In Recognition of the Approaching Holidays . . . kick ass recipes for my kick ass readers

While Viviane expresses her opinion of one of my many holiday cook books, I will share some of my favorite fall and holiday recipes.

Honey Cream Crescents

• 4 oz. softened cream cheese
  
• 3 tbsp honey - divided
  
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  
• 1 pkg crescent rolls
  
• ground cinnamon (optional)
  

Preheat your oven to 375.  Mix the cream cheese and 2 tbsp. of the honey, and stir in the almonds, being careful not to crush those suckers.  Open the crescent rolls (or if you are afraid of those vacuum sealed tubes, like myself, get someone else to open it for you) and unroll, use the perforated marks to separate them into 8 separate triangles.  Using a tablespoon, plop one tablespoon of your cream cheese/honey/almond mixture onto the widest part of the crescent roll.  The fold in the sides and roll it up to the point of the triangle.  Make sure all sides are sealed or else your mixture will spill out and turn to foul smelling gook.  Now place them all on an ungreased cookie sheet.  And sprinkle with cinnamon (again, optional).  Bake those little suckers for 12-14 minutes or until they are golden brown because your oven probably rocks more than mine does.  As soon as they are out of the oven, drizzle the rest of the honey on the rolls, and serve 'em warm!! 

French Onion Soup

Use a dutch oven if you have one, I don't have one, so I don't use one.

• 1/2 lb onions (white recommended) slice em, dice em, however you want
• 1/4 cup butter (repeat, butter!)
• 2 tbsp corn/canola oil
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 qt chicken broth
• 1 qt beef broth
• 8 slices French bread
• swiss, mozzarella, parmesan or provolone cheese

In a stock pot (or dutch oven) heat butter and oil, and sautee' onions.  When they are transparent and tender, but not brown, turn the heat all the way down and sprinkle the flour.  Stir vigorously until onions are coated and liquid is absorbed.  Add both broths and heat thoroughly.  While soup is heating, slice your bread (if you haven't already) and place a slice in each of your 8 bowls.  Once the soup is done, pour equal amounts into the bowls and cover with whatever cheese you chose (lol).  If your bowls are oven-safe, place them in the oven about four inches from the broiler and heat until the cheese melts.  If your bowls are not oven-safe, throw them suckers in the microwave.  If you have leftover soup, freeze it, or just eat more soup.

Heart Attack in a Blue Dish

aka Bacon and Swiss Dip

(This one gets its lovely name from the dish that my mother always makes it in.  A blue glass baking dish.  You may call it what you want.)

• 8 oz softened cream cheese
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1 cup grated swiss cheese
• 8 slices cooked and crumbled bacon (or 1 pkg real bacon pieces)
• 1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers
• 2 tbsp chopped green onions (I have never ever used these!)

Preheat your oven to 350 (or if your oven is already being used, you can do this in a microwave oven). Combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, swiss cheese and (if you so choose) green onions together and then add 6 slices of bacon (if you're using real bacon pieces, 3/4 of the bag).  Mix well and transfer to a glass baking dish (blue if you have one, for posterity).  Sprinkle remaining bacon and crushed crackers on top.  Bake for 15-20 minutes (or microwave until everything is melted and piping hot).  Serve hot with Ritz (or Townhouse, yum!) crackers.

Ok, that's all for now, I'll post some beverages later on tonight, or tomorrow!  If you have any recipes you'd like to share, feel free to leave them in comments, or email me.