Squash Casserole

Today, we're having a Christmas Potluck at work. I'll be roasting a turkey (provided by the office) and everyone will be responsible for bringing all of the sides and desserts.

It's a lot of fun in our office because everyone participates and we've got a lot of really great people in the office, so it's a joy to sit around the table with everyone and laugh and cut up.

This year, I have decided to bring Squash Casserole. Now, this doesn't sound that tasty to some, but fear not dear friends - you won't be turned off by this buttery, cheesey casserole. It's devine!

Squash Casserole

• 5 yellow squash
• 5 zucchini
• 1 medium onion (yellow or white)
• 2 sleeves of Saltine crackers
• 1 large Velveeta block

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Then, fill a large pot with salted water and place on the stove over high heat. Wash the squash and zucchini and then cut into slices. Chop the onion and then put all of the squash, zucchini and onion into the water. Boil until everything is tender and falling apart.

Drain the squash and then mash with a potato masher. Break up the crackers until you have cracker crumbs. You can either put them in a ziploc (and then put them in another ziploc) and beat them on the counter, etc. or you can put them in a food proccessor and pulse.

Add the cracker crumbs to the squash. Then, cut half a block of the velveeta into small cubes and add to the cracker/squash mixture. Stir around until all of the cheese is melted. Pour into a greased 13 x 9 baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes.

Oh, and if you like hot/spicy things... You can seed a couple of jalapenos and dice them up and add to the mixture before you bake.

Enjoy!

I promise you - you'll love it!

Tell Me About It Tuesday - My Favorite Christmas Recipe

With Christmas just next week, I'm sure everyone is getting out their cookbooks and making their menus and grocery lists. One thing that is always on our holiday menu is my mother's dressing. Oh, it's delicious. This year, we've opted to have a less traditional "Appetizer" lunch, so it's not likely that this will be on the table, but as delicious as it is - I'm thinking it will probably make an appearance somewhere.

It does take awhile to make, but the results are totally worth it! If you're up for it, here are the directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then, start a large pot of boiling water. Add some salt, pepper, garlic powder, and about 4 chicken bouillon cubes. Take a whole fryer (chicken), and place in the boiling water. You want it to boil for a good while - until your kitchen smells like chicken. But be careful, you don't want all of that liquid to be gone - you'll need it later.

As the chicken is boiling, take 3 boxes of Jiffy corn muffin mix and mix those up. (I believe you need an egg and ¼ of a cup of milk for each box). Mix that up and pour into a greased baking pan or cast iron skillet. Then, stick that into your pre-heated oven.

Fill a small saucepan with water, and boil 4-5 eggs.

While your cornbread is in the oven and your eggs and chicken are boiling, chop up a medium white onion and about 8 celery sticks. Take a medium skillet and put it over medium/high heat and melt a stick of butter. Then, sautee until onions are clear and celery is tender. Set to the side.

When the cornbread comes out of the oven, you want to crumble it up, as best you can. Use a spoon or a fork, so that you don't burn yourself. Add the crumbles to a large mixing bowl. Then add the celery, onions and butter and mix together. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, poultry seasoning and sage.

Peel and chop the hardboiled eggs and add them to the cornbread. Stir until eggs are combined well.

When the chicken is finished, pull it out of the water and place it in a casserole dish to cool. Once cooled, pull the meat off the bone, in shreds and add to the cornbread/vegetable mixture. Mix all together. Add some of the chicken broth to moisten and continue to stir, until everything is combined. Once combined, spoon into a casserole dish and spread out until even. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Reserve the rest of the chicken broth to moisten dressing, as necessary.

My mother usually makes giblet gravy to go over the top of it, but I don't like giblet gravy so I'm omitting that part. The dressing is delicious and really doesn't need anything else!

Hope you'll make it and find out for yourself! Trust me, it's worth all the trouble!

Happy Cooking!

Sausage balls

The day after Thanksgiving, we went over to my sister-in-laws house and we all brought appetizers and we had a really casual appetizer lunch. One of the things that my mom used to make, but I haven't had in a million years is sausage balls.

This is a really easy appetizer, in case you have any holiday parties to go to. It requires very few ingredients, little to know prep, and delcious results. Who can beat that?

Sausage Balls

• 1 pound of ground pork sausage (such a Jimmy Dean's)
• 2 cups of Bisquick
• 1 bag of finely shredded cheddar cheese (I use mild)

This is the easiest part... Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and then just take (thawed) sausage and put it in a large mixing bowl. Then add the Bisquick. When you get it completely combined, add a little salt, ground black pepper and garlic power and mix until the seasonings are combined. Then, add the cheese a little at a time and mix until combined. Roll into balls and placed on a baking sheet that you've lined with parchment paper. Bake 18-20 minutes.

It's as easy as that! Just make sure that you break one of the balls open and check to make sure that the sausage is cooked all the way through. If it is, the others should be fine! Just let them cool and then you can pack them away in a tupperware!

These are always a big hit - wherever I take them. Hope you and your family and/or friends enjoy them as well!