Sweet Potato Casserole

This is one of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes that my grandma used to make every year. This time, it's my pleasure to make it for my family as I hosted Thanksgiving.

Sweet Potato Casserole

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (fresh or canned)

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup butter (might want to consider cutting it down to 6 tablespoons max)

(May use 1/8 teaspoon allspice, nutmeg, and/or cloves)

Mix ingredients together & pour into lightly greased 9x13 pan. (It will look like the picture below.)

Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoon butter

1/3 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons flour

(I added 1 teaspoon cinnamon)

Mix ingredients together with 2 forks until blended. Sprinkle topping over potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

I found this recipe when looking for a quick & easy beef stroganoff recipe. For the origninal recipe, click here.

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

2 pounds cubed stew meat

2 cans Condensed Golden Mushroom Soup

1 larg onion diced

2 tablespoons of Worcestershire

1/2 water

8 oz of cream cheese

1 teaspoon Garlic Salt

In the slow cooker stir in all the ingredients, except the meat AND the Cream Cheese. Once combined add the meat and mix together. Cook on Low for 8 hours. Cut up the cream cheese into cubes just before serving and turn crockpot on high. Stir the cream cheese in until all combined. You might have to put the lid back on and leave for 10 minutes. Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

Cheesecake-Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes

I found this recipe at the Rachael Ray website and thought it looked intriguing. For the original recipe, click here. I ended up doubling the batter and using a small amount of cream cheese for the middle of each cupcake to make 3 dozen cupcakes. Also, I never have any luck with cooking egg whites so I ended up using a large can of cream cheese frosting rather than the recipe here.
Cheesecake-Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes
12 Servings Prep 45 min Bake 25 min

Ingredients:
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 large eggs, plus 5 large egg whites
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (I used 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon all spice, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup light brown sugar (I omitted these next few ingredients and used cream cheese frosting instead)
Simmering water
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces and chilled

Directions:
Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with baking liners. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar for 3 minutes. Beat in 1 egg white and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
In a bowl, whisk the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In another bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, granulated sugar, oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture.
Layer each muffin cup with some of the pumpkin batter, then the cream cheese mixture, then more of the batter. Bake until springy to the touch, 25 minutes. Let cool.

Frosting
Using the electric mixer, beat the brown sugar, remaining 4 egg whites and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Fill a medium saucepan with enough simmering water to reach a depth of 1 inch; place the mixing bowl on top. Whisk the mixture until it registers 160° on an instant-read thermometer.
Transfer the bowl back to the mixer and beat at high speed until fluffy; lower the speed and beat to room temperature, about 5 minutes. Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, then beat at high speed for 5 minutes. Beat in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag; pipe large rosettes on top of the cupcakes. (No pastry bag? Fill a resealable plastic bag with the frosting, snip off a corner and pipe away!)

Chicken Licken Casserole

This recipe is one of my favorite comfort foods. My mom has been making it for me since I was little & now it's something I love to make, especially once the weather starts to get cooler. I'm not sure where the name came from but I think you'll agree that it's a great recipe no matter what you call it. I enjoy serving this with mustard green beans, I'll post that recipe later.

Chicken Licken Casserole

2 boxes chicken flavored stuffing mix

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked & shreded

1-2 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup

1 stick of butter

1 cup cauliflower puree (optional, use 2nd can of soup if omitting)

1/2 cup chicken broth

Garlic powder, salt, pepper to taste

I usually put the chicken breasts in the crock pot the day before to cook & use the broth for the recipe.

Mix 1 box of stuffing with 1/2 stick of melted butter. Press into bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Mix chicken, soup, broth, puree, & seasonings together. Spread mixture on top of stuffing layer. Mix the second box of stuffing with 1/2 stick of melted butter & layer on top of chicken mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until casserole is heated through.

Pumpkin Gobs (Whoopie Pies)

I realized that I have been neglecting to post any recipes about gobs! So here's my fix to that problem. This recipe comes from a website claiming to have the original recipe from Wicked Whoopie Pies. That's the company in Maine my husband & I found when on our honeymoon two years ago.

For the original recipe, click here.

Pumpkin Gobs

Cookie
1 (15 ounce) canned pumpkin puree
2 large eggs

1 cup canola oil
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
3 cups all-purpose flour

Cream cheese filling
6 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons marshmallow cream
2 teaspoons water (I used vanilla instead)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Beat pumpkin, eggs, oil and brown sugar together until fluffy.
3. Combine dry ingredients together. Then add molasses and dry ingredients to your mix until well blended.
4. Scoop large rounded spoonfuls of batter onto a greased cookie sheet and space at least 2-inches apart.
5. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until done.
6. Filling: Add all ingredients in a bowl and beat until fluffy.
7. When whoopie shells are cooled, place a scoop of filling between two shells.
Serving Size: 1 Pies
Recipe makes 12 Pies)
Calories 616
Calories from Fat 253
Amount Per Serving:
Total Fat 28.2g
Saturated Fat 7.2g
Monounsaturated Fat 13.4g
Polyunsaturated Fat 6.0g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 61mg
Sodium 438mg
Potassium 271mg
Total Carbohydrate 87.6g
Dietary Fiber 1.4g
Sugars 59.5g
Protein 5.6g

Deceptively Delicious Yellow Cake

This might seem like an odd post since it isn't a recipe that I've made from scratch & is fairly simple. I bought Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook, "Deceptively Delicious" a while ago & have really enjoyed it. One of my husband's favorite recipes from the cookbook is the yellow cake.
Yellow Cake

1 (18 ounce) box yellow cake mix

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons oil

2 large eggs

1 large egg white

6 ounces nonfat lemon, banana, or vanilla yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 inch cake pan with cooking spray. (I usually divide mine into two 9 inch cake pans.)
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs, & yogurt. Beat until smooth.

Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. (I followed the cake mix directions which was closer to the actual time.)

Happy Birthday to my husband.