Holidays

Turkey Pot Pie

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I found this recipe on Allrecipes a few years back. It is one of our favorites and a great way to use up turkey leftovers. As I have said before, I tend to be a home made pie crust snob, but when it comes down to it, buying store bought pie dough just makes things so much easier.

Turkey Pot Pie

1 recipe for a double crust pie  
4 tablespoons butter, divided  
1 small onion, minced  
2 stalks celery, chopped  
2 carrots, diced  
3 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano (or any other dried herbs. I use thyme and basil sometimes.)
salt and pepper to taste  
2 cubes chicken bouillon (or equivalent of chicken base or stock, etc.)
2 cups water
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed  
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey  
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
 1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll out bottom pie crust, press into a 10 inch pie pan, and set aside. 

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onion, celery, carrots, parsley, oregano, and salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the bouillon and water. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in the potatoes, and cook until tender but still firm. 

In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the turkey and flour. Add the milk, and heat through. Stir the turkey mixture into the vegetable mixture, and cook until thickened. Cool slightly, then pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Roll out the top crust, and place on top of filling. Flute edges, and make 4 slits in the top crust to let out steam. 

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and continue baking for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Sweet Potato Souffle

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This is a family recipe that we bake every year for Thanksgiving. It is so delicious! This tastes like a pecan pie on top of sweet potatoes. How can that be wrong? Happy Thanksgiving!

Soufflé:
3 cups of sweet potatoes, boiled and mashed
*I use a big can of sweet potatoes and drain the syrup.
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all of these until smooth. Pour into a greased baking dish and set aside. I used a 9×13 sized baking dish.

Topping:
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup coconut
1/3 cup melted butter
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix all of these topping ingredients together a  sprinkle evenly over the sweet potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes.
*The secret to this, is to double the topping recipe! 

Pine Cone Cheese Ball

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One thing I love about the holiday season is the yummy food that accompanies it. One appetizer that I love during this season are cheese balls! I saw this idea to make your cheese balls look like pinecones and put my little spin on it. It’s so pretty, festive, and yummy!

 

Ingredients:

-2 pkg. cream cheese (I use one full fat and one light, you’ll need some fat to it so it’ll hold its shape)
– 2 1/2 C. freshly shredded cheddar cheese
– 1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
– About 2 cups sliced almonds
– Rosemary springs (or you could use evergreen needles) for garnish

Directions:

1. Start off by toasting your almonds on the stove with a little bit of butter. When fully toasted, spread on a paper towel and allow to cool.
2. Mix together cream cheese until nice and smooth. Add Cheddar cheese and the ranch dressing mix. Mix until well blended.
3. On wax paper shape your two pine cones. Transfer them to your serving dish.
4. Take your almonds and stick them into the cheese ball giving the effect of a pine cone.
5. Cool in your refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.

Hope y’all enjoy it as much as we did!
Emily

Perfect Pie Crust

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For years I searched for a great pie crust recipe. I had a friend in Florida share this recipe with me. I believe it came from a cookbook she had but I cannot say which one.
Perfect Pie Crust
12 Tbsp. very cold unsalted butter
3 C. flour 
1tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/3 C. cold vegetable shortening
6-8 Tbsp. ice water  

Dice the butter and return to the fridge or freezer while preparing the flour mixture. 

Place the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor. Pulse a few times. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8-12 times til the butter is pea-sized. 

With the machine running pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out onto a floured surface and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Cut the dough in half and roll out. 
This actually makes enough for about 3 single crusts. 
 


 

Snickerdoodle Brownies

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So, you should know, that unless you are prepared to pretty much eat the whole pan of these you might not want to make this recipe! You think I’m kidding!? These have the perfect texture, a little chewy and just the right amount of sweet. This is definitely going down as a family favorite! I did find this recipe on “pin-interest”. (That’s how my mom pronounces it. LOL!) This is a great fall dessert. The cinnamon and sugar are warm and cozy.
 
Recipe:

 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

Get out three separate bowls.
1-In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and set that aside.
2-In  small bowl combine the white sugar and cinnamon, and set that aside.
3- n a large bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat until well blended.
Spread the mixture into the 9×13 baking dish.

