Giving Thanks

With just a week away from Thanksgiving, I’m sure pantries and fridges are being filled with those “staple” goods to get us through the holiday – stuffing mix, eggs, sage, celery, onions, pumpkin pie mix, broth, sweet potatoes, and of course, the turkey, ham and other trimmings. Most cooks know the importance of “stocking up” before the big day, so we don’t get caught at the last minute minus an important ingredient.

From my home to yours, I send wishes for the happiest Thanksgiving ever. Don’t forget to count your blessings!


Pumpkin Pie Bars

1 box yellow cake mix
½ cup butter or margarine, melted
4 eggs
1 large can solid pack pumpkin (3 cups)
1 cup sugar, divided
½ cup light brown sugar (firmly packed)
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1½ tsp. cinnamon
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup butter or margarine, softened

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Reserve 1 cup of the dry cake mix. In small bowl, lightly beat 1 egg. In large bowl, stir together remaining cake mix, melted butter and beaten egg. Press into prepared pan. In large bowl, lightly beat remaining 3 eggs. Stir in pumpkin, ½ cup of the sugar, brown sugar, evaporated milk and cinnamon. Pour over cake mixture in pan. To the 1 cup cake mix, add remaining ½ cup sugar, walnuts and softened butter; mix until crumbly. Sprinkle over pumpkin mixture. Bake 50 to 60 minutes. Serve warm or cool.


Cranberry Cream Cheese Loaf

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
2 eggs, divided
1½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. salt
¾ cup orange juice
2 Tbsp. oil
2 cups Post Selects Cranberry Almond


Crunch Cereal

Mix cream cheese and 1 egg in small bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Beat remaining egg in small bowl; stir in juice and oil. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. (Batter will be lumpy.)
Stir in cereal. Pour ½ the batter into greased 9x5-inch loaf pan. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over batter. Top with remaining batter. Bake at 350 for 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.


Low-Carb Pumpkin Pie

2 eggs
2/3 cup unsweetened soy milk
1/3 cup cream
1 cup sugar equivalent from artificial sweetener
1 tsp. dark molasses (optional)
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 scant tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground ginger
Pinch cloves
¼ tsp. salt

Pecan Pie Crust (see below)

Preheat oven to 425. Dump ingredients into a food processor or blender and whirl to blend. Pour into the crust. Put the pie in the oven and immediately turn oven down to 375. In 15 minutes, turn the oven down to 300. (This cooks the crust, so it isn’t soggy, but then allows the custard to bake more slowly.) Bake until almost set in the middle, about 30 to 40 minutes more. If it starts to crack a bit around the edges, it’s probably done.
Cool and serve with whipped topping.


Pecan Pie Crust

1cup pecan pieces (frozen)
2 Tbs. melted butter
2 Tbs. sweetening power from artificial sweetener of choice

Measure frozen pecans into a food processor; pulse until the size of split peas. Add butter and sweetener, mix well and quickly dump it into a pie pan; push with fingers to evenly cover bottom and sides of pie pan.


Turkey Cranberry Wreath
(Putting leftovers to good use!)

2 pkgs. crescent roll dough
½ cup mayonnaise
2 Tbs. honey Dijon mustard
½ tsp. course black pepper
2 cups cooked chopped turkey (or chicken)
½ cup thinly sliced celery
3 Tbs. snipped fresh parsley
½ cup dried cranberries (Craisins work great)
4 oz. grated Swiss cheese
¼ cup chopped walnuts
1 egg separated

Combine all ingredients except crescent rolls, and egg.
Separate crescent dough into triangles With wide ends facing toward the center, arrange 8 triangles in a circle on a round baking stone or a pizza baking sheet. Corners of wide ends should touch, (it will look like a flower).
Take remaining 8 triangles and match wide end to wide end with points facing center of baking stone or baking sheet. Scoop mixture onto the wide ends of the dough, making a circle. Weave dough, outside piece, inside piece, alternating all the way around to make a wreath. Take separated egg, discard yolk or save for later. Beat egg white lightly and brush over wreath. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

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