Chocolate Cream Pie

• 1 pie crust baked and cooled
• 1 1/2 C sugar
• 1/4 C cornstarch 
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 C whole milk
• 4 e
• 4 egg yolks
• 6 1/2 oz, weight chocolate (I used semi-sweet, but may try milk chocolate for my kids)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp butter
• whipped cream, for serving

Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir or whisk together. 

Pour in milk and egg yolks, and whisk together. 

Stir over medium heat until the mixture just barely comes to a boil and becomes thick, about 6-8 min (could be less or more, so watch carefully). The second it starts to bubble and thicken (it should look like thick pudding) remove it from the heat. Add the chocolate, vanilla, and butter. Stir until everything is beautifully combined. 

Pour the pudding into the pie crust. (If there is extra, spoon into small dishes) and place in the fridge to chill for 4 hours uncovered. 

Cut into slices and serve with whipped cream!

Banana Cream Pie

• 1 C sugar
• 1/4 C cornstarch 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 C milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
•  1 pie shell baked (I make my own pie crust)
• 2 large firm bananas
• 1 C heavy whipping cream, whipped

In a large saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into eggs; return all to pan. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. 

Remove from heat. Gently stir in butter and vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard; refrigerate, covered, 30 minutes. 

Spread half of the custard into pastry shell. Slice bananas; arrange over filling Pour remaining custard over bananas. Spread with whipped cream. Refrigerate 6 hours of overnight. 

Peanut Butter Pie

•1 8oz pkg. of cream cheese

•3/4 cup confectioners sugar 

•3/4 cup peanut butter

•2 Tblsp milk

•8 oz cool whip 

•1 graham cracker or chocolate crust

1. In a small mixing bowl beat together cream cheese and sugar till light and fluffy.

2. Add peanut butter and milk. 

3. Beat till smooth. 

4. Fold in 1/2 of the cool whip. 

5. Put in crust. 

6. Chill 5 to 6 hours. 

7. Top with remaining cool whip. 

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie

1 1/2 C sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

4 eggs

1 can (29 oz) pumpkin

2 cans evaporated milk

2 unbaked deep dish pie crusts

Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. 

Pour into pie crusts.

Bake in preheated 425' oven for 15 min. Reduce temp to 350'; bake 40-50 min or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hrs. Refrigerate. 

*3 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice may be substituted for the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. However, the taste will be slightly different. 

Pie Crust

Pie Crust

1-1 1/3 C flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/3-1/2 C & 1 Tbsp. shortening

2 or 3 Tbsp very cold water

Measure flour and salt into bowl. Cut in shortening thoroughly. Sprinkle in water, 1 Tbsp at a time, mixing well until all flour is moistened and dough almost cleans side of bowl. (1 or 2 tsp water can be added if needed). 

Gather dough into ball; shape into flattened round on a lightly floured cloth-covered board. With floured stockinet-covered rolling pin, roll dough 2 inches larger than inverted pie pan. Fold pastry into quarters; unfold and ease into pan. 

Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1" from rim of pan. Fold and roll pastry under, even with pan. Fill and bake. (Poke with fork). Bake at 475'.

Pecan Pie

Pecan Pie

Prepare your own crust.

3 slightly beaten eggs

1 C corn syrup

2/3 C sugar

1/3 C butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 C pecan halves

1. Prepare your pie crust. Don't bake yet. 

2. For filling, combine eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter, and vanilla. Mix well; stir in pecan halves. 

3. Pour filling into pie crust. 

4. Bake in a 350' oven for 45-50 min or until utensil comes out clean when inserted in pie. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate within 2 hours.  

Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

Roast Turkey

Gravy

Stuffing

Mashed Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

Squash Casserole

Cranberry Fluff

Peas

Rolls

Pie

_______________________________

Praline Sweet Potatoes

3 C mashed sweet potatoes (let cool)- about 4-5

1/2 C milk

2 eggs (makes it custard-like)

1 C brown sugar

1/3 C butter

1 tsp vanilla

Combine & put in 9x13 pan.

Topping:

1 C brown sugar

1 C pecans (I crushed them in my food processor, but you could probably leave them whole too)

1/3 C white flour

1/3 C melted butter

Stir with fork & crumble over top.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Marshmallow Sweet Potatoes

Prick and wash several sweet potatoes. Bake on cookie sheet at 325 or 350 for 45 min-1 hr or until soft when stuck with a fork. Cool. 

Slice sweet potatoes transversely and put into a 9x13" pan. Put slices of butter on top. Sprinkle with brown sugar over top. Add a little salt and pepper. Bake at 375; for 45 min. Scoop/baste. Sprinkle marshmallows on top. Bake 5-10 min longer. 

Squash Casserole

4-6 med green zucchini

4-6 med yellow squash

Dice in half or quarters depending on size. Boil for 3-5 mins in pot of water (you want the squash to be on the hard side - don't boil too long or will be mushy). 

In a bowl:

Melt one stick of butter and mix pkg of Stove Top stuffing (chicken or turkey flavor) and set aside. 

