{On The 6th Day Of Christmas...}

(Eggs-A-Laying Recipe)

Christmas Eggs

An annual tradition! Definite Christmas morning favorite.

* 3 tablespoons butter
* 3 tablespoons flour
* 1½ cups milk
* 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
* ½ teaspoon salt
* ¾ crushed red pepper
* 12 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
* 6 slices whole wheat toast

Directions

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Raise the heat to medium and whisk in the milk.

Bring mixture to boil, stirring constantly and beating until smooth. Add the cheese, salt and red pepper. stir until the cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly and thick.

Add egg slices and gently stir into the sauce. Heat until hot and spoon over the slices of toast.

OR

A bacon and egg casserole recipe for Christmas morning.

Breakfast Bacon and Egg Casserole

(Serves - 4)

Ingredients:

* 8 slices white bread, crusts removed
* 8 eggs, slightly beaten
* 1 cup milk
* 2 teaspoons dry mustard
* 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
* 12 to 16 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
* 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mild Cheddar cheese

Preparation:

Place bread in a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish; set aside. Combine eggs, milk, dry mustard, and dried minced onion; pour over bread. Sprinkle bacon over casserole; cover and refrigerate 8 hours. Remove from refrigerator; let casserole stand 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake, covered, for 35 to 45 minutes, until set. Uncover, sprinkle with shredded Cheddar cheese, and bake an additional 5 minutes. Let breakfast casserole stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

{On The 5th Day Of Christmas...}

Honey Bubble Ring

Sweet honey-flavored pull-apart bread

Prep: 10 min. Bake: 30 min. + cooling

(Servings - 12-15)

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup honey
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup chopped pecans
* 1 tablespoon orange juice
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
* 3 tubes (12 ounces each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Directions

•In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Cut each biscuit into four pieces; dip each piece halfway into honey mixture. Layer in a greased 10-in. tube pan. Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes; invert pan onto a serving platter.

(Source: TasteOfHome.com)

{On The 4th Day Of Christmas...}

Calling Bird Cut-Out Cookies

These almond feathered cut-out cookies have a sweet glaze and sprinkling of sugar -- elegant and easy.

Preparation time: 1 hr
Chilling time: 2 hrs
Baking time: 6 min

(Yields: 4 dozen cookies)


Cookie Ingredients:

* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup butter, softened
* 1 egg
* 2 tablespoons orange juice
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 2 teaspoons almond extract


Glaze Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup light corn syrup
* 2 teaspoons water


Decoration Ingredients:

* Sliced almonds
* Sugar


Combine all cookie ingredients in large mixer bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed (2 to 3 minutes).

Divide dough into thirds; wrap in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours).

Heat oven to 400°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-third at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8 to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 3 to 4-inch bird-shaped cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart onto lightly greased cookie sheets.

Stir together corn syrup and water in small bowl. Lightly brush corn syrup mixture over cookies. Arrange almonds on cookies to resemble wing and tail feathers.

Bake for 6 to 9 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; carefully remove from cookie sheets. While warm, brush again with corn syrup mixture; sprinkle with sugar. Cool completely.

TIP: For traditional cut-out cookies, omit glaze and decorations; decorate as desired with decorator sugars or frosting.

TIP: Line cookie sheets with parchment paper for easier clean up.

{On The 3rd Day Of Christmas...}

Cornish Hens for 2

Ingredients

* 1 large Spanish onion, sliced
* 2 Cornish hens
* Cornbread Stuffing, recipe follows
* Olive oil
* Kosher salt
* Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the sliced onion in the bottom of a roasting pan. Remove the giblets from the hens, and rinse them inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outsides dry. Place the hens on top of the sliced onion.

Pack the cavities of the hens with the cornbread stuffing.

Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the hens. Rub the hens with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast the hens for 30 minutes, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh.

Cornbread Stuffing:

*4 tablespoons unsalted butter
*1 cup yellow onion, chopped
* 2 1/2 cups cornbread
* 1 celery stalk, diced
* 1/4 cup chicken stock
* 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Break the cornbread into pieces and place the pieces in a large bowl. Add the onion mixture to the cornbread. Add the celery, chicken stock, parsley, salt and pepper, and mix together.

Yields: 2 servings

(source: FoodNetwork.com)

{On The 2nd Day Of Christmas...}

Turtle Dove Bars

(Makes about 36)

Ingredients

For the crust:

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1 cup pecan halves

For the filling:

* 2/3 cup butter
* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup butterscotch-flavored chips
* 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F.

2. To make the crust, combine all ingredients except the pecans in a large mixer bowl and beat until well mixed and particles are fine. Press into the bottom of a 13" x 9" baking pan. Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the crust.

3. To make the filling, combine 2/3 cup butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil. Boil, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until a candy thermometer reaches 242 F or a small amount of the mixture dropped into ice water forms a firm ball. Immediately pour over pecans and crust.

4. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until entire caramel layer is bubbly. Immediately sprinkle with butterscotch and chocolate chips. Allow to melt slightly (3 to 5 minutes). Swirl chips leaving some whole for a marbled effect.

5. Cool completely and cut into bars.

(source - christmascookies.com)

{On The 1st Day Of Christmas...}

Partridge in a Pear Tree Pie

Delight guests and have a partridge in a pear tree make an appearance on your holiday table! The crimson cranberry filling makes this a fitting Christmas pie.

6-8 Servings

Prep: 30 min. + cooling
Bake: 40 min.

Ingredients

* 1 can (15 ounces) pear halves, drained
* 1 package (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
* 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple
* 1-1/2 cups sugar
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* Pastry of double-crust pie (9 inches)
* Additional sugar, optional

Directions

•Set aside five pear halves; chop any remaining pears. In a large saucepan, combine the chopped pears, cranberries, pineapple and sugar. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 4-5 minutes or until some cranberries have popped. Cool for 30 minutes, stirring several times. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt and cinnamon. Stir in
cooled cranberry mixture.

•Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom pastry; trim and flute edges. Spoon cranberry mixture into pastry shell; arrange pear halves on top. Bake at 400° for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly and crust is golden brown (cover edges with foil for last 15 minutes of baking if necessary). Cool on wire rack.

•Roll remaining pastry. Using cookie cutters, cut out small leaves, small pears and a partridge. Place on an ungreased baking sheet; sprinkle with sugar if desired. Bake at 400° for 6-8 minutes or
until golden brown. Place partridge in center of pie with leaves and pears around it.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

(Source: Taste Of Home)

{Sweet Potato Cupcakes}

Ingredients:

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 tsp. baking powder
* 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp. baking soda
* 1/4 tsp. salt
* 1 cup butter, softened
* 1-1/2 cups sugar
* 3 eggs
* 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
* 1/2 tsp. vanilla
* Finely shredded orange peel
* Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line twenty four 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups; set cups aside.

In medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition until combined. Add sweet potatoes and vanilla, beating until combined. Add flour mixture; beat until combined (batter will be thick).

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Bake about 20 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool in pan on wire rack for 1 minute. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Place Cream Cheese Frosting in large resealable plastic bag. Cut a 1/4-inch opening in one corner of bag. Pipe frosting on top of cupcakes. Sprinkle with orange peel. Makes 24 cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting: In large mixing bowl beat one 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened, and 2/3 cup butter, softened, with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons bourbon or milk and beat until combined. Beat in 8 cups powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, until smooth and of a good piping consistency. Makes 4-1/3 cups.