Pumpkin Pie (Libby's)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (or use 15 oz fresh/frozen cooked pumpkin; but you might have to bake the pie longer depending on how moist your pumpkin is)
1 can (12 fl. oz) evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9-inch deep dish pie crust
whipped cream (optional)

Combine sugar and spices in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk with eggs. Stir in pumpkin and sugar/spice mixture. Gradually add the evaporated milk, stirring constantly.

Pour into pie shell.

Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees; bake for 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. (May be significantly longer if you're using fresh pumpkin.) Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Best Ever Chex Mix

Submitted by Janet Schlosser

1 cup butter
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
6 cups rice chex
6 cups golden grahams
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup cashew halves
1 cup coconut
1 cup craisins
1 cup white chocolate chips

Stir butter, corn syrup and sugar in saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil 3-4 minutes. Mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour sugar mixture over the top and mix well. Spread on wax paper and let sit for one hour or longer. Store in an airtight container.

Orange Ginger Spice Cookies w/White Chocolate (courtesy of Our Best Bites)

3/4 C Butter flavored Crisco*
1 C sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg
1/4 C molasses
Zest of 3 large oranges
2 C flour
2 t baking soda
1 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t salt
1/2 bag of white chocolate chips

*I made these with butter once and they flattened like pancakes. Shortening actually turned out with a much better texture.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silpat.

With an electric mixer, combine shortening and sugar and cream until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the egg, zest, and the molasses and beat until completely incorporated.

Sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt and then add to the mixture. Stir until combined. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheets.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until just set around the edges and you start to see "crackling" on the top. They'll puff up while they're baking, and as they cool they'll flatten. Don't overbake! You want to keep them nice and chewy-soft in the middle.

Then melt the white chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth. Take the cooled cookies and dip the edges in the chocolate; shake in the air a bit to let excess chocolate drip off. Lay the cookies on waxed paper or parchment until the chocolate is hardened.

Cheese Ball

Mix together with hands:
2 8 oz pkg of cream cheese
1 lb grated cheddar cheese
1 jar cheese spread with pimento
1 small can deviled ham
1 Tbsp minced onion
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp seasoned salt

Form into 2 medium balls. Roll into crushed walnuts until it is completely coated. Refrigerate.

Colored Popcorn Balls

Submitted by Heather Sheehan

Basic idea: Pop popcorn of choice. Melt marshmallows and butter together in a "rice krispy" style way. Add a packet of jello (color and flavor of choice: orange used here for Halloween). Pour over popcorn and with buttered hands, form into balls, and allow to cool.

Sweet Dinner Crescent Rolls

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)
1/2 cup warm milk
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup butter, softened

Directions
1. Mix the water and milk then stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Then stir in the yeast. Let it proof until foamy. Mix in the salt, butter and lightly beaten egg. Then add flour a half cup at a time. Let it rise for about 45 minutes, covered with a damp, clean towel.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle, spread 1/4 cup softened butter over entire round. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Roll wedges starting at wide end; roll gently but tightly. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with damp, clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.
Yield- 16 rolls

Best of the Best Lemon Meringue Pie

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2/ cup cornstarch

1/4 Tsp. salt

2 1/2 cups water

1 Tbsp grated lemon rind

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

3 Tbsp butter

9"-10" baked pie shell

Directions

Mix first 5 ingredients together and bring to a boil on medium high heat. Cook until thickened and no longer cloudy. Stir slowly and constantly. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks until creamy. Add 1 cup cooked mixture and mix thoroughly. Add yolk mixture slowly to cooked mixture, stirring constantly, and bring back to a boil. Cook 1 minute and remove from heat. Slowly stir lemon juice and butter into cooked mixture and set aside to cool. Then pour into a 9"-10" baked pie shell.

Meringue
4 egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 Tsp. cream of tartar

Whip egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until fluffy and peaks hold their shape. Slowly beat in sugar. Mound lightly on top of pie. Using the back of a large spoon, press lightly onto meringue and lift up to create curls.  Bake at 450° until meringue is golden brown.

