Sweet Potato Casserole

When I was a little girl my favorite part of Thanksgiving was the sweet potatoes. My grandma always made them with marshmallows on top and I loved it. It remained my favorite until I had this version a couple of years ago.

3-4 C cooked sweet potatoes or yams mashed (you can also use 2 large cans)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 stick melted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 C sugar
2 eggs
1/2 C milk

Topping:
1 C brown sugar
1 C chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts are best)
1/3 C flour
1/3 C melted butter or margarine Mix all ingredients weel and put in a large baking dish or pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray or buttered. Combine topping and spread evenly over mixture. Bake @ 350 for approximately 35 minutes. May be baked ahead and reheated.


Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Chicken Noodle Soup

I know it seems like a simple thing to make chicken noodle soup, but it's something that I have never dared try because people are really picky when it comes foods that are so basic and common. I admit that I am one of them and I have had a lot of really horrible versions of chicken noodle soup. I saw this one though and it looked different. Something about it begged me to try. Then my son, who is a chicken noodle soup connoisseur, asked me to make some so I thought I would chance it.

The recipe is so basic that it really doesn't seem like much. I kept thinking "I wonder if this needs more seasoning?" Thankfully I didn't try to add anything because it was perfect the way it was. The whole family enjoyed the rich comforting flavor and it was filling; perfect for a snowy day like today. My son said it was the best chicken noodle soup ever and after eating several helpings my husband claimed the leftovers for tomorrows' lunch. Oh and did I mention how quick and easy it was? I guess sometimes it pays to try new things.

2 quarts water
8 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
6-1/2 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) low sodium, condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup (8 ounces) reduced fat sour cream
Minced fresh parsley

In a large saucepan, bring water and bouillon to a boil. Add noodles; cook, uncovered, until tender, about 10 minutes. Do not drain. Add soup and chicken; heat through.

Remove from the heat; stir in the sour cream. Sprinkle with minced parsley.

Yield: 10-12 servings (about 2-1/2 quarts).

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 218 calories, 9 g fat (4 g saturated fat) (calculated with regular sour cream), 67 mg cholesterol, 980 mg sodium (sodium calculated when using regular cream of chicken soup), 18 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 15 g protein.

Fruit and Cheese Turkeys

I don't know about everyone else, but I am already tired of sugar and sweets. The funny thing is I hardly eat them because sugar tastes horrible to me right now. My kids have had plenty of it though and I know there is more to come, so I wanted a healthy altrenative that would be cute and festive and that the kids could make themselves. Using concepts I have dealt with before I decided to try fruit and cheese turkeys. I was actually quite pleased with the results.

4-6 of your favorite apples

Grapes

Cheddar, cubed

Monterey Jack, cubed

Toothpicks

Cut apples in half and remove core, this will be the body of the turkey. On toothpicks, alternately thread the grapes and cheese cubes. Insert toothpicks into apple to form tail. Thread a cube of cheese onto a toothpick and insert into apple to make a wing, repeat on opposite side. Thread a grape onto another toothpick allowing the end of it to poke through the other side and insert apple as well. This will make the head and beak. Serve with fruit dip if desired.

Note: I played with the idea of using fruit roll ups to make a waddle, but we didn't have any on hand. I also think my turkeys would have been cuter if the grapes or the apples would have been red. It would have been a contrast to the green and made things a little more colorful. I am still really happy with how they turned out though and they tast great.

Oreo Turkeys

We made these last year. I actually got the idea from a neighbor who brought me the recipe and all the supplies to make them. They are fun because they are easy for even small children to do.

Oreo Double Stuff cookies
Malted milk balls (like a whopper)
Candy corn
icing

Take 1 oreo apart. This will be the base.
Place the whole oreo on its side on the base, so that it sticks to white of the oreo.
In front of the oreo on its side, place a malted-milk ball for the turkeys head.
Place candy corn, points down, in between the oreo cookie that is standing on it's side.
Use icing to attach beak and for eyes and waddle if you want.

Note: I have also seen them made with mini reeses peanut butter cups as a body with the whopper on top for a head. (See below)

(Photo by Susie D. /recipezaar.com)

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

One of my favorite restaurants is Noodles. My husband swears that I am addicted to pasta. Tonight I was craving their Parmesan crusted chicken so I went in search of a recipe and found this simple and tasty dish. It looked and tasted almost identical to theirs and I was pleased with the results. Even my son asked for more chicken. We will definitely be making this again.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 egg whites
2 tsp cornstarch
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 c bread crumbs
1 Tblsp kosher salt (optional, depending on what you use for bread crumbs you may have enough salt already)
1 Tblsp parsley
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/3 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Mix egg whites, cornstarch lemon juice and dip chicken in. Then mix crumbs, parsley, salt, pepper and Parmesan and dip chicken in that. Saute in olive oil until golden brown and crisp then transfer skillet to oven to roast at 450 for 8 more minutes.

Yield: 4 servings

Jack-o'-Lantern Oranges

I just saw this in my Taste of Home Healthy Cooking newsletter and had to share. There is plenty of junk available to our kids this time of year and I thought this was a fun and nice alternative.

