Italian Style Prime Rib Roast - My In-Laws do it BEST!

Italian Style Prime Rib Roast

No... your eyes aren't playing tricks on you... that is 24, yes, 24 pounds of PRIME RIB right there.

My In-Laws have always done Prime Rib for Christmas dinner.

I will honestly tell you that until I had this magnificent dinner, I had never had Prime Rib in my life.

After having it, I would try to order it in a restaurant, and it was such a HUGE disappointment!

They do it best I will tell you.

I'm not sure why I should be surprised, though.  

In the department of Mother and Father In-Law, I just plain hit the jack pot.

They are such a fantastic family, and I thank God for them every night I lay my head on my pillow.

Denny, my Father-in-law, loves to read my blog, and gets a huge kick out of me taking pictures 

of food when he visits.  

"Don't 'cha wanna take a picture of that one, Kala?"  

This year, I decided to document the making of the Prime Rib.  With the help of my hubby.

If you want to make a Prime Rib that will wow the masses.... here is what it takes!

4-5 pound rump roast or prime rib

or if you're at our house... 24 pounds....

Denny cuts off a few steaks so they will fit in the pan!

steaks go in the freezer to be enjoyed later

Brian helps his parents do the herb and spice rub after the meat is seared to perfection

goof!! Think he's excited?!?!

I kept teasing him about his apron.  I told him he looked like an elf! 

Every time he put it on I looked at him and said "Herbie doesn't like to make toys!"

we take it out when it reaches 140 degrees so those who like it rare get their way!

perfection!

Denny trims the fat off of the roast, and begins slicing.  He sets an electric frying pan with au jus to the side to cook it a little more for those who don't like it too pink!

Denny gets everyone's cut done to their liking.  He looks proud here, doesn't he?

As he SHOULD!

my plate: prime rib, home grown sweet corn, potato casserole and broccoli rice and cheese casserole

(please don't count the calories!!)

It was hard not to dig in...but I took a picture!! It was MAGNIFICENT!!

I highly recommend you try this next time you make a prime rib!! It's DIVINE!

Italian Style Roast

4-5 pound rump or prime rib roast

Herb and Spice Mix

1 T. Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 t. each: dried parsley flakes, basil, pepper, Italian seasoning

1 t. salt

Generous sprinkling of garlic powder and onion salt

Au Jus Mix

1 beef bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup of water

Put meat in and ungreased pan on a rack, fat side up and bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes to sear the meat.

Remove from oven and rub with Worcestershire Sauce, mix herbs and spices together, sprinkle over meat, rub in.

Continue to roast at 250 degrees for a total time of 15 minutes per pound.

This will make the roast Medium Rare.

Add bouillon to drippings to make Au Jus.

For extra, just use McCormick au jus packets, according to package instructions.

Broccoli Stuffed Mushrooms - One of my MOST FAVORITE appetizers

Every Christmas Eve my Mom makes these for appetizers.  

On the way to her house on Thanksgiving, one of my kids always asks

"is THIS the holiday that Grandma makes those mushrooms?!?!"

They are just plain a never fail yummy warm appetizer that is easy to love.

These would be a great addition to your New Year's Eve celebration!

broccoli stuffed mushrooms

Broccoli Stuffed Mushrooms

12 large mushrooms

1 very small onion, chopped

6 T butter or margarine

2 T Flour

3/4 t salt

dash of white pepper

2/3 c milk

1 pkg (10 oz size) chopped frozen broccoli, blanched and drained

2 T finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Remove stems from mushrooms and chop. 

(I have found that a strawberry huller works GREAT for this step!)

Quickly saute chopped mushroom stems with onion in 3 T of butter in a frying pan. About 2-3 minutes.

Reduce heat and stir in flour, salt and pepper.  Gradually add in milk and continue to cook, stirring constantly until thickened.  Add broccoli and heat thoroughly.

Melt remaining butter and brush the inside and outside of mushrooms caps.  Fill each mushroom with an equal amount of vegetable mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake stuffed mushrooms on a cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, until hot.

I love to prepare them the day before, and bake them when I am ready to serve them.

I have put them in a chaffing dish to keep them warm, but they tend to get a little watery.  It's really just best to bake them in the oven.

Holiday Highlights from An Affair from the Heart

all packaged up for delivery

I have been busy busy baking and baking. Then Tuesday night I had my cookie exchange.  

Wednesday morning,  I spread my platters out on my kitchen table and began filling them up.  

We made 5 huge platters, two small containers and several little plates of goodies.

My twins and I loaded them up and off we went to deliver!

I decided to share with you the holiday things that I have been making in one spot.

So, here you have a Holiday Recap!

