KARADIN

appetiser
deviled eggs with blue cheese and bacon
mini mincemeat pies

prime rib roast
brussels sprouts w/ bacon, garlic and shallots
potato gratin with rosemary
dinner rolls

dessert
cranberry gingerbread w eggnog glaze

(eggnog glaze)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 3 tablespoons eggnog

this is nice if you don't like very sweet treats, it tastes like gingerbread!

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 ounces (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, divided use
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/3 (or 1/4 cup) mild flavored molasses (I found the 1/3 cup a little strong)
1/4 cup water
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp allspice

Line an 8x8 pan with aluminum foil and grease with butter
*keep handy a glass of water and a silicone brush to wipe down sides of pan to prevent sugar crystals

Place the heavy cream and 2 ounces of the butter in a saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a low boil. As soon as it boils, remove the pan from the heat and cover it with a tight-fitting lid to keep it warm. Set it aside

Combine the corn syrup, molasses, water, and sugar in a 4-quart saucepan and place the pan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Cover the pan with a lid and let it boil for 4 minutes, so the condensation will wash the sugar crystals from the sides of the pan.

Remove the lid and insert a candy thermometer. Continue to cook the sugar, without stirring if possible until it reaches 300° Fahrenheit (149°C) on the candy thermometer. (I did stir just a bit near the end to keep it from scorching, the mixture is supposed to be dark) Once at 300°F, pour the cream into the hot sugar syrup. The mixture will bubble and splatter a great deal, and the temperature will drop.

Cook the caramel, stirring constantly and wiping down sides with water, until it reaches 250°F. This will give you a soft, chewy caramel. If you prefer firm cook to 255°F.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 ounces of butter, the salt, the vanilla extract, and all of the spices. Stir until everything is well-mixed, then pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Let the pan set at room temperature or in the refrigerator until the caramel is firm.

Once firm, lift it from the pan using the foil as handles, and cut it into small squares with a sharp chef's knife. Wrap the caramels individually in waxed paper or cellophane, to help them keep their shape and prevent them from sticking together. Store Gingerbread Caramels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.

*recipe here I adapted some techniques http://candy.about.com/od/christmascandy/r/Gingerbread-Caramels.htm

This recipe is Gluten Free.

approx 10 to 12 gluten free corn tortillas
1/4 cup fine chopped onion
I chopped green bell pepper
1 chopped red bell pepper
18oz can mild (or med, or hot your choice) enchilada sauce (check to see if gluten free, Old El Paso is a good brand)
15oz can (or fresh) diced tomatoes
15oz can fat free refried beans (check to see if gluten free)
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1lb lean ground beef (or shredded chooked chicken)
2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar or Mexican reduced fat cheese
canola oil


Preheat over to 400 F

In a skillet, with one or two tablespoons of canola oil, sautee onion, red and green pepper and corn until onions are translucent (about 3 min) and drain on paper towel. In the same skillet brown ground beef. Drain and set aside.

Pour a few large spoonfuls of enchilada sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish enough to cover. Tear tortillas into sections, enough to cover the bottom of dish (you can overlap and leave gaps. Take 1/3 portion of corn, onion and pepper mix and drizzle over torillas. Take 1/3 portion of meat and spread out evenly over tortillas. Take 1/3 portion diced tomatoes and spread out evenly over tortillas. Take a large spoon and drop spoonfuls of refried beans over tortillas, you don't need to cover the dish, just so you'd get some in every bite (this will melt as it cooks) Pour over the top of this layer about 1/4 cup enchillada sauce, and then top with 1/3 shredded cheese. If needed, press this layer down before adding the next two.

Repeat layering 2 more times.

Once you have your casserole complete, take a piece of foil larger than the top and fold it in half, unfold so that you have a small tent when you lightly crimp the edges around the sides, this will keep the foil from taking off all the cheese when you remove it.

Bake for 30 min. makes 8 servings

large bakers potatoes, russet or even sweet potato
olive oil*
salt*
tinfoil
microwave


Wash potatoes, lightly oil, salt (if desired for crunchy skin)

pierce potato twice both sides with a fork pressing in at least a quarter inch or more (this keeps potato from exploding)

place on dish in microwave, heat on high for 10 min

as soon as you take out potato (use gloves hot) place onto square of tinfoil large enough to completely wrap potato sealing tight

let sit for 10 min - and it’s done

caution, will remain really hot!

carefully open up foil, cut potato lengthwise, then cut across, load with toppings if you desire, you can even reseal the foil to let butter, cheese, etc melt while you are bringing to table. great for a side dish, a lunch or snacking.

