Mulled Dr Pepper

Just in time for your holiday gatherings with family and friends, a priest-friend sent along a recipe for mulled Dr Pepper.

You will need the following ingredients:

8 cups Dr. Pepper

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon whole cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 cinnamon sticks (3 inches)

In a 3-quart slow cooker, combine all of the ingredients, cover it and let it cook on low for 2 hours or until it's heated through.  When it's ready, remove the cloves and garlic sticks and pour into your favorite mug to enjoy.

This makes 8-10 servings.

A tasty treat

Last evening I made a batch of meatballs. A Catholic Mom in Hawaii noticed this on Facebook and asked for my recipe.

It comes from Art Gingsing's book, Mr. Food Cooks Pasta and is called "My own Italian meatballs." They are very easy to make and quite tasty.

The ingredients include (for 12 golf ball size meatballs):

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper (I alway use 1 1/2, sometimes a bit more)
• 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Mix everything together, form the mixture into meatballs and bake them at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

(Last night I wasn't paying attention and grabbed a wedge of Romano cheese. That work well in the meatballs, but not quite as well as Parmesan does.)

The cheese helps to form a bit of a crunchy layer on the outside while the meatballs remain soft on the inside. I've found them to be good in a pasta, on a meatball sandwhich and even as a simply and easy snack throughout the day.

They've always been a hit whenever I've made them; give them a try yourselves.

For your holiday pleasure

Back in Effingham there is a foreign exchange student from Verona, Italy who apparently thinks rather highly of me. His parents arrived in the U.S. the other day and he wants nothing more than for me to meet them. On my part, I am looking forward to meeting them and will leave for Effingham in just a few minutes to join them for dinner.

Before I go, though, I wanted to share with you a recipe I found for a hot wassail in one of my favorite cookbooks: Hawaii's Favorite Pineapple Recipes. I picked it up at the Dole Plantation during my last visit. If couldn't be simpler to make and it's very tasty, especially during this time of year.

The wassail includes the following ingredients:

4 cups unsweetened apple juice
3 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
1 cup cranberry juice cocktail
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves

Combine the ingredients in a pot and simmer for about 10 minutes until hot. Stain the wassail into mugs and top with a slice of lemon.

I served it last night at a meeting and again today at lunch. I've not yet heard any complaints about it.

Looking for something different?

Over the course of years in parishes, priests grow close to certain families and with some of them they remain friends even after being assigned to a different parish.

One such family invited me to join them on Thanksgiving, and since my family gathered the evening before I happily accepted.

I ate there a dish that I had not heard of before: scalloped pineapple. Now, to be sure, when I first saw it, I was a bit taken aback and didn't quite know what to think of it. But, I thought, I've never met a pineapple I haven't liked and tried it. It was great!

Here's the recipe:

1 can pineapple tidbits in juice drained
4 slices of cubed bread
2 beaten eggs
pinch salt
2 Tablespoons lemon Juice
1/4 C milk
1 stick melted butter
3/4 C (or less) sugar

Spray 8x8 baking dish with Pam. Mix pineapple and bread and spread in pan. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over pineapple. Bake at 350 for 30-35 min until lightly browned.

Don't be afraid; give it a try!

Warm up with Dr Pepper

Since it is so cold outside, why not warm up with nice, hot Dr Pepper?

It couldn't be simpler. Just warm up the contents of a can in a saucepan or in the microwave and add a fresh slice of lemon.

You could also try a Dr Pepper wassail as you go awassailing. Or how about a nice Dr Pepper punch for your next Christmas party?