Holiday Menu

Garlic Chicken

• 1 large roasting chicken
• peeled garlic cloves, (lots)
• 1 lemon
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 c water or clear chicken broth

Preheat oven or barbecue to 350 degrees. Wash chicken inside and out, leaving skin moist to allow seasonings to adhere. Crush half of the garlic cloves. (The more you love garlic, the more cloves you should use!) Slice the lemon. Season the cavity of the chicken with seasoning salt and pepper. Place whole garlic cloves in the cavity, along with the sliced lemon (peel and all) Rub the outer portion of the chicken with crushed garlic; season with seasoning salt and pepper. Pour water or broth in a broiler plan. Place the chicken, breast side down, on a V rack in the broiler plan. Do not cover. Bake or barbecue chicken for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. You can test the temperature by inserting a meat thermometer into the breast next to the wing. Now for the most important part of this recipe: when the chicken is done, remove it from the rack and pan, completely encasing it in aluminum foil so that no steam can escape. Let the chicken remain in the foil for 1 hour. (on the kitchen counter), then remove and carve.
Serves 4 to 6

Wild Rice Stuffing

First, boil 3 cups of water. Add 2/3 cup wild rice and 4 tsp. chicken bouillon. Simmer for about 50 minutes until rice is tender. While it's simmering, sauté 4 slices of chopped bacon, 1 medium onion diced, 1/2 lb. of sliced mushrooms, and 3 stalks of celery chopped. Once the mixture softens, add it to the cooked rice along with 1 cup of diced apple, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 2 cups of breadcrumbs and top it off with 1 tsp. each of crushed sage and oregano. (This recipe makes enough stuffing for a 10-14 lb. turkey as well.)

Spicy Baked Onions

Take two large onions-red or yellow, whatever you want. Peel and slice into 1/4 inch slices. Layer in a baking pan that you've "greased" with a bit of olive oil. Place in a 350-degree oven for about twenty minutes. In the meantime, mix a half cup of balsamic vinegar with two tablespoons of brown sugar and a pinch of nutmeg. Take the onions from the oven, pour the vinegar mixture over them, and sprinkle with a touch of powdered cloves (or whole cloves). Return to the oven for ten minutes to finish. If using whole cloves, remove them before serving.

Southern Sweet Potatoes

• 29-ounce can sweet potatoes, drained
• 2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup margarine, melted
• 1/3 cup pineapple juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup crushed pineapple
• marshmallows (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place sweet potatoes in a large, flat casserole dish. In small mixing bowl, add and mix sugar, flour cinnamon, melted margarine, pineapple, in order listed. Pour this pineapple mixture over the sweet potatoes. Top with marshmallows. Bake, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes. Serves 10.

Sweet Potato Bread

• 1 1/3 sticks of margarine, at room temperature 1
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 6 egg whites
• 2 cups cooked, pureed sweet potatoes
• 3/4 cup low fat evaporated milk
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour two 9 ˝ x 5 ˝ -inch loaf pans. In a large bowl, cream the margarine and sugar until smooth; add the eggs and beat until light. Blend in the sweet potatoes and the milk. In a second bowl, combine the flour, spices, baking powder, soda, salt and pecans. Add the dry ingredients to the sweet potato mixture and stir just until the flour is moistened. Turn into the prepared pans and bake for an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. Cool five minutes, then turn out onto racks to finish cooking. This bread is ideal for breakfast and brunch.

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