Month: November 2015

Posted in potatoes, side dish, Thanksgiving

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes – Countdown to Thanksgiving

Posted on by traci
Countdown to Thanksgiving

My mother-in-law usually makes the mashed potatoes for family meals. In recent months, I’ve made them 3 times for our Sunday dinners. During those 3 times, I’ve made the potatoes too smooth, too lumpy, and then just right. Just like the Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

This is the recipe for the just right mashed potatoes.

(I used Yukon gold potatoes for the mashed potatoes. I highly recommend them. Yum!)

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes #1

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Adapted from the Yummy Life

Stars of the recipe:

  • 5 lbs. Yukon gold  or russet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1 1-inch cubes
  • 2 c. water
  • 1 c. chicken broth (I used another cup of water and used a tsp. of better than bullion instead.)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 (12 oz.) can of evaporated milk
  • 6 oz. cream cheese softened
  • 8 oz. sour cream

Steps:

  1. Soak the peeled and cubed potatoes for 30 minutes or longer. This helps avoid gluey potatoes. (You could also prep the potatoes the day before.)  Drain and rinse the potatoes before putting them in the crock.
  2. Spray your crock and then add the potatoes, water, and broth.
  3. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or until fork tender.
  4. Drain the potatoes and then place them back in the crock.
  5. Add the salt, pepper, and butter. Using an electric mixer or potato masher, mash the potatoes.
  6. Add the milk, sour cream, and cream cheese. Mash until desired consistency.
  7. Serve immediately or keep in the slow cooker on keeping warm for up to 2 hours.

I made mine and served some for dinner. Then I took the rest and put it into the freezer for future meals. Each freezer bag has about 2 c. of the mashed potatoes.

Posted in countdown to Thanksgiving, Dessert, Pumpkin

Pumpkin Pie Sheet Cake – Countdown to Thanksgiving

Posted on by traci
Countdown to Thanksgiving

I’ve been told stories of my grandpa and Uncle Corky loving pumpkin pies so much that their mom would bake extra pies just for them. Know-it-All is also a lover of pumpkin pies. He can eat them during the whole entire year, not just in the fall.

This cake is the best of both worlds. It’s not just a pie. It also has a cake-like crust. Yum! Serve it with homemade whipped cream spiced with pumpkin pie spice. Extra yum!

Pumpkin Pie Sheet Cake

Pumpkin Pie Sheet Cake

Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Stars of the recipe:

Crust:

  • 2/3 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2  tsp. salt
  • 1/2 c. butter (1 stick), melted (I usually place the butter in a microwave for a minute.)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 lrg. Egg (Poke the egg yolk with a fork.)

Filling:

  • 2 lrg. eggs
  • 3/4 c. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin
  • 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk or 1 c. heavy whipping cream

Steps:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Prepare the crust by mixing the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour the melted butter, vanilla, and egg. Stir to combine.
  3. Press the dough into the bottom of a lightly greased 9 by 13 in. baking pan.
  4. Prepare the filling:  Using the same bowl (make sure there are no dough clumps left in the bowl), whisk the eggs until light and creamy. Stir in the sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin until combined. Stir in the evaporated milk or cream.
  5. Pour over the crust.
  6. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle comes clean.
  7. Cool completely.
  8. Serve with whipped cream.

Keep it in the fridge.

Happy eating,
Traci

Posted in side dish, slow cooker, sweet potatoes, Thanksgiving

Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole – Countdown to Thanksgiving

Posted on by traci

My grandma used to make a sweet potato casserole like this one.  In fact, this is one recipe she sent me when I was down in Walt Disney World in my College Program.

Then when I married Hubby, his dad would make this sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving.

As you can see, this casserole has a lot of memories attached to it.  So when it was time to think about what I would make for Thanksgiving, I knew I needed to find a crockpot recipe similar to the casseroles my grandma and father-in-law would make.

This one is one that I’m going to serve for Thanksgiving.  Speaking of Thanksgiving, this is the first year we will host the Thanksgiving dinner.  Last year I did most of the cooking, but we had it over at my mother-in-law’s house.  This year it is going to be at our house.  Argh!  The problem is we keep inviting people to our little house.  So far we are up to either 11 or 12 if everyone comes.  That may not seem like much, but if we get any more, we will have to relocate to my mother-in-law’s since she has a little more room.

 Sweet Potato CasseroleCrockpot Sweet Potato Casserole

Adapted from Recipes that Crock

Stars of the recipe:

  • 2 (40 oz) cans of sweet potatoes, drained
  • 1/3 c. plus 2 Tbsp. butter, melted and divided
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1/3 c. plus 2 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed and divided
  • 1 Tbsp. orange juice
  • 2 eggs, beaten (Poke the yolks first – It’s easier to beat it after you poke the yolks.)
  • 1/2 c. milk
  • 1/3 c. chopped pecans
  • 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

Steps:

  1. Spray your crock with cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, mash the sweet potatoes.
  3. Add 1/3 c. melted butter, 2 Tbsp. Sugar, and 2 Tbsp. Brown sugar.  Mix until well combined.
  4. Add orange juice, eggs, and milk.  Beat until combined.
  5. Place the sweet potato mixture in the crock.
  6. In the bowl you used, combine the 2 Tbsp. Melted butter, 1/3 c. brown sugar, 1/3 c. chopped pecans, and all-purpose flour.
  7. Spread the pecan mixture over the sweet potato mixture.
  8. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours.

I used a crockpot casserole dish for this recipe.

Happy Eating,
Traci

Posted in christmas making and baking, DIY, Drinks

Homemade Hot Chocolate – Christmas Making and Baking

Posted on by traci

This is our family’s newest favorite hot chocolate.  The boys drink it with marshmallows or my homemade whipped cream.  The Imaginative One also loves to sprinkle cinnamon on his hot chocolate.

I’m sure you will love this hot chocolate as much as my family.

Hot Chocolate MixHomemade Hot Chocolate

adapted from Add a Pinch

Stars of the recipe:

  • 3 1/2 c. sugar
  • 2 1/4 c. cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp. salt

Steps:

  1. Combine all ingredients in an air tight container.

To prepare the hot chocolate:

  1. Pour 1 cup of milk into a mug.
  2. Add 2 Tbsp. of the mix.  Stir.
  3. Microwave for 45 seconds.  Stir.
  4. Microwave for 45 more seconds.  Stir.
  5. Enjoy!

We like it with homemade whipped cream and marshmallows.

To make it for a Christmas present:

Place 10 Tbsp. of the mix and 1/2 c. mini marshmallows in a bag with directions on how to prepare the mix.

Happy eating,
Traci

Posted in Bread and muffins, countdown to Thanksgiving

Pull Apart Dinner Rolls – Countdown to Thanksgiving

Posted on by traci

I’ve made these rolls twice.  They are fairly easy to make with the use of a bread machine.

People love the fluffiness of the rolls.  They also love the deliciousness of these rolls.

These would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving table or for Sunday night dinner.

Pull Apart Rolls

Pull Apart Dinner Rolls

Stars of the Recipe:

  • 1 c. lukewarm water
  • 2 Tbsp. softened butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 c. sugar
  • 3 1/4 c. BREAD flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 3 tsp. yeast

Steps:

  1. Always add the wet ingredients to the bread pan first.  This is, so the yeast is away from the liquid before the kneading begins.
  2. Place the ingredients in the pan in this order:
    1. butter
    2. egg
    3. water
    4. sugar
    5. flour (cover ALL of the wet ingredients)
    6. yeast (Create a shallow well in the center of the bread flour – Place the yeast in that well.)
    7. salt (Sprinkle around the sides of the pan but NOT over the yeast.)
  3. Set your bread machine to the dough cycle.  Periodically check on your dough.  Add a tablespoon of water at a time if the dough looks dry.
  4. Once the dough is finished, place the dough on a lightly floured surface.
  5. Cut the dough in half and then again in half until you get roll-sized dough pieces.  (14 pieces)
  6. Tuck each piece into a round ball.  Place in a sprayed round cake pan so that they are touching.  (I get 14 in a cake pan.)
  7. Allow to rise for another 1/2 hour in a warm place.
  8. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.
  9. While they are still warm, rub a stick of butter on them.
  10. Enjoy!
Posted in breakfast, countdown to Thanksgiving, Pumpkin

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese – Countdown to Thanksgiving

Posted on by traci

I have an app called Timehop.  When I was looking at my Timehop for Sunday, I found a recipe I had posted a recipe for Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese.  I had 3 of the necessary ingredients already.  When the Imaginative One and I went to the store, we got the final ingredient.

This cream cheese would be great for a simple Thanksgiving breakfast.

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese #2Pumpkin spice cream cheese

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1 (8 oz) container of whipped cream cheese
  • 1/4 c. brown sugar
  • 1/4 c. pumpkin puree
  • 2 -3 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon

Steps:

  1. Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  2. Mix all ingredients well combined using a hand or stand mixer.
  3. Enjoy!

I had mine on a plain bagel.  Yum!

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese

Happy eating,
Traci

This is linked to Whimsy Wednesdays.

Posted in Menu planning, slow cooker

Menu Plan Monday – November 9, 2015

Posted on by traci
Menu Plan Monday

The weather has changed in our area.  It’s gotten cooler, so we will have soup three times this week.

Three of the meals are going to use bulk cooked hamburger.  Having already cooked hamburger helps with assuring we have delicious meals for dinner.

On Saturday, I found a ham on sale for $1.19 a pound.  Since it was such a good price, I bought one and cooked it in the crock pot for our Sunday night dinner.  I used part of the ham and one of the bones for our split pea soup.  Yum!  Hubby looked at the soup and said, “There is a lot of meat in here.”  He was one happy man.  We still have a lot of the ham for him to eat for lunch.

Onto the menu:

Monday – Split pea soup and homemade rolls

Tuesday – Spaghetti and cheddar bay rolls

Wednesday – Vegetable beef soup and leleftoverheddar bay rolls

Thursday – Pulled pork sandwiches (freezer) and homemade French fries

Friday – Skyline chili over leftover spaghetti noodles and homemade white bread

Printable Version

What is on your menu this week?

Happy eating,

Traci

Posted in countdown to Thanksgiving, weekly ramblings

Weekly Ramblings – November 8, 2015

Posted on by traci

I usually do the weekly ramblings on Saturdays.  This week I’ve decided to do this blog post on Saturdays.

This week I’ve posted three recipes for the Countdown for Thanksgiving series.

Countdown to Thanksgiving
  1.  Creamy Mac and Cheese is a new favorite of ours.  It’s a delicious side dish or a main dish for a meatless Monday.
  2. Creamy Fruit Salad is a favorite of mine.  It’s my own version of a salad from a local meat market.
  3. Makes It’s Own Gravy Turkey Breast and Easy Gravy is the main dish my mother-in-law raved about for a week after I served it to her.
Creamy Mac and Cheese #2
Landes Meats Creamy Fruit Salad
Makes It Own Gravy Turkey Breast (Pics deleted by accident)
Makes It Own Gravy Turkey Breast (Pics deleted by accident.)

I also reposted my Aunt Janet’s Pecan Cookies this week.

My Aunt Janet's Pecan Cookies

The boys and I have started what the Imaginative One calls the proto-types of Christmas baking.  On Friday night, we made peanut butter blossoms.  The batch is almost gone because it’s one cookie we can’t stop at one.

Yesterday Wee One and I tried out a candy recipe.  It’s an easy two-ingredient recipe.  The candy is also delicious.

On my Timewarp today, I found a recipe I posted 6 years ago for pumpkin spice cream cheese.  After church today, I went and got the missing ingredient for the recipe.  I had 3 of the 4 ingredients at the house.  I will post the recipe later this week.  It’s absolutely delicious.

This morning I also made Honey Vanilla Creamer for my coffee.  It’s absolutely delicious.  It’s another recipe I’ll share in the next couple of weeks.

I haven’t forgotten my promise of a giveaway after the 31-day challenge.  The giveaway prize has been bought.  However, I will delay the challenge until after the holiday mailing season.  The giveaway will be in January.

I’ll see you tomorrow with our weekly menu!

Happy eating,

Traci