Italian Struffoli Honey Ball Recipe

I made another one of my favorite Christmas Cookies today! Italian Struffoli Honey Ball’s are a recipe that my family has been making for years! This is Grandma Anna’s recipe and is the most delicious recipe that I’ve tasted for these.  Much, much better then any bakery.  Nikki and I made these together this morning.  I highly recommend doing this as a team as it’s much easier.  Nikki rolls the doll and slices it and I drop it into the oil and drain it.

Another tip, is to place all the sliced dough onto a paper towel and then “funnel” them into the oil.  I recommend using a deep pot so that the oil doesn’t splash out.  Ouch, I’ve gotten oil burn before.  Once in the oil, be sure to stir them to separate them or you’ll end up with one big blob.

Here is the recipe.  Check the box to print.

Also, make sure you check out the yummy Saltine Toffee Bars that I made a few days ago!

Next up for me is my husband’s favorite, Thimble Cookies.

What are you baking today?

Saltine Toffee Bars Recipe

I have started my Christmas baking.  And, I started with the most dangerous one.  It’s so dangerous, that I honestly don’t know if it will make it until Christmas Eve.  Not with a house full of kids.  And me!

Why is this dangerous?  Well, once you start eating it, it’s super hard to stop.  That salty, chocolatey taste just lingers in your mouth calling for more.  I know because as I’m typing this, my mouth is calling for them.  Grrr, I should have waited until Friday to make these babies.

They are Saltine Toffee Bars and, if you have never made them or tried them you’ll be surprised to learn that they are made with Saltine crackers.  And, they super easy to make.

Here is the recipe.  You can print the recipe by checking off the box.

Next up for me is my husband’s favorite, Thimble Cookies.

What are you baking today?

Unique Leftover Turkey Recipes

Last Monday, we started with some new and unique ways to make some of the classic Thanksgiving Favorites.  I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving and perhaps you have some leftover turkey for the recipes we have here.  Today’s recipes are for Turkey Leftovers!  I might have to make an extra turkey just to fix a few of these leftover recipes!

If you missed the other recipes, you can check out the list of:

• Unique Green Bean Casserole Recipe
• Unique Sweet Potato Recipes
• Unique Pumpkin Recipes
• Unique Stuffing Recipes
• Unique Apple Pie Recipes
• Unique Cranberry Recipes
• Unique Turkey Recipes
• Unique Mashed Potatoes Recipes

Here are some great recipes I found:

Turkey Pot Pie:  An easy recipe from Paul Deen and its pictured above.
Turkey and Mushroom Creamy Tomato “Gravy” with Gnocchi: From Rachel Ray, this recipe is quite different compared to a Thanksgiving turkey dinner.
Turkey Waldorf Salad:  Something on the lighter side, this recipe has apples, grapes and pecans.
Turkey Tetrazzini:  The Pioneer Woman’s recipe looks delicious.
Turkey Casserole:  This Hellman’s recipe uses your leftover turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce.
Turkey Shepherd’s Pie with Leftover Mashed Potatoes:  From the TV Food Network.  Use your turkey and leftover mashed potatoes.
Turkey Bone Gumbo: Besides turkey, this Emeril Lagasse recipe includes smoked sausage.
Hot Browns: Open-Faced Turkey Sandwiches with Parmesan Cream Sauce and Bacon: Sara Moulton’s recipe from the Cooking Channel.
Second Day Fried Stuffing Bites with Cranberry Sauce Pesto:  No turkey in this recipe, just leftover stuffing!
Cran-Apple-Onion Open-Face Turkey Sammies:  One of Rachel Ray’s recipes.
Turkey and Vegetable Soup: Emeril Lagasse’s recipe for a nice soup.

Enjoy!

Unique Mashed Potato Recipes

Last Monday, we started with some new and unique ways to make some of the classic Thanksgiving Favorites.  Today’s recipes are Mashed Potatoes!

If you missed the other recipes, you can check out the list of:

• Unique Green Bean Casserole Recipe
• Unique Sweet Potato Recipes
• Unique Pumpkin Recipes
• Unique Stuffing Recipes
• Unique Apple Pie Recipes
• Unique Cranberry Recipes
• Unique Turkey Recipes

Here are some great recipes I found:

• Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes: Alton Brown’s recipe includes grated Parmesan.
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes: Paula Deen includes sour cream in her recipe.
• Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes: This recipe comes from the Barefoot Contessa and calls for both buttermilk and regular milk.
• Chive and Garlic Mashed Potatoes: Tyler Florence’s recipe (pictured above).
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes: Hellman’s recipe calls onions, Parmesan cheese and mayonnaise.
• Loaded Mashed Potatoes:  Paula Deen makes this recipe and includes bacon, sour cream and cheddar cheese.
• Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs: This recipe from “Everyday Italian” also includes mozzarella.
• Grainy Mustard Mashed Potatoes:  Cook the potatoes in milk and half & half and whole-grain mustard gives this recipe a kick.
• As Good as Mashed Potatoes But Fat Free!:  From the Idaho Potato Commission!
• Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes for Crock Pot:  Make these potatoes ahead of time and then put them in the crock pot to keep them warm.  This recipe includes cream cheese and sour cream.

And for a more traditional recipe from Idaho Potato Commission: Traditional Mashed Idaho® Potatoes

Unique Turkey Recipes

Last Monday, we started with some new and unique ways to make some of the classic Thanksgiving Favorites.  Today’s recipes are on cooking your Turkey!  There are several ways you can cook a turkey.   In this post I am including different ways to cook your turkey and a few different recipes.

If you missed the other recipes, you can check out the list of:

• Unique Green Bean Casserole Recipe
• Unique Sweet Potato Recipes
• Unique Pumpkin Recipes
• Unique Stuffing Recipes
• Unique Apple Pie Recipes
• Unique Cranberry Recipes

Here are some great recipes I found:

• World’s Simplest Thanksgiving Turkey:  From the TV Food Network.
• Spice-Rubbed Turkey with Garlic-Pear Puree:  Spices are rubbed on the turkey before cooking it, then its served with a  garlic-pear puree.
• Oven Bag Holiday Turkey:  This recipe is on the Reynold’s website.
• Roast Turkey Breast with Herb Butter:  If you are going to just make a turkey breast, Rachael Ray’s recipe is a good one.
• Foil Tent Roasted Turkey:  Another recipe from Reynolds.
• Roast Turkey with Cranberry Orange Glaze:  This recipe is from Butterball.  In the last 45 minutes of cooking you add the cranberry orange glaze.
• Herb Roasted Turkey with Pan Gravy:  This recipe comes from the Campbell’s Kitchen and is pictured above.
• How to Grill a Turkey:  Yup, fire up your grill and you can cook your turkey on it!
• Maple-Roasted Turkey with Sage, Smoked Bacon, and Cornbread Stuffing:  Maple syrup is used as a glaze on the turkey that is then topped with bacon.
• Slow Cooker Turkey Breast:  A simple recipe using the crock pot.
• Using a Microwave to Prepare a Thanksgiving Turkey:  I’m not saying this is the way to go, but you never know what can happen and your microwave may save the day.

And this is how I prepare my turkey: How to Brine a Turkey.

Unique Cranberry Recipes

Last Monday, we started with some new and unique ways to make some of the classic Thanksgiving Favorites.  Today’s recipes are for Cranberries!  There are really a lot of recipes you can make with cranberries… sauce, relish, appetizers, salads, cakes, pies and more.  I’ve included a few different types of recipes along with the more traditional

If you missed the other recipes, you can check out the list of:

• Unique Green Bean Casserole Recipe
• Unique Sweet Potato Recipes
• Unique Pumpkin Recipes
• Unique Stuffing Recipes
• Unique Apple Pie Recipes

Here are some great recipes I found:

