Artichoke and Brie Dip

I wanted to have a few things out to snack on when our guests arrived on Christmas Day. I'd had my eye on this Artichoke and Brie Dip for awhile and couldn't wait to make it.

This made a ton of dip - definitely good for a large party - so next time I'd cut the recipe in half. We all loved it. Rich, creamy and cheesy, what's not to like? I served it with toasted bread slices and Triscuits on Christmas Day but the next day we had it with Ritz crackers and I think we all preferred them.

Artichoke and Brie Dip
The Kilkenny House

12 oz artichokes, drained and chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
8oz Brie cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Combine artichokes, mayonnaise, sour cream and Worcestershire sauce together until well blended. Add the Brie, Parmesan and mozzarella and blend. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the mixture in a round 1.5-quart baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve warm with toasted bread, crackers or veggies.

Recipe Remake: Christmas Morning Strata

One Christmas when I was growing up my mom found this recipe for Christmas Morning strata and decided to make it for breakfast. We all loved it and it became our standard Christmas morning breakfast. She still makes it every Christmas for her and my stepdad. I tried to get SP and Baby Girl on board, but so far they just aren't fans. For SP it's a texture thing - he doesn't like the soggy bread - but I think it's possible Baby Girl will like it in the future.

After not making it for a few years and having to beg a piece from my mom, I decided to just make my own batch this year and eat the leftovers the rest of the week. When I was looking back at blog posts I realized it had been awhile since I made this and the photo definitely needed to be updated.

I really love this strata. It's simple and there aren't any crazy ingredients, but it's just so, so good. Hopefully Baby Girl will be won over and this can retake its rightful place on our Christmas morning table.

Christmas Morning Strata
Source Unknown

1 pound pork sausage
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
Butter
8 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
8-12 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups milk
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium heat, stirring until it crumbles. Stir in the mustard.

Grease an oval 2.5-quart baking dish with butter. Fit the bread in the dish, tearing the pieces as needed to cover the bottom and sides of the dish with bread. Add the sausage mixture and top with the cheese.

Combine the milk and remaining ingredients, then pour over the sausage mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake, uncovered, for 50 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Yorkshire Pudding

Another staple on our Christmas table is Yorkshire Pudding. I'd never heard of it before my stepdad joined our family more than 25 years ago, but it's similar to popovers - crusty on the outside and custardy on the inside.

In the years when my stepgrandmother made Christmas dinner I always assumed the Yorkshire pudding was a difficult thing to make. The year I took over making dinner I was worried about getting it right. It turns out Yorkshire Pudding is very easy to make. I've never had enough beef drippings to make it with those so I just use melted butter. This year's version was especially beautiful.

Yorkshire Pudding
The Joy of Cooking

1 cup minus 1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup beef drippings or 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Whisk together the flour and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat until well blended.

Heat a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and add the drippings/butter, then add the batter all at once.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until puffy and golden brown. Don't open the oven while the pudding is baking.

Remove from the oven and cut into squares. Serve immediately - this is best eaten piping hot.

Roasted Shrimp with Mayo and Mustard Sauce

My mom offered to bring an appetizer for Christmas dinner. I'd had my eye on Ina Garten's roasted shrimp for awhile so I asked her to try that method with some shrimp.

We all agreed that there's no other way to make shrimp now that we've had them roasted. They were incredible, so bursty, plump and flavorful. I asked her to make a mayo and grainy mustard sauce to go with them. These were gone within a matter of minutes.

Roasted Shrimp
Shrimp from Ina Garten, sauce from A Taste of Home Cooking

2 pounds (12 to 15-count) shrimp
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup mayo
2-3 tablespoons whole grain mustard

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place them on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt and pepper and spread them in an even layer.

Roast for 8 to 10 minutes, until just pink, firm and cooked through. Set aside to cool.

Mix together the mayo and mustard, tasting and adding more mustard as needed.

Roast Beef Tenderloin

Every year since my mom met my stepdad we've had the same Christmas dinner. The centerpiece is a Roast Beef Tenderloin. A few years ago I took over Christmas dinner and even though I consider myself to be a good cook, the beef always causes me some stress and anxiety. You don't want to overcook such a high-quality (read: expensive) piece of meat.

