Monday, December 7, 2009

Turkey Enchiladas

Submitted by Lani M.



Yield: 8 servings

3 cups cubed cooked turkey
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup cooked long grain rice (I just used leftover brown rice.)
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup canned chopped green chilies
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
8 flour tortillas (10 inches)
1 can (28 oz.) green enchilada sauce, divided
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided



1. In a large saucepan, combine first 10 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat.

2. Place 1/2 cup turkey mixture down center of each tortilla; top each with 1 teaspoon enchilada sauce and 1 T. cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in a greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over top; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

3. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 8-10 minutes longer or until bubbly.

NOTE: We decided this would be easier and just as good to just layer in a pan rather than rolling up in the tortilla.

Pumpkin Patch Biscuits and Maple Butter

Submitted by Barb P. and Koral P.



Pumpkin Patch Biscuits

Yield: 6 biscuits

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons cold butter, divided
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup buttermilk

1. In large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine pumpkin and buttermilk; stir into crumb mixture just until moistened.

2. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 8-10 times. Pat or roll out to 1 inch thickness; cut with a floured 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter. Place 1 inch apart on a greased baking sheet.

3. Bake at 425 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Melt remaining butter; brush over the biscuits. Serve warm.



Maple Butter

1 c. sugar
1 c. maple syrup
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 lb. butter, cut up
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Bring first three ingredients to a boil. Boil for about a minute. Pour over 1 lb. cut up butter in blender. Blend until smooth. Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Pour into containers & chill. Makes 5 1/2 pints.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle

Submitted by Lani M.



Yield: 16 servings

1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
1 egg
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup hot water

FILLING/TOPPING:

2 cups cold milk
1 package (3.4 oz.) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 can (15 oz.) solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teasoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon rum extract



1. In large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses and egg. Combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition.

2. Pour into a greased 13x9 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut the gingerbread into 1/2 inch to 1 inch cubes; set aside.

3. In large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon; stir into pudding. In another bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and extract; beat until stiff peaks form.

4. Set aside 1/4 cup gingerbread cubes. In a 4 quart trifle bowl or glass serving bowl, layer a third of the remaining gingerbread cubes; top with a third of the pumpkin mixture and whipped cream. Repeat layers twice. Crumble reserved gingerbread; sprinkle over top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Turkey Pot Pies

Submitted by Lani M.



Yield: 2 pies (6 servings each)

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
3 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch slices
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery rib, diced
2 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
6 T. all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups cubed cooked turkey
2/3 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup plus 1 T. heavy whipping cream, divided
1 T. minced fresh parsley
1 t. garlic salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 pie crust pastries
1 egg



1. In a Dutch oven, saute the potatoes, carrots, onion and celery in butter and oil until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the turkey, peas, 1/2 cup cream, parsley, garlic salt and pepper.

2. Spoon into two ungreased 9 inch pie plates. Roll out pastry to fit top of each pie; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut out a decorative center or cut slits in pastry. In a small bowl, whisk egg and remaining cream; brush over dough.

3. Cover and freeze one potpie for up to 3 months. Bake the remaining pot pie at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

4. To use frozen potpie; Remove from the freezer 30 minutes before baking. Cover edges of crust loosely with foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Reduce heat t0 350 degrees; remove foil. Bake 55-60 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Friday, December 4, 2009

Pumpkin Streusel Cheesecake Pie

Submitted by Lani M.



Serves 8

8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 pie crust
15 oz. can pumpkin
1/4 cup half-and-half
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. salt
2 T. all-purpose flour
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. butter, softened
2 oz. package slivered almonds, finely chopped and toasted

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. For cheesecake layer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add 1/4 cup sugar and one egg, mixing until smooth; refrigerate while preparing remaining steps. Meanwhile, for pastry, unroll pastry and fit into a 9 inch pie pan. Trim edges, leaving a 1 inch overhang. Fold under extra pastry and crimp edges as desired; set aside.

For pumpkin layer, combine pumpkin, half-and-half, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Spread cheesecake filling into pastry shell. Pour pumpkin mixture over top. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

For almond streusel topping, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter and almonds; combine well. Sprinkle topping on pie and continue baking 30 minutes, or until knife inserted comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate.

Why I shouldn't eat pie for breakfast every day:

Nutrition facts per serving: 440 calories, 28 g fat, 12 g saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 130 mg cholestorol, 340 mg sodium, 45 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 8 g protein, 265 g sugar

However, the damage wasn't quite so bad as this because I used reduced fat cream cheese and fat free half and half. Just some secrets you can use that don't alter the taste and your waistline will thank you for it later. Your scale might, too. And who doesn't like a good "thank you" every once in awhile.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Chocolate Nut Pie

Submitted by Lani M.



unbaked pie crust
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/2 cup (stick) of butter, melted
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. flour
1 c. chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts, chopped

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out unbaked pie crust. Transfer to a 9 inch pie plate; flute edges.
2. Mix eggs and vanilla.
3. Add in melted butter.
4. Mix in sugar, flour, chocolate chips and walnuts.
5. Pour into crust and bake at 350 degrees about a 1/2 an hour or until pie is a golden brown on top. (If using a convection oven, bake at 325 degrees.)

Sweet Potato Pie

Submitted by Lani M.



Yield: 8 servings

1 2/3 cups pie crust mix
1/4 cup chopped pecans
3-4 T. cold water
3 eggs
2 cans (15 oz. each) sweet potatoes, drained
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2- 2 t. pumpkin pie spice
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. salt
Whipped topping and additional chopped pecans, toasted (optional).

1. In a small bowl, combine pie crust mix and pecans. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Roll out to fit a 9 inch deep-dish pie plate (They're not kidding when they say "deep-dish". I had to set some aside and bake separately like a custard or the pie would have been too full.). Transfer pastry to pie plate. Flute edges; set aside.

2. In a food processor, combine the eggs, sweet potatoes, milk, pumpkin spice, vanilla and salt; blend until smooth. Pour into pastry.

3. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 30-35 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Garnish with whipped topping and toasted pecans, if desired.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Ginger-Streusel Pumpkin Pie

Submitted by Lani M.



Yield: 8 servings

1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry
3 eggs
1 can (15 oz.) solid-pack pumpkin
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
½ cup sugar
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

STREUSEL:

1 cup all-purpose flower
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup cold butter, cubed
½ cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup finely chopped candied OR crystallized ginger

1. On a lightly floured surface, unroll pastry. Transfer pastry to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim pastry to ½ inch beyond edge of plate; flute edges.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin, cream, sugars, cinnamon, salt, allspice, nutmeg and cloves. Pour into the pastry shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

3. In a small bowl, combine flour and brown sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in walnuts and ginger. Gently sprinkle over filling.

4. Bake 15-25 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.