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The Sweet and Savory Sisters!

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suzettedupuywagner

Easy Butterscotch Haystacks

Every Christmas Amy and I get together and make all types of cookies and candies and have the best time. Haystacks are one of our favorite candies to make. They are so easy and so delicious. Hope you enjoy! Merry Christmas!

Ingredients

2 cups butterscotch chips (12 ounces), melted

2 tablespoons peanut butter, plain or crunchy

6 ounces Chinese or chow mein noodles

6 ounces cocktail peanuts

Directions

Melt the butterscotch chips in a double broiler over simmering water.

In a medium bowl, combine the melted butterscotch and peanut butter. Add noodles and peanuts and mix well. Drop the batter by the heaped tablespoon onto waxed paper and refrigerate until cool and set, about 20 minutes.

The Perfect Cookie Dough

 
 
One of our favorite Christmas traditions is to take a night during December to bake and decorate Christmas cookies.  Having a good dough recipe is important, but to be honest, having a variety of icings and “sprinkles” is what makes it festive and fun.  There is something heart-warming about sitting around the table together with a pile of cookies to be iced and decorated and everyone creating their own masterpiece.
 
What You Need:
3 cups powdered sugar
2 cups butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
2 eggs
5 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
 
Frosting
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter
Vanilla if you like it in frosting
approximately 2 TBSP milk; add slowly so that you can keep the right consistency
Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 9 minutes on a regular cookie sheet. (do not use “air-bake” or stones)
 
Thank you sweet friend for this wonderful recipe!

Sautéed Turkey Breast

Here is another great recipe from our friend Claire. This is a simple yet yummy dish! Hope you will try it! Hope everyone has a Sweet and Savory day!
 
Sautéed Turkey Breast
 
2 pound turkey breast, skinned and boned and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 cup flour
1 stick unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
29 ounce can tomato sauce
10 ounce can chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 
Dredge turkey in flour.  In skillet, cook turkey in butter for 2 minutes on each side.  Set aside turkey.  Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet.  Mix in all spices.  Saute onions in mixture.  Add chicken stock and tomato sauce.  Let mixture gently boil until it starts to thicken.  Add cooked turkey pieces and let simmer until sauce is thickened.  Serve over rice.  (to freeze:  before mixture is thick, place in freezer container, let cool, then freeze.)

Cranberry Chicken Casserole

Wanted to share this recipe from my beautiful friend Claire. This is a wonderful dish to make during the Holiday season! With all the activities and special events we have during this glorious holiday, this recipe is easy for you to prepare for your family or to take to any function! Hope you enjoy!
 
 
Cranberry Chicken Casserole
 
1 package fast cooking Uncle Ben’s long grain and wild rice
1 (16 ounce) can whole cranberry sauce
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4-6 boneless chicken breasts
 
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle rice in buttered 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  Spread seasoning package over rice.  Arrange chicken on top.  Combine cranberry sauce, butter, soy sauce, and lemon juice.  Heat mixture in microwave or saucepan until butter is melted.  Pour over chicken.  Cover tightly with foil.  Bake 1-1 1/2 hours.  Uncover.  Sprinkle with almonds.  Bake an additional 10 minutes.  It will stay warm for 30 minutes. (check after 45 minutes; may need to add water to the edges.)

The Real Meaning of Christmas!

Good Morning and Merry Christmas to all! It’s that time of year again. December has come and with it all the joys of Christmas. But what is the real meaning of Christmas? Is it the gifts under the tree, the lights in the windows, the cards in the mail, turkey dinners with family and friends, snow in the yard, stockings hanging in the living room, and shouts of “Merry Christmas” to those who pass us in the streets? Is this really Christmas? I know for myself that Christmas time can be a little stressful and busy. We are all out shopping for that perfect gift for our loved ones. Just the smile on their faces when they open up that gift is just priceless. But I have chosen not to stress myself out this Christmas; instead I would like my family to focus on the real meaning of Christmas.

For many people, Christmas is a time of sorrow. They don’t have the extra money to buy presents for their children, family, and friends. Times are hard on people all over the world and it is difficult for families to provide for themselves much less buy gifts and meals for this glorious occasion. Many are saddened at Christmas time when they think of their loved ones who will not be able to come home for various reasons. Turkey dinners may be only a wish and not a reality for some. We can all help in our communities by ringing a bell for the Salvation Army, collect can goods for the homeless, volunteer at a shelter, donate a toy for the Toys for Tots.

Yet, Christmas can be a season of great joy. It is a time of God showing His great love for us. It can be a time of healing and renewed strength. You see, Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Christ child. God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to be born. His birth brought great joy to the world. And continues to bring us peace and joy everyday of our lives.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Nathan preparing the perfect pomegranate

Check out this video of Nathan preparing the perfect pomegranate. Nathan is the son of my best friend Claire. He does an amazing job! Just click on his name and enjoy! It is really so good!

Nathan

Savory Spicy Chex Mix

Good morning, Tiger Fans, and congratulations to the LSU football team – champions of the Southeastern Conference! The Tigers’ convincing 42-10 win over the Georgia Bulldogs earned LSU its 11th SEC title in school history and a trip to the Louisiana Superdome on January 9 to play for its fourth national championship. WOW! What a tremendous Saturday we had! I can’t remember the last time I had such a good time. Our mama came over to watch the LSU-GA SEC Championship game and we had an absolute ball! We ate some fine groceries. We had The Sisters Gumbo, The Almighty Sausage Balls, Mama’s Bacon Wraps, Million Dollar Pie and it was all so “GET IN MY BELLY GOOD”! I am just so proud of our Tigers; they have played so hard and have kept me enormously entertained all season. I am really sad that the season is over. But, we do have the National Championship!