I keep the preparation simple to let the flavor of the beef shine through - just some salt and pepper to crust the outside of the beef. This year I also made an au jus to serve with the beef, which was a great addition.

Funny story - since we got a new stove this year I was even more concerned about overcooking the beef. We bought an oven thermometer and discovered our oven runs about 25 degrees hotter than the gauge says. I also bought a new meat thermometer to make doubly sure I cooked the meat as rare as we like it.

After 30 minutes in the oven I realized I had forgotten to compensate with a lower temp, so I quickly turned the oven down. When the roast had been in the oven for an hour I took it out and stuck in the meat thermometer to check it. The screen quickly jumped to 137 degrees in the thickest part. I tested another section and that said 147 degrees. I panicked, convinced I had overcooked the beef. I crossed my fingers and asked SP to stand by me for moral support when I cut into it and, thankfully, it was perfectly cooked. So much for that brand of thermometer!

Roast Beef Tenderloin

1 trimmed and tied beef tenderloin (about 4 lbs)
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place meat on a rack in a roasting pan. Rub with salt and pepper. Place in the oven, on the center rack for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees.

Roast the meat for 15 minutes per pound, until desired doneness (120-125 degrees for rare, 130-135 degrees for medium rare). Check the internal temp by inserting a meat thermometer halfway into the thickest part of the meat.

Transfer meat to a platter and let rest for 10-20 minutes before cutting into slices.

Cannoli Cheesecake

I've had my eye on Melissa's Cannoli Cheesecake since she first posted it. I love, love, love cannoli and there's a place near my house that makes such awesome cannoli I end up taking one home since I'm always too full after dinner to eat it there. When my mom and I were figuring out the Easter menu I jumped at the chance to make this cheesecake.

I opted to leave out the orange zest to stay true to my favorite cannoli and took Melissa's advice about just coating the bottom of the pan with the cookie crumbs. You all know I'm not really a baker (I don't own a springform pan so SP had to drive to my mom's one night to borrow one of hers), but this was simple to make. Of course Baby Girl helped and loved sampling the batter before the eggs were added. She also enjoyed the mini chips.

We all enjoyed this - it tastes just like the cannoli filling I know and love, although I think I overcooked it slightly. The center was perfect but the closer I got to the edge of my slice the firmer it became. Something to remember next time.

Cannoli Cheesecake
As seen on I Was Born to Cook

2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
3 tablespoons sugar
7 tablespoons butter, melted
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons AP flour
pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
4 eggs, at room temperature
confectioners’ sugar, for garnish

Position oven rack to middle of oven and preheat to 375 degrees.

Stir cookie crumbs and 3 tablespoons sugar together in a bowl, then mix in melted butter until crumbs get slightly clumpy. Transfer to a 9-inch springform pan and press evenly along the bottom. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until slightly brown. Let cool on a rack. Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Put paddle attachment on stand mixer. Mix cream cheese, ricotta, flour and salt on medium speed, scraping sides of bowl frequently, until very smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Make sure cheese has no lumps. Add sugar and beat until well blended and smooth.

Add chocolate chips and vanilla. Beat until just combined, about 30 seconds. Add eggs, one at a time, also beating until just blended. Do not overbeat. Pour filling into cooled crust and smooth top.

Bake for about 55-65 minutes. The sides will be puffy and the center will look soft and jiggle. Set on rack and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate, at least 8 hours and up to 3 days.

Unclasp and remove side of pan and run a long, thin spatula under the crust. Slide onto flat serving plate carefully (or leave it on the bottom of the springform pan). Garnish with confectioners’ sugar. Dip knife in warm water before cutting each slice, wiping in between cuts.

Corned Beef and Cabbage with Herb Buttered Potatoes

You know what I hate - waiting to make a recipe because you have a preconceived notion of how it's going to taste (not good) only to find out you were 100% wrong. And then you kick yourself for not making it sooner and lament all those wasted meal opportunities. That's how I've felt about the meal most people associate with St. Patrick's Day - corned beef and cabbage. I love corned beef, I love cabbage, so why did I think the meal was going to be bland, boring and tasteless?

SP has hinted that he'd like corned beef and cabbage on March 17 for years, but I always balked at it. This year I finally decided to make him happy and asked for recommendations on my cooking board. This Sandra Lee recipe for Corned Beef and Cabbage with Herb Buttered Potatoes came highly recommended and sounded great.

The only real change I made was to the cooking method. I've mentioned before that my slow-cooker and I don't get along, so I opted to make this in my trusty Dutch oven. I cooked it low and slow for 5 hours and when it came time to slice the meat was practically falling apart (in a good way). I snuck a taste off the cutting board for quality control and was floored by the amazing flavor.

Baby Girl asked for a taste of the raw cabbage and enjoyed it, so I was hopeful for the finished product. Result - she loved all of it, the corned beef, the cabbage, the potatoes and the carrots. My only complaint was the small size of the corned beef meant we had just enough for dinner and leftovers for lunch. Next time I'll buy double the size so we have enough for sandwiches.

The meat and vegetables were tender, the cabbage was flavorful and the whole thing (even the buttered potatoes) took next to no effort. I'll definitely be making this again next year - I'm a corned beef and cabbage convert for sure.

Corned Beef and Cabbage with Herb Buttered Potatoes
Slightly modified from Sandra Lee

Corned Beef:
3 pounds corned beef brisket with spice packet (larger if you want more leftovers)
4 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 medium onions, chopped
1 small head green cabbage, cored, roughly chopped
2 cups apple juice
1 cup water

Potatoes:
2 pounds baby red potatoes, sliced in 1/2
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

Put the carrots and onions on the bottom of a large Dutch oven, then put the corned beef on top. Arrange the chopped cabbage around the beef. Add the apple juice and water along with the contents of the spice packet. Cover and place in the oven. Cook 5 hours until the beef is tender. Remove the beef and vegetables to a platter and keep warm.

Add potatoes to a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and return them to the pot. Add the butter, garlic, parsley, and salt, and pepper, to taste. Gently combine so that all the potatoes are evenly coated. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with corn beef and vegetables.

Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate Ganache

My mom was in charge of Thanksgiving dessert. She always makes pumpkin pie but this year I sent her this recipe for Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate Ganache after seeing it on the Rachael Ray Show. Chocolate makes everything better, right?

We all enjoyed the ganache even if it was a little thick. My mom wasn't sure how much to use since the recipe didn't specify so she used it all. I think a thinner layer would have been better but hey, chocolate is good so we all suffered through.

The ganache will harden a bit in the fridge so when I ate a leftover slice I reheated it slightly in the microwave to melt it a bit. Yum!

Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate Ganache
Recipe from Carla Hall

1 pumpkin pie
1 10-ounce bag good quality bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
Crushed graham crackers

Place chocolate in a glass bowl. Heat up heavy cream to a boil, do not scald. Pour heavy cream over the chocolate and whisk the mixture very slowly creating a shiny emulsion. If the ganache is too thick, add in hot water to thin out to desired consistency.

Top the pumpkin pie with the ganache (may not use all of it). Sprinkle crushed graham crackers around the edge of the pie.

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

Just like last year I opted to make a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey. I decided to use Ina's Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast recipe, mainly because I love her perfect roast chicken recipe and because I saw her make this the week before Thanksgiving and loved the sound of marinating the meat the night before.

I'm still trying to decide if I prefer roasting a whole turkey or doing a turkey breast. The breast is certainly easier but I kind of like having a whole bird. Something to think about for next year. This year I added in two turkey legs for SP and my stepdad since they prefer dark meat. I upped the amount of the herb marinade so I'd have enough to go around. You could really taste the flavors in the meat so definitely plan to marinate overnight. Delicious!

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
Ina Garten

1 whole bone-in turkey breast, 6 1/2 to 7 pounds
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup dry white wine

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Marinate overnight in a pan covered with plastic wrap.

When ready to cook, place the turkey breast on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.

Roast the turkey for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. (I test in several places.) If the skin is over-browning, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil. When the turkey is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the pan juices spooned over the turkey.

