The holidays are a special time — a time to pull out traditional family recipes and old favorites. It’s also a time to try something new.

Here are some wonderful holiday favorites our readers are sharing.

SAUSAGE CRESCENT ROLL BAKE

Marlene Nebola, Yankton SD

2 rolls of sausage

2 (8oz each) pkgs cream cheese

2 rolls crescent rolls

Brown 2 pkgs sausage and drain well

(I use 1 roll of hot sausage and 1 roll of mild sausage)

Mix with 2 pkgs of cream cheese

In a greased 9x13 pan spread 1 roll of crescent dough on the bottom. Spread sausage and cream cheese mix on top. Cover with the second roll of crescent dough.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

ROAST BEEF ROLL-UPS

Joyce Gentrup, Hartington, NE

1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese

2 Tblsp yellow mustard

1/2 tsp dill seed

12 slices of deli roast beef

Beat cream cheese until softened. Add horseradish, mustard and dill seed.

Beat until smooth.

Arrange roast beef on work surface. Spread cream cheese over each slice.

Roll, cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours. Cut into slices and arrange on platter.

SWEET ROLL UPS

Cyndi Hunhoff, Yankton SD

Wind and Willow Caramel Apple Cheeseball & Dessert Mix

20 slices white bread (cut off crust)

8 oz cream cheese

1 egg yolk

1 stick butter (melted)

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Beat caramel apple mix (topping used later), cream cheese and egg yolk until smooth. In separate bowl combine sugar, cinnamon and graham crunch topping. Set aside. Cut crust off bread slices and flatten slightly with rolling pin. Spread cream cheese mix lightly on bread. Roll up and seal edges. Dip in melted butter and roll in sugar and topping mixture.

Place on cookie sheet and bake for 25 minutes.

SWEDISH MEATBALLS

Recipe by the late Beatrice Erickson submitted by Tera Schmidt

4 1/2 lbs. ground beef

3 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes

1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

1 1/2 Tblsp brown sugar

1 1/2 cups milk

3 tsp. salt

3/8 tsp ginger

3/8 tsp nutmeg

3/8 tsp cloves

3/8 tsp allspice

Mix all the above ingredients. Form into balls; roll in flour. Brown in skillet. Put into well-greased baking dish. Pour 1 1/2 cups cream or half-and-half over meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for an hour. Makes approximately 12 servings.

MOCK PRIME RIB

Marcia Sudbeck, Hartington, NE

2-3 lb. rump roast

1 pkg Aujus dry mix

1 can beef broth

1 pkg Good Seasons Italian dressing, dry mix

Put all in crockpot on low for 8 hours - works great to cook overnight. Slice and serve or can be used for French dip sandwiches.

GREAT-GRANDMA G’S HAM BALLS

Recipe by the late Ella Gunderson submitted by Tera Schmidt

3 lbs. ground ham

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground pork

3 eggs

3 cups graham crackers, crushed

2 cups milk

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp Liquid Smoke

1 can tomato soup

1/2 can water

1 cup brown sugar

1 Tblsp dry mustard

1/4 cup vinegar

Mix the ground meat, eggs, crackers, milk, salt, pepper and Liquid Smoke. Place in baking dish after forming into balls. Make sauce from soup, water, brown sugar, dry mustard and vinegar and pour over balls. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

CROCK POT DRESSING

Cyndi Hunhoff, Yankton SD

Sautee together:

1 cup butter

2 cups chopped onions

1/8 cup parsley

16 oz can of mushrooms (optional)

Pour mixture over 12-15 slices of cubed dry bread

(or 1 bag of bread crumbs) in Crock Pot

1 tsp poultry seasoning

1-1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp sage

Pour in 3 1/2 - 4 1/2 cups chicken broth.

Add 2 well beaten eggs. Stir well and cover and cook on high 45 minutes or low for 4-6 hours.

CORN CASSEROLE

Donna Phillips

2 eggs, beaten

1 stick butter ( melted)

1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin mix

8 oz sour cream

1 (16oz) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (16oz) can creamed corn

Mix all together. Bake in a greased 9x13 pan or a big casserole dish at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

PUMPKIN ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Kayleen Ehresmann

1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1 (16oz) package of one-step angel food cake mix

In large bowl, combine the pumpkin, vanilla and spices. Set aside. In another bowl, prepare cake mix according to package directions. Fold 1/4 of the batter into pumpkin mixture. Gently fold in the remaining batter. Spoon into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Cut through the batter with a knife to remove air pockets.

Bake on the lowest oven rack at 350 degrees for 38-44 minutes or until top is golden brown and cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan onto a wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Run a knife around sides of cake and remove to a serving plate. Garnish each slice with whipped topping and sprinkle with cinnamon if desired. Serves 14.

FESTIVE STRAWBERRY COO

Carol Sue Roozen

1 can eagle brand milk

1 lb. coconut (cut fine)

1 Tblsp Red Sugar

1/4 pound almonds ground fine

1 tsp vanilla or almond extract

1 (6oz) package of strawberry jello (set aside 2 oz.)

Mix together and let stand in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Then shape into strawberry shapes and roll in remaining 2 oz. of jello. Lay on waxed paper until set. Then pipe green leaves or place sliced almonds in green food coloring until desired color.

Press into strawberries.

These keep well and are so pretty with your tray of other holiday sweets.

ALMOND BARS

Caroline Bochman, Tyndall SD

Crust:

2 cup flour

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter

Mix like a pie crust. Add 3 T cold water. Divide into 2 halves to use for top and bottom crusts.

Filling:

4 egg yolks

2 c sugar

6 Tblsp milk

4 tsp almond extract

8 Tblsp flour

dash of salt.

Beat filling together.

In a 9x13 pan, put 1/2 of the dough on the bottom and a 1/2 inch up the sides.

Spread filling over dough. Roll out 2nd half of dough and put over top of filling. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes.

Cool completely and cut into small bars. Serves about 24.

PINEAPPLE DROP COOKIES

Carolyn Cappel, Yankton, SD

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 c sifted flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 8oz can crushed pineapple, well drained (save juice for icing)

Pineapple Icing:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 Tblsp soft butter

3 Tblsp pineapple juice

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla.

Sift dry ingredients; add to butter mixture. Add pineapple. Drop from teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Frost cookies.