Holiday Cooking!

It's been a really long time since I've posted ANYTHING here, and that's mainly because I haven't done any cooking!  I'm lazy when it comes to supper time, so I generally through in whatever and eat that for supper.  But, I thought I would share some of my favorite recipes below!  These are things I am going to cook over the holidays (some of which I finished cooking this week and threw in the freezer).

Super Cheesy Mac & Cheese

Ingredients
•1 tbsp. olive oil
•1 lb. rotini noodles (or noodle of your choice)
•1/2 cup butter
•1/2 cup shredded Swiss Cheese
•1/2 cup shredded Muenster cheese
•1/2 cup shredded Mild Cheddar cheese
•1/2 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
•1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
•1/2 cup shredded Asiago Cheese
•2 cups half and half
•1 tsp yellow mustard
•2 lg eggs beaten lightly
•1/4 tsp seasoning salt
•1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter a deep 2.5 quart casserole.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, add the oil then the rotini and cook until the rotini is just tender
3.Drain well and return to pot.
4.Add the butter and mix it into the rotini.
5.In a large bowl mix the muenster, mild and sharp cheddar cheese, asiago, monterey jack cheese and the swiss cheese together.
6.Then to the macaroni add the half and half, 1.5 cups of the shredded cheeses, the mustard and the eggs and mix well.
7.During this time you should season with salt and pepper to your own liking.
8.Then layer the rotini mixture and remaining cheese.
9.Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbling around the edges.
Put under broiler for approximately 4 minutes to just crisp up the cheese so it's a bit crunchy/dark. To make the crunchy topping, you use bread crumbs!


Moose Milk
26 oz light rum (7 oz)
26 oz dark rum (7 oz)
7 oz kahlua (2 oz)
7 oz rye (Canadian Whisky) (2 oz)
8 litres egg nog (1 litre)
8 litres whole milk (1 litre)
16 litres french vanilla ice cream (2 litres)
cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
Makes 2 big pickle buckets, so half of everything in each.
-add egg nog, milk and ice cream, stirring and mushing
-add everything else, stirring and mushing
Edits: You can swap out the French Vanilla ice cream for Butterscotch Ripple or add Peppermint Schnapps.

WHITE ROLLED CHRISTMAS COOKIES
1 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. soda
1 c. butter (margarine may be used)
2 c. flour1 egg, well beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract, if desired
Work like pie crust. Add: This dough can be rolled and rerolled as often as necessary for cutting desired shapes. Will not get tough. Frost with favorite powdered sugar icing and decorate.
*Also may be rolled in balls and pressed flat to 1/4 inch. Bake at 300 to 350 degrees for 8 minutes.


CHRISTMAS CHEESE BALL
2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 (8 1/2 oz.) can crushed pineapple
1/2 c. finely chopped pecans
2 tsp. chopped onion
Dash of Tabasco
Soften cream cheese, add well drained pineapple. Mix well. Add onion, salt, Tabasco. Mix well. Refrigerate until hardened. Form into loaf or balls. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

CHRISTMAS HOLLY
1/4 stick butter or oleo
1 pkg. reg. marshmallows
1 tsp. green food coloring
1 tsp. almond extract
Melt together, stir constantly as it will burn easy. After it is melted add: Stir until well coated. Drop by teaspoon on wax paper. Put red coated cinnamon candies in center.

Parm Dip
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan (fresh, not powdered)*
1/8 cup vinegar
2 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp sugar
dash basil, oregano and garlic
½ Cup of old or medium cheese, shredded
Mix well, then cover the top with the medium or old cheese. Bake 400F, 10 -15 minutes, and enjoy.

Pitas for Dip
1 Package of Greek pitas
1/3 cup of grated parmesan cheese
Dash of garlic salt or powder
Slice pitas into triangular shaped pieces and place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle cheese and garlic over and bake until lightly toasted.

Cream Cheese Mints
1 pkg (3 oz) softened cream cheese
1/2 tsp liquid peppermint flavor
3 cups powdered sugar
Candy paper cups
Food coloring (optional)
Mix together cream cheese and peppermint flavor.
Gradually add 2 - 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Knead until no longer sticky.
Divide into portions (one for each color). Knead in food colors of your choice.
Shape into 3/4 inch thick balls. Roll in powdered sugar. Flatten balls w/ a fork (or press your thumb into the center).
Set in Christmas candy papers. Let dry at room temperature. Store loosely covered in fridge.
Makes 6-7 dozen mints.

Chocolate Haystacks
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
3 1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (opt.)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
dash of salt
In sauce pan bring first four ingredients to a full boil. Remove from heat, stir in remaining ingredients. Drop quickly from teaspoon onto waxed paper. Cool. Makes 48 stacks.

PULLAPART BUNS
3 cups warm water
2 tbsp quick rise yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
7-8 cups four
Mix yeast with 4 cups of the flour, beat eggs, oil, sugar and water, add to yeast mixture with a whisk
add remaining flour and salt.
Let stand 15 minutes, punch down on dough. Repeat.
Shape into golfball size buns and put in a greased 9x13 pyrex (or glass) dish.
Let rise 1 hr covered with a tea towel.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until brown on the top.

Brownies
Serves: Makes 16 brownies
Prep 10 min,
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2½ cups mini marshmallows
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Grease a 9-inch square pan.
2. In a bowl, combine melted butter, cocoa powder, eggs and sugar. Beat well. Stir in flour.
3. Pour batter into pan and bake 35 minutes or until barely firm to the touch and edges of brownies have pulled away from sides of pan slightly.
4. Top brownies with a single layer of marshmallows and broil for about 2 minutes until light golden brown. Watch carefully.
5. Let cool in pan before slicing into 2-inch squares.
Tip: Warm brownies in microwave and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream!


Cheesy Cheddar Biscuits
Serves: Makes 12 biscuits
Time: Prep: 10 min.
On the table: 30 min
Ingredients
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
2½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
Pinch cayenne powder
½ cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 cup coarsely grated extra-old cheddar
1 cup milk or buttermilk
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a food processor, pulse first 6 ingredients until well blended. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cheddar and pulse until combined. Pour milk through feed tube while pulsing just until mixture comes together.
3. Divide mixture equally (about ⅓ cup each) into a standard muffin pan and bake until golden, about 20 to 22 minutes.
If you don’t have a food processor, these biscuits can be made easily by hand. Sift dry ingredients together. Cut butter into small pieces and add to flour mixture. Use fingers to blend together until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cheese, mix well and add milk, stirring just until mixture is moist and comes together.

Cakeballs
You can do this with any flavours you like!
Bake a cake according to directions on the box. Let cool, and then break up cake into tiny pieces (In a large bowl, mix in one can of frosting of your choice, with the cake crumbs. Use an ice cream scoop to form balls of cake. Freeze on sheet pan until hard. Melt approximately one bag of coating chocolate in a pot or in the microwave (stiring often). Dip cakeballs in chocolate and let excess drip off. Decorate with sprinkles or different coloured chocolate. You can also get different colors of coating chocolate, so mix it up with different colors. Also, try different types of cake and frosting! Other ideas: Add nuts, toffee, candies, etc!