Make Ahead - The meat needs to marinate overnight so plan to mix together the marinade the day before.

Baked Brie in Mini Phyllo Cups with Strawberry Jam

I love baked brie. There's a restaurant near my house that serves a slice of baked brie topped with raspberry jam, slivered almonds and a brown sugar glaze. I knew I wanted to try making some sort of baked brie for Thanksgiving but I wanted it to be easier to eat.

There are hundreds of recipes out there so this is basically a method, not a recipe. I had to leave out the almonds because of Baby Girl's nut allergy and since I already had strawberry jam open I used that instead of raspberry. I added a pinch of brown sugar to each cup for that added sweetness. These were delicious and so simple to make.

Baked Brie in Mini Phyllo Cups with Strawberry Jam
Makes 24 cups

2 boxes mini phyllo cups
6oz Brie, rind removed, cut into 24 cubes
Fruit jam of your choice
Brown sugar
Sliced almonds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Remove phyllo cups from their packaging and place on a baking sheet. Add one piece of Brie into each phyllo cup. Top the cheese with some of the jam and sprinkle with brown sugar. Top with sliced almonds, if using.

Bake for 5-8 minutes until the cheese is melted and the cups start to brown. Serve warm.

White Bean Dip with Pita Chips

This year I decided we needed some appetizers to nosh on before Thanksgiving dinner. I made a list of a few different recipes and asked SP to pick three. He was most excited about this White Bean Dip with Pita Chips.

This was a huge hit and couldn't have been simpler to make. You could save even more time by using store-bought pita chips but, really, making your own takes next to no time. I made the dip the night before and brought it to room temperature before serving. I also used whole wheat pitas for the chips to make this a bit healthier.

White Bean Dip with Pita Chips
Giada De Laurentiis

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons
1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 pitas
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl.

Cut each pita in half and then into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a large baking sheet. Pour the remaining oil over the pitas. Toss and spread out the wedges evenly. Sprinkle with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in color.

Serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside the bean puree.

Make Ahead: Make the dip up to 2 days before and keep refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Santa Hat Brownies

As soon as I saw my friend Jessy's post for Santa Hat Brownies I knew they needed to be part of our Christmas dinner. I emailed my mom to ask her to make the brownies and bring the rest of the ingredients to our house for dinner so Baby Girl could help her assemble them.


Watching the two of them assemble the brownies was priceless. Baby Girl loved helping and the resulting brownies were adorable. But man, are they rich! I don't eat dessert that often but I could barely finish one of these. I think the buttercream was very, very sugary and heavy so I, personally, would prefer whipped cream. I don't know how they whipped cream would hold up, but at least it would be lighter. Even so, these are a really cute addition to any Christmas table.

Santa Hat Brownies
Gourmet Day to Day

1 pan of brownies, baked and cooled
20-24 small strawberries
1 batch of buttercream frosting (or a frosting of your choice)

Buttercream Frosting
(you will have some extra buttercream left with this recipe)

3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup butter (softened but not melted)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low-speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

To Assemble Brownies:

Using a small round cookie cutter or a small drinking glass, cut out brownies. Clean and remove stems from strawberries, cut the stems off flat so it will sit flat on the brownie. Place strawberries point side up on the center of each brownie circle.

Using a piping bag (or zip-top bag with the corner snipped to create a piping bag in a pinch) Pipe the frosting around the strawberry for the white rim of Santa’s hat and top each strawberry point with a small drop of frosting.

Note for storage: If you plan on refrigerating these cuties, make sure you chill them uncovered first. This will allow the buttercream to harden so you don’t you lose your cute Santa hat topper to plastic wrap!

Recipe Swap Roundup - Special Occasion

Every Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve I like to make a special meal, something we don't normally eat, to celebrate. I thought it would be nice to see what other people like for special occasions, hence the theme for this recipe swap.