Large bowl - mix:

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2- 1 C. sour cream

1-2 C. shredded sharp cheddar cheese (depending on how cheesy you like it)

1 grated carrot

1 med onion diced

Add cooled squash mixture to the cheese mixture. Then 1/2 of the stuffing mixture. Mix well. Put into ungreased casserole dish and top with more cheese if you want and then the remaining 1/2 of stuffing mix. Bake at 325 covered for 45 mins, then uncovered for 15 mins to brown stuffing or 350 covered for 30 mins and then uncover for 10 mins to brown stuffing. 

(When it's not Thanksgiving I chop up one poached chicken breast and add it along with the squash to make this a main dish for dinner). 

Cranberry Fluff

2 C raw cranberries (ground in food processor)

3 C tiny marshmallows

3/4 C sugar

1/2 C seedless grapes (sliced in half)

1/2 C walnuts (opt- I don't include in mine)

2 C diced unpared tart apples
1/4 tsp salt
1 C heavy whipped cream (whipped)

Combine cranberries, marshmallows, and sugar. Cover and chill overnight. Add apples, grapes, (walnuts), and salt. Fold in whipped cream. Chill.

*You can add a little more fruit than specified.

Rolls

1 pkg dry active yeast

1/4 C warm water

3/4 C milk (scalded)

1/2 C shortening

1/2 C sugar

2 tsp salt

4 1/2 C flour

3 eggs

butter

Soften active dry yeast in warm water (110 degrees).

Combine scalded milk, shortening, sugar and salt; cool to lukewarm. Add 1 C flour. Add yeast and 3 eggs. Beat well.

Stir in 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 C flour (enough flour to make soft dough). Knead lightly on floured surface or use the bread hook of your KitchenAid. Place dough in greased bowl; turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise till double (about 2 1/2 hours).

Turn dough out on lightly floured surface. Divide dough in thirds; roll each third out to 12 inch circle. Spread butter on circle before cutting like a pizza pie, then roll up into crescent shaped rolls. Arrange rolls, point down on greased baking sheets, brush with melted butter. Cover and let rise till very light (about 1 hour). Bake at 300 degrees for 8-12 minutes. Watch very carefully, don't let them burn.

Note: unsalted butter is best so as not to burn.

Pie Crust

1-1 1/3 C flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/3-1/2 C & 1 Tbsp. shortening

2 or 3 Tbsp very cold water

Measure flour and salt into bowl. Cut in shortening thoroughly. Sprinkle in water, 1 Tbsp at a time, mixing well until all flour is moistened and dough almost cleans side of bowl. (1 or 2 tsp water can be added if needed). 

Gather dough into ball; shape into flattened round on a lightly floured cloth-covered board. With floured stockinet-covered rolling pin, roll dough 2 inches larger than inverted pie pan. Fold pastry into quarters; unfold and ease into pan. 

Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1" from rim of pan. Fold and roll pastry under, even with pan. Fill and bake. (Poke with fork). Bake at 475'.

Pecan Pie

Prepare your own crust.

3 slightly beaten eggs

1 C corn syrup

2/3 C sugar

1/3 C butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 C pecan halves

1. Prepare your pie crust. Don't bake yet. 

2. For filling, combine eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter, and vanilla. Mix well; stir in pecan halves. 

3. Pour filling into pie crust. 

4. Bake in a 350' oven for 45-50 min or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate within 2 hours.  

Pumpkin Pie

1 1/2 C sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

4 eggs

1 can (29 oz) pumpkin

2 cans evaporated milk

2 unbaked deep dish pie crusts

Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. 

Pour into pie crusts.

Bake in preheated 425' oven for 15 min. Reduce temp to 350'; bake 40-50 min or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hrs. Refrigerate. 

*3 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice may be substituted for the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. However, the taste will be slightly different. 

Mom's Rolls

These are the best rolls you will ever taste. We make them for every holiday. They are a hit among everyone young and old. We eat them all the first day and end up having to make more to go along with the leftovers.

1 pkg dry active yeast
1/4 C warm water
3/4 C milk (scalded)
1/2 C shortening
1/2 C sugar
2 tsp salt
4 1/2 C flour
3 eggs
butter

Soften active dry yeast in warm water (110 degrees).
Combine scalded milk, shortening, sugar and salt; cool to lukewarm. Add 1 C flour. Add yeast and 3 eggs. Beat well.
Stir in 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 C flour (enough flour to make soft dough). Knead lightly on floured surface or use the bread hook of your KitchenAid. Place dough in greased bowl; turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise till double (about 2 1/2 hours).
Turn dough out on lightly floured surface. Divide dough in thirds; roll each third out to 12 inch circle. Spread butter on circle before cutting like a pizza pie, then roll up into crescent shaped rolls. Arrange rolls, point down on greased baking sheets, brush with melted butter. Cover and let rise till very light (about 1 hour). Bake at 300 degrees for 8-12 minutes. Watch very carefully, don't let them burn.

Note: unsalted butter is best so as not to burn.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

3 C mashed sweet potatoes (let cool)- about 4-5

1/2 C milk

2 eggs (makes it custard-like)

1 C brown sugar

1/3 C butter

1 tsp vanilla

Combine & put in 9x13 pan.

Topping:

1 C brown sugar

1 C pecans (I crushed them in my food processor, but you could probably leave them whole too)

1/3 C white flour

1/3 C melted butter

Stir with fork & crumble over top.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.