Sage Ciabatta Stuffing

I must apologize for the bad picture.  This was taken with my very dumb phone and didn’t get a better picture before it was gobbled up (both times I’ve made it).

I have never been fond of stuffing.  I have wanted to and always go into the Thanksgiving season with the intention that I like it and am excited to make it.  However, I am always disappointed after I eat it… it wasn’t as good as I thought it should be.  I’ve been searching for the perfect stuffing recipe and trying different variations.  I think I have found it!!  We all loved this recipe..and all who have tried it have liked it.  I found the basic recipe from thechew.com here.  I liked his idea, but as always, I like to make it my own, based on my family’s likes and tastes.  So, this is my version of the stuffing:

6 large square ciabatta rolls, cubed and dried in the oven at 250 degrees for 30 min.  Cook them on 2 cookie sheets and let them cool.

While the bread is cooking,  cook 1 lb sage flavored pork sausage until crispy (a little more done than you might think).  Remove from the pan.

In the drippings, saute a chopped onion and 3 cloves of minced garlic.  Add 3 or 4 stalkes of chopped celery to the pan.

Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Add 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tsp poultry seasoning

Chop up 1 bunch of Italian Parsley, put half into the pan and save 1/2 it  for a little later.

Pour cooled bread into a LARGE bowl that you can stir all the ingredients together.

Pour sausage mixture into it.  Shred 2 apples with a cheese grater and add to the mixture.  I don’t even peel the apple.

Add the rest of the parsley

Stir all together

Add 2- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth mixed with 1/2 cup butter.  Add as much as you like depending on how moist you like your stuffing.

Pour into a large roasting pan.  I like to use a very large one because I like my stuffing on the crispy side and the thicker it is, the more moist it will be.

Cook at 350 for 30 min covered with foil.  Remove the foil and cook longer if you like it crispy on top

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

I grew up on Pumpkin Chiffon pie rather than the traditional pumpkin pie (however, I love traditional pp, I don't think my mother did).  This is a very YUMMY pie  recipe and is SO EASY!!!

1 pie shell - you can use a graham cracker pie crust, shortbread crust, or a traditional pie crust.  I personally like it best in the traditional pie crust.

1 cup pumpkin (not the pumpkin pie mix)

1 Large instant vanilla pudding.

1/2 cup cold milk

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 8 oz cool whip

Mix pumpkin, pudding, milk and spice together until it is mixed thoroughly.  Fold in Cool Whip and put in crust.  Refridgerate for a few hours until firm.

Lemon Cloud Pie

This is our FAVORITE holiday pie.  You could make it anytime, but I usually only get around to it during the holidays.  I love LEMON stuff and this is a spectacular pie.  Just lemony enough and a great texture.  My kids fight over the last piece.

1 Pillsbury Pie Crust- cook for a 1 shell pie. (450 for 9-11 min)  I poke holes in the crust with a fork all along the bottom and up the sides.  Then I line the bottom of the uncooked crust with raw pinto beans to weigh the crust down so that it doesn't bubble up.  Then I  throw the bean away when I'm done cooking the crust.

Filling:

1 cup sugar

3 TBSP cornstarch

1 cup Water

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 egg yolks slightly beaten

4 oz cream cheese softened

lemon zest from 1 lemon

1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped

Combine sugar and cornstarch and mix well.  Add water, lemon juice and egg yolks.  Cook over medium heat until it boils, stirring constantly.  Boil 1 minute.  Add cream cheese and lemon peel, stirring until cream cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. Cool to room temp.  I usually stick it in the freezer to speed up the cooling time.  After the lemon mixture is cooled, add the whipped whipping cream and fold together.  Place in cooked and cooled pie shell and place in fridge for 6 hours or overnight.  Top with a dollop of whip cream and ENJOY!!

Pilgram Hats

This was a fun little kids treat to make for the Thanksgiving holiday.  I made the ones in this picture a few years ago.  I made some to take for Sharing Time at Church last Sunday and didn't get a picture of them. 

It's a Fudge Striped Cookie upside down.  Glue the Reeses Mini Peanut Butter Cup on upside down with yellow squirt can icing by putting the frosting around the bottom edge of the PB cup and placing it upside down on the cookie.  Make the buckle with a little more frosting and an Orange Tic Tac.  This time I didn't use an orange Tic Tac, I just used a circle of red icing.  The Tic Tacs are REALLY hard and sometimes kids crunch down on them expecting them to be candy- but they are harder than that- so this time I just used the red icing for the buckle.  I  didn't get a picture of them before they scarfed them up in Primary.

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie

THis is just a classic pumpkin pie recipe- the one that I really like.  I wanted to put it on my blog for my own recipe collection.  Soon I'm going to make this into a recipe book and so I wanted this one in for sure.

1 can pumpkin (not the pumpkin pie mix)

1 can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)

2 eggs

1tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 pie crust (I just use a Pillsbury rolled up pie crust- yes, I cheat)

Unroll and flute the pie crust.  Fill crust and bake at 425 for 15 min.  Reduce heat to 350 and cook for an additional 35-40 min or until center is firm yet soft.  Cool.

Egg Nog Bundt Cake

This is a super easy cake that looks very pretty finished. It flavor is so yummy! We love Egg Nog at our house and the girls look forward to "egg nog season" every year.

4 TBSP melted butter

1 pkg White or Yellow Cake Mix

1 1/2 cups Egg Nog

2 eggs

1 tsp Rum extract

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

Bake 350 for 40 min in greased bundt pan.

Glaze:

2 cups powder sugar

2 TBSP melted butter

3 TBSP Egg Nog (more if you like the glaze thinner)

1 tsp vanilla

a few shakes of nutmeg

( in the picture I followed the glaze exactly as the recipe and didn't make it any thinner- that should give you an idea of how thick the glaze turns out with 3 TBSP egg nog)

The cake tastes the best after it has cooled and been in the fridge for a while- it also cuts much easier if it's been in the fridge for a few hours. Store in the refridgerator.

Butter Pecan Fudge

This is one of our favorite Christmas Candies- an alternative to traditional Chocolate fudge. It's Butter Pecan Fudge (without the Pecan's in this picture). My kids are funny about nuts so I make some with nuts and some without.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup pecan halves, toasted, and coarsely chopped

In a heavy saucepan, combine the butter, sugars, cream and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly!!!! Boil for 5 minutes (set a timer and sit there and stir, stir, stir!!)
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Stir in the powdered sugar and nuts. Spread in a square baking pan and refridgerate until hard. Cut into squares.

Cookie Dough Truffles

Here is an easy Christmas Candy that your kids can help make, more importantly they are really yummy. As far as a dipping candy, these are the easiest ones I've ever made so that is a plus too.

Filling:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 can Sweetened Condensed milk
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 cup minature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (that is if your kids will eat nuts)

1 1/2 pounds chocolate candy coating for dipping

Cream butter, brown sugar until fluffy. Add flour, milk and vanilla- mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Shape into balls; place on waxed paper lined baking sheets and refrigerate for 1-2 hours until firm.

Melt the chocolate coating in batches in the microwave. If you've never dipped chocolates, melt it for 1 minute first and then 30 sec. intervals until it is smooth, stiring in between. Dip balls in and place on wax paper lined baking sheets. Refridgerate until hard. Store in air tight container in the fridge.

Happy Candy Making!!

Soft Gingersnap Cookies

I can't take credit for this recipe but I wanted to share it. My awesome friend Heather Wagstaff (who I have quoted the Texas Caviar recipe in here as well) gave me this recipe. My kids and Brady LOVE these cookies. They need NO adjustments from me- so here's the recipe. Thanks Heather!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wet Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter (a note on this- don't substitue margarine, they just don't turn out the same)

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

Dry Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp ginger

1 tsp Baking Soda

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp salt

Mix Wet ingredients together, mix dry ingredients together. Mix dry into the wet. Roll into balls, roll into sugar

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Do Not Overbake!!!