Leanne had never heard of Mungo's but loved the at-home version of their famous Mungo's Salad:


Lishie is a big fan of over-easy eggs and she loved my recipe for Asparagus with Fried Egg and Pecorino:


Ashley brought her Hoisin Braised Short Ribs to her parent's house as a comfort food meal even her 3-year-old nephew enjoyed:


Mary Ellen loves making appetizers for Christmas Eve so her recipe for Sausage Balls was perfect (and delicious):


Jenna enjoyed her Horseradish Crusted Filets and would happily make it again for another special occasion:


Jaida's Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms were a hit at one of her holiday parties:


The Cookaholic Wife loved the combination of caramelized onions, cream and bleu cheese in her Filet with Onion-Bleu Cheese Sauce:


Jey's Steak Marsala was a delicious way for her and her husband to have a date night:


My recipe for Endive Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Walnuts was a big hit as a Christmas Day appetizer:


Coleen has never tasted or made Potato Pancakes before, but really enjoyed them:


Jessy's attempt at Cranberry Ricotta Gnocchi was a comedy of errors, but even so she and her husband enjoyed this slightly different dish:

Thanksgiving Recipes: Creamed Onions with Thyme and Sage

You probably know by now that I'm a sucker for anything in a cream sauce. So what's not to love about creamed onions? These Creamed Onions with Thyme and Sage are so simple to make but pack great flavor.


Since I use frozen pearl onions these require next to no effort. The most time-consuming part is chopping the herbs. And the recipe gets bonus points for being make-ahead friendly.

Creamed Onions with Thyme and Sage
Adapted from Food and Wine

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bag frozen pearl onions
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped sage
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Salt

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the onions and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 30 minutes. Add the thyme, sage, nutmeg and white pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, transfer to a bowl and serve.

Make Ahead - The onions can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat gently.

Thanksgiving Recipes: Thanksgiving Stuffing

I have to admit, stuffing is not my favorite Thanksgiving side dish. Why fill up on carbs when there's turkey and veggies to eat? Even so, I know most people love it and I needed a great recipe for my first year hosting. My friend Melissa recommended this Thanksgiving Stuffing recipe from the Pioneer Woman.


Unfortunately my supermarket was out of cornbread so I had to make this with just hearty white bread. I think the cornbread would have added a whole other dimension to this stuffing and next year I'll either make my own or go out of my way to buy some. This was good, but I can only imagine how much better it'll be with the cornbread.

Thanksgiving Stuffing
Adapted from Pioneer Woman

2 loaves hearty bread
1 stick butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups celery, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoons (to 3 Teaspoons) fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

Chop bread into 1-inch cubes. Spread them out on two baking sheets and let them dry for approximately 24 hours.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add butter. When it’s melted add the onion and celery and cook for a few minutes until onions are almost translucent. While it’s cooking chop up any fresh herbs you will be using.

Add 4 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon of basil, 1/2 teaspoon of thyme, a few teaspoons of fresh chopped rosemary and 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley. Stir until combined.

Place dried bread cubes into a large bowl. Gradually ladle the broth mixture into the bread, tossing lightly as you go. Keep gradually adding the broth mixture, tasting as you go and adding more seasoning and herbs if needed. Add salt carefully. You don’t want to over-salt your stuffing. If the mixture is not quite moist enough add a bit more chicken broth and stir.

Butter a large baking dish. Add stuffing and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Make Ahead - The bread should be air-dried at least 24 hours ahead so it has plenty of time to stale. Cook the veggies the night before and put the stuffing in a greased baking dish, covered with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge. Moisten with additional chicken stock before baking.

Recipe Swap Roundup - Thanksgiving Desserts

With Thanksgiving falling right in the middle of the two weeks participants have to make their recipe for the swap I thought a theme of Thanksgiving Desserts would be perfect. Pumpkin pie might be the traditional sweet treat, but judging from these recipes below it certainly isn't the end-all, be-all of Thanksgiving desserts. Check out the recipes below and see if one catches your eye for next year's feast.

