Pumpkin Pie

I got this recipe from my Food Network magazine (I couldn't bear the thought of making the recipe off of the pumpkin can!). It only makes enough for one pie. I tried a fancy dough edge on my pecan pie, but it just detached during the cooking, so I went for the faster heart edging this time.

1 9-inch uncooked pie crust
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp ground cloves

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Whisk the pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs, half-and-half, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves in a bowl.
• Pour into the crust, bake until the edges are est but the center quivers, about 1 hour - 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cover the edges of the crust until the last 10-15 minutes to prevent over browning.
• Cool completely on a rack and serve with whipped cream.

Apple Crisp

I'm not a big fan of pies, so I made sure we had this crisp! The topping on it is my favorite. Instead of a crust, it's more of a sugary crumble :)

Filling1 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
12 cups thinly peeled and sliced apples

• Mix all above ingredients together and pour into 11 x 14 pan.

Topping2/3 cups sugar
1 & 1/2 cups flour
12 Tbsp margarine

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cut together above ingredients with pastry blender until pea-sized and sprinkle over top of filling.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Raspberry Cheesecake

I don't actually like cheesecake, but for some reason I absolutely LOVE making it. The recipe calls for raspberries, but you can really use any similar berries. In the picture, I had used blackberries because they are Michael's favorite. I'm not sure where it came from, my mom just came home with it one day and asked me to make it for her because she didn't want to!

Cheesecakes are really hard to get to not crack. The recipe doesn't call for a waterbath, although I've heard people say that's what you're supposed to do. I've never tried because either way it tastes the same! If it does matter to you, the one cheesecake I didn't have crack on me I over cooked a little, so maybe leave it cooking for longer than the recipe calls to allow it to set a little further in to the middle of the cake.

Filling
1 package (10 oz) frozen raspberries, partially thawed
1 Tbsp cornstarch

• Combine raspberries and cornstarch in 2-quart saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil (6-10 minutes) and continue boiling for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat, cool for 10 minutes (or while you're preparing the rest of the cake).

Crust
1 package (9 oz) chocolate wafer cookies
1/3 cup butter, melted

• Crush cookies and add to melted butter
• Press on to bottom of 9-inch springform pan, set aside.

Cake
1 & 1/2 cups sugar
2 packages (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
4 eggs
1 & 1/2 cups sour cream
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Mix sugar and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often until creamy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add sour cream and cornstarch. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Stir in vanilla.
• Pour half of cheesecake batter over crust.
• Spoon filling evenly over batter in pan.
• Pour remaining cheesecake batter in to the pan.
• Bake for 60-70 minutes or until set 2 inches from the edge of the pan. Turn off oven, but leave the the cake in the oven for two more hours.
• Remove from oven, loosen sides of cheesecake from pan by running knife around inside of pan.
• Cool completely (about two hours), loosely cover, and refrigerate 8 hours (or overnight).

7 Layer Salad

This is a recipe I got from my grandma. It was in a relatively old looking salad cook book, maybe from the 50s or 60s? The original recipe called only for iceberg lettuce, but to spruce it up, I threw in some romaine lettuce and spinach as well. Then I threw an extra layer of the greens mixture on top of the peas. I like lots of lettuce in my salad!

I didn't follow any of the measurements, I just kind of cut things up and covered the layers by eye based on the size of my dish. I put the measurements there just so you can have an idea of how much you'll actually need to purchase.

After posting a picture of this on Facebook, a friend said she'd made this but put crab in the mayonnaise. Sounds good to me! I also thought it would be good to try any variety of mayonnaise based dips for that layer.

1 medium iceberg lettuce (shredded)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 can (8 oz) water chestnuts (drained)
1 package (10 oz) frozen peas
2 cups mayonnaise
2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2-3/4 lb bacon, crisp cooked
3 hard cooked eggs (chopped)
2 medium sized tomatoes, wedged

• In 3-4 quart glass bowl, make layer of lettuce. Top with layer of onion, celery, water chestnuts, and peas.
• Spread with mayonnaise.
• Sprinkle with sugar, cheese, salt, and garlic powder.
• Cover and refrigerate over night.
• Before serving, crumble bacon onto salad, sprinkle with chopped eggs, and arrange tomato wedges around salad.

