Seasonal Meals: Try One Of These Delicious Treats At Your Next Vacation Reunion – Franklin County Times

THE LIFE OF FRANKLIN—

The holidays are Amy Dolan McCollum’s favorite time to be in the kitchen, cooking up seasonal dishes. Although some traditional dishes are still on the menu – “I guess the one thing I love most about the holidays is the traditions,” said McCollum – she is always trying the new craze that seems to be dominating the food scene in this moment: the charcuterie board.

“I’m sharing my Christmas tree board in memory of my grandmother Dorothy Dolan,” McCollum explained. “Grandma has had a Christmas tree farm in the community of East Franklin for many years. I definitely miss the opportunity to go and cut a fresh tree on his farm. His take on the charcuterie board includes a bit of a chill to cut some of those heavier holiday treats – broccoli florets, snow peas, sliced ​​peppers, dill pickles, red and green grapes, and raspberries – as well as meats and cheeses and accompanied by a dip.

Of course, there are a few family-friendly recipes that are must-have for Thanksgiving, including Mom’s Dressing and Rachel’s Sweet Potato Casserole. Apple cake with brown sugar frosting is a great dessert option to tempt everyone with a sweet tooth. Speaking of sweets, the McCollum family is also craving a few Christmas must-haves: Aunt Doris’ chocolate candies, Froot Loop candies, and, for Christmas morning, homemade chocolate sauce and cookies.

CHARCUTERIE TREE

Ingredients

• Meats and cheeses: pepperoni, sliced ​​string cheese for snow and sliced ​​cheddar and provolone for stars and snowflakes
• Products: broccoli florets, snow peas, red and green peppers, dill pickles, red and green grapes and raspberries
• Crabs: pretzel sticks and crackers, on the side
• Equipment: Olives, ranch dip, mixed nuts
• Garnish: rosemary

Instructions

1. Start at the bottom of the board with the pretzel stems for the tree trunk.
2. Progress by layering the ingredients by alternating colors.
3. Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to make the tree with the cheese.
4. When you’re done, place the sliced ​​string cheese around the bottom for the snow.
5. Ruck the rosemary in the sides to add texture to the tree.
6. Serve with a marshmallow fruit dip.

MARSHMALLOW FRUIT DIP

Ingredients

• 8 ounce block of cream cheese
• Large container of marshmallow cream
• Optional: 1/2 cup brown sugar

Instructions: Mix the ingredients until creamy.

NOTE: I like to add the 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Make sure all the lumps are out of the brown sugar.

CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole or 2% milk
• 3/4 cups of sugar
• 4 TB flour
• 3 TB. Cocoa
• 2 TB. Butter

Instructions

1. Mix the sugar, flour and cocoa. Whisk together to remove lumps.
2. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the milk and butter until boiling.
3. Stir in the dry ingredients.
4. Remove from the heat as soon as the ingredients are mixed and there are no more lumps. Make sure to stir constantly!
5. If you like a thinner sauce, you can add more milk.
6. Serve on hot cookies.

SOUTHERN COOKIES

Ingredients

• 2 cups of self-rising flour (I use White Lily)
• 3/4 cup Crisco Shortening
• 3/4 cup buttermilk or whole milk
• 2 TB melted butter

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 475 degrees.
2. Place the flour in a large bowl.
3. Using a cookie cutter or fork, work the shortening into flour until the crumbs are the size of peas.
4. Add milk.
5. Stir with a large spoon until the flour is moistened.
6. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
7. Gently roll the dough with a floured rolling pin to 1 inch thick.
8. Cut out cookies using a 2-inch flour cookie cutter or the edge of a mug.
9. Place cookies on a baking sheet with edges touching.
10. Reform the shortcrust pastry to make additional cookies.
11. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
12. Remove from the oven. Brush the top with butter.

AUNTE DORIS CHOCOLATE CANDY

Ingredients

• 24 ounces almond rind – chocolate or vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups dry roasted salted peanuts
• 1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows

Instructions

1. Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe dish. Stir frequently until melted. Does not burn.
2. Add the peanuts and stir until all the peanuts are well covered.
3. Add marshmallows. Stir until completely covered.
4. Make sure to add the marshmallows last so that the chocolate cools and does not melt them.
5. Place miniature cupcake wrappers.

