This time of year is full of so many of my favorite things - traditions, events, weather - but my favorite might be the food. We get out the recipe books & cards, hit the grocery and spend time together making bites and meals that remind us of family & when shared with those we love makes them even more special! This year, I’m sharing some of my very favorites. Most of these recipes come straight out of the family cook book -passed from friends who became family & generation to generation.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Ingredients

2 cups crushed pretzels
¾ cup margine - melted
3 Tablespoons sugar
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz cool whip
1 cup sugar
I large box strawberry jello
2 cups boiling water
20 oz frozen strawberry
15 oz can crushed pineapple - drained

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Mix ingredients for crust (pretzels, melted butter and sugar) and press into 9x13 pan
Bake in oven for 7 minutes
While baking mix cool whip, cream cheese and sugar together and spread onto crust in dish once out of oven
Let cool whip layer chill in fridge until set
Mix jello, strawberry and pineapple together, then, pour over cool whip layer and chill until set

Tips:

strawberry can be substituted for other fruit - just be sure to change jello flavor as well to be the same or compliment!
best if made the night before serving!

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients

8 oz can cream of mushroom
1 cup Chicken stock
2 Tablespoons chopped onion
2 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons flour
⅓ cup white wine
2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
2 can french style green beans
¼ cup bread crumbs and/or french fried onions (add 1 cup+ to taste or preference)
2 Tablespoons melted butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375
Saute onions for five minutes
Blend in flour, cream of mushroom, chicken stock and wine
Cook, stirring all the time until the mixture boils and thickens
Add cheese, salt and pepper
Combine this with drained green beans in buttered casserole dish
Mix crumbs with butter and onions and sprinkle over top
Bake 375 for 25 minutes

Tips:

you can replace the chicken broth with about any other broth! I use vegetable personally!
Making this the night before serving (minus bread crumbs and/or french fried onions) is THE best!

Cheesy Breads

Ingredients

1 pound butter
1 teaspoon tabasco
1.5 teaspoons worchestire sauce
1.5 teaspoon dill weed
4 - 5 oz kraft old english cheese
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon bean monde seasoning
5 loafs Safeway english breads

Instructions

Soften butter and cheese to room temperature before starting
Take out various cookie sheets and cover in wax paper (tip: be sure you have freezer space to put these on! Organize before!)
Once soft, put in large mixing bowl and beat until fluffy then, add rest of ingredients (tabasco, worchesture, dill weed, onion powder, and bean monde.
Once combined, take bread out of bags and remove crusts - these can be set aside to make home made croutons!
Once crusts are removed, tale 3 slices at a time and put spread on them - Put spread on bottom slice, then add second slice on top - add spread and add third slice.
Cut 3-slice stacks into four little squares (tip: be sure to cut 3 slices at a time so they all fit when assembled)
Take each little stack and butter all four sides and the top - DO NOT butter the bottom (this side will be on the wax paper and if buttered it will stick.
Place on wax paper and once a sheet is full, place in freezer
Once set, put in plastic bags and do not thaw when you go to bake later on
In baking, take directly from bag to cookie sheet then oven
Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes

Tip

These are intended to be made in bulk (70-80 at a time) and are great to stock up before entertaining
These last in the freezer for a few months (but honestly won’t last because YUM)

Cream Corn

Ingredients

2 packages frozen kernel corn

8 oz whipping cream
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of white or cayenne pepper
2 Tablespoons melted butter
8 oz homogenized milk
6 teaspoon sugar
2 Tablespoons flour

Instructions

Place all frozen corn in 9x13 dish
Combine cream, milk, salt sugar and pepper on stove - bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes
Add butter and flour mixture then pour over corn and mix
Refrigerate over night
Bake at 350 until bubbling for about 25 minutes

Tips

This dish is SO good and really is best when made a day or two before serving

Corn Souffle

Ingredients

1 16 oz can whole kernel corn - drained
1 16 oz can cream style corn
8 oz sour cream or plain nonfat yogurt
1 box jiffy corn muffin mix
1 stick of margarine, melted
2 lightly beaten eggs

Instructions

Spray 3 quart souffle dish with nonfat cooking spray
Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl and pour into dish
Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes or until golden brown
Serve warm

Tips

you don’t HAVE to make it in a souffle dish BUT be sure whatever you make it in, you use non-stick spray!
it does serve 6 -8 but this is also the perfect side to cook most any time!
for a kick, you can add green chiles!

I hope you enjoyed these recipes! Be sure to save the pins to be able to come back & if you make it be sure to tag me so I can share!