Brown Sugar Smokies

December 16, 2011 by

Here’s another of our family recipes, though I think every family has probably tried some version of this delightful indulgence. Brown Sugar Smokies is the sixteenth of my 25 Appetizers of Christmas.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound bacon
  • 1 (16 ounce) package Little Smokies
  • 1 cup brown sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Cut each slice of bacon into thirds.
  3. Wrap â…“ of a strip of bacon around a Little Smokies, securing with a wooden toothpick.
  4. Arrange the bacon-wrapped Smokies on a baking sheet.
  5. Sprinkle the sausages with brown sugar.
  6. Bake until bacon is crisp and the brown sugar melted.

Variations

  • Be sure to secure your bacon with wooden toothpicks, as plastic toothpicks may melt in the oven. Metal skewers will work as well.

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Kielbasa Appetizers

December 15, 2011 by

Here’s a recipe from the Allrecipes.com site (original here) that takes regular kielbasa to the next level. Kielbasa is the fifthteenth of my 25 Appetizers of Christmas.

Ingredients

  • 18 fluid ounces beer
  • 1 (18-ounce) bottle barbecue sauce
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup Dijon mustard
  • 2 pounds kielbasa (Polish) sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Directions

  1. Combine the beer, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard in a large skillet over medium heat.
  2. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; reduce heat to low and add the kielbasa.
  3. Simmer until kielbasa is browned and glazed, about 1 hour.

Variations

  • Choose the sausage that your family prefers. Little Smokies would work well in this recipe also.
  • You could easily let this continue cooking in a crockpot, rather than on the stove.

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Ham Meatballs with Pineapple Sauce

December 9, 2011 by

This recipe is listed on the Cooks.com site (original here) as “Ham Balls,” which I found an unusual and not necessarily inviting name. Still I clicked through and found a recipe for ham meatballs that are served with pineapple sauce. Now I’m eager to try them out, though I’ve changed the name so that I’ll be more likely to convince the family to eat them. Ham Meatballs with Pineapple Sauce is the ninth of my 25 Appetizers of Christmas.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ham ground (3 c.)
  • 1 cup soft bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 lb lean ground pork
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 8 oz can crushed pineapple
  • ½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
  • ⅓ cup ketchup
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • ½ tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • ⅓ cup vinegar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Combine ingredients for ham balls in bowl; mix well.
  3. Shape into 1 inch balls and place in a 9 x 13 x 2 inch dish, and set aside while you make the sauce.
  4. Empty pineapple into bowl.
  5. Mix brown sugar and cornstarch; add to pineapple.
  6. Stir in remaining ingredients.
  7. Pour over meatballs and bake for 50 minutes.

Variations

  • The sauce is similar to a sweet-and-sour sauce. You could easily add some rice and veggies for a full meal.

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Autumn Beef Pot Roast Au Jus

October 29, 2011 by

This recipe from Campbell’s (original online) makes a simple crockpot meal that will satisfy the everyone.

Ingredients

  • 1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed Beef Broth
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves, crushed
  • 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 4 cups)
  • 2 medium Granny Smith apples, cut into wedges
  • 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 boneless beef chuck pot roast (about 2 pounds)

Directions

  1. Stir the broth, thyme, sweet potatoes, apples and onion in a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker.
  2. Add the beef and turn to coat.
  3. Cover and cook on LOW for 10 to 11 hours or until the beef is fork-tender.

Variations

  • Flavor Variation: Use a combination of red potatoes and peeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces.
  • Time-Saving: You may also cook this recipe on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours.

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Beef Sirloin Steak with Baby Spinach

October 28, 2011 by

This recipe from Campbell’s (original online) “features a creamy sauce flavored with balsamic vinegar…and in just 40 minutes, you’ve got steak, veggies and potatoes ready to serve.”

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 boneless beef sirloin steak, 3/4-inch thick (about 1 pound), cut into 4 pieces
  • 1 large onion, sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 small red pepper, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
  • 1 bag (about 7 ounces) fresh baby spinach
  • Hot mashed potatoes

Directions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the beef and cook until well browned on both sides.
  3. Remove the beef from the skillet.
  4. Pour off any fat.
  5. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet.
  6. Add the onion and pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
  7. Add the garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring often.
  8. Stir the soup, water, vinegar and rosemary in the skillet and heat to a boil.
  9. Return the beef to the skillet.
  10. Reduce the heat to medium.
  11. Stir in the spinach.
  12. Cover and cook the beef for 2 minutes for medium or until desired doneness.
  13. Serve the beef and vegetable mixture with the potatoes.

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Grilled Spiced Pork Patties

October 16, 2011 by

A recipe from the August 2011 issue of All You (original here). The note with the recipe explains that “Making the pork patties yourself takes more time, but it is an easy way to cut out some of the calories and fat that store-bought varieties may contain.” The recipe calls for the patties to be grilled, but they could easily be prepared on stove top or broiler.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • Salt

Directions

  1. Preheat gas grill to medium.
  2. In a large bowl, combine pork, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, egg, onion, parsley, 1 clove garlic and 1 tsp. salt.
  3. Mix thoroughly with your hands.
  4. Form mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls, then press into football shapes.
  5. Oil grill grates.
  6. Grill patties, turning once, until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes total.

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