Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust 
1 3/4 cups of graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cimmamon
1 stick melted butter

Filling
3 8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 15 ounce of pumpkin pureed
3 eggs and 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 ground cloves
2 tablespoons of flour
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees 
Crust:
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon, add melted butter, press down into a 9-inch springform pan, then set to one side

For filling:
Beat cream cheese until nice and smooth, add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and all spices.  Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well mixed together.

Pour into crust and spread evenly and place in oven.

Bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 5hours.

HolidayTiramisu Bowl

1 pkg.  (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened

3 cups  cold milk

2 pkg.  (3.4 oz. each) Jello Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1 tub  (8 oz.) Cool whip Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

 48 Nilla Wafer

1/2 cup  brewed strong  Coffee, cooled

2 squares  Bakers Semi-Sweet Chocolate, coarsely grated

1cup  fresh raspberries or strawberries

 Beat cream cheese in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Beat in milk and dry pudding mixes.  Stir in 2 cups cool whip. 

Line 2-1/2-qt. bowl with 24 wafers; drizzle with 1/4 cup coffee. Top with half each of the pudding mixture and chocolate. Repeat all layers. Top with remaining Cool whip  and raspberries or strawberries. Refrigerate 2 hours.

 

Brown Sugar glazed Carrots

• 1 pound of baby carrots
  1/4 cup orange juice
  4 tablespoons of dark brown sugar
  4 Tablespoons of sugar
  1/4 teaspoon of salt (optional)
  
  
  
  
  Place carrots in saucepan, and cover with water. Boil until tender. Drain, and return carrots to sauce pan.  Pour orange juice over carrots, and mix well. Simmer over medium heat for about 5 minute, now fold in brown sugar and  butter, salt optional, 
  
  
  Once tender, remove from heat and then refrigerate. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Holiday Rum Balls

1 cup of your favorite vanilla wafers
1 cup of confectioners sugar
1 1/2 cups of chopped pecans
2 tablespoons of cocoa
2 tablespoons of light corn syrup
1/4 cup of rum
1/2 cup granulated sugar


Combine well crushed wafers, confectioners sugar, 1 cup pecans, and cocoa, add corn syrup to the mixture, and rum and mix really well

Shape into i-inch balls, roll half in granulated sugar and remainder of 1/2 cup chopped pecans.

Store in refrigerator in an airtight tin.

Broccoli Casserole

 1 pkg. Stove  top Stuffing Mix for Chicken

2  pkg.  (10 oz. each) frozen broccoli florets, thawed, drained

1 can  (10-3/4 oz.) Campbells condensed cream of mushroom soup

 1 cup  Cheese Dip

Preheat oven to 350

Make the stove top stuffing as noted on package, use 3 tablespoons of butter. Mix in broccoli florets, condensed cream of mushroom soup and cheese dip into a 2 quart casserole dish that has been treated with cooking spray, top with the stuffing mix and then bake for 30 minutes.

I use stove top mix for many of my own dishes, I love it in meatloaf as well and add it instead of breadcrumbs.

 

Corn bread

5 tablespoons of butter (I use unsalted)
Butter for coating you baking pan
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of buttermilk (always shake your buttermilk before using in any recipe)
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and make sure you move your rake to the middle of your oven.  Coat an 8 inch square baking pan with butter.

Melt 5 tablespoons of butter either on stove or in microwave, do not burn butter, then set to one side for cooling

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, and cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a second bowl whisk together the buttermilk and eggs, add your melted butter.  Add your flour and cornmeal mixture and stir until it is well mixed together.

Pour the batter into the coated 8 inch square baking pan.  Bake your 20-25 cornbread until it begins to golden brown.  Serve hot from the oven or cooled. 

Check your cornbread by inserting a toothpick in the center, when it comes out clean its done

Baked mashed Potatoes

• 5 pounds Yukon gold or Russet potatoes
• 1 1/2 sticks softened butter salt free
• 1 1/2 (8-ounce) of  cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup of  half-and-half
• 1/2 cup light cream
•  Black ground pepper
• Salt optional

Preheat you  oven at 350
Peel the potatoes and rinse in cold water. Cut the potatoes in fourths lengths and place potatoes into a large pot, cover with water and boil over medium heat, bringing to a boil cooking until fork tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Drain the potatoes in collender, and then turn them back into the pan. Turn to low heat, mash the potatoes with a potato masher; notice that steam is being released while you mash for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from stove and add the butter, cream cheese and half and half, then sprinkle in remaining seasonings.  Stir well, if mashed potatoes is stiff, add some milk to thin it, also check your potatoes and season as needed

Fold the mashed potatoes into a buttered  serving dish.  Cover the mashed potatoes with foil and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, remove the foil baking another 10 minutes.  Serve hot from oven to table.
Pour the mashed potatoes into a large casserole pan. Dot the surface with butter.

Maria's Cranberry Sauce

1 12 ounce bag of fresh cranberries
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup of water or 1 cup of orange juice

Combine water and granulated sugar in a medium saucepan in medium heat.  Bring these ingredients to a boil, add cranberries, and continue to let boil.  Reduce the heat to low and boil slowly for 10-15 minutes. Watch and stir occasionally.  Cover and cool completely at room temperature.


Refrigerate until ready to serve

Vegetable Noodle Soup

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions chopped
4 carrots slice 1 inch thick rounds
2 sticks of celery cut 1 inch thick slices
1 small can of peas
1 1/2 quarts of chicken low sodium or you can use homemade stock
1-15 ounce can of diced tomatoes including juice
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1/2 pound of peeled and cut potatoes about 1/2 inch dice/slice
1/2 pound of washed green beans snapped in half
1/2 teaspoon of salt (optional)
1 cup of egg noodles (use fine ones)
1/3 cup of fresh parsley

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat, add the onions, carrots and celery, peas and cook, stir occasionally until the vegetable start to soften cooking for about 15 minutes.  Slowly stir in the chicken broth, diced tomato, tomato paste, potatoes, green beans and salt and parsely.

Bring all ingredients to a slow boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, cover half way and cook until the vegetables are almost tender about 25 minutes.  Stir in the egg noodles, and keep at a simmer and cook until veggies  and the noodles are tender  cook for 5-10 minutes.

You can also add other veggie that you may like instead of the once above such as cabbage, turnips, peas, Zucchini, squash, corn  Lima beans and sliced bell peppers.

Shepherds Pie

• 1 1/2 lbs ground round beef
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1-2 cups vegetables see veggies below
• chopped carrots, corn and peas
• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs potatoes (4 big potatoes)
• 1 stick of unsalted butter 
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice

  Peel, wash cut  potatoes in fours, boil about 25 minutes in water

  While the potatoes cook, melt 4 Tablespoons butter in a large skillet

Sauté  chopped onion in butter, until tender and golden, over medium heat, then  add ground beef in with the onions, cooking until the beef is no longer pink in color, now add you salt and pepper, pour 1/2 cup of beef broth.  Cook over low heat for 15 minutes uncovered.  If you feel you need more beef broth, add it to keep moist.  Now mix in all your veggies, carrots, corn and peas, making sure to mix together well and cook for another 10 minutes

Once your potatoes are cooked. mash and add the remaining butter, season to taste as you like with salt and pepper.

Place you beef and veggie mixture into a deep baking dish spreading evenly.  Now spread your mashed potatoes over the top, leaving little mounds or peaks that will become golden brown in color.

Cook at 375 degree oven until you can see bubbling around the edge of baking dish and golden brown for about 30-45 minutes. This serves 4/    Make a salad, and toast some Italian bread go go with it and enjoy!








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Carrot Cake

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of salt
2 cups of granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups Crisco vegetable oil
4 medium size eggs
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup of raisins (optional)

Combine the first five  dry ingredients

In another bowl, mix the sugar, oil, eggs, carrots, and walnuts/raisins well.
Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix really well.

Turn batter into a greased tube pan 9" x 13" pan or 2 loaf pans.

Bake at 350 for about an hour -- stick in a fork or toothpick to check that its cooked.  The pick should come out clean.

To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped walnuts optional. Frost cake only after it is cooled  This makes enough frosting for a  9x13 inch cake

8 ounces of cream cheese
4 cups of confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Slow Cooked Apple Cranberry Cider

4 cinnamon sticks (3 inches) broken up
1 teaspoon of whole cloves
2 quarts of apple cider (Apple juice can be used)
3 cups cranberry juice
3 Tablespoons of brown sugar


Place the cinnamon sticks in a double thick cheesecloth, wrap well and tie with a string. (Make it into a bag)
In a 5 quart slow cooker(crock pot), mix liquids together, the cider, cranberry juice and brown sugar then add you bag of cinnamon.  Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until the cider reaches a nice hot temperature.  After heated remove the bad of cinnamon.

Italian Shepherd's Pie (In Crock Pot)

 

1 pound of ground Italian sausage

6 potatoes ( cooked and mashed) you can also use 1pkge of ready made potatoes. 

2 cups of frozen peas, carrots and corn

1 jar of you favorite brown gravy (I like the one with onions)

 

In a large skillet over medium heat cook Italian sausage till brown, drain the oil from it if any, and then place in slow cooker, added all your veggies and cover over with mashed potatoes then pour the jar of brown gravy over the potatoes. 

 

Cover and cook in crock pot for 4-6 hours. Makes a serving of 6

Cook potatoes in boiling water once cooked and soft, season then add  6 tablespoons of unsalted butter and mash add no milk.