Christmas Recipes

I made several new things at Christmas this year and had requests for some of the recipes so here they are.

Heavyset Cheeseball from Paula Deen (this is the one I had shaped to look like a pinecone)
1 1/4 cups almonds 8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 strips crisply cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 tsp. dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp. chopped green onion
*(1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce--not in original recipe, but I added to mine)
Rosemary sprig or fake sprig for garnish (if shaping like a pinecone)

Mix cream cheese and mayo together then add the bacon, dill, green onion, Worcestershire and salt/peper. Chill for several hours or overnight. Shape into an oval-type shape like a pinecone. Press almonds at a slight angle into the cheeseball starting at the narrow end of the pinecone. I found that once you have all the almonds in place you can then use your hands to kind of shape into a better pinecone shape. Place the rosemary or pine sprig in the top. Serve at room temp. with crackers, etc.


Party Cheeseball (this is the one I served on Christmas Eve)

2 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, room temp.
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tbsp. finely chopped onion
1 tbsp. finely chopped red bell pepper
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup chopped pecans or chopped parsley (to coat outside of cheeseball)
**you can also add chopped chipped beef

Beat cream cheese and cheddar until well blended. Add all remained ingredients except what you are going to roll the ball in to coat the outside. Refrigerate several hours. Shape into ball or whatever shape you want (I shaped mine into a candy cane) and roll or press nuts, parsley, etc. to cover.


Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin (this is what I served on Christmas Eve)

2# boneless pork tenderloin
1 tsp. ground sage
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup water

Glaze: 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp. soy sauce

Combine sage, salt, pepper, garlic and rub on tenderloin. Place in crockpot with water. Cook on low 6-8 hours. About 1 hour before pork is done, combine glaze ingredients and cook in saucepan. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. Brush pork with glaze 2-3 times during last hour of cooking. Serve remaining glaze on the side.


Ruby Red Raspberry Salad (this is what I served on Christmas Eve and sent to Jennifer's on Christmas Day)

3 oz package raspberry jello
1 cup boiling water
10 oz frozen raspberries
2 cups sour cream
3 oz. cherry jello
1 cup boiling water
20 oz well drained crushed pineapple
16 oz whole cranberry sauce

Dissolve raspberry jello in 1 cup boiling water and add raspberries. Put in 9x13 pan. Chill until set. Spread sour cream over the top and put back in fridge. Mix remaining ingredients together in a bowl and chill until set. Spoon over sour cream layer and chill until firm. Serve.