2024 Clarion Holiday pages fillers

Sausage Balls appetizer with Remoulade Sauce

Ingredients

1 pound ground pork sausage

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 cups Red Lobster cheddar bay biscuit mix (mixed with seasoning packet, spooned and leveled)

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 scallion (finely diced)

Instructions

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, mix together all of the ingredients on low speed until evenly combined (alternatively, mix by hand.)

Using a cookie scoop, form 1 1/2-inch balls and place on the baking sheet 1-inch apart.

Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake for 22-25 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom and sausage is cooked through.

Remoulade Sauce

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 1/2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard

1 tablespoon paprika (sweet or smoked)

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon Creole seasoning (*see note)

1 teaspoon pickle juice (dill or sweet)

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1 clove garlic , grated

grind of black pepper

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients

Ideally, cover and chill for at least an hour for the flavors to meld.

Refrigerate any unused sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It might loosen up a bit, so just give it a quick stir before serving again.

Honey Cake with Marshmallow Buttercream

Ingredients

The Cake

2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

⅔ cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup whole milk

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed light brown sugar

¼ cup honey

The Honey Glaze:

½ cup honey

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup unsalted butter

Marshmallow Buttercream

1 cup unsalted butter room temperature

1 large jar marshmallow cream

3 cups powdered sugar can add an extra cup if needed to thicken

1 tablespoon milk optional

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13 x 9 inch pan.

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.

In another bowl, combine the oil, vanilla, eggs, milk, honey and sugars. Mix well.

Add half of the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and mix just until combined. Add in the second half and mix for about 30 seconds.

Pour into greased and floured pan and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. Start checking at 20. Be careful not to over-bake. Honey cakes can over-bake quickly and dry out.

Once baked, let it cool for approximately 10 - 15 minutes. Use a wooden skewer to poke holes into the cake. Pour the honey glaze over and spread it evenly over the cake. Let it soak in well. I let mine soak in for almost an hours. Then cover with marshmallow buttercream.

Honey Glaze:

Add butter, brown sugar and honey into a saucepan. Heat until melted. Cool slightly before pouring over cake.

Marshmallow Buttercream:

Mix the room temperature butter in a mixer. Add in the marshmallow cream and vanilla and mix well. Add in 3-4 cups of confectioners sugar depending on how thick you want your buttercream. Add in a tablespoon of milk if needed to thin the buttercream.

*This cake is best served at room temperature or slightly warm.

Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies with M&Ms

Ingredients

1 (15.25-ounce) box devils food cake mix

⅓ cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ½ cups M&M’s candies

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix well to combine the cake mix, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Fold in about ⅔ of the M&Ms.

Set the bowl in the refrigerator to chill for at least 20 minutes.

After the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape the dough into 1- 1.5 Tablespoon-sized balls and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Press a few additional M&M's into the top of the cookies.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the top of the cookies are set. Do not overbake.

Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool further.

Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy.

*Do not skip chilling the dough. You can get away with a 20-minute chill but if possible chill your dough longer, overnight when possible.

*Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Ingredients

Topping

6 oz strawberry jello (2, 3 oz boxes)

2 cups water boiling

32 oz strawberries frozen, sweetened

Crust

2 cups pretzels crushed

3/4 cup butter melted

3 tablespoons sugar

Filling

8 oz whipped topping

8 oz cream cheese softened

1 cup sugar

Instructions

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in strawberries; refrigerate until partially set, about 1 hour 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 350° F. In a medium bowl, mix Crust ingredients. Press into ungreased 9x13 baking dish. Bake 10 minutes. Cool on cooling rack.

In a medium bowl, beat Filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread over cooled crust. Cover and refrigerate until cool and gelatin topping in a bowl is partially set.

Carefully spoon gelatin topping over filling. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours or until firm. To serve, cut into 4 rows by 3 rows.

Tater Tot Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

2 lb hot breakfast sausage

1 (30-32oz) bag frozen tater tots

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

8 eggs

2 cups milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray.

In a large skillet, cook sausage until no longer pink. Drain fat.

In a large bowl, toss together tater tots, cooked sausage and cheeses. Pour into a lightly greased 9x13-inch pan.

Whisk together eggs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and milk. Pour over tater tot mixture.

**Cover and refrigerate at this point if baking later.**

Bake uncovered for 60 — 70 minutes, or until eggs are set.

*Can make casserole in advance and refrigerate or freeze for later.

Campfire Bars Mix

Makes 1 jar of campfire bars mix, to yield about 16 bars

Ingredients

1 C. graham cracker pieces, each about 1-inch square

1½ C. mini marshmallows, homemade or store-bought

¾ C. milk chocolate chips

½ C. granola

1/3 C. packed light brown sugar

½ C. chopped almonds

Directions

In a 1-quart jar, layer the graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate chips, granola, brown sugar, and almonds. Seal with the lid, decorate the jar if you like, and attach a label with these instructions for the recipient:

To Make Campfire Bars

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pour all the contents of the jar into a large bowl. Stir in the melted butter until all the pieces are coated. Press into a 9-inch square baking pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Cut into bars and serve.