Corn Pudding

For many years the traditional corn dish we have always served for holidays is "Scalloped Corn". It's an old family recipe that includes crushed saltine crackers and was always on Grandma Betty's table. But almost every recipe can be improved upon, and about ten years ago Mom did just that.

Enter "Corn Pudding", our NEW favorite corn dish. It uses both whole kernel corn and creamed corn, sour cream, corn bread mix and a whole stick of butter. It's a very moist, rich dish, and could almost be served for dessert.

Serving this side dish with ham is a must, whether it's for a holiday, or any day of the week. 

A ham is such an easy thing to heat up in your oven, and leftover ham sandwiches can't be beat. Especially if they have a side of "Corn Pudding" beside them.

Corn Pudding                                                                                                  Printable Version

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. sugar

2 large eggs

1 c. sour cream

1 8 1/2 oz. package corn muffin mix (this is the size of the Jiffy Brand, but we also use the Krusteaz brand, and just measure out the correct amount, saving the remaining mix for a batch of cornbread).

1/2 c. milk

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

1 can cream style corn

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 3 quart glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the sour cream, then add the corn muffin mix and milk. Fold in both cans of corn. Pour the batter into the greased baking dish and level with a rubber scraper to even out the top. 

Bake uncovered for 45-60 minutes until golden brown.  Keep checking it after the first 45 minutes and take it out when there is just a bit of jiggle left in the middle of the pudding.

Tortilla Rollups

For almost any get together our family has that requires snacks, these Tortilla Rollups always make an appearance.

This is a recipe that you can mess with. I usually add some finely shredded cheese to the mix when I make these at our house. You can substitute green olives for the black olives or use some of both. You could use flavored tortillas instead of plain. And you could even use a flavored cream cheese if you wanted. It's fun to play around with recipes and make something new out of a tried and true recipe.

We usually have a bowl of "Heather's Salsa" ready to dip these in, but store bought salsa will work just as well. You can set these next to a giant bowl of tortilla chips and the two snacks can share the salsa!

TORTILLA ROLLUPS                                                                                     Printable Version

8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 can diced green chilies

1 large can black olives, finely diced

Green onions, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 package flour tortillas

In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, green chilies, black olives, green onions, garlic salt, and black pepper. Stir until everything is well combined. Place a flour tortilla on a piece of plastic wrap you've laid out on the counter. Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture over the tortilla, leaving about 1/4" clean around the edge of the tortilla. Roll up tightly and wrap securely in the plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. When ready to serve, cut the wraps into 1" slices, place on a platter, and serve with salsa for dipping.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

One Thanksgiving recipe that hasn't changed is Mom's "Homemade Cranberry Sauce". Every year she serves a glamourous red bowl of it alongside all the other fixins'.  

Puckery-tart and as sweet as it needs to be, making cranberry sauce from scratch is worth the effort.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce                                           Printable Version

One 12 oz. bag fresh cranberries

3/4 cup prepared orange juice 

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Wash and drain the cranberries and pour into a medium sauce pot. Stir in the orange juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the cranberries burst. If you want a thicker sauce with less whole berries, give them a mash in the pot as you stir them. Remove off the heat and let cool. Store in the refrigerator.

Cranberry sauce is best if made the day before you plan to serve it, as this allows the flavors to meld.

Pumpkin Carvin'

Every year before Halloween my dad asks if I've gotten a pumpkin to carve yet.  If not, he will get one for me.  It needs to be just the right size, with one side perfectly ready to be cut into.  Nowadays I need to get one for me and Riley, and this year we found some awesome ones.  And last night we commenced to carvin'.

The fillet knives and newspaper were brought out to the kitchen table, as well as Sharpies for marking faces and such.  Grandma pulled out all her October magazines that featured ideas for carving, but none of them seemed quite right.  The Hanson family likes to do things on our own when it comes to being creative.

I chose to make a statement this year, rather than cutting the traditional triangle shaped eyes and crooked tooth-filled mouth.  Riley frittered away on paper with ideas until he came up with the perfect compliment to what I was doing.  And after completely freehanding the design onto his pumpkin,

we were ready to take out the guts and get to work.

My pumpkin says "BOO!",

and Riley's is a scaredy cat. 

He spent much time on the details, knicking in little whiskers atop it's ears, trying to make it look like his own cat, Lewi.  I tried not to have a heart attack as he wielded Grandpa's extra sharp knife, having his hand way too close to the blade for my liking. 

But there was no blood, and no trip to the emergency room.  Whew.  Grandpa guided him on how to wiggle the knife through the tough flesh, make the corners, and be careful when he got to the points where he could completely destroy his design if he wasn't extra careful. 

Next year I'm going to find us one of those cool carving kits that all the professionals use.  For a family project that we enjoy doing every year it will be worth every penny.  And it will allow us to get even more carried away with our ideas.

