Wrapped Rome’s Sausage Bites

- Posted in Baked Goods, Side Dish

Want to bring this fun party food to the next level? Brush the dough with honey mustard before baking. Makes 24-32 bites.

1 8-oz. can refrigerated pastry dough sheet
Poppy seeds (optional)
Honey Dijon mustard
Flaky sea salt (optional)
8 Rome’s Italian sausages
Mustards, such as brown or whole-grain (optional)
1 large egg, beaten

Cook sausage according to package instructions. Cool to room temperature.

On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry sheet into a 12” square, then cut into 4” squares. Lightly brush lower half of each square with mustard, center a sausage on mustard-coated edge, and brush top inch with egg. Roll sausages in pastry, pressing seams to seal tightly. Brush tops with egg, then sprinkle with poppy seeds or flaky salt. Cut each at an angle into quarters or thirds.

Preheat oven to 400° F. Place frozen bites 1” apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until dough is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve warm with mustards.

Prepared sausage bites can be frozen until firm, then stored in freezer up to one month.

Banana Protein Shake

- Posted in Drinks

You can easily replace the banana with any frozen fruit of your choice.

1 cup vanilla Pro-to-Go
½ cup Yo-Bucha, any flavor
1 frozen banana
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
ice as needed

Add the Pro-to-Go, Yo‑Bucha, frozen banana, and ground cinnamon to a blender. Blend until smooth, adding ice if needed. If the shake seems too thick, add more Pro-to-Go, little by little, to the blender. Makes one shake.

Orange Smoothie

- Posted in Drinks

This recipe goes back 30 years, to 1992, and was featured in the first issue of Mooo News!

1½ cups LDF milk
1½ cups water
1½ teaspoons vanilla
6-ounce can orange juice concentrate, softened

Pour the milk in a large bowl and add the other ingredients. Mix well with a hand egg beater or put everything in a blender and beat for 30 seconds. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Mini Apple Cranberry Bread

- Posted in Baked Goods

These apple cranberry loaves are great for enjoying on Christmas morning or sharing with friends. Makes 8 little loaves.

2⅓ c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
¼ c. (½ stick) Country Cream butter, softened
⅔ c. firmly packed brown sugar
2 Egg-land’s Best eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. LDF milk
2 c. Gala apples (about 2 medium apples), peeled and chopped
1 c. dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

Glaze:
1 c. powdered’ sugar
3-4 tsp. cranberry juice

Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare an 8-cavity mini loaf pan with non-stick vegetable pan spray.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla.

Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in apples and chopped cranberries. Divide evenly into prepared pan, filling each cavity nearly full.

Bake for 26-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool loaves in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the loaves from the pan and cool completely.

For glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar and cranberry juice. Drizzle sugar glaze over the loaves. Add Christmas holiday sprinkles for a more festive touch.

Mini Chocolate Loaf Cakes

- Posted in Baked Goods

These easy-to-make mini chocolate loaves get their richness from Dutch process cocoa and a touch of sour cream. Makes 8 mini loaves.

¾ c. (1½ sticks) Country Cream butter, cut into pieces
½ c. Dutch process cocoa
½ c. brewed coffee
¼ c. LDF milk
1½ c. all-purpose flour
1½ c. sugar
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. fine salt
⅓ c. Daisy sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Egg-land’s Best eggs
Mini white chocolate chips or powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter an 8-cup mini loaf baking pan.

Put the butter, cocoa, coffee and milk in a small microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave until the butter melts, about 3 minutes. Whisk to combine and set aside.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Blend sour cream, vanilla and eggs in a small bowl. Whisk the hot cocoa mixture into the flour mixture and then stir in the sour cream mixture until just combined. Divide the batter equally among the loaf cups.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool loaves in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then remove and cool completely on a rack. Sprinkle the tops of the loaves with mini white chocolate chips or dust with powdered sugar.

Cookie Cutter Peppermint Fudge

- Posted in Dessert

This simple fudge recipe can be set in cookie cutters and given as gifts!

2¼ c. (16 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. round peppermint candies, plus 18 for garnish
¾ c. LDF whipping cream
3½ c. mini marshmallows
5 Tbsp. Country Cream butter
1¼ c. sugar
1 tsp. coarse salt

Spray a baking dish and the inside of cookie cutters. Place cookie cutters in the prepared baking dish.
Place chocolate in a bowl. In a food processor, pulse candies until finely chopped. In a medium saucepan, combine candies, cream, marshmallows, butter and sugar over medium-high heat. Whisk until smooth, about 5 minutes. (Candies may clump.)