Sprinkle the sugar cinnamon mixture evenly over the batter.

Bake for 25-30 minute or until it springs back at touch.
Let the brownies cool on a wire rack for a bit and serve.
 
 
original recipe from Dozen Flours


Pumpkin Bars

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I know, I know it isn’t Halloween yet. BUT we all want it to be right?  I make these bars year round, in fact my husband’s work asks for them for every work gathering.  It feeds a big crowd and you will love them!!!

1 c. oil (I use coconut oil)
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 c. pureed pumpkin (or squash/sweet potatoes)

Mix together then add:

2 c. flour (whole wheat works well!)
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove)

Mix together well and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes in a greased cookie sheet.

Frosting:
*frost when cooled
3 oz. cream cheese
6 T. softened butter
1 t. vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. (or more) milk

Source: Honica Smith

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

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I was camping in the mountains recently, and those cool mornings reminded me fall was right around the corner, and it made me think of my favorite cookies! Yum! These are soooo delicious! 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies


Ingredients:

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used some chocolate chunks this time)
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, egg and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, milk, cinnamon and salt. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

2. Spray cookie sheet with baking spray. Drop cookie dough by spoonful onto baking sheet.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. These are cake-like, so make sure centers are done like a cake. Baking time will depend on the size you make the cookies. I personally like to take them out of the oven right before they start to brown. I’m not a fan of overdone cookies!

4. Eat warm with a glass of milk and you will think you have died and gone to heaven!

Notes:

1. I am pretty crazy over lots of chocolate chips in my cookies, and lots of nuts too. Feel free to use as many or as little as you like. 2 cups is quite a lot, and that’s how I like them! For these in the pictures, I used 1 cups of chocolate chips and 1 cup of chocolate chunks. And I used about 3/4 cup of chopped pecans. So, so, so delicious! 

Source: I’ve had this recipe for over 20 years in my notebook. Not sure where it came from!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!

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Forget about your diet! You have to try these! They will make you so happy! 

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!

Cream together:
1 cup CRISCO shortening (Sometimes I use ½ cup shortening and ½ cup butter)
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
Mix in:
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
Add:
2 ¼ cups white flour (you can use white wheat flour…it’s very good)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Chocolate chips (as many as you like!) I used “chunks.” You can add chopped nuts too!
Put spoonfuls on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until just barely starting to brown on the edges. They will look a bit underdone to the average person! Take out of oven and let them sit for a few minutes on the pan. (DO NOT over cook if you want them to be chewy and soft.) 

Pour a glass of milk and ENJOY!!!! YUM YUM!!!

Notes: 
1. One batch makes 2 dozen large cookies. Trust me, you’ll want to make a double batch. 
2. These make fabulous M&M cookies too! You can add anything you like in these cookies! White chocolate chips and macadamia nuts, or dark chocolate and pecans…the possibilities are endless! 

Source: My amazing mom! (Brenda Joyner) She taught my sister and I how to make these when we were really young, and we were famous for our delicious cookies! 

Grandma’s Best Apple Pie

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There once was a girl who liked making pies
But all of those years she could not devise 
how to make the perfect pie crust 
or apples that would not turn to mush

Until by chance she tried a new way
different from any she’d made up to that day
It turned out superb to her great relief
she conquered the pie that had given her grief. 

Perfect Pie Crust
12 Tbsp. very cold unsalted butter
1/3 c. very cold vegetable shortening
3 C. flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
6-8 Tbsp. ice water
 
Dice the butter and return to the fridge or freezer while preparing the other ingres. Place the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor. Pulse a few times. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8-12 times til butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out onto a floured surface and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 mins. 
The recipe says it is for a double crust pie, but it actually makes enough for 3 single crusts, depending on how thick you roll it. 
  
Grandma’s Best Apple Pie (from All Recipes. Link here)
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust
pie
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2-1 tsp. cinnamon (opt.)
8 Granny Smith apples – peeled, cored
and sliced


Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon (if using) and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.

Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.

Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.