This Pecan Pie Muffins recipe makes delicious muffins that are full of all that rich, buttery, nutty flavor you crave—without the hassle of making a fill pie and pie crust. If you love pecan pie but need something quicker and easier, this recipe is perfect for lunches, holidays, potlucks, or a simple weeknight treat. They’re easy to make fast with just a handful of ingredients you probably already have on hand!
If you love pecan pie but don’t love the time (or fuss) it takes to make one, this Pecan Pie Muffins recipe is about to become your new favorite treat! They have that rich, buttery, caramel-like flavor of traditional pecan pie—just in a perfectly portioned, handheld muffin. No crust to roll out. No complicated steps. Just mix, pour, and bake.
This recipe is special because of how quick and simple it is to make! With just five basic ingredients—chopped pecans, brown sugar, flour, eggs, and melted butter—you can whip up a batch in minutes. The brown sugar creates that classic sweet, slightly gooey texture, while the pecans add the perfect crunch in every bite. The result is a soft, tender muffin with crisp edges and a rich center that tastes just like the filling of a homemade pecan pie.
How to Make The Pecan Pie Muffins (Full recipe below):
To make them, start by preheating your oven to 350°. Combine the chopped pecans, brown sugar, and flour in one bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until foamy, then stir in the melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently blend until just moistened—be careful not to overmix. Spoon the batter into lined muffin tins and bake for 20–25 minutes.
These pecan pie muffins are perfect for holiday gatherings, potlucks, bake sales, or adding something special to a lunchbox. They also freeze well, making them a great make-ahead dessert for busy weeks. Or if you’re just craving a tasty dessert, you can also enjoy a few of them now and freeze the rest for later.
Warm, sweet, nutty, and incredibly easy—these Pecan Pie Muffins deliver all the comfort of a classic dessert in a fraction of the time!
This quick and easy pecan pie muffins recipe is easy to make and tastes just like homemade pecan pie! It ‘s convenient and great for lunches and parties!
Author:Tawra Kellam
Ingredients
1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 eggs 1/2 cup (stick) butter or margarine, melted
Here are some easy homemade chicken and turkey soup recipes. These soups are super yummy for cold weather days and great comfort foods when you’re sick!
Homemade Chicken and Turkey Soup Recipes
With the onset of cooler weather, one of the best things to learn to make from scratch is a basic homemade chicken soup stock or soup base. Soup base is so easy to make and can be used for many different dishes. We’ll make the basic homemade chicken broth today. Once you have it made, you can mix and match and put your favorite things into it. You can add rice for chicken and rice soup, barley for barley soup, use it to boil noodles for chicken and noodles or make simple Bisquick dumplings for chicken and dumplings. I also like to use it to cook rice in place of water.
It is also helpful to keep some frozen soup base that you can quickly grab and use when you need it for things like broccoli soup or egg flower soup.
Easy Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe
This first version, which is similar to what many people use, is in the Dining on a Dime Cookbook, Volume 1. The second recipe is my own quicker version which I like just as well. It is a little easier and much faster. You choose which you have time for. They are both good.
Place the chicken pieces in a large pot and cover with water. Add optional veggies and bay leaf if you have them.
Sprinkle in seasonings and bouillon.
Cover and simmer gently for 2–5 hours, depending on when you remember it. ;-)
Take out the chicken pieces.
Strain the broth into a clean pot or bowl and let it cool.
Refrigerate until the fat rises to the top and remove it.
Pick any meat from the chicken pieces and return it to the broth. Discard bones.
When reheating or serving, taste and add more salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, or bouillon if needed.
Notes
This recipe is an easy way to use leftover food items. If I have a bay leaf or a couple of carrots on hand, I will throw them in.
This is a perfect starter soup — add noodles, rice, veggies, dumplings, or leftovers to turn it into dinner!
You can make turkey soup the same way. To me, turkey soup is one soup where less is best. The less of the seasonings you use, the more you can get the yummy flavor of the turkey.
Turkey carcass or leftover turkey bones Water (enough to cover the bones) Garlic powder (to taste) Onion powder (to taste) Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
Place turkey bones in a large pot and cover with water. Bring just to a boil.
Skim off and discard any foam that rises to the top.
Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 2–3 hours, or until the turkey meat is very tender and falling off the bones.
Remove bones and strain liquid through a colander. Let the broth cool and refrigerate until the fat hardens on top (makes skimming easy).
Let the meat cool until it can be handled. Once the bones are cool enough to handle, remove all edible meat and discard the bones.
Skim the fat from the broth
Return broth and meat to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, to taste. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
Here is one last turkey soup recipe, which is a big help if you want to cook your soup right after Thanksgiving because it helps you use many leftovers besides just the turkey.
Leftover turkey bones 5-6 cups water 3 garlic cloves (or garlic powder, to taste) 2 bay leaves 1 tsp. dried thyme 1 tsp. rubbed sage Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup barley, uncooked* Leftover veggies — cooked or uncooked
Instructions
Place turkey bones, herbs, garlic, and water in a large pot.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 1½–2 hours.
Take out the bones and pick off any meat. Return the meat to the pot.
Add the barley and any uncooked vegetables, then simmer 45 minutes.
Stir in cooked vegetables during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
Season to taste and ladle into bowls.
Notes
This soup freezes well. Portion into containers for quick meals later.
Replace barley with spaghetti noodles if you prefer. Add noodles in the last few minutes along with cooked vegetables.
This recipe is the perfect way to use up leftovers, like:
Things can be very busy around the holidays and it can create a lot of chaos. Here are some helpful holiday cooking tips to make holiday cooking easier!
10 Cooking Tips To Save The Holidays!
Clean your pantry, freezer and refrigerator.
Get your refrigerator, freezer and pantry cleaned and ready to stock up on the food you will need for your holiday cooking as soon as it comes on sale. Then they’ll be ready for the store bought items and the things you will be cooking.
Fill Canisters
I use canisters to store my flour, sugar and other staple items because the canisters help keep out bugs and humidity and it is less messy to scoop things like flour or sugar out of a large canister than a bag. Get the canisters filled up and ready for your upcoming cooking and baking marathons.
I also fill up my spice containers at this time. I usually buy my spices in bulk and some of the containers they come in are large and are not easy to measure from. I keep smaller spice containers and then just fill them from the bulk packages.
Keep A Trash Can Handy
When doing a lot of baking or cooking be sure to keep the trash can or a brown paper sack near you so it’s easy to throw away trash. I often make 5-6 trips to the trash can so this simplifies the process. It also motivates you to clean as you go along. You might also keep a large bowl on the counter to dump your trash into as you work. Then, when you are done, you can take it all at once to the trash.
Graham Cracker Crumbs
It seems like half the desserts I find call for graham crackers of some sort. To make things easier, crush a whole box or more of graham crackers and store them in an airtight container. Keep a measuring scoop in the container and the next time you have a recipe that calls for graham cracker crumbs, you’ll have no mess or fuss and one less step to do.
Twisted oatmeal cookies
Use pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice in place of cinnamon in your oatmeal cookies.
Sliding cutting board
You will probably have that cutting board out all the time during the holiday cooking. To help keep it from sliding around, glue a small piece of waffle rubber shelf liner to the corners.
Butter, Margarine, Or Vegetable Shortening???
Sometimes it gets confusing trying to decide what kind of oil to use in baking – butter, margarine, or shortening?
Butter can give a richer flavor, but will burn more easily. If you’re making cookies or something similar, butter can easily burn so you will want to watch it more closely.
If you use margarine, always use margarine that has at least 80% fat. If you don’t, your baked goods can stick badly to the pan or spread too much and they often turn out too dry. Oils to stay away from in baking (unless otherwise stated in the recipe) are vegetable oil, low fat margarine and tub margarine.
If a recipe calls for vegetable shortening, the shortening serves the purpose of the oil, but also tends to make baking more fluffy. For example, fluffy cookies will usually call for shortening. If you substitute butter for shortening, the fluffy cookies will turn out more flat and crunchy.
Easy Pancakes for a crowd
With out of town guests coming or when you’re preparing holiday brunches, it can mean you’ll be making lots of pancakes. To make things go faster, using about 3 cups of pancake mix to make your batter. Pour the pancake batter into a greased 15×10 inch jelly roll pan and bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes until puffy and brown. Then just cut the “pancakes” into squares with a pizza cutter.
Holiday Banana Nut Bread
Give your regular banana nut bread recipe a holiday flair by adding chocolate chips and maraschino cherries to it.
Ham Juices
Many of you will be baking hams for holiday dinners or parties. Often, we just throw away the ham juice but this year save it. Skim off the fat and then pour the juices into ice cube trays or small containers. The next time you make green beans, pea soup, boiled potatoes or green bean casserole, use a cube for flavoring.
Here are 8 Of The BEST Homemade Gingerbread Recipes all in one place! Gingerbread is a yummy treat for all occasions, but especially for holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving!
Your family and friends will love these easy gingerbread recipes! Whether you’re craving gingerbread cookies, gingerbread cake or a sumptuous gingerbread hot chocolate, you’ll find it here!
8 Of The BEST Homemade Gingerbread Recipes
This basic homemade gingerbread recipe is in Volume 1 of our Dining On A Dime Cookbook. Gingerbread is one of my favorite fall desserts! Nothing says fall like pumpkin and gingerbread and this is a long time family favorite!
If you don’t have whipped topping for your gingerbread, you can use some vanilla frosting on it.
This gingerbread recipe can be made ahead of time and frozen after it is baked.
I absolutely adore this Honey Spice Snaps recipe! It’s got that classic gingerbread taste, but without the overpowering molasses flavor. In fact, my family is not a big fan of molasses, so I make this recipe any time the kids want gingerbread! Every time I make it, they can’t get enough!
Author:Tawra Kellam
Yield:2 dozen
Ingredients
1 cup brown sugar, packed 3/4 cup shortening 1 egg 1/4 cup honey or dark corn syrup 1 tsp. ginger 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. cloves 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 2 1/4 cups all purpose four
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cream brown sugar and shortening in a mixing bowl.
Add the egg and honey or corn syrup and mix well.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
Stir into the sugar mixture until well blended.
Shape into balls.
Dip half the ball in water, then in sugar.
Place sugar side up.
Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 12-15 minutes.
Looking for a gingerbread recipe that’s both fail-proof and easy to make? Look no further than this homemade gingerbread recipe! The best part? You can even make it ahead of time and freeze it before baking. While the ingredient list may look long, don’t let that intimidate you – most of it is just spices. In fact, this recipe is incredibly easy to mix together, so you’ll be enjoying delicious gingerbread in no time!
