Crazy Cooking Challenge-Fruit and Nut Cornbread Dressing/Stuffing

The subject of this month’s Crazy Cooking Challenge hosted by Tina at Mom’s Crazy Cooking is Dressing/Stuffing.  No matter what you call it, it is one of my favorite things about Thanksgiving dinner.  As far as I an concerned, I can never make enough of it.

Yesterday I shared a recipe for DIY Seasoned Cornbread Stuffing Mix and Monday I shared DIY Poultry Seasoning.  These are the basis for my cornbread stuffing.  Because we like the combination, I have added fruits and nuts to my stuffing over the years.  I use dried apricots, dried cranberries and fresh chopped apple.  For nuts I have used walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts and macadamia nuts.  It just depends on my mood that year which nut I choose.  I always toast them.

This stuffing recipe makes a somewhat firm stuffing that can be cut into squares.  If a less firm stuffing is desired, increase the amount of chicken broth used.

The stuffing may be made ahead and frozen.  Thaw and rewarm in the oven keeping it completely covered.

Fruit and Nut Cornbread Dressing/Stuffing
1/2 stick butter or margarine
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped celery
1/3 c. chopped red pepper (opt.)
5 c. dried cornbread dressing/stuffing mix (1 recipe DIY Seasoned Cornbread Dressing/Stuffing Mix)
2 c. dry breadcrumbs
1 1/2 t. dried sage
1 T. poultry seasoning
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. chopped dried apricots
1 to 2 medium baking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1/2 to 1 c. chopped, toasted nuts
2 c. turkey or chicken broth (or more to get texture desired)
1 egg beaten with 1/2 c. water

Melt butter in large skillet.  Add onion, celery and red pepper and cook until tender, but not brown.  Meanwhile in a large bowl combine cornbread, bread crumbs and seasonings.  Mix together well.  Add cranberries, apricots, apple and nuts.  Stir to mix well.  Add vegetables and mix in.  Add turkey or chicken broth.  The mixture should be quite wet.  Beat egg with water and stir in.  Turn into a foil-lined 9x13-inch baking pan.  Cover tightly and bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.  Uncover the last 10-15 minutes of baking time if you like a crust on your dressing/stuffing.  Serves 12

Next month the challenge is sugar cookies.  If you would like to join in the fun, you can find all the details on Tina's Crazy Cooking Challenge Page.  Check out the links below for other great dressing/stuffing recipes and come join us next month.

Ingredient Spotlight-Cran/Ras/Pineapple Squares

Today the Ingredient Spotlight over at Eat at Home is sweetened condensed milk.

One of the things I like best about making my own sweetened condensed milk is that I can freeze it in just the amounts needed for a particular recipe and not have to figure out what to do with the leftovers from an opened can.

For this recipe, I did make the milk with half sugar and half Splenda and left out the butter.

This recipe makes a great light summer dessert with a taste of fall coming from the cranberries. Although it must be made ahead, it is very easy to put together.  If I remember to do it, I put the can of cranberry sauce in the freezer for several hours before I start to make this.  It helps make the gelatin set up faster.

You can use a graham cracker or vanilla wafer crust.  I used vanilla wafers as I had them left from making the Peanut Butter Banana Cream Squares.  The crust may be baked at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned then cooled, or it can simply be chilled for 30 minutes which is great to do when the weather is hot.

The marshmallow/milk mixture stabilizes the whipped cream so the topping will stand up for several days.  This combo could be used on other desserts calling for whipped cream topping.

I adapted this recipe from a pie recipe  I found in a Nov./Dec. 2007 issue of Simple & Delicious magazine.

Cran/Ras/Pineapple Squares
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs (about 24 squares)
1/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. melted butter
OR
1 1/2 c. vanilla wafer crumbs (about 30-36 wafers)
1/4 c. melted butter
1 can (8 oz.) unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
1 small pkg. raspberry gelatin, regular or sugar-free
1 can whole-berry cranberry sauce
2 c. miniature marshmallows
1/4 c. sweetened condensed milk
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 c. heavy whipping cream, whipped

In a mixing bowl combine either the graham cracker crumbs or the vanilla wafer crumbs with the other crust ingredients and mix well.  Press into a foil-lined 8-in. square baking pan.  Either bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes and let cool or place in fridge and chill for 30 minutes before filling.  Meanwhile, pour pineapple into a sieve placed over a glass measuring cup.  Let drain 10 to 15 minutes.  Set pineapple aside.  Add enough water to pineapple juice to make 1 c.  Place cup in microwave and heat to boiling, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Pour juice/water mixture into a mixing bowl.  Add gelatin and stir until dissolved.  Add cranberry sauce and mix until well blended.  The mixture will be lumpy because of the cranberries.  Add pineapple. Refrigerate until partially set.  Pour into prepared crust.  Refrigerate until completely set.  When gelatin is almost set, make the topping.  Combine marshmallows and sweetened condensed milk in a heavy saucepan.  Cook and stir over medium-low heat until marshmallows are melted.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl, cover and let stand until at room temperature.  Meanwhile whip the cream.  Mix a third of the whipped cream into the marshmallow/milk mixture.  (Mixture will be stringy at first.)  Fold in the remaining whipped cream.  Spread over gelatin layer.  Refrigerate until set.  Using the foil, lift dessert from pan.  Cut into squares.  Makes 9 servings.  This will keep well for several days.

Linking to:  Ingredient Spotlight

!2 Weeks of Christmas Cookies-NOT Pecan Pie Bars

Here we are starting the second half of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies and Sweets. Time has really flown.  I am getting so many good recipes from the other bloggers who are participating.  Be sure you check them out and visit our hostess at Meal Planning Magic, too

Last week over at Southern Plate, Christy posted a recipe for Faux Pecan Pie that used pretzels instead of pecans.  Her wonderful idea intrigued me, and I couldn’t stop thinking about trying to use pretzels instead of pecans in a pecan pie bar cookie.  I knew that I had to try it.

Because of the drought, pecans are projected to reach as much as $12 a pound.  I don’t know about you, but that price is more than I am willing to pay.  Now I am not necessarily a fan of pretzels as far as just eating them is concerned, but here they may just save the day.  This substitution may also benefit those who have nut allergies.  One note:  the only pretzels I could find where I shopped were processed in a facility that processed peanut so be sure to check the label on the pretzels for that possibility.

Now I have to say that I did not think that the bars had a true pecan flavor, but they were good in their own right.  There are places that sell butter pecan flavoring that could be used, but that would probably negate any benefit to those with nut allergies.  I may add a little maple flavor next time I make these.  Although Christy crushed hers, I broke the pretzel sticks into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces.  This took about the same amount of time as it would have to chop the same measurement of pecans.  I tossed the pretzels with 1 T. melted butter and toasted them in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes.  I am not sure that this is necessary, however.

The recipe that I used came from a little Karo cookbook, another one of those grocery store ones.  There are actually 5 toppings that go on the base recipe from this cookbook so I am going to go ahead and post them all.   Another note:  Karo has nothing to do with high fructose corn syrup and does not contain it.  Grease the measuring cup to make removing the Karo easier.

Bar Cookie Crust
2 c. flour
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. butter or margarine, cut up

Place flour, sugar, salt in a mixing bowl.  Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Press crumbs firmly into bottom and 1/4 inch up the sides of a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Top with desired topping and complete as recipe directs.

NOT Pecan Pie Bars
1 Bar Cookie Crust
2 eggs
3/4 c. Karo, Light or Dark (I used Dark)
3/4 c. sugar
2 T. butter or margarine, melted
2 t. vanilla
1 1/3 c. broken pretzels sticks

Prepare and bake Bar Cookie Crust.  While crust is baking, beat eggs, Karo, sugar, butter or margarine, and vanilla together in a large bowl.  Stir in pretzels.  Pour over hot crust, spreading evenly.  Bake at 350 degrees 20 minutes or until filling is firm around edges and slightly firm in center.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Cut into 2x1 1/2-inch bars.  Makes about 32 bars.

To make real Pecan Pie Bars use 1 1/4 coarsely chopped pecans in place of the pretzels.
Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars:  Follow above recipe and add 3 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted to egg mixture.  Compete as above recipe directs.

Almond Toffee Triangles
1 Bar Cookie Crust
1/3 c. Karo, Light or Dark
1/3 c. brown sugar, packed
3 T. butter or margarine,
1/4 c. heavy or whipping cream
1 1/2 c. sliced almonds
1 t. vanilla

Prepare and bake Cookie Crust.  While crust is baking combine Karo, brown sugar, butter or margarine, and cream in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat; remove from heat.  Stir in almonds and vanilla.  Pour over hot crust spreading evenly.  Bake at 350 degrees 12 minutes or until set and golden.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Cut into 2-inch squares; cut diagonally in half for triangles.  Makes 48 servings.

Chocolate Chip Walnuts Bars
1 Bar Cookie Crust
2 eggs
1/2 c. Karo, Light or Dark
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. butter or margarine, melted
1 c. (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 c. chopped, toasted walnuts

Prepare and bake Cookie Crust.  While crust is baking, beat eggs, Karo, sugar, and butter or margarine until well blended.  Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.  Pour over hot crust, spreading evenly.  Bake at 350 degrees 15 to 18 minutes or until set.  Cool completely in pan on wire rack.  Cut into 2x1 1/2-inch bars.  Makes about 32 bars
.
Cranberry Walnut Bars
1 Bar Cookie Crust
2 eggs
1/2 c. Karo, Light or Dark
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. butter or margarine, melted
1 c. chopped fresh or frozen cranberries or dried
3/4 c. chopped, toasted walnuts

Prepare and bake Cookie Crust.  While crust is baking beat eggs, Karo, sugar and butter or margarine until well blended.  Stir in cranberries and walnuts.  Pour over crust, spreading evenly.  Bake at 350 degrees 15 to 18 minutes or until set.  Cool completely in pan on wire rack.  Cut into 2 x 1 1/2-inch bars.  Makes about 32 bars.

Ingredient Spotlight-Festive Cranberry Salad

When Tiffany interviewed me over at Eat at Home, one of the questions was about my favorite meal.  This is the cranberry salad that I listed.  This salad has pretty much replaced the regular cranberry side at our Thanksgiving dinners.  I do make it throughout the year, tho.  The recipe was in a magazine ad for Jell-O back when Bill Cosby was Jell-O's spokesperson.  I have never done the molded version but am including the instructions for it.

Festive Cranberry-Pineapple Salad
1 can (20 oz.) DOLE Crushed Pineapple, undrained
2 pkgs. (4-serving size each) or 1 pkg. (8-serving size) JELL-O Brand Raspberry, Cherry or Cranberry Flavor Gelatin (regular or sugar-free)
1 can (16 oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 medium  apple, chopped
2/3 cup chopped PLANTERS Walnuts

DRAIN pineapple, reserving liquid in 1-qt. liquid measuring cup.  Add enough cold water to reserved liquid to measure 3 cups; pour into large saucepan. Bring to a boil; remove from heat. Add gelatin; stir at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add cranberry sauce; stir until well blended. (Note: Due to the presence of whole berries in the cranberry sauce, the gelatin mixture will not be smooth.) Pour into large bowl. Refrigerate 1-1/2 hours or until slightly thickened (consistency of unbeaten egg whites.)  Add pineapple, apple and walnuts; stir gently until well blended. Pour into medium serving bowl.  Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.  Store any leftover salad in refrigerator.  Makes 14 servings (1/2 c. each)

If you don't want the salad to take as long to set up as the instructions above take, you can freeze the cranberry sauce overnight.  I take it out of the can and put it in a heavy-duty plastic bag, seal it well, flatten the bag, and freeze.  Add the cranberry sauce to the warm pineapple/water mixture, breaking it up well.  This helps the Jell-O to set up faster.

You can also just go ahead and stir pineapple, apple, and walnuts into the pineapple juice/cranberry mixture right away.  This will cause the apple and the nuts to float at the top of the Jell-O.  If I am in a real hurry, I don't have a problem with that.

Variation - Molded Cranberry-Pineapple Salad
To serve as a molded salad, substitute a 6-cup mold for the serving bowl. Also, use 1 can (8-1/4 oz.) DOLE Crushed Pineapple, 1/3 cup chopped PLANTERS Walnuts and add enough cold water to the reserved pineapple liquid to measure 2 cups. Makes 10 servings, 1/2 cup each

Tomorrow-Skipping through Blogland to "For the Love of Grub"

Linking to:  Ingredient Spotlight