Here are some favorite Christmas recipes

Every person that has tried this loved it! It is great for parties and especially for the holidays. You can freeze this recipe up to a month.

1 package Hidden Valley Ranch™ (HVR) dressing mix (milk recipe)
1/2 cup milk
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 ounces cheddar cheese, grated fine
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (if desired)

Mix together HVR dressing and milk. Blend in cream cheese. Next, gradually mix in cheddar cheese.

Option: substitute ½ stale beer for milk and add 2-3 chopped chives, if you're feeling frisky.

Make this a day ahead to allow for all the flavors to combine. Use pineapple packed in its own juice, not heavy syrup -- you don't want this to be too sweet. This has a great flavor.

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (8 1/2 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon seasoned salt

Gradually stir in pineapple, 1 cup finely chopped pecans, green pepper, onion, and salt to cream cheese. Chill well. Form into a ball and roll in the remaining coarsely chopped pecans. Chill until ready to serve.

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 7-ounce container marshmallow cream

Mix together ingredients and chill. Serve with apples, grapes, and whatever fruit you like.

2 (15-ounce) cans of sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup evaporated (Pet) milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350º. Mix all ingredients and pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole dish. Make Streusel Topping, and place on top of tater mixture. Bake 30 mintues or until center is set.

My sister Sherri gave me this recipe. Sherri turned into the Sweet Potato Police on Christmas 1996. She put this topping on her sweet potato casserole and took names of all the people who got a serving. (I think she was just insecure since she put too much butter in her topping and then tried to "dry it up" by adding additional flour. She ended up with a very hard pecan butter cookie on top of her casserole. Uh, yeah Sherri, it was good, yeah, OK.) Oh, don't worry, this recipe will not yield a hard cookie. Right Sherri?

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cold margarine
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp ground cinnamon

In medium mixing bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and flour; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in nuts. When your pie has 10 minutes of baking time left, sprinkle this mixture on top of the pie and bake the remaining 10 minutes.

A friend of mine, Vickie Emerson Stein, gave me this delicious dip recipe. This dip is a legend in my family -- even the kids like it!

1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
1 can refried beans
8 ounces guacamole/avocado dip
16 ounces sour cream
1 envelope dry Taco seasoning
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Corn chips

In a casserole dish, spread beans then guacamole/avocado dip. Mix together the sour cream and Taco seasoning. Spread this mixture on top of the guacamole/avocado dip. Top with tomatoes, onions, and then cheese. Serve with chips.

This is my ham recipe, and it makes great sandwiches.

1 whole cooked (brined) and smoked ham
Coke (a couple of cups)
1 box brown sugar
Brown-n-serve bag
Spicy brown mustard

Rinse ham, slice off excess fat, and place in brown-n-serve bag. Add enough Coke to have about an inch of liquid. Seal bag, and pierce it several times (on the top of the bag) with a sharp knife. Bake at 200-250º; about 4 to 6 hours or overnight (until inside temperature is approximately 130º). Take ham out of oven and bring oven temperature to 350º. Remove ham from bag and pat dry with paper towels. Peel off any offending skin/fat and place in clean broiler pan, cut side down.

Raise temperature of oven to 350º.

Brush on a liberal coat of the mustard and sprinkle on brown sugar until the ham is coated. Return to oven and bake uncovered until internal temperature is 150º - about another hour.

This recipe is from my sister-in-law, Alicia, and it is great! It serves 6 to 8 hungry relatives.

6 slices of bread (with edges trimmed)
1 pound mild sausage
6 eggs
1 pint half and half
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Butter bread and place on bottom of 9x13-inch casserole dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Brown sausage as you would hamburger, drain off excess grease, and spread over bread in prepared pan. Sprinkle cheese over sausage. Beat eggs, add half and half, and mix well. Pour this over the bread, sausage and cheese. Cover and place in refrigerator overnight. Let sit out for 15 minutes before baking. Bake at 350º for 45 minutes or until set.

I made these Christmas 1999 and I ate one of them. The rest stayed in my fridge for three weeks and then we threw them out. If I ever dare to make them again, I think I'll substitute 1/4 cup bourbon or rum plus 1/4 cup water for the 1/2 cup of bourbon or rum. Talk about stout. Oy.

2 cups vanilla wafer cookies
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons white corn syrup
1/2 cup bourbon or rum
Powdered sugar for coating

Roll vanilla wafers into fine crumbs. Add all ingredients, and mix well. Shape by teaspoons into firm, round balls (what other shape is a ball? Hey, be unpredictable, make them football shaped-heh). Roll balls in powdered sugar. Store in tightly covered container in the fridge for 4 to 7 days for best results. These are best when hidden in your closet during Christmastime and eaten while fights break out over missing batteries and floral-printed underwear.

This came from my recipe loop. The contributor said, "This is really good; the kids love it!" This is quite yummy & just don't be giving any to the dog, now. Chocolate and dogs don't go together!

1 stick margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter
6 ounces or one cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 box Crispix™ cereal
2 cups powdered sugar

Melt margarine, peanut butter, and chocolate chips in either microwave or over low heat. Place cereal in a large pan, pour peanut butter mixture over cereal and coat well. In a large paper bag pour the following: one cup of the powdered sugar, the coated cereal and then the remaining powdered sugar. Shake well; place on wax paper to dry. Store in airtight container.

1 package chow mein noodles (the crunchy Chinese noodles)
1 package Spanish peanuts
1 package butterscotch chips

Melt the butterscotch chips in a double boiler. Add the noodles and peanuts. Spoon out into little stacks on a piece of oiled wax paper. Cool.

1 jar Peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
1 box powdered sugar
1 package chocolate for candy making
(or you can use chocolate chips, and add a tiny piece of parafin wax -- too much trouble for me).

Mix the peanut butter with the powdered sugar to taste. Roll mixture into balls, and place on greased wax paper. Place in freezer until balls are solid. Melt chocolate in double boiler or microwave. Insert toothpick into each peanut butter ball and dip into melted chocolate. Replace on to wax paper, and allow to cool.

Boil together remove from heat add:

1 cup peanut butter
2 cups Rice Krispies

Spoon onto waxed paper and let cool.

I forgot to toast the almonds in this the first time I made it, so I had to bake the cookies about 5 to 7 minutes longer that what the recipe stated. The kids gave this a thumbs up; Paul said that they "didn't suck."

1 cup butter (no substitutions), softened
1/2 cup granulated (not smack-u-lated) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup ground almonds (about 3 ounces), preferably toasted
1 cup powdered sugar

Cream together butter, (granulated, not smack-u-lated) sugar, and vanilla. Gradually add flour; mix well. Stir in the almonds. Shape into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 300º for 18-20 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on wire racks. Gently roll cooled cookies in powdered sugar.

2 small packages of Little Smokie Sausages
1 bottle of Barbecue Sauce (go ahead and get the expensive sauce...It is the holidays and it tastes better)

Pour the above in a crock pot and cook until the sauce is bubbling.