1 to 2 cups Corn or Rice Chex cereal

Mix in food processor until fine

wonderfully crispy for fish and meatballs! And much less expensive than using gluten free bread.

1/2 cup fine chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter
1 30oz bag frozen shredded hash browns
1 15-16oz can cream of mushroom soup (low sodium, gluten free)
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheese (any flavour)
I lb cooked meat (diced, minced or shredded)
salt and pepper to taste.
large pinch dried thyme optional


combos - ground beef and cheddar cheese
diced ham and Italian cheese
shredded cooked chicken and Swiss
sausage and sliced, sauteed mushrooms with Mozzarella
*meatless
pkg frozen broccoli florets and cheddar
pkg Frozen shredded spinach (thawed and completely drained) and Mozzarella cheese


sautee onion in butter in skillet until translucenct and set aside
heat oven to 400F degrees
In a very large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients
pour into a baking dish
bake for 30-40 min until just browned
allow to rest for a few min before eating

great for brunch, lunch and dinner, add a salad, also great for leftovers

(tastes amazing when you make your own sauce from fresh mushrooms)

2 tbsp olive oil/veg oil
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 lbs fresh mushrooms, sliced and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 large shallots, sliced into thin rings
1/4 cup gluten free flour/flour
black pepper
2 lbs fresh green beans ends trimmed cut into 2 inch pieces
4 slices bacon

paper towels lining baking sheet
potato masher
whisk
colander
casserole dish

heat oil in pan over med-high heat and add shallots and bacon and fry until shallots are soft and bacon is rendered, about 7 min. Remove shallots and bacon with slotted spoon reserving oil in pan, place shallots and bacon on paper towel lined baking sheet.

Add butter to shallot and bacon oil in pan, then add mushrooms and saute until browned and soft. Add garlic and let heat through (but not brown) for a minute.

Add flour and whisk with wooden spoon until blended in and a golden roux/paste forms. Pour in chicken stock while whisking. Keeping heat at med high, allow to boil and reduce until half the liquid remains. If neccessary, use potato masher to mash up mushrooms in pan.

Add cream and allow to heat through and continue to reduce until thick. Add pepper (mixture should already have salt from bacon) place finished mushroom sauce in casserole pan.

preheat oven to 350degrees F, Bring gallon of water to boil, Add beans to water and boil about 5 min. Drain beans in colander and rinse with cold water.

Add beans, shallots, bacon to mushroom sauce in casserole and toss lightly to coat.

Place casserole in oven and bake for 15-20 min and serve.

3-4lb beef pot roast
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1 can (cream of) mushroom soup (pref organic, gluten free, low sodium)

sear pot roast in pan to seal in juices
spread half onion mix evenly on bottom of crock pot
place in roast, cover with remaining half onion soup mix, lightly rub in
pour in mushroom soup over top
place on lid, keep at high for 1/2 hour
place on low for 7 1/2 hours

remove beef to platter
reserve mushroom gravy (strain if desired)
serve with mashed potatoes and veg.

(this is gluten free)
1 pkg Bear Creek Cheddar Cheese and Broccoli soup mix
http://www.bearcreekcountrykitchens.com/soups.php

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 bottle 12oz angry orchard hard cider
1 1/2 cup frozen broccoli florets

pour bottle of cider and 6 1/2 cups water into large stockpot, bring to a roiling boil
whisk in soup mix as per directions
set heat to med and simmer for 10 min
pour soup into large crock pot set on low
add I cup cheese
add frozen brocolli florets

put this all in a slow cooker on low during the day while you're off to the apple orchard.
(recipe is gluten free)

1 1/2 lb ground beef, browned
1 14oz can diced tomatoes with onion - drained
1 14oz can diced tomatoes with onion, green pepper and celery - drained
2 14 oz can light red kidney beans - rinsed in cold water and drained
1 8 0z can tomato sauce
stir in Carroll Shelby's Chili kit - add chili powder packet and salt packet for mild
additional cayenne pepper packet (to taste) for hot
1 12oz bottle Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider

*note - if you can't purchase the Carroll Shelby mix, the recipe is as follows
1/4 cup ground chili powder
2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped or 1 tsp Garlic salt
1 1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground Paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground Cumin
1 1/4 ts Salt

you can use any hard cider or gluten-free beer for this recipe

top individual servings with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese