Grandma Jurgenson's Swedish Klano Recipe

This is a very old family recipe brought to America by the Johnson family in 1906.  Grandma always made these for Christmas.

Grandmas Swedish Klano
2 Cups Sugar
1 -1/2 sticks butter
7 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup bourbon, or rum or brandy
2 tsp vanilla
Flour

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs and evaporated milk beating all the time. Add the rest of ingredients, except flour. Start adding flour a cup at a time until you get a stuff sticky dough. Pour batter on a floured board. Knead in small amounts of flour (there are no measurements for the flour) but don't get it too stiff. Roll out small amounts of dough at a time about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into strips and put a small slit in the middle of the strip. Twist dough through the middle of strip. Deep fry in hot oil. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle powdered sugar or cinnamon and sugar on top. They keep very well.

Ruths Chris Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potatoes were never something that we felt like we absolutely had to have at Thanksgiving.  I never really cared for them, and Colin could take them or leave them.  This last year we had family over for Thanksgiving and since it was more than just the 2 of us, we felt like we should make an effort to have some sort of sweet potato on the table.  After searching Pinterest (my addiction),  I found this recipe.  We enjoy going to Ruths Chris for a good steak every now and then and so we figured we would try their sweet potatoes.  They were a success.  Even I liked them!  We will be having these every Thanksgiving from now on.

Ruths Chris Sweet Potato Casserole
Crust:
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts (preferably pecans)
1/3 stick butter- melted (do not reduce or omit this)
cinnamon to taste (we added this- not in original recipe)

Sweet Potato Mixture:
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (we bake them in the oven first)
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
cinnamon (to taste-not in original recipe)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs well beaten
1 stick butter melted
cinnamon to taste (not in original recipe)

Note:  We added mini marshmallows to the top at the end of the cooking time and put it under the broiler until the marshmallows browned.  Watch closely so it doesn't burn!

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine brown sugar, flour, nuts, cinnamon and butter in mixing bowl and set aside.
Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, eggs and butter in a mixing bowl in the order listed.  Mix thoroughly.  Pour mixture into a buttered baking dish.  Sprinkle the top with the crust mixture.  Bake for 30 minutes- At the end of 30 mins, put on some mini marshmallows and put it under the broiler (watch closely) to finish it off.  Allow to set at least 30 mins before serving.  Serves 6.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

This recipe is another one that my mom always use to make at Christmas.  It was my brother's favorite. I have to say I haven't made this recipe for awhile and I only have it half written down on a card in my recipe box.  I'm doing the rest from memory, and I'll have to test it out next Christmas and see if this recipe is right.  

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
5 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 2/3 cups peanut butter
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp shortening
24 oz almond bark

Mix together the powdered sugar, peanut butter, and cup of butter.  Form into balls and put on a baking sheet.  Put in the refrigerator for a couple hours to firm up.  Over a double broiler, melt 1 tsp shortening and the almond bark.  Dip the balls in the melted almond bark and put them back on a wax paper lined baking sheet.  Put them back in the refrigerator to firm up before transferring them to an air tight container.  Keep refrigerated.

The Pioneer Woman's Creamy Mashed Potatoes

I discovered this recipe from this website here http://thepioneerwoman.com.  It's the mashed potatoes that I make every year now for Thanksgiving.  I love that I can make them the day before and just bake them an hour or so before dinner.  It's a huge time saver.    

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

5 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold Potatoes

3/4 cups butter

1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (to 3/4 cups) half and half

1/2 tsp to 1 tsp Lawry's season salt (*I find that I use significantly more than this.  I just keep adding to it until I get the flavor where I want it)

1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of black pepper (or more depending on your taste)

Peel and cut potatoes into same size pieces.  Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes.  Bring to a boil and cook for 30-35 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender.  Drain the potatoes in a large colander and transfer them back into the large pot.  Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape before adding in all the other ingredients.  Turn off the stove and add in the butter, softened cream cheese, about 1/2 cup of half and half (you can always add more if you need it), and the lawry's seasoning and pepper to taste.  Stir well and place in a medium sized baking dish.  Put a few pats of butter on the top and bake them in a 350 degree oven until the butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.  

*When making this a day or 2 ahead of time (which I am usually doing), take it out of the fridge about 2-3 hours before baking and let it come to room temperature a little.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes or until warmed through.  

Outback Steakhouse Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

I love the ranch dressing at the Outback.  In fact, I have told Colin several times that I would eat salad every day if I had this dressing on it.  I realize that defeats the healthy purpose of why you are eating salad because it's not great for you, but it's great tasting!  I found this recipe on the web and after making it and loving it, stuck the recipe in the recipe box where I promptly forgot I had it for a few years.  I'd say that finding it again is a sign that I need to make it-soon!

Outback Steakhouse Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
1 tsp buttermilk recipe ranch dressing mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together and chill at least 30 mins before serving.

Christmas Prime Rib

We always have prime rib for Christmas dinner, so that's what we call it.  Prime rib at Christmas is a Battersby tradition.  I don't think I even had prime rib until I married Colin.  Luckily, Colin's mom taught him how to make it!

Prime Rib:  You should plan on 1 lb per person, a little more if you want leftovers.  For 4 people, we usually get a 6 lb roast.  Colin prefers to have the person at the meat counter cut the roast from the ribs and then tie the bone back to it for presentation and flavor. 

Rub:

8-10 cloves of minced garlic

2 TBS kosher salt

1/4 cup olive oil

2 TBS of freshly ground black pepper

Aromatics:

3-4 whole cloves of garlic

Twig of fresh rosemary

1/2 of sliced red onion

2 stalks celery

Combine all ingredients for the rub and and rub it on the prime rib.  Put a little bit of olive oil in the base of the pan and then put the aromatics in the pan.  Place the prime rib on top of the aromatics.  Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes per pound for medium doneness.  Adjust time according to how you like your meat cooked.

Prime rib before going in the oven

My cute hubby and the finished prime rib!

  

Yorkshire Pudding

It is a Battersby tradition to have prime rib for Christmas dinner.  Along with the prime rib, comes Yorkshire pudding.  This is another one of those recipes that I don't like, but I think I would get kicked out of the family if it didn't show up at the Christmas table every year.  Luckily, Colin or his mom make it because I don't want to be responsible for it not turning out!  :)

Yorkshire Pudding

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup milk

2 eggs

Mix ingredients together.  In a casserole dish pour some fat from the prime rib, heat the fat in the oven for 15-20 mins.  Pour the mixture into the fat and bake at 400 degrees until it raises and browns (about 15-20 mins) as the prime rib cools.  Serve with prime rib and gravy.