Holiday Recipe Spectacular - Side Dish - Connecticut Meat Stuffing

"Connecticut" because the recipe comes from my family's long-time friends The Ganleys.  We met them while living at Andrews Air Force Base when I was probably six.  Jim (from CT) and Diana had an older son close to my age and a younger son just about my brother's age.  Over the next few years, we spent many evenings and weekends with them.  Lucky me, that meant Star Wars, G.I. Joes and Transformers.  Barbie, who?  I wouldn't dare get her involved!  However, I remember it being endless fun hanging out with the Ganleys.  One visit I remember the boys' dad had built them a two-story "clubhouse" out of a couple refrigerator boxes.  We had a whole afternoon of fun!  They even visited us in Hawaii for a week when the boys and I were in our teens.  I haven't seen their sons in a good ten years, but Jim and Diana came to my wedding and sometimes they're with us on vacation and I really enjoy them...just like an aunt and uncle to me.  So cheers to the Ganleys, from my family to yours!  And Merry Christmas to everyone reading this!!!

Connecticut Meat Stuffing

• 1 lb. ground round
• 1/2 lb. pork sausage
• 4-serving instant potatoes
• poultry seasoning to taste
• sage to taste
• "Pie Crust Topping, opt."

Brown ground round & crumbled sausage. Drain. Prepare instant potatoes as directed. Fold into meat mixture. Add seasonings. Place in greased casserole dish. If desired, prepare pie crust topping and cover meat mixture. Bake @ 350 degrees for forty minutes. May be baked ahead of time and heated up in microwave.

The Anti-Chicken Fingers Movement ~ Healthy Sweet Potato Bake

All you health nuts- this is the health friendly version of this dish.  I love sweet potatoes, as a side for a regular meal or of course, for the holidays!  This mixture may not sound appetizing, but I promise you, the blend of flavors is amazing!




2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 large apple, peeled, cored, and cubed
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup apple cider
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Chop sweet potatoes and apples into approximately 1/2" cubes.  Divide potatoes and apples evenly among to two ramekins, divide cranberries among baking dishes.  Add half of the cider to each ramekin.  Combine spices in a small dish and sprinkle over potato mixture.  Toss to combine.    

Bake approximately one hour, stirring every twenty minutes until cider has cooked down to a glaze and potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.