Seeing RED

What a slacker I have been. We had a chicks gathering back in November and here it is the beginning of January. What's the hurry? Right? Well, since it is almost time to meet again, I thought I better post SOMETHING from our last gathering.

Our theme was seeing RED. Bring your recipes that appeared red, had a red ingredient or just tasted good...we don't really care. Now let's see if I can remember what we had. Thank goodness I took pictures.

CRANBERRY SALAD-Connie Sandoval

1 BAG FRESH CRANBERRIES (ABOUT 1 LB)

1 ¼ CUP SUGAR

1-10 OZ BAG MINIATURE MARSHMALLOWS

1 CUP CRUSHED PINEALLLE (DRAINED)

1 CUP CHOPPED PECANS

2 CUPS UNWHIPPED WHIPPING CREAM

2 TABLESPOONS POWDERED SUGAR

Crush or chop raw cranberries in blender or food processor. Add granulated sugar to cranberries and refrigerate overnight. Whip cream until stiff add powdered sugar to it while whipping. Add nuts, marshmallows, and pineapple and stir all together.


Bruschetta - Michelle Jones

Loaf of French Bread

5 md tomatoes (chopped)

3-4 garlic cloves (minced)

juice from 1/2 lime

1/4 cup EVOO

1 C freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 TBS fresh basil

salt & pepper

Mix diced tomeatos (juice & all), galiic, olive oil, lime juice and 3/4 c parm cheese, basil and salt and pepper to taste.

Allow to stand several hours to marinade. Slice bread at an angle and brush one side with melted butter, broil on each side to brown.

Spoon mixture onto bread, and top with remaining cheese. Broil until cheese has melted. Best when served immediately.

Roasted RED Potatoes ~ Charlene

1/2 C Ranch Dressing

1/2 C cheese

1/4 C bacon, crumbled

Mix with your red potatoes and pour into a greased 9X13 dish. Bake at 350 for 40 min.

Chocolate Oreo Truffles ~ Suzi Ward

1-8 oz pkg (finely crushed, with the cream filling)

8 oz pkg cream cheese, (softened)

Mix together crushed cookies and cream cheese. Roll into small 1 inch balls. Put on parchment paper or wax paper. Melt 1 bag of melting chocolate. Dip balls into the chocolate. Set back on paper to harden. Makes about 24-30.
**To make them festive, add crushed candy canes to teh melted white chocolate before dipping.
**You can add cuts, sprinkles, extra crushed oreo's , etc to the chocolate before dipping or roll the balls in it after dipping.

Grandma Davis' Cherry Cookies

Beat the following together:

3/4 C butter flavored shortening

1 C sugar

2 eggs

2 Tbs milk

1 tsp vanilla

then add:

2 1/4 C flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 C maraschino cherries, cut up

1 C chopped nuts

Bake at 375 for 10-12 min

Frosting:

1 pkg cream cheese, softened

2-4 drops red food coloring

2 Tbs butter

1 box powdered sugar

1 tsp almond extract
Low-Fat Red Velvet Cake ~ Mary
Ingredients
· 2 ½ cups cake flour
· 2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
· 1 tsp baking powder
· ½ tsp salt
· 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
· 1/4 cup vegetable oil
· 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
· 1 egg
· 2 egg whites
· 1 tsp vanilla extract
· 1 cup fat-free buttermilk
· 2 Tsp red food coloring
· 1 tsp white vinegar
· 1 tsp baking soda
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, spray two 9-in round cake pans with fat-free zero-calorie cooking spray, and line the bottoms with parchment paper. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Separately, in large bowl or electric mixer, beat together sugar, applesauce, and oil. Add egg, egg whites, and vanilla one at a time, beating well after adding each one. In a small bowl combine fat-free buttermilk and food coloring. Add half the flour mixture to egg mixture, stirring well, then add buttermilk mixture, stir, and finally the rest of the flour mixture, mixing until well combined. Combine baking soda and vinegar in small bowl or measuring cup, allow to fizz, then fold into batter. Immediately divide evenly between cake pans and smooth the tops, then bake 25-30 minutes or until a skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire rack and allow to cool completely. Wrap layers separately in plastic wrap and freeze at least 60 minutes before icing with low-fat cream-cheese frosting, below.

Low-Fat Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
· 3/4 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
· 3/4 cup fat-free small curd cottage cheese
· 16 oz Neufchatel or low-fat cream cheese
· 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Drain/press any excess liquid from cottage cheese. Place yogurt and cottage cheese together in food processor and process until smooth. Cube cream cheese and add to processor, processing again until smooth. Add sugar in three parts, processing to mix between additions. Cover and refrigerate until hardened enough to spread.
Icing The Cake
Once cake has hardened in the freezer and frosting is spreadable, cut each 9-inch round in half horizontally to create four layers (or, if you prefer a smaller icing-to-cake ratio, leave as is). Place the first on your serving platter, then spread with frosting. Repeat with next three layers, then frost the sides of the cake. Garnish with grated coconut if desired, and return to refrigerator to let frosting set.


Eggplant Parmesan ~ Vicki
1 med eggplant
olive oil
4 cups favorite marinara sauce
parmesan cheese

Peel eggplant and lightly brush with olive oil. Lightly saute until tender. (May also cook on grill, turning halfway through cooking time, until tender.) May season very lightly with little salt and pepper or little italian seasoning.
When eggplant is done, place 1 cup marinara sauce in bottom 9 x 11 glass baking dish. Cover with one layer of sliced eggplant. Then cover with marinara sauce. Then lightly sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Repeat with another layer of eggplant and sauce until dish is full. Top with parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until dish is bubbling all the way through.