Category: Thanksgiving

Time to Break Out the Fat Pants!

champagneWe are officially one week away from the start of “Holiday Season.”

Thanksgiving kicks off 5-6 weeks of excess in all things food and drink related:  Happy Hours, Office Parties, Open Houses, Secular Celebrations, End of Year and New Year’s Day blowouts that inevitably result in most people’s pants feeling a bit too snug.

I wouldn’t want to keep anyone, least of all myself, from indulging to the limits of their pants (and beyond), so it’s officially also the kickoff for all of the recipes for the rich, gooey, fattening, but oh so yummy foods I’ll be serving at celebrations from now through the end of the year.

Since Thanksgiving is the first holiday where I’ll be hosting a crowd, I’ll start with the side dish I prepare instead of the candied yams of my youth.

oldschoolcandiedyamsYou know the ones  am talking about:  A can or two of yam chunks mixed with an orange juice, brown sugar type concoction, chunks of butter, chopped pecans, and piled high with mini-marshmallows then baked until they are bubbly and the marshmallows are a delightful shade of brown.

I’m certainly not knocking this old school family treat, but I like the opportunity the availability of fresh ingredients gives me to keep the flavor while cutting some of the fat and calories.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Gingersnap Streusel

  • 6 Large Sweet Potatoes (or Yams)
  • 1/2 Cup Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Butter (Melted)
  • 1/2 Cup Half & Half or Heavy Cream
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 to 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (to taste)

Streusel

  • 2 TBLS All Purpose Flour
  • 1/4 Cup Cold Butter, Cut into Pieces
  • 32 Coarsely Crushed Gingersnap Cookies (Not too fine)
  • Additional 1/4 Cup Butter (Melted)

sweet-potatoes-oh-1677905-lPeel sweet potatoes, cut into slices and cook in boiling water to cover over medium heat 25 – 30 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and put into large bowl then mash (leave some chunks).

Combine mashed sweet potato, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and next 5 ingredients in a mixing bowl; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer. Spoon into a greased 2 1/2-quart or 13″ x 9″ baking dish.

To make the streusel:  Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar and flour. Cut in 1/4 cup cold butter with a pastry blender (or two forks at opposite directions) until crumbly. Stir in crushed gingersnaps. Sprinkle streusel over sweet potatoes. Drizzle the additional ¼ cup butter over the top of the streusel. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25 – 30 minutes or until streusel is lightly browned.

Make Ahead: Prepare sweet potato filling, and spoon into a greased 2 1/2-quart microwave-safe dish. Cover and chill overnight. Microwave on HIGH 10 minutes or until hot. Prepare streusel, and sprinkle over filling. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20 minutes or until streusel is lightly browned.

My family  become such big fans of this recipe that I get asked, even on non-holidays, to bring it to dinner.  🙂   Tomorrow, Let’s talk turkey!

Are you on Facebook?  You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to:  recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. If so, visit my This Girl Loves To Eat community at:  https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

A Chocolate Twist on Thanksgiving Tradition

I’m starting with the admission that this post is totally stolen from a recipe that comes direct from the Food Network Kitchen! It can be seen in this month’s Food Network Magazine article Thanksgiving Desserts: Pies and Beyond.

Since I was very young, I have been a sucker for the smell and taste of pumpkin pie.  My Aunt Lisa would bake them and the family would devour them.  That was a family tradition.  Since I’ve had to make them (or buy them from Marie Callender’s) myself, pumpkin pie just hasn’t been the same.

FNM_110114-Pumpkin-Brownie-Swirl-Pie-RecipeThat was still the case until I saw this picture and fell in lust with Pumpkin-Brownie Swirl Pie.

This pie will definitely grace my holiday table. Ok, I’ll really be keeping it all to myself to eat with day after leftovers brought home from someone else’s house, but WHATEVER.

I must make this pie.  I may even drizzle some hot caramel sauce over the pie AND the mandatory Vanilla ice cream.  To Hell with Tradition!!

Pumpkin-Brownie Swirl Pie

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and side of a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate.

Make the brownie filling: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 stick unsalted butter, 1 – 12 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips, and 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar, whisking occasionally until melted and combined thoroughly.  Remove from the heat. Whisk in 2 large eggs, one at a time and then 1 teaspoon vanilla, whisking until smooth. Whisk in 1/2 cup flour, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined.

Pour about one-third of the brownie batter into the prepared pie plate; set aside the remaining batter. Bake until just starting to set and the top is shiny, about 20 minutes.

Make the pumpkin filling:  In a medium mixing bowl combine 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 large egg, 1/4 cup sugar,1/4 cup flour, 12 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and 1/4 tsp salt whisking until smooth.

Pour the pumpkin filling over the warm brownie layer. Stir 1 tablespoon water into the remaining brownie batter, then spoon the batter (in about 6 scoops) onto the pumpkin filling. Use the back of the spoon to pull the brownie batter into the pumpkin filling and create a swirled pattern. Bake until the pie is set, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

I only have one word for the way my mouth is watering in anticipation: Yum!

Are you on Facebook?  You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to:  recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. If so, visit my This Girl Loves To Eat community at:  https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood