New Recipes

From my Kitchen...
 —There are fun ideas on the FaceBook page. Just click the button on the home page to see what people have been asking about or add your own comments.

—Food gifts this Christmas will include the Cranberry Cake (recipe above). I baked it in the large Texas-sized baking cups and have them in the freezer. I will remove them from the cups and wrap each in plastic or cellophane and tie with a pretty bow. Some will go on cookie plate gifts and others will be used as take-home favors/place cards for a dinner. I plan to use the regular silicone cups for Shortbread cookie rounds. I am using a favorite recipe and baking with convection heat.

—With holiday dinners there are always leftovers for enjoying in the days to come. For turkey or other poultry, it is good to freeze any leftovers that will not be used within 24 hours. The flavor is fine when served cold, but when heated, poultry can take on a leftover flavor when heated after 24 hours refrigeration. The silicone steamer does a fine job of helping heat leftovers without drying them. I usually use a 60 to 70% microwave power setting in the covered steamer. It also does a great job cooking potatoes or acorn squash. Just halve the potatoes or squash and place cut-side-down with a little water. Microwave on high until tender. If the cover fits, it will speed the cooking time. To add a filling to the squash, just turn right side up and microwave uncovered.