Shonk's Green Bean Casserole

 

Makes one large 8 x 10 pan big enough for leftovers

Can half recipe if serving a smaller group

2 cans (10 1/2 oz) Campbell's Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 C milk

2 tsp soy sauce

dash of black pepper

8 cups cooked cut green beans (I like French cut beans from the freezer section)

2 containers French's French Fried Onions

about 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional but makes it yum!)

Step 1:  Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, thawed green beans and cheese in an 8x10 casserole dish.  Cover with aluminum foil.  

Step 2: Bake at 350 degrees for 40ish minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling.  If halving the recipe, only 25ish minutes are needed for baking.  

Step 3: Uncover.  Add second container of French Fried Onions on top.  Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.  

Recipe source: Campbells.com

Michelle W's Pecan Pie

Best ever pecan pie and that is saying something because I make my own every year.  This version had the right amount of everything.  Just perfect!

Combine:
1 c dark corn syrup
3 eggs
1 c sugar
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla

Then mix in:
1 1/2 c pecans

Pour into pie crust

Bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes.

Recipe Source:  my friend Michelle W.

Michelle W's Pie Crust

This was the best pie crust I have ever had!  I have never made a successful pie crust so I will need to try this at Thanksgiving time.  Lucky for me she was willing to share.


For a SINGLE PIE CRUST:
-Can double the recipe for 2 single pie crusts.


1 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c lard
1 tbsp room temperature butter
-(optional, she accidentally left it out of the pies she made for me and it was still the best pie crust I have ever had).
4-5 tbsp cold water
-(she fills an 8 oz glass with ice water, adds about 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar to it and spoons out 4-5 tbsp from it.  When I asked her why the vinegar, she said she took a class from an award wining pie maker and she does it....so she doesn't question that kind of genius haha!

Mix flour and salt.  Cut in lard.  Mix in water with a fork-or throw it all in the food processor, as another friend suggested haha!

For a DOUBLE PIE CRUST (top and bottom):
2 c flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 c lard
5-7 tbsp water
1 tbsp butter


Recipe Source, my friend Michelle W.

Thanksgiving Turkey Brine

We love this brine recipe.  The turkey comes out moist and flavored wonderfully.  When we lived in Hawaii, everyone cooked their turkeys in the underground imus….and while it was fun, we much prefer the taste of a traditionally cooked turkey.  We made the mistake of buying two turkeys around Thanksgiving time and one is taking up the entire bottom of our freezer.  So its turkey in February for our family this week :)  

1 gallon vegetable broth (we usually use chicken broth)

1 cup sea salt

1 TBS crushed dried rosemary

1 TBS dried sage

1 TBS dried savory

1 TBS dried thyme

1 gallon ice water

Directions:

1. In a large stock pot, combine the vegetable broth, sea salt, rosemary, sage, thyme, and savory. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to be sure salt is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature.
2. When the broth mixture is cool, pour it into a clean 5 gallon bucket. Stir in the ice water.
3. Wash and dry your turkey. Make sure you have removed the innards. Place the turkey, breast down, into the brine. Make sure that the cavity gets filled. Place the bucket in the refrigerator overnight.
4. Remove the turkey carefully draining off the excess brine and pat dry. Discard excess brine.
5. Cook the turkey as desired reserving the drippings for gravy. Keep in mind that brined turkeys cook 20 to 30 minutes faster so watch the temperature gauge.
   
   • Tip:
   • Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.
   
   
   Recipe and Photo Source: All Recipes

Carmel Apple Pie

With Thanksgiving around the corner, I always remember my friend Robyn's Carmel Apple Pie.  It was incredible and I am so glad she shared the recipe with me.  I plan to make it this weekend at a pie night I am hosting so we will see how it goes!  Robyn introduced me to Pie Nights in when we lived near each other.  It was a family tradition in her family to get everyone together the day before Thanksgiving just for pie since everyone was usually too full to eat it after being stuffed at Thanksgiving.  Each family brings one pie as their entrance ticket and then they get to try a wide variety of pies.  I am excited to host my first one!  




1 recipe pastry for single-pie-crust (or just buy a pie crust--that may be cheating, but it's what I usually do :)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 T all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
6 cups thinly sliced, peeled cooking apples
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/4 cup caramel ice-cream topping
 
Directions:
1. Prepare pastry crust. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 12 inch circle. Transfer pastry to a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate, being careful not to stretch pastry. Trim; crimp edge as desired
2. For crumb topping, stir together brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, and the oats. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until the topping resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside
3. In a large mixing bowl stir together the granulated sugar, 3 T flour, the cinnamon, and salt. Add apple slices and gently toss until coated. Transfer apple mixture to the pastry-lined pie plate. Sprinkle crumb topping over apple mixture.
4. To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 25-30 minutes more or until top is golden. Remove from oven; sprinkle pie with pecans (I never actually use the pecans since my family doesn't care for them), then drizzle with caramel topping. Cool on a wire rack.
 
 
Pastry for Single-crust pie:
In a bowl stir together 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 tsp salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in 1/3 cup shortening until pieces are pea-size. Using 4-5T cold water total, sprinkle 1 T of water at a time over the flour mixture, tossing with a fork until all of the dough is moistened. Form dough into a ball.

Recipe Source: Robyn L.

Pineapple Pretzel Salad

To my Hawaii friends, this is Kim P.'s Pretzel Salad recipe!!!!  We had this sweet, crunch, salty salad at our Thanksgiving potluck.  Everyone loved it.  I am so glad I snagged the recipe before moving :)  

PINEAPPLE PRETZEL SALAD

Topping/Mix in:

1 cup crushed pretzels (I do around 2 cups)

1 stick butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar

Pineapple Base:

20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained

8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

1/2 cup sugar

8 oz Cool Whip

Mix together pretzels, butter, and sugar. Bake on a cookie sheet at 400 for 7-10 minutes. Cool completely. Cream cheese and sugar. Fold in pineapple and Cool Whip. Just before serving mix in pretzel mixture. 

Yam Praline Crunch

My SIL Sara's classic sweet potato casserole with the delicious topping my husband asks for every year at Thanksgiving.  Super delicious.  

Photo Source:Bakers Royale

Recipe Source from my SIL at ReddHotRecipes

YAM PRALINE CRUNCH-Sara

• Yams:
• 28 oz. Can yams, drained and mashed
• ¼ t. salt
• ¼ c. butter
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• In 8 x 8 inch casserole dish, mix all ingredients well. Sprinkle with topping. Microwave on high 8 minutes or bake @ 350 for 25 minutes (until bubbly)
• Topping:
• 3 T. butter
• 3 T. flour
• ¾ c. dark brown sugar
• ¾-1 c. pecans, chopped
• ½ c. sugar
• ½ t. cinnamon
• 1 t. vanilla
• Mix all ingredients in separate bowl until all butter is mixed in thoroughly. Sprinkle over yams.
• *This is a must have at all Thanksgiving feasts (you may want to half the topping to make it less of a dessert and more of a side...but your family might complain! It's SO good!

Marshmallow Yams

Classic yam recipe for Thanksgiving!  

 For an 8x8 pan.  Double recipe below for a 9x13 pan.
1 29 oz can yams
1/3 c butter
2/3 c brown sugar
2/3 c syrup from the yams can
1/2 tsp salt
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2-1 c pecans (optional)
marshmallows


Combine yam syrup, butter, sugar and salt.  Bring it to a boil to thicken.  Add cinnamon and nutmeg; bring to a simmer.  Add pecans to mixture.  Put the drained yams into a pan.  Cut them into bite-sized pieces.  Pour the liquid mixture over the yams.  Bake yams in a 350 degree oven, basting frequently, for 20-30 minutes (I didn't baste them last time and they were fine).  About 5 minutes before serving, sprinkle marshmallows on top until they are toasted golden brown.


