Giving Thanks and Sharing the Love of Food.

“There is no sincerer love than the love of food.”
– George Bernard Shaw

This Thanksgiving our team would like to share a few of our favorite holiday recipes. We hope your home can be inspired by a few of these dishes which we have shared with our own families.

Sweet Potato Casserole
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (about 8 whole raw sweet potatoes - see note below!)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 stick butter
1/2 cup  milk (or half and half for extra special goodness!)
optional:  add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and just a bit of nutmeg

Topping:
1 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts
1/3 stick butter melted
1 can coconut


Prep:
1. Mix casserole ingredients and pour into a greased dish.
2. Mix topping and apply to top of casserole.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Note:  Buy the raw sweet potatoes and bake them in the oven at 375 degrees for about an hour and a half.  Cut the potatoes in half and line a baking sheet with Reynold's wrap and then clean-up is easy!  You can just scoop the sweet potatoes out of the skin and then you don't have to peel them.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

1 ½  tsp. whole cumin seeds
2  15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1  15oz can sweet corn, drained
1  red pepper minced
1  small purple onion, minced
3  cloves garlic, crushed
½  cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
½  cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/3  cup freshly squeezed lime juice
½  tsp. salt
1  tsp. crushed red pepper (or to taste)
½   tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Handful of grape tomatoes, quartered (optional)

Prep:

1. Toast cumin seeds in a dry skillet until fragrant, stirring frequently.  Be careful not to burn them!  2. Put cumin seeds into a large bowl and add all other ingredients. 

3. Stir until well combined. 

4.  Make this several hours to a day ahead as all the flavors need a little time to blend. 

Butternut Squash Soup:
2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large sweet onion, chopped
3 parsnips, peeled and chopped*
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 (12-oz.) packages frozen butternut squash, thawed**
5 cups low-sodium fat-free chicken broth

1/4 cup whipping cream

1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
Garnishes: sour cream, chopped fresh chives

Prep:
1. Melt butter with olive oil; add onion and next 4 ingredients.
2. Saute 20 minutes or until onion is caramel colored.
3. Add squash and chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
4. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring often, 10 minutes.
5. Remove from heat; let stand 1 hour.
6. Process squash mixture, in batches, in a blender or food processor until smooth.
7. Pour mixture into a 6-qt. slow cooker.
8. Stir in whipping cream, paprika, and cumin.
9. Cover and cook on LOW 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

* Peeled and chopped carrots can substitute for parsnips.
**1 (3- to 4-lb.) butternut squash may be substituted. Preheat oven to 400°. Cut squash in half; remove seeds. Place squash, cut sides down, on a lightly greased aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 45 minutes or until squash pulp is tender. Remove from oven. Let cool 20 minutes. Scoop out squash pulp, discarding shells.


 Super-simple Mac & Cheese:
 5 cups cooked macaroni (2 cups, raw)
2 cups small curd cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 egg, beaten
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
8 ounce shredded cheddar
1/4 cup Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Prep:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine cottage cheese, sour cream, egg, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir in cheddar cheese.
3. Gently add cooked macaroni. Spoon into a greased 3-quart baking dish. Top with Parmesan and paprika.
4. Bake about 40 minutes or until set. Do not over bake. Serves 8-10.

 

Iced Pumpkin Cookies:

Cookies: 
-1 cup butter
-1 cup sugar
-1 cup pumpkin
-1 egg
Mix well.

Add:
-2 cups flour
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon salt

Prep:
1. Drop by teaspoon onto baking sheet.
2. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Icing: 
-3 tablespoons butter
-4 teaspoons milk
-1/2 cup brown sugar
Cook until dissolved.

Prep:
1. Let cool.
2. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla.
3. Mix well.
4. Spread onto cookies. Enjoy!!

3 Step - 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Cake:
 1 Box moist spice cake mix
15 oz Small canned pumpkin
12 oz Cream cheese icing

Prep:
1. Just mix a box of spice cake with a small can of pumpkin and pour into desired pan.
2. Bake according to the spice cake recipe- about 30 minutes and let cool.
3. Once the cake has cooled, spread cream cheese icing over the top and enjoy!