Pour mixture through a strainer into bowl with chocolate; let stand 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Pour into cookie cutters and smooth. Refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours. Sprinkle top of fudge with crushed peppermint candies, gently pressing into the top.

Wrap in a cellophane bag and tie with a ribbon. If making these ahead, store packaged in the refrigerator for longevity.

To make in a 9″ baking pan: Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. Line pan with two pieces parchment paper in both directions, leaving 2 inches of overhang on all sides; spray parchment. Make fudge as directed above. Pour into baking pan and refrigerate until set, 3 hours. Cut fudge into 1½-inch squares. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.

Thanksgiving Green Bean Casserole

- Posted in Casserole

This classic is easy to make, flavorful, and will please all of your holiday dinner guests! Serves 12-15.

1 stick Country Cream butter
5 lb. clean, fresh green beans
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
½ c. all-purpose flour
2 c. chicken stock
1 c. Longmont Dairy Whipping Cream
2 c. French Fried Onions
2 qt. water

Salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Melt butter on medium high heat in a large sauté pan. Sauté mushrooms until golden brown. Add flour and stir until mixture is evenly distributed, creating a mushroom brown roux. Add chicken stock and cream, stirring mixture until evenly distributed. Reduce heat and simmer.

In a separate pot, bring two quarts of water with a tablespoon of salt to boil. Add green beans and blanch until slightly tender. Strain greens beans and immediately place in ice water. Remove when cool and pat dry. Blend green beans into the mushroom mix. Stir in one cup of the Fried Onions. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Coat casserole dish with cooking spray and pour contents of sauté pan into dish. Top with remaining Fried Onions. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Melktert (Milk Tart)

- Posted in Baked Goods, Dessert, International

This traditional sweet pie from South Africa has a rich, creamy custard filling with a hint of cinnamon. It’s perfect for fall baking! Makes 1 9-inch tart.

2½ c. Longmont Dairy milk
1 cinnamon stick
¼ c. sugar
3 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
Pinch of salt
2 Tbsp. Country Cream butter
3 Egg-land’s Best eggs, separated
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 sheet prepared puff pastry, thawed
⅛ tsp. ground cinnamon mixed with
1 Tbsp. sugar

Heat 2 cups milk and cinnamon stick in a heavy-bottomed saucepan to just below boiling.
Combine sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt in a mixing bowl. Gradually add the remaining ½ cup milk to form a smooth paste.

Stir the hot milk into the flour mixture and return to saucepan. Stir over low heat until thick and smooth. Remove from stove and mix in butter. Set aside to cool for 30-45 minutes.

While the custard cools, line a lightly greased, deep pie dish with the pastry. Use pastry cut-offs for a second layer around the rim sealed together with cold water. Prick the base and set aside in a cool place.
When the custard is cool, remove the cinnamon stick and beat in the egg yolks, one at a time. Add vanilla.
Beat egg whites to soft-peak stage (foamy but not dry) and fold thoroughly into custard. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake at 400° F for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350° F and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the filling has set. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar before serving warm or cold.

Crockpot Buffalo Ranch Chicken Dip

- Posted in Side Dish

This classic is easy to make and great for a tailgate party!

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
¼ c. Country Cream butter, melted
¼ c. hot sauce
¼ c. ranch dressing
1 c. Tillamook cheddar cheese, shredded
1 8-oz. tub Philadelphia cream cheese, at room temperature
3 ribs celery, diced

Debone chicken, shred, and place meat in crockpot. Add butter, hot sauce, ranch dressing, cheddar cheese and cream cheese. Heat on high for 15 minutes or until bubbling hot, stirring occasionally, reduce heat to low. Top with diced celery and serve with tortilla chips or crusty French bread.

Fresh Peach Salsa

- Posted in Side Dish

Great with tortilla chips as an appetizer, and also really good on fish or pork. Makes 6-8 servings.

1 lb. tomatoes
1 medium onion
1 bell pepper, seeded
2 jalapenos, seeded
1½ lbs. peaches
½ bunch cilantro
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1½ tsp. salt or to taste
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper or to taste

Chop tomatoes and put in a large bowl. Finely chop onion, and seeded bell pepper and jalapeños, and transfer to the bowl. To dice the peaches, do not peel, and cut into slightly larger pieces. Transfer peaches to bowl.

Chop cilantro and add with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Fold together until mixed and enjoy with tortilla chips, or on fish or pork!