Author:Tawra Kellam
Ingredients
1/2 cup boiling water 1/2 cup shortening 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup molasses 1 egg, slightly beaten 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 3/4 tsp. ginger 3/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. cloves
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Pour boiling water over shortening.
Add sugar, molasses and egg.
Mix the remaining ingredients together.
Add to the liquids.
Beat with an electric mixer.
Pour into a greased 8×8 inch pan.
Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Notes
If you want to Freeze the Gingerbread Dough for later:
After mixing the gingerbread dough and placing it in the pan, freeze it. Then when you’re ready to use it, place it in a cold oven. Bake at 350° for about 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
1/2 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla 1/4 cup molasses 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1/2 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. cloves 1/8 tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. baking soda 2 cups all purpose flour
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°.
Mix butter and sugars until fluffy.
Add egg, vanilla, and molasses
Beat 1-2 minutes until lighter brown.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. The batter will be very thick.
Pour into a 9×13 inch pan or an 8×8 inch pan* lined with parchment paper or foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Because the batter is think, you may have to pat it into the pan.
Bake until it starts to turn a little brown on the edges.
*If you want a thinner bar, use a 9×13 inch pan and bake for 20-22 minutes. For a thicker bar use the 8×8 inch pan and add 2-3 minutes of baking time.
Frosting
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened (1/2 stick)
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Beat all ingredients together.
Frost bars when cool.
Indulge in a warm and cozy cup of hot chocolate with a delightful twist of gingerbread. These Gingerbread Hot Chocolate and White Chocolate recipes are not only incredibly delicious, but they’re also perfect for cold winter days and holiday gatherings. With a blend of rich cocoa, fragrant spices, and creamy white chocolate, you’ll surely fall in love with this festive treat. Give it a try and let your taste buds take a ride to a winter wonderland!
Indulge in a warm and cozy cup of hot chocolate with a delightful twist of gingerbread. These Gingerbread Hot Chocolate and White Chocolate recipes are not only incredibly delicious, but they’re also perfect for cold winter days and holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Units
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. molasses
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3cups milk
Instructions
Combine everything but the milk in a saucepan over low heat.
Then add the milk.
Heat, whisking, until hot.
Serve with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon.
1 1/2 cups milk 1/2 cup white chocolate chips 2 tsp. molasses 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice (mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cardamom)
Instructions
Mix all ingredients.
Heat either on the stove or in the microwave.
Top with whipped topping.
White Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
It doesn’t get much better than walking in the door to the smell of gingerbread! This gingerbread cookies recipe tastes great any time of year but these cookies can really start getting you in the mood for the holidays now!
This gingerbread cookies recipe is great if you have a hurried schedule and have to get things done with just a few moments here and there. If you need to, you can make the dough ahead of time and let it set in the fridge for a few days before baking. You could also mix the batter in the morning and then bake a few cookies when the kids are arriving home from school.
If you don’t have white chocolate chips on hand, make some vanilla frosting or open a can of vanilla frosting to use on these instead. These cookies are fun to serve at a tea too with a dollop of whipped topping like a small tea cake or just sit down and eat some at the end of a long cold day with a hot cup of tea or coffee.
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup molasses 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla 3 cups all purpose flour 2 tsp. ginger 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 cup sugar 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
Beat the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add molasses, egg and vanilla; beat well.
Add flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt and mix to make a dough.
Press dough into a flat disk.
Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Shape the dough into 1-inch balls.
Roll in granulated sugar.
Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies just begin to brown.
Immediately press about 5-6 white chocolate chips into the center of each cookie.
Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
Store cookies in airtight container up to 5 days.
White Gingerbread Cake
Our readers are such great cooks and give us some of the best recipes. Here is a white gingerbread cake recipe from Bea that sounded different and interesting. If you don’t like the molasses flavor in regular gingerbread, this recipe may be for you because it has no molasses. It is like a spice cake.
I think it would be delicious for breakfast, dessert or snack and might be good drizzled with a little vanilla or caramel frosting.
Mom’s Homemade Gingerbread Men! Or Cookie Men as the kids call them!
For the last 25 years mom has made these cute gingerbread men for Christmas. She just sells them to friends and family but has made up to 500 dozen of the little ones (yes, that 5,000-7,000 gingerbread men) in November and December. She packages them by the dozen in cellophane bags tied with a piece of red curly ribbon.
A few years ago she came up with the big ones (at the top). They are about 12 inches tall and the kids just loved them. She gives one to each of the grandkids each Thanksgiving and most of it’s gone by the next morning! LOL
The best part is that they taste even better than they look! She found a great recipe years ago in an old cookbook and has used it ever since. (Sorry, we can’t give it out. When we are done with the book business we will go into the gingerbread men business. 🙂
I thought I would share a picture since everyone is always asking about them.
This 3 Ingredient Easy Cheese Ball Recipe makes a tasty cheese dip and is our family’s favorite dip for the holidays! This is a Christmas favorite of my son’s but it can be served at New Year’s or any time you want a quick and easy dip.
This 3-Ingredient Easy Cheese Ball Recipe is a holiday favorite in our family! Made with tangy cheese, cream cheese, and optional nuts, it’s the perfect quick and delicious dip for Christmas, New Year’s, or any occasion. Whip it up in minutes for a crowd-pleasing appetizer everyone will love!
Author:Jill Cooper
Ingredients
1 jar Kraft Old English cheese spread 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup nuts, chopped
Instructions
Mix ingredients.
Roll into a ball.
Wrap in plastic wrap. (Most of the time we just mix it and serve in a bowl without wrapping it.)
Serve with chips or crackers.
Notes
We leave the nuts out because no one around here but mom, my sister in law and I would eat it.
Try these easy party food ideas and recipes, including tips for how to lay out a buffet dinner table so everyone doesn’t get piled on top of each other.
10 Easy Christmas Party Food Ideas
There will be a lot of us having buffet dinners and parties before and on Christmas and many of us will be looking for easy party food ideas.
Have you ever been to a dinner or party where the buffet was just not laid out right? It took forever for everyone to get through the line and trying to juggle everything was a tremendous challenge.
Here is the proper way to lay out your party food for a buffet dinner so that things go quickly and easily for you and your guests.
If you have room, set the table up so that people can walk down both sides of the table and serve themselves. Regardless of whether they walk down one side or both sides, make sure that at the end of the table it is easy for them to go on to the room where they will be sitting or mingling. Try to arrange it so they don’t have to push their way back through the other people who are trying to make their way down the table to serve themselves.
This is the order in which to set things on the table:
Plates, meats, side dishes, relish dishes, salads, desserts, napkin, silverware and then drinks.Some people put the drinks first. This is a no-no because then everyone has to juggle a plate and a glass while trying to serve himself. This is why it is better to put the salads and desserts at the end if you are using salad or dessert plates too.
If at all possible, put the drinks and desserts at a separate table.This helps reduce the congestion. Guests can then set their plates down after they are filled and go back to get their drinks without having to stand in line again. You’ll also avoid problems with guests trying to hold two plates or a drink and a plate.
If it is going to be an all day get-together, you can wait and put the desserts out a little later with a pot of coffee and some tea to make things easier.
Party Food Recipes:
Here are some party food ideas including “red and green” recipes to use for those holiday parties or Christmas dinners.
These first two are our favorite salads that we serve every year with Christmas dinner. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without them. Our readers love them too, requesting them again every year.
This easy red jello salad recipe is a family favorite and a staple for Christmas! The family says that we can’t celebrate Christmas without the Red Jello Salad! ;-) It adds a beautiful red color to the Christmas table and children and men seem to really love it.
Author:Jill Cooper
Ingredients
1/2 cup boiling water 1 small package cherry Jello 1/4 to 1/2 cup red hot candies 1 1/2 cups applesauce
Instructions
Dissolve Jello and candies in boiling water. I usually do this in a small saucepan so I can keep it on low heat and keep it warm while dissolving the candies.
When the Jello and candies are mostly dissolved, add the applesauce.
Chill until set.
Here is a different and delicious side dish for Christmas that gives you a good variety of veggies for dinner while keeping the Christmas color scheme.
4 cups broccoli, cut into pieces 4 cups cauliflower, cut into pieces 2 cups celery, sliced 1/2 cup green olives, sliced 1 avocado, cut into small cubes 1/4 to 1/2 cup sunflower seeds Italian dressing
Instructions
Put everything into a bowl except the dressing.
Sprinkle with Italian dressing, to taste.
Notes
If you like, you can cut everything the day before you need it except the avocado and the dressing. Then you can add these items just before serving.
Note from Tawra: This is probably my most FAVORITE green salad! Yummy!
Christmas Veggies
Take some of your favorite veggies like broccoli, green beans or cauliflower and cook them your favorite way. Add chopped green and red peppers.Toss it all with Italian dressing and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
4 cups wild rice, cooked 1 (8 oz.) can sliced water chestnuts, drained 1/2 cup each of the following: celery, sliced green peppers, chopped frozen peas, thawed dried cranberries 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
Dressing:
1/3 cup vinegar 1/3 cup cranberry juice 2 tsp. olive oil 1/2 tsp. dried basil 1 tsp. sugar salt and pepper
Instructions
Mix all the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
Mix the dressing ingredients into a small bowl; pour over the salad.
1 (3 oz.) package lime Jello 2 (6 oz.) package key lime pie yogurt 1 small container of whipped topping
Instructions
Combine the Jello powder and yogurt.
Fold in whipped topping.
Chill for 20 minutes.
Notes
You could also pour this into a graham cracker crust.
Choose other flavors if you want. For example strawberry or cherry Jello with strawberry or cherry yogurt. In the summer months, use orange flavored ingredients.
For more easy party food ideas and recipes, check out volume 1 of our cookbook:
Here are 25 yummy Thanksgiving leftover recipes and ideas so you don’t waste any Thanksgiving leftovers! Great uses for leftover turkey, stuffing and more!
25 Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes And Ideas
Don’t you just love Thanksgiving? It’s the most guilt free holiday of the year. You don’t have to worry about getting the right gifts or whether everything is decorated perfectly. You don’t have to wonder whether you made enough cookies or whether the food is on your diet. You have permission and can eat to your heart’s content! At times like this, I have to wonder, “Have I died and gone to Heaven?!”
