Goods at the Russell's

 Look at these gorgeous ladies!
This felt like a perfect way to start the holiday season. Steph and Sonya put together "comfort food at it's finest". We were welcomed with such warm inviting colors--- the decor was elegant yet relaxed. It was so nice to sit down and chillax before we all delve in to the madness that can often accompany the holidays!  Thank you Sonya & Steph!!!

LIMEADE SPRITZ
2 liters Fresca
2 liters Cranberry Sierra Mist
1 Can Limeade concentrate

Combine and serve!! We do this in the summer, but instead of the cranberry Sierra Mist we use Sprite. Its our favorite drink!

Baked Brie with Cranberry Sauce

Brie

Puff Pastry

Cranberry Sauce

Place Brie on Puff Pastry, add Cranberry Sauce and bake as directed on Pastry Box.

CRANBERRY SALSA

1 pkg cranberries (fresh work best)
3/4 cup sugar
1 or 2 jalepenos (depending on how hot you want it) if you do make it toooo hot, just add more sugar
1 green onion
2 TBSP cilantro
1/2 tsp cumin

Combine all ingredients in food processor. Process until finely choped. Best if chilled overnight. I whip my cream cheese and serve it with it. It is fabulous on pork!

TWICE BAKE SWEET POTATOES

5 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 cup cranberry relish
1/2 cup dried cranberries (craisins)
2TBSP butter softened
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup walnut pieces
rest of the stick of butter
brown sugar

Preheat oven to 325* Scrub sweet potatoes and pierce all over with fork. Place on oven rack. Bake for 1 hour 15 min or until tender. Set aside to cool slightly.

Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop pulp from each potato half leaving a 1/4 inch shell. Place pulp in medium bowl. Set aside shells.

Using a potato masher or fork, mash potato pulp until smooth. Stir in relish, cranberries, butter, and salt. Spoon potato mixture into each potato shell.
Melt remainder of butter and brown sugar until brown sugar dissovles add walnuts. Place this mixture on top of each potato.

If serving right away heat oven to 350* and cook for 30 minutes.

you can cover and chill for up to 24 hours. To serve preheat to 350* and bake for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Stuffed Pork Roll

1 Pork Round Roast (ask butcher to butterfly)

3 cups of your favorite stuffing

Use a meat tenderizor and pound the pork slices slightly (try not to puncture meat).  Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Spread enough stuffing on pork slices to cover top of pork.  Do not add too much or it will fall out of the sides.  Roll up pork and tie or secure with toothpicks.  Drizzle with Olive oil and sear on all sides.  Bake 350 for about 45 min or untill tender.  Cover for first 30 min.  Watch carefully the last 15 min so it does not burn.

• Roasted Vegetables
  ½ Red Onion Chopped
  ½ Yellow or White Onion Chopped
  3 Red Bell Peppers
  6 Med size Gold Potatoes (cooked, peeled and chopped)
  3 Cloves of Garlic
  Olive Oil
  ¼ cup butter
  
  
  Add Olive Oil and Butter in a oven proof.  Add vegetables and coat with fingers.  Sprinkle with Salt, Garlic Sale, Dried Basil.
  
  
  Bake 350 until peppers are tender or until desired.  Add seasons to taste.
   
  

 Fun fall ladies!!! Apparently Steph didn't get the "no print" memo-- lol. What a great evening. We missed one of our gals--- TeKarri! Hope to see you next dinner!!

We were sent home with an adorable gift basket filled with such fun goodies... including a jar of delicious Cranberry sauce which I will be smuggling to our Thanksgiving dinner. A Thankful journal to jot our gratitude thoughts for the year, not just during Thanksgiving time. A crocheted cloth made by Steph's mother-in-law (how kind was that!) The entire evening and this cute little take home spelled comfort in every which way.

 

Cranberry Sauce

1 bag of Cranberries

Brown Sugar (to taste)

½ Teaspon each: Cinnamon, Cloves, Mace and Nutmet

1/4 cup Orange Juice

¼ cup Orange Marmalade

1 Tsp Corn Starch

Add Cranberries to pot and add water (do not cover cranberries).  Add Sugar, Spices Orange Juice and Marmalade.  Cook until Cranberries begin to pop.  Add more sugar or spices if needed.  Add enough corn starch until desired thickness.  Note: Cranberries will thicken slightly when cooled.

Pumpkin Mousse

1 15ounce can pumpkin

3 cups heavy cream

¾ cup powder sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon pumpkin spice

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon mace

½ teaspoon nutmeg

Ginger Snaps for Garnis

Combine, 1 cup cream, sugar ,spices and vanilla in medium saucepan.  Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Cool fully.  Whip remaining heavy cream with vanilla and sugar to desire taste until soft peaks form.  Fold into cooled pumpkin mixture.  Pour into serving dish and crumble ginger snaps on top.

Mini Apple Cranberry Pies

Favorite Pie Crust receipe

¼ cup cranberry sauce

4 apples chopped

¼ cup brown sugar

Cut out circles to fit a 12 muffin tin.  Combine above ingredients.  Add mixture into mini pie crusts.

Bake 350 covered for about 20 minutes and uncovered for an additional 20 minutes or until pie crusts are slightly browned.

******** Ok-- so I cheated on the dessert pictures. The above are NOT the actual pictures from the dinner, but close! :)  Apparently I was too involved with my dessert to stop and take a photo. Don't worry--- the recipes are legit! ********

Sonya & Steph
What lovely ladies of the house!

  I forgot to get a close up of their fun matching cameo necklaces. Darling ladies :)

I told each of these fun women that I felt their evening had such a relaxed yet elegant feel. It was a wonderful way to start off the Holiday season. I am not sure if their lax-tude was a front-- but it was certainly nice to feel the warmth that they invited to the evening. Thanks ladies!
Looking forward to 2011!!!!!!