 With all that being said, here is a wonderful recipe for a great Christmas appetizer. The sisters have always loved them some chex mix. With our recipe we give it a little twist. Pretzels come in all different shapes, especially during the holiday season. So try making this with the holiday shapes.

 What you need:

1/4 cup butter

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/4 teaspoons Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning

2 to 3 teaspoons Louisiana Hot Sauce

3 cups Corn Chex® cereal

3 cups Rice Chex® cereal

3 cups Wheat Chex® cereal

1 cup mixed nuts

1 cup pretzels

1 cup bite-size cheese crackers

What to do:

Heat oven to 250°F.

In ungreased large roasting pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, cajun seasoning and hot sauce. Gradually stir in remaining ingredients until evenly coated.

Bake uncovered 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.

Sunamagun, gon’ ha’ big fun on de bayo. Geaux Tigers!

Jambalaya, crawfish pie, filet gumbo.
Cos tonight I gon’ t’ see ma cher amio.
Pick gitar, fill fruit jar, and b’ gayo.
Sunamagun, gon’ ha’ big fun on de bayo.
 
 
Good Morning grocery lovers and Tiger Fans! It is a BIG day for us in the SEC and I can not wait! I am gearing up for what will be a fantastic game. I will be cooking up The Sisters Gumbo in honor of our Mighty Tigers! I am so excited I can hardly stand it! Geaux Tigers!!!!

We love our Gumbo anytime of the year but especially during the football season watching the Tigers play. It is a tradition to cook Gumbo on Saturdays, we put our mumbo jumbo in our Gumbo so our Tigers can play strong! We like a chicken and sausage gumbo.

Gumbo has been a traditional Cajun food for generations. In its basic form, gumbo is a soup that is made from a strong stock, various meats (shrimp, chicken, crawfish, sausage, and many others), a thickener (either okra, only roux, or file’ powder), and various vegetables such as celery, bell peppers, and onions. Regardless of how you prepare a gumbo, it should always be served with rice. While gumbo can be eaten at any time (we do), many people enjoy it during cold weather.

 No matter what you throw into gumbo, it’s just good!

A ROUX, used as a thickening agent, is achieved by cooking flour and a fat (butter, vegetable oil, or even olive oil) together over high heat. The rich nuttiness of the roux intensifies with cooking, which also affects its color. A roux is used in various recipes; different colors are desired for different dishes. Some use a peanut butter colored roux, while others strive for an almost black roux. We like a black roux, the darker the better. Our MaMa Hazel makes the best roux and Gumbo!

Ingredients

1 (3 pound) whole chicken

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

1 pound andouille or smoked sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (such as Slap Ya Mama), or to taste

2 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves

½ cup chopped green onions

2 whole bay leaves

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes

salt and black pepper to taste

Louisiana Hot Sauce

White Rice

Directions

Fill a large pot partially with salted water, and place the chicken in the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook the chicken until the meat is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 1 hour. Remove the chicken from the broth, and crack open the carcass to allow the chicken to cool. Reserve the chicken broth. After the chicken has cooled enough to handle, pick the meat from the bones, and set aside.

While the chicken is simmering, make a roux by whisking together the flour and vegetable oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir the mixture, watching constantly to avoid burning, until the roux is a rich chocolate brown color, 20 to 30 minutes.

As soon as the roux has reached the desired color, stir in the onions, bell peppers, celery, Cajun seasoning, and bay leaves, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Pour in the reserved chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and sausage, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened, about 1 hour.

Return the meat to the gumbo and stir in the green onions, parsley, bring back to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally until the flavors have blended, 30 to 40 minutes.

Spoon rice into the bottom of deep bowls or large cups and ladle the gumbo on top. Serve, passing hot sauce on the side.

White Rice:

2 cups long-grain white rice

4 cups water or chicken stock

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the rice, water, salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit, covered and undisturbed, for 5 minutes.

Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Buckeyes

We love us some chocolate and peanut butter! This combination had to be created by the chocolate Gods! Every Christmas mama would make these delightful treats and we absolutely loved them. Caleb and Alli always ask for Amy and I to make them when we are doing all our baking! It is a must have around our household.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Buckeyes
makes about 13 dozen

2 lbs. powdered sugar
3 cups peanut butter (smooth and not the all-natural kind)
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 1/2 lb. chocolate chips, semi-sweet (24 oz.)
1/2 bar edible paraffin wax*

Whip the first three ingredients with an electric mixer and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. After it’s chilled, roll it into small, 1-inch balls. Put these back into the fridge or freezer on parchment-covered baking sheets.

Melt the chocolate and wax in a double boiler, over, not in, boiling water, stirring mixture until smooth. Keep warm.

Dip balls using toothpick, leaving uncovered spot on top. You may fill in toothpick marks with little bits of peanut butter mixture. Dry on waxed paper. Chill covered in refrigerator or freezer. When completely hard, store in the refrigerator or freezer.

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