• Cranberry-Pomegranate Sauce:  The Pioneer Woman’s recipe with a little twist.
• Cranberry Relish:  Recipe courtesy Gay Ingegneri, The Cranbury Inn on the TV Food Network includes crushed pineapple.
• Nutty Cranberry Relish:  A portion of the cranberries are added in after the recipe is cooked.
• Fresh Cranberry Custard Pie: From Emeril Lagasse.
• Cranberry Gorgonzola Appetizer Tart:  This looks like a very unique appetizer from Ocean Spray.
• Cranberry Relish: This recipe uses honey as the sweetener.
• CrockPot Homemade Cranberry Sauce:  Cranberries, brown sugar, orange juice + Crockpot!
• Classic Cranberry Nut Bread:  Nice recipe to serve with your turkey.
• Nantucket Cranberry Pie: From the Pioneer Woman… this recipe looks delicious!  Its pictured above.
• Cranberry Apple Pie:  This recipe is on the Disney Family Fun site, it includes cranberries, apples and has a crumb topping.
• No-Cook Cranberry Relish:  Put everything in your food processor and its done.

And here is a more traditional recipe from Ocean Spray:  Homemade Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

The following is a recipe from one of our readers, Kelly.  She said “I wanted to share this recipe since I have been stocking up on cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving.”

SWEET CRANBERRY SAUCE

1- 16 oz can of whole cranberry sauce
½ cup quick oats
¼ cup flour
½ cup brown sugar
4 tbsp butter

Spread cranberry in 9 inch pie plate.  Combine dry ingredients.  Sprinkle on top.

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Enjoy!

thanks Kelly!

Unique Apple Pie Recipes

On Monday, we started with some new and unique ways to make some of the classic Thanksgiving Favorites.  Today’s recipes are for Apple Pies!

If you missed the other recipes, you can check out the list of:

• Unique Green Bean Casserole Recipe
• Unique Sweet Potato Recipes
• Unique Pumpkin Recipes
• Unique Stuffing Recipes

Here are some great recipes I found:

Dreamy Apple Pie:  The Pioneer Woman’s apple pie with a butter, flour, brown sugar and pecan top crust.
Topsy-Turvy Apple Pie:  This recipe is on Pillsbury’s site and looks good.  The bottom crust has brown sugar and pecans.  You flip the pie over and then the sticky bottom crust becomes a moist and nutty top crust.
Apple Praline Pie:  Betty Crocker’s recipe.  Once the pie is baked you pour a combination of brown sugar, half and half and pecans on top.
Cheddar Cheese Apple Pie:  Recipe courtesy Anne Thornton on the TV Food Network.
Gluten-Free Apple Pie: A great gluten-free recipe from The Robinator’s Foodventures.
Crunch Top Apple Pie: Paula Deen’s recipe includes apple sauce along with the apples.
Rustic Apple Pie with Dried Cherries: If you would like to stray from the traditional apple pie recipe, this one on the TV Food Network, might be it.
Apple-Pear Crumble Pie:  The crust on this Kraft Food’s pie includes NILLA Wafers and brown sugar.
Caramel Apple Dessert:  This is not a pie, but looks like a nice alternative if you want to make something else besides a pie.
Fried Apple Pie with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Apple-Brown Butter Caramel:  I think the title of this Emeril Lagasse recipe says it all.
Brown Butter Creamy Apple Pie:  Another recipe from Pillsbury. (pictured above)

This is the recipe that I make that my family LOVES.  The only difference is that I add more apples than is called for and I always use Rome apples:
Perfect Apple Pie

Unique Stuffing Recipes

On Monday, we started with some new and unique ways to make some of the classic Thanksgiving Favorites.  Today’s recipes are for Stuffing or Dressing… which ever you may call it!  These recipes do sound delicious.  What is neat about some of these recipes is that you can bake them as a side dish, so you don’t necessarily have to stuff your turkey with them.  And also this way you can make a few different recipes!

