Roast Beef Sloppy Joes (Christmas Eve)

Ingredients
4-5 lbs. round bone pot roast
1 onion-diced
Salt & pepper
Potato rolls

Brown onion, put with roast. Add salt & pepper to taste--cook like a pot roast but a little longer than usual keeping water on it. Put juice in freezer until grease comes to top then remove it from juice and make gravy out of juice. Shred meat with fingers then pour gravy over meat and freeze until ready to serve. Just warm it and serve on potato rolls.

Note from Jen: I'm sorry that I hanven't updated in forever. And I have to admit that this recipe didn't technically come from Grandma's recipe box. One of you gave it to me at my wedding shower. But it does have Grandma's name on the recipe card, so I hope it's close enough.

I always look forward to Christmas Eve and being together with family. And just the smell of these sloppy joes makes it seem like Christmas. Happy Holidays, Holts!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Cut chicken breasts into strips. (Do this with raw meat)
2 tbs. cooking oil
Cook 15 minutes in fry pan

Add:

1 diced green pepper
1/2 c. mushrooms
2 thinly sliced carrots
1 c diced celery
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 c chicken broth
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 1/3 c pineapple tidbits

Simmer 10 minutes. Mix 2 tbs. corn starch with 2 tbs. cold water.
Add, stirring to thicken. 1 tbs. lemon juice helps flavor.

Serve with rice.

Herb Bread Spread

From the kitchen of: Grace Stevens (1979)

Ingredients:

4 oz. butter
2 Tbsp. chopped onion
1 Tbsp. Tarragon Vinegar
1/4 tsp. Thyme
2 tbs. parsley
1/4 tsp. sage - rubbed
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard

Spread on French Bread slices. Place slices together back in loaf shape. Wrap in foil, bake 20 minutes at 300 degrees.

Hoot Nanny

From the kitchen of: Marg Garff

Ingredients:

1 square of butter (1/4 lb.)

Melt in 425 degree oven in 9" x 13" pan.

6 eggs, beaten well (or in blender)

Add to eggs:
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt

Beat and pour into butter in pan.

Cook 15-20 minutes at 425 degrees.

Serve with berries and whip cream or with hot maple syrup.

Note from Jen: I asked Grandma if she had any recipes that she traditionally made for Easter. Unfortunately, she couldn't remember any. But if you have that you remember and would like me to post, let me know!

Suki Yaki

From the kitchen of: Carolyn Holt

Ingredients:
1 cup rice (not minute rice) prepared as directed on package
1 lb. steak, sliced into thin diaonal pieces

Brown steak in 1 tbsp. cooking oil and 3 tbsp. soy sauce. Add 2 cans beef broth or bullion.

When broth is heated, add:
4 stalks celery, diced dianonally
1 large onion, sliced
4 green onions and stems, cut in 1 inch pieces
1 4 oz. can sliced button mushrooms
1 green pepper sliced in pieces

Cover and cook 5 minutes only. (Don't overcook vegetables!). Add 1 or more tbsp. of cornstarch to thicken.

Serve over rice.

Note from Jen: Since it's too cold for a dessert, how about a main course. Kathy mentioned she liked this recipe in July. I've never tried it before. Can't wait to try something new.

Christmas Dessert (aka Peppermint Cake)

From the kitchen of: June Holt

Crust Ingredients:
1 lg. box vanilla wafers--12 oz.
1/2 c. melted butter or margarine

Crush wafers--combine with butter and press 2/3 in bottom of 9x13 pan. Reserve rest for top.

Chocolate Layer Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. butter softened
4 eggs
2 sq. melted unsweetened chocolate
2 tbs. Hershey cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix these ingredients in order given. Mix long enough for mixture to thicken (5-10 minutes). Spread over crust.

Peppermint Layer Ingredients:
7 oz. jar marshmallow cream
1 c. whipping cream whipped
1/2 c. crushed peppermint candy--crush in blender
1 c. nuts (optional)

Whip cream--add marshmallow cream and peppermint candy. Spread over chocolate layer. top with rest of crust. Freeze---Allow to defrost 1/2 hour before serving.

Note from Jen: Buffer asked me for this recipe before Christmas. Sadly, I didn't check my email until this week. But it was a good reminder for me to start working on this blog again. I think that once a week was a little overwhelming. Let's try once a month. And I'm all for requests!