Thanksgiving Desserts

Festive Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tbl. milk
1 tbl. white sugar
1-1/2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
1 cup cold milk
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin puree
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together cream cheese, milk and sugar until smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spread onto bottom of crust.

Pour milk into large bowl, and thoroughly mix in pudding mix, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. When thickened, spread over cream cheese layer.

Refrigerate 4 hours, or until set.

Eggnog Cheese Cake

Crust:
46 vanilla wafers, finely crushed (2 cups)
6 tbl. butter or margarine, melted
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
4 (8 ounce) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
3 tbl. all-purpose flour
3 tbl rum
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup whipping cream
4 egg yolks
Cool Whip Whipped Topping
freshly grated nutmeg

Mix crumbs, butter and nutmeg; press onto bottom and 1-1/2 inches up sides of 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, rum and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Blend in whipping cream and egg yolks; pour into crust.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping and ground nutmeg.

Deep South Pecan Pie

This is a wonderfully rich, Southern pie recipe that is the best I've tried!

Yields 1 - 9 inch pie.

1-3/4 cups white sugar
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon cold water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups chopped pecans
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter, water, and cornstarch. Bring to a full boil, and remove from heat.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Gradually beat in cooked syrup mixture. Stir in salt, vanilla, and pecans. Pour into pie shell.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until filling is set.

Cranberry Cobbler

1 box Duncan Hines Deluxe yellow cake mix
1 (16 ounce) can whole cranberry sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Combine peach pie filling and cranberry sauce in ungreased 13 x 9-inch pan.

Combine dry cake mix, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives; mix in nuts. Sprinkle evenly over fruit in pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

Cranberry Cake

1 egg
2 tbl. butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups sifted flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup orange juice
2 cups raw cranberries, cut in 1/2

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch square pan.

Cream butter, sugar, and egg. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add alternately with milk, and orange juice to the creamed mixture. Fold cranberries in gently.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted into middle comes out clean.

Serve with hot Butter Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cream

Melt butter in a saucepan; blend in sugar and cream. Simmer for 2 minutes, or until thickened . Serve over slices of the cake.

Refrigerate sauce. Warm in the microwave when ready to serve with the cake.

Cranberry Apple Pie

2 prepared pie crusts (for bottom and top)
5 large Golden Delicious apples
1 large lemon
1/2 cup dark seedless raisins
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups cranberries
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tbl all-purpose flour
1 large egg white
2 tsp water
1 Tbl sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Peel, core and thinly slice apples; toss with lemon juice. Add raisins, vanilla extract, cinnamon, cranberries, sugar and flour to apples.

Put apple mixture in pie shell; cover with top crust. Mix egg and water; brush over top of pie; sprinkle with sugar. Place sheet of foil underneath pie plate; crimp edges to form rim to catch any drips during baking. Cover pie loosely with a tent of foil. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil from top of pie; bake 30 minutes longer or until apples are tender and crust is nicely browned.

Cool pie slightly on wire rack to serve warm. Cool pie completely to serve later.

Chunky Apple Spice Cake

This cake is good, I mean REALLY GOOD. If you use real vanilla extract the flavor is amazing.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups peeled and chopped apples ( Granny Smith or Gala)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins, optional
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.

Beat butter and brown sugar for 5 minutes in a mixer bowl.

Beat in eggs and vanilla just until blended. Set aside.

Mix flour, pumpkin pie spice, allspice and salt. Gradually add to sugar mixture; beating until well blended. Stir in apples, nuts, and raisins, if desired.

Pour into one greased 9-inch baking pan; bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes.

Serve warm with Vanilla Butter Sauce:

Vanilla Butter Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

Combine butter and whipping cream with brown sugar. Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Serve warm.

Warm the cake, in the oven, and the sauce, on top of the stove, before serving.

Chocolate Plum Pudding Cake

This is an unusual cake, but great for Christmas. The chocolate mixed with raisins, applesauce, and spices gives a nice texture with a lot less work than plum pudding itself.

Yields 1 - 9 inch tube cake.

2/3 cup raisins
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 cups applesauce
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place raisins in a small saucepan, and cover with boiling water. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain. Grease and flour a 9 inch tube pan.

Sift together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in the eggs, then the applesauce. Beat in the flour mixture. Stir in raisins and walnuts. Spread batter evenly into prepared tube pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely; chill.

Apple Walnut Cake

Delicious warmed up the next morning.

Yields 1 - 10 inch tube pan.

2 cups white sugar
1/2 pound butter
3 eggs
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts
3 cups sliced Macintosh apples

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and flour one 10 inch tube pan.

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in vanilla, walnuts and apples. Mix well and pour into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Set aside to cool. Slide knife along outer edges to release bottom of tube pan. Slide knife along bottom of tube pan and inner tube to release cake.

Old Fashioned Gingerbread

A recipe for gingerbread was said to have been brought to America on the Mayflower. The following recipe is quite old.

1/2 cup soft shortening
2 tbl. sugar
1 egg
1 cup dark molasses
1 cup boiling water
2-1/4 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 tsp. ginger
3/4 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Blend shortening, sugar, and egg thoroughly. Blend in molasses and boiling water.

Sift together dry ingredients and stir in, beating until smooth. Pour into a greased and floured square pan. Bake 45-50 minutes.

Lemon Sauce:
1 cup sugar
2 tbl. cornstarch
2 cups water
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. grated lemon rind or lemon zest

In a saucepan mix sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in water. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in butter, lemon juice, and or rind zest. Cool thoroughly.

Sweet Potato Cobbler

Melt 1 stick (4 ounces) margarine in a 9 x 12-inch baking dish.

Mix:
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk

Pour into the center of melted margarine. Do NOT stir.

Mix:
2 cups cooked but firm, peeled and sliced sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1-1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon (or other preferred spice)

Pour this into center of melted margarine and batter. Do NOT stir. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until light brown.

Thanksgiving Cooking

Cooking Notes