Williams Sonoma Brussel Sprouts

 Julie Hillyard’s Thanksgiving recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. (500 g) bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch (6-mm) batons
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced into rings
• 1 1/2 lb. (750 g) brussels sprouts, shredded
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, if needed
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbs. pine nuts, toasted
• Fresh nutmeg

Directions

In a large nonstick fry pan over medium heat, fry the bacon until most of the fat has rendered out, about 5 minutes. Add the shallot and continue cooking until the shallot is translucent and the bacon is crispy, about 5 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon and shallot to a small bowl and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.

Increase the heat to high, add the brussels sprouts to the pan and season with a pinch each of salt and pepper and nutmeg. Sear until the brussels sprouts are lightly browned, about 3 minutes, adding the olive oil to the pan if the pan seems dry. Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the lemon juice and cook until the brussels sprouts are tender but not mushy when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 5 to 7 minutes more. Remove from the heat and stir in the bacon and shallot. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Lemon Custard

 My mom’s recipe

My mom’s pumpkin bread

 Pumpkin Bread

 

2  1/2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, beaten

1  1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

3  1/2 cups unbleached flour

2 slightly rounded tsp. baking soda

2 cups or 1 can pumpkin

2/3 cups water

walnuts, chopped fine (shake in bag w a little flour first, then discard flour)

 

Place all ingredients except walnuts in large mixing bowl; mix w/ electric beater. Fold in walnuts gently. Place in 2  9-inch or 3 8-inch  large greased and floured loaf pans (not the small ones). Bake 1 hour to 70 minutes in a 350 oven. Test w/ a toothpick or knife, which, when inserted, should come out clean and dry. Cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap, then in foil and freeze. Tastes and slices best after being frozen. Serve w/ homemade, slightly sweetened whipped cream.

Creamy Italian Chicken

 Diana Teasdale’s recipe

Easy Italian Chicken

1 lb. chicken breast
1 brick cream cheese
½ cup milk
1 family size cream of chicken soup
1 pkg dry Italian salad dressing mix.

Cut up chicken. Put in slow cooker. Season with package of Italian dressing
mix. Cook about 5-6 hour. Add cream cheese, soup, and milk. Cook another hour. Serve over rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes 

Sweet Potato Casserole

 Jenn Walton’s recipe

SWEET POTATOES

3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes or yams (I have always used canned)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

Combine mashed sweet potatoes with sugar, eggs, vanilla, and butter; pour into buttered casserole.

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/6 cup flour

1/6 cup softened butter

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine brown sugar, flour, butter and nuts; sprinkle over sweet potato mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Giant Ginger Cookies

 Amanda Hanberg’s recipe

Giant Ginger Cookies

Chewy and delicious, these cookies are giants in

both size and snappy ginger flavor.

Prep: 20 minutes Bake: 11 minutes per batch

Oven: 350°F Makes: about 24 cookies

4½ cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons baking soda

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon salt

1½ cups shortening

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

½ cup molasses

¾ cup sugar

1. In a medium bowl stir together flour, ginger,

baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set

aside. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening

with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 sec-

onds. Add the 2 cups sugar. Beat until combined,

scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs

and molasses until combined. Beat in as much of

the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir

in any remaining flour mixture.

2. Shape dough into 2-inch balls using

a

¼-cup measure or scoop. Roll balls in the ¾ cup

sugar. Place 2½ inches apart on an ungreased

cookie sheet.

3. Bake in a 350° oven for 11 to 13 minutes or

until bottoms are lightly browned and tops are

puffed (do not overbake). Cool on cookie sheet

2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Nutrition Facts per cookie: 306 cal., 13 g total fat (3 g sat. fat),

18 mg chol., 138 mg sodium, 45 g carbo., 1 g fiber, 3 g pro.

Daily Values: 1% vit. A, 1% vit. C, 3% calcium, 10% iron

Exchanges: 3 Other Carbo., 2½ Fat

Ginger Cookies: Prepare as above, except shape

dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place

1½ inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake in a 350° oven for 8 to 9 minutes or until

bottoms are lightly browned and tops are puffed

(do not overbake). Cool on cookie sheet for

1 minute. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Makes about 120 cookies.

Best Easy Caramel Popcorn

 Ingredients

•

13 to 16 cups popcorn, lightly salted (I just used

skinny pop to make it easier)

1 cup butter

16 ounce mini marshmallows

•

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

Optional: 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

(1) Pour popcorn into a large bowl.

2 Melt butter and marshmallows in a large pan over

medium-low heat.

3

Once the butter is melted, stir in brown sugar until

it is dissolved (only about 1 minute). Then remove

from heat and add vanilla if desired. Pour over the

bowl of popcorn. Stir until the popcorn is

completely coated. Add more popcorn until

desired texture is reached.

1 bag popped popcorn any flavor works

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp light corn syrup

20 large marshmallows

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pop popcorn and place in a bowl making sure

there are no un-popped kernels there.

2. Melt butter in a medium pot on the oven. Add

brown sugar and corn syrup until well

blended. Add marshmallows and stir continuously

on low heat until all melted.

3. Pour mixture over popcorn and mix well. Spread

popcorn on parchment paper or put in greased

baking sheet and let set up.

Best Zuppa Toscana

 1 chopped onion, sautéed 

I package sautéed Johnson’s Mild Italian Sausage 

Half package kale or spinach 

5 cups chicken broth

1 cup cream

Chopped Potatoes (optional)

Best Broccoli Cheese Soup

 

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter , sliced
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 5 cups small diced broccoli florets*
• 1/8 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 12 oz sharp cheddar cheese , freshly shredded (or more to taste)
• 2 oz parmesan cheese , freshly & finely shredded

Instructions

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until they begin to soften, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add garlic, flour and season lightly with salt and pepper then cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. While whisking, slowly pour in evaporated milk (whisk well to smooth).
• Cook mixture, stirring constantly until it begins to thicken then pour into a slow cooker along with chicken broth, diced broccoli and thyme. Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 5 - 6 hours.
• Turn heat to warm (or off) and stir in heavy cream, then add in shredded cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese and stir to blend. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.
• *From about 20 oz broccoli crowns, large stems cut off and discarded (or reserved for another use), florets diced into small pieces.

Michelle Conover’s Pumpkin Cookies

 Pumpkin Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup canned pumpkin

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter softened

• 8 oz cream cheese softened

• 3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set

aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 1 minute. Add

sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice and beat until well

combined.

3. Add one egg and the vanilla then beat well, until yellow streaks are gone. Add the pumpkin

pure and beat again until it's incorporated. Finally, add the flour and beat on medium speed

until completely incorporated. Watch the video to see instructions on how to properly

measure flour. The dough will be wet, this is what you want!

Christmas Eve Hot Chocolate

 Our tradition is to make this every Christmas Eve and drink it in our matching Santa mugs while watching The Grinch. Putting this here because I lose everything including every recipe but I still check this blog for my old recipes. 

6 cups milk

1.5 cups cream

1 can sweetened condensed milk (14oz)

1 package (2 C) chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla