Category: Holiday Fare

Just adding this new category and will be posting seasonal recipes for Thanksgiving and Christmas

Desserts · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Pumpkin Trifle

Chocolate Castles

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to a luncheon at a friends house who made this most delicious trifle in individual little trifle dishes. She said that it was fine if I shared it. Thanks Teresa, the food was awesome as was all the laughter.

1 (14 oz) box of gingerbread mix (or 2 if doubling for large trifle bowl)

Small package of instant vanilla pudding (made according to directions on box)

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin pie filling (or the 30 oz can for doubling)

1/2 teas pumpkin pie spice (1 teas for doubling)

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (1/2 for doubling)

1 (12 oz, but you won’t use all of the 12 oz) container Cool Whip (the 12 oz should still be plenty if doubling)

Directions (See above amounts if you are wanting to use large punch bowl or trifle bowl, but for 8 individual trifle dishes, the smaller amounts will be fine)

Bake the gingerbread according to directions on the box and then cool completely. Meanwhile prepare the pudding according to directions.  Stir the pumpkin pie filling, pumpkin pie spice and the sugar into the prepared pudding.

Cut gingerbread in small squares and place a couple in the bottom of the individual trifle dishes.  (If using trifle bowl or punch bowl, cover the bottom of the bowl with some of the gingerbread squares.

Spread some of the pumpkin mixture over the gingerbread. Then spread a layer of the Cool Whip over pumpkin mixture. Repeat layers as necessary, ending with a sprinkle of the gingerbread crumbs on top. Seal with Press and Seal or Cling Wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Best if made the day before or at least 6-8 hours before serving.

Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl if you do not have a trifle dish.

Breads · Cakes · Desserts · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Pumpkin & Cream Cheese Muffins

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

These will be called Cupcakes in our house, as I am so not a muffin person, but would eat these no matter what they are called. If they are not served and waiting for us at the Wedding Feast in Heaven, I don’t know what would be….they are heavenly! I ate one with butter melted all over it, as soon as I could put the pot holder down and get a napkin out. Honestly, they are just so good. Perfect for breakfast with butter and jam. For lunch, I would just eat one, just plain, while I am making sandwiches. Then for dessert at night, I think I will frost them with a little buttercream frosting. That makes them the perfect little muffin, snack, dessert for the Fall Season! Every day I scan FaceBook for new recipes and this one caught my attention. Then my daughter saw it on FB and tagged me saying that she wished I would make them. So here they are folks, I think you’re gonna like this.

Ingredients (this made 21 muffins for me, but maybe you could get about 23 if you didn’t fill the cups as full as I did)

1 3/4 cup flour

1 tables (yes tables not teaspoon) pumpkin pie spice

1 teas baking soda

1/2 teas salt

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin (pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix that has added sugar and spices already in it)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs, room temp

1/2 cup oil (vegetable)

1 tables vanilla (there it is again, not teas)

Cream Cheese Filling

8 oz softened cream cheese

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup sugar

2 teas vanilla

Preheat oven to 375. Place paper liners in cupcake pan. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin spice. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine sugars and pumpkin and whisk together until there are no lumps. Add the eggs and oil and vanilla. Whisk until batter is smooth and combined. Add flour mixture slowly, whisking until no more lumps are there and batter is mixed thoroughly.

In a medium bowl, with electric mixer cream together the cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Using a large cookie scoop or measuring cup, fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full with the pumpkin mixture. Then place about 1 1/2 -2 teas of cream cheese mixture on top. Swirl with a toothpick into pumpkin batter.

Bake 18-20 minutes or until muffin tests done. Let cool (I didn’t do this, as I just couldn’t wait. I slapped on a dab of butter and grabbed my glass of tea and gobbled it upI

appetizers · Holiday Fare · Super Bowl Recipes · Uncategorized

Cheese & Bacon Dip

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Party Season is upon us!  This delicious and easy dip will be perfect for football parties or friends coming over for a visit!

1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened

8 oz of shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teas onion powder

1/2 teas dry mustard

3-5 drops of bottled pepper sauce (such as Tobasco)

6 slices of fried crisp bacon, crumbled

Combine all ingredients and mix well! Place in a greased small baking dish and bake for about 15-20min in preheated 350 degree oven! Serve with chips or crackers

Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Holiday Fare · Pies · Uncategorized

Pumpkin-Chess Pie

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Can I share with you how excited I got to see this recipe in Fall Baking? oh my gosh, my favorite pie, chess, combined with pumpkin! I simply cannot believe this. A new way to have chess pie with beloved pumpkin, sent me over the top.  No more boring plain ole pumpkin pie. This will be the best Thanksgiving meal EVER…oh and yes, I’m excited about our kids coming also….BUT back to the pie! Oh, ok, and the grandkids, but seriously, pumpkin-chess pie, who would have thought!!!

Ingredients

2 pie crusts (and if Paula Deen is not your absolute fav  person in the whole wide world, you can use bought, but if you do use bought, please make sure it is a good one) If you want to make your own, you are well on your way to becoming the next great  American baker!

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

2 tables all purpose flour

4 large eggs, divided

1/2 cup whole buttermilk

1 3/4 teas vanilla (what the heck, go wild and use 2 teas, it is the holidays after all)

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk (such as Eagle Brand)

1/2 teas ground cloves

1/2 teas ground nutmeg

1/2 teas ground ginger

1/2 teas cinnamon

*(or you could use 1 1/2 teas pumpkin pie seasoning in place of the cloves, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon)

Preheat oven to 325. Line 2 pie plates with the pie crusts and set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat sugar, butter and flour together until fluffy. Add 2 eggs, buttermilk and 3/4 teas vanilla (I will use 1 teas instead of 3/4). Beat well to combine. Pour into prepared pie crusts, dividing between the two, evenly.

Bake for 30 minutes.

IN a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, condensed milk, remaining 2 eggs, remaining 1 teas vanilla, and seasonings.. Stir until well blended. Pour over cooked buttermilk layer.

Bake for 35 minutes or until set. Let cool and serve with whipped cream.

Breads · Breakfast · Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Fruit · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Pumpkin Upside-Down Cake

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img_2954Since it is officially Fall, there are now 6 cans of pumpkin in the pantry, 3 lbs of cream cheese in the fridge and I’m ready to bake. Spotted this beautiful Fall Baking Magazine at the store so, of course, couldn’t pass it up. This will be perfect to take to card night next week, (along with s’more bites to throw in our mouths ever time we change tables, which allows me to pass right by these little gems). Janece, this ones for you!

Ingredients

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick, unless you buy the small sticks of butter, in which case would be two sticks)

1 tables water

2/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts (will use pecans)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

3/4 cup sugar (granulated)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs (room temperature)

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teas baking powder

1 teas cinnamon (will make this a heaping teas as we love cinnamon)

1/4 teas ground ginger

1/4 teas salt

1/8 teas cloves

Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8″ square baking dish with parchment paper. Spray with nonstick baking spray with flour. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, cook brown sugar, butter, and the water over medium heat until mixture bubbles, about 4 minutes. Pour sugar mixture into bottom of prepared dish; sprinkle with walnuts (pecans) and cranberry. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, oil and eggs. Whisk until well blended. Set aside. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt and cloves. Add pumpkin mixture, stirring to combine. Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth top with spatula.

Bake until cake tests done, which will bake about 30-35 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Invert pan onto a serving platter. Remove parchment paper. Serve warm with a spoon of whipping cream, or a drizzle of caramel (or BOTH)

 

appetizers · Breads · Desserts · Fruit · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Caramel Apple Grapes

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img_2946This is another recipe which we got in the class last Thursday, when we leavned about the Monster Cookies. These are so perfect to have on a platter, which can be picked up and pop in your mouth (with toothpicks). Great little party food. We had them in class and they were delicious.

Ingredients

As many seedless green grapes as you need, washed and dried

toothpicks

1 cup caramel bits

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 cup salted peanuts or pecans, crushed very fine

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine the caramel bits with the heavy cream. Stir until melted. Keep warm on lowest setting, till you have the grapes ready to begin dipping.

Dip the grapes into the caramel sauce and then into the crushed nuts. Place on a sheet of waxed paper to set.

That’s it! Pop those babies in your mouth and enjoy!

Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Pumpkin Dump Cake

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

Upon seeing this today on Facebook, I immediately went to the store and bought a spice cake mix and after practicing making more cake balls today then rewarding myself with another piece of Key Lime Pie which I made yesterday for company, THEN I am going to make this cake. One can never have too many desserts in the house. After all, I think I lost a pound this weekend when we skipped breakfast on Saturday. That calls for a celebration of the best kind, celebrating with cake! Thank you Country Cook for sharing this wonderful comforting recipe which will bring in the Fall Season (even when the temps are still above 100.

Ingredients

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teas ground cinnamon

1 box of Spice  Cake Mix

1 cup butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9×13 baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and cinnamon. Mix well, it will look pretty thin, but that is correct.

Pour this mixture into the baking dish. Then sprinkle the dry cake mix on top of the pumpkin mixture. Drizzle all of the melted butter on top of the cake mix.

Bake for about 55-60 minutes. It might still be just a bit jiggly in the middle when done. It will continue to set up as it cools. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Great with a spoonful of ice cream or whipped cream.

Perfect for those wonderful Pot Luck dinners and so easy to whip up when you have company and put it in the oven while playing Hand & Foot or Dominoes. Will be ready when you take your first break.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holiday Fare · Meats · Uncategorized

Baked Ham

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A friend of mine just wrote and ask me if I made ham with cloves and pineapple. My response was that I had never made it that way. It brought back so many great memories of sitting around our table having ham, cooked with brown sugar, pineapple and coke with golden raisins. When I searched my blog for the recipe I discovered that I had never posted our favorite way to have ham. My  ex Father-in-law, Elwood always made this for almost every holiday and was happy to give us his recipe. He was a great cook and made the best fried shrimp you could find. The secret to this sauce is that you cook it for a couple of hours before pouring it over the ham to then bake in the oven. If the ham is over 4 lbs, you will want to double the ingredients. It  might not take all of the sauce, depending on the size ham, but you can freeze the rest and use it at a later time.

1/2 box  (15 oz size) golden raisins

1 12 oz coke (regular, not diet)

1 regular size can (not the short 4 oz, sorry but I don’t have one on hand to check the size but it is just like the regular size can) of crushed pineapple

1 cup of water

3/4 cup light brown sugar.

Combine all of the above ingredients and cook over a low heat for a couple of hours. When sauce has thickened, pour over the ham. Cover the ham and cook according to the directions for the size ham you are preparing.

Breakfast · Casseroles · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Green Chile Breakfast Casserole

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Looking for a great dish to serve Easter weekend? This breakfast dish is a little different from the usual one you see and is “lighter” since there is no meat. Whip up some sausage balls to go along with this and a fruit compote and you have a perfect beginning to your Easter Celebration.
10 large egg
1/2 cup flour
1 teas baking powder
1 pint small curd cottage cheese
1 lb Monterrey Jack wheeze, shredded
7-8 oz can chopped green chiles, drained

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 13×9″” baking dish with oil or Pam Cooking spray.
Lightly beat eggs in large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until casserole is bubbling and lightly browned on top.
Allow casserole to sit about 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 8 to 10.

Desserts · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Raspberry Almond Bars

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3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

3 egg whites

6 tables sugar

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1 cup sliced almonds, divided

Additional powdered sugar

In a large bowl, cream the butter and 3/4 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and mix well. Press onto the bottom of a greased 13×9″ baking pan. Bake in preheated 350 oven for about 16-18 min. or until lightly browned.

Spread jam over crust. In a large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar 1 table at  time, on high until stiff peaks form. Fold in coconut and 1/2 cup almonds. Spread over jam. Sprinkle with remaining almonds and bake at 350 for about 18 to 20 minutes or until top is golden brown. Cool and cut into bars.