Holiday Recap 2011

Spice Cookies with Pumpkin Dip

Candy Bar Fudge

Caramel Toffee and Pecan Fudge

Almond Raspberry Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies

My Great Aunt Vern's Sugar Cookies

Candy Coated Crispix Mix

Click on the Crispix Mix to see this cute way to decorate a Pringles Can for your cookie Exchanges.  How cute are these?!?

Grandma Davis' Frosted Sugar Cookies

Karen's Gngerbread

Rainbow Cookies

Pecan Caramel Bark (Turtle Bark)

Festive Cherry Pie Jell-O

Home Made Sugar Scrubs

From myself and my family,  to all of you who take the time to follow my blog and facebook pages, 

Happy Holidays!  It means so much to have you here with me! 

Cheers to 2012!

Karen's Ginger Bread Cookie Recipe

Karen's Ginger Bread

If you follow my blog you have heard me mention my Sister-in-Law, Karen.  Karen passed away in 2005 from a very aggressive form of mouth cancer.  She is sorely missed all of the time, but around the holidays, I think about her more often than normal.

Karen LOVED to bake, and she was GREAT at it.

Her oldest son, Alex, is just three weeks younger than my oldest son. They are like brothers. 

Alex's favorite Christmas cookie was always Karen's Gingerbread men.

She would always make these at Christmas, and often times for my annual cookie exchange.  

I make them every year now, because they are my son, Spencer's favorite, too.

The recipe I have is a printed email that she sent me with her recipe. 

 It contains the back and forth conversation that she and I had about just your normal everyday life. 

She was my "go-to" person when I was baking.

I was a Creative Memories consultant for 6 years, and found my love of scrapbooking when Karen and I attended our first home class after we had our boys.

My friend Candi, over at The Devilish Dish, and I started an online scrapbooking art store called Simply Scrapbooking, and I left CM. We made handmade scrapbook art.

After Karen passed away in October if 2005, a BUNCH (and I mean a whole giant room full) of my scrapbooking family got together and brought all of her kids' scrapbooks up to date. We did this around the holidays, and everyone that helped received one of these tiny little angel ornaments when they left, attached was this little saying: 

You're in my thoughts at Christmas,

so I say this little prayer. . .

"May angels always bless you,

and keep you in their care.

And may the heaven's angels

light a Christmas star,

to shine on you all year through. . .

no matter where you are."

karen angel

I call it my "Karen Angel" and she hangs year 'round in my kitchen on the cabinet knob, right over my oven.  

When I am baking, I know she is here with me.

After Karen passed, Hallmark aired a movie, based on a book, called "The Christmas Shoes." I am not sure if you have ever heard of it? But that was a tough one to watch for me.  It is an honest to goodness tear jerker of a movie with a very nice message about a little boy that loses his Mom at Christmas.  

Every year when I am baking, I listen to Christmas music, and they play the song from the movie.

It brings me to tears every time.

This is the song from the movie, by a band called Newsong. I found this clip on youtube, and if you watch/listen it even has the ending scene from the movie.

I know that Karen is in a better place, but she is sure missed here.

I am sharing with you now, her recipe for Gingerbread cookies.  I don't know where she got it, so I can't give credit to whoever wrote it, and I am sorry for that.  But to us, this is Karen's Gingerbread.

Karen's Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients you will need

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup butter, softened

3 T molasses

1 egg

2 T water or milk

3 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cloves

Sugar or icing

Directions:

Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, butter and

molasses; beat until light and fluffy.  Add egg and water; blend well.  Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.  Add flour and all remaining ingredients, except additional sugar or icing; mix well to form a smooth dough.  Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate one hour for easier handling.

Heat oven to 350*.  Roll portions of dough into medium sized balls, roll in sugar (if you want them sugar coated) or leave plain if you plan to ice them.  (Keep remaining dough refrigerated.)  Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until set.  Immediately

remove from cookie sheets.  Ice when cool.  

These cookies can also be rolled into gingerbread shapes if desired on a floured surface.  Bake 9-11 on 350. 

These freeze very well.

the alco dress




This is one of my favorite pictures of Karen.  We had gone to a wedding in Manhattan, Kansas, and Karen had hand sewn a dress to wear to the event. 
 When we got there, she realized the dress was laying on her bed back at home. 
The only place to shop in a pinch was Alco.  That is where she found this sweet little number.  
I think she looks great!! 
We sure laughed about this.

Mommas and Daddys, squeeze your babies tight.

Grandma Davis' Sugar Cookies

Grandma Davis' Sugar Cookies



Grandma Davis isn't even my Grandma, but her sugar cookie recipe is the one I make every year.

You have heard me mention my friend, Tonja, before.  Grandma Davis is her Grandma.

These cookies are always SO GOOD. 

If you like soft chewy frosted sugar cookie cut outs, these are for you!