   NOTE: Ideal to pack in cans and give as a gift!

FROOT LOOP CANDIES

This Froot Loop candy recipe was given to me by Martha Pace, a longtime teacher at Russellville Elementary School. She died in the 2011 tornado. She always had a Christmas party for us and made this delicious candy. Christmas is not the same without him.

Ingredients

• 24 ounces white almond rind
• 1 cup of Froot Loops
• 1 cup dry roasted salted peanuts
• 1 cup of mini marshmallows

Instructions

1. Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe dish.
2. Stir frequently until melted. Does not burn.
3. Add the peanuts and cereals and stir until all the peanuts and cereals are well coated.
4. Add marshmallows. Stir until completely covered.
5. Make sure to add the marshmallows last so that the chocolate cools and does not melt them.
6. Place miniature cupcake wrappers.

NOTE: Ideal to pack in cans and give as a gift!

APPLE AND SPICE CAKE WITH CASSONADE ICING

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 4 medium Honeycrisp apples, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 lb)
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 TB pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tbsp. baking powder
• 1 C. salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts, toasted

For the icing:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup of icing sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 C. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, toasted

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line the bottom of two greased 9-inch round pans with parchment paper. Grease parchment paper.
3. Place apples in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped.
4. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until blended.
5. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, pie spices, baking powder and salt
6. Gradually fold the dry mixture into the sugar mixture, alternating with the buttermilk.
7. Stir in the apples and pecans.
8. Transfer to the prepared molds.
9. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
10. Let cool in molds 10 minutes before placing on wire racks.
11. Remove the paper. Cool completely.
12. In large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, sugars, vanilla and pie spices until smooth.
13. Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.
14. Gently press pecans into frosting on top of cake.
15. Refrigerate any uneaten cake right away.

MAMA’S CHICKEN AND VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients

• 1 deep fryer, cooked, boneless and cut into small pieces (reserve the broth)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 4 eggs, divided use
• 8 TB melted butter
• 2 1/2 cups reserved chicken broth
• 1 pkg. Pepperidge Farm Cornbread Stuffing Mix
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

Instructions

1. Combine chicken, mayonnaise and chopped onion and set aside.
2. Combine two eggs, melted butter, chicken broth and cornbread stuffing mix and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, lightly beat the two remaining eggs and milk.
4. Spray large casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
5. At the bottom of the dish, spread half of the stuffing mixture
6. Layer over the chicken mixture.
7. Add the second layer of stuffing mixture.
8. Pour the egg and milk mixture over the top layer of the stuffing mixture.
9. Refrigerate overnight.
10. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
11. Spread the cream of chicken soup on top of the casserole dish and bake for 45 minutes.

NOTE: If you don’t have time to boil and prepare a whole chicken, you can substitute it with canned chicken breasts and chicken broth.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

Ingredients

For the casserole dish:

• 2 40 ounces. cans of yams, drained and mashed
• 1/2 to 1 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 C. vanilla
• 1/3 cup of milk

For garnish :

• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• marshmallows
• pecan nuts

Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients for the casserole dish and pour into a casserole dish.
2. Mix the first three ingredients for the filling and pour over the casserole dish.
3. Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
4. Garnish with marshmallows and pecans and cook until golden brown.

SAUSAGE WHEELS

Ingredients

• 2 tubes of croissant dough
• 1 lb bulk pork sausage
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened, divided

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Cook and stir the sausages in the hot pan until golden brown and crumbly, about 10 minutes.
3. Drain and discard the fat.
4. Spread the dough from a packet of croissants on a work surface and pinch the perforations together to create a single sheet of dough.
5. Spread half of the cream cheese on the pastry sheet, leaving a 1/2 inch margin all around.
6. Sprinkle half of the cooked sausage evenly over the cream cheese.
7. Roll the dough into a log, starting with a long edge.
8. Wrap the log in plastic wrap or parchment paper.
9. Repeat the steps to make a second roll.
10. Refrigerate rolls for at least an hour.
11. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
12. Unwrap the rolls and cut each into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place the slices on a baking sheet.
13. Bake in preheated oven until mills are golden brown, 10-15 minutes.