Since we don't get any trick-or-treaters at our house, we will head back over to Grandma and Grandpa's tonight for a cozy dinner of chili and cornbread with honey, followed by a round of Rummy and way too many Kit Kats and M&M's, I imagine.  I suggested staying home in our dark house and watching the "Poltergeist" trilogy, but I couldn't quite convince Riley that it was a good idea.  Scaredy cat.

Easter With My Seaster

This year we will get to celebrate Easter with my sister and her family.  Last year was pretty much a let down; I didn't have Riley that day and my sister and brother weren't in town, so I decided to take my parents out for brunch to the local Country Club.  Let's just say it's not our scene, although the Mimosas were pretty good.  The hardest part was no leftovers for ham sandwiches later on.  We had to settle for deviled eggs and some chocolate dipped strawberries that I whipped up for a yummy dessert.  Not quite the same as our traditional leftover feast.

But we will have all the fixins this year; ham, scalloped potatoes, fresh asparagus, I'm even going to be brave and try brussel sprouts, which are about the only veggie my mom wouldn't cook and MAKE us eat when we were kids, because she hated them.  I bet they will be yummy if my sister cooks them though.

I will be getting pies from our favorite pie place (which of course I can't tell you) so we don't have to mess with dessert.  There will be some shopping, and much drinking of wine, and I'm sure a nap at some point.  My idea of the perfect holiday.

Happy Easter to you all!

Ready for the New Year

At this very moment, I am taking down my 2009 calendar and throwing it away! It's a symbolic thing for me, and now I can put up the really cute calendar I bought for 2010.

This past year was a complete whirlwind, with construction of our home, getting settled in a new life, taking care of Riley on my own, welcoming a new kitty to our family, entertaining, and making a huge effort to enjoy life every day. I have come out of a lot of pain to an entirely new place where I know how very important family and friends are and how very much I am loved.

I look forward to a fresh new year. I have a huge stack of health and fitness magazines ready to commit to memory, my cupboards have been rid of anything unhealthy, and my tush will be back in the gym very soon. New Year's Eve for me is a day of making resolutions, and this year my biggest one is to be happy every single day, and to brush off whatever or whoever tries to prevent that. I truly believe that you can make your life whatever you want it to be, and that how you react to things and people influences what kind of life you will have, and what kind of life you will represent to your children. Nothing could be more of a priority to me than to give Riley the best life possible, and I intend to do that.

Tonight we will celebrate the year past and the new year to begin with my parents. There will be snacks and shrimp and a really good bottle of champagne that my sister gave me that has been waiting in the fridge for just such an occasion. I will toast them both heartily and thank them for keeping Riley and I safe, warm, fed, and loved beyond measure.

I hope to continue to share my days with you in the coming year, and to give you recipes, tips, and some really fun stories that will keep you coming back.

Happy New Year to you all!

Merry Christmas Eve

From me, Elvis, and the cats, we wish you all the very best Christmas your hearts can hold.

Uh, huh.

Giving Thanks

My Thanksgiving table is new, the chairs are new, the house is new. There will be new shiny wine glasses and new dishes to eat from. But the traditions, the love, and the family, are all very, very old.

Some families go around the table and say what they are thankful for. We don't do that, never have, never will. Some of us are shy, some of us would be embarrassed, and some of just don't want to. But this year, I want to.

I am thankful for:

my parents, for taking Riley and I in when we had no where else to go.

my brother, dad, and nephew, and everyone else who helped to build our home

my friends, who love me just as I am

my work, people who have a smile and words of encouragement for me 8-5, Monday-Friday, and then some

my divorce, for making me see how miserable my marriage truly was and giving me the courage to move on and have a life so much more full of joy and laughter than it ever was before

my blog, where friends and long lost cousins comment on what I write, and make me truly enjoy sharing my day

my neighbors, who have welcomed us into our new space

and most of all, I am thankful for my sister. Never will I be able to express to her the love she has rekindled in my heart, the strength she has awoken in me, and the will I have to live each day as if it were my last.

This year especially, I am so thankful, and I love you all.

Sneaky Santa

He always waits until Christmas Eve Day to do his shopping. And he's sneaky about it.

I never really thought much about how my Dad always managed to get my mom the perfect Christmas present, until I paid attention to him in action.

I remember when I was a little girl and him taking me shopping for a gift I could give to my mom. He would park the truck in the lot at Hardware Hank, hand me $15 (which was a fortune back then), and tell me to come out in 20 minutes. Never mind that I didn't have a watch, and I was probably 8 years old at the time. Back then you could feel okay about letting your child go into a store alone. On one occasion I remember being so enthralled with the offerings that I completely lost track of time and ended up being late for Christmas pageant practice at Church, but that's another story.

