(Leftover) Cranberry Sauce Upside Down Cake

Preheat: 350F Prep: 20 min Bake: ab 35 min Serves: 10-12

Topping Ingredients:

• 1/3 c butter
• 2/3 c brown sugar
• 1/2-3/4 c chopped pecans (optional)
• 1 1/2 - 2 c cranberry sauce (do not use jellied)
  

Cake Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 lg eggs
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate

Directions for cake batter:

1. Measure all dry cake ingredients into large mixing bowl, stirring until well mixed.
   
2. Add all wet ingredients to mixing bowl & blend until cake mixture is thoroughly wet; set aside.

Directions for topping & assembly:

1. Place butter in two 9" round cake pans (personally I use one med sized pizza pan) & melt in the oven.
2. Remove pans from oven & evenly sprinkle: brown sugar, then pecans, then cranberry sauce; over butter.
3. Gently pour cake batter into pans over topping.
4. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Serve warm with one scoop of french vanilla ice cream.

Tip: Can be made with one can of whole cranberry sauce and a box of chocolate cake mix.

Chocolate Pomegranate Seeds

Ingredients:

• 2 large pomegranates
• 1, 12oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Refrigerate the pomegranates (not required, but it helps).
2. Remove all the seeds by slicing off the top & bottom edges then cut through the skin on either side. Pull the pomegranate in half & submerge the pieces in water, using your fingers to pick the seeds clean placing them in a colander.
3. Gently rinse the seeds, then lay them out on paper towels to dry.
4. Lay out a large sheet of wax paper on a a cookie sheet which will fit inside your refrigerator.
5. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (if you don't have a double boiler a metal or oven-safe glass dish over boiling water works well); stir constantly while melting so the chocolate won't scorch.
6. Add fully dried seeds to melted chocolate (if they are wet the chocolate can seize) & fold gently with rubber spatula until seeds are thoroughly covered, then spoon out globs of the mixture onto the wax paper.
7. Place the wax papered cookie sheet in the refrigerator and let the chocolate-covered seeds cool overnight (or for as long as you can stand before tasting them).
8. Refrigerate up to 3-4 days.
   

Dry Hot Chocolate Mix

Prep: 15 min Serves: approximately 15 Cost: under $5

Ingredients:

1. 3/4 c sugar
2. 1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
   
3. 1/2 c non dairy creamer
4. 1/4 tsp salt

Optional Ingredients:

1. 2 c dry milk
2. 1/4-1/2 tsp your choice ground: allspice, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, pumpkin pie seasoning, vanilla
3. Miniature marshmallows
4. 1/4 c crushed peppermint
   
5. 1/4 c instant coffee

Optional Ethnic Ingredients:

1. Mayan Hot Chocolate: 1-2 tsp cinnamon & a pinch of cayenne
2. German Hot Chocolate: 2 Tbs shredded coconut & 2 Tbs chopped pecans; throw into a blender and blend into a powder.
   

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients thoroughly & store in an airtight container.

Drink prep instructions:

1. Combine 2 Tbs dry mix to 1 c of hot milk.

Note: If you add 2 c powdered milk to the mix the drink prep instructions change to: Combine 1/4 c mix to 3/4 c hot water.

Traditional Eggnog

Note: This dish should not be prepared for pregnant women, the elderly, young children, or anyone whose health is compromised because the eggs in this recipe are not cooked.

Ingredients:

1. 6 eggs
2. 1 c (super fine) granulated sugar
3. grated nutmeg
4. 3 c (or 1 c ea) Irish whiskey, brandy or rum, divided
5. 1-1/4 tsp. salt, divided
6. 3 c heavy whipping cream or half-and-half
   
7. 2 c whole milk, divided

Directions:

1. Beat yolks in a very large bowl until thick & pale.
2. Slowly beat in sugar.
3. Whisk in milk & 2 c cream.
4. Mix in liquor.
5. Cover & refrigerate for up to 1 day.
6. Just before serving, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
7. Fold whites into eggnog.
8. Whisk remaining 1 c cream until stiff peaks form & fold into eggnog.
9. (Alternatively, you can fold half the whipped cream into eggnog & top with remaining half.)
10. Sprinkle with nutmeg.