Spicy Turkey Injection and Basting Sauces

I forgot to take a picture of the turkey out of the oven. Too bad because it was beautiful; and tasted great to boot.



1 syringe for injection sauce

Injection Sauce:
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp salt
1 1/2 tsp carlic juice or garlic salt
1 1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
6 Tbsp lemon juice

Basting Sauce:1/2 cup butter
1/2 garlic clove
2 tsp all-purpose flour
1/3 cup water
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce

Combine injection sauce ingredients; fill syringe and inject into all meaty portions of turkey until skin is tight. (Inject slowly, withdrawing needle gradually to allow maximum juice retention.) Cover turkey loosely; refrigerate for several hours or overnight until time to cook the turkey.

While turkey cooks, prepare the basting sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add garlic; cook and stir for several minutes. Stir in four; cook until bubbly. Remove from heat; add the remaining ingredients. Return to heat; cook until the mixture thickens and boils. Brush on the turkey about 15 minutes before it is done.

Cherry Stuffing for Turkey

This was a big hit at Christmas this year.



8 bacon strips, diced
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped onion
7 ounces unseasoned stuffing cubes
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup dried cherries

In a skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels; drain, reserving 2 Tbs drippings. Saute celery and onion in the drippings until tender. In a large bowl, combine the stuffing cubes, broth, sage, thyme, pepper, and salt. Stir in the bacon, celery mixture, and cherries. Just before baking, loosely stuff the turkey.

Mom's Fresh Cranberry Sauce

1 package (2 cups) cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 orange rind grated (or 1/4 cup OJ concentrate)

Place all ingredients in a power mixer (kitchen aid, etc.) and mix on low speed for 15 minutes. Let stand 30 minutes, and then mix on low for another 10 minutes. (Keeps up to a year in the fridge.

FYI: I guess our store sells larger bags of cranberries, but when I made this I did 2 cups, which was only half a bag of cranberries. The sauce was so sugary that you could still feel the granules (they didn't completely dissolve.) I would suggest using more cranberries, or less sugar. We also found that heating the sauce in the microwave helped to dissolve the sugar.

Orange Cranberry Bread

A Christmas treat!

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup orange juice
Grated peel of 1 orange
2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
2 tablespoons hot water
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, beat egg. Add orange juice, peel, butter and hot water. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Gently fold in cranberries and walnuts. Spoon into greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. ( I made this using the mini loaf pans)

Hot Almond and Cream Drink

This is a recipe from Sarah Terry in my ward. She made it for book club this month and it was a big hit.



2 cups vanilla ice cream
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 tsp. almond extract
12 cups water
ground nutmeg to shake on top
 
On low heat, heat butter and sugar until melted.  Add ice cream and extract.  Beat 1 to 2 minutes.  Add 12 cups boiling water for 16 servings.

Maryle's Caramels

2 cups corn syrup
2 cups sugar
2 cups heavy cream
2 sticks butter (1 cup)

Boil on medium heat until soft ball stage; around 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. (candy doubles in size, so use a bigger pot.) Pour on buttered cookie sheet. Cool and cut into squares. Wrap in wax paper.

Old Virginia Wassail

2 quarts cider
2 cups orange juice
2 cups pineapple juice
1 cup lemon juice
1 stick cinamon
1 tsp whole cloves
Sugar or honey to taste

Simmer and serve hot.

Almond Roca (English Butter Toffee)

1/2 cup water
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
6 oz. chocolate chips
Chopped almonds

Butter bottom of a cookie sheet and generously sprinkle with half of the almonds.

Combine first 5 ingredients together in a medium large saucepan (candy nearly doubles while cooking so leave plenty of room in the pan for boiling.) On medium high heat, stir rapidly until the butter and sugar combine. Cook to hard crack stage (candy forms hard strings when drizzled into a cup of cold water) and candy darkens to a light brown color, stirring constantly. (Candy will begin to follow the spoon around and the boiling will calm down before it is ready to pour.)

Pour candy over chopped almonds. Sprinkle chocolate chips over top of hot candy and wait until the chocolate is shiny and melted. Spread like frosting and sprinkle more almonds over the top. Let cool and break into pieces.