Mossy Creek Holiday Recipes

| Mossy Creek Series | Mossy Creek Almanac |

Casey Blackshear's Easy Christmas Fruit Salad

Casey says: Hank and I make this every year for the Christmas party at our veterinary clinic.  Our little girl, Li, loves the pretty colors.  Melvin, our kennel manager, puts a dollop of whipped cream on his serving.  And once, when Police Chief Amos Royden stopped by with Tweedle Dee, his pet parakeet, Tweedle Dee tried to steal a cherry.  This recipe is clearly a hit with people and pets, too.

1 15 1/2 ounce can drained pineapple chunks
1 can drained mandarin oranges
1 8 ounce box frozen strawberries and a few whole ones
1 small can maraschino cherries
2 sliced bananas
1 can ready-to-eat peach pie filling

Thaw strawberries.  Use both berries and juice.

Combine all ingredients and use as needed.

Keeps in the refrigerator well for 5 days.

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Bottoms Bread Pudding

Courtesy of Sandy Bottoms Crane, Mossy Creek Police Department

Sandy says: Hi, y'all.  I know you think a tough law officer like me couldn't possibly have a dab of Martha Stewart in her, but I do like to cook.  Here's a favorite recipe from my family.  Me and my brothers, Mutt and Boo, help Mama Bottoms make this every Christmas.

4 slices lightly buttered bread, cut up in cubes
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put the bread cubes in a baking dish.  Mix milk, eggs, sugar and salt in a bowl.  Pour mix over bread cubes; stir in raisins and vanilla.  Set the baking dish in a larger pan of hot water and bake for about 40 minutes, or until it's firm when you stick a fork in the center.

Y'all can fancy-up the pudding after it comes out of the oven by sprinkling it with cinnamon, nutmeg, powdered sugar, or--if you're feeling racy--splash a little liquor on it.  Bourbon and rum make good splashers, but if you really want to impress the neighbors, squirt the hot pudding with some amaretto.

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