Oh What Fun it is to….

I wanted to link up with Nina yesterday, but sadly I have no mad skills in the entertaining department. I’m excited to read everyone else’s posts on the subject though!

Today I’m linking up with The Duchess of Fork to talk about cooking. I have some great recipes to share with you!

My family is very traditional in the sense that we make the same things year after year. My mom makes a ham and turkey, and everyone else brings the sides and/or the desserts. If you’re celebrating Christmas with us, you can always count on having dressing, sweet potato casserole, and my mom’s famous “pink stuff” (congealed salad). Yum! In years past I have not contributed a dish as I have been traveling and there was just no way for me to keep a dish hot for a three hour drive.

This Thanksgiving I made my infamous (in the sense that people say “you’re making WHAT?”) grits n’ greens casserole for our potluck… and the same haters that scoffed at the idea of grits paired with collard greens came back for seconds and thirds. If you love collards, grits, and/or parmesan cheese, you will love this dish! I’ve even had people who didn’t like collards or grits say that it was delicious. Try it…. I promise you will love it. Not to toot my own horn (toot toot!) but every single person who I’ve made it for has asked for the recipe.

Grits N Greens Casserole

Ingredients:

2 cups whipping cream
8 cups chicken broth, divided (6 cups if you use canned collards)
2 cups quick cooking (5 minute) grits (not instant!)
1 bag frozen collard greens (I used Glory canned collards, or you could make your own)
2 sticks butter
2 1/2 cups parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon

Directions:

1. Grease 13x9 casserole.
2. Combine cream and 6 cups chicken broth and bring to boil. Stir in grits and cook over medium heat until grits return to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and stir frequently to keep from burning. Add milk if needed to thicken to proper consistency.
3. Cook frozen collards with remaining 2 cups of chicken broth until tender (omit this step if you are using canned collards. If using canned, simply heat and drain). Drain well in colander, squeezing out remaining liquid.
4. Add butter, parmesan, greens, and pepper to cooked grits. Pour into baking dish. Top with additional parmesan and crumbled bacon.
5. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned.

If you need an easy dessert to take to a potluck, how about Caramel Apple Dip? It takes 5 minutes to make and is so delicious! (Just beware of the double dippers…)

Caramel Apple Dip

Ingredients:

• One block cream cheese, softened
• One tub caramel dip
• One bag of Heath crumbles
• Apple slices – I recommend Granny Smith

Directions:

1. Spread the softened cream cheese into a pie plate.
2. Top with a layer of caramel dip.
3. Sprinkle a generous layer (who am I kidding – the whole bag) of Heath crumbles on top.
4. Serve with apple slices!

We used to do Christmas morning brunch at my aunt’s house, and every year my mom would make grits casserole. Yes, my family loves grits. This just serves comfort food to me! I make up big batches of this and freeze for mornings I want a hot and hearty breakfast. This would be great for Christmas morning!

Grits Casserole

Ingredients:

• Quick cooking grits, cooked according to package directions (NOT instant)
• Sausage
• Butter
• Cheese
• Eggs
• Milk
• Salt and pepper

I don’t have exact measurements for this recipe. To begin, you'll need to decide how many servings you need for your family. I usually make 4-6 servings, according to what's written on the side of the grits package. 4-6 servings feeds about 8 people. If you make more than 4 servings, you should use more than one package of sausage.

Start by cooking your sausage, and set aside to drain. Prepare your grits according to the package directions. Once they are ready, season them to taste, adding in butter, salt, and pepper to your preference. Add cheese, as much as you like, keeping in mind that you'll be topping with cheese as well. Add in 1 egg (2 if you have 6 or more servings of grits) and enough milk so that it is not a super thick consistency.

Pour into your casserole dish, and top with a layer of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

If you want to freeze this, stop before baking in the oven. Just cover with foil, and on the morning you want to cook, pop in the oven frozen and back at 375 for about an hour.

What are your tried and true holiday recipes? I can’t wait to see what you have to share!