Thanksgiving Practice--November 2, 2017

We were busy preparing for Thanksgiving at the last Recipe Club meeting! There were many delicious Thanksgiving dishes to try.

I made Crock Pot Cranberry Pecan Stuffing. I don't make stuffing to often, but this was a very tasty and easy side dish to throw together, and a great way to make stuffing without using your oven!

Karen whipped up a delicious Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake! Loaded with pumpkin and fall flavors, this would be a delicious Thanksgiving dessert.

Karen also brought Filled Dates. This is a super easy appetizer or even dessert to throw together, and only 5 ingredients--dates, cream cheese, honey, almond extract, and almonds!

Chris brought Cinnamon Sugar Pecans! A perfect blend of cinnamon and sugar and makes a perfect holiday snack or gift.

Chris also brought Cranberry Juice. A super easy punch to throw together with cranberry juice, orange juice and Sprite. It goes great with some cranberry ice cubes!

Mary brought a Jello Salad Mold. With cherry jello and cherry pie filling, this tasted like a cherry cheesecake. Yummy!

Mary also brought Swiss Vegetable Medley. This casserole is a good alternate recipe for green bean casserole. This is a good, creamy veggie casserole, and easy because you use frozen veggies.

Jenny brought Cauliflower Salad with Chermoula and Carrots. A delicious and healthy side dish full of cauliflower, carrots, and onions, with a refreshing dressing! A perfect side for a Thanksgiving meal.

Pat brought Acorn Squash. This is a very easy side dish and full of fall flavors!

Margene made Pumpkin Cookies, and this is an old family recipe that she has been using for years! It's a smooth, soft cookie full of pumpkin flavor a delicious frosting!

Margaret made Pecan Pie Bars. She tried a new recipe, and it turned out well! The middle was ooey and gooey and the crust tasted like a sugar cookie! 

Sue R. made Slow-Cooker Apple-Cranberry Dump Cake. With the words "slow-cooker" and "dump cake," this recipe is bound to be easy. And it was. Throw the fruit mixture in, toss it all together, and sprinkle the cinnamon and cake mix on top! Easy and delicious!

Sue R. also made a Slow-Cooker Apple Cranberry Sauce. There is a good balance between the sweet apples and tart cranberries!

Anna mixed-up a Holiday Fruit Salad. It's a recipe she has been using every year, and everyone expects her to bring to Thanksgiving! It's a refreshing salad to have on a Thanksgiving table!

Jennifer brought Cheesy Grits! It's her aunts recipe and a delicious home-style southern dish!

Rose Mary and Fred also brought a Wild Turkey Salad and a Pumpkin Streusel Bundt Cake. 

There were many great recipes shared and more to try next time! Getting hungry? Join us December 7 at 6:30pm at Franklin Public Library. The theme is Cookie Swap--Share your favorite holiday cookies and recipes! Please bring at least 4 dozen of your cookies. All you have to do to join is cook a dish from the monthly theme, and bring the dish and the recipe to the meeting! It's as easy as pie! See you soon!

Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 3 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (15 oz.) can solid-packed pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup maple syrup, divided
• 1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine crumbs, sugar, and butter; press firmly on bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in condensed milk until smooth. Add pumpkin, eggs, 1/4 cup syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg; mix well. 
3. Pour into springform pan. Bake at 300℉ for for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight; remove sides of pan. 
4. In a saucepan combine cream and remaining syrup. Boil rapidly for 15-20 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in pecans. Cool. Spoon over the cheesecake before serving.

Submitted by Karen Kunzler

Jello Salad Mold

Ingredients:

• 1 (3 oz.) pkg. cherry jello
• 1 (3 oz.) lemon jello
• 1 can cherry pie filling
• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
• 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained well
• 1/2 cup small marshmallows

Directions:

1. Bottom layer: dissolve cherry jello in 1 cup boiling water. Then add the cherry pie filling. Chill until firm.
2. Top layer: Dissolve lemon jello in 1 cup boiling water. Beat in cream cheese, crushed pineapple (drained well) and small marshmallows. Chill until firm.

Submitted by Mary Arndt

Swiss Vegetable Medley

Ingredients:

• 1 bag family style frozen broccoli, carrots and cauliflower combo
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 8 oz. shredded Swiss cheese
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 large container of Durkee French fried onions

Directions:

1. Mix vegetables, soup, 1/2 cup cheese, sour cream, pepper, and 1/2 the can of the fried onions. Pour into a 1 quart casserole dish. Bake covered at 350℉ for 30 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and onion. Bake uncovered for 5 minutes.

