Recipes R Us: Introducing a Home for La Mesa’s Best Holiday Cooking

Who doesn’t like to eat?  The problem is what gets cooked, and how.  La Mesa Patch today introduces a regular column featuring the best home cooking and holiday recipes by La Mesa residents and merchants.

The attached video is a step-by-step tutorial on how to submit photos, videos and PDF documents to this article and any other. You also can post a recipe as a comment or email recipes to ken.stone@patch.com.

The point is sharing.  Don’t be shy.  Let your neighbors know about your family’s favorite dishes. 

Our first recipes are an arresting pair of delights from Kim Dumas, founder and operator of LaMesaNeighborhoodWatch.com.

Turkey Tettrazini

• Turkey leftovers
• 6 oz. spaghetti, cooked
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 2/3 cup chicken broth
• 2 cups cream
• 1/2 cup sherry 1 tsp. salt
• Pepper to taste
• 1/2 lb. mushrooms
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese  

In large pot, melt butter; add flour and whisk. Add wine, cream, seasonings, cheese, turkey, mushrooms and green peppers. Place cooked spaghetti in bottom of baking dish and top with tetrazzini mixture. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

Hot Bacon Swiss Dip

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 4 oz. Swiss cheese, grated
• 2 T. sliced green onions                         
• 8 slices bacon, crisp cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 cup crushed butter crackers (such as Ritz)  

Microwave cream cheese for 30 seconds or until softened. Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, Swiss cheese and green onions in microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 2-4 minutes or until heated through, rotating after two minutes. Spoon into a serving dish. Sprinkle with a mixture of the bacon and cracker crumbs. Serve with crackers.