Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

3/4 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
Whipped Cream, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven 325.
Spray pan or lightly grease.
Prepare filling by mixing all ingredients except the whip cream.
Pour into 9 inch round pie dish.
Bake 325 55 minutes.

Butternut Squash Bisque

Butternut Squash Bisque

Ingredients

1 Medium butternut squash
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 leek
3/4 cups diced carrots
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary
3 Cups vegetable stock
3/4 cup cream or milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Ground nutmeg to taste

Instructions

1. Peel squash and remove seeds. Cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
2. Cook leeks, carrot and rosemary in oil until leek begins to brown.
3. Add squash, stock and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Turn off heat and let soup cool slightly, about 8 minutes.
5. Blend the soup.  Use a standard immersion blender if possible. If not, be careful as you blend it in a standard blender in small batches to prevent spillage.
6. When ready to serve, add milk, salt, and pepper, stir well. Adjust seasoning to taste.

French Bread

French Bread

  Ingredients

2 1/2 Cups warm water
1/4 Cup sugar
1 Tablespoon dry yeast
6 Cups flour
1 Tablespoon salt
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
Egg Wash: 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 Tablespoon water
Toasted Sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together sugar, yeast, and water. Set aside. Cover and let set for five minutes until yeast is foamy.
2. Using an electric mixer with a dough hook, add 3 Cups flour and salt to the yeast mixture.
3. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Gradually add the remaining 3 cups of flour. Add the olive oil and increase speed until dough clings to the hook and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Uncover and punch down, knead a minute and let rise. REapeat this process a few times over the course of an hour.
5. Divide dough into two equal portions. Roll out to 1/2 inch deep.
6. Roll in the edges like a jelly roll. With a sharp knife, make three slits along the top of the loaves.
7. Cover and let rise until double in size.
8. Preheat oven to 350.
9. With a pastry brush, brush eggs wash onto dough and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan-Gingersnap Crust

Crust:

1 3/4 cup gingersnap crumbs (about 30 small cookies)

6 T butter, melted

3 T brown sugar

3/4 cup ground pecans

Filling:

3 - 8oz blocks of cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

6 oz melted white chocolate (about 1 cup white chocolate chips)

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 t vanilla

1/4 t nutmeg

1 1/2 t cinnamon

1/8 t cloves

Topping:

- fresh whipped cream

- toasted pecans

-caramel sauce, either homemade or store bought

Preheat oven to 350.  Using 2 large pieces of heavy duty foil, securely wrap the bottom and outside of your cheesecake pan.  This will prevent leaks when using a water bath.

For the crust:

Using a food processor, crush the gingersnaps.  Next do the pecans.  Combine these together in a bowl and add brown sugar and butter.  Stir well and then press into a 9 inch spring form pan.  Evenly spread across the bottom and up 1 inch on the sides. Set aside.

For the filling:

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave, being careful not to let it seize.  In a double boiler, heat over the lowest setting and stir constantly.  In a microwave, heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth.  Set aside.  

With an electric mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Add the eggs, one at a time.  Next add the pumpkin, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves.

With the mixer running, slowly add the white chocolate in steady globs.  Once this is all incorporated, pour the mixture over the crust.

For the water bath:

Place the cheesecake pan inside a larger pan, like a roasting pan.  The larger pan should be at least 2-3 inches in depth.  Place in a preheated oven .  With a kettle or pitcher, pour hot water into the larger pan until the water is half way up the side of the cheesecake pan (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches).  

Bake for 60-75 minutes or until set.  The center should be just a tad bit jiggly, it will finish cooking as it cools.

When it is done, remove from the water and cool completely on a wire rack.  Once it is cool refrigerate for at least 12 hours.  This cheesecake is very soft, so sufficient chilling is a must!

When ready to serve spread the fresh whipped cream over the top, drizzle with caramel and top with pecans.

Source: Kadie Duffy

Hick Family Orange Rolls

Hick Family Orange Rolls

2 packages dry yeast
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
2 t salt
3 eggs
4 1/2 cups flour
1 orange rind grated
1/2 cup sugar
6 T butter, melted

Soften yeast in 1 1/4 cups warm water and 1 T sugar.  Shortening should be melted and cooled. Use mixer to mix ingredients. Cream sugar with shortening.  Add salt and eggs. Then add the flour and yeast water. Let dough rise for 1 hour. Punch down and put in a large bowl, cover. Divide into 3 sections.  Roll into rectangles.  Mix filling: orange rind, 1/2 cup sugar and butter.  Put filling over.  Roll and cut into circles with string.  Place in greased muffin pan.  Bake at 400 for 4-6 minutes.

