Turkey Pocket Sandwiches

Turkey Pocket Sandwiches or Pasties

If you have leftover turkey or chicken, you can create a delicious meal by making pocket sandwiches or  pasties. They consist of turkey meat and vegetables in a pastry pocket.  You can make these ahead of time for a quick meal. Simply heat them up and take them on the go. Or serve them for dinner with leftover gravy, or fresh make gravy.

Although this recipe uses a pie crust for the outside, you don't have to. You can use crescent rolls, home-made pizza dough, or biscuit dough. You can change out the vegetable ingredients and add something else. Some recipes call for rutabaga.  Other recipes use cheese inside the pocket sandwiches. There are so many variations.

This recipe is a good way to use those Thanksgiving leftovers, so be creative!

Ingredients

Dough

3 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 c. shortening
6  to 8 Tbsp. water

Filling

1 1/2 c. carrots, chopped
1 Tbs. water
4 Tbs. butter or margarine
2 tsp. chicken bouillon or 2 chicken bouillon cubes
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 onion, chopped
1 to 2 ribs celery, chopped fine
1 lb. turkey or chicken, cooked and shredded
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°.

Make the dough for the pocket sandwiches or pasties.   

In a large bowl, mix the flour, and salt together. Cut in the shortening with a pastry knife or two knives held together.  You'll want the shortening to be about the size of small peas. 

Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring with a fork until a dough forms.  The amount of water you use depends on the humidity. On dry days, you may need more water to for the dough. While on humid days, you will probably use less water.  Don't work the dough too much or the crust will be tough. Place the dough in a plastic bag and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

In a small saucepan combine add the water, butter, and chicken bouillon. Stir until the butter melts and the bouillon is dissolved. 

In a large bowl, combine meat, carrots, potatoes, onion, celery and turkey or chicken meat. Season with salt and pepper. 

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it into six or four pieces. Shape the dough into a round ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 6-inch circle. If you are making four pasties, divide the dough into fourths. Roll each ball into a 10-inch circle.

If making 6 pasties, place approximately 1 cup filling on one one side of the dough. Draw the other half of the pastry over the filling. Crimp edges to seal in filling with your finger or the tines of a fork. Cut a small hole in the top of the pasties to allow the steam to escape. 

Or if you are making four pasties, divide the filling into 4 portions. Place the meat mixture on one side of the dough. Fold the other half of the dough over and seal with fingers or a fork. 

Bake 1 hour at 375°.

 

Butterscotch Sweet Rolls

 Grandma Ann's Butterscotch Sweet Rolls

My grandmother made the best sweet rolls and this is one of her recipes. She was always baking for her large family. Her Butterscotch Sweet Rolls were light, fluffy and delicious! I must admit, butterscotch is one of my favorite flavors.  

Ingredients

2 pkg, yeast
2/3 c. warm water
1 Tbs. sugar
3 c. milk
1/3 c. milk
3 eggs beaten
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. sugar
6 to 8 c. flour

Filling

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 Tbs  cinnamon

Butterscotch Glaze

1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. boiling water
1 lb. pecans (optional)

Directions

Grease three 13 x 9 inch pans.  Set aside

Mix the yeast, warm water and sugar together in a large bowl. Place in a warm location for 10 minutes, so the yeast can bloom and grow. 

Pour the milk into a small saucepan.  Heat the milk to scald. Do not boil.  Add the butter to the warm milk.  The butter does not have to melt. You just want it softened. Cool to lukewarm. 

Add the milk, butter, eggs, salt, sugar and 2 cups of flour.  Beat well with a wooden spoon for about two minutes. Gradually add the rest of the flour until you have a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured board or countertop and knead for 10 minutes.  Add more flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking. 

Grease the bowl you used to make the dough in and place the dough inside.  Turn the dough over to coat the other side with grease. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap, or a lint-free dishtowel. Place in a warm location. Let rise until doubled.

Punch dough down. Let rise again until doubled. 

Turn out on a lightly floured surface and divide into 3 balls. Allow the dough to rest as you prepare the glaze for the rolls. 

Mix brown sugar, butter and boiling water until sugar is dissolved, and the butter is melted. . Pour into metal pans until approximately 1/4 inch deep. Add pecans, either whole or chopped as you prefer.

Roll out each ball into a rectangle that is 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface.

Brush the surface with a third of the softened butter.   

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon to make the filling. Sprinkle a third of the cinnamon sugar over the top of the butter. 

Roll up the dough and pinch the seam shut. Cut into 1/2 inch slices. Use a sharp knife or dental floss to cut the dough easily.  Place the dough, cut side up, in the prepared pan, on top of the brown sugar, butter and water. . Repeat with the rest of the dough. Do not crowd the rolls.  We usually place our rolls in rows of 4 across the width of the pan. 

Place the pans in a warm location and allow the rolls to rise until doubled in size.  Depending on the size of your oven, put 1 or 2 pans in a warm location to rise first. Keep the other pans in a cooler location, so you can bake them right after the other ones come out of the oven.

Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven  

Wait for 1 to 2 minutes, then invert the pan onto a cookie sheet or large platter. 

Repeat baking and inverting steps with the other pan or pans.

Allow to cool at least a little bit. Serve and enjoy.

 Turkey Noodle Soup

Cleaning the meat off the turkey bones if a daunting task that seems to take forever.  So instead of standing at the counter trying to get all the meat off, why not make some great tasting Turkey Soup.   We often make homemade bread with this meal for the best tasting meal.

Ingredients

1 turkey carcass from a 12-pound or larger turkey
4 quarts water
1 onion, diced
2 to 3 large carrots, chopped fine
2 to 3 ribs celery, chopped fine
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
4 oz or 5 cups egg noodles, uncooked
Cut up turkey meat if you want more than what fell off the bones
Salt and pepper

Directions

Place the turkey carcass into a large pot. If it does not fit, you may need to cut the carcass up into pieces.  Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the turkey bones for 1 to 2 hours. The longer you simmer the bones, the better the soup will taste.  You'll want the meat falling off the bones. Remove the turkey carcass. At this point, you may want to remove the turkey meat from the broth and allow it to cool, so you can cut it up into smaller pieces. Then strain the liquid to make sure all the bones are removed from the soup. 

Measure 8 cups of broth out for your soup.  Place the rest of the broth in the refrigerator to use for other dishes.  Pour the 8 cups broth back into the pot.

Add the chopped up turkey meat, onion, carrots, celery, and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Stir in the egg noodles. Continue to simmer, uncovered, until the noodles are tender. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.  Serve and enjoy!

Woolworth's No Bake Cheesecake 

This is an old recipe from Woolworth's. The original recipe calls for you to start 2 days before you want to serve this classic dessert. However, if you don't want to wait that long, you can cut down the wait time by about a day. You just need to make sure that you chill the dessert for several hours before cutting and serving.  

Ingredients

2 c. evaporated milk
3 c. graham cracker crumbs
4 Tbs. c. confectioners sugar
1 stick butter or margarine melted
1 (8 oz) lemon gelatin
1 1/4 c. boiling water
1 1/4 c. cold water
1 (16 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
2 c. sugar
1 1/2 Tbs. vanilla extract

Directions

The day before making this dessert, about 24 hours, place the evaporated milk, mixing bowl and mixer beaters in the refrigerator. They need to be cold to achieve the best results.

The next day, in a medium bowl, dissolve the lemon gelatin in the boiling water.  Stir or whisk for 2 minutes, or until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Pour in the cold water and stir to combine. Set aside and allow the mixture to cool until it is lukewarm. Do not allow the mixture to congeal. 

In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and melted butter.  Remove 2/3 cup of this mixture and reserve it for the topping. Press the rest of the graham cracker crumbs around the sides and bottom of a 9 x 13-inch cake pan.  Place the dish in the refrigerator until you are ready to pour in the filling.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and beat about 3 minutes more. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl at least once during the mixing time.

Remove the evaporated milk, mixing bowl and beaters from the refrigerator.  Shake the can of evaporated milk well, or stir it if it is already chilling inside the bowl. Beat the milk on high speed with your electric mixer for about 4 minutes, or until peaks form.  It should resemble meringue or beaten egg whites. 

Gently fold the lemon gelatin for about 30 seconds. Add the cream cheese mixture and gently fold in for another 30 seconds.   Pour into the chilled graham cracker crust. Sprinkle the 2/3 cup reserved graham cracker crust crumbs over the top.

Place back in the refrigerator and chill overnight before cutting and serving. 

If your evaporated milk does not seem to be stiff enough, add a package of instant pudding, or a package of unflavored gelatin to the evaporated milk.  

Another version of this recipe is to whip the lemon gelatin until light and frothy, just before adding it to the evaporated milk.  With an electric mixer, beat in the lemon gelatin and then the cream cheese mixture.

 

 

Pecan Pie

 Pecan Pie With Dark Corn Syrup

No matter how you pronounce the word 'pecan' they do make great tasting pies.  Here is our favorite recipe to make this delicious and easy dessert. 

If you were to buy this pie in a store or restaurant, it would cost you a lot more money than if you made it at home. 

Ingredients

1 c. dark corn syrup
3 eggs
1 c. sugar
2 Tbs butter or margarine melted
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. pecans, chopped
1 (9-inch) pastry shell, unbaked

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°.

In a large bowl, vigorously mix the dark corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt together with a wooden spoon. You can also use a mixer if you want.

Stir in the pecans.

Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The outer edge of the filling should be set and the center slightly soft.

 

Macaroni, Pea and Cheese Salad 

Macaroni Pea Salad is so versatile. You can add all kinds of things to it and never serve it the same way twice. 

Ingredients

2 c. uncooked macaroni
1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped fine
1 onion, chopped fine
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 to 2 ribs celery, chopped
2 hard boiled eggs (Optional)  chopped fine
1 dill pickle, (Optional) chopped fine
1 can peas, drained
8 oz. cheddar cheese, cut in small cubes
1 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. sour cream
2 Tbs. vinegar
1 Tbs. prepared mustard
2 tsp. parsley
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
12 tsp. pepper

Directions

Fill a large pot with water and add 2 teaspoons salt.  Bring the water to a boil and cook macaroni according to package directions.  Drain. Place drained macaroni in a large bowl.

Add the pepper, onion, carrot, celery, dill pickle, peas and cheese. Stir to combine.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, mustard, parsley, sugar, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour this over macaroni and stir to combine. Taste the salad and adjust the salt, pepper and vinegar if needed. 

Allow the flavors to marry for at least 20 minutes before serving for the best flavor.

Home-made Stuffing

 Easy Home-made Stuffing

 

It is easy to make your own stuffing mix, and it is a great way to use up that bread that would otherwise be thrown out.   Just save the ends or the dried out bread slices in a sealable bag and put in the freezer. When you want to make stuffing

Ingredients

12 to 14 c. dried bread, cut into cubes (You can use any bread you like best.)
1 1/2 c. butter
2 large onions, diced
4 to 6 stalks celery, diced small
1 1/2 Tbs.  poultry seasoning
2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbs. parsley
2 c. chicken stock or broth (more or less)
1 tsp. chicken bouillon or 1 bouillon cube (optional)*
cooked giblets (optional)

Directions

To dry the bread, arrange bread cubes on a cookie sheet and allow to air dry. Or you can bake the bread cubes at 250° for 45 to 60 minutes until they are dried out.  Remember to stir them occasionally.  Be sure to watch the bread cubes after 45 minutes to make sure they are not burning. Remove from oven and allow the bread to cool.   

Turn the oven temperature to 350°.

Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Make sure the bread is very dry, or your stuffing will not be good at all.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.  Sauté the celery and onion for about 5 minutes, or until tender.

Add the thyme, poultry seasoning, seasoned salt and pepper.

Pour in the chicken stock or broth. Heat and stir until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat.

Pour the mixture over the bread cubes and toss gently until well mixed.  Place the dressing into a large baking dish and bake 35 minutes or until heated through.  If you are baking a turkey, you can scoop the stuffing to fill the cavity inside the turkey.

* I often use the chicken bouillon to add some extra flavor in the stuffing.  Bouillon is added salt, so you may want to adjust the salt intake. 

**You can buy the broth or make your own.  To make your own, remove the neck and giblets from your turkey and put them in a saucepan.  Add enough water to make the stuffing and have extra to use when you make the gravy for the mashed potatoes.  Simmer them for about an hour or two until they are done. Add more water if needed. Then, what my mother did was cut up the giblets into small pieces and add them to the stuffing as well.

Make-Ahead Creamy Mashed Potatoes

We make these potatoes for every holiday dinner. They are so good and flavorful! My kids are always volunteering to be the taste testers for this one. I think they could just eat the mashed potatoes and leave the rest of the meal alone.  

Ingredients

5 lbs. potatoes  (I use what ever kind I find on sale.)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and whole
5 Tbs. butter, divided
1 (8oz.) pkg cream cheese, room temperature
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion salt
1/2 tsp. or more pepper

Directions

Wash, peel and quarter the potatoes. Place the potatoes and garlic cloves in a large saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain.

With an electric mixer, or by hand, mash the potatoes, garlic cloves and 3 tablespoons butter. 

Add the cream cheese, sour cream, milk, garlic powder, onion salt and pepper. Beat until you have the right consistency that you like for mashed potatoes.  If the potatoes are too dry, add more milk. Taste the potatoes to see if you need more seasoning.

Transfer to a large baking dish. Cut off pieces of the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and place on top of the potatoes. Cover with foil or a lid and refrigerate until you want to serve them. Remove from the refrigerator. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes, or until heated through.

You can also freeze this dish, and it will keep up to 1 month. Just thaw in the refrigerator before baking.

If you want fluffy mashed potatoes, try this.  Fill a bowl with cold water. After cutting the potatoes, place them in the cold water along with some salt.  Allow the potatoes to sit and soak for about 20 minutes. Drain. Then, fill a saucepan with fresh water. Begin cooking the potatoes as directed above.

You can also make these potatoes just before your dinner.  After they are mashed to the right consistency and tasting as you like, transfer them to a bowl and serve immediately.

Moist Turkey With Bacon in a Paper Bag

Baking a turkey in a paper sack or bag is a recipe that we got from watching the weatherman on our local CBS station, many years ago. It makes the best tasting turkey! The meat stays moist and tender, especially if you put with the bacon over the top.

Ingredients

1 Turkey
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Bacon

Directions

Prepare the turkey by removing the giblets and washing the bird. 

Sprinkle the inside cavity and the outside of the turkey with salt, pepper and garlic powder if desired.

Stuff the bird's cavity and neck area with the stuffing you like best. I make the traditional stuffing, but some put in vegetables like celery and onions. Then, after the cavity is full of stuffing, I usually put a slice of bread to cover the cavity and to keep the stuffing from falling out.

Place strips of bacon over the top of the breast, legs and thighs.  See note * below

Carefully place the turkey inside the brown paper bag.  If the bird is bigger than the bag, then you may need to use two bags, fitting the open ends together. I usually place the bag on a rack that fits inside the roaster, so the bag does not sit in the juices.

Staple the opening of the shut and place the bag in a roasting pan. Place the roasting pan in the oven.

Set the oven to 350°, and roast the turkey, allowing about 20 minutes per pound. Cook until the drumstick wiggles freely and juices run clear from the breast.   However, if you want an even better tasting turkey, bake the turkey at 250° for one hour.  Then turn the oven temperature down to 190° to 200° and cook for 8 to 15 hours, depending on the size of your turkey.

If you want crispy bacon, wait until the turkey is almost fully cooked.  Open the paper bag along the top, so the bacon is exposed. Continue baking until the turkey is done, and the bacon is crispy.

Remove from the oven and allow the turkey to rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Notes:

* Some say to roast the turkey with the breast on the top, while others say to have the breast underneath for a juicier bird. I think it is all individual preference. I have done it both ways. The bacon keeps the meat juicy and tender.  

If you can, bake the turkey at the lower temperature.  It takes a lot longer, but in the end, you will have a moist, tender, delicious tasting turkey with a hint of bacon.

 Two Homemade Pumpkin Pies With Crust

Growing up, it was always my job to make the pumpkin pies. I am still the only one who will make a pie at our house with the traditional pastry crust. My son makes the cherry pie with an easy, spicy crust. I will be sharing that crust recipe shortly. Please note that it will also work to make a pumpkin pie as well.

Pie Crust Ingredients Makes 2

3 c. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. white sugar
1 c. shortening or lard
3 to 4 Tbsp. cold water

Pumpkin Pie Ingredients

4 eggs
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. white sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 (29 oz.) can pure pumpkin
2 (12 oz.) cans evaporated milk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. 

Make the pie crust first. 

In a bowl, mix the flour, salt and sugar together.  

Add the shortening. Using a pastry knife or two knives held together, cut the shortening into the flour until it resembles small peas. 

In a small bowl, beat the egg, vinegar and water together. Pour into the flour mixture and mix with a fork until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too wet, add some flour. Try about a teaspoon at a time to get it to the right consistency. If the dough is too dry, pour in a small amount of water. You want to lightly mix until the dough sticks together. It is important not to over mix or the dough will be tough. Wrap in plastic wrap or place in a plastic bag and put the dough in the refrigerator for about an hour for easier rolling.

Divide the dough in half.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one ball of dough into a 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters. Place dough into a 9-inch pie pan. Carefully unfold dough, so it covers the bottom and sides of the pie pan.  Trim crust to 1/2 inch from the edge of the pan, then crimp or flute the edge. Repeat with the second crust.

Pierce the bottom of the crust with a fork.

Bake pie crusts at 350° for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven.  This prevents the crust from being soggy. 

While the crust is baking, it is time to prepare the pumpkin filling.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until they are lemon colored. Mix in the brown sugar, white sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. 

Stir in the pumpkin and mix well.

Slowly pour in the evaporated milk, stirring as you pour until thoroughly combined.

Pour evenly into the two slightly prebaked pie shells.  

Sprinkle cinnamon over the top of each pie if desired.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool and serve with whipped cream. 

If you want to, you can use all white sugar to make the pie. It turns out just as good.

 

Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients

3/4  c. sugar
1/4 c.  cornstarch
1/4 tsp.salt
2 1/2 c. milk
3 egg yolks
2 Tbs. butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 bananas
1 (9 inch) pastry shell baked

Meringue

3 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
6 Tbs. sugar

Directions

In a small, heat safe bowl, beat the egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Set aside.

In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt. 

Gradually pour in the milk, whisking constantly to keep the mixture from clumping.  Cook, stirring constantly over medium high heat until thickened and very bubbly. Continue to cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat. 

Whisking constantly, temper the eggs by slowly pouring in some of the hot filling. I usually add about 3 tablespoons of the hot filling into the egg yolks. Place the whisk back into the sauce pan and whisking or stirring constantly, slowly pour in the egg yolk mixture.

Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. The mixture should be very thick. Remove from heat.

Add the butter and vanilla, stirring to combine. Set aside to cool as you make the meringue.

 In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Set aside while you finish assembling the banana cream pie.

Slice bananas into the baked pastry shell. Pour the cooled filling over bananas. You can also put some of the filling to cover the bottom of the pie shell and then add the sliced bananas. Pour in the rest of the filling.

Spread the meringue evenly over the top of the still warm filling, sealing the edges to the crus.

Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until the meringue is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Tips:

There are many different schools of thought on making this pie. One thing many cooks agree on is to make sure you cook and stir the pudding filling until it is thick. 

The humidity in the air also determines whether this meringue pie turns out perfect. For best results, make cream pies when the humidity is very low.  

 No-Knead Cinnamon Sugar Breadsticks

Very easy breadsticks to make. These are perfect anytime you are wanting something sweet to eat and they are

Ingredients

2 1/2 to 3 1/2 c. flour
1 c. sugar, divided
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg. active dry yeast or 2 1/4 tsp. of dry yeast
3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

Grease 2 large baking pans.

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, salt and yeast. 

In a small saucepan over medium low heat, warm the milk and butter to a temperature of 120°. Do not bring to a boil, otherwise the milk will curdle. You only want the milk to be lukewarm, like you are going to give it to a baby. If this mixture is too hot, it will kill your yeast and the bread sticks will not rise. 

Pour the milk and butter mixture into the flour.  Mix until combined.  Add the vanilla and eggs, beating well for about 2 minutes. 

Either by hand or with a mixer that has a dough hook, mix in the remaining flour until you have a soft dough.

Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl. (I often use the same bowl that I mixed the dough it. Just grease the sides and bottom of the bowl.  No need to clean it before you do this.)

Cover the bowl with a towel or piece of plastic wrap and place in a warm location. Allow to rise for 30 to 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.  The dough will be sticky, and this is what you want it to be like.

While the dough is raising, combine the nuts, 1/2 c. sugar and cinnamon.  Mix well. 

Pinch off about 1/4 cup dough, approximately the size of a golf ball. Drop this into the nut, sugar and cinnamon mixture, turning to coat all sides.

Stretch the dough into an 8-inch rope. Twist the ends, so the rope looks a corkscrew.  Place on the prepared baking pan.  Or you can dip the breadstick back in the sugar cinnamon mixture again, if desired, and then place on the prepared baking pan. See notes below.

Lightly spray the tops of the bread twists with butter flavored cooking spray to keep them from drying out. Or you can cover them with a towel.  Place in a warm location and allow the dough to rise for 20 or 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Remove from pans and cool slightly before eating. These are best when served warm.

Notes

*You can preheat the oven first, but I usually place them in a cold oven and then turn the oven on. It gives them a little more rising time before they begin to bake.

* You can also mix up extra cinnamon and sugar, so after you get the dough stretched into a log shape, re-coat it in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 c. butter, soft
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt

Icing

2 c. powdered sugar
3 Tbs. milk
1 Tbs. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease the cookie sheets, or line the pans with parchment paper or a Silicon liner.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the pumpkin.

Add the egg and vanilla. Beat well until creamy.

Mix in the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Add the flour, mixing until thoroughly combined.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. You can also roll the spoonful of dough between the palms of your hands to make them more uniform.

Bake for 9 to 15 minutes, or until edges are firm.  We like a softer cookie, so we bake ours until the tops are no longer shiny or wet looking.

Cool on a wire rack. Frost when the cookies are completely cool. 

** Variations:

You can also add 1 cup white chocolate chips to the mixture and or 1 cup chopped walnuts.

Frosting

In a large bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, butter and vanilla. Beat until smooth. If the mixture is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. Or if the mixture is too thick, add a little more milk.

Drizzle the frosting with a fork over the top of each cookie.

 Taverns AKA Sloppy Joes

There is one meal that my family really love and that is taverns, also known as Sloppy Joes. This recipe was given to me from my daddy.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 hot pepper, chopped fine *
1 green pepper, chopped fine
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 c. ketchup
1/3 c. spaghetti  or pizza sauce
3 Tbs. hot salsa *
1 Tsp. BBQ sauce
1 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. vinegar
1 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper *
1/2 tsp. celery seed
Salt and black pepper to taste
Hamburger buns

Directions

In a heavy cast iron skillet over medium heat, brown the hamburger, onion, hot and sweet peppers. When the beef is no longer pink, drain off the fat.

Stir in the mustard, ketchup, spaghetti sauce, hot salsa, BBQ sauce, honey, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper and celery seed. Mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir  the tavern mixture often as it simmers, otherwise it will stick to the bottom of the skillet. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Spoon some of the sloppy Joe mixture on hamburger buns and serve.  

Serve this dish with a salad, baked beans and potato wedges for a wonderful meal.
When I have the extra time, I like to make hot home-made bread buns for our taverns.

* If you don't like this much heat in your food, omit the hot pepper and cayenne pepper.   Use a mild salsa instead of the hot salsa. 

Chocolate Covered Peppermint Patties

 We make these chocolate covered peppermint patties when the weather gets cool and the holidays are approaching. They taste so better then the ones you buy at the store, because you can add as much peppermint as you like and make them as big or as small as you want as well.

Ingredients 

3 to 4 c. powdered sugar (More or less)
2 Tbs. butter, softened
1 1/2 to 2 tsp. peppermint extract (More or less depending on how much peppermint you like to taste)
1/4 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. sweetened condensed milk.
3 c. semisweet chocolate chips
2 tsp. shortening

Directions

In a bowl combine powdered, sugar, butter, peppermint extract and the sweetened condensed milk.  Beat with a low speed mixer until the mixture begins to hold together. Remove the dough and place onto a cutting board or counter dusted with powdered sugar. Knead the peppermint candy dough, adding more confectioners sugar as needed. You  will want a soft dough that is no longer sticky.

Form the dough into patties. There are several ways to do this.  You can pinch off some of the candy dough and form into 1-inch balls by rolling the dough between the palms of your hands. Then, place the balls on a sheet of wax paper and flatten with your fingers tips. Or you can use the bottom of a glass to flatten them. If the candy sticks to the glass, dip the bottom in powdered sugar.

Another way to flatten the peppermint candy balls is to powder the counter or cutting board with confectioners sugar. Press or pat out the dough until it is about 1/4-inch thick. Use something to cut small round circles or shapes.  Dip the cutting tool in powdered sugar to keep the dough from sticking.  

Let the patties dry at room temperature. After about an hour, turn the patties over and let them dry for another hour.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate with shortening, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat when the chocolate has completely melted. 

Lay a peppermint patty on the tines of a fork. Lower the fork into the melted chocolate, making sure to coat both sides with the chocolate. Tap the fork on the edge of the pan to shake off excess chocolate.  Place on a sheet of wax paper and allow to cool until set. 

Store the peppermint patties in an air tight container.

 

Hamburgers in Gravy 

This is our go recipe for times when we want to make a fast, yet comforting meal. Make extra gravy to serve with mashed potatoes and you'll have a delicious meal.  You can also use ground sausage in place of half of the ground beef in the recipe as well. This gives the hamburgers more flavor.

INGREDIENTS :

1 egg
1 onion, chopped fine
1 1/2 tsp. beef bouillon
1/4 tsp. pepper
2  slices bread
1 lbs. ground beef
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 1/3 c. milk or use the soup can to measure the milk
1 can mushrooms, drained
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS :

In a large bowl, mix the eggs, onion, beef bouillon, and pepper.  

Cut or tear the bread into small cubes or pieces. Add the bread to the egg mixture and allow it to soak for a minute of two. 

Add the ground beef. Mix well with your hands or a spoon. Form into 4 patties. 

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. fry the hamburger patties until they are browned and the meat is no longer pink. Remove the hamburger patties to a dish. Drain the grease off.

Add the cream of mushroom soup, milk, mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce.  Whisk together until smooth. 

Return the hamburgers to the skillet and spoon the sauce over the top.  Over medium high heat, cook until the mixture until it begins to bubble.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until the sauce is thickened. 

Serve with mashed potatoes.

 

Oatmeal  Fudge Bars

This is a quick and easy treat for those times when you have a craving for chocolate.  

Ingredients

2 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. Bisquick baking mix
3 c. quick cooking oats
1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbs. butter or margarine
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. nuts, chopped
2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a jellyroll pan.

Beat brown sugar, 3/4 cup butter until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and vanilla, beating until thoroughly combined. 

Mix in the Bisquick and oatmeal.  

Press 2/3's of this mixture over the bottom of the jellyroll pan.  Set the other third of the oatmeal mixture aside.

In a heavy saucepan, mix the chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, 2 tablespoons butter and salt over low heat. Stirring constantly until chips are melted, and the mixture is smooth.  Stir in the nuts and vanilla. Spread this over the top of the oatmeal mixture in the jellyroll pan.

Drop the remaining oatmeal mixture by the tablespoonful on top of the chocolate.

Bake about 30 minutes, or until it is light brown. 

Impossibly Easy Pumpkin Pie

This is one of the easiest pumpkin pies that you can make and bake. It even forms its own crust, so you don't have to do that either.

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 (15 oz.) pumpkin
1 c. sugar
3 Tbs. butter
3/4 c. Bisquick
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 (13 oz.) can evaporated milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease and flour a 9 -inch glass pie dish. 

Combine eggs, pumpkin, sugar, butter, Bisquick, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and evaporated milk in a blender. If you don't have a blender, you can use one of those handheld immersion blenders. Mix at low speed for 3 minutes. Check to make sure everything is incorporated into the mixture. 

Pour into the glass pie pan.  Bake for 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

May use 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice in place of the ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

Savory Meatball Casserole with Chili Cheese Biscuits

Ingredients

Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef
1/4 lb. pork sausage
1/2 c. dry bread crumbs
1 1/3 c. evaporated milk
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbs. chili powder
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 c. water

Biscuits

1 1/3 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. shortening
1 egg
1/3 c. evaporated milk
1 1/2 c. shredded American cheese
1 Tbs. dried parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°

Combine beef, sausage, bread crumbs, onion, chili powder and pepper with 1/3 cup evaporated milk.  Mix well.  Shape into meat balls.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, cook the meatballs until nicely browned. Turn the heat to medium low, cover and cook 10 minutes

In a medium saucepan, heat the cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup and 1 cup evaporated milk until steaming, but do not boil.  Pour over meatballs. 

Prepare the biscuits. 

In a bowl, add the flour, baking powder, chili powder and salt. Mix together. 

Cut in shortening until particles are fine.  

Combine egg and milk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg and milk mixture. Stir until the dough clings together. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 10 times. 

Roll dough out to a 12 inch square. Sprinkle cheese and parsley over the top. Roll up like a jellyroll and then cut into 8 slices.  Place the biscuits on top of casserole.  

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until biscuits are nicely brownedd.

Easy Baked Beans 

 Ingredients

1/2 lb. bacon cooked and crumbled (optional)
2 cans pork and beans
1 onion, chopped fine
1/3 c. ketchup
1/4 to 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 to 3 Tbs. molasses
1 Tbs. mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of Hot pepper sauce (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

 

In a medium saucepan, add the bacon, pork and beans, onion, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt and pepper. 

Place over low heat and continue to cook low and slow so the flavors have a chance to mingle and be absorbed by the beans. Remember to stir the beans to keep them from sticking on the bottom of the pot. 

 

Tips

If you don't want to cook the beans on top of the stove, you can also bake them. Preheat the oven to 

325°. Bake until thick and rich. 

 

Some of the ingredients are approximate because some people like their baked beans sweeter and some like the taste of molasses. Play around with the amounts to make it the way you like it best. 

Hamburger Pie

Ingredients

3 to 4 potatoes

3 Tbs. milk

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. cubed cheese (sharp cheddar, pepper jack, or any cheese you prefer)

1 can whole kernel corn, drained (optional)

1 lb. ground beef

1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms, drained

1 egg

1 onion, chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, chopped (optional)

1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1/4 c. ketchup
2 tsp. Worcestershire

1/2 to 1-tsp. salt

Pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°Fahrenheit.

 

Wash and peel potatoes. Fill a pot with cold water and add the potatoes. Over high heat, bring the water to a boil. You may cover the pot if you like. Cook the potatoes until they are tender. If you want to, cut the potatoes into smaller pieces, so they will cook faster. When the potatoes are done, drain off the water.  

Put the potatoes into a bowl and mash them. Add the milk, salt, cheese, and corn. Stir to combine. The cheese does not need to melt. It will do that in the oven.  

Cover the potatoes and set aside while you prepare the meat mixture.

 

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, mushrooms, egg, onion, garlic, bell pepper, bread crumbs, ketchup, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Don’t mix them too much or the meat mixture will be tough

Press the meat mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan, or baking dish. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Remove the meat from the oven. Drain away the grease by tipping the pan, being careful to not have the meat fall out.  A handy tip is to place an empty pie pan or baking dish inside, so it rests on the meat. 

Reduce the oven temperature to 350° Fahrenheit.

Fill the meat shell with the potato mixture. Return to the oven and bake another 10 to 15 minutes.  

Remove from the oven and cut into servings.  Serves about 6 people.

 

 Cinnamon Applesauce Muffins

These muffins not only taste great, they are super easy to make. They are perfect for lunching on during the day. Or, if you are short on time, they are wonderful as a grab and go breakfast.

Ingredients

1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. applesauce
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. cloves
4 c. flour
1 c. walnuts, chopped (optional)
Cinnamon sugar (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease the muffin cups pan. Or you can use the little papers in the muffin cups for easy clean up.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 

Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Mix in the vanilla and applesauce until thoroughly combined.

Stir in the baking soda, cinnamon, all spice, and cloves. Add the flour, stirring until combined.

Add the nuts.

Fill each muffin cup so it is three-fourths full. 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar mix if desired. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes then remove and place on a wire rack.