Colorful layered gelatin desserts topped with whipped cream are presented in clear plastic cups, with text "New Year's Treats" overlaid on the image. Coins and wooden spoons are placed nearby.

Tasty New Year’s treats and eats

By Paula Dream (AKA Kale Haygood)

Happy New Year! Did Santa put something special in your stockings? I was hoping he’d send me a little elf to help me take off my support stockings.

There’s only one thing I love more than rattling around the kitchen, making goodies to deliver to my friends for their end-of-year parties: I’d rather be chased around the kitchen. I especially love getting caught on the Maytag. 

Oh my, my — the vapors are flowing, so let’s get to some recipes that you can use during your New Year’s entertaining and some dishes that will take the chill off on a wintery day. And I’ve got one recipe that’s for wonderful for a gathering of friends that your Granny will love, too — it helps to get Granny drunk quick!

That’s it for Ms. Dream. Have a Happy New Year, everyone. And, as always, thank you supporting our advertisers who help make this publication possible. 

WIGGLY NEW YEAR’S SHOTS

1 three-ouncepackage each orange gelatin 
1 three-ouncepackage pineapple gelatin 
3 three-ouncepackages unflavored gelatin 
1 fourteen-ouncecan sweetened condensed milk 
Water 
1½ cup vanillavodka 
Whipped cream(optional)

Lightly coat asquare baking dish with cooking spray, and kind of smear it around the innerbottom and sides with a paper towel. Set aside.

For the red layer, sprinkle half of the packet of gelatin in a bowl, over one-quarter cup of water. Give it time to soak it up, just a couple of minutes. Add one box of the orange gelatin with one cup of boiling water. Stir until everything is dissolved. Add three-quarters cup of the vodka. Repeat the same process to make the pineapple layer.

To make the white layer, sprinkle two packages of unflavored gelatin over one-half cup of water in a bowl, allowing it to soak in. Pour one cup boiling water and one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk. Stir until everything is dissolved. You will have approximately three cups of liquid. Allow to cool. Pour half the orange mixture onto the prepared square baking dish. Place pan in refrigerator for about 20 minutes to set.

Once set, add one-third of the white mixture to the top of the orange mixture. Pop any air bubbles and return to refrigerator for another 20 minutes to set. Repeat with half the pineapple mixture. Then repeat white, then orange, then pineapple layers again. Whenyou are ready to serve, gently pull the edges away from side of pan and inverton to a cutting board.

Slice evenly into squares. (You can cut thesquares in the pan, but it is difficult to remove the first couple of squares.)Place squares on a serving platter, topping each square with a dollop ofwhipped cream.

NEW YEAR’S DAY (or any other day) BREAKFAST

6 slices (or 6cups) white bread, lightly toasted and cubed 
1 pound sausage 
1 large red bellpepper, cubed 
6 eggs, beaten 
1 can cream ofmushroom soup 
2 cups milk 
1 cup cheddarcheese, finely shredded

Lightly grease a13-inch by 9-inch baking dish. Arrange cubed bread in bottom of baking dish. Ina skillet, cook sausage until browned, with red bell pepper. Drain excessgrease. Use a potato masher or fork to break up large chunks ofsausage. Spoon sausage and pepper mixture evenly over bread cubes. Next,beat eggs in a large bowl, with mushroom soup, milk, and cheddar cheese. Pouregg mixture over sausage mixture.

Cover and place in refrigerator for atleast one hour or overnight, so it’s ready for Christmas morning. When you’reready to serve, heat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover baking dish. Pop itin the oven for about 55 minutes or until it passes toothpick test. Letcool for about 15 minutes.

GREATEST, EASIEST POTATO SOUP

5 large potatoes 
3 green onions 
1/4 teaspoon driedbasil (or more, to taste) 
Salt and pepper totaste 
Water or chickenstock (amount will vary) 
2½ cups milk (ormore, to taste) 
½ cup cheddarcheese

Peel and roughly chop potatoes. Do not peelif you are using white or gold potatoes. Trim roots and unsightly tops fromgreen onions and trim tops, then mince into pieces. Add potatoes and two-thirdsof the onions to medium-size saucepan covering with water or chicken stock.Cover and cook, slow-boiling for about 30 minutes until potatoes are soft

Drain liquid from pot until it is just a little below the level of the potatoes(about half way). Add milk to potatoes and mash until mostly smooth; having afew lumps or chunks is good. Add more milk a dash at a time until soupreaches consistency to your satisfaction.

Season with salt and pepper totaste. Garnish with remaining green onions and cheddar cheese. Goes reallygood with jalapeno cornbread!

PaulaDream, AKA Kale Haygood, owns Beyond Service, a Montrose-based, home-cookingcatering company. For more information, call 713-805-4106 or email [email protected]

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