There is one problem — What happens when everyone rolls away from the table? You stand there in the shadows of mounds of Thanksgiving leftovers and the guilt sets in. You really can’t wedge in another bite, but you can’t bring yourself to throw away all that good food. You know that there are people starving in Bangladesh, but you can’t afford the shipping cost to send it to them… What do you do with it?
Here are some Thanksgiving leftover ideas to help you put those leftovers to good use and keep your clean conscience!
Mix gravy, cubed turkey and leftover vegetables into a casserole dish. Top with refrigerator biscuits, leftover pie crust or crescent rolls (unbaked). Bake at 350° until the dough is cooked and golden brown.
When making pies on Thanksgiving Day, save the extra dough or make extra to use to make pasties (recipe below). Roll out discs of dough in whatever size you want and fill with meat, vegetables and leftover potatoes.
Don’t forget to use your leftover Thanksgiving relish dish items. Chop and use in salads, soups or casseroles. If you’re really sick of the vegetables, chop and freeze to use later.
Make potato pancakes: Add 1 egg and 2 Tbsp. flour to 2 cups mashed potatoes. Make into patties and fry in a pan with margarine.
If you have a small amount of whipped topping left over, place dollops of it on a wax paper and freeze. Then place in an air tight container. When you need a quick topping for a dessert or some to go on a late night cup of hot cocoa you can just grab one out of the freezer.
Don’t throw out that pickle juice from the pickles you used on your relish dish. Use it to make French dressing next time instead of vinegar.
Grilled Turkey Sandwich We stayed with friends over Thanksgiving. The husband fixed a kind of turkey sandwich we had never seen before. He used stuffing and turkey for a moist sandwich and then fried it like you would with a reuben. My husband said it was delicious. From Delores
This easy pocket pies recipe is a great Thanksgiving leftover recipe! You can easily adapt this to use leftovers from any meal for a different and tasty treat!
Ingredients
Pie crust (or canned crescent rolls or biscuits) Thanksgiving leftovers of your choice: cranberry sauce, stuffing, turkey, veggies, mashed potatoes. etc. Leftover gravy (optional, if you have it)
For Crust: Use any of the things listed below for the crust:
Store bought pie crust
Make extra pie crust when you are making your Thanksgiving pie and save to use for these pocket pies.
Use crescent rolls
Canned biscuits slightly flattened
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450° if you are using pie crust (or use the temperature suggested on the can for rolls or biscuits).
Cut the pie crust into whatever size circles you like. (For a guide, you can lay a bowl on top of the crust and cut around it.)
Lay the Thanksgiving leftovers you want to include on top of your circle – cranberry sauce, dressing, turkey, veggies and so on.
You can then drizzle with a little leftover gravy. (You might choose to save the gravy until after they are cooked to pour over the top or to use for dipping the pocket pies.)
Lay another circle of crust or roll dough on top and seal the edges well.
Brush with a little milk or egg wash if you want to make it more brown on top.
Cook for 5-10 minutes, until golden brown.
You could also make larger circles and place leftovers on one half. Then fold the other half over and seal the edges.
If desired, add onion, carrot and celery for extra flavor.
Simmer 6-8 hours.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Saucy Turkey Sandwiches
In place of the usual lettuce and mayo, try making your turkey sandwiches with a slice of leftover cranberry sauce and cream cheese instead. Spread butter on one slice of bread and cream cheese on the other adding a slice of turkey and cranberry sauce in the middle.
1 cup turkey gravy 2 cups turkey, cooked and cubed 2 cups mixed veggies (frozen that have been thawed or leftovers) 2 medium potatoes, cubed and cooked 1 can refrigerator buttermilk biscuits
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°.
Mix everything together except the biscuits.
Heat through.
Pour into an 8 inch square baking dish.
Top with biscuits.
Bake 12-16 minutes until the biscuits are golden and the mixture is bubbly.
Leftover turkey Leftover veggies, cooked (Don’t forget to use the veggies from your relish dish. Cook them in the microwave first.) Leftover gravy 1/2 -1 cup grated cheddar cheese 1 can crescent rolls or refrigerator biscuits
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Layer the leftovers and cheese in a greased baking pan.
If using crescent rolls, open them and lay in rectangles pressing seams together. Cut into strips and place in a lattice work design on top of everything.
If using biscuits, just flatten slightly and lay on top of everything.
Bake about 20 minutes. until crescents or biscuits are golden brown and everything is hot and bubbly.
Leftover stuffing Leftover veggies, cooked (things like broccoli, cauliflower, corn and Brussels sprouts) American or Velveeta cheese 1 small can cream of mushroom soup 1/4 -1/2 cup milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Press leftover stuffing into a greased pan or baking dish.
Layer veggies on top of the stuffing.
Lay slices of cheese to cover everything.
Mix soup with enough milk to make it easy to pour and pour on top.
Bake about 20 minutes, until everything is heated through and bubbly.
This is a cross between a sweet potato pie and the traditional sweet potatoes and marshmallows. It’s the best of both dishes combined into one delicious recipe!
Ingredients
6 cups warm sweet potatoes, mashed 1 cup milk 1 egg 5 Tbsp. margarine, softened 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. vanilla 3/4 tsp. allspice 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 18 large marshmallows
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°.
In a large bowl, mix everything except the marshmallows.
Beat well.
Pour into a greased 2 1/2 quart baking dish.
Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes (just to heat through).
Top with marshmallows.
Bake about 5 minutes longer or until marshmallows turn brown.
Sweet Potatoes
If you have a few leftover mashed sweet potatoes, add them to the stock of your vegetable soup for a thicker soup with a different but good flavor.
Velveeta Mashed potatoes Ritz crackers or potato chips, crushed*
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cut the Velveeta into 3/4 inch cubes.
Shape leftover mashed potatoes around each cube.
Roll them in the crackers or chips.
Bake until they are golden brown.
Notes
*This is a good way to use those leftover potato chip crumbs that are always left at the bottom of the bag.
You might experiment with different flavored chips to see how they change the taste. For example, sour cream and cheddar chips, onion flavored chips or even some nacho flavored chips would create interesting flavors.
3 Tbsp. shortening 3 Tbsp. butter 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. cocoa 1/3 cup mashed potatoes 1/8 tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla 1 lb. (16 oz.) powdered sugar 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Instructions
In a microwave safe bowl, melt shortening and butter in the microwave.
Stir in cocoa until smooth.
Add potatoes, salt and vanilla. Mix well.
Blend in powdered sugar.
Add nuts and mix. Dough will be very lumpy.
Knead until smooth.
Press into a buttered 8×8 inch pan.
Cool in the refrigerator before cutting. Makes 64 pieces. (Yeah right!)
Stuffing Supreme
Make some stuffing, either from a box or from scratch. Add to it dried fruit, apricots, cranberries, apples, raisins or whatever you like. Toss in some nuts and roll into balls about the size of large meatballs. Bake at 375° uncovered for 20-25 minutes.
This pumpkin pie bars recipe is a recipe where you get to have your pie and eat it too — without the hassle of a pie crust. Remember, canned pumpkin is another item that goes on sale this time of year. Stock up on it to use later in the year!
Here’s an easy cranberry sauce recipe to transform canned cranberry sauce into a delicious, homemade-tasting side dish with just a few simple additions. This quick hack will take your holiday meal up a notch—without the extra time or hassle. Perfect for any festive table, this easy upgrade brings out rich, fresh flavors that taste like you made it from scratch!
Author:Tawra Kellam
Yield:1 1/4 cups
Ingredients
1 (15 oz.) can jellied cranberry sauce 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. mustard 1/4 tsp. ground clove
Instructions
Mix together all ingredients.
Serve.
This cranberry sauce recipe is good as-is, but it also makes a great topping for ham or turkey.
6 pork chops 1/2 cup cranberry or apple juice 1 can jellied cranberry sauce 1/4 cup sugar 2 Tbsp. spicy mustard 2 Tbsp. cornstarch 1/4 cup cold water Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
Place pork chops in a crokpot.
Mix the juice, cranberry sauce, sugar and mustard together.
Pour over pork chops.
Cook for 7-8 hours.
Remove pork chops from the crockpot.
Mix cornstarch and water in a saucepan.
Stir until smooth.
Slowly add the cooking juices to the cornstarch and water to make the sauce.
Here are a bunch of traditional Thanksgiving recipes for holiday favorites like super easy no-fail turkey, sweet potato casserole, homemade stuffing, turkey gravy and homemade pies all in one place! You can make this Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people for under $25!
Traditional Thanksgiving Recipes – Dinner For 10 People For Less Than $25!
We’ve included all of the traditional Thanksgiving recipes below, but here’s a breakdown of the costs to prepare this Thanksgiving Dinner For 10. Most of these recipes are from volume 1 of our Dining On A Dime Cookbook.
Turkey – .69/lb. 15 lbs. $7 ($10.35 for the entire turkey. You won’t use the entire turkey)
One container of whipped topping with work for 2 pies.
Cut small slices of desserts and dish out food for kids. They can come back and get more but then food isn’t wasted and thrown away.
If others are coming, have them help with dinner and bring some dishes.
Make it yourself. Homemade tastes so much better and it really is fairly quick and easy.
Don’t use elaborate recipes with expensive spices.
Make the table look nice and decorated. Then the food looks great even if it’s not a lot of food.
Don’t drink soda, cider and other expensive drinks. Just have iced tea, coffee and water.
Stock up now for your Christmas baking while sugar, flour, etc. are cheap.
Traditional Thanksgiving Recipes
Here’s an easy recipe and tips for how to roast a turkey! This is the best roast turkey recipe ever and everyone raves about how moist and delicious it is!
Traditional Thanksgiving – How To Roast A Turkey
Turkey isn’t expensive at all so stock up now. I got two turkeys today for .39/lb. I had the butcher cut them in half just like last year and the year before! If you know how to roast a turkey, you can stock up during the holidays, serve turkey in place of chicken and save a bundle on your food bill! Tawra
Thawing
Sometimes turkeys do not cook properly because they don’t get thawed. You need to allow 1 day of thawing time for every 4 lbs. of turkey plus you can keep a thawed turkey in the fridge for at least 3-4 days. Thaw your turkey with the breast side down so the juices will run into the breast.
This easy no-fail turkey recipe makes the best turkey you will ever eat! It is super tasty, moist and tender! The meat will just fall off the bones so you will have to serve it already carved. It will be very juicy and moist.
Ingredients
1 turkey, 20-22 lbs. 1 stick butter or margarine
Instructions
Defrost frozen turkey for several days in the refrigerator according to the directions on the package.
Preheat oven to 250°.
Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil.
Remove the insides of the turkey and save for giblet gravy or for fried livers and gizzards.
Lay turkey, breast side down, in the pan.
Place the stick of butter on the inside.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake at 250° for 1 hour.
Reduce heat to 200° and roast for 10-15 hours. Cooking time can be longer to fit your schedule. Test with a meat thermometer to make sure the temperature in the thigh is 180°.
Notes
If I have a 20-22 lb. turkey, I put it in the oven one hour before I go to bed (that way I can turn it down to 200° and sometimes I go down to 180° before I go to bed.) It will be done by noon the next day. Because it cooks at such a low temperature, if you aren’t going to eat until 1-2 PM, it will stay just fine in the oven until then.
If I have a smaller 10 lb. turkey, I put it in the oven early on Thanksgiving morning (about 6 or 7 AM in order to eat at noon. You don’t need to worry too much about it getting done. An hour or two before the meal, check it and see how it is doing. If it isn’t cooking quickly enough, you can always raise the temperature to 350°.
If you use a smaller 10 -12 lb turkey, you only need to use half of a stick (about 4 Tbsp.) of butter. You can also place it in a large crockpot on low.
5 large potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 Tbsp. sugar 2 Tbsp. butter 1 tsp. salt 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
In a large saucepan, place potatoes and enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 10-15 minutes depending on your altitude). Drain. Transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl and mash. I use a hand mixer for this but you can use a potato masher. Add butter, milk, sugar and salt. Beat until smooth. Serves 5-6.
For Garlic Mashed Potatoes: Add 15 cloves garlic, peeled and halved, to the potatoes when boiling.
Get ready for a crowd-pleaser! This Green Bean Casserole recipe is irresistibly creamy, full of flavor, and crowned with golden, crispy onions—so delicious you’ll want seconds. Quick and easy to make, it transforms a simple side into a show-stopping dish everyone will rave about!
Author:Tawra Kellam
Ingredients
1 (10.5 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup 1/2 cup milk 1 tsp. soy sauce 16-20 oz. thawed frozen green beans or 2 (14.5 oz.) cans green beans, drained or 4 cups fresh cooked cut green beans 1 1/3 cups French fried onions, divided Salt and pepper, to taste Optional: 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds, for extra crunch Optional: 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper, for a festive touch
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a 1½-quart oven-safe casserole dish, combine the soup, milk, soy sauce, green beans, and 2/3 cup of the French fried onions. Season with salt and pepper. Optionally, stir in red bell pepper for color and flavor.
Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes, until the mixture is hot and bubbly.
Remove from oven, stir gently, then sprinkle the remaining 2/3 cup fried onions and toasted almonds (if using) on top.
Bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes, or until the onions are golden brown and crisp.
Let the casserole rest for a few minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
Store leftovers in an oven safe dish for easy reheating.
Notes
Add 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds to the onion topping for an extra crunch.
To add a festive touch: Stir in 1/4 cup chopped red pepper with the soup.
If using fresh green beans, you can blanch them if you prefer to keep the vibrant green color and a crispier texture. Boil in water for about 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, immediately submerge in an ice water bath until they are cool to the touch.
Make ahead: Prepare the casserole up to the baking step, cover, and refrigerate. Bake when ready to serve, adding an extra 5–10 minutes to ensure it’s heated through.
Crispier topping: For an even crunchier topping, lightly toast the French fried onions in the oven for 2–3 minutes before adding.
Extra flavor: Add a dash of garlic powder or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese to the mixture before baking.
This is the best sweet potato casserole recipe ever! It is so quick and easy and makes a tasty dish, perfect for holiday dinners and potlucks. And it’s easy to make the day before you need it and bake just before serving!
Ingredients
3 cups sweet potatoes, mashed 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted 2 eggs 1 Tbsp. vanilla
Topping:
1 cup brown sugar, packed 1 cup pecans 1/2 cup all purpose flour 1/3 cup butter, melted
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix all of the casserole ingredients.
Put everything in a buttered 9×9 casserole dish.
Mix topping ingredients.
Sprinkle topping over the top of the sweet potato mixture.
Bake uncovered at 350° for 20 minutes.
Notes
If your family isn’t fond of nuts, you can leave out the pecans and it will turn out just fine.
For Marshmallow Topping:
If you prefer, you can easily add a marshmallow topping instead. After mixing the main casserole ingredients and placing them in the casserole dish, spread 1 (10.5 oz.) package miniature marshmallows over the top and bake as directed. The marshmallows will turn a golden brown.
For Pecan And Marshmallow Topping:
Make the recipe according to the directions above. Before baking, spread 1 (10.5 oz.) package miniature marshmallows over the top of the casserole and the pecan topping and bake as usual.
This is my grandmother’s classic stuffing recipe! This is a yummy Thanksgiving traditional stuffing recipe made with bread, sausage and more and everyone loves it!
This is my Grandma’s stuffing recipe (Jill’s Mom). It is one of my favorite traditional Thanksgiving recipes! It has been in our family for years and is a family favorite! -Tawra
I have hesitated to include our stuffing recipe because it is one of those recipes where it is hard to give exact measurements. You can adjust any of these ingredients to suit your taste and if you want, you can add different things to the dish.
For example, you can replace some of the bread with cornbread or you can add mushrooms, celery, apples, or giblets and many other things according to your own taste. This is one of those recipes that looks complicated but is really easy once you make it.
For a drier stuffing, use less liquid and for a moister dressing, add more butter. Butter doesn’t evaporate and won’t make your dressing “soggy” instead of moist the way liquid will. You can also add a little milk if the stuffing seems too dry.
When you bake stuffing inside a turkey or if you cook it in a covered pan, it won’t dry out so keep this in mind when testing for moistness.
If you want your stuffing to be fluffier, beat the eggs in the recipe before adding.
Here is the basic homemade stuffing recipe:
Ingredients
8–10 cups dried bread, cubed or torn (You can use anything including hot dog buns, dinner rolls or French bread.) 1/2–1 lb. pork sausage 1/2–1 onion (or onion powder to taste) 3 eggs, slightly beaten 1 1/2 cups broth* 1 chicken bouillon cube 1/4–1/2 cup butter or margarine 3 heaping tsp. ground sage
salt and pepper 1 small bag or box of seasoned croutons
Instructions
Cube and tear bread. Place in a very large mixing bowl and let it sit out overnight if not dry enough. Fry sausage and onion. I don’t like celery in my dressing but if you do you can add it at this time. Drain and add to the bowl of bread. Pour broth into a large measuring cup. Add butter and bouillon cube and heat in the microwave to melt butter and bouillon cubes. Pour this mixture and eggs over bread. Add sage, salt, pepper and onion powder if not using onions and croutons. Using your hands, mush it all together until well mixed. Place in a well greased casserole dish or pan. Cover. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.
If you like your stuffing soft on the inside with a crispy crust, just remove the cover for the last 15 minutes. If your dressing seems too dry, add a little milk for more moisture.
*For broth, I simmer the neck and giblets in a pan of water for an hour or two as soon as I take them out of the turkey. Then I use this water and some broth from my turkey, which has been cooking, to make my 1 1/2 cups.
If you are baking your stuffing in the turkey and can’t tell if it is done, just test with a meat thermometer and it should be 165 degrees.
3–4 cups turkey juices/drippings 1/4 cup all purpose flour or cornstarch Salt, pepper to taste
Instructions
Pour turkey juices/drippings into a saucepan. Whisk in flour. Add salt and pepper. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring once in a while until it is the right consistency.
If the gravy is too strong or you need to stretch it just a little, you can add a small amount of water. Another way I used to make turkey gravy (either way works) is to dissolve the flour in 1/2 cup of cold water and then whisk it into the turkey juices.
Here’s an easy cranberry sauce recipe to transform canned cranberry sauce into a delicious, homemade-tasting side dish with just a few simple additions. This quick hack will take your holiday meal up a notch—without the extra time or hassle. Perfect for any festive table, this easy upgrade brings out rich, fresh flavors that taste like you made it from scratch!
Author:Tawra Kellam
Yield:1 1/4 cups
Ingredients
1 (15 oz.) can jellied cranberry sauce 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. mustard 1/4 tsp. ground clove
Instructions
Mix together all ingredients.
Serve.
This cranberry sauce recipe is good as-is, but it also makes a great topping for ham or turkey.
Here’s mom’s famous homemade pie crust recipe which really is the VERY BEST! Super light and flaky, this pie crust is melt in your mouth delicious! Everyone raves about it! Make some extra to freeze and use later and you’ll cut your preparation time for your next pie!
Yield:3 pie crusts
Ingredients
3 cups all purpose flour 1/2 tsp. salt 2 Tbsp. sugar 1 1/4 cups shortening, cold 1 egg, cold 1 Tbsp. vinegar, cold 5 Tbsp. cold water sugar
Instructions
Mix flour, salt and 2 Tbsp. sugar in a bowl.
Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives.
Add egg, vinegar and 3 tablespoons water.
Mix lightly with your hands. Don’t over mix. If the dough is too dry, add more water. Mix just until the dough sticks together.
Divide into thirds.
Roll out to make 3 pie crusts.
When using the crust for the top of the pie, sprinkle sugar on top.
The crust can be frozen in slightly flattened balls and then defrosted and rolled out when ready to use. Makes 3 crusts.
6–7 cups of medium apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 3/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 2 Tbsp. all purpose flour 2 Tbsp. butter
Instructions
Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl except the butter.
Microwave this filling mixture 2-3 minutes.
Pour into the pie crust.
Dot with chunks of the butter.
Top with the other crust.
Cut steam slits in the top crust.
Sprinkle the top with sugar.
Bake at 450° for 15 minutes.
Then turn down to 350° and bake for 35-45 minutes, until apples are tender and juices are bubbling nicely out of the steam slits.
French Apple Pie is the same as a regular apple pie except with a different topping. To make the French topping, follow the recipe below and sprinkle it over the top of your pie instead of using a top crust.
Discover the secret to the perfect fall dessert with our Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe! Flaky crust, creamy pumpkin filling, and warm spices—this pie is easy to make and sure to wow your guests!
Ingredients
1 pie crust 2 eggs 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1/4 tsp. ground cloves 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Bake pie crust for 1-2 minutes until crust starts to puff with small bubbles. Watch carefully.
Then remove from the oven.
Increase oven temperature to 425°
Blend all remaining ingredients together in a bowl.
Pour into pie crust.
Bake at 425° for 15 minutes.
Then turn the oven down to 350° for 45 minutes.
When a knife is inserted into the center of the pie and comes out clean, it is done. Makes one pumpkin pie.
1 stick butter 1 cup light corn syrup 1 cup sugar 3 large eggs 1/2 tsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. vanilla dash of salt 1 1/4 cups pecans, chopped 1 (8–9 inch) unbaked pie crust
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°.
Brown butter in a pan until golden brown. Do not burn.
Cool.
In a separate bowl add other ingredients in the order given.
Mix well.
Add cooled butter and blend well.
Pour into pie crust.
Bake 10 minutes at 425°.
Then turn down oven to 325° and continue baking 40 minutes at 325°. Makes one pie.
Many of these traditional Thanksgiving recipes are in volume 1 of our cookbook:
This easy cornish hen recipe is super simple to make and a lot faster to cook than a turkey or chicken. One Cornish hen makes a perfect meal for 2 people!
Easy Cornish Hen Recipe
This easy cornish hen recipe is super simple to make with our easy step-by-step instructions. Cornish hens are super easy to cook and a lot faster to cook than a turkey or chicken. Some people say they are more tender than chickens, but our roast chicken or roast turkey recipe is so tender, I have not personally noticed the difference in tenderness.
Cornish hens, sometimes called game hens, are a smaller variety of chicken originally from Cornwall England. They are full grown chickens, but they are a smaller breed of chicken. If you have never seen them before, they are available in the meat section of your grocery store near chickens and turkeys.
Pound for pound, Cornish hens are more expensive than chicken and turkey. Still, they are great if you don’t want leftovers or you are not able to store leftover food. A Cornish hen is a perfect serving size for two people, so it’s an easy date night meal.
Our easy cornish hen recipe calls for just 3 ingredients, but the recipe is super versatile. If you prefer to add seasonings and ingredients for additional flavor or for a bigger meal, you have a lot of options.
I usually make the basic recipe and bake with sliced potatoes, onions and carrots in the pan. This makes a delicious complete one dish meal. If you like, you can try adding additional seasonings like rosemary, oregano and thyme or things like lemon slices to give it more flavor. You can also try other vegetables like different kinds of squash. anything you might add to a roast chicken would work well with a Cornish hen recipe.
This easy cornish hen recipe is super simple to make and a lot faster to cook than a turkey or chicken. One Cornish hen makes a perfect meal for 2 people!
Author:Tawra Kellam
Ingredients
Units
1–2lb. cornish hen
olive oil
seasoned salt
lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°. In a baking pan, place cornish hens breast side up. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with seasoned salt. If desired place potatoes, onions and carrots around hen. Place in preheated oven and turn down to 400° and bake for 45-55 minutes until golden and a meat thermometer reads 165°.
Try these easy Thanksgiving Tips and ideas to be better prepared for Thanksgiving! Prepare Thanksgiving meals easier and just get ready for the big day!
7 Ideas For An Easier Thanksgiving – Easy Tips
This is just a little reminder to take your turkey out to start thawing on Saturday if it is about a 20 pound turkey. I would start thawing any turkey on Sunday at the latest. I like to have my turkey thawed at least a day or two ahead of time so I can get it all prepared, in the pan and ready to just pull out and stick in the oven. I have so many things to do the day before Thanksgiving that this is one less thing to worry about.
For all you new or inexperienced cooks be sure to take out the “guts” or giblets as most people call them and the neck, which are usually stuffed inside of the turkey.
If you need to dry bread for your stuffing, lay the bread out this weekend so it will get good and dry. Break it up, place it in the bowl you are going to be mixing it in and have that much done ahead of time.
This weekend, wash and iron your linens for the table and get your silverware and dishes organized.
On Wednesday, do as much as you can so you’re not doing it all at the last minute. Clean the veggies for the relish dish and salads or side dishes. If you are making something like a sweet potato casserole get it all prepared so that all you have to do on Thanksgiving is pop it in the oven.
If you don’t want to be mashing potatoes two minutes before you sit down, mash them and place them in a crockpot on low to keep warm. You can keep them in the crockpot beautifully for one hour but no more. Beyond that, they get “yucky” quickly.
Most of all, for you new cooks or those of you cooking your first Thanksgiving dinner, don’t panic. It is really no more difficult than any other regular meal, except that you are probably preparing more of everything. If you are really nervous, do a trial run this weekend. Practice by roasting a chicken and making mashed potatoes, one or two sides and a dessert. It’s just like a mini Thanksgiving.
If something goes wrong (and most of us have had something go wrong once in a while), just laugh about it. Usually, it is the Thanksgiving everyone will remember with fond, happy memories. It will give you something to tell your future daughter in law, granddaughter or daughter about.
I remember being so scared my first Thanksgiving cooking alone. My friend who was older and who was going to be one of my guests told me how on her first Thanksgiving everything was perfect. The table looked great and everyone was laughing, joking and enjoying the food but half way through the meal she noticed something – she had forgotten the turkey.
She had set it on top of the fridge to move it out of the way for a minute and had left it there. Either no one noticed or they were too polite to say anything. Things may happen, but don’t panic – Thanksgiving wasn’t meant to be perfect– just a time of fun, enjoying being with friends and family.
This quick and easy sweet potato casserole recipe is a great dish for holiday dinners and potlucks as it can be made the day before and baked the next day!
Tasty Sweet Potato Recipes
This sweet potato casserole recipe is a great dish for holiday dinners and potlucks. It is an amazingly delicious addition to any meal, but is especially wonderful with traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. If your family isn’t fond of nuts, you can leave out the pecans.
Sweet potato dishes are a perfect addition to late fall and winter meals, making them a perfect recipe for your Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner. Sweet potatoes are generally harvested in September and early October, but since they take up to eight weeks of curing and storage after harvest to sweeten, Thanksgiving is the perfect time to start using them! This is why so many of us have fond memories of our grandmothers or mothers serving sweet potato casserole and other sweet potato dishes at Thanksgiving and Christmas!
If you’re expecting things to be hectic or if you’ll be short on time, you can make the sweet potato casserole the day before you need it and then just bake it the next day. When you’re preparing a lot of holiday dishes, it is great to spread out the work over a couple days so you’re not overwhelmed doing it all at once.
Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecans Or Marshmallows?
The sweet potato casserole recipe below is our original recipe with a tasty carmely topping made from pecans and brown sugar. It is still my favorite way to make it but not all of my family appreciated the pecans. You can just leave the pecans out of the recipe and it will still turn out delicious.
If you prefer, you can easily add a marshmallow topping instead. To do that, simply make the sweet potato casserole recipe with mini-marshmallows instead of the pecan topping. After mixing the main casserole ingredients and placing them in the casserole dish, spread a bag of mini marshmallows over the top and bake as directed below. The marshmallows should turn a golden brown.
The gooey browned marshmallows add a nice flavor to the sweet potato casserole, which my kids have always loved.
If you’re feeling extra adventurous, you can also make the sweet potato casserole recipe with pecans just as the recipes calls for and THEN add the mini-marshmallows and bake! Oh YUM! Talk about a sweet and nutty flavor explosion!
This is the best sweet potato casserole recipe ever! It is so quick and easy and makes a tasty dish, perfect for holiday dinners and potlucks. And it’s easy to make the day before you need it and bake just before serving!
Ingredients
3 cups sweet potatoes, mashed 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted 2 eggs 1 Tbsp. vanilla
Topping:
1 cup brown sugar, packed 1 cup pecans 1/2 cup all purpose flour 1/3 cup butter, melted
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix all of the casserole ingredients.
Put everything in a buttered 9×9 casserole dish.
Mix topping ingredients.
Sprinkle topping over the top of the sweet potato mixture.
Bake uncovered at 350° for 20 minutes.
Notes
If your family isn’t fond of nuts, you can leave out the pecans and it will turn out just fine.
For Marshmallow Topping:
If you prefer, you can easily add a marshmallow topping instead. After mixing the main casserole ingredients and placing them in the casserole dish, spread 1 (10.5 oz.) package miniature marshmallows over the top and bake as directed. The marshmallows will turn a golden brown.
For Pecan And Marshmallow Topping:
Make the recipe according to the directions above. Before baking, spread 1 (10.5 oz.) package miniature marshmallows over the top of the casserole and the pecan topping and bake as usual.
This sweet potato casserole recipe is from volume 1 of our cookbook! For more easy and delicious recipes like this, check out our cookbooks here!
[dining]
If you’re in the mood for something different, here’s an easy candied sweet potatoes recipe you can also make to take advantage of the extra sweet potatoes you bought. This recipe is also good for holiday meals, but I often serve it throughout the winter as a side to some of our other easy family dinners.
This candied sweet potatoes recipe gives a yummy new twist to the classic traditional sweet potatoes with a little “red hot candy” flavor! It’s perfect for holiday and seasonal meals or any time you’re craving sweet potatoes!
Ingredients
1 cup sugar 1 cup water 3/4 cup red cinnamon candies (red hots) 1/2 cup (stick) margarine 3–4 sweet potatoes (enough to cover the bottom of large skillet) 1/2 cup pecans (optional)
Instructions
In a large skillet, heat the first 4 ingredients to boiling.
Peel and slice sweet potatoes into pieces about 1 1/2 inches thick.
Place sweet potato slices in a single layer in the syrup.
If desired, sprinkle the pecans over the top.
Cover and cook slowly over medium heat until the sweet potatoes are done and the syrup is thick (about 1 hour). Baste a few times with syrup while cooking.
Save money making your traditional Thanksgiving dinner this year! These easy tips make your Thanksgiving feast less expensive and reduce the stress!
Inexpensive Thanksgiving Dinner – How to Save on Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving can be a great opportunity to enjoy time with family and friends, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed at the thought of everything that you need to do, especially if you’re preparing a big Thanksgiving feast. By making some simple changes to the way you approach some of the Thanksgiving preparation, you can save time and money and spend more time enjoying your Thanksgiving dinner and less time dreading it! Here are a few tips to help you make this Thanksgiving more fun and less stressful!
For More Ways To Save On Thanksgiving, Check Out Our Video!
How To Save On Turkey At Thanksgiving And All Year
Larger turkeys are usually less expensive so buy the largest one you can. I hear some of you groaning now about what to do with all those leftovers because you really don’t need a 22 pound turkey for 6 people. Not to worry — just don’t bake the whole thing.
