Cake Mix Rolls

While at Bass Pro Shop's fudge area last year, I glanced through a cookbook they were selling and saw the following recipe. I wrote it down to try it as it looked so easy. Well, I had forgotten about it all this time and found it the other day while going through my recipe box, so I knew Thanksgiving would be the day to finally try them. They are so soft and tasty. Best of all, it is a super easy recipe that looks like you worked hard all day on them but really didn't.

Cake Mix Rolls

1 (1/4-oz) pkg. active dry yeast (if using bulk yeast use 2 1/4 tsp.)
1 1/2 c. luke warm water
9 oz. dry yellow cake mix (most mixes are 18 oz. so only use half)
3 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
melted butter or margarine


In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water.

Add flour, dry cake mix and salt. Beat to mix well but do not knead.

Transfer dough to a greased bowl, turning once to coat both sides. Cover with a towel and allow to rise for about an hour.

Punch dough down and transfer to a lightly floured surface.

Cut dough in half and roll each portion into a 12-inch circle. Cut each circle into 12 wedges.

Starting at the widest end of each wedge, roll dough in the shape of a crescent.

Place on a greased or silpat lined baking sheet, brush with melted butter and cover with towel. Allow to rise until double in size (about 25 minutes.)

Bake in a preheated 350* oven for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden.

Click HERE for printable recipe

Heavenly Eggs

Some have looked at me strange when I call my eggs "Heavenly Eggs" because the most widely used name is deviled eggs. Well, call me strange but if I am not to give the devil a foothold in my life, I am certainly not going to give him a place in my food either. Ephesians 4:27 "Neither give place to the devil." Since everything I have comes from the LORD, I give HIM all glory and honor in every area...including my eggs.

Heavenly Eggs
12 Raw eggs (or however many you need for your serving tray)
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Salt
Pepper
Minced garlic
Old Bay Seasoning


Place uncooked eggs in a large pot and fill with enough cold water to cover. Cover with lid. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20-25 minutes.


Allow eggs to cool and then peel.


Slice each egg in half.


Gently scoop out yolk and place in a small mixing bowl.


Set egg shells aside.


Add mayo, mustard, salt, pepper garlic, and Old Bay together with egg yolks. Amounts of each ingredient are dependent upon your taste.


Using a fork, mash yolks to mix all ingredients well.


Spoon filling back into egg shells and place on egg tray.


Garnish with Old Bay sprinkled on top of each egg.


Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. (you don't want to make these too far ahead of time as they will begin to get watery - but one day in advance will be fine.)

Click HERE for printable recipe

Simply Great Green Beans

(Green Beans from Thanksgiving 2008 are in the burgundy casserole. Click on image to enlarge view)

Last year as I was preparing for Thanksgiving dinner, I thought about the green bean casserole. Granted it's a good side dish but honestly...it's not my favorite thing in the world. So I began searching for a new take on this traditional side. That's when I landed over at Counting My Blessings (now called A Picture's Worth a 1,000 words) and found the recipe for what she called "Simply Great Green Beans." Let me tell you, I made it last Thanksgiving and a few other times during the year and even Hubby remarked that this is our new green bean casserole that we have to have at any holiday dinner. It truly is a simple and great green bean dish.

Simply Great Green Beans
6 (14 .5 oz.) cans whole green beans
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup Hormel real crumbled bacon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Drain green beans, and pour into a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Set aside. Melt butter, and stir in brown sugar. Pour butter and sugar mixture over green beans. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Yield: 10-12 servings.

Click HERE for printable recipe

Candied Yams

Next to the turkey one of the main staples that has to be on our Thanksgiving day menu are the candied yams. I know everyone has their own way of preparing them, but here's how I do it...

Candied Yams

1 large can of yams in syrup
1/3 c. brown sugar
3 Tblsp. honey
1 Tblsp. cinnamon
2 Tblsp. molasses
2-3 tsp. vanilla
corn starch


Drain yams; reserving juice. Dice yams and place into a medium casserole.




To the reserved juice, add in honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, molasses and vanilla.


Stir and blend well.


Add in about 3 Tablespoonfuls of cornstarch to juice. Stir well. you will want the juice to thicken slightly but not be too thick.


Pour juice over yams.


Bake for 30-25 minutes or until juice is bubbly, in a preheated 350* oven. Remove from oven and top with marshmallows. Return to oven and bake until marshmallows are slightly melted and golden. Serve warm.

*I am not going to bake my yams until tomorrow so I will just cover the casserole with a lid and refrigerate it until morning. Then I will cook as usual.

Click HERE for printable recipe

Thanksgiving Sausage Stuffing

Many of us will begin preparations today for tomorrow's big turkey day feast; myself included. So I thought I'd share a few of our family Thanksgiving recipes with you. For starters I'll share my Dad's favorite stuffing.

Ok, I know people debate over whether or not it's stuffing or dressing. Yes, dressing is usually a side dish where as stuffing is stuffed inside the turkey cavity. However, I grew up knowing it to be called stuffing regardless of if it was inside the bird or out. Thus my sausage "stuffing."

Thanksgiving Sausage Stuffing
1 loaf day old bread; cubed (I use homemade bread)
1 lb. roll sage breakfast sausage (or you can use Italian sausage)
3-4 stalks stalks celery; diced
1 onion; diced
1-1/2 Tblsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. rubbed dried sage
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1-1/2 to 2 cups chicken stock (I use homemade stock)
Salt and Pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread bread on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly toasted.

In a large skillet, cook sausage until no longer pink. Drain grease but do not discard. Set sausage aside.

Add a little of the drained grease to the skillet; add vegetables and sauté until tender. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Add sausage, sage, basil, oregano, salt & pepper; stir well.

Toss in bread crumbs. Stir well.

Slowly add in broth to bread crumb & sausage mixture; adding about 1/2 cup at a time. Lightly mix until evenly moistened.

Pour into a greased 9x13" casserole dish and bake at 350* for 30-35 minutes. Serve warm.

*Since I am making this ahead of time, all I will have to do is reheat it come morning. Such a time saver.

Click HERE for printable recipe

Candy Apple Christmas Jelly

Still working on our Christmas gifts, I thought this would be a perfect jelly to make and give along with the Christmas Pepper Jelly. I found this in one of the Taste of Home Christmas magazines and just love it. One batch makes about 6-7 (8-oz) half pint jelly jars or if you use the 4-oz jars you can double your bounty and get around 12-14 jars.

Candy Apple Christmas Jelly
4 c. apple juice
1/2 c. red hot candies
1 (1-3/4-oz.) pkg. powdered pectin
4-1/2 c. sugar



In a heavy saucepan combine apple juice, red hots and pectin. Stir until pectin is dissolved. Heat over high heat until candies are melted and mixture comes to a full boil. Stir consistently.


Once mixture comes to a boil, add in sugar. continue to stir and bring to a boil. Let boil for 2 full minutes.


Remove from heat and skim any foam. If there have been any candy pieces that did not melt completely, remove them at this time. Ladle hot jelly into hot sterile half-pint jelly jars, leaving a 1/4" headspace. Wipe rims clean of any spillage. Top each jar with seal and band. Tighten to fingertip tight.


Place filled jars into water bath canner and bring to a full rolling boil. Allow to process for 5 minutes after it comes to a boil. Once time has elapsed, remove from canner and allow to cool. Listen for the "ping" sound to ensure that jars have sealed properly. Jelly will be liquidity in consistency until it cools completely and sets up.


Click HERE for printable recipe