Recipe Source: from a can of yams about 10 years ago!
Photo Source: Recipe Girl

Pumpkin Delight

A big shout out to Lil Luna for this delicious recipe!  I switched things up just a little bit, but it is mostly the same.  In the original recipe (and in the picture shown above), there is whipped cream in each layer of the dessert.  I prefer just a whipped cream topping.  Click the link to see original recipe.  It is good, just really tall and....whipped creamy.....which my kids liked, but I preferred less.  Super good as well though!  My husband wants this for Thanksgiving instead of pumpkin pie because the crust is so yum and its really easy to put together.



Mel's version of the Layered Pumpkin Dessert

Ingredients

*9x9 pan:

1 c flour
1/2 c butter
1/2 c chopped pecans
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 c powdered sugar
8 oz whipped topping
2 1/2 c milk
1 (3 or 5 oz) package vanilla instant pudding mix
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
1 tsp pumpkin spice

Instructions

1. Layer 1: Mix flour, butter and 1/2 cup pecans together. Press into a sprayed 9x9.  Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees, then remove and let cool.
2. Layer 2: Blend cream cheese and powdered sugar, spread over cooled crust.
3. Layer 3: Mix milk, pudding mix, canned pumpkin, pumpkin spice. Spread over top of layer 2. (You can add 1 c whipped cream to this layer to make it sweeter).  We prefer it without though.  
4. Layer 4: Spread remaining 1 cup of whipped topping and sprinkle pecans.
5. Let chill for 3 hours or until set.

*I made this dessert for a baby shower recently.  I used a big jelly roll pan.  I needed to triple the crust portion for that sized pan. I imagine for a 9x13 pan, you would need to increase the crust measurements as well. The rest of the topping ingredients I just doubled and it was plenty!  Very heavy tray. Everyone loved it!  Thick crust was delicious.  All of the layers compliment the others perfectly.  I also sprinkled pumpkin spice over the top of the whipped cream layer and it looked really pretty :)

Ginger & Honey Glazed Carrots

For Thanksgiving this year, we did a potluck with a bunch of friends.  I was so excited to eat this simple, yet very tasty carrot recipe.  My baby loved them too!  

Ginger and Honey Glazed Carrots--

Steam sliced carrots in a little water till almost cooked, drain and put back in sauté pan, add butter, ground ginger, and honey. Cook until done to your liking. Then top with a little fresh parsley. 

Recipe Source:  My friend Allie C.

Photo Source: My Recipes

Festive Pineapple-Cranberry Salad

Thanks to my Grandma Jeannie for this recipe.  Another Thanksgiving favorite at our house!


Prep: 10 minutes plus refrigeration

1 can (20 oz) Dole Crushed Pineapple, undrained
2 pkg (4 serving size each) Jell-O Raspberry Flavor Gelatin
1 can (16 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 apple, chopped
2/3 C chopped walnuts

Drain pineapple, reserving juice.  Add enough cold water to juice to measure 3 cups; pour into saucepan.  Bring to boil; remove from heat.  Add dry gelatin mixes; stir 2 minutes.  Stir in cranberry sauce.  Pour into large bowl.  Refrigerate 1 1/2 hours or until slightly thickened.  

Stir in pineapple, apples and walnuts.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.  Garnish with reserved pineapple sliced apple and some fresh mint (I leave out the mint).

Makes 14 servings, 1/2 C each.

Recipe Source: Grandma J
Photo Source: Tara Cooks

Pilgrim Pies

Recipe Source Family Fun and my friend, Lauren.

Ingredients:

PUMPKIN COOKIES
2 eggs
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

FILLING/CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 to 5 cups confectioners' sugar

Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until smooth. Stir in the pumpkin. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture a half cup at a time, blending each time until smooth.

2. Drop a heaping tablespoon of batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet, using a moist finger or the back of a spoon to slightly flatten each mound. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

3. Meanwhile, make the frosting. Beat together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in the confectioners' sugar a half cup at a time, until the frosting is spreadable.

4. To assemble the pies, turn half of the cookies bottom side up and spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting on each one. Top them with the remaining cookies (turned right side up).

Makes 10 to 14 Pilgrim Pies.