Melissa was worried her recipe for Pumpkin Roulade with Buttercream would be difficult to make, but it was actually easy and delicious:


Patrizia, a newcomer to the swaps, really enjoyed her recipe for Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, despite her initial hesitancy about the "fall" flavors:


Chrissy loves anything with white chocolate in it, so her Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies were a big hit:


Ashley really stepped out of her comfort zone with Triple Chocolate Cheesecake, which was a big hit with her husband and family:


Nicole's Caramel Appledoodles were so good they solicited a marriage proposal:


My stepdad went back for seconds of these Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes, which is a testament to how good they were:


Jaida was happy to break away from the pumpkin craze she's been on with Nantucket Cranberry Pie:


Ellie's Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Squares were perfectly moist and utterly delicious:


Jenna modified my recipe for Butterscotch Pumpkin Cupcakes and they were a big hit:


Lishie had a lighter holiday dessert, Meringue Nests, that were melt-in-your-mouth delicious:


The Cookaholic Wife doesn't have good luck with layer cakes, but that didn't stop her from enjoying her Vermont Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, with two layers instead of four:


Coleen wasn't able to make her recipe for No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake for Thanksgiving as planned because her son decided to arrive two weeks early (congrats!!):


Nicole loves baking bar treats so she loved her recipe for Pumpkin S'mores Bars:


Christine's Cranberry White Chocolate Almond Cookies were devoured by her hungry relatives:


Jey's Chocolate Hazelnut Tart was a huge hit at Thanksgiving dinner:

Recipe Swap: Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes

Want to see what other Thanksgiving Dessert recipes were made during the swap? Here is the link to the Thanksgiving Dessert Recipe Swap Roundup

In honor of Thanksgiving I thought a Thanksgiving Dessert recipe swap would be a great way for people to bring something new to the holiday table. This was the first year that I hosted Thanksgiving dinner so I was happy to have one part of the meal decided for me, especially when I ended up receiving Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes from The Cookaholic Wife. I love cheesecake and I love pumpkin, so combining the two was perfect.


In my family dessert is usually secondary to the turkey with all the trimmings. In the past my mom would make a pumpkin pie, but by the time we got to dessert everyone was so stuffed we'd just have a small taste. Since these cupcakes are individual portions it worked out well.

We all know I'm not a baker, but these were very easy to assemble (I did it the night before because they had to chill for at least 4 hours). The recipe says it will make 24 cupcakes, but I ended up with batter leftover, enough for probably another 2-3 cupcakes. And I even thought I had overfilled the tins, so this is fair warning that you might get more than 24 cupcakes out of this recipe.

You know something is a hit when my stepdad goes back for seconds. He rarely eats dessert but he had two of these cupcakes and took more home with the rest of the leftovers. Everyone else thought they were delicious and really liked the pumpkin swirl in the center instead of the entire cheesecake being pumpkin-flavored. I thought the filling was a tad too sweet so I cut down the sugar in the recipe below. I will definitely make these again. Thanks, Cookaholic Wife!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes
Very Slightly Modified from The Cookaholic Wife

Pumpkin Mixture:
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
3 teaspoon sour cream
1/3 cup sugar

Filling:
2 8 oz. bricks cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Crust:
1 package graham crackers, plus 2 crackers
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons sugar

Preheat the oven to 325. Line cupcake pans with liners. You might end up with more than enough batter for 24 cupcakes, so if you have an extra cupcake tin be prepared to use it.

Use a food processor to grind up the graham crackers. Melt the butter. Add the sugar and butter to the graham cracker crumbs. Stir to combine. Put 1 tablespoon of the graham cracker mixture into each cupcake liner. Use a glass to press down. Bake for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Using the paddle attachment in a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy. Add the sugar and mix until smooth. Add the vanilla and the salt. Next, add the eggs one at a time making sure that they are fully combined before adding the next one. Scoop approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture into each of the cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugar and sour cream. Stir until well combined. Scoop approximately 1 tsp. of the pumpkin mixture into the center of the cheesecake. Swirl with a toothpick.

Bake for 25 minutes, rotating the pans half way through. Let the cupcakes cool to room temperature on cooling racks, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours.

Thanksgiving Recipes: Yam Gratin with Gruyere

The weekend before Thanksgiving my supermarket was giving out a ton of free samples. As I was standing at the green bean bin picking through the beans, I listened to the woman handing out samples of a Yam Gratin with Gruyere. She touted it as being simple (only 4 ingredients, including salt) and a nice change from the traditional sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping. Of course I got a sample and after one bite I knew I had to change my plans and add it to our menu.



The store was selling pre-sliced yams, but since I'd already gotten my own yams to roast I just sliced them myself. Make sure to cut the slices to an even thinness so the gratin cooks through completely. I had a few rogue pieces that were a little crunchy. This was absolutely amazing and so simple. I will definitely make this again (although cut in half since this made a ton of food), whenever I roast a chicken this winter.

Yam Gratin with Gruyere
Wegmans

2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 lbs yams/sweet potatoes, peeled
3/4 cup shredded gruyere

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place baking dish on baking sheet.

Stir together heavy cream and salt in large bowl. Thinly slice sweet potatoes using either a mandoline or a sharp knife. Add to bowl with the heavy cream and salt.

Layer 1/3 of yams in baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Repeat with another 1/3 of yams and the remainder of cheese. Top with remaining yams. Pour any remaining yam-cream mixture over top.

Bake uncovered on center rack of oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and press a spatula, carefully, against the top layer to allow liquid to flow over the "crust." Replace pan in oven and bake an additional 30 minutes. Remove pan, press top layer and replace pan in oven. Bake for another 40-45 minutes or until yams are tender. Remove from oven, let rest 15 minutes, then serve.

Make Ahead - The sweet potatoes can be sliced and stored in a plastic food storage bag up to 2 days in advance. The gratin can be assembled the night before baking, covered with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from The Home Cook, SP and Baby Girl. We hope everyone has a happy, healthy and delicious Thanksgiving!

Weekly Menu - Week of November 20, 2011

Thanksgiving week is finally here! I'm so excited for this meal. I've got a good blend of new recipes and old favorites. I wouldn't have expected it, but I'm also incredibly excited for the meal plan I've got for the rest of the week. Lots of comfort food as the perfect lead up to the big event on Thursday.

Sunday - Beef Goulash over egg noodles - We have a very busy day so I wanted something for dinner that I could throw into the pot and forget about. This sounds like the perfect recipe for a Sunday afternoon.

Monday - Quick Barbecue Pork Chops, Buttermilk Mac and Cheese, green beans - I've been on the hunt for a great, easy weeknight pork chop recipe and I'm hoping this is it. Cassie raved about this mac and cheese, which sounded like it would be perfect with the chops.

Tuesday - FFY

Wednesday - Cheese Ravioli with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage - Since we've got a lot of cooking to do for the big day I thought an easy dinner was perfect. I decided to use some Italian sausage we have in the freezer instead of the pancetta.

Thursday - Thanksgiving Dinner!

Salted Herbed Roast Turkey Breasts - We bought two turkey breasts instead of a large turkey so we could focus on making the white meat super moist.

Stuffing - My supermarket was out of cornbread so I'm just doing two loaves of regular bread instead.

Mashed Potatoes - Yukon golds mashed with plenty of butter, milk, salt and pepper.

Yam Gratin with Gruyere - Our supermarket was giving away tons of free samples this weekend and one of them was this gratin. I had planned to just to roast the sweet potatoes but after one bite I changed my plans. I prefer savory sweet potatoes so this recipe is perfect.


Whiskey-Glazed Carrots - I've turned quite a few people on to this recipe, which is now a must-have on our Thanksgiving table.

Creamed Onions with Thyme and Sage - I made these last year and was shocked by how good they were. I use frozen pearl onions instead of chopping my own.

Green Beans with Sliced Almonds - This is usually how we cook green beans for Christmas, but we all wanted something a little simpler this year.

Cranberry Sauce, Gravy and Rolls will round out the meal, with these Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes for dessert, my draw for the Thanksgiving Desserts recipe swap. I seriously cannot wait to get into the kitchen.

Friday - Leftovers from Thanksgiving. I'm also hoping to have enough turkey left to make this Classic Chicken Noodle Soup

Saturday - Celebrating my stepdad's birthday, menu TBD by my mom.

Sunday - Sweet Pork Tacos with Cilantro Ranch Dressing - I'm going to give my crockpot another chance with this recipe from Cassie, who never steers me wrong.