Holiday Recipes from our Readers

Frozen Fruit Salad

Ann George, St. Jude Church, Baton Rouge

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup Queen Anne cherries, drained,
quartered, pitted 

2 cans Mandarin orange slices, drained 

1 cup dark cherries, drained and quartered

2 cups pineapple tidbits, drained

1 cup chopped pecans

2 cups heavy whipping cream

In large bowl blend cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and sugar.  Lightly mix in fruit and nuts.

Whip cream; fold into first mixture.  Pour into mold (coated with mayonnaise) and freeze.  Take out 1/2 hour before serving and unmold onto serving platter.

Fruit Cake Bars

Vivian Turfitt, St. Ann Church, Morganza

¾ cup butter or margarine, softened

1 ¾ cup brown sugar, packed

3 eggs

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

3 cups walnuts, chopped

1 ½ cups candied pineapple, chopped

1 ¾ cups red and green candied cherries, halved

2 cups pitted dates, halved

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add one egg at a time. Beat well after each egg.

Stir in vanilla. Add flour and walnuts and mix well. Spread evenly onto a greased and floured 15 inch by 10 inch by 1 inch baking pan.

Sprinkle with pineapple, cherries and dates. Press lightly into dough.

Bake at 325 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until lightly browned. 

Cool before cutting.

Makes 8 dozen bars. 

Chocolate Crunch Cookies

Eleanor Mitchel

St. Thomas More Church, Baton Rouge

2 cups sugar

4 Tbsp. butter

4 Tbsp. cocoa

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

½ cup pecans, chopped

¼ cup powdered sugar

Cream sugar, butter and cocoa. Mix in eggs and vanilla extract. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture. 

Add pecans and mix.

Drop by teaspoon into powdered sugar, then place on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Yields 6 dozen cookies.

 

Jambalaya Fritters with Remoulade Sauce

Betty B. Griffin

St. Philomena Church, Labadieville

16 oz. pkg. ground mild pork sausage

2 ½ cups plus 2 Tbsp. water, divided

8 oz. pkg. Jambalaya “Girl” rice mix

8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese with peppers, shredded

2 ¼ cups panko Japanese bread crumbs, divided

4 lrg. eggs

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

4 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped

Oil for frying

½ cup all purpose flour

Remoulade Sauce

In medium Dutch oven cook sausage over medium-high heat until brown and crumbly. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to shallow pan. 

Add 2 ½ cups of water to dripping in pot. Bring to a boil scraping with a wooden spoon to get the brown bits in the pan. Stir in rice mix and return to a boil. Reduce to medium-low heat stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 30 minutes.

Add rice to pan with sausage and let cool, about 10 minutes. 

Stir in cheese, ¾ cup of bread crumbs, 2 eggs, parsley and thyme. Mix well.

Using a spring-loaded scoop, scoop mixture and shape into balls.

In large Dutch oven add oil to the depth of 2 inches, and heat until it reaches 350 degrees. 

In shallow dishes, place flour then another 2 eggs with 2 tablespoons water and in another the remaining bread crumbs. Dredge each ball in flour, then egg wash then bread crumbs.

Fry ball until golden brown about 2 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with remoulade sauce. Garish with parsley if desired.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Remoulade Sauce

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup sour cream

2 Tbsp. ketchup

1 Tbsp. green onions, minced

2 tsp. fresh parsley, minced

2 tsp. dill pickle relish

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. hot sauce

1 clove garlic, grated

Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Cream Cheese Ball

Carlisa Bargas

Most Blessed Sacrament Church, Baton Rouge

2-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1/4 c. red bell pepper, chopped 

6 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Red pepper & salt to taste 

1 ½-2 cup chopped pecans

1 ½ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Mix the following well: cream cheese, bell pepper, pineapple, garlic powder, salt and red pepper. Add ½ cup pecans and cranberries to mixture. Form into a large  ball or two smaller balls. 

Chill well and roll ball into remaining nuts, cranberries and parsley.

You can use plain chopped pecans if you are in a hurry. If you have time use   

Sweet and Spicy Pecans below:

Sweet and Spicy Pecans

¼ cup sugar

1 cup warm water

2 cups pecan halves

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. chili powder

¼ tsp. ground red pepper (increase if you like)

Stir together sugar and warm water until sugar dissolves. Add pecans; soak 10 minutes. Drain, discarding syrup. Combine sugar, chili powder and pepper. Add pecans, tossing to coat. Place pecans on a lightly greased baking sheet (line with parchment paper or foil-works best). Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, stirring once. Place dried pecans in air tight container.