Burbon Pecan Pie

This is a recipe my mom has had and used forever. Looking at the printout she gave me, it says it was a winner of some pie contest back in the mid-late 90s. It was made by Nancy Neiss. It's always been one of my dad's favorites :D

While making this, I thought the mixture was pretty runny. I was assured that it was fine, and it did in fact turn out great :)

1 9-inch unbaked pie shell
3 large eggs
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 Tbsp bourbon
1 & 1/3 cups chopped pecans (large chop)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In medium sized bowl, beat eggs slightly. Add sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla, and bourbon. Stir until well blended. Stir in pecans and pour into unbaked pie shell.
• Cover edge of pie to prevent overbrowning. Bake for 25 minutes, remove shield from edge, and continue baking for another 25-30 minutes or more (until a knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean).

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

In my grandpa's old age, he's gotten really hard to buy for for holidays and birthdays. This year he said all he wants is sweets! Since I like to cook and bake, that works for me! I made him cookies :D

This recipe came in my most recent Food Network Magazine and I've been looking for a good oatmeal raisin recipe. I think they ended up over cooked a little, but they were still the best homemade recipe I've found!

1 & 1/4 cups rolled oats
3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp molasses
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup raisins

• Combine oats, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
• Beat the butter, sugar, and molasses in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy (about five minutes). Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth (about two more minutes).
• Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Stir in the raisins by hand. For the best flavor and texture, cover the dough and chill at least four hours (or overnight).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Form dough in to balls, about 2 tablespoons each.
• Bake until the cookies are golden, 15-17 minutes. Let cool five minutes on baking sheets, transfer to cooling racks and cool completely.
  
  

Butter Rolls

I decided to move these back up to the top to go with the rest of my Thanksgiving food since I took a picture of the actual finished product this time.

These are the best rolls you'll ever have. My brother used the phrase "buttery pieces of heaven" to describe them. Yeah... they're that good! We like to prepare these for holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter (or any other get together where we serve a big meal). They do take a little bit of time, but are totally worth it :) If you want to make them in larger batches you can freeze them and save for later to save some time.

2 - 1/4 packets of active dry yeast
1 cup sugar (divided)
2 cups warm water (100-110 degrees)
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 & 1/2 tsp salt
9 cups flour (give or take)

• Stir together yeast, 2 tbsp sugar, and 2 cups warm water in a glass measuring cup.
• Stir together yeast mixture, remaining sugar, and butter in a large bowl. Stir in egg and salt.
• Gradually stir in enough flour to make a soft dough.
• Cover with a damp towel and chill for 8 hours (over night works best). Divide the dough in to 4-6 equal portions. Turn each portion out on a lightly floured surface and roll in to a 14 inch circle.
• Melt butter as needed, and with a pastry brush spread it over the top of the rolled out dough. With a pizza cutter (or knife) cut each circle in to 8-12 wedges. Roll up each wedge, starting at the wide end.
• Place on baking sheets, covered, and let rise for two hours (or until doubled). You can also freeze the rolls before allowing them to rise. If you do this, just remove them from the freezer and allow them to thaw until they have risen to about double their size.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Just a couple extra tips... stuff I've learned from experience!!!

• The baking time can really vary depending on the oven and how big your rolls end up being. Mess with the time and temperature until you get them exactly how you like them. The best combination I've found is dividing the dough in to 6 portions, cutting in to 8 wedges, baking at 375 for 14 minutes.
• BE SURE the towel is wet, because you will get a dry crusty layer across the top if it's allowed to dry out. If this does happen, just kinda knead it together and any pull out any really hard chunks as you're rolling it out.
• It helps to get the dough out of the bowls if you spray it with a cooking spray before you put it in there.
• The dough is pretty tough to roll out when it's cold, so sometimes it helps to let it sit out for a while.
• If you're making more than one batch, it's easiest to make them one at a time.

