Layered Salad w/Creamy Horseradish Dressing!!

For some reason when I envisioned our Thanksgiving spread this year I saw a big beautiful salad sitting pretty above all the other traditional foods. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE me some brown sugar & butter loaded sweet potatoes and all but I realllllly wanted to include a salad on our menu. The closest we usually get to serving salad at a family holiday meal is potato salad or pasta salad. I knew I was going to have to make an exceptional salad in order to get it included on the plates full of all the other savory offerings. Maybe it was the Cancer Queens and their "Fruits & Veggies" song that I had in mind! The first step: ya gotta make it look pretty. Cue trifle dish and vibrant colors.

Layered Salad with Creamy Horseradish Dressing

Ingredients:

1 head iceberg lettuce

8 oz fresh spinach 

1/2 cup green onion, chopped

1 (16 oz) bag frozen peas (keep these frozen)

1 lb bacon, fried crisp & crumbled

6 hard boiled eggs, cooled and chopped

1 small red onion, sliced thin 

8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded or grated

salt

pepper

Dressing:

1 1/4 cup real mayonnaise

1/4 sour cream

1 tbsp extra hot prepared horseradish or 3 tbsp regular prepared horseradish 

2 tsp granulated sugar

1/4 tsp ground red pepper

Directions:

1. Chop your iceberg lettuce. In a colander, combine and clean the spinach, lettuce, and green onion with water. Let sit for awhile so that it can dry a bit. I lay a few paper towels on the counter top and pour this mixture on top so it can dry. 

2. While lettuce mixture is drying, make the dressing. Combine all ingredients together and stir well. Sit aside.

3. Once lettuce mixture is dry, put half of it in the bottom of your trifle dish. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. 

4. Spread the chopped eggs on top of lettuce and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5. Spread the FROZEN peas on top of the eggs. 

6. Top with remaining lettuce and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

7. Spread the bacon pieces on top of lettuce. 

8. Spread the red onion of top of bacon.

9. Sprinkle the cheese on top of onion. (I forgot to do this so my cheese was sprinkled on the very top, either way works.)

10. Spread the dressing on top as if you are frosting a cake. 

11. Cover the salad with plastic wrap and let chill in refrigerator at least 4 hours. I let mine chill overnight.

This salad was soooo good. I am proud to say that I actually ate MORE of it than any of the other sides we had! Quite a few of my family members asked for the recipe. It is another one of those items I will continue to serve every year!! Hope you enjoy it!!

Pumpkin Spice Cake!!

Well folks, it is time for my "favorite recipes of Thanksgiving" blog series. I am starting out with a cake that I have made many times now. This is the first time I have made it for Thanksgiving but it is definitely going to be on the list for the years to come. This cake is incredibly moist but still firm enough to be a layered cake and hold its form. I'm indifferent when it comes to pumpkin pie but this cake has my  heart for sure. My brother *the guy who gets his own pumpkin pie EVERY Thanksgiving*  has even requested that I make a SECOND cake because this one got eaten so quickly. I don't mind one bit :)

The first time I made this recipe, I made it for Kristen's bachelorette party  but in mini cupcake form. The cupcakes are just as scrumptious as the cake!! I also chose to make them for a fundraiser. That time, I made both minis and regular sized cupcakes but I used a brown sugar cinnamon cream cheese frosting instead of the whipped mascarpone frosting that I prefer. I'll include both of them.

Pumpkin Spice Cake


Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, melted & cooled
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 15 oz can pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare 2 8 inch cake pans with lots of Pam and flour or muffin pans with liners if you prefer cupcakes.
2. In a bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
4. Fill each cupcake about halfway or divide batter evenly among 2 cake pans. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely before frosting. If making the cake, let pans cool to the touch then flip them over onto a wire rack to cool. 
*I baked my 2 cakes for 40 minutes and the mini cupcakes took about 14 minutes. 
*I typically get around 100 mini cupcakes out of this recipe. Sometimes I will make some mini & some full sized cupcakes.  


Whipped Mascarpone Frosting


Ingredients: 
1 cup heavy whipping cream
8 oz mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar


Directions:
1. Chill a mixing bowl in the freezer for about 5 minutes. 
2. While bowl is in freezer, use a mixer to mix the mascarpone cheese and powdered sugar until mixture is creamy and even. Set aside.
3. Remove bowl from freezer. Beat heavy whipping cream in this bowl until stiff peaks for. Do not over beat or cream will become grainy.
4. Fold whipped cream into cheese mixture. 
5. Frost cooled cake immediately before serving. Store cake in refrigerator, if you have any left :)
*This frosting will make enough for your batch of mini cupcakes or as the cake is pictured above. If you want your entire cake to be frosted, sides & all, increase heavy whipping cream to 1 1/2 cups, mascarpone cheese to 12 oz, and powdered sugar to 3/4 cup. 


Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting


Ingredients: 
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, whisked to remove lumps
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp milk


Directions:
1. Beat cream cheese and butter together until creamy and fluffy. Add vanilla extract.
2. Add powdered sugar and mix well. 
3. Add brown sugar and cinnamon beating well until incorporated. Blend in milk until frosting is  fluffy and to desired consistency.

Pictured with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Appledoodles!

It was brought to my attention that this very awesome cookie recipe was not on my blog. I didn't even realize that I had not posted this until my friend, Lindsey in Colorado, called for some recipes for her Thanksgiving meal. There is no reason you should leave this cookie out of your Thanksgiving or even Christmas cookie tray. I hope you enjoy these!!

Appledoodles = Snickerdoodles + Granny Smith Apples!

Appledoodles

Ingredients: 

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup whole wheat flour

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp nutmeg

3 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced small

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 tbsp ground cinnamon 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a cookie sheet with Pam. 

2. Cream butter on medium high until smooth.

3. Add both sugars to butter and mix until incorporated. 

4. Add eggs one at a time, between until mixture is uniform in color.

5. In a separate bowl mix together the flours, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.

6. Slowly add flour mixture to cream mixture until well combined. 

7. Fold apples into batter. 

8. Form balls of dough (about a tablespoon of dough) and roll them around in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place dough balls on greased cookie sheet 3 inches apart. 

9. Pour a little water in a glass and dip a spoon in water. Flatten each dough ball a bit with the spoon, wetting spoon every few cookies to keep spoon from sticking to dough. 

10. Sprinkle extra cinnamon sugar mixture onto cookies.

11. Bake for 7 minutes then rotate pan and bake an additional 7 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet.

12. Store in airtight container for 3-4 days. 

* This recipe makes about 35 cookies, depending on how large you make them. See the picture below for a close up of my cookie sizes. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you & yours!!

"NOT WHAT WE SAY ABOUT OUR BLESSINGS, BUT HOW WE USE THEM, IS THE TRUE MEASURE OF OUR THANKSGIVING." -W.T. PURKISER

Whole Wheat Banana & White Chocolate Muffins with Crumb Topping!

It was cold outside. Little bit rainy as well. Mom was in town. We were out & about all day doing some shopping. I decided I would make chicken noodle soup for dinner. It's quick, it's easy, it's perfect for a cold & rainy day. Wonderful.

But this blog is not about that chicken noodle soup (save that for later). Oh no. It's about what happened when I went to the grocery to buy the chicken for the soup. What happened was this: GIANT normal sized buggy LOADED containing a few RIPE  almost ruined bananas and they were ON SALE basically giving the things away. What do I do? First, I get really excited and do a little happy dance in the store because I love a bargain & bananas. Next, I buy 6 of them (for 19 cents), not comprehending the fact that I will have to use them immediately or they will need to be thrown out. Impulse buy.

Mom and I go home. I make the chicken noodle soup. It is everything I hoped for. I'm relaxing and taking pleasure in my full belly and considering crawling into my warm, cozy bed. Then I remember the 6 bargain bananas hanging out on my kitchen counter. Now we all know nothing is getting thrown out in this house SOOOOOOO .... cue the banana muffins (also known as tomorrow's breakfast since my belly wanted nothing else to do with food after that scrumptious soup).

These muffins aren't difficult. They do not entail any flour obstacles. They are : Yummy. Moist. Full of banana goodness.

Whole Wheat Banana & White Chocolate Muffins w/Crumb Topping


Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or you can sub all whole wheat, I just ran out)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 over ripe bananas, mashed (I use a potato masher)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 egg
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
---Topping:
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp butter, melted

Directions:

1. Line 12 muffin cups with liners. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Whisk together bananas, sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla.
4. Whisk in the flour mixture a little at a time until combined. Fold in white chocolate chips.
5. Fill muffin cups until almost full, about 3/4 of the way. Let sit while you prepare crumb topping.
6. To prepare crumb topping, mix all topping ingredients together with a fork until crumbly.
7. Sprinkle a little on top of each muffin.
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Sorry for the terrible pics! I'm *possibly* getting a fancy camera for Christmas so maybe that'll help!

These were so tasty I ended up making a second batch (since I still had 3 bananas to use up) to take to the office buddies. By the way, as with most baked yummies, these are great warmed up & enjoyed with a cup of joe or tea, if you please. 

Double Chocolate Cinnamon Biscotti!

Ok. Time for another kitchen confession. I'm a bit embarrassed about this one considering how I really enjoy baking. Welllll.... as you may all know, a major ingredient in baking is flour. Some of you reading may know where I am going with this, especially if you have ever been in a kitchen with me while baking.

Confession?

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

V

I have a mild panic attack EVERY SINGLE time that I have to handle flour. 

I hate the way it feels & it is impossible to use flour without getting some on you. Even worse? When you have to "grease & flour" a baking dish, or  roll out dough "on a floured surface" and the one I really despise, "with floured hands..." Wait a minute there buster! You want ME to put FLOUR all over my HANDS! ??! 

I'm really trying to overcome this irrational fear of flour. My mother & baking partner in crime understands my fear unlike any other person. This is because when she is around SHE is the one who always measures out the dry ingredients. Now that I am a big girl all on my own in Nashville, there are times when I have no flour helper. Sigh. 

What's a girl to do when she wants to make yummy biscotti that requires shaping of dough?? Put on my big girl apron, turn the faucet on so it is ready & waiting (this is the only time I waste water, I swear), shape the dough as quickly as possible, and rinse off hands immediately. I know this is quite a sight. Luckily no one is here to witness it or THEY would be the flour helper :)

Double Chocolate Cinnamon Biscotti

Ingredients:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp.

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

2 tsp cocoa powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

2. Beat butter until light and fluffy. Add sugars and beat until blended.

3. Add eggs 1 at a time. Beat for 5 minutes. 

4. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder, and cinnamon. 

5. Add flour mixture all at one time to wet ingredients. Beat until everything is mixed together. Should form a thick, sticky dough.

6. Fold in chocolate chips.

7. This is the part where you turn the water faucet on and get your hands all covered in flour. 

8. Scoop out half of the dough and shape into a 6in long x 3in wide loaf. Flatten a bit. 

9. Repeat step 8 with the remainder of the dough. Make sure the two loafs are not touching.

10. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cookie sheet to let cool. Leave the oven on.

11. After cooling about 15 minutes, use a serrated bread knife to slice biscotti about 1/2 in thick. You should get about 10 pieces out of each loaf.

12. Place biscotti cut side down on baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. 

13. Flip and bake another 5 minutes. 

14. Let biscotti cool on cookie sheet before storing in airtight container.

These are WONDERFUL with a hot cup of cocoa or coffee!!

Loaded Potato Frittata!!

I am the biggest number one fan of frittatas. Such a big fan, in fact, that I made my own birthday breakfast and the frittata was front & center. I woke up really early and snuck quietly downstairs (Hilliary was asleep in my guest room). Once downstairs, I quietly started making this wonderful breakfast (Mom was asleep on the couch). This is the frittata recipe that I make most often, mainly because I always have these ingredients on hand.

