from the holidays.  You may even be lucky enough to have a vegetable tray with a few celery sticks, mushrooms, and sweet bell peppers leftover!  If you don’t have leftover turkey, you can always use ground turkey to make this simple, but delicious chili.

3 tablespoons olive oil
6 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 (15 oz.) cans kidney beans, undrained
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) pkg. sliced mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cups leftover cooked turkey, diced small

Pour the olive oil into a large soup pot over medium heat, add the celery and cook until just starting to soften, then add onions and continue cooking until onions are transparent.

Add the beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, chili powder and cayenne pepper stirring to combine.

Reduce the heat to very low, put the lid on but tip it so pot is not covered totally, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Add the turkey and continue simmering for 30 minutes to 1 hour more, being sure to stir once in a while as it cooks.

The chili will get thicker as it cooks.

Whether you’re headed out of the house today to enjoy the snow or enjoy the after-Christmas sales, you’ll need a heaping helping of something warm and satisfying when you get back home.  We’re talking about a big mug of hot mulled apple cider, of course!

6 cups apple cider
3 whole allspice
3 whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks
1 navel orange, peeled and quartered
1 navel orange, unpeeled, sliced for garnish

Pour the apple cider in a big saucepan, add the allspice, cloves and cinnamon sticks and place over medium heat.  Stir to combine the ingredients. Heat for about 5 minutes, then add the quartered orange and bring the mixture to a quick boil.  Reduce the heat to low immediately and let simmer uncovered for around 8 to 10 minutes.  Don’t let it boil again.

Pour the cider through a strainer being sure the allspice, cloves, cinnamon sticks and oranges are strained out totally, and return to saucepan to keep hot.

Get out some large mugs and rinse with hot water to warm them up.  Then, fill with spiced cider and float an orange slice on top for garnish.

This is a nice treat for Christmas morning or even a special finish to a wonderful day.  Curl up by the fire, invite a special someone to join you, and enjoy!  Merry Christmas Everyone!

1 cup milk
1 teaspoon instant coffee, regular or decaf
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cinnamon stick

Pour the milk into a saucepan and place over low heat.  Add the coffee and cocoa powder and stir.  Then, stir in the sugar and salt.  Continue stirring as the mixture heats up to help dissolve the cocoa.

When the cocoa is dissolved, add the vanilla extract.  Stir again to heat through and mix all the flavors together.

Remove from the heat and pour into a mug and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Looking for something different to serve your guests for dinner during the holidays?  Try these sweetened winter vegetables for an unexpected treat.

4 pearl onions, peeled and trimmed
4 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into quarters
2 small carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Lay the onions, Brussels sprouts, turnips, carrots and parsnip in that order a single layer in a large saucepan.  Cover the vegetables halfway with fresh water.  Cut the butter up into smaller pieces and arrange on top of the vegetables.  Then, sprinkle the brown sugar, salt and pepper evenly over the top. Do not stir or mix these vegetables up.

Place the saucepan over high heat and bring water to a rapid boil.  Immediately turn the heat down to low to medium so the water just simmers, and let the vegetables simmer uncovered 15 to 20 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender and a sugary glaze has formed.  If the water evaporates during cooking add a touch more as needed.

Serve the vegetables while hot as the glaze will harden if left to sit.

If you live in the South, or you’ve ever eaten anywhere in the South, you are familiar with hominy grits.  It seems there are two schools of thought concerning hominy… you either love them or really don’t care about them.  I think the best way to win over folks who dislike hominy is to turn them into something sweet, and pecans can’t hurt!

2 cups water
2 cups milk
1 cup hominy
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons pecans, toasted and chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Place the water and milk into the top part of a double boiler. Carefully stir in the hominy and the salt.  Stir constantly and cook for 5 minutes or until the hominy begins to thicken.

After 5 minutes place the lid on the double boiler and continue cooking 45 minutes or until the hominy has become thick.  If they become too thick add a little more milk.  Stir in the butter.

Mix the pecans with the brown sugar.  To serve, sprinkle this sweet mixture over the hominy.

When you look at this recipe you might be taken aback by the fact that it calls for peppercorns.  Don’t be alarmed… they brighten up the intensely sweet flavor with a little kick and makes this special dessert stand out from other pear dishes.

2 cups water
2 cups sugar
12 peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
3 pears, peeled

In a large saucepan, pour the water and sugar, place over low heat and add the sugar, stirring as you add.  Keep stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.  To the liquid, add the peppercorns, cinnamon stick ,and cloves, and mix.

Now, place the pears in the pan and cover with a piece of parchment paper, then lay a glass plate over the parchment paper to keep the pears submerged.

Cook over low heat 25 to 30 minutes or until the pears are fork tender.  Remove the pears and place in a bowl or plate and set aside.

Continue cooking the liquid another 20 to 30 minutes or until it becomes thick like syrup.  Pour the syrup through a colander or strainer to remove the whole spices.

Cut the pears in half half lengthwise and remove the seeds and core.  Then, slice the pears again in quarters.  Serve with the syrup poured over the top of the pears.  You may also like a dollop of whipped cream on top.

When you have house guests, you like to have something extra special in the morning for breakfast.  At least, I know that’s a really good excuse for me to make a super sweet and yummy breakfast dish!  This definitely is all that!

1/3 cup dates, pitted and chopped
1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 cup almond slivers
3/4 cup flour + 1 tablespoon flour
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Place the dates, apricots, raisins and almond slivers into a large mixing bowl.  Add the 1 tablespoon of flour and toss to coat the other ingredients well.

In a different mixing bowl break the eggs.  Using an electric mixer on low beat the eggs until they become foamy.  Carefully add the brown sugar being sure to continue mixing while adding. Continue mixing 4 minutes or until the mixture becomes thick.

In another bowl sift together the remaining flour and baking powder.  Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and continue mixing until completely moistened.  Fold in the date mixture being sure to incorporate into the batter well.
Spray the bottom and sides of a 9×13 baking pan with a non stick cooking spray.  Using a rubber spatula spread the mixture evenly into the baking pan.  Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until when touched slightly with your fingertip the bars bounce back easily.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely at room temperature.

May be stored in an air tight container for about a week.