It's Holiday Cooking Time!!

I'd like to share some of my favorite holiday recipes with you guys even though some people say you should keep some recipes "to yourself". Not me...I like to share. So, I've picked out a couple of holiday favorites that are usually requested alot!!

Squash Casserole

6 cups sliced or diced fresh squash (you can also use canned squash)

1 large onion

1/2 stick butter

1/2 c sour cream

1t house seasoning*

1 c cheddar cheese

1 c crushed Ritz crackers

Boil the squash until tender-about 15 min. Saute onion in butter in medium skillet over med heat until translucent. When the squash is done, pour into a colander and use the back of the spoon to squeeze out the excess moisture. Mix all ingredients together, place in a buttered casserole dish. Place a few more Ritz cracker crumbs mixed with a tablespoon or two of butter on top and bake for 20-25 minutes. *this is Paula Deen's mixture of 1c salt, 1/4 c pepper, and 1/4 c garlic powder-keep in container for later use.

*this is also good using squash and zucchini together.

Broccoli Casserole

2 (10oz) boxes frozen broccoli, chopped, cooked and drained

1 c mayonnaise

1 c cheddar cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 c crushed ritz

2 T melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray or butter a 13 x 9 casserole dish. Combine all but the crackers and the butter. Place the buttered crackers over the mixture. Bake 35 min or until set.

Allie's Mac & Cheese--this is a tried and true recipe-it's delicious but a tad time consuming. But, boy is it worth it!!!

8 oz elbow macaroni

5T butter

5T all purpose flour

1 quart warm milk, 110 degrees

salt & pepper

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1/4lb cubed ham (I usually omit this)

5oz cubed cheddar cheese

5oz cubed monterey jack cheese

5oz cubed mozzarella cheese

paprika to taste

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 13 x 9 casserole. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add macaroni. Cook 8-10 min. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and flour to make a roux. Cook 1 to 2 min stirring constantly. (If you don't, this will burn very easy) Slowly whisk in milk a little at a time to make a white sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Mix in salt, pepper and cayenne. Stir until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in cheeses and ham. Combine pasta with sauce and stir well. Pour into buttered casserole dish. Use paprika to make a decorative pattern on top. Bake 45-60 min until golden on top. Let rest 20 minutes before serving.

Red Velvet Cookies--a new favorite!!

1 red velvet cake mix

1/3 c vegetable oil

2 eggs

cream cheese frosting

Mix until it forms a dough. Roll into walnut sized balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8 minutes. Let cool, then spread the flat side with cream cheese frosting and top with another cookie.