Paula Deen Live! Holiday Show Atlanta area only!

I am so excited to share my latest giveaway.  As y'all know, Paula Deen is Queen here in the South when it comes to cooking!  My readers know I've even shared a few of her recipes here on the blog.  I love her attitude, her sassiness, and the delicious food she creates! So I am thrilled to announce a giveaway for two tickets to the Paula Deen Live! Holiday Edition Show, which will be November 16 at 6 pm in Atlanta.  One winner will receive TWO free tickets to the show!  (Contest open only to Atlanta-area residents)

Come see Paula's live show at the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, GA on Nov 16 and get a heaping helping of Paula's recipes, some good old-fashioned fun and lots of laughter. Join Paula as she demonstrates how to make her favorite seasonal dishes, shares family stories and plays cooking games with her fans. Some lucky audience members will even get to join Paula on stage! How awesome would that be?!

To enter, I've got a rafflecopter widget below with a few mandatory entries, and several optional ones - enter as many times as you'd like using the available entry methods.  A few are available for you to do every day so come back often!  Please share this giveaway with your Atlanta friends, and good luck!!

Holiday Party Recipes

The first two are from my favorite Georgia girl, Paula Deen & her boys, Jamie & Bobby.
Pecan-Crusted Cranberry Cheese Balls

8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
3 Tbsp softened cream cheese
3 Tbsp dried sweetened cranberries
2/3 c finely chopped pecans

Mix together cheeses and cranberries in a bowl.  Form into small, bite-size balls, then roll in the pecans.  You'll have to press gently to get the pecans to stick into the balls.  Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.  Let them come to room temperature before serving.  Stick a cocktail toothpick into each, you can serve with crackers, fruit, and nuts on a platter - yum!

Turtles

1 lb caramel candies
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
8 oz salted pecans
12 oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Grease 2 cookie sheets.  In a double boiler, or microwave, melt caramels and butter stirring frequently until smooth.
On the cookie sheets, arrange 36 groups of 3 or 4 pecans, about 2 inches apart.  Spoon a tsp or so of caramel over the nuts, cool for 15 minutes. 
In double boiler or in the microwave, on low power, melt the chocolate chips, stir until smooth.  Spoon chocolate by tsp over each caramel turtle; spread with a butter knife.  Let candies set at room temp, or you can place in the fridge to set more quickly.  
(You can also use salted cashews or other favorite nuts in place of the pecans)

Holiday Punch
The night before, make ice cubes with an additional bottle of the sparkling grape juice, keep in freezer until serving time

(start this about 2 1/2 hours before serving so it has time to chill)
3 c cold water
3/4 c sugar
1 bottle sparkling grape juice (I like white, but you can use red, as well)
1 cup orange juice
1/2 c lemon juice
3 16 oz chilled bottles 7-up
5 cinnamon sticks

In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar and cinnamon sticks to make a cinnamon simple syrup.  Heat to boiling over medium heat, stir as needed.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove & discard cinnamon sticks, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. 

In a large punch bowl, combine the cinnamon syrup, the juices and sodas.  Add the sparkling juice ice cubes from the night before, and garnish with citrus slices, fresh mint leaves, or more cinnamon sticks.  Beautiful and delicious!

How I make Sweet Potato Drop Biscuits

This sweet little recipe originally came from the Queen of Butter & all things Southern, Ms. Paula Deen. I really wanted to make these to go with our Hawaiian Chicken & Rice supper, but I didn't have everything the recipe called for....but wait...when has that ever stopped me from tweaking and trying my own thing?!   That's part of the fun of cooking and baking for me

I didn't have the all-purpose flour or baking powder the original recipe called for, and I detest tossing dough on a floured surface,then cutting it out with a biscuit cutter!! I decided to add some cinnamon because we all love it, and it's good for you, too! And finally, I used vanilla almond milk instead of regular milk. Here is the recipe I ended up with:


Sweet Potato Drop Biscuits

1 1/4 cups self rising flour
2 Tbsp sugar
pinch of sea salt
Several shakes of cinnamon
3/4 c baked, mashed sweet potato (2 small sweet potatoes worked out to 3/4 cup for me)
1/2 stick softened butter
2 Tbsp vanilla almond milk

Mix dry ingredients. In larger bowl, cream butter with mashed potatoes. Add dry ingredients, mix well. Add almond milk 1 Tbsp at a time, to thin a bit. Drop dough by large spoonfuls onto greased sheet. Brush tops with honey butter. Bake at 400 degrees for 15- 18 minutes. When done, brush with more honey butter. Makes about 16 small drop biscuits.





Thanks for featuring my take on Sweet Potato Biscuits, Stephanie Lynn!