Who knew - you can make your own version "Velveeta" at home! Guess what - it tastes better too!  Guest blogger JD Provence whipped up a batch to test things out.  This is what he's come up with - give it a try!  Enjoy! Diane 


Homemade Copy-Cat Velveeta

Ingredients
1 cup boiling water
1 pkt unflavored gelatin (1/4 oz)
6 Tablespoons dried milk powder
cheddar cheese, shredded (16oz) 
​
Directions

• Mix the unflavored gelatin and dried milk powder together before adding into boiling water in blender (or food processor) and puree until mixed.
• Add in shredded cheese a few handfuls at a time and continue to blend until smooth. Open and scrape down the sides with a spatula a few times. Process approx 5 minutes to completely emulsify.
• Pour/scoop mixture into a small loaf pan or a mold lined with plastic wrap.
• Cover/wrap tightly and refrigerate for 8 hours.

 

• Kitchen Notes: I tasted this when it was in liquid form and it tasted salty, but once set, the saltiness went away.

   Thank you to JD Provence for testing out this recipe and sharing his photos and thoughts on the final result. 

     There are many versions of this recipe.  I had never made this before but, decided to add it to our Holiday lineup.  Some add cheese, spicy peppers, onion etc.  I lessened the butter and sour cream a bit but, tried to remain close to the recipes I'd read. 
​Enjoy! Diane 
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Corn Casserole

Ingredients: 
1 can corn
1 can cream corn
3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
6 Tablespoons melted butter
1 box (8.5 oz) Jiffy cornbread mix

Directions: 
     Preheat oven to 350F. 
     Combine all the ingredients and pour into a greased 8x8 baking dish. 
Bake in oven at 400 for 35 minutes.  You want the center set and cooked through. 

     
     Antipasto Charcuterie Wreath 

       This is what I chose to do - Next time I might add a cooked cheese tortellini or some pepperoncini to the skewers...
​     Skewers: Sliced salami, Sliced pepperoni, 'cherry' mozzarella balls, marinated roasted red bell pepper pieces, cherry tomatoes, queen green olives, large black olives, marinated artichoke hearts.
         I have a round Christmas platter, placed the skewers in a circle on a bed of baby spinach. I ended up leaving pickles off.  and I served this with a bowl of Italian Dressing, on the side with a brush so people could brush that onto skewer if wanted.

          Enjoy! Diane 

    
Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Main Soup:
2-3 cups skinless cooked chicken breasts *shred or dice
4 cups chicken broth
1-2 cups cooked wild rice
3 carrots, sliced
3 celery ribs, sliced
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced

seasonings to taste:
salt & pepper, to taste
1-2 Tbs sweet basil
2 Tbs chives
1 Tbs parsley
*few shakes hot sauce, optional
*1-2 Tbs Better then Bullion Chicken paste, optional

Roux:
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart half-and-half cream (I use 2 cups 2% milk & 2 cups heavy cream with great results)

Directions: 

• Saute veggies in large pot on stovetop for 5-7 mins.
• Add in garlic and stir around 1 minute before adding chicken broth.
• Add in cooked chicken and seasonings, bring to a high simmer then lower heat, cover and let simmer low 35 minutes.
• *Make your wild rice during this time. I make and use a box of Rice a Roni Long Grain & Wild Rice.

Make the Roux mixture separately - warming the milk first helps the entire mixture thicken quicker. This is what turns your soup into a "Cream Soup"...

• Melt butter in a pan with flour, stir constantly - you're cooking the flour. You want the flour to brown and smell slightly nutty or your soup will taste like paste.
• Stir in warmed milk and bring mixture to a good boil while constantly stirring until thickened.
• Add roux mixture to soup pot.
• Taste soup to see if you need anymore salt, pepper, hot sauce or better then bullion.
• Simmer 5 more minutes if you've made additions. Serve Hot.

CANNING NOTE: 
IF you're wanting to can this - you must do so BEFORE adding ANY of the Rice or Roux. You would make the Rice and Roux Mixture upon opening the soup to heat and eat - rice, dairy, flour and butter cannot be canned.  

     What's nice about this dish is that you can make it in your slowcooker or on the stove top.  If you choose the stove top then you'll get a more "crunchy" exterior coating on your chicken.  I've seen people say they can get a crunchy coating doing the same in a slowcooker - I don't agree.  A slowcooker or crockpot traps steam and you can't sustain a crunch with constant steam. In any case, when made in a slowcooker - skip the one extra step you'd do when making on the stove top because (as far as I am concerned) its a wasted step because of the aformentioned - steam.  Enjoy! Diane 

General Tso's Chicken 

Ingredients: 
3-4 chicken breasts, cut into 1" bite sized pieces 
1/2 Cup Hoisin Sauce 
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce 
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar 
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
3 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar 
1 teaspoon sesame oil 
2 teaspoons hot chili oil or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flake 
1 small can water chestnuts 
ground pepper 
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch 

Garnish:
Green Scallions 
Toasted Sesame Seeds 

Extra Ingredients for Stove Top Version *see below:
1/4 Cup Cornstarch
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil 


IF making on your stovetop: 

• In a mixing bowl add the chicken and cornstarch. Toss until the chicken is completely coated in the cornstarch. In a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat add oil and cook the chicken until the chicken is lightly browned.  Add in all your remaining ingredients (except for the garnich) and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked. Serve immediately to preserve the chicken coatings crunch.

IF making in slowcooker or crockpot: 

• In the bottom of your slowcooker or crockpot; whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and hot chili oil or crushed red pepper. Place the water chestnuts and the diced chicken in the slow cooker, lightly pepper. Stir everything together and let cook. 
• Cook on low heat for 3-4 hours or until chicken is cooked through.
• To thicken the sauce, use 2 Tablespoons cornstarch and take out an equal part sauce from crockpot - stir together well and add this slurry back into crockpot, stir well and let sauce thicken. 
• Serve over rice and garnish with green onions, sesame seeds.