Holidays, Cold Weather, and Comfort Food

It's that time of year again - the holiday season, cold weather, and comfort food. Here are a few recipes that are favorites for me and my family this time of year.

Last year I posted my Mom's recipe for Paradise Pumpkin Pie. It is also one of my very favorites; much better than plain pumpkin pie. I also posted more comfort food recipes under Winter Comfort Food (I think I'm seeing a pattern here) that included sweet potato pie and shepherd's pie.
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Corn Chowder

When you have eaten all of the turkey and dressing and leftovers you can stand. Try some corn chowder. This recipe is in a cookbook that came with my crock pot, but it can be made on the stove top, too.

3/4 cup copped onion

2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 cup frozen hash brown potatoes
1 cup diced, cooked ham
1 package (10 oz) frozen corn
1 can cream corn (The recipe only calls for a cup, but what do you do with the rest? I use the whole can)
1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
2 1/2 cups milk
salt and pepper (The recipe also calls for parsley flakes, but I never have any.)

Combine onion, margarine, potatoes, ham, corn, cream of mushroom soup, and milk in crock pot. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours. Salt and pepper to taste. Serves 8.

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Sweet Potato Casserole

This is the dish I'll be making for Thanksgiving. It doubles as both a side and a dessert.

3 (17 oz) cans of yams - or - I boil sweet potatoes and use them instead
3/4 to 1 cup of sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup margarine, softened

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup chopped pecans

Drain sweet potatoes and mash. Add sugar, eggs, and butter; mix well. Put into a 9x9 inch pan. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

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Milnot Cheese Cake

I have to admit, I was in college before I realized that most people bake cheese cake. This has been one of my favorite desserts as long as I can remember. It was very often the birthday cake of choice. We even experimented a little with other flavors of jello, though the original lemon is my favorite.

1 package Lemon Jell-O

1 cup boiling water
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chilled Milnot, whipped
1 lb graham crackers, crushed
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Cool. Cream together cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Add gelatin. Mix well. Fold whipped Milnot into gelatin mixture. Crush graham crackers into fine crumbs (we actually did this growing up, but now I just buy the crushed graham crackers in a box...much quicker and easier) and add melted butter. Firmly pack 2/3 of the mixture in bottom and sides of 9x13 pan. Add filling and sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Chill for 1 hour. Cut into squares and serve.

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Aunt Rhonda's Pink Salad

This has been a holiday (mostly Christmas) staple for years. I always ate way too much.

1 large can of crushed pineapple

1 can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
1 can cherry pie filling
pecans
frozen whipped topping (12 oz)

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate. Can't get much more simple than that.