Pillsbury's Thanksgiving Turkey Cookies

I made these today with my kids. They are really fun to do together! The recipe calls for premade cookie dough, but I just used my sugar cookie recipe and cut out circles. Very fun!

Ingredients:

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® Create ' n Bake™ refrigerated sugar cookies

1 container (16 oz) chocolate creamy frosting

Candy corn

Orange decorating icing

Black decorating gel

Miniature M&M baking bits

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies as directed on roll. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
2. Spoon chocolate frosting into resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut small hole in bottom corner of bag. On each cookie, pipe frosting on outer edge of half of cookie. Arrange candy corn over frosting for feathers.
3. Pipe orange icing onto each cookie to resemble turkey face and feet. Use orange icing to attach baking bits to turkey face for eyes. Pipe black gel on baking bits for centers of eyes.

Chicken Pot Pie

Alright, I have been promising a few people this recipe for quite awhile. Since I may never get them a copy I figured I should just post it for all. Enjoy!

2 c chicken, cooked & cubed 1 3/4 c chicken Broth
1/3 c butter 2/3 c milk
1/3 c flour 1c Frozen Peas
1/3 c chopped onion 1c cooked carrots
1/2 t salt 1 1/2c mushrooms quartered
1/4 t pepper 1 pkg of ready made pie crust

Make a roux (mix and stir until it all sticks together, be careful not to burn it, keep heat low) with butter, flour, onion, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in broth and milk. Heat to a boil, stirring constantly (sorry this takes a few minutes of your undivided attention). Add all else and put in pie shell. Bake at 425 for 30-35 min. Watch closely if the edges get too brown, cover the edges with foil.

Variations
We don't like mushrooms so instead I add 1c of frozen corn. I also boil my chicken and carrots in chicken broth. It adds a little extra flavor. I also use less salt when I do that.

Jenny

Sausage Breakfast Bake

Last one, I promise!!

1/2. c. butter
1 loaf French bread, cubed
1 tsp. dill
6 eggs
1 lb. sausage
2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 c. shredded cheese
2 c. milk

Melt butter, pour into 9x13 pan. Brown sausage and set aside. Layer bread cubes and sprinkle with basil, dill, and cheese. Sprinkle saugsage over. Layer remainder of bread. Beat eggs well and add milk. Pour over contents of baking pan. You may let it sit overnight in the fridge, but it is not required. Bake at 350* for 1/2 hour or until set. Cut into squares and serve hot.

Pumpkin Waffles

2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
3 eggs
1/2 c. oil
1/2. chopped nuts
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 c. milk
3/4 c. pumpkin

Mix and cook on waffle iron.

Pumpkin Muffins

1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 c. molasses
1 egg
1 c. cooked, mashed pumpkin (i use canned)
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Beat butter at medium speed of an electric mixer. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add molasses, egg, and pumpkin, mixing well. Combine flour, soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Stir in pecans. Spoon batter into greased muffin pans, filling them 3/4 full. Bake at 400* for 18 minutes.

German Pancakes

I know I'm ahead of schedule, but if I don't do this now, I probably won't get around to it. The Elders love it when we have them for breakfast and serve these.

6 eggs
1 c. milk
1 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cube butter or margarine

Preheat the oven to 350*. Melt butter in oven in 11x13 pan. Put eggs in blender and whip until frothy. Add milk, flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Blend for about 1 minute. Pour into pan of melted margarine. Immediately turn oven to 400* and bake for 15 to 25 minutes, or until puffy and golden brown. Serve immediately. Pancake will deflate fast.

Cranberry Jello

I love having this at Thanksgiving instead of plain cranberry sauce.

2 (6 oz.) cherry jello
2 1/2 c. boiling water
1 can jellied cranberry sauce
2 1/2 c. cold water
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 (20 oz) crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 c. chopped nuts

Dissolve jello in boiling water.
Beat cranberry sauce until smooth. Add to dissolved jello. Add cold water (you can use the drained pineapple juice for part of this if desired), lemon juice, pineapple, and nuts. Makes 4 quarts

Pecan Pie

1/3 c. melted and cooled margarine
2/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. light corn syrup
3 eggs

Mix well with mixer or it is really easy in the blender.

Place 1 c. pecan halves into an unbaked pie crust and pour mixture over. Bake at 375* for 40 to 50 minutes.

Graham Krispies

As you can see, I have a lot of favorite treats. This one is quick and easy and it makes a great FHE refreshments.

18 graham crackers broken in half
1 c. nuts (optional)

line a cookie sheet with foil and put graham crackers and nuts on it.

Melt:
1 c. butter
Add:
1 c. brown sugar

Boil for two minutes. Pour over crackers. Put in oven at 375* for 10 minutes.

Oven Caramel Corn

3 3/4 qts (15 c.) popped corn (take out the unpopped kernels)
1 c. brown sugar (packed)
1/2 c. margarine
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Heat oven to 200* Heat sugar, butter, corn syru, and salt, stirring occasionally until bubbly around the edges. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes more. Remove from heat, stir in soda until foamy. Pour over popped corn. Add nuts if desired. Put on 2 cookie sheets. Bake one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Peanut Brittle

1 c. light corn syrup
1/2 c. water
2 c. sugar
2 c. raw peanuts
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. soda

Cook syrup, sugar, and water to soft ball stage. Add peanuts to cooking mixture. Continue to stir constantly until syrup turns light golden color (hard crack) turn off the heat. Add the rest of the ingredients. Pour onto greased cookie sheet. Do not spread. It is fun to hit it with a table knife handle and watch it crack!

