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Sherrie Norris Lovin’ Spoonful Cooking Column: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

By Sherrie Norris

Yes, the airways are filled with our favorite tunes of the season and even those that we hear over and over again never get old to me. I love Christmas and all that it’s about. Our tree is almost decorated, after setting in the living room for three weeks with just the lights on. But, even that offered a comforting glow that helped prepare our hearts and minds for this special time of year. 

For those of  you who may just be tuning in to my column, my family has had Covid, and rather mild cases, for which we are extremely thankful. But, on the same day my husband officially tested positive, (symptoms had been present for several days), his younger sister passed away. To say it’s been an emotional time for us would be an understatement.

We were vaccinated, boosted, received our antibodies and were able to recover at home. And how grateful we are that it happened that way.

After several weeks of isolation, we were able to join family on Sunday to bid farewell to my sweet sister-in-law, and we thank them for their patience to wait on us to get the all-clear.

We’re also grateful for friends, neighbors, relatives and others who have offered prayers, encouragement, support, phone calls, cards, food drop-offs and more. The medical personnel that we’ve dealt with here in Watauga County  have been wonderful — and for the sacrifices they make every day, we say a big “thank you.”

To those faithful servants, and to all of our first responders/public servants who have had to face covid head-on, and all the concern and confusion it has created in the nearly two years since it arrived, I dedicate this column with sincere gratitude. Hearing about their selfless service and dedication is one thing, but seeing it first-hand, especially those caring for us in the covid unit as we went for our infusions, was another. Merry Christmas my new heroes! May you be blessed in a very special way in the coming days.

And for the care we received during our family’s illness and death, we say thank you to the wonderful staff members at Glenbridge Health and Rehabilitation, Austin and Barnes Funeral Home, the florists, Gary Watson, local law enforcement who escorted us from the funeral home to the cemetery and stopped traffic at the intersections, and to those caring individuals who paused as they met the procession in a show of respect. For those others who continued on their way without stopping or even slowing down, well, thank you, too, for showing us what not to do. The view from the other side was enlightening, to say the least.

From our home to yours and everywhere in between, Merry Christmas to all of you. Next week, our final before the big day, we’ll share a few ideas for your family brunch. 

Cheese Lover’s Dip

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 small can green chilies

4 oz. bacon, crumbled

1 pkg. dry ranch seasoning mix

Combine everything together in a bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve with crackers.

Warm Crab Dip 

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

1 lb. lump crabmeat

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients except the cheddar cheese. Place in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle top with the cheese. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with crackers. 

Cranberry Torte 

¾ cup melted butter

1 ½ cup sugar

1 cup flour, sifted

2 eggs

½ cup chopped nuts

2 cups fresh cranberries

Cream butter and sugar together. Add flour, eggs, nuts and berries. Mix well. Pour into greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 for one hour. 

Pineapple-Pecan Chicken Salad

3 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts

1 cup finely chopped celery

2 green onions, chopped

2 Tbs. finely chopped green pepper

1 tsp. salt

Dash of black pepper

½ cup low-fat mayonnaise

½ cup chopped pecans

1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained

2 Tbs. lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate. 

Great served on croissants or with party crackers

Butterscotch Cheesecake Bars

12 oz. pkg. butterscotch morsels

1/3 cup butter or margarine

2 cups Graham cracker crumbs

1 cup chopped nuts

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 egg

In medium saucepan, melt morsels and butter, stir in crumbs and nuts. Press half of mixture firmly into bottom of a greased baking dish/pan. In large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy; beat in condensed milk, vanilla and egg ;mix well. Pour into a prepared pan, top with remaining crumb mixture. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool at room temperature, then chill before cutting into bars. Refrigerate leftovers.

Peppermint Patties

1 box powdered sugar

1 stick margarine, melted

6 Tbsp. water

8 drops peppermint extract

12 oz. pkg.semi-sweet chocolate chip morsels

1/3 block of paraffin

Mix together and roll out on waxed paper that has been dusted with a little powdered sugar. Use a small, round object (sterilized top of salad dressing bottle works well!) to cut into small patties. Dip into melted chocolate-paraffin mix with toothpicks or fork. Place on waxed paper to dry. Best if stored in refrigerator.

Holiday Broccoli Salad

2 heads of broccoli, cut into small bite-size pieces

½ cup black olives, sliced

1/3 cup green olives and pimento, sliced

¼ of a large red onion, thinly sliced

2 Tbs. sherry vinegar

3 Tbsp. mayonnaise

½ cup raisins

3 or 4 sections marinated artichoke hearts, cut in pieces

½ tsp. salt.

Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate overnight.