Chicken with Lemon and Herbs

I got this recipe out of the amazing chicken cook book I got from Costco (well worth the purchase!!!) I didn't broil it, I just cooked it in the oven because I wanted it done while I was doing other stuff (so if yours doesn't look the same as the picture, that's why!). I loved how buttery and lemony this dish was... I think the only thing I would change is making the sauce a little thicker.

Note, I couldn't find fresh tarragon in the grocery store, so I didn't use any in my dish and it's not in the picture.

1/4 cup butter
2 spring onions, white part, finely chopped
1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
1 Tbsp chopped fresh fennel
Juice of 1 lemon
4 chicken thighs
Salt and ground black pepper
Lemon slices and herb sprigs, to garnish

• Preheat grill (broiler) to medium.
• In a small pan, melt the butter, then add the spring onions, herbs, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Brush the chicken generously with the herb mixture.
• Broil the chicken for 10-12 minutes, basting frequently with the herb mixture.
• Turn over, baste again, then cook for another 10 minutes (until juices run clear).
• Serve, garnished with lemon and herbs.

Stuffed Chicken

I got this recipe from my Bon Appetit magazine. The stuffing in this wasn't my favorite, but the rest of it was pretty darn good, so I decided it was worth sharing. I think part of it has to do with the fact that neither Michael nor I really like green olives. My dad, on the other hand, really liked everything about it. Next time I make it I'm simply going to remove the stuffing part of the recipe and make everything else the same (or maybe find a different recipe for the stuffing part).

Because it was raining pretty hard the day I made this, I really didn't want to go outside and do any grilling whatsoever. Instead, after preparing the chicken, dressing, and oranges I put the chicken and oranges in a 9 x 13 pan and poured the dressing over the top. I cooked it at 425 degrees for approximately 40 minutes (for breast).

Chicken/Stuffing
1 cup pitted brine-cured green olives
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large garlic clove, peeled
1-1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp finely grated orange peel
6 boneless chicken breast halves (with skin)

• Blend first five ingredients in mini processor until olives and garlic are chopped. Transfer to small bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Using fingertips, gently loosen skin on 1 chicken breast leaving one long side attached. Spread stuffing under the skin and pull skin flap back over to cover. Repeat with remaining chicken.
• Arrange chicken on large rimmed baking sheet (can be done 1 day ahead, cover and chill).

Dressing and Oranges
6 Tbsp orange juice
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 Tbsp finely grated orange peel
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped pitted brine-cured green olives
2 large unpeeled oranges, cut in to wedges

• Combine first four ingredients in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in oil then olives. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Transfer 3/4 cup dressing to small bowl and reserve for serving.
• Coat grill rack with nonstick spray and prepare on medium-high heat.
• Divide remaining dressing between two small cups. Drizzle chicken with dressing from 1 cup.
• Arrange orange wedges on sheet of foil, brush with dressing from second cup.
• Grill chicken until cooked through, drizzling with dressing from first cup and turning occasionally, about 12-14 minutes.
• Grill orange wedges until heated through and slightly charred, turning and brushing often with dressing from second cup, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer chicken and oranges to serving platter, serve with reserved dressing.

Beef Taco Skillet

This was a lot more plain than I thought it was going to be. If I had been thinking ahead, I would have prepared lettuce/spinach, tomatoes, olives, sour cream, chips, etc. to go along with it. It was pretty good and a different little spin on tacos :D

I'm also a firm believer that everything taco related should have taco seasoning on it, so even though the recipe doesn't call for it, I threw a package of seasoning in with the soup, salsa, water, and tortillas.

1 lb ground beef
1 can (10 & 3/4 oz) Campbell's tomato soup
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 water
6 flour tortillas (6") cut in to 1" pieces
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

• Cook beef in 10" skillet until well browned, pour off fat.
• Stir in soup, salsa, water, and tortillas.
• Heat to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for five minutes.
• Stir, top with cheese.