1.1.11

For New Years this year the Reynolds had a little party of their own.  The guests included Baked Sweet Potatoes, Salad, Green Bean Bundles, Steaks, Mock Champagne, and to top it all off Bananas Foster. And let me tell you, we Reynolds could not of enjoyed our guests anymore than we did. Unfortunately for are guests, though, they didn't make it to see the ball drop. 

The delicious final product.

Starting with the Green Bean Bundles. 

Ingredients:

• - 3 (14.5 ounce) cans whole green beans, drained
• - 1 pound bacon, cut in half
• - 1/2 cup butter, melted
• - 1 cup brown sugar

- 1 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish

2. Wrap 7 green beans with bacon and place in prepared dish. Repeat, using all the green beans and bacon.

3. Combine butter with brown sugar. Pour over green bean bundles and sprinkle with garlic salt.

4. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes

Next, the Sweet Potatoes:

Ingredients:

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

• - 3 large sweet potatoes
• - 2 pinches dried oregano
• - 2 pinches salt
• - 2 pinches ground black pepper
• - Rosemary



The culprits that made my tongue go crazy!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the bottom of a glass or non-stick baking dish with olive oil, just enough to coat.

2. Wash and peel the sweet potatoes. Cut them into medium size pieces. Place the cut sweet potatoes in the baking dish and turn them so that they are coated with the olive oil. Sprinkle moderately with oregano, and salt and pepper 

3. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 60 minutes or until soft.

And the Steaks:

The best steak seasoning known to man.
 Courtesy of Pepper Tree Steaks N'  Wine Catering in Montgomery
(Catered my sister's wedding)

Dad gave me a few pointers on how to cook the steaks:

 1. Cut the fat off  of the steaks and keep it to put on the grill while cooking the steaks. When you put the fat on the grill, the steaks will absorbs some of the good flavor from the fat.

2. When the steaks are cooking for the first couple minutes keep the lid closed, but when you come back and flip the steaks leave the lid open. 

3. Depending on how thick a steak is and how well done you want it to be, cook it longer or shorter. about 8-14 minutes for medium-rare and 12-18 minutes for medium-well done.

And the beautiful Salad my mom made:

Ingredients:

- Romain Lettuce

- Spinach

- Artichoke Hearts

- Banana Peppers

- Walnuts

- Feta Cheese

- Craisins

- Purple Onion

Directions:

1. Add as much as you want of each ingredient to salad.

2. Toss together

3. We had it with this salad dressing:http://www.newmansown.com/product_detail.aspx?productid=75...so yummy

The Mock Champagne

Ingredients:

- 1 liter of Ginger Ale

- 1 can of Pineapple Juice

- 1 bottle of White Grape Juice

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together.

Fancy glasses are a must!

Last but not least, Bananas Foster

Ingredients:

- 3 Bananas

- 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

- 1-2 Tbsp. Butter

- 2 Tbsp. Rum

- Lighter

Directions:

1. Slice bananas length wise.

2.  Add brown sugar to the melted butter in pan.

3. Add sliced banans to pan, and cook unil they begin to soften. You do not want the bananas to become mushy.

 4. Once they soften, add the rum to bananas and light the bananas on fire immediatley after adding the rum.

Looks like someone has been sneaking some Rum!

5. take the bananas off the fire after the flame goes out. serve immediately with Vanilla Ice Cream.

To end the night right, fireworks!