Picante Meatballs (Christmas Party Meatballs)

My aunt gave me this recipe in the 70's, and it is always at our home on Christmas Eve and New Years... and everywhere else for that matter!  Everyone would ask me to bring "my" meatballs.  These can be baked ahead of time.  I made 1000 of these for my daughters wedding.  Randi knows how to roll meatballs!!


2 Pounds Ground Round
1 Cup Corn Flake crumbs
1/3 Cup Dried Parsley Flake Crumbs
2 Eggs
2 TBS Soy sauce
1/4 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Garlic
1/3 Cup Catsup
2 TBS Instant minced onion
1 1 Pound Can Jelllied Cranberry Sauce
1 12 ounce Bottle of Chili Sauce
2 TBS Brown Sugar
1 t Lemon Juice

Combine first 9 ingredients, form into small balls and arrange in 15x2x 1 inch pan.  Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until meatlballs are done.  Drain any grease.  Meatballs may be frozen at this point.  To serve combine Cranberry sauce, brown sugar and lemon juice and cook until cranberry sauce has disolved and is smooth.  Place meatballs in crock pot and pour sauce over and keep warm.  If you have frozen the meatballs, thaw and proceed as directed above.  This recipe can be doubled or tripled easily, if you have the patience and extra help to roll the meatballs.

Carrot Cake Jam

I love carrot cake, there is nothing better..... except maybe this wonderful jam served with a dollop of cream cheese.  These make great gifts.  I also use apple instead of the pear, just a personal preference.




CARROT CAKE JAM
Yield: 7 half pints

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups finely shredded carrots
1 cup finely chopped and pealed pear
1 15 ounce can crushed pineapple (juice packed) undrained
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1.75 ounce package regular powdered fruit pectin
4 cups granulated sugar
2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut or raisin (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Source: Better Homes and Gardens Canning Magazine

DIRECTIONS:
In a 4-6 quart heavy pot, combine carrots, pear, pineapple with the juice, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle mixture with pectin, stir until pectin dissolves.

Bring carrot mixture to boil, stirring constantly. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar. Return to a full rolling boil, boil for 1 minute, stirring constant. Remove from heat. Quickly skim off foam with a metal spoon. Stir in coconut or raisins (if desired) and vanilla.

Ladle hot jam into hot, sterilized half pint canning jars, Leaving a 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims, adjust lids.

Process filled jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner, cool on a wire rack.

Pecan Pie Bars

 These bars have a secret ingredient! Almond brickle chips!  They also have eagle brand milk which makes them so rich and yummy.  I have made 100's of these bars for customers during the holidays.  Always a hit and always on my annual cookie tray list!

2 cups unsifted flour
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup margarine, cold
1 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 6 ounce almond brickle chips
1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350.  In med. mixing bowl, combine flour and sugar.  Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse corn meal.  Press firmly on bottom of 13x9 baking dish.  Bake 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, in medium mixing bowl, beat sweeten condensed milk, egg and vanilla.  Stir in chips and pecans.  Spread evenly over prepared crust.  Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool.  Chill thoroughly.  Cut into bars

Pecan Pie Cake

Bring the best of pecan pie to a Thanksgiving-worthy layer cake. This way, you'll never have to choose between a slice of cake and a piece of pie again.

Southern Living OCTOBER 1998

• Yield: 1 (3-layer) cake
• Prep time:35 Minutes

Ingredients

• 3 cups finely chopped pecans, toasted and divided
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup dark corn syrup
• 1 recipe Pecan Pie Filling
• 1 recipe Pastry Garnish (optional)

Preparation

Sprinkle 2 cups pecans evenly into 3 generously buttered 9-inch round cakepans; shake to coat bottoms and sides of pans.

Beat 1/2 cup butter and shorteningat medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Add flour and baking soda to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in remaining 1 cup finely chopped pecans.

Beat egg whites at medium speed until stiff peaks form; fold one-third of egg whites into batter. Fold in remaining egg whites. (Do not overmix.) Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until done. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Invert layers onto wax paper-lined wire racks. Brush tops andsides of layers with corn syrup, and cool completely.

Spread half of Pecan Pie Filling on 1 layer, pecan side up. Place second layer, pecan side up, on filling; spread with remaining filling. Top with remaining layer, pecan side up.

Arrange Pastry Garnish on and around cake, if desired.