"V8" Juice

This recipe comes from my mom through her sister-in-law, Roma.

12 quarts tomato juice

3 medium onions

6 celery sticks

2 medium green peppers

1/4 cup salt

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup lemon juice

In a large pot, combine tomato juice, celery, onions, peppers. Bring to boil over medium  heat and boil gently, stirring often for about 20 minutes. In a covered blender, whirl a small amount at a time until smooth. Press through a wire strainer, discarding pulp. Stir in salt, sugar, and lemon juice. Chill the juice. This can be frozen in containers in the freezer or canned by putting into quart jars and boiling for 50 minutes.

Honey Cinnamon Orange Glazed Carrots

This is the recipe I made up from a few sources, inspired by some orange-glazed carrots I had at a bed and breakfast in Jackson Hole once. I serve these often at Sunday dinner.

1 small package of cut and peeled baby carrots

1/2 cup orange juice (or to taste)

1/4 - 1/3 cup honey (or however much)

1 tsp cinnamon (or to taste)

1 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 2 Tbsp cold water

Place carrots in saucepan with lid. Add about 1 centimeter of water to bottom of the pan and put on the lid. Bring to boil. After it reaches boiling point, turn heat down to low to simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain liquid from pot and place back on stove still on low, squeezing about 1/4 cup of honey in the bottom of the pan with carrots. Add orange juice and cinnamon. Turn the heat up to boiling or simmering point and stir frequently. When the liquid is hot enough, add cornstarch solution. Stir frequently so it doesn't burn but turns into a glaze. When the glaze is at desired consistency, take off heat and serve!

Vegetable Dip

This is the recipe for vegetable dip I used to take to family gatherings sometimes. I got it from my friend Emily.

1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise

1 Tbsp seasoned salt

1 tsp parsley flakes

1 Tbsp celery salt

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp onion powder

1 Tbsp minced onion

1 Tbsp dill

Mix everything together in a bowl and taste to make sure the flavor is to taste. Chill. Serve with fresh chopped vegetables.

Green Rice

I got this from a woman named Becky on my mission. It reminded me of home, even though I had never had it before. It's a great side, especially if you add more cheese to it!

2 cups rice
1 can cream of chicken (or whatever cream of soup you like)
Steamed broccoli (1 or 2 crowns of broccoli)
1/2 - 1 cup shredded cheese

Steam rice. Mix with cream of soup. Put in casserole dish. Cut up steamed broccoli into really small, pieces. Mix in with the rice and soup and a half a cup of cheese, if desired. Sprinkle half a cup of cheese on top and place in oven to melt cheese and warm casserole (about 5 minutes at 350 degrees).

Roasted Vegetables

I love to roast Brussels sprouts this way, but most vegetables are awesome this way.

Preheat oven to 400 or 450 degrees

Vegetables, cut into bite-sized pieces if necessary
Olive oil
garlic, garlic salt, or garlic powder

Toss vegetables in olive oil or sprinkle olive oil on vegetables to coat. Add garlic. Roast in a hot oven for 25 minutes. If the vegetables are frozen, roast for another 15ish minutes.

Crookneck Squash

Dad doesn't even really like squash very much, but he made this sometimes when we had squash from the garden! I developed a taste for it cooked this way.

Crookneck Squash (Dad)

1 squash, cut into slices
2 tsp olive oil
A few shakes of garlic salt

Heat in the microwave for 3 minutes. Halfway through heating, pause and stir. Finish heating squash. If more than one squash is being prepared, the time should be adjusted. Add a minute and check on it after that point.

Broccoli Salad

I don't really care for raw broccoli, but this salad made an appearance at family gatherings at least a few times, so I guess I need to post it. I used to eat it, anyway. It has bacon, and really, bacon can help almost anything taste better.

Broccoli Salad (Mom)

1 bunch broccoli flowerettes, cut into chunks
1/2 lb bacon (fried & diced)
1 small red onion, chopped
1/3 c sunflower seeds
1/3 c raisins

Dressing:

1 c mayonnaise
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 c sugar (optional)

Mix dressing and pour on top of the chopped ingredients in a bowl. Let it chill for a few hours before serving.