Loaded Potato Frittata

Loaded Potato Frittata


Ingredients:

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
2 cups potatoes, thinly sliced (I use baby honey gold potatoes)
4 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 tbsp sour cream
2 tsp mustard
3 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/3 cup + 1/3 cup shredded cheese (separated)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Grease an 8 inch pie pan.
2. Saute onion and potatoes together until tender.

This gives you an idea of how to slice potatoes.

3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, sour cream, mustard, bacon, pepper, salt, garlic powder, & 1/3 cup shredded cheese.
4. When potatoes are cooked, stir them into egg mixture.
5. Pour mixture into pie plate & cook about 15 minutes.

Before hitting the oven!!

6.Remove from oven and add remainder of 1/3 cup shredded cheese.
7. Cook another 4 minutes or until set.
8. Serve with coffee & fresh fruit!!




If you find that you like my frittata, I suggest you try some of my favorites as well:

Zucchini Frittata from My Man's Belly 
Greek Orzo Frittata from Elly Says Opa!
Zucchini, Sun-Dried Tomato, & Sausage Frittata from Kalyn's Kitchen

Apple Cinnamon Cobbler!

Cobblers are one of those desserts I associate with my childhood. Growing up, Mom always made peach cobbler in the summer. Sometimes she would even make a blackberry cobbler with berries that Clay & I handpicked. It is just so easy, you typically have all the ingredients on hand, and nothing is more tasty & comforting after a home cooked meal than a nice piece of cobbler. My aunt Rubberta is also known to make a scrumptious peach cobbler. This Apple Cinnamon Cobbler recipe is adapted from her peach cobbler recipe that she *thankfully* knows by memory & was able to text to me on demand one evening when I was craving a taste of home.

Fresh from Breeden's Orchard!

Apple Cinnamon Cobbler

Ingredients:

1/2 stick unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tsp sugar (separated)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

2 large apples, peeled & cut into thin wedges

1 tbsp cinnamon + 1 tsp cinnamon (separated)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Place butter in 2 qt. baking dish and stick in oven until butter melts, about 5 minutes.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk together. Whisk in 1 tbsp cinnamon. Set aside.
3. After butter has melted in baking dish, pour flour mixture over top. Do not stir.
4. In a small bowl, mix 1 tsp sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon. Toss apples with this cinnamon sugar mixture.
5. Layer apples over top of flour/butter mixture in pan. It's ok if some of them sink.

I arranged my apples all facing the same way. This helps them cook evenly.

6. Sprinkle with extra cinnamon or sugar if you like. Bake for about an hour or until edges start to crisp & center is set. 

Enjoy!!

Cookies & Cream Cookies!

This cookie recipe has inspired me. It is sooooo soooo simple & sooooo sooooo good! The basic concept is this: take a box of pudding & match it to a candy bar. Oreo Pudding + Hershey's Cookies & Cream Bars = Cookies & Cream Cookies.  These cookies are so soft and not overly sweet which makes it easier to eat a lot of them, in my opinion. They are good room temperature, but I think you should definitely consider heating them in the microwave about 5 seconds and enjoying with a glass of milk. I may have done that a few times last night.......but anyway, let's just get right down to it, shall we?

Cookies & Cream Cookies
Slightly adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything


Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 4.2 oz package Jello instant Oreo pudding
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
4 1.55 oz  Hershey's Cookies N Cream Candy Bars, cut into chunks (I basically halved each little rectangular piece)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Cream together sugars & butter.
4. Beat in pudding mix until blended. Add eggs.
5. Add the flour mixture, a little bit at a time, until combined.
6. Fold in candy bar pieces. (Batter is thick)
7. Using a cookie scoop or your hand, make golf ball sized balls and place on a cookie sheet ~1/2 in apart.
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not over bake. You will think they aren't finished but they are! Let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to cool. The Girl Who Ate Everything got 24 cookies out of her batch but I got 32. Must have made mine a bit smaller than golf ball sized... who knows. I don't really hang around golf balls much so I am probably off!!

Next I am trying Butterscotch Pudding + Butterfinger Candy Bar = Yummy yummy goodness.