Not A Pecan Pie

For Christmas day, I decided to use leftover pretzels from Strawberry Pretzel Salad to try this recipe that I have had marked in my reader for a really long time.  It always sounded so interesting to me.  It is from Southern Plate and she came up with the recipe as a workaround for the high price of pecans.  But we have a friend with a pecan allergy so it would be great for him too...since everyone should get to experience the filling of a pecan pie in their lifetime!  I didn't get a picture.  Next time I will crush the pretzel pieces better because I found it hard to fork some of the pieces like a traditional pecan pie.

Not A Pecan Pie

4 eggs
1-1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled
3/4 c. light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
deep dish pie shell, unbaked
1-1/2 c. crushed pretzels
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  For filling, place first five ingredient in a large mixing bowl and mix with wire whisk until well combined.  Pour into pie shell.  Combine all topping ingredients in medium bowl and stir well to coat pretzels.  Sprinkle topping evenly over pie.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour, covering with foil after 30 minutes to prevent over-browning.  Allow to cool completely before serving.

Spicy Sausage & Cheese Tarts

Earlier this month, we hosted our supper club for a Christmas dinner.  For an appetizer, I tried these Spicy Sausage & Cheese Tarts from Plain Chicken.  They were delicious and were gone in a big hurry.  I must have stuffed mine more than she did, because I only made 4 pans instead of the 5 the recipe called for.  I made them earlier in the week and froze them.  Such an easy appetizer.

Spicy Sausage & Cheese Tarts

1 lb. pork sausage
2 c. shredded cheese
8 oz. Spicy Ranch dressing (Hidden Valley)
5 (2.1 oz.) pkg. frozen mini phyllo shells (freezer section near pie crust and puff pastry)

Preheat oven to 350 (unless freezing for later).  Cook sausage in skillet, stirring until crumbles and is no longer pink.  Drain.  Combine the sausage, cheese and ranch dressing in a large bowl.  Fill each phyllo shell with a heaping teaspoon of the sausage mixture.  (Freeze at this point, if desired.)

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until cheese melts. (Add 2-3 minutes to baking time if baking frozen tarts.)

Sausage Roll Casserole

My children aren't old enough to make a specific request that they want to eat for Christmas morning breakfast (unless you count Eggo waffles that the oldest would eat for EVERY meal), so I decided to choose myself.  This recipe was in Southern Living several years ago and I have been a little nervous to try it, because Sister Schubert rolls are so good just as they are.  I was worried that I would ruin a perfectly good pan of them.  But curiosity got the best of me.  This casserole was good.  I didn't taste flavors that made it taste different...just made it taste like a breakfast casserole with those yummy yeasty rolls!

My only problem was I baked in a 9x13 instead of 11x7.  The top of the casserole was a little toasted and I am sure that isn't the case in a smaller pan.

Sausage Roll Casserole

5 eggs

1 c. milk

1-1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

3/4 tsp. salt

1/8 - 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

1 frozen package Sister Schubert sausage rolls

1-1/2 c. shredded cheese

Whisk together first 5 ingredients until blended.  Break apart sausage rolls; cut each roll crosswise into thirds, cutting across sausage.  Layer half of rolls in a lightly greased 11x7 inch baking dish; sprinkle with half of cheese.  Repeat layers once.  Pour egg mixture over rolls and cheese.  Cover and chill 4 to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 325.  Bake casserole 50-55 minutes or until center is set.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.