Bread & Butter Pickles

We always had these in our cupboard! I think these pickles are so tasty. Mom got this recipe from her mom. I am so glad for recipes that come down through generations. It helps me feel more connected to people that I never knew on this earth.

Bread & Butter Pickles (Mom and Grandma)

1 gallon peeled cucumber slices
8 small onions, sliced (3 regular sized)
1/3 c salt

Syrup:

5 c sugar
5 c vinegar
1 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp turmeric
2 Tbsp mustard seed


Pour salt on top of the cucumbers and onions. Cover with ice cubes and let it stand for 3 hours. Drain. Bring to boil in syrup and turn down while pouring into sterilized pint jars. Seal. Makes about 8 pint jars.


To bottle:

1. Sterilize jars only with washing or putting jars in boiling water.
2. Take new lids and put into hot, boiled water.
3. Set jars in hot water, as well.
4. Pour pickles and syrup into bottle.
5. After wiping the edge of the jar, place the lid on top.
6. Screw on lid.

While cooling, the center part of the new lid should pop down.

Salsa (Mom & Dad's)

This salsa was usually prepared in a yellow tupperware bowl and sitting in the refrigerator but not for many days because we would inhale it.

Salsa (Mom & Dad)

8 c diced tomatoes
2 - 3 c chopped onions
1 1/2 chopped green (or red) peppers
1/3 c vinegar
1 (or 2) Tbsp sugar
1 (or 2) Tbsp salt
2 squirts Tabasco
Some shakes of garlic powder
4 oz can of green chilies

Stir together, chill, and serve!

Asian Green Beans

This is Banana's recipe for green beans that we have used in the past for holiday meals. I enjoy this alternative if the green beans aren't going to have bacon with them.

Asian Green Beans (from Banana)

1 lb green beans, washed and end snipped
1 cup water

Cut green beans (if desired). Add to water in a fry pan, cover, and boil/steam for 10-15 min or until tender.

2 T. olive oil
1/3 cup slithered or sliced almonds

Drain water and add oil and almonds. Sauté for 2-5 minutes.

1 T. honey
1 T. soy sauce
Salt, to taste (about 1/4 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Mix above ingredients into a sauce and add to the beans. Heat and serve.

Apple Yam Casserole

This recipe is from Dub. A lot of us in our family don't particularly like sweet potatoes or yams, but Dub has been making this recipe for a few years now. I kind of like it myself and have developed a taste for some sweet potato dishes.

Apple Yam Casserole (from Dub adapted from Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes or yams (the orange ones -- NOT the yellow ones)
2 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup water + 1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or 1 tablespoon corn starch)
3 slices lemon, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Boil sweet potatoes in water in large saucepan for 30 minutes. Peel and cube.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 2 quart casserole dish.
3. In the casserole dish, alternately layer the sweet potatoes and apples.
4. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix together brown sugar, 1/3 cup water, cinnamon, raisins, butter and salt. Cook 5 minutes.
5. In a small bowl, stir together remaining water and flour or corn starch. Combine with the brown sugar mixture. Pick out any lumps that may have formed, heh heh. Pour sauce over the sweet potatoes and apples. Place the lemon slices on top.
6. Bake covered in the preheated oven 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes and apples are tender.

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a must at a holiday meal. I asked cash for a mashed potatoes recipe because I don't always like them and don't usually make them for myself. Here is a typical recipe for mashed potatoes:

Mashed Potatoes from Cash

Potatoes
Salt
Sour cream
Butter
Milk
Pepper

Peel potatoes and cut into equal sizes (about quarters of medium potatoes). Boil in salted water until you can run your fork into them without too much effort. Drain, but leave a couple of tablespoons of the salty water. Beat with sour cream, butter, and milk (quantities to taste). Sprinkle in salt and pepper (to taste). Enjoy.

Relish Tray

The relish tray was always an essential part of the pre-holiday dinner snacking for us. Here are some classic elements of the holiday relish tray:

Black olives
Green olives
Baby sweet pickles
Baby dill pickles
Celery, cut in 3 inch pieces and filled with Cheez Whiz
Celery, cut in 3 inch pieces and filled with peanut butter

Some other relish tray ideas:
Radishes
Carrots
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Cherry tomatoes