Peanut Butter Cups

I am just doing all of my posts now since we will be out of town, starting in early December.

1/2 lb. graham crackers, crumbled (1 1/2 pkg)
4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 lb. margarine, melted
2 c. peanut butter
2 c. chocolate chips

Mix melted margarine, cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and peanut butter together until smooth. Mixture will be quite stiff. Press into 10x15 pan evenly. Sprinkle chocolate chips over mixture and place in 250* oven for a few minutes to melt chips. With a knife, spread melted chips over peanut butter mix until frosted. Chill slightly and cut into squares.

Cream Caramels

Okay, so I am a little behind! We have been traveling and just crazy, so here's my favorite candy recipe. I absolutely LOVE these, but they aren't that great for you, so I only make them about once a year.

2 c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. whipping cream

Bring slowly to a boil and boil for 10 minutes.

Gradually stir in:

1 more cup of cream.

Boil for 5 minutes and add a Tbsp at a time to keep it boiling:

1 c. butter/margarine

Stir frequently as mixture begins to thicken and darken. Cook to 254* (a little dropped into cold water forms a hard ball.) Pour into buttered 7-inch square pan with 1 cup broken nuts scattered over the bottom. When cooled, cut into squares.

Orange Rolls

Okay, I had some requests for this recipe, so here it is. So yummy! FYI: These rolls are a special treat at our house... not a regular addition to our dinner!

3 tubes refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
the peel of one orange, grated

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and sugar together over medium heat. Stir in the orange peel. Seperate the biscuits and dip in the orange mixture. Place the biscuits in a bundt pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Pour any remaining sauce over the top. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately invert onto a plate and serve.

Buckeye Balls

Here is the recipe I have used it turned out good, if anyone has a better one I would love to try it. Or if anyone knows an easier way of dipping??

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 TBS shortening

Comine the melted butter, sugar, peanut butter, and the vanilla together, mix well. Refrigerate for 1hour or until firm. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on waxed paper.

In the half of double boiler melt the chocolate chips and shortening, stirring constantly. Use a toothpick to dip balls into the melted chocolate, leaving a small uncovered are so balls resemble buckeyes. Place balls on waxed paper. Use fingers to blend in toothpick holes. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, enjoy.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

I started making this every Halloween--I love it!!

1 small to medium Pumpkin
2 TBS vegetable oil
2 TBS soy sauce
1 onion chopped
1.5-2lbs ground hamburger
2 TBS brown sugar
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups of cooked rice
1 can waterchestnuts, chopped (optional)

Cut upen pumpkin and thoroughly clean out pulp and seeds. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet saute onions in oil until tender. Add meat and brown. Drain drippings. Add soy sauce, sugar, mushrooms and soup. Simmer 10minutes, stirring occassionally. Add cooked rice and wterchestnuts. Spoon micture into clean pumpkin. replace lid. Place on baking sheet and bake 1-2 hours or until pumpkin is tender. Remove lid and serve with meat of pumpkin.

Cream of Chicken Soup

This is my favorite soup. It takes a little time--but is really easy.

4 Chicken Breasts baked, colled and cut into pieces
1 med onion chopped
1 cup carrots chopped
1 cup celery chopped
2 cups potatoes chopped
2 cans of chicken broth (I just cook my chicken in water and us the broth)
Simmer ingredients (except chicken) with a lid for about 20minutes, or until vegetables are cooked.

Then in a seperate pan combine:
3/4cup margarine
2/3 cup flour
Stir together over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, then add:
1 quart warm milk
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp. sale
1/2 tsp. sugar

Stir together with wire wisk until thick. Add vegetable mixture (do not drain) to milk and cook till the flour is cooked out. Add chiken last. If it gets too thick, thin with broth or milk.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

2 (14-ounce) packages gingerbread mix
1 (5.1-ounce) package cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping
1/2 cup gingersnaps

Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle of the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.

Italian Cooking Sauce mix

I love this recipe. It is so simple and quick to make yet yummy all at the same time. The best part is that it is made to be fozen so that you can pull out some home made spaghetti sauce anytime. It is a great recipe to save some money and have great fast spaghetii sauce.

2 (14.5 oz) cans of stewed tomatoes, pureed
4(8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
2c water
2(6 oz) cans tomato paste
2 T instant minced onion
2 T parsley flakes
3t salt
2T cornstarch
4 t green pepper flakes (I never put this in because I don't ever have it)
1t instant minced garlic
3t sugar
1.5t Italian seasoning

Combine all ingredients in a large kettle or dutch oven. Simmer 15 minutes over medium-low heat. Cool. Put into six 1-pint (or whatever size is convenient for you) freezer containers, leaving 1/2 inch space at top. Seal and label containers. Freeze. Use within 6 months. Makes about 6 pints of Sauce. Enjoy!!

I usually make this for dinner one night and then freeze the rest!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars

Crust:
2/3 c melted butter
1/4 c Peanut butter
1 c brown Sugar
1/4 c light corn syrup
1/4 t vanilla
4 c quick oats

Topping:
1c milk chocolate chips
1/2 c butterscotch chips
1/3c peanut butter

Melt topping in saucepan and pour over crust.

Beat together butter, peanut butter, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla. Mix in oats. Press crust into greased 13x9 pan. Bake @ 400* for 12-14 minutes (until edges are brown) let cool for 5 minutes pour topping over crust. Chill bars in fridge for 2-3 hours. Enjoy!

**this is a really fun one for kids to help with