I discovered one year by accident that my butcher (at a regular national chain grocery store) would cut the turkey in half for me. Even if it is frozen, he can still cut the turkey in half. This discovery really changed my life. (That sounds dramatic, but I was really having a problem becoming “one” with my turkeys.)
I suddenly had the revelation that I didn’t have to deal with the mounds of leftover turkey that haunted my post-Thanksgiving menu for years. I had just enough for a good old turkey sandwich and some soup. I mean Thanksgiving really isn’t Thanksgiving without a few leftovers, is it?
It was so much easier to handle and prepare an 11 pound turkey rather than to manhandle a 22 pound one. Getting the turkey cleaned and into the pan was a breeze and getting it in and out of the oven was just plain simple.
Just wrap the other half and freeze it to use for Christmas. I’ve often made ham for Christmas just because by Christmas we are so sick of turkey that we don’t want to think of preparing another one — ever! If there are fewer leftovers after your Thanksgiving dinner, your family might not mind having turkey again. Then you would have one less thing to buy for Christmas dinner.
If you still don’t want to have turkey for Christmas, save it for some cold day in January. If you have a large enough crockpot, cook the turkey in the crockpot. If not, cook it on very low in the oven so that it slow cooks all day. It is amazingly delightful it is to come home to the yummy smell of slow cooked turkey!
Save On Thanksgiving Pies That Taste Better!
Save money by making your own pies instead of buying the expensive pre-made ones. If the thought of making pie crust is too daunting, just buy a ready made crust. They are usually on sale for very little around Thanksgiving.
It really isn’t that hard to make the filling for most pies. Pies are often easier to make than cakes or cookies. If you like the traditional pumpkin pie, most cans of pumpkin have the recipe on the back. I also know of a really good cookbook that includes the recipe called Dining on a Dime Cookbook, Volume 1. HA! HA!
If your family and friends aren’t fussy about having the traditional pumpkin pie, you can make banana cream, chocolate, or butterscotch pie. Just mix a box of banana pudding and pour it into a baked pie crust. Cover it with sliced bananas and whipped topping. For the chocolate pie, use chocolate pudding with chocolate chips in it and cover it with whipped topping. For the butterscotch, use butterscotch pudding and whipped topping and sprinkle with butterscotch chips. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
You don’t have to make so many pies that you could open a bakery. I have found that most kids are just as happy with a platter of cookies. Don’t overdo it. You’ll just wear yourself out! If you have time, make the cookies in the shapes of pumpkins and turkeys.
Save On Thanksgiving Sides And Relish Dishes
Save money on your relish dish. Buying ingredients for a relish dish can get expensive, especially where we live. One year I paid more for my relish dish items than my turkey. If you have this problem, only use 3 or 4 vegetables on the relish dish instead of 10 and cut out on the more expensive vegetables. Broccoli and cauliflower are very high priced for us so, if I needed to save, I would probably use carrots and celery. Fill the celery with cheese or peanut butter or cut them into fancy shapes. On this occasion, the turkey is the star and most people won’t even notice that you cut back on the relish dish.
Don’t make so many side dishes– Like I said, the turkey, gravy and mashed potatoes are more important for your traditional Thanksgiving dinner than everything else. By the time everyone stuffs themselves on those, they only eat a token amount of the side dishes. Why? —Because, of course, everyone wants to save room for dessert!!!!!
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Setting Up For An Easier Thanksgiving
Here are some easy tips to make setting up for Thanksgiving go a lot smoother:
Short of seating space for your holiday dinner? Pull out your ironing board (some of you may not remember what that is. HA!HA!). Throw a table cloth over it and it works great as a kids’ table. Because you can move it up and down to different heights you can adjust it to the height of the chairs that you have or to the heights of the kids.
No kids coming to your party or dinner? Use the ironing board as a buffet table. Once again, cover it with a table cloth and use it for platters of cookies, bowls of Chex Mix, etc.
The ironing board can work well as a serving table, too. If your dining table has room for everyone to sit but not enough room for all of the food, set up the ironing board close to the table (being narrow means it doesn’t take up much space) to hold the serving dishes. Then mom or grandma won’t need to jump up and run to the kitchen every time someone needs seconds.
Some ironing boards are a little wobbly but if you put your ironing board on a hardwood or tile floor or up against a wall, that will help. Use your own judgment in setting it up and determining what is light enough to put on it. I probably wouldn’t put my heavy crystal heirloom punch bowl full of punch on it, but a basket of dinner rolls, chips or cookies would work fine.
It seems that no matter what you do when setting up for Thanksgiving, there are always so many last minute things to do the moment before you get ready to set everything on the table. One of those last minute things is mashing the potatoes. This year, you can stay ahead of the game by mashing them early and keeping them warm in your crockpot. They will keep up to 2 hours on low in the crock pot and will be just as fresh as if you had just mashed them. Put them on low and grease your crock pot. They start going down hill after two hours, so don’t leave them in there any longer.
Cranberry sauce is always on sale for a very good price this time of year. Stock up on it and use it through out the year. You don’t need to save cranberry sauce just for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. It makes a nice change from the usual side dishes you serve with chicken or ham in February or August. As an added bonus, it is really good for you. Don’t forget dried cranberries, too. They are great in homemade trail mixes (mix up some trail mix for Christmas gifts), or tossed into your favorite quick bread.
Would you like help preparing a Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner? Our Thanksgiving On A Dime e-book can give you peace and the confidence to know that you can do it! Learn More Here!
Here’s an easy recipe and tips for how to roast a turkey! This is the best roast turkey recipe ever and everyone raves about how moist and delicious it is!
How To Roast A Turkey
If you don’t know how to roast a turkey, you’re going to love this super easy roast turkey recipe! There are only 2 ingredients and it takes just 5 minutes to prepare. Then it can roast in the oven overnight and will be perfectly juicy, moist and delicious just in time for your holiday meal!
I will actually be sharing 2 turkey recipes with you today. Both of them make wonderfully tasty and juicy Christmas or Thanksgiving turkey. The reason I’ll share 2 recipes is that the easiest turkey tastes amazing but is so fall off the bone tender that it does not have the crispy top traditional Christmas movie look.
The second recipe is also very delicious, but also has the classic crispy top look, in case you’re trying to wow your extended family with your Thanksgiving turkey roasting prowess! It’s slightly more time-consuming to prepare, but just as tasty!
Either way, you’re sure to have a juicy and delicious roast turkey!
If you choose the first recipe, the super easy turkey recipe, you can pretty much spend 5 minutes prepping it and then put it in the oven and leave it alone until it is done. The only extra work is turning down the temperature after an hour.
If you choose the second (slightly more complicated) recipe, be sure to baste regularly according to the recipe directions or the turkey will get dry. Also, be sure to add the water to the pan as directed if you start to run out of juices for basting to make sure that the turkey stays nice and moist.
Be Sure To Allow Sufficient Time To Thaw The Turkey!
Sometimes turkeys do not cook properly because they don’t get thawed. It is super important to properly thaw your turkey before you try to roast it. If you don’t thaw it ahead of time, you might find that it gets overly cooked on the outside and is still raw or undercooked in the middle. That would obviously not be good, so if necessary, set a reminder or write “thaw turkey” on the calendar so you don’t forget!
You need to allow 1 day of thawing time for every 4 lbs. of turkey. You can keep a thawed turkey in the fridge for at least 3-4 days, so if it is done thawing a little bit early, it won’t hurt anything. Thaw your turkey with the breast side down so the juices will run into the breast. (The turkey breast is the thick part of the meat that is usually on the top.)
Buy Whole Turkeys Around Holidays While They Are On Sale
Turkey isn’t expensive at all, especially around the holidays so stock up now. I got two turkeys today for $.39/lb. I had the butcher cut them in half just like last year and the year before!
If you haven’t heard of cutting them in half, you can often ask a butcher to cut a turkey in half and wrap the two halves separately. Normally, each half would be closer to the size of a chicken, so you can serve it in place of chicken for any normal size meal. We have a stand up freezer so I often buy extra turkeys when they are on sale. You can stock up during the holidays when turkey is cheap, serve turkey in place of chicken and save a bundle on your food bill!
How To Roast A No Fail Turkey!
This first recipe is my mom Jill’s roast turkey recipe. It is the one we all make the most often because of how super easy and delicious it is! It is a no-fail turkey recipe that literally only takes 5 minutes to prepare.
The secret to why this is a no-fail turkey recipe is that it is slow-cooked at a lower temperature for a longer amount of time, resulting in a perfectly moist and juicy turkey with very little work. Mom only uses this turkey recipe and I use this one most often because it is so easy.
Because this recipe calls for cooking the turkey upside down, the turkey meat ends up so tender that it falls off the bone without cutting. For this reason, you will want to serve this turkey already carved. If you have never cooked a turkey before or if you just like things to be as easy as possible and still taste great, this is the recipe for you.
This first roast turkey recipe does not have the traditional crispy top that you see in the movies, but it is amazingly delicious! If you really prefer to have a turkey that has the classic crispy top look, the roast sticky turkey recipe below can’t be beat.
Both recipes are juicy, tender and delicious! The biggest differences are that the super easy one is almost no work and the roast sticky turkey recipe requires more work but has the picture perfect crispy skin.
A Few Notes About Turkey Safety
Some people are concerned about roasting turkey this way because of the lower baking temperature of this recipe but it is perfectly safe if you start at 250° and then turn down to 200° after an hour. When it is finished, the internal temperature at the thigh should be 180° or higher.
Like chicken, you need to be sure to wash your hands after handling raw turkey before touching other things so you don’t contaminate surfaces and other foods.
Some people like to rinse their turkeys before cooking them, but we don’t recommend it. Rinsing is not necessary and can actually increase the likelihood of spreading dangerous bacteria everywhere as the water can carry germs to nearby surfaces. Cooking your turkey at the proper temperatures will kill harmful bacteria and as I like to say, no self-respecting germ would survive!
This easy no-fail turkey recipe makes the best turkey you will ever eat! It is super tasty, moist and tender! The meat will just fall off the bones so you will have to serve it already carved. It will be very juicy and moist.
Ingredients
1 turkey, 20-22 lbs. 1 stick margarine or butter
Instructions
Defrost frozen turkey for several days in the refrigerator according to the directions on the package.
Preheat oven to 250°.
Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil.
Remove the insides of the turkey and save for giblet gravy or for fried livers and gizzards.
