Christmas Dinner 2020

We celebrated Christmas dinner a week early with Nana and Papa and it was delicious! No one left the table hungry.

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

Prime Rib with Au Jus Sauce

Mashed potatoes

Glazed carrots

Cinnamon Rolls

 Cookbook: The Southern Entertainer's Cookbook by Courtney Dial Whitmore with Phronsie Dial

1/3 cup warm water (100 degrees)

1 T (1 packet) rapid-rise yeast

1 T sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup warm milk

1/2 t  salt

1 egg, beaten

2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 t vanilla extract

1/4 t almond extract

2 1/2 T cinnamon

1. In a small bowl, combine warm water with yeast and 1 T sugar. Stir and cover with a paper towel. Set aside for 5-10 minutes. Yeast will become bubbly.

2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together butter, sugar, milk and salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir until combined. Mix in egg. Add 1 cup of flour, stir well, then add second cup of flour. Mix well then add remaining 1/4 cup flour. Knead dough either with hands or a dough hook of stand mixer for 1-2 minutes or until dough pulls away from sides of bowl to form a soft ball. Add additional flour if dough is too sticky. Cover dough with a damp towel and set in a warm spot. If you don't have a warm spot, heat oven to 200 degrees and place bowl inside oven with door ajar. Allow dough to rise for 20-25 minutes.

3. While dough is rising, mix together brown sugar, butter, extracts, and cinnamon in a small bowl to make a thick filling.

4. Uncover dough and punch down. Place the dough onto a floured surface and roll into a 12x16 inch rectangle.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread filling evenly over the entire surface of the dough. You may need to use the back of a wooden spoon to press it down evenly. Starting on the long side, gently roll the dough into a log shape and slice dough gently into 1 1/2 inch cinnamon roles.  Prepare dish or baking sheet by buttering or spraying with nonstick cooking spray. Place the rolls into dish or space them evenly on baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and allow rolls to rise again for 15 minutes. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until lightly golden.

Vanilla Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 t vanilla extract

1/4 t almond extract

1/4 cup butter

2 T milk

Whisk together powdered sugar, extracts, butter and milk until smooth. For a thicker glaze, add more powdered sugar. For a thinner glaze, add more milk. Spread frosting on top of warm cinnamon rolls. 

Classic Southern Biscuits

 Cookbook: The Southern Entertainer's Cookbook by Courtney Dial Whitmore with Phronsie Dial

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 T sugar

1 T baking powder

1 t salt

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1/3 cup shortening

1 cup whole milk

Melted butter to brush the tops of biscuits

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until blended. Add the butter and shortening. Using a fork, work the butter and shortening into the flour mixture. Pour in milk and knead biscuits 4-5 times.

3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll dough to a 1-inch thickness and cut with a biscuit cutter. Press the cutter into the dough and pull straight up. Do not twist the cutter.

4. Place biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 12-14 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter.

Sweet Potato Casserole

 Technically from this Cookbook: The Southern Entertainer's Cookbook by Courtney Dial Whitmore with Phronsie Dial

However, it closely resembles the recipe E's mother made that I absolutely love and am so sad I never got from her before she died. 

Sweet potato casserole filling

3 lbs sweet potatoes

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup milk

2 large eggs

1 t vanilla extract

1/4 t salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Bake sweet potatoes for 50-60 minutes. Allow to cool. Remove skins and place in a large mixing bowl.

3. Add sugar, butter, milk, eggs, vanilla and salt and cream together until smooth. Transfer to a 9x13 baking dish.

Pecan streusel topping

6 T butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1 t cinnamon

Salt

1. In a mixing bowl, stir together butter, brown sugar, flour, pecans, cinnamon and salt until combined.

2. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over sweet potato filling and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Hot Chicken Salad

 Cookbook: The Southern Entertainer's Cookbook by Courtney Dial Whitmore with Phronsie Dial

4 cups shredded chicken 

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

3 T chopped onion

2 T lemon juice

1/4 t cayenne pepper

Salt

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

2 8-oz cans sliced water chestnuts, drained

3 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix all ingredients together, reserving 1 cup cheese.

3. Pout into a 9x13 casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes.

Charleston Grilled Chicken

 Cookbook: The Southern Entertainer's Cookbook by Courtney Dial Whitmore with Phronsie Dial

2 cups pineapple juice

1 cup sherry

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 T sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 lbs boneless skinless chicken

1. In a mixing bowl, combine juice, sherry, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic. Pout the marinade over the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours. 

2. Drain and throw away the liquid before cooking. The chicken can be cooked in a frying pan or grilled.

Spicy Cheddar-Sausage Balls

Cookbook: The Southern Entertainer's Cookbook by Courtney Dial Whitmore with Phronsie Dial

So easy!

2 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix

1 lb hot or spicy ground pork sausage

4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated

1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Form into 1-inch bowls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. The dough will be sticky, so use a little flour or Bisquick on your hands to help form the balls. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.