Merry Christmas

From our family to yours

Merry Christmas!

May your day be happy, festive

and full of love :)

Dole Whip . . . like at Disney World!

Back in the day when JR and I went to Disney World at least once a month, we so loved the Dole Whips at the Magic Kingdom that we would sometimes take a quick trip to there, get a Dole Whip and proceed to another park.  They are so special and I have not seen them anywhere else!

Can't wait to go to Disney World with The Captain and introduce him to all the little things I love there . . . starting with a visit to the Dole Whip stand in Adventure Land at the Magic Kingdom!

Someone posted this photo on Pinterest, but did not include the recipe . . . so I went in search of a recipe . . . and I found two that would work for me since I don't have an ice cream maker.

• 
  
• 
  
• 2/3 cup pineapple chunk , partially frozen
• 1 cup real vanilla ice cream
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice (sweetened or unsweetened)
• 
  
• Directions:

1. 1
   Variation: 2 tablespoons frozen pineapple concentrate plus 1/4 cup or so water can be substituted for the pineapple juice.
2. 2
   Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Please feel free to add or decrease the amount of juice/ice cream to get a consistency you prefer.
3. 
   
4. Source:  Food.com
5. 
   

INGREDIENTS

2 cans (20 oz. each) DOLE Crushed Pineapple
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries, mini marshmallow or mini chocolate chips (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Drain crushed pineapple; reserve 2 tablespoons juice.  Set aside.

Place crushed pineapple, lemon juice, lime juice, sugar and reserved pineapple juice in blender or food processor container.  Cover; blend until smooth.

Stir in cherries or marshmallow or chips . . . if desired.

Pour into two 1-quart freezer zipped bags.  Store bags flat in freezer.  Freeze about 1-1/2 hours or until slushy.

Gently stir pineapple slush into whipped cream until just blended, in large bowl.  Return to freezer until completely frozen, about 1 hour.

Serve!


Source:  Dole

Pimento Cheese Ball

Love this quick and easy recipe that makes

one of the best appetizers ever!

Convenient to make for parties since it

can be made three days in advance.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (4-ounce) jar processed pimiento cheese spread
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, with an electric beater on medium speed, beat Cheddar cheese, cream cheese, pimiento cheese, and garlic for 2 minutes, or until smooth.
    
2. Place mixture on waxed paper and form into a ball. Wrap in waxed paper and chill for about 2 hours, or until firm.
    
3. Place pecans in a shallow dish. Remove waxed paper from cheese ball and roll it in pecans, completely coating it.
    
4. Serve, or wrap well and chill until ready to serve.

Yields: 2 cups

Source:  Mr. Food

Butter Pecan Cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup pecans
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sugar, plus more for coating
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a baking sheet, toast pecans until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Let cool completely; finely chop.
2. With an electric mixer, cream butter and 1/3 cup sugar until light, about 1 minute. Beat in vanilla, salt, and flour, scraping down sides of bowl, just until dough comes together. Fold in pecans.
3. Separate dough into 12 pieces; squeeze dough to shape into balls. Roll in sugar. Place, 3 inches apart, on a baking sheet. Gently flatten with the bottom of a glass (reshape sides if necessary). Sprinkle with sugar.
4. Bake until golden brown, rotating sheet halfway through, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with more sugar. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Source:  Martha Stewart