Holiday Cooking Blogger Style

Overwhelmed with Joy is hosting a Holiday Cooking Blogger Style. The recipes I've been finding sound so good my mouth is just a-waterin'. If you'd like to contribute some of your favorite family recipes or would like to find some to make favorites head on over there. There's a Mr. Linky all set up and ready to go.

Here's a few of our favorite treats for the holidays.

GLAZED YAMS OR SWEET POTATOES

1 kg (2 1/4 lbs. ) yams or sweet potatoes

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp. margarine

1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 cup orange juice

Cut yams into 2 or 3 large sections. Cover with water, bring to a boil and cook just till fork tender. Do not overcook. When cool, peel and cut into bite size chunks. Place into a 2litre (2 quart) casserole dish.

Mix the remaining ingrediants in a saucepan. Heat over med. high heat until it comes to a boil and gets thick. Pour over the yams. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F. (180 celcius) for 20 minutes. Remove cover for the last few minutes

Note: You can also peel and cut the yams into chunks while raw. Place in casserole dish. Bring the sauce just to a boil, do not thicken on stove. Pour over raw yams, cover and bake at 350 for about an hour or until they are tender.

CRANBERRY CLUSTERS

8 squares white chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 cup Craisins

1/2 cup favorite nuts, I like cashews (optional)

1/2 Golden Grahams cereal

Place chocolate in microwave safe bowl. Microwave at medium (50%) power for 3 minutes to partially melt the chocolate.

Remove and stir until completely melted.

Sir in Craisins, cereal and nuts.

Drop small spoonfuls onto a foil lined cookie sheet. Chill until firm. Wrap well and refridgerate.

RED & GREEN FETA MELT

1 pgk. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1 small tomato, chopped

1/4 cup crumbled Feta Cheese

1/8 tsp. garlic powder (not salt)

tricuit crackers or your favorite crackers

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix all the ingrediants except the crackers until well blended. Put into a greased 2 1/2 cup heatproof crock or baking dish.

Bake 15 - 20 minutes until heated through.

Serve with the crackers.

Some of my family prefers this cooled off so I make and bake a double batch. Then I seperate into two serving bowls and let one cool off.

Note: For a low fat version use low fat cottage cheese and low fat feta cheese

SHRIMP TARTS

(appetizer or sometimes we have them for brunch Christmas morn)

3/4 cup broken shrimp ( 2 - 113g cans)

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1 cup shredded mozarella cheese

1/2 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing

2 beaten eggs

1/3 cup milk

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. dry dill

dash of garlic powder

unbaked tart shells (for appetizers I use the mini tart shells, for the brunch I use the regular size)

Fill tart shells with a bit the each of the first 3 ingrediants.

Beat remaining ingrediants.

Pour over the tarts to the top. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 15 - 20 minutes.

Serve hot and fresh or keep refridgerated until ready to use and reheat until warm or serve room temperature.