(Photo by Taste of Home)


small navel oranges
1 small apple, chopped
1/2 cup halved seedless red grapes
Slivered almonds and whole cloves

Choose which side of each orange will be the jack-o'-lantern's face; cut a thin slice from the bottom of each so that it rests flat. Cut another small slice from the top. Spoon out pulp. Chop pulp and combine with apple and grapes; set aside.

Cut faces as desired; decorate with cloves and almonds. Spoon fruit mixture into jack-o'-lanterns.

Yield: 8 servings.

Peeking Monster Cupcakes

These are my last Halloween goodies for the month. I think these were the easiest to make and they are so cute. We made them for my daughters preschool Halloween Party and she had no problem helping me. I think she ate more candy than she put on the cupcakes though. ;)

1-Start with frosted store-bought or homemade cupcakes. 2-Insert sour candy corn in frosting for hair. (any candy corn will work, the sour ones are fun because they are bright, but I had a hard time finding them)

3-Cut 1 Necco Wafer in half and place at the top of baking cup for eyes.
4-Use frosting to stick two blue or green mini M&Ms to Necco Wafer for pupils.

Dinner In a Pumpkin

This recipe and the three that follow are part of our Halloween dinner. It was a lot of fun. The pumpkin filling is similar to a Goulash and was hearty and filling. The kids loved the biscuits and cider and who doesn't love dessert? This will definitely become a tradition in our home.

1 small to medium pumpkin (I recommend medium)
1 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp oil
1-1/2 to 2 lbs ground beef or turkey (I used turkey and it was fantastic)
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2Tbsp brown sugar
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 can reduced fat cream-of-chicken soup
1-1/2 C cooked rice
1 can sliced water chestnuts drained

Cut off the top of pumpkin and thoroughly clean out seeds and pulp. Paint an appropriate face on the front of the pumpkin with a permanent marking pen or acrylic paint. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large skillet, saute onions in oil until tender. Add meat and brown. Drain drippings from skillet. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms and soup. Simmer 10minutes, stirring occasionally. add cooked rice and water chestnuts. Spoon mixture into the cleaned pumpkin shell. Replace pumpkin top and place entire pumpkin, with filling on baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour or until inside meat of the pumpkin is tender. Put pumpkin on a plate. Remove pumpkin top and serve meat. For a fun vegetable alternative try scooping out cooked pumpkin and serving it as a side dish.

Yield: 6 servings

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Delicious, easy and have a beautiful color.

2-1/2 cups biscuit/baking mix
1-1/2 cups canned sweet potatoes
6 tablespoons milk
1/3 cup butter, melted

Place biscuit mix in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mash sweet potatoes; stir in milk and butter. Stir into biscuit mix just until moistened.

Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Yield: about 1 dozen.

Note: I haven't tried it yet, but I think these would be even better with left over sweet potatoes from Thanksgiving.


Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 each) equals 132 calories, 7 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 11 mg cholesterol, 287 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein.

Wassil Cider

This would be a great recipe for any holiday.

2 quarts apple cider
1-1/2 cups orange juice
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches)
Dash ground cinnamon
Dash ground cloves

In a large saucepan, combine all of the ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Discard cinnamon sticks. Serve hot in mugs.
Yield: 10-12 servings (2-1/2 quarts).


Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 107 calories, trace fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 17 mg sodium, 27 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, trace protein.

Pumpkin Cake

There are many versions of pumpkin cake out there and some are better than others. This is a family favorite of mine. My parents used to make it and now I make it for my family. My husband, the great pumpkin connoisseur, loves it. I usually make it for his birthday.

1 yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 C + 2 Tbsp butter of margarine
1lb 3 oz can pumpkin
2-1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
1/2 C packed brown sugar
2/3 C milk
1/4 C white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Combine cake mix (minus 1 cup) 1 egg, 1/2 C melted butter (and cooled). Press into the bottom of greased 9X13 in pan.

Mix pumpkin, pumpkin spice, brown sugar, 2 eggs and milk. Pour over top of cake. On top of this crumble 1 C cake mix, white sugar, cinnamon and remaining butter (softened).

Bake at 350 F for 45-50 minutes. Serve with ice or whip cream.

Yield: 12 servings

Strawberry Ghosts

I found this while browsing the Taste of Home website. They looked so easy and so good that I had to try them. I am a big fan of chocolate and strawberries. Whoever came up with the idea should seriously win an award. These Ghosts are yummy and they were really easy for the kids to make and fun to play with and eat.

1 pkg fresh strawberries
8 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon shortening
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Wash strawberries and gently pat with paper towels until completely dry. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate and shortening at 50% power; stir until smooth. Stir in extract.

Dip strawberries in chocolate mixture; place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet, allowing excess chocolate to form the ghosts' tails. Immediately press chocolate chips into coating for eyes. Freeze for 5 minutes.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt remaining chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Dip a toothpick into melted chocolate and draw a mouth on each face.

Yield: About 2 dozen.

Nutrition Facts: 1 strawberry equals 54 calories, 3 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 2 mg cholesterol, 8 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein.