Fare Exchange: Seeking recipes, ideas for holiday food gifts

Jane Henegar

Good morning, good reading and cooking friends. We are out of newspaper pocket today, and so have just one short-form but important request. Many of us, knowing that something to eat makes the ideal present, are in the market for ideas gifts for holiday giving, both what to purchase and recipes to prepare. Please give us your best ideas and recipes.

PINEAPPLE CASSEROLE

Thanks to Rosemary Palmer of the blog notjustpaperandpaint.com for this sweet and savory side, worthy of Thanksgiving and thanks-giving.

Baked Pineapple Casserole

1 cup sugar

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups grated sharp cheddar

2 (20-ounce) cans pineapple tidbits, drained (reserve the juice)

1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs, crushed

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Using additional butter or nonstick spray, coat a medium-size casserole dish.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar and flour. Slowly add in the cheese, making sure it is all well-coated with flour and sugar mixture. Add drained pineapple. Stir until all ingredients are well combined. Pour this mixture into sprayed casserole dish.

In a separate mixing bowl, mix together Ritz cracker crumbs, melted butter and 5 tablespoons of the reserved pineapple juice. Spread this over pineapple mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: The type of pineapple you use is to your taste. I prefer the tidbits since I like the texture, but you can also use crushed or chunks.

To make ahead, prepare pineapple mixture and store in refrigerator the day before. Right before baking, add the Ritz cracker crumb mixture. Baking may take an additional 5 minutes.

CHICKEN AND DRESSING

Becky Erndt found the recipe Carol McKee sought, and just in time for the holidays.

The Best Chicken and Dressing Ever

The recipe title says it all. This one's from Joy Heiss of Soddy-Daisy.

1/2 onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

12 to 13 cups baked and crumbled cornbread

2 to 3 biscuits, baked and crumbled

2 (8-ounce) cans cream of chicken soup

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sage

2 eggs, well beaten

1 whole chicken, stewed and removed from bones

3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups chicken broth

Saute onion and celery in butter till soft; set aside. Combine cornbread and biscuits. Mix with cream of chicken soup, poultry seasoning, salt, sage and eggs. Stir and add chicken and enough broth to make the dressing look as if it is too wet. Place mixture in casserole, but do not pack it down. Just pour it in, lightly spreading it evenly in the pan with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees until a butter knife comes out almost clean - long enough for the eggs to get done. Do not overbake.

Dressing may be made ahead of time and kept in the freezer until time to bake. Thaw a day ahead of baking.

CHURCH TWO-FER

Here are two more recipes from "Fabulous Feasts" from Rutledge Baptist Church.

The first, a three-ingredient appetizer or breakfast item, was credited to Tammy Edde. The loaded sweet potato skins are the creation of Chelsea Kerby.

Safe Sausage Rollups

2 pounds sausage

4 packs crescent rolls

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese

Brown sausage. Drain and cool.

Melt cream cheese in skillet on low heat until smooth. Mix sausage into cream cheese.

Roll out crescent rolls. Keep each roll together. Divide 2 or 4 ways. Spread mixture on rolls and roll up longways. Put in freezer for several minutes. Cut and then bake as directed on crescent roll package.

Loaded Sweet Potato Skins

This is featured in the Rutledge cookbook as an appetizer, but also works as a side.

4 medium sweet potatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

Ground pepper, to taste

1 cup shredded cheese (half sharp Cheddar, half mozzarella)

4 strips bacon cooked, crisp and crumbled

Sour cream and chives for serving

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Pierce each sweet potato a few times, and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until soft. Allow the potatoes to cool slightly. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise.

Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Scoop out sweet potato flesh, leaving a thin layer of sweet potato inside, and add flesh to a medium bowl. Place skins back on the baking sheet face up, drizzle with olive oil and bake for 10 minutes.

Mash the sweet potato flesh with milk, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy. After 10 minutes remove the skins from the oven. Fill each with an equal amount of mashed sweet potato, and top each with cheese. Bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven, and top with bacon. Serve with sour cream or chopped chives if desired.

Skins are best if enjoyed immediately.

EASY CASSEROLE

Dixie Strawberry, after her recent retirement, took up all the energy from her workplace and deposited that energy in big nightly meals for her extended family. They are not complaining. This is one of their favorite recent recipes.

Barbecued Chicken Quinoa Casserole

This recipe has only six ingredients and is easy to make.

3 cups cooked quinoa

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Colby Jack cheese, divided

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup whole-kernel corn, canned or frozen (then thawed)

1 1/4 cups barbecue sauce (plus extra for drizzling on top)

Optional garnishes:

Chopped fresh cilantro (definitely use this one)

Finely chopped red or green onions

Diced avocado

Sour cream

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl or baking dish, stir together quinoa, 1 1/2 cups cheese, chicken, black beans, corn and barbecue sauce until combined. Transfer the quinoa mixture to a baking dish (or leave it, if you're mixing this up in the baking dish), and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese evenly on top.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is warmed through. Remove from the oven, drizzle the top of the casserole with a little extra barbecue sauce, and top with your desired (optional) garnishes.

Thus ends the tasty sharing for today; it will begin again next week, thanks to all of you.