Onion Mustard Pork Loin

"The onion and mustard flavor combination of this pork loin recipe is delicious!  The pork came out so tender and we loved the yummy sauce drizzled over the top of the meat.  This entrée is perfect for any night of the week and would even be a yummy alternative to turkey this holiday season!" 

 

4 pound boneless pork loin roast
2-3 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard
salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and McCormick GrillMates Brown Sugar Bourbon seasoning
1-(10 3/4 ounce) can condensed French onion soup

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, place roast.  Slather all sides of roast with mustard.  Sprinkle roast with desired amounts of seasonings.  Pour can of soup around roast.  Cover with foil.  Bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours.  Remove foil and bake an additional 30 minutes.*  Remove from the oven and allow roast to rest for about 20 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.  Slice roast and serve with cooking juices.  ENJOY!

*Cook pork until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees.

Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner

"Here is a collection of my family's favorite Thanksgiving recipes gathered together in one yummy collection.  Whether your family celebrates Thanksgiving with the traditional turkey dinner or not, I hope that you have a DELICIOUS holiday!"  

 

**Just click on the following links to go to the recipes.



1.  Herb Buttered Turkey Breast & Gravy

 

2.  Grandma's Turkey Dressing

 

3.  Cream Cheese Whipped Potatoes

 

4.  Grandma's Candied Yams

 

5.  Chunky Cranberry Sauce

 

6.  Pumpkin Cheesecake

 

"ENJOY and Happy Thanksgiving!"

 

Pumpkin Cobbler

"If you are looking for a super easy, super delicious pumpkin dessert for your Thanksgiving dinner this year, THIS IS IT!  Maybe baking that traditional pumpkin pie intimidates you or maybe you just want something different this holiday.  No matter what your reasoning, you're only 5 ingredients away from a scrumptious finish to your holiday meal!"   

 

1-(30 ounce) can of Libby's Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix*

1-(14 ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk

3 eggs

1-(15.25 ounce) package Golden Butter or yellow cake mix

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

whipped cream, if desired for topping

pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon, if desired for topping

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Whisk together pumpkin, condensed milk and eggs until well combined.  Pour into pan.  Sprinkle cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture.  Slice butter into 24 pieces and evenly space on top of cake mix.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until topping is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out cleanly.  Allow to cool.  Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon, if desired.  ENJOY!

  

 

*Pumpkin Pie Mix is pumpkin puree that has spices already added.  If you can't find it, you can substitute a 30 ounce can of Pumpkin puree + 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.

Festive Shrimp Cocktail Appetizer

"This appetizer is so, so simple to make.  It is a perfect addition to your holiday menu whether you're hosting your family for a traditional Christmas dinner or you're attending a holiday buffet.  Add this dish to the menu and you will be the star of the holiday party!"  

 

1-(8 ounce) package of cream cheese

6 ounces of cocktail sauce (1/2 of a 12 ounce bottle)

1-(4 ounce) can of tiny shrimp, drained and rinsed

Old Bay Seasoning, desired amount

Your choice of crackers

 

Open can of shrimp and pour into a colander.  Run cold water over shrimp to rinse and allow to drain well.  Place block of cream cheese in center of a serving platter.  Pour cocktail sauce over cream cheese.  Place shrimp on top of cocktail sauce.  (Sauce and shrimp will cascade over the side of the cream cheese.)  Sprinkle with Old Bay Seasoning.  Place crackers around edge of platter.  Serve by spreading on crackers.  Enjoy!    

Grandma's Candied Yams

"These Candied Yams are a must at our Thanksgiving Dinner.  It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without them.  They are the perfect amount of golden sweetness and would be a delicious addition to your holiday dinner!" 

4-5 Yams
1/2 cup or 1 stick of butter
2 cups packed brown sugar

Peel yams and cut into large chunks.  Place in a large stock pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender.  Drain.  Return to the pan and add stick of butter and brown sugar.  Heat on medium heat until butter melts and brown sugar dissolves. Continue to cook until sauce thickens and becomes syrupy.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

"This cheesecake would be a delicious alternative to pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving!"

Crust:

2 cups gingersnap crumbs

3 Tablespoons butter, melted

Combine crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom and about one inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top with filling.

Filling:

2-(8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees.  With an electric mixer on medium speed mix cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one. Add canned pumpkin, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well. Pour over crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. Refrigerate for approximately 4 hours before removing rim of springform pan. When ready to serve, remove rim of pan and slice. Top with whipped cream.  ENJOY!!!

Visit my MooseCreek Cheesecakes page for more delicious cheesecake recipes.
http://kandyskitchenkreations.blogspot.com/p/moosecreek-cheesecakes.html  

Grandma's Turkey Dressing

"This is my favorite holiday recipe!  My family and I wait all year for my Grandma to make it for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.  The combination of bread, rice and sausage makes this stuffing recipe different than any other one I've ever tasted.  It wouldn't be the holidays without it!"

