From the Family Recipe Box

I thought I would share some of our favorite holiday recipes with you. These don't last long around our house or any gathering. Hope they will find there way onto your Holiday table.

My dad clipped this recipe from the food section of the newspaper. It has become a family favorite. It would be perfect for a Christmas Day Brunch. You can make this the night before then pop it into the oven the next morning. If you have a large group I recommend making two.

Breakfast Casserole

• 1 (16 ounce) package mild breakfast sausage
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 (2.64 ounce) package country gravy mix
• 6 slices bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• butter or canola oil for sauteing onion
• paprika to taste
  
  DIRECTIONS
  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease an 11x8 inch baking dish.
  Saute 1/2 cup of chopped onion in a large skillet in a little butter or canola oil. Brown sausage in same skillet; drain fat.
  Spread sausage and onion evenly across the bottom of the baking dish. Top with shredded cheese. Whisk together eggs, water, milk, and gravy mix; add mixture to baking dish. Arrange bread squares evenly on top. Drizzle melted butter over bread, and sprinkle with paprika.
  Bake 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Set aside 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with fruit salad.

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If you like Cracker Barrel's Hash Brown Casserole you will LOVE this version. YUM! YUM!

Company Potatoes

• 2 lb. bag frozen Hash Brown Potatoes (Shredded)


• 1 can undiluted Cream of Chicken Soup


• 1/2 c chopped Onion


• 1/2 c melted butter


• 10-oz. shredded Cheddar cheese


• 16oz. Sour Cream


• 2 cups Crushed Ritz Cracker Crumbs


• 1/2 cup melted butter(to drizzle on topping)

Defrost potatoes; combine in large bowl with 1/2 cup melted butter. Add salt, onion sour cream, soup & cheese. Pour into greased 9" x 13" greased casserole. Cover with Ritz. Drizzle melted butter on cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 45 min. or until potatoes are tender.

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The following recipe is a real crowd pleaser and is one of my most requested recipes.

Broccoli Cornbread

• 1 8 oz box of frozen chopped broccoli, thawed (I defrost it in the microwave)


• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (med. or sharp)


• 8 oz tub of small curd cottage cheese


• 1 medium onion chopped


• 3 large eggs beaten


• 1 stick margarine, melted


• 1 teaspoon salt


• 1 box Jiffy Cornbread Mix

Combine all ingredients. Mix well.Spray baking dish with non stick cooking spray. Pour batter into 9 x 13 baking dish. It will be very thick. Bake at 400 for 25- 30 min.

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Corn Casserole

• 2 cans Green Giant Mexi -Corn


• 1 can cream of celery soup


• 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese


• 1 large package of Mahatma Yellow Rice with Saffron


• 1/2 stick of butter

Cook rice according to directions on package. After rice is cooked add butter and mix well. Combine rice mixture with cream of celery soup, cans of mexi- corn and 1 cup of cheese. Mix well. Pepper to taste. Place in casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 25-30 min.

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If you are looking for a yummy appetizer this will do the trick.

Perfect Spinach Balls

• 6 eggs beaten


• 2-10 oz. boxes of chopped spinach ( frozen pkg)- Cooked and drained.


• 3/4 c. unsalted butter (melted)


• 1 small onion


• 1 clove garlic- minced


• 1 teaspoon pepper


• 2 cups dry Pepperidge Farm herb seasoned stuffing


• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Cook and drain spinach. Add butter. Mix all other ingredients together and add to spinach mixture. Chill mixture for several hours. Spray "Pam" on cookie sheet. Roll out balls a little larger then an inch in diameter and place onto cookie sheet.. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes- until bottoms are slightly brown. Enjoy!

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Best Broccoli Salad

• 2 Bunches of Broccoli


• 1/2 c chopped onion


• 1 cup shredded cheese


• 1/2 cup pecans


• 1/2 cup raisins (golden)


• 6 slices crisp bacon

Mix all above ingredients.

Dressing

• 1 cup mayo


• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar


• 1/2 cup oil


• 1/2 cup sugar


• 2 Tablespoons yellow mustard

Mix above ingredients very well. Combine and toss into broccoli mixture.

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Here is my husband's favorite Christmas treat.

Peanut Butter Balls

• 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter


• 1/2 cup margarine or butter softened


• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar


• 1 teaspoon vanilla


• Package of chocolate almond bark or make your own candy coating using recipe at bottom.

In a mixing bowl combine peanut butter, powdered sugar, butter & vanilla. Beat thoroughly- form into balls and place onto wax lined baking sheet.

Follow directions on almond bark. Using toothpicks dip balls into chocolate. Place them onto wax covered cookie sheet and let them harden. Once they harden I like to refrigerate mine in a candy tin.

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Great Aunt Trudy's Coconut Bon Bons

• 2 lb packages powdered sugar


• 2 cups chopped nuts


• 1/2 stick margarine


• 2 teaspoons vanilla


• 1 lb. package flaked coconut


• 1 can Eagle brand milk

Mix well in a big bowl. Set in refrig. at least an hour. Roll into balls.

Dip into chocolate Almond Bark candy coating or coating recipe below. Place on wax paper to cool.

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Candy Coating

• 2 12 oz packages chocolate chips


• 1/2 stick Paraffin

Melt in double boiler on low heat.

Hope you enjoy!