Lay turkey, breast side down, in the pan.
Place the stick of butter on the inside.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake at 250° for 1 hour.
Reduce heat to 200° and roast for 10-15 hours. Cooking time can be longer to fit your schedule. Test with a meat thermometer to make sure the temperature in the thigh is 180°.
Notes
If I have a 20-22 lb. turkey, I put it in the oven one hour before I go to bed (that way I can turn it down to 200° and sometimes I go down to 180° before I go to bed.) It will be done by noon the next day. Because it cooks at such a low temperature, if you aren’t going to eat until 1-2 PM, it will stay just fine in the oven until then.
If I have a smaller 10 lb. turkey, I put it in the oven early on Thanksgiving morning (about 6 or 7 AM in order to eat at noon. You don’t need to worry too much about it getting done. An hour or two before the meal, check it and see how it is doing. If it isn’t cooking quickly enough, you can always raise the temperature to 350°.
If you use a smaller 10 -12 lb turkey, you only need to use half of a stick (about 4 Tbsp.) of butter. You can also place it in a large crockpot on low.
These Roast Turkey Recipes Are In Volume 1 of Our Cookbook:
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How To Roast A Prettier Turkey (with a little more work)
Here is another super delicious roast turkey recipe! If you want to know how to roast a turkey that is picture perfect with the crispy skin like you see in the classic movies, then this is the recipe for you. It takes a little bit more work than the super easy recipe above, but it’s still fairly easy and definitely delicious!
This recipe takes a little bit longer to prepare, but still not more than 10 minutes. In order to keep the crispy top from drying out and burning, you have to base it every 30-45 minutes as it bakes, which is easy but requires more of your attention than Mom’s turkey recipe above.
(If you haven’t done it before, basting a turkey is easy. You just pull the turkey partway out of the oven, spoon the juices over the top to keep it moistened and then slide it back into the oven until the next basting.)
This easy roast sticky turkey recipe is a great way to roast a turkey! It is very easy to make and makes a great deli style turkey. The meat comes out very moist and flavorful. It also makes wonderful leftovers!
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. salt 1 Tbsp. paprika 2 tsp. cayenne pepper 2 tsp. onion powder 2 tsp. thyme 2 tsp. white pepper 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. black pepper 1 stick butter 1 20 lb. turkey 1 cup chopped onion or 1 sliced orange
Instructions
Combine all of the spices.
Remove the giblets from the turkey.
Rub the spice mixture into the turkey, both inside and out, making sure it is evenly distributed and down deep into the skin.
Place the stick of butter in the cavity.
Place the seasoned turkey into a turkey roasting pan.
Seal with foil and refrigerate overnight.
When you’re ready to roast the turkey, preheat the oven to 250°.
Stuff the cavity with onions or oranges.
Roast, uncovered, at 250 degrees for 8-10 hours.
After the first hour, baste the turkey with pan juices every half hour to 45 minutes. If you don’t have enough juices to baste after 3 hours, add 1 cup of water to the pan.
The turkey will be golden to dark brown with caramelized juices on the bottom. Let the turkey rest about 10 minutes before carving.
Here are a bunch of traditional Thanksgiving recipes for holiday favorites like roast turkey, sweet potato casserole, homemade stuffing, turkey gravy and homemade pies all in one place!
The best news!! All of these are dairy free and gluten free recipes and they ACTUALLY TASTE GREAT! You can make this gluten free dairy free Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people for under $35! (The cost depends on how many pies you make.) Don’t let your food sensitivity hold you back! Try these recipes and enjoy Thanksgiving without paying for it later! (more…)
This pumpkin cookie recipe makes an easy spice cookie that everyone will love! Pumpkin cookies a great fall treat that you can use as an after school snack for the kids!
This easy pumpkin cookie recipe makes fluffy pumpkin spice cookies perfect for snacks, parties or family get-togethers. Kids also love them for school lunches!
Author:Tawra Kellam
Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening 1 cup sugar 1 cup pumpkin 1 cup raisins 1/2 cup nuts 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. brown sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°.
Cream shortening, sugar and pumpkin in a bowl.
Add the rest of the ingredients.
Mix well.
Drop by small spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Brush the tops with milk.
Bake for 8 minutes.
Top with frosting.
Pumpkin Cookies Frosting Recipe
2 Tbsp. butter
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
4-5 tsp. milk
Melt butter.
Blend in powdered sugar.
Add vanilla and 4 tsp. milk.
Stir until well blended.
Add one more teaspoon of milk if needed to make it smooth.
This Pumpkin Cookie Recipe is from Volume 1 of our Cookbook:
Fall is officially here, and this collection of 20 of the BEST pumpkin recipes features everything from tasty pumpkin cheesecake and fudge to creamy pies and no-bake treats. Whether you’re baking for a crowd or looking for a quick, cozy dessert, there’s sure to be a pumpkin recipe here that hits the spot!
If you’re craving all things pumpkin spice this season, you’ll love this collection of our 20 best pumpkin recipes! From quick mug cakes and moist pumpkin breads to creamy pies and easy no-bake desserts, there’s something here for every craving and every occasion. These recipes are simple, budget-friendly, and perfect for bringing that cozy fall flavor into your kitchen—whether you’re baking for your family, hosting a get-together, or just want a sweet treat with your coffee. No matter how you enjoy pumpkin, you’ll find a new favorite in this post!
Some of these recipes are from our Dining On A Dime Cookbook, Volume 1 so if you love them a much as we do, grab a copy so you can have them all the time!
This easy pumpkin bars recipe makes super delicious spice bars with a cake like consistency! It’s a wonderful treat and a great way to use pumpkin!
Author:Tawra Kellam
Ingredients
1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup oil 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin 3 eggs 1 (15 oz.) yellow cake mix 3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans (optional) 1 can vanilla frosting 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Grease and flour a 15x10x1 inch jelly roll pan.
Combine sugar, oil, pumpkin and eggs.
Beat on high for 1 minute.
Add cake mix and pumpkin pie spice.
Mix 2 minutes on high speed.
Fold in nuts, if desired.
Pour into the pan.
Bake 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Combine the frosting and cream cheese until smooth.
This No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe makes a rich and creamy cheesecake, full of warm fall flavor, without the hassle of the oven. With a spiced cookie crust and smooth pumpkin cheesecake filling, it’s the perfect make-ahead dessert for holidays or cozy gatherings!
Author:Tawra Kellam
Ingredients
Cookie Crust:
2 cups cookie crumbs (gingersnaps add to the spice flavor)
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar or brown sugar, packed
Cheesecake Filling:
2 (8 oz.) blocks full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup pumpkin puree*
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice*
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1 container whipped topping
Optional Toppings:
Additional whipped cream
Salted caramel sauce
Instructions
In a medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs, ginger, cinnamon, sugar, and melted butter. Stir until evenly moistened.
Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to pack it tightly.
Freeze for 10–20 minutes while you make the filling.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
Add the pumpkin puree, powdered sugar, and brown sugar. Beat on medium-high until fully combined and smooth.
Mix in vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Beat until no lumps remain.
Gently fold in the whipped topping until the mixture is light and fluffy. Be careful not to deflate it.
Remove the crust from the freezer. Spread the filling evenly over the crust using an offset spatula.
Smooth the top and cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably 12 hours or overnight, to allow the cheesecake to set.
Run a knife along the edges of the springform pan before removing the rim. Slice with a sharp knife, wiping it clean between cuts for neat slices.
Top with extra whipped cream or drizzle with salted caramel sauce, if desired.
Notes
For extra flavor in the crust, toast the cookie crumbs lightly before mixing.
Make-ahead friendly: Cheesecake can be refrigerated up to 2 days before serving.
This creamy Pumpkin Spice Fudge makes the perfect fall treat, blending sweet white chocolate with warm pumpkin and cozy spices. Easy to make and irresistibly festive, it’s a crowd-pleaser for parties, gifts, or just a little seasonal indulgence!
Author:Tawra Kellam
Ingredients
4 cups white chocolate chips, (24 oz., weight not liquid) 1 cup sweetened condensed milk 2 1/2 Tbsp. pumpkin puree 1 tsp. vanilla 1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin spice 1/2–1 cup ground pecans or walnuts (optional)
Instructions
Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, stir together the white chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk until melted and smooth. (Stir often to prevent scorching.) Alternatively, melt in the microwave: Combine the chips and condensed milk in a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds, stir well, then continue microwaving in 30-second bursts, stirring thoroughly each time, until just melted and combined. The mixture will be very thick.
Stir in the pumpkin, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and nuts, if desired.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until firm.
Lift the fudge out using the parchment paper, cut into squares, and enjoy!
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze for longer storage.
1 cup milk (any % is fine or even 1/2 milk and 1/2 half and half) 2 Tbsp. pumpkin puree 1 Tbsp. sugar (white or brown) 1 tsp. vanilla 1/4 teaspoonpumpkin pie spice (or 1/8 tsp. cinnamon, tiny pinch nutmeg, tiny pinch cloves) 1/4 cup strong coffee or espresso whipped cream
Instructions
Add the milk, pumpkin, sugar, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice to a small saucepan.
Heat over medium-high heat; Bring almost to a boil. (Or you can microwave it until very hot but not boiling.)
Remove from heat and add to a blender.
Blend on high until the milk begins to froth, about 2 minutes. (A hand blender works great for this.)
Divide the milk mixture between two mugs.
Add the coffee slowly down the side so you don’t disturb the milk froth.
Add a squirt of whipped cream.
Top with a pinch of pumpkin pie spice and whipped cream.
Notes
You can double or triple this recipe to serve more people.
Add a touch of cozy autumn flavor to your morning coffee with this homemade Pumpkin Spice Creamer recipe. Made with real pumpkin puree, warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and a hint of vanilla, this creamy delight will make every sip taste like fall. Perfectly sweetened and easy to make, it’s a delicious, seasonal twist to your daily brew!
This homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe is the perfect blend of warm and cozy fall flavors. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a delicious mixture perfect for pumpkin pies, lattes, and other fall treats. It’s easy to make at home in minutes and costs a lot less than the pre-made kind!
This Easy Pumpkin Muffin Recipe is a two ingredient recipe starting with cake mix that’s easy and yummy! It’s a quick and easy treat that’s a great way to use extra pumpkin or pumpkin that you got on sale!
Author:Sarah D.
