Candy Turkeys
Every year, I spend the day before Thanksgiving making some special treat or craft with my niece, Elia. One year we made these cookie “turkeys”. She liked making them so much we are making them again this year. They are really easy to make, and since there is no baking involved, you don’t tie up the oven if you need it for other things, like maybe a real turkey. Here are the ingredients you will need. We did them sort of assembly line fashion, because Elia wanted one for each person’s place at the table.
Candy Turkeys
chocolate sandwich cookies
candy corn
mini peanut butter cup
malted milk balls
candy pumpkins
melted chocolate
To start, place a cookie on your work surface. Affix a peanut butter cup, for the body. with a little melted chocolate. Place a malted milk ball on top of the peanut butter cup, using a little more melted chocolate to make the head. Once the chocolate hardens a little break off the tip of a candy corn and affix with chocolate to make the beak. Stick a few candy corn between the cookies- into the frosting layer- for the tail. Open up a cookie and use a little more chocolate to stand up your turkey on the frosting surface- Elia wanted them to be standing on snow. Or you can use a whole cookie, if you prefer. Place it off center, so you have room for your pumpkin. Let it harden for a minute, then add a candy pumpkin, using another drop of melted chocolate.
Elia hard at work
She made quite a few
My place at the table
Mom’s Pumpkin Chiffon – Gluten Free
I fondly remember when my Mom used to make this dessert. I think of her whenever I make it. From a technical cooking standpoint, it’s not really a chiffon, but that is what my Mom called it, so I will leave it as Pumpkin Chiffon.
It’s more like a pumpkin pie, without the crust. Super easy to make and quite tasty. I bake it in a casserole dish but you could also make it in individual ramekins. This recipe is always a big hit when I make it for friends.
You could use canned or fresh cooked pumpkin or winter squash, like butternut or Hubbard. I always cook up and freeze pumpkin and squash for later use, so frozen would work, too. Because there is no crust, it is also gluten-free. I sometimes serve it with gingersnaps and whipped cream. It is a lovely Fall dessert. Perfect for Thanksgiving, too.
Mom’s Pumpkin Chiffon
½ c. applesauce
1 c. cooked or canned pumpkin or squash puree
¾ c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. salt
½ t. nutmeg
1/8 t. cloves
4 eggs, well beaten
1 c. half and half or evaporated milk
Stir together first seven ingredients. Beat in eggs and stir in milk. Place mixture in 1 ½ quart casserole and bake in a 350-degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serve alone or with cookies. Serves 6-8.
Cranberry and Raspberry Sauce
Cranberry-Raspberry Sauce
If you are looking for a fun and tasty variation for the usual cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving, I might suggest this cranberry and raspberry version.
The raspberries add a great flavor to the dish along with the cranberries and orange juice.My family has enjoyed versions of this sauce every Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember.
The real secret however, is the dressing. It is a creamy, slightly sweet topping, made with a fruit juice custard and whipped cream. It really changes the whole dish into something special.
This might be the first time people ask for seconds on cranberry sauce.
Cranberry-Raspberry Sauce
12 oz. cranberries, rinsed and picked over
1 c. orange juice
1 T. grated orange peel
½ c. sugar, or to taste
12 oz. raspberries, fresh or frozen ( thawed, if frozen)
Combine all ingredients, (except the raspberries) in a saucepan and cook, stirring often, over medium heat. Cook until then cranberries burst and mixture thickens, about 25 minutes, stirring more often as mixture thickens. Stir in the raspberries. Cool and chill. Makes about 3 cups. Serve with the dressing on the side.
Dressing
2 eggs
½ c. sugar
½ c orange juice
½ c. pineapple juice
2 T. flour
juice of half a lemon
1 c. whipping cream, whipped
Combine all ingredients, except whipped cream, in a saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Mixture should coat a spoon. Cool and chill. Fold cooled mixture into whipped cream. Serves 6-8.
Maple Syrup Cookies
Maple Syrup Cookies
The addition of maple syrup makes these cookies really special. Crisp and mildly sweet, they can be eaten plain, or you can coat them with a maple glaze.
The cookies are crisp, but will soften slightly, if glazed. Either way, they are really tasty. They make a nice dessert for Autumn dinners and Thanksgiving, too.
Maple syrup is one of my favorite natural sweeteners. It’s unique flavor, along with it’s sweetness makes it a perfect addition to all sorts of dishes.
You can do a lot more with maple syrup than just a topping for pancakes and waffles. Maple syrup can be used in sauces, salad dressings and marinades. You can also use maple syrup in baking, like in these cookies.
So here is the recipe- and be sure to use real maple syrup. 🙂
Maple Syrup Cookies
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
½ c. maple syrup
1 egg yolk
3 c. flour
3/4 t. salt
Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
½ c. maple syrup
To make glaze: Beat sugar and syrup together until smooth.
Beat together butter, sugar and syrup. Beat in yolk. Combine flour and salt and add to butter mixture. Mix well. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill. Roll chilled dough 1/8 inch thick and cut out with assorted cutters. Leaves and other autumnal cutter shapes are best. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 12 minutes. Cookies should be lightly browned around the edges. Cool and decorate with glaze. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Un-glazed are tasty, too.
Sweet Potato Pound Cake
Sweet Potato Pound Cake
I made this cake for a cooking class the other day. Everyone loved it. No surprises there, it is a wonderful cake. A nice dessert for Thanksgiving, too.
If the only way you enjoy sweet potatoes is as a side at the holidays, or in pie, it is time to expand your thinking about them. In this recipe, the mashed sweet potatoes add both sweetness and moistness to the finished cake. Great plain, or with a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh berries.
This cake makes a lovely dessert or a nice addition to a brunch menu. Also a nice way to use up leftover mashed sweet potatoes, if you find yourself with leftovers.
I mentioned this recipe to a friend and she was very interested. I will be seeing her over the weekend and think I will make this for our dinner together.
Sweet Potato Pound Cake
1 1/2 c. cake flour*
1/2 t. each baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg
1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c. sour cream, room temperature
1 1/3 c. sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 c. mashed sweet potato
1 t. vanilla
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly oil an 8×4-inch loaf pan. Mix flour with next 4 ingredients and set aside. In large mixing bowl beat together butter and sour cream. Beat in sugar and then beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in mashed sweet potato and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients and pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool in pan 30 minutes before loosening cake sides from pan and removing. After cake has cooled wrap in foil and store at room temperature. Serves 8.
* If you don’t have cake flour you can make your own. Simply measure out a cup of all purpose flour and remove 2 tablespoons of the flour. That is now the same as a cup of cake flour OR remove the 2 tablespoons of flour and replace them with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and sift together to combine. I do the flour/cornstarch mix and keep a batch on hand for when I need it in baking.