Submitted by Mary Arndt

Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

Ingredients:

• 4 cups pecan halves
• 1 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tsp. water
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

1. Put sugar, cinnamon, and salt in large Ziploc bag and shake.
2. Add egg whites, water, and vanilla to a large bowl and whisk until frothy. Add pecans to bowl to coat.
3. Dump pecans into bag with cinnamon-sugar mixture and shake well. Spread on baking sheet coated with cooking spray or parchment paper. Bake at 250℉ for 1 hour, stirring pecans every 15-20 minutes.

Submitted by Chris Schram

Cranberry Juice

Ingredients:

• 1 (64 oz.) Ocean Spray cranberry juice
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 cups Sprite or orange soda

Directions:

1. Mix and serve with orange and lime slices and cranberry ice cubes.

Submitted by Chris Schram

Cauliflower Salad with Chermoula and Carrots

The "Cauliflower Salad with Chermoula and Carrots" recipe can be found in America's Test Kitchen book Vegan for Everybody.

Submitted by Jenny Lee-Adrian

"Cauliflower Salad with Chermoula and Carrots." Vegan for Everybody. Brookline: America's Test Kitchen, 2017. Print.

Slow-Cooker Apple-Cranberry Dump Cake

The "Slow-Cooker Apple-Cranberry Dump Cake" by Annalise Sandberg can be found at Betty Crocker.

Submitted by Sue Richichi

Sandberg, Annalise. "Slow-Cooker Apple-Cranberry Dump Cake." Betty Crocker, https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-apple-cranberry-dump-cake/52f01fd1-a6f1-492e-ad32-faaa746d0c1b . Accessed 20 November 2017.

Slow-Cooker Apple-Cranberry Sauce

The "Slow-Cooker Apple Cranberry Sauce" by Jessica Walker can be found at Betty Crocker.

Submitted by Sue Richichi

Walker, Jessica. "Slow-Cooker Apple Cranberry Sauce." Betty Crocker, https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-apple-cranberry-sauce/a7ca621f-3d9f-49aa-93be-fa61a83faefb. Accessed 20 November 2017.

Pecan Pie Bars

The "Pecan Pie Bars" recipe can be found in 2005 Taste of Home Annual Recipes.

Submitted by Margaret Herrick

"Pecan Pie Bars." 2005 Taste of Home Annual Recipes. Greendale: Reiman Publications, 2005. Print.

Holiday Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 large bananas, sliced (sprinkle with lemon juice)
• 2 small cans mandarin oranges
• 1 large can pineapple chunks
• 1 small can pineapple chunks
• 2 cans pitted dark sweet cherries
• 1 large package vanilla pudding mix (not instant)

Directions:

1. Drain juice from oranges and pineapple chunks into sauce pan and mix with pudding. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Cool.
2. Drain and rinse cherries several times until rinse water runs clear. 
3. Combine all fruit with cooled pudding mixture, folding in cherries last and chill.

Submitted by Anna Restivo

Filled Dates

Ingredients:

• Dates--pitted Medjool, large
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• sliced or ground almonds--if desired

Directions:

1. Cut the dates in half lengthwise. 
2. Mix cream cheese, honey, and almond extract. Taste. If more extract or sweetness is desired, add more. Fill dates. If desired, sprinkle with ground almonds or insert a couple of sliced almonds in each date.

Submitted by Karen Kunzler

Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:

Cookie:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Frosting:

• 3 tbsp. butter
• 4 tsp. milk
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 3/4 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

1. Cream shortening,, sugar, and pumpkin. Add egg, mix well. Add sifted dry ingredients. Mix well. Drop from spoon on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375℉ for 10-12 minutes.
2. For the frosting, cook butter, milk, and brown sugar until dissolved. Cool. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Add powdered sugar and milk to get the consistency you want. Spread on cookies. 

Submitted by Margene McLoughlin from an old family recipe

Acorn Squash

The "Acorn Squash" recipe by TERRYLEE51 can be found at allrecipes.

Submitted by Pat Reilly

TERRYLEE51. "Acorn Squash." allrecipes, http://allrecipes.com/recipe/16796/acorn-squash/. Accessed 17 November 2017.

Crock Pot Cranberry Pecan Stuffing

The "Crock Pot Cranberry Pecan Stuffing" by Danielle can be found at The Creative Bite.

Submitted by Sarah Bublitz

Danielle. "Crock Pot Cranberry Pecan Stuffing." The Creative Bite, http://www.thecreativebite.com/crock-pot-cranberry-pecan-stuffing/2 . Accessed 17 November 2017.