I had a ball. Hardware Hank always had an old fashioned popcorn maker right as you walked in, but back then I was too shy to grab a bag. They had everything in that store, sleds and record players and toys and my favorite, the kitchen stuff. Yes, even at 8 I was obsessed. I bet I went down each aisle ten times trying to use all of my $15 wisely. I suppose those were the beginnings of my bargain shopping obsession, although my dad never questioned anything I bought or if it was on sale, he simply gave it a look and a smile and drove me home where I would sneak in my bedroom and wrap it.

When I was old enough to drive and truly shop on my own, my dad and I would share quiet whispers starting a few weeks before Christmas, me telling him things Mom had been fond of while we were shopping together, him telling me to go ahead and get them, and giving me some cash.

After I moved away from home I would still offer my services, but I imagine he figured I had enough to deal with and said he would take care of it himself.

Many years he would make something totally unique for her that would always make her cry, and most of the rest of us too. My dad has been a machinist his entire life since he picked up a torch at the age of 5, and he can perform all types of magic with metal and a lot of heat. Every Christmas Eve when we were well into opening gifts and Mom was busying herself in the kitchen, he would proclaim that he had to go over to his shop and "build up the fire". He might secretly snag one of us to come with him if he was going to sneak back something particularly heavy or cumbersome. He made intricate leaf wall hangings, wildlife scenes, and one year a headboard and foot board for their bed, with metal hearts welded into both. It all must have taken him forever, and he was lucky that Mom never went over to the shop while he was working unless he was late for afternoon coffee, which he very rarely was.

Being somewhat retired now (he can't quite give it up yet) he sticks more to the stores for gifts. This year, living at home, I got to do some shopping for him again. I felt like a kid in a candy store. It's the secrets, the sneaking, trying to camouflage the wrapping so Mom won't guess what she's getting before she even begins to open it. She always does that, and sometimes ruins the surprise, but it's part of the fun, just knowing she will try to guess and that most of the time she is right. Except for the year I wrapped a robe in a round Quaker Oatmeal box, that was a tricky one.

In looking over my life of the last 13 years, I have started paying a lot more attention to what I should be looking for in a relationship. How have my parents stayed together for almost 50 years?

In chatting with my dad more these days, and watching him interact with my mom on a daily basis, I realize that he has been the very sticky glue that has helped to keep them so in love.

He listens to what she needs, he goes out of his way to make her happy, he remembers her favorite candy, the book she mentioned she wanted to read, and the new kitchen gadget she'd like to have. The material things inevitably show up in her stocking on Christmas morning, which they do for each other now that the kids are all gone.

My dad is a shining example of what a man should be, and I hope that a lot of his traits will rub off on Riley. He has shown me all the things that a father and husband should be willing to give. If I ever do find another special person to share my life with, he will have a lot to live up to.

A man who will get up early to make me homemade cinnamon rolls. Who goes to the basement to watch football so I can watch the "big" TV. Who changes the oil in my car, fills it with gas, and washes it for me. Such little things, but over the course of a marriage they mean so much.

I love you Dad, for being so sneaky, so sweet, and so what I want my son to be.

The Stockings Are Hung

I am finally ready for Christmas. Yesterday I bought the last of my gifts, and I have set a moratorium on myself to stop going to Amazon.com, lest I find more good deals and buy too many presents for Riley. I truly could spend a thousand dollars on that kid, if I had it.

I did some baking over the weekend, Peanut Butter Blossoms with the kiss in the middle, Rachael Ray's 5-minute Fudge Ring, and last night I made some caramel corn. There truly is nothing better than eating warm caramel corn just out of the oven. If you don't burn your tongue, that is.

My mom made her annual batch of Party Mix, and swiftly proceeded to pack it into tins and hide it so we couldn't eat any. She does this. She makes a bunch of treats, lets us smell them and get all excited, and then tells us we have to save it all for Christmas Eve. Then we eat so much that night that we don't want to look at anything sweet again until Easter. It's crazy.

I am so looking forward to tomorrow night and Christmas Day this year. It's been a long time since I had that squooshy feeling about the holidays, you know that feeling you use to get when you were little, surrounded by the lights and the music and the food and you were just about to burst with the anticipation of opening your presents? It was such a good feeling, everything seemed magical and aglow. Thanks to my family, friends, and co-workers, I have been able to recapture at least a little of that this year. I catch myself, mostly when my mom and I are chatting over the sink doing the dishes together, and realize how lucky I am that I have had such generous and loving people in my life to help me through my troubles. They have made me realize that I am worth so much more than I ever got in my failed relationship, and that I truly need to let go of my feelings of worthlessness and embarrassment, because I am a good person and I don't deserve to feel like crud every day.

I look forward to the new year. I think I might actually make a list of resolutions this year. I am hoping my sister and her family will make it up to celebrate with us that night. It would truly be the best start of a new year I could imagine.

I probably won't post again this week as I am taking some days off to spend with my wonderful family, but I wish the happiest of holidays to you all. Give your grandma a hug, cuddle your little nephew close, tell your parents you love them. Always keep your friends close, and remind them as much as you can how much they mean to your life. And don't forget to leave those cookies for Santa.

I'm Back, Baby!

I know, it's been forever. I have been in a huge funk. Apparently all I needed to come out of it was to put up the Christmas tree, do some snow sledding, and eat about ten frosted sugar cookies. I'm all better now. And I'll be even better after I make a batch of divinity.

Thank God I go to the gym every day.

Riley and I have been anxiously awaiting enough snow to go sledding this past month, and we finally got just about enough this past weekend, with more coming this week. Yay!

This weekend we decorated my Mom's house for Christmas and made our first batch of sugar cookies. We always have to make two so we can eat one batch now and then make another batch that can be "fresh" for Christmas Eve, when we traditionally all get together and celebrate. I am also invited to my brother's this year for Christmas Day, and that should be fun. Some appetizers, a little poker, playing with my niece and nephew. I'm a lucky girl.

I get to celebrate Christmas in St. Paul with my sister this coming weekend, and I am taking my mom with for the ride, and to shovel us out if we should have to drive in a blizzard. Just kidding, Mom. We haven't been together at Christmas (or Thanksgiving) for almost ten years since they own A.C.E.S at the Mall of America and are always too successful to be able to get away from the shop and drive home for the holidays. It will be so much fun to see her house all decorated, her gorgeous window boxes, and share some cheer. I can't wait.

Christmas for me this year feels like a new awakening. I barely remember last year, except for the pain of wondering what I would be doing this year, not knowing if my marriage and our little family would still be intact, hoping that I would be able to decorate my new house for the holidays and bake in my new kitchen. It was truly a miserable holiday season. I remember hugging Riley while we snuggled next to our two foot Christmas tree with paper ornaments he had made to decorate it, and crying my eyes out with worry and sadness.

Nothing worked out how I had hoped, and my ex has already found himself a new family to celebrate with, but I have to say that living with my parents and doing all the holiday things at their house is pretty darn good too. Riley and I have strung lights in our bedroom, the stockings are hung by the chimney with care, and St. Nicholas will surely know where to find us. I am blessed.

Shepherd's Pie

Did you remember to wear green today? I sure did.

Our family found out just how Irish we are in the last few years, since some thirteenth cousin thrice removed researched selected branches of our family tree. We may act Norwegian most of the time, but that’s just the way we roll.

Does anyone know the reason we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Who was this man? And why is it okay for someone to pinch you if you aren’t wearing green? How many holidays do we celebrate simply for the turkey and candy and beer, without knowing why we are celebrating? I feel silly sometimes not knowing what’s up, but I was never very good in History class. I would rather concentrate on what’s happening today, and not reflect on the past unless it was an event that really affects me, and helped to shape who I am or will be in the future.

Past events can certainly affect our lives, but only in the way that we let them. I have a tendency to think most things happen for a reason, even if it seems insane. If I didn’t I wouldn’t be able to make it through some of the stuff I have. But no matter what trying things I have been through, everything seems to work out in the end, and if it doesn’t kill me, it just makes me stronger.

The same can be for you.

I see friends struggling with jobs and homes and children, and I try to convince them that things can be really good, if we let them. And have a ton of patience. We never know what our friends are going through, but we can surely use our experiences to help them and give them advice. You can choose to let things get you down, or be strong and figure out how to get through it with your wits intact.

St. Patrick’s Day is a day when you wish people good luck and good fortune. So I wish that to all of you, today and every day.

I won’t be making any corned beef and cabbage for dinner, but I might have a green beer, hopefully while Riley tells me what he learned about St. Patrick in school.

P.S.

I got to talking to one of the gals at work about what Irish dish I should make, and though I don't think I will make this tonight, this recipe for Shepherd's Pie is my favorite, and my family's favorite too. There are shortcuts you can take, like buying prepared mashed potatoes (Country Crock makes excellent ones) or instant in the box, using a jar of gravy, but I find it tastes the best when you follow all the steps to the T. Or close to it.

Shepherd's Pie

2 pounds potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cubed (I like Yukon Gold)
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup cream, for a lighter version substitute vegetable or chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 3/4 pounds ground beef or ground turkey
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped (I buy the frozen chopped onions)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef stock or broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves , or 1 tsp. dried

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine sour cream, egg yolk and cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.

While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef or turkey. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. Add chopped carrot and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy for 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas.

Preheat the broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with fresh chopped parsley (or mix dried parsley into the potatoes before topping meat mixture. Serve.

We eat this dipped in ketchup or HP sauce, which is a steak sauce that comes from a far away land. If you can find it, get a bottle, it's yummy.