I add a touch of almond extract to my store bought vanilla frosting

Grandma Davis' Sugar Cookies

3/4 cup shortening or butter (I usually use butter flavored Crisco)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, combine. Add the flour, salt and baking soda, mix well, form into a ball, cover and chill over night.

Roll onto a floured surface and cut with cookie cutters.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 7 minutes.  

WATCH CLOSELY for them to be soft, you can't let them brown.

Frost with powdered sugar icing.  

Or... you can cheat like me.  By plain classic white frosting in a can. Zap it in the microwave for a few seconds, and drizzle on your cookies.

Santa will be SURE to leave you somethin' Good!!

Candy Coated Crispix Snack Mix ---- Plus a Fun way to decorate a Pringle Can for your Cookie Exchanges

Crispix Mix

WARNING: This post contains a very addicting snack mix.  If you are someone who doesn't have a lot of will power, (like ME!) and love sweet and salty snacks, you might want to stop reading....

But seriously folks, this stuff is SO good and SO addicting!!

 I make two ice cream buckets full of it every Christmas.  

I love to put it in the middle of my cookie/candy trays.

It's great to grab a bag of it or a cute baking tin and take to parties.  

(or to give to your neighbor that loaned you corn syrup when you ran out 

and you were baking in your PJ's!!)

The best thing, you can jazz it up however you want.

crispix snack mix

Crispix Snack Mix

2 c. brown sugar

1 cup butter

1/2 cup lite corn syrup

17 ounces of Crispix Cereal

1 pound of M&M's

2 cups salted Dry roasted peanuts

1/2 t salt

1 t baking soda

In a large bowl, empty the cereal and the peanuts.

In a saucepan on the stove melt the butter, sugar, syrup and salt.  Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes stirring constantly.  Add the baking soda, stir, ingredients will foam and become frothy.

Pour mixture over the cereal and peanuts.  Mix quickly but carefully.  You don't want to smash all of the cereal.  Spread onto a cookie sheet lined with non-stick foil or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Bake at 200 degrees for one hour, turning mix over every 15 minutes.

When mix has cooled, add the M&M's.

I usually use dark chocolate ones, because those are my favorite.  But this time, I used pretzel ones and dark chocolate.

I decided to make this for my annual  holiday cookie/candy exchange.

ready to exchange!

I found this cute idea on Pinterest to cover Pringles cans in scrapbook paper.

(my kids have been eating A LOT of Pringles over the last few months!!)

Didn't they turn out cute??

I doubled this recipe above and it more than filled 10 Pringles cans.

look out...this stuff is GOOD!!

I took a 12 x 12 piece of holiday scrapbook paper, and trimmed it down to size to fit a Pringle can.  I added some quick drying scrapbook glue around the edges and wrapped the clean Pringle can. 

I attached these recipes with the picture of the mix to each can

 I adhered the recipe I made for my Crispix mix, it was backed with an actual picture of the mix itself.

I decorated each one with a coordinating bow, and each of them looks different.

So excited for the exchange this week! 

Almond Raspberry Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies

almond raspberry shortbread thumbprints

These are a favorite every year on my cookie platters!

Years ago, when my oldest son was in Pre-School, I made friends with a mom of one of the other students, her name was Andi.  Andi used to host these amazing tea parties at her home.  Her house was all Victorian decorated and she had the most intricate tea sets!   These tea parties have always been a cherished memory of mine.

One tea party she made these cookies, and they were to DIE FOR.

I have made them for Christmas every year since.  I also make them at Valentine's Day.

They are like little mini pastries.

I baked a batch a couple of weeks ago when I was in a baking frenzy. My husband came home for lunch when I was in the midst of baking, and I put them in the oven while we chatted.  When I took them out, they looked like THIS....

yikes.

This is what happens when you get to chatting and forget the flour!! We all have our days, don't we??

When done right, they look like these below.

You won't be sorry you added these to your baking this year!

gorgeous!

I misplaced her recipe for a couple of years, and searched for it on Google.  

Come to find out the recipe was on Kraft Recipes as well as All Recipes.com!

Here it is!

Almond Raspberry Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies

Cookie:

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups flour

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

3/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 T milk

Combine sugar and butter until creamy.  Add almond extract and flour and mix until smooth.

With a cookie 1 teaspoon sized cookie scoop, form balls. make a well into the center with your finger.  I actually use a small measuring spoon or my index finger to poke a hole. (Be careful to mend any cracks, or the jam will bubble out the side.) Spoon jam into centers.

here they are filled and ready to go into the oven.

They are not teeny tiny thumbprints!

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes, or until edges begin to brown slightly. 

Leave on cookie sheet for a couple minutes.  Remove and cool for about 10 minutes more.  While they are cooling, mix up the glaze.  Drizzle over the warm cookies, glaze will set like a glazed doughnut.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen

So yummy!!