50+ Lifestyles

Ella’s Kitchen

Some of the best gifts are gifts from the heart – the ones we can make. In this economy, we can still give wonderful presents. Check out the ideas from the HyVee dietician on page 16. Give your gifts with love. Plan for a great holiday, but don’t get upset if you don’t complete all that you had wanted to. Our minds move faster with ideas than our bodies do with results. Relax. Enjoy what you do get done.

– Ella

Goof-Proof Cinnamon Rolls
By Lois Stutzel of Camanche, IA

1/2 Cup chopped pecans
12 Rhodes dinner rolls, frozen
1 small pkg. butterscotch pudding mix (not instant)
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup melted butter
Cinnamon to taste

Grease a 9” angel food pan well. Scatter nuts over bottom of pan. Top with rolls, evenly distributed. Sprinkle with dry pudding mix and sugar, then top with melted butter and cinnamon. Place in cold oven on lowest shelf overnight. In morning turn on oven to 350°, but do not open oven door. Bake for 25 min. Check to see if done. They should be cooked in 30-45 min. total cooking time. Let sit for a couple minutes, then flip pan over. Also can be made in 9 x 13 pan using 16 rolls instead.

Cranberry Delight Spread
By Joyce McDonald of Bettendorf, IA

1 – 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbs. orange juice concentrate
1 Tbs. sugar
Zest of one orange
1/8 t. cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 Cup chopped, dried cranberries
1/4 Cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

Beat first 5 ingredients until fluffy. Stir in cranberries and nuts.
Also use as garnish if desired. Serve with crackers, vanilla wafers or cinnamon graham crackers.

Honey Nut and Date Pie Crust
By Gail Riedesel of Davenport, IA

1 Cup pecans, soaked 12 hours, drained and dehydrated 12 hours
1 Cup walnuts, soaked 12 hours, drained and dehydrated 12 hours
1/2 Cup honey 1 Cup dates, pitted
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt 1 teaspoon vanilla powder

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until it begins to form a ball. Remove small amounts of piecrust. Press into a pie plate. Continue until entire pie plate is covered. Wrap in plastic until ready to fill. Crust may be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen. Crust may be used as is or dehydrated as a dryer crust. Some of the crust may be put aside to use as crumbles on top of the pie.

Creamy Bacon Cheddar Dip
By Tina Geritano of Colona, IL

1 Cup sour cream
1 Cup Miracle Whip
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 green onions, sliced
Ritz crackers

Mix all ingredients except the crackers. Serve with crackers.