Happy Holidays from the Augusta R. Kolwyck Library!


Here are a few recipes for your holidays:

Pineapple-Cheese Ball
This cheese ball can be made a few days ahead and is actually a little better if the flavors are allowed to mingle a while.
2 blocks of softened cream cheese (light works fine)
8 oz. crushed pineapple, very well drained
1/4 cup finely grated onion
1/4 cup finely chopped green or red bell pepper
1 generous tsp. Lawry's seasoning
Chopped pecans.

Thoroughly combine first 5 ingredients and shape into a ball. Cover and refrigerate until the mixture is firm again--a couple of hours. Roll in chopped pecans (about 1 cup). Wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve with crackers.



Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
1 box Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix
1 15oz can mashed unsweetened pumpkin
1/2 cup egg substitute

Mix ingredients on low speed until well blended, then on medium speed for 2 minutes. Put into 24 cupcake cups. Bake 18 minutes in preheated 350 degree oven.

Glaze
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
2 T orange juice (or enough to make a glaze)
1/4 t (or more) orange zest

Mix all with a whisk until well blended. Spread on cupcakes.

Hot, Spiced Apple Juice
64 oz apple juice, no sugar added
1 orange
whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks

Put juice in crockpot. Slice orange and stud it with cloves. Put orange slices and cinnamon sticks in crockpot. Heat it up and serve.

Infamous Bean Dip (has also been called Texas Caviar):
1-2 8 oz. cans black beans
drained Salsa (any variety)
Cheese (any variety)

Take beans - drain off juice unless you want your dip to be a thinner consistency. Put in saucepan and mash with fork or potato masher. Add cheese and salsa to taste. Warm over medium to medium-high heat. Keep stirring until all is blended and cheese is melted (~5 minutes). Serve room temperature or warm. It gets rather stiff when cold.

The Goober Cake (not sure why it's called that)
1 18 1/2 oz. yellow cake mix
1 4 1/4 oz. box instant chocolate pudding (I use the 5 oz. size)
4 eggs
3/4 c. oil
1 cup sour cream
1 12-oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix first 5 ingredients with mixer - stir in chocolate chips. Pour into well-greased, floured 10-inch tube pan (Bundt pan or Springform pan also works) and bake at 325 for 50-60 minutes. Straw test does not work on this cake. Cool 20 minutes and turn out - wonderful served by itself or with ice cream:)

THE "BIG EASY"
1 5oz. Bottle Pickapeppa Sauce
1 8oz. Block Cream Cheese
1 Box Crackers or Wafers of Choice

Place opened block of cream cheese on serving dish. Pour bottle of Pickapeppa Sauce over block of cream cheese. Spread on crackers.

Wendy's Chili Recipe
Serving Size : 12
Preparation Time: 10min.
2 pounds Ground beef
1 Can tomato sauce -- (29 ounces)
1 Can kidney beans w/liquid -- (29 ounces)
1 Can pinto beans w/liquid -- (29 ounces)
1 medium Onion -- diced
2 Green chili -- diced
1 Rib celery -- diced
3 medium Tomatoes -- chopped
2 teaspoons Cumin powder
3 tablespoons Chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Black pepper
2 teaspoons Salt
2 cups Water

Brown the beef and drain the fat off. Crumble the cooked beef into pea size pieces. Combine the beef plus the remaining ingredients in a large pot and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook stirring every 15 minutes for 2-3 hours. Note: You can substitute the 3 medium tomatoes and 2 green chilies with 2 15oz cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies.


DDH