Ingredients
1 cake mix (any flavor works, but chocolate is our hands down favorite!) 1 can pumpkin or 2 cups mashed cooked pumpkin 1 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Beat the ingredients together with an electric mixer until smooth. (It will be really thick.)
Add 1 cup mini chocolate chips and stir.
Line muffin tins with paper muffin cups and spray with non-stick spray.
Use an ice cream scoop to put the batter into the muffin cups. (I can get 24 from one box of mix.)
Bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool and frost if desired.
Notes
My family likes these muffins just as they are when they are hot from the oven.
Spice cake mix is great – add white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips or butterscotch chips.
I have made pumpkin muffins with white cake mix and yellow cake mix too. They have around 120 calories a piece with the mini chocolate chips and are virtually fat free. If you are on weight watchers they only count as 1 point.
This is a fabulous way to sneak some vitamin A rich veggies in on the kids. Just don’t let them see you put the pumpkin into the muffins and they will never know it is there. These are more moist than name brand very expensive double chocolate chip muffins.
Grease a 15x10x1 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper. Grease and flour the paper well.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs on high for five minutes.
Gradually add the granulated sugar and pumpkin.
Add flour, cinnamon, and baking soda.
Spread batter evenly in pan.
Sprinkle walnuts evenly on top.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched.
Immediately turn out onto a linen towel dusted with confectioners sugar. This works best by placing the towel on top of the cake and holding it taught while turning the cake over.
Peel off the paper and roll the cake up in the towel, starting with the short end.
Cool.
To Make The Filling For This Pumpkin Roll Recipe, mix the powdered sugar, vanilla, butter or margarine, and cream cheese together until smooth.
Carefully unroll the cake.
Spread the filling over the cake to within 1 inch of the edges.
Roll up again.
Cover and chill until serving.
Dust with additional confectioners sugar, if desired.
This traditional pumpkin bread recipe is an easy to make quick bread and everyone loves it! It’s one of my favorite quick bread recipes because it is not only delicious, it brings about a wonderful fall nostalgia this time of year! Make sure you serve it with Honey Butter! Your family will love it!
Author:Tawra Kellam
Yield:Makes 1 loaf.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1/2 cup oil 1 cup pumpkin 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. cloves 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 tsp. allspice 1/3 cup water 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Grease and flour a loaf pan.
Mix the sugar, eggs, oil and pumpkin in a bowl.
Add the dry ingredients and water in the order given. Mix well.
Stir in nuts and raisins, if desired.
Pour into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour or longer if needed. To test doneness put a knife in the center of the bread. If it comes out clean it is finished.
Discover a delightful twist on the classic pumpkin pie with this Pumpkin Frosting Pie recipe! Combining rich, creamy frosting with unexpected ingredients, this pie brings a new level of sweetness and texture to your fall desserts. The smooth filling is perfectly balanced with a subtle tang, creating a unique and nostalgic flavor that’s perfect for any autumn gathering.
Ingredients
1 can vanilla frosting 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin 1 cup sour cream 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ginger 1/4 tsp. cloves 1 small carton of whipped topping 1 graham cracker crust that has a little cinnamon and nutmeg added to it
Instructions
Mix everything but whipped topping and crust in a mixing bowl.
1/2 cup shortening 1 cup sugar 1 cup pumpkin 1 cup raisins 1/2 cup nuts 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. soda 1 tsp. brown sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 2 cups all-purpose flour milk (to brush the tops)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°.
Cream shortening, sugar and pumpkin in a bowl.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Drop by small spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
This Pumpkin Crunch recipe is a fall favorite that’s part pumpkin pie, and completely irresistible! With a creamy spiced pumpkin base, a buttery cake mix topping, crunchy nuts, and a drizzle of melted butter, every bite has the perfect mix of smooth and crunchy textures. Serve it chilled with a dollop of whipped cream, and you’ve got a crowd-pleasing dessert that’s simple to make but tastes like it came straight from a bakery.
Author:Tawra Kellam
Ingredients
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree (solid pack) 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk 3 large eggs 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. salt 1 box Yellow cake mix 1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts work best) 1 cup butter, melted
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt until smooth.
Pour the mixture evenly into the baking pan.
Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin mixture.
Top with chopped nuts, then drizzle the melted butter evenly over everything.
Bake for 50–55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are set.
Let cool completely, then refrigerate until chilled.
Serve cold with whipped cream or whipped topping.
Notes
For extra flavor, add a pinch of nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice to the pumpkin mixture before baking.
This Creamy Pumpkin Cupcakes recipe is an easy and delicious cake mix recipe that brings together the perfect blend of cozy fall flavors and rich creaminess. Made with a spiced pumpkin cake base and filled with a sweet cream cheese swirl, they bake up moist, fluffy, and irresistible. Easy enough for a weeknight treat but special enough for the holidays, this recipe is sure to be a new family favorite!
Start your day with the warm, cozy flavors of fall! These pumpkin pancakes are made with real pumpkin purée, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of vanilla for a deliciously spiced breakfast treat!
Author:Tawra Kellam
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour 2 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed 1 Tbsp. baking powder 1 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp. salt 1/2 cup pumpkin (canned or puréed) 1 large egg 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1 cup milk 1/2 cup nuts, chopped (optional)
Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients. Stir just until moistened; the batter may be lumpy.
Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat; brush lightly with vegetable oil.
Pour 1/4 cup of the batter onto the hot griddle.
Cook until bubbles begin to burst.
Turn and continue cooking 1 to 2 minutes.
Serve with Pumpkin Maple Syrup (below) and nuts.
Notes
If you prefer, you can also serve them with regular maple syrup, whipped cream, or a sprinkle of pecans instead of or in addition to our pumpkin maple syrup.
This pumpkin maple syrup recipe makes a tasty syrup perfect for adding the delicious flavor of fall! With the perfect blend of maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and real pumpkin, it makes an ideal topping for pumpkin pancakes. For a subtle touch of fall, drizzle it over regular pancakes too!
Author:Tawra Kellam
Ingredients
1 cup maple syrup 1 1/4 cups pumpkin 1/4 tsp. cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
You can only do this with a freshly carved pumpkin! Do not use on a pumpkin that has been carved and sitting out for several days.
To bake a fresh 6 to 7 pound pumpkin, halve the pumpkin crosswise and scoop out the seeds and strings. Place halves, hollow side down, in a large baking pan covered with aluminum foil and add a little water. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until fork-tender. Remove. When cool, scrape pulp from shells and puree, a little at time, in food processor or blender. Mix with a little salt.
To freeze pumpkin puree. Put 1-2 cups in freezer bags along with spices and use in pies.
To use pumpkin puree for recipes: Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth or a flour sack dish towel and let the pumpkin sit to drain out the extra moisture BEFORE cooking with it. Pumpkin is very moist, so in order for your recipe to come out correctly, you MUST strain it.
A 5 lb pumpkin makes about 4 1/2 cups of mashed (pureed) pumpkin. a 15-16 oz can of pumpkin equals about 2 cups of mashed pumpkin. So if the recipe calls for a 15-16 oz can of pumpkin use 2 cups.
This pumpkin roll recipe has been a favorite for more than 40 years in our family. Yours will love it too! This is my #1 most favorite, the best pumpkin recipe in the ENTIRE world!!!! Oh yeah, I just LOVE this one! :-) (more…)
I always think of tradition and turkey at Thanksgiving and not necessarily in that order. You know the saying “you’ve come a long way baby”? Every time I look at a turkey I think of those words because the first time I made a turkey, I took it out of the freezer 3 hours before serving it without realizing that it needed to thaw for days and cook for hours.
Now I have to chuckle to myself when I place that turkey on the table and everyone raves that it’s the best turkey they’ve ever eaten. When asked what they’re thankful for, they always add “mom’s turkey” (or in my grandson David’s eye “CHICKEN!”) to the list.
What I’m thankful for is my sweet family who always sits down at our Thanksgiving table with lots of love and a great sense of humor.
I am grateful for all of our faithful readers who with sweet thoughts, kind words and their prayers have supported and encouraged us all these many years.
So this year along with your turkey dressing and pumpkin pie be sure to serve a large platter of love, a bowl of patience, side dishes of kindness and consideration, pitchers of thankfulness and for dessert huge scoops of laughter with seconds on everything.
A little planning now to get organized for the holidays will save you time and money! Use these easy tips to reduce your stress this holiday season!(more…)
I have found so many fruit salad recipes using berries with yogurt so this recipe is a nice change. It is better to use fruits that are in season because you can get them for much less. This tasty recipe uses a lot of winter fruits.
Holiday Fruit Salad Recipe
1 red apple, chopped 1 green apple, chopped 1 nectarine, chopped* 2 stalks celery, sliced 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1 (8 oz.) container of either lemon, key lime or vanilla yogurt
Mix everything. Chill until serving.
*You can use Mandarin oranges if nectarines are not in season but they are best added just before serving.
Here are a couple recipes for some easy and yummy pretzel snacks!
Rolo Pretzel
1 bag small pretzel shaped pretzels (not sticks)* Rolo candies Pecan halves or M&M’s
On baking sheet place pretzels with 1 Rolo candy on top of each pretzel. Bake at 200 degrees for 9 minutes. Remove from oven and press a nut half or M&M in center.
*If you can find the small square pretzels these work even better.
Sweet Pretzel Nuggets
1 pkg. (15-18 oz) sourdough pretzel nuggets 2/3 cup vegetable oil 1/3 cup sugar 1-2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Combine oil, sugar and cinnamon and pour over pretzels. Microwave, uncovered on high for 2 minutes, stir. Microwave 3-4 minutes longer stirring after each minute until oil is absorbed.
In place of the usual lettuce and mayo, try making your turkey sandwiches with a slice of leftover cranberry sauce and cream cheese instead. Spread butter on one slice of bread and cream cheese on the other adding a slice of turkey and cranberry sauce in the middle.
Don’t forget the dressing and gravy. Another way to fix your leftover turkey sandwich is to layer turkey and dressing on your sandwich. Make it a hot turkey sandwich by warming it and pour gravy over it all. Yum.
Most of us love having beautiful centerpieces for our tables, especially during the holidays but sometimes they can be in the way when we need to use our tables for other things.
One way to make things easier is to arrange your centerpieces on a silver tray, Christmas tray or some other sort of tray. That way when you need to use the table you can lift the whole thing up in one swoop and remove it.
This is also handy if you happen to need a temporary centerpiece or decoration for someplace else. You can just pick up the tray and use it where you need it.