2-(16 ounce) packages of Jimmy Dean Sausage (1 regular and 1 sage)

1 onion, chopped

2-3 ribs celery, chopped

1 loaf of French bread, cut or torn into 1-inch pieces, dried* 

2 eggs, beaten

1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

1/2 cup water

1 bag of prepared Uncle Ben's Boil-In-Bag Rice (From 4-bag package, prepared according to package directions)

 

Brown sausage with onion and celery, until sausage is cooked thoroughly and vegetables are softened.  Add dried bread, eggs, chicken broth, water and cooked rice.  Spoon into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

*TIP:  My Grandma tears the bread into pieces and then places it in a large bowl and allows it to sit out on the counter until it is dry.  You can also dry the bread by tearing it into pieces and placing it on a sheet tray and baking it at 300 degrees for about 8 minutes.  

Smokehouse Cheese Ball

"This Smokehouse Cheese Ball is another one of my hubby's yummy recipes.  We enjoyed it as an appetizer before Thanksgiving dinner this year.  It has the most delicious, smoky flavor and is a perfect topper for your favorite crackers.  This recipe is an easy appetizer or snack for any party or get-together that you might be having this holiday season." 

2-(8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
1/3 cup chopped scallions or green onions
1/4 cup Hormel Real Bacon Bits (from 3 ounce container-found by salad dressings)
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (Found on the condiment aisle near the ketchup)
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3-4 ounces of Smokehouse Almonds, finely chopped

Using a mixer, blend together cream cheese and cheddar cheese until combined.  Mix in green onions, bacon bits, Worcestershire, liquid smoke and seasonings.  Stir until completely combined.  Form mixture into a ball and roll in chopped almonds.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm.  Serve with crackers.

GOBBLE, GOBBLE, It's Turkey Time!

"Thanksgiving is my favorite Holiday!  The yummy food is of course one of the reasons, but the main reason I love Thanksgiving is because it's that special time of year when families gather together and celebrate what they're most thankful for, each other.  I have gathered some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes together and I'm sharing them with you so you can make them for your family this year.  Happy Eating and remember to be thankful for Food, Friends and especially, Family!"  

 

Herb Buttered Turkey Breast & Gravy

 

Sweet Potato Casserole

 

 Chunky Cranberry Sauce

 

Strawberry Jello Salad

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake

 

Homemade Turkey Stock

 

Turkey Noodle Soup

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

 

Pumpkin Cookies with Maple-Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

"These Pumpkin Cookies are perfect for Fall.  Whether you make them for Halloween treats or Thanksgiving goodies, they are a perfect addition to your holiday baking.  The moist pumpkin cookies are delicious on their own, but the Maple-Vanilla Buttercream Frosting makes them absolutely IRRESISTIBLE!"



1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained very well
2-1/2 cups flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream together the butter, brown sugar and sugar.  Add egg, vanilla, pumpkin and pineapple; Combine well.  In a separate bowl, blend together the flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; Add to the creamed mixture and blend completely.  Add white chocolate chips and walnuts.  Drop by heaping Tablespoons onto non-stick cooking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes.  Cool on wire racks.  Frost with Maple-Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (Recipe follows).

Maple-Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
1 cup butter, softened
1 pound (16 ounce) box of powdered sugar (or 1/2 of a 2 pound bag)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
3 Tablespoons milk
Pumpkin Pie Spice

Cream together butter and powdered sugar.  Add vanilla, maple flavoring and milk.  Blend until smooth and creamy.  Spread on cooled cookies and sprinkle with desired amount of pumpkin pie spice.

To decorate cookies:
I topped the cookies with candy corn.  You could also decorate them with candy pumpkins or any Fall sprinkles or decorations.

Turkey Noodle Soup

"This is a delicious soup that you can make with all of your leftover Thanksgiving turkey!"

2-3 medium carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 Tablespoon McCormick Roasted Garlic & Herb Seasoning
Salt and pepper, desired amount
3-(32 ounce) containers of chicken stock or equivalent amount of Homemade chicken or turkey stock*
1-(16 ounce) package of egg noodles (I used frozen Grandma's brand egg noodles that I thawed in the refrigerator overnight.)
2 cups cooked, diced turkey**
1-(14.5 ounce) can of diced tomatoes with garlic, undrained


In a large stockpot, heat 1 Tablespoon of canola oil.  Add carrots, onion, celery, Roasted Garlic & Herb Seasoning, salt and pepper and saute for 15 minutes to soften vegetables.  Add broth and bring to a boil.  Stir in noodles and cook for 12-15 minutes or until noodles are tender.  Add turkey and tomatoes and heat through.


*To see how to make Homemade Chicken or Turkey Stock:
http://kandyskitchenkreations.blogspot.com/2012/11/homemade-turkey-or-chicken-stock.html


**To see how to make Herb-Buttered Turkey breast that can be used in this recipe:
http://kandyskitchenkreations.blogspot.com/2012/11/herb-buttered-turkey-breast-gravy.html

"Comfort Food in a pot!"

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Icing

"This is another one of my Mom's yummy recipes.  She was sweet enough to make these for my husband and I and my coworkers recently.  These bars are the perfect mix of pumpkin and spice and the sweet cream cheese icing tops them off perfectly!" 

Bars:

4 eggs

1-2/3 cup sugar

1 cup vegetable or canola oil

1-(15 ounce) can pumpkin

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat together eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy,  Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt and mix thoroughly.  Pour into an ungreased 15x10x1 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Cool and frost with cream cheese icing (Recipe follows.) and cut into bars.

 

 

Cream Cheese Icing:

3 ounces of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

 

Cream together cream cheese and butter.  Add vanilla.  Add powdered sugar and mix well.  Ice bars.

Chunky Cranberry Sauce

"I love cranberry sauce and I can't imagine Thanksgiving dinner without it.  This recipe brings sweet brown sugar, tart cranberries, orange juice and spices together into a perfect holiday combination."

1-(12 ounce) package of Ocean Spray Fresh Cranberries (found in Produce department)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and cook until cranberries burst open, approximately 10-15 minutes.  Cool and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sweet Potato Casserole

"This recipe turns sweet potatoes into a 'sweet addition' to your Thanksgiving meal!" 

2-(15 ounce) cans sweet potatoes, drained
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 large egg
3 Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  With a hand mixer, blend together all ingredients, except pecans.  Spoon into a 2 quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Sprinkle on pecans.  Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the casserole comes out clean.

Herb Buttered Turkey Breast & Gravy

"This turkey breast roasts up tender and juicy and is the perfect alternative for those of us who don't want to go to the trouble of cooking a whole turkey this Thanksgiving.  Make it and I promise, your family will Gobble it up!

 

1-(7 to 8 pound) turkey breast (thawed if frozen, following package directions)
3 stalks celery, cut into large chunks

3 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 onion, cut into wedges

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved

1-(14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, desired amount

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Place vegetables in the bottom of a large Dutch Oven or roasting pan.  (NOTE:  The vegetables will serve as a base for the turkey to sit on and they will flavor the juices that you will use to make your gravy.)  Pour chicken broth over vegetables.  Place turkey breast, breast side up, on top of vegetables.  Season turkey with desired amount of salt, pepper and poultry seasoning.  Slather with Herb Butter (Recipe follows.)  Cook turkey breast until it reaches 170 degrees.  (It took about 2-1/4 hours in my convection oven.)  Remove from the oven and take turkey breast out of the pan and cover with foil to allow meat to rest while you prepare the gravy.           

Herb Butter

1 stick or 1/2 cup butter, softened

1 Tablespoon LITEHOUSE Freeze-Dried Poultry Herb Blend*

Combine butter and herb blend.  Use fingers to rub herb butter under and on top of the skin of the turkey.  

* I found the Freeze-Dried Poultry Herb Blend in the Produce Department of my grocery store.

Turkey Gravy

1/4 cup turkey fat that has been skimmed off of the cooking juices

1/4 cup flour

2 cups turkey drippings or juices 

Remove vegetables from the roasting pan and discard.  Using a spoon, skim off 1/4 cup of fat from the turkey juices.  (You will be able to see the fat floating on top of the juices left in the pan.  You can also use a gravy separator to separate the fat from the juices.)  Pour fat into a saucepan and stir in flour.  Cook on medium heat for 1-2 minutes.  Measure out 2 cups of turkey juices and stir into flour mixture.  (TIP:  If you don't have 2 cups of liquid, add chicken broth to make 2 cups.)  Bring mixture to a boil;  reduce heat and cook until desired thickness.  Serve with turkey.  

"Perfectly Golden Brown!"

"Sliced and ready for Thanksgiving dinner."

Homemade Turkey or Chicken Stock

"This stock is so easy to make and adds such delicious homemade flavor to any of your recipes."

Turkey or chicken carcass

2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

2-3 celery stalks, cut into large chunks

1 large onion, cut into wedges

2-3 whole garlic cloves, peeled

salt and pepper, desired amount

 

In a large stockpot, place all ingredients.  Cover with water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium high and cook for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.*  Strain and discard solids.  Cool and refrigerate until ready to use in any soup recipe or in any recipe that calls for chicken or turkey stock.    

 

*TIP:  The longer you cook the stock, the more intense the flavor will be.

Italian Herb Dinner Rolls

   

These soft, fresh-baked rolls are so easy and they taste as good as they look!

Frozen dinner rolls, I used Rhodes brand

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

Italian seasoning

Dried parsley

Sea salt

Place frozen dinner rolls in an 8-inch cake pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  (I put in 9 rolls-6 rolls around the outside of the pan and 3 in the center.)  Allow the dinner rolls to raise in the pan following package directions.  (I put the frozen rolls in the pan and allowed them to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then in the morning I took them out and let them sit at room temperature for about 3 hours.)  When rolls are raised, gently brush on melted butter.  Sprinkle Italian seasoning, dried parsley and sea salt on rolls.  (Just season to your taste.)  Bake rolls at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  ENJOY THE SMELL OF FRESH BAKED BREAD!