Orange-Glazed Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash

For a delicious side dish at your Thanksgiving dinner, try Orange-Glazed Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash.

Ingredients:

1 pound Brussels sprouts washed, trimmed and halved

1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled then diced into 1/2 in cubes (about 3 cups)

2 T olive oil, divided
salt

3/4 cup toasted pecans + 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Mix together glaze ingredients and set aside before preparing vegetables:

2 T butter (or ghee), melted

2 T honey

3 T fresh squeezed orange juice

1 T orange zest

1/2 t black pepper

2 t apple cider vinegar

Directions:

In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Swirl to coat pan, then add in squash. Stir the squash pieces so they are coated with oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Shake the pan so squash spreads out in an even layer and let cook, without stirring, so that they brown a bit on one side (several minutes). Stir and spread the pieces out again and let cook without stirring so more sides get browned. Let cook until the squash is soft, but holds it shape. (This will depend on the size you cut your squash, so try one to test.) Once done, remove from heat and pour into a bowl.
Heat the other tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat using the same pan. When it’s very hot, place the Brussels sprouts cut side down in the oil, sprinkling with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Turn the heat to medium, and sear on one side until nicely browned, about three minutes. Turn the Brussels sprouts over and cook on the other side until nicely browned and tender, three to five minutes. Some of the leaves can be charred dark brown or black. Turn heat down to low and add the squash back to the pan, along with the pecan mix. Stir in the glaze and cook for a few minutes, coating all ingredients and warming through.

Serves 4-5 as a side dish

Thanks to heartbeetkitchen.com for the recipe.

Lemon Lush

Lemons are falling off the trees in Phoenix. Perfect timing for this yummy dessert.

Lemon Lush

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup finely chopped pecans
¼ cup sugar
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 (3.4-ounce) packages instant lemon pudding mix
3½ cups milk
1 (16-ounce) container whipped topping, thawed


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, softened butter, pecans, and ¼ cup sugar until evenly mixed. Press into the bottom of a 9X13-inch pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool.
Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, and lemon juice until smooth. Spread on top of the cooled shortbread crust.
In a medium bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk until it thickens some, about 3 to 5 minutes. Pour on top of cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour is good.
Spread whipped topping over top. Cut into squares. Serves: 12

Notes
If you want pretty slices, you must partially freeze the lemon lush. It will defrost fairly quickly.

Thanks to spicysouthernkitchen.com for recipe.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Here's a wonderful Thanksgiving recipe from a yoga instructor and friend, Tianna Hill.

This casserole was shared with me over 20 years ago and has been on our Thanksgiving table ever since. Warning....it is like having dessert on your plate and it is addicting! Enjoy!

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:
5 medium sweet potatoes (about 3 cups) boil and mash. Add to the sweet potatoes;
6 T butter (melted)
2 eggs (beaten)
1/2 C milk (we use rice or almond)
1/2 C dark brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix until smooth. Pour mixture into a lightly buttered 11x7 dish and bake for 20 minutes.

Ingredients Topping:
1/2 C brown sugar
4 T flour
4 T butter (softened)
1 C chopped pecans
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix and crumble. Spread over the top of the baked sweet potatoes and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the topping is crispy!

Pumpkin Pie Cake

October means pumpkins - all shapes and sizes and in every dessert! This cake is easy and delicious. If you want pumpkin cookies, try Great Pumpkin Cookies from Historical League member Kay Holcombe in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Pumpkin Pie Cake
1 - 18oz can pumpkin (or fresh equivalent)
1 box yellow cake mix (2 layer size)
1 cup sugar
1/2 c. melted margarine or butter
1 - 13oz can evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)
3/4 c. chopped pecans or walnuts or coconut
3 eggs
3 tsp cinnamon

Beat eggs and milk together; add pumpkin, sugar and cinnamon. Mix until well blended. Pour into a 9x13 greased pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over mixture. Drizzle with melted margarine. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 min or until done.

Serve (warm or cold) with topping or whipped cream.

Thanks to  chellascommoncents.com

Broccoli, Grape, Turkey Bacon Salad

We always like make-ahead salads. This one is nutritious and delicious.

You might want to try Pasta Salad with Brie on page 169 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook. It's delicious too.

Broccoli, Grape, Turkey Bacon Salad
Ingredients:
1/2 (16 oz) box whole wheat farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
1 lb. fresh broccoli
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup non-fat plain yogurt
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. salt
2 cups seedless red grapes
6 cooked turkey bacon slices, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan for about 6 minutes until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.  Then prepare pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets from stems and separate into small pieces using a paring knife.  In a large bowl, whisk together mayo, yogurt, sugar, red onion, vinegar and salt and toss with broccoli, hot cooked pasta and grapes.  Stir to coat.  Cover and chill for up to 3 hours.  Stir in bacon and toasted pecans just before serving, enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living

Toasting Almonds

Releasing the aroma and flavor of almonds is easy to do. Using a thick skillet on low to medium heat, stir the almonds continuously to prevent burning. Remove when they are golden brown and smell wonderful.
OR add nuts to an ungreased cookie sheet and cook at 350 degrees fro about 15-20 minutes. Careful! Nuts are easy to burn.

This is also true for the pine nuts used in Exotic Greens with Strawberry Vinaigrette from The Cottage Place in Flagstaff, page 21 in Tastes & Treasures. And for the pecans used in Mixed Greens with Pears, Roquefort and Pecans with Celery Seed Vinaigrette from Camelback Inn, page 43 in Tastes & Treasures.

Gooey Brownies

Gooey Chocolate Brownies

If you love the icing on top of a German Chocolate cake, you'll love this.

Brownie Puddle, page 101 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook, is also a favorite in our family.

Ingredients:
One 18.25-oz. box moist-style devil's food cake mix

One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin
1 sugar-free caramel pudding snack with 60 calories or less
1/4 cup light or fat-free caramel dip
2 tbsp. finely chopped pecans
2 tbsp. shredded sweetened coconut, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9" X 13" baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside. 



In a large bowl, combine cake mix with pumpkin. Stir until blended. (Batter will be thick.) Spread into the baking pan and smooth out the top.

Bake in the oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 - 25 minutes. Let cool completely.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine pudding, caramel dip, pecans, and coconut. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate until brownies are ready to serve.

Evenly spread pudding mixture over brownies. Slice and enjoy! (Refrigerate leftovers.)

MAKES 16 SERVINGS Note: Spray a spatula with nonstick spray and use to smooth the top of the brownies. It prevents the batter from sticking.

Per serving (1/16 of recipe = 1 brownie) 165 calories, 3.5 g fat, 298 mg sodium, 32.5 g carbs, 2 g fiver, 17.5 g sugars, 2 g protein. Thanks to Hungry Girl for recipe and stats.