If you missed the other recipes, you can check out the list of:

• Unique Green Bean Casserole Recipes
• Unique Sweet Potato Recipes
• Unique Pumpkin Recipes

Here are some great recipes I found:

• Wolfgang Puck’s Harvest Dressing:  His recipe also includes an explanation of stuffing vs dressing! He says “Most cooks in the American South use the term “dressing” regardless of where the mixture cooks, while more Northerners prefer to say “stuffing.”
• Barefoot Contessa’s Sausage and Herb Stuffing:  Her recipe includes sausage, cranberries and apples.
• Slow-Cooker Wild Rice and Mushroom Stuffing Recipe: This recipe is from “All You”.  Its nice because you make it in your crock pot.
• Mushroom Stuffing:  The name of this Good Housekeeping’s recipe is deceiving, it includes a lot more than mushrooms!  One being bacon!
• Butterball’s Sausage and Vegetable Dressing: Here’s a lower carb stuffing. The recipe includes vegetables, walnuts and sausage.
• Five-Ingredient Stuffing:  Very similar to a basic stuffing recipe except this one includes dried fruit.
• Oyster Dressing:  Not for everyone, but if you like oysters, this looks like a great recipe (pictured above) from the Pioneer Woman.
• Artichoke-Mushroom Stuffing:  This recipe comes from Holland House.
• Apple-Celery Stuffing:  Kellogg’s recipe which includes corn flakes.
• Cornbread, Sausage and Mango Dressing:  If you want to try something a little different, you might like this recipe from Butterball.
• Corn-Bread Stuffing: A basic cornbread stuffing.

And more traditional/basic recipe: Campbell’s Moist & Savory Stuffing

Unique Pumpkin Recipes

On Monday, we started with some new and unique ways to make some of the classic Thanksgiving Favorites.  Today’s recipes are for Pumpkin desserts.  These recipes sound delicious.

If you missed the other recipes, you can check out the list of:

• Unique Green Bean Casserole Recipes
• Unique Sweet Potato Recipes

Here are some great recipes I found:

Pumpkin Pie in a Pan:  This recipe doesn’t have the traditional pie crust, you sprinkle the top with yellow cake mix.
Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes:  This recipe is from Paula Deen and you can actually substitute the pumpkin for pineapple, bananas or peanut butter.
Kellogg’s Pumpkin Cheesecake: Kellogg’s cheesecake has a crust made with Kellogg’s® All-Bran.
Hazelnut Pumpkin Pie: Add hazelnut creamer to this version.
Emeril Lagasse’s Pumpkin Cheesecake:  Emeril’s recipe calls for graham cracker and pecan crust.
Martha Stewart’s Pumpkin Pie: Very similar to a traditional pumpkin pie recipe.
Pumpkin Cream Pie:  From the Pioneer Woman, her recipe includes vanilla pudding.
Pumpkin Pie Bars:  Eagle Brand’s recipe which includes sweetened condensed milk.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars:  Another version from Eagle Brand.  Couldn’t decide which sounded better so I included them both.
Country Pumpkin Cake:  Courtesy of Pillsbury.

And the traditional recipe: Libby’s® Famous Pumpkin Pie

This recipe is from Lori, she made these delicious pumpkin muffins for the couponing workshop I gave the other night.  The muffins were absolutely wonderful!!  Megan and I were eating them up!  I asked Lori to send me the recipe so here it is…

Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting (pictured above)

Muffin Ingredients:

• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 4 Tablespoons Butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup (heaping) Pumpkin Puree
• 1/2 cup Evaporated Milk
• 1 whole Egg
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

For Frosting:

• 1/4 cup Softened Butter
• 4 ounces, weight Cream Cheese
• 1/2 pound Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

Preparation Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins (or I prefer to make mini-muffins).
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until it is fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture and mix to combine.
Pour into greased muffin pans.
Bake for 25 minutes (about 12-15 minutes for mini-muffins). Cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy! Store in the fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature.

Thank you Lori!