Source: Amy Hick

Rolls

Rolls

2 cups luke warm water
2 T yeast
2 T sugar
2 sticks butter, melted and cooled
6 eggs
1 1/2 t salt
1 cup sugar
10 cups flour

Mix and then let rest water, yeast and 2 T sugar.  Mix butter and eggs with whisk and then add to yeast mixture.  Add salt, remaining 1 cup of sugar, and flour.

Mix and knead 10 minutes.  Fold into greased large bowl. Let rise for 2-3 hours.  Punch down and refrigerate overnight.  Dough can last in the fridge for up to 1 week. Cut dough into 4 equal sections.  Roll each section into large circles.  Brush with melted butter.  I use a pizza knife and cut into about 12-16 triangles.  Roll up like crescent rolls. Place on greased cookie sheet.  Let rise for 3 hours, covered with light kitchen towels.  Cook for 10 minutes at 400.  Brush with butter.

Source: Amy Hick

Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken Burritos

Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken Burritos

3 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (can be frozen)

1 cup salsa

2 T taco seasoning

1 cup frozen 3 pepper and onion mix (from Kroger)

1 can corn

1 can black beans

sour cream

mexican cheese blend

cilantro (optional)

flour tortillas

Place the chicken in a slow-cooker. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the chicken and then layer the salsa and vegetables on top. set on low and cook for 6-8 hours.  The meat is cooked when it shreds. When ready to serve, shred the chicken with two forks.  Fill flour tortillas with meat, sour cream, cheese and cilantro, if using.  Can also be served over rice.

Source: Julie Donohue

Cherry Fruit Salad

Cherry Fruit Salad

1 small can mandarin oranges
1 large can crushed pineapple
1 can cherry pie filling
1 can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1- 9oz container cool whip
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup pecans

Drain the pineapple and mandarin oranges.  Mix together the chilled sweetened condensed milk and cool whip. Then fold all ingredients together.

Source: Julie Donohue

Lemon Fusili Pasta with Spinach

Lemon Fusili Pasta with Spinach

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp minced garlic

2 cups heavy cream

2 lemons

salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 pound dried fusili pasta (or rotini)

1/2 pound baby arugula or spinach or a mix of the two- arugula is a bit bitter but adds a nice bite

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved ( I like more - like a pint and a half or two)

Directions:

heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook for 60 seconds.  Add the cream, the zest from 2 lemons, the juice of 2 lemons, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until it starts to thicken.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 Tbsp of salt and pasta, and cook according to the directions on the package.  Drain the pasta in the colander and place it back into the pot.  Immediately add the cream mixture and cook it over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until most of the sauce has been absorbed into the pasta.  Pour the hot pasta into a large bowl, add the spinach, parmesan, and tomatoes.

Toss well, season to taste and serve hot.

Great served with grilled chicken breast and grilled asparagus.

Source: Liz Blaser

Blueberry French Toast Bake

Blueberry French Toast Bake

Ingredients You Need

• 8 Slices of Texas Toast, cut into cubes
• 4 Ounces of Cream Cheese
• 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 Cup Fresh Blueberries
• 1 Cup Milk
• 4 Eggs
• 2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
• 1/4 Cup Maple Syrup

Step 1 – Spread the cubed Texas Toast into the bottom of an 8×8 greased baking dish.

Step 2 – Cut up the 4 ounces of cream cheese into small pieces

Step 3 – Sprinkle the blueberries around over the Texas toast

Step 4 – Mix together the milk, powdered sugar, eggs, cinnamon and maple syrup in a medium bowl

Step 5 – Pour the egg mixture over the Texas toast and blueberries.

Step 6 – Cover the the baking dish with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Step 7 – Bake at 350 degrees covered for 45 minutes, uncover and bake for another 20 minutes.

Step 8 – Top with the homemade blueberry syrup and enjoy!

How to make Blueberry Syrup

Ingredients You Need

 5 Cups of Blueberries

1 Cup of Water

1 Cup of Sugar

2 Tablespoons of Corn Starch

Instructions

Step 1 -  In a small saucepan, combine cold water, corn starch and sugar. Heat mixture and bring to a simmer.

Step 2 – Add blueberries and continue simmering for 10 minutes

Source: Debra Bastian (via Carol Palazzo)