Holiday Eats

Have I ever told you that my favorite magazine ever is Southern Living?  I have had a subscription for at least 10 years.  They have some of the BEST recipes ever (especially if you like good comfort food and great desserts).  I use my trusty Ultimate Southern Living cookbook all the time, and it never disappoints.  I received my December issue of Southern Living in the mail yesterday.  I grabbed a glass of wine and proceeded to read it from cover to cover (as Bia and Chatty "did" my hair - i.e. brushed and put an assortment of barrettes in).  I may or may not have drooled quite a bit while I flipped through it.  Some of my favorite recipes from the issue (all photos courtesy of southernliving.com):

Cherry-Pecan Brie

10 minute recipe!!

 

Bacon-Grits Fritters

 

Potato Gratin with Rosemary Crust

I think I may may serve this Christmas Day

Pancetta-Wrapped Beef Tenderloin

Bacon makes everything better!!

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

They even provide instructions on how to make the white chocolate snowflake

Caramel Italian Creme Cake

Isn't this cake gorgeous?

And for my Cousin J - they even had an article on tamales!  Go pick a copy up!!

Berry Recipes

Ask and you shall receive.  I had to heist this recipe off some person's blog because I don't have my cookbook with me.  The recipe is from The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook, my most favorite cookbook ever!  I use it all the time.



Blueberry Streusel Muffins
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed and drained
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine


Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine egg, milk, and oil; stir well. Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.


Combine blueberries, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1 tablespoon sugar, tossing gently to coat. Fold blueberry mixture into batter. Spoon batter into greased muffin pans, filling two thirds full.


Combine 1/4 cup sugar, 2/1/2 tablespoons flour, and cinnamon; cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans immediately. Yield: 1 dozen.


They were delish fresh out of the oven with a little butter!  One of my other most favorite recipes in the world.  I think my mom got this from her cousin, my cousin J's mom at a family reunion.  Our family reunions always have great (not so good for you) food.  This recipe - not sure why it has the name salad in it - is an ESPN household favorite.  My friend Amy makes it with raspberries.


I pulled this one from one of my favorite southern cook... Paula Deen (she includes pineapple which my family doesn't so I removed it from the recipe below)


Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Ingredients

2 cups crushed pretzels
3/4 cup melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar, plus 3/4 cup sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 (8-ounce) container whipped topping
2 (3-ounce) packages strawberry gelatin dessert mix
2 cups boiling water
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen strawberries - I like to use fresh


Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
For the crust, mix the pretzels, butter, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Press this mixture into a 9 by 13-inch pan and bake for 7 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.


In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and 3/4 cup of sugar. Fold in the whipped topping, and spread over the cooled crust. Refrigerate until well chilled.

In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water, and allow to cool slightly. Add the strawberries and pour over the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate until serving time.

If you are like me you will love this for dessert, snack, breakfast, any time of day and it won't last long!!