Herbed Cornbread & Bacon Stuffing

This year, I am not in charge of our Thanksgiving dessert. I'm always in charge of dessert! So while this is a break from the norm, I'm secretly excited. Pies can take a lot of work! When I was 9 months pregnant with my third child, I entered a pie baking contest. I didn't expect to win, mostly because I'd never ever ever baked a pie before. But it was a challenge for me and I made it up as I went along. Worst part? I was up at 5am to bake the thing, hoping against hope that it turned out okay. Best part? I won first place and $100! All those old ladies who entered thought for sure they'd won, how could an amateur, first-pie-maker win? Probably luck, but also because when I can't sleep at night my mind wanders to how to make the perfect recipe. It doesn't always work out, but sometimes I'm a genius :)

Anyway, back to stuffing. I was asked to make stuffing for Thanksgiving this year and again, I've never made stuffing. Ever. At least not from scratch. I'm not counting the boxed stuffing that my kids could probably make with their eyes closed.

My mother in law makes this amazing cornbread stuffing. It was my first time having stuffing made with cornbread and I was in love. I think I literally fought over the last spoonful. It was just that good.

So here's my version of cornbread stuffing. It's delish, in my opinion. Give it a whirl!

Start with your cornbread. No, I don't usually use egg substitute but Target was sold out of eggs. Apparently that really happens.

Make your cornbread as directed on the box, easy enough. Then add your dried herbs. Pour into a 9x13 pan and cook for about half hour or until golden brown on top.

Chop up your veggies - onions and celery. You'll saute these in bacon grease!

When your cornbread has cooked and cooled, cut into 1-inch cubes and spread them out on a jelly roll pan. You'll stick these back in the oven to dry out. That way they soak in the flavors better while cooking.

Toss everything together in a large bowl. Add enough chicken stock to moisten the cornbread. I used a little over 2 cups in mine.

Cook in a buttered 9x13 pan until golden brown on top and firm in the middle.

So. Amazing. (The stuffing, not me. Well, okay, me too).

Herbed Cornbread and Bacon Stuffing

by Kelli Lafranca

2 boxes cornbread mix, Jiffy brand

2 eggs

2/3 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary

1 1/2 tsp dried basil

1 lb bacon

1 large onion, chopped

2-3 ribs celery, chopped

2-3 cups chicken stock

Butter, for greasing the pan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together cornbread mix, eggs, and milk until blended. Batter may be lumpy. Add dried herbs. Bake in a 9x13 greased pan for 30 minutes or until golden on top and cooked through. Set aside to cool.

Saute bacon in a large skillet or until bacon is crispy. Transfer to a plate topped with a paper towel to drain. Using the bacon grease, saute the onion and celery until the vegetables are tender. Remove from grease and set aside. Crumble the cooled bacon.

When cornbread as cooled, remove from pan and cut into 1-inch cubes. Transfer to a jelly roll pan and lay in a single layer. Cook at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until dry (it will feel like toast).

In a large bowl, combine cornbread, crumbled bacon, onions, and celery. Pour chicken stock over mixutre, stirring after each 1/2-cup addition. Add enough chicken stock to moisten the cornbread (I used 2 1/4 cups). Pour mixture into buttered 9x13 pan and cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Spiced Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

I think one of the greatest things about this time of year is the feeling of giving that seems to be everywhere. From the bell-ringers in front of the stores to toy drives at local businesses, I just want to give dang it! One of my favorite things to give other people is the gift of food. I'm not super crafty and I don't have a lot of time to donate (with four small kid I don't have time for anything lately!) but I can whip up something delicious while the baby is napping or when Ben 10 on TV is "babysitting" my boys.

These cupcakes are perfect for making and delivering to your neighbors, teachers, friends or family. You can find the cutest cupcake liners at your local grocery store or craft store (seriously, I could spend a month's worth of income on all the cute cupcake liners available today!) and put them on a pretty plate and ta-da! Instant gift that is sure to please anyone! They are simple to make and the flavors of pumpkin spice and caramel and cream cheese blend together awesomely (totally a word by the way). And don't forget to keep some for yourself!

FOR THE CUPCAKES

Here's what you need for the cupcakes. See the little baggie by the canned pumpkin? It's pumpkin spice from the bulk section of Winco. It's way cheaper to buy your spices this way. The bag of pumpkin spice cost me 21 cents.

Get one cup of pumpkin. I bought a large can so I can save the rest in a separate container for another recipe (like Kelli's pumpkin bread!). Did I also mention that when we bought our first house I was so excited to paint with color that our bedroom was this color orange? Needless to say, the walls literally glowed.

Mix cake mix, pumpkin, oil, eggs, milk, and spice together in a large bowl.

Mix with an electric mixer. By mixing it for a couple of minutes you allow air bubbles to form in the mix which makes your cupcakes light and fluffy.

These taste yummy even without frosting!

FOR THE FROSTING

For the frosting - I have a caramel packet from a pie company in Washington. You can use any caramel you have, like caramel ice cream topping.

First mix the softened cream cheese (microwave for about 10-15 seconds if it's not soft enough) and your stick of butter (NOT margarine!! please people!)

Mix in the powdered sugar a little at a time. If you dump the whole thing in you will end up with a dusty white powdery mess all over your kitchen. Then mix in your spice and caramel.

Isn't it pretty? Before you put it on your cupcakes you are required to take a spoonful and eat it. Required.

Doesn't it look yummy? I dusted mine with a little bit of cinnamon to make it nice and pretty.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Spiced Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

Submitted by Celeste - Girls in Aprons

Cupcakes:

1 pkg. yellow cake mix (2-layer size)

1 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup oil

4 eggs

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl with an electric mixer for 2 minutes on medium speed. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 19-21 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting:

1 cube butter (1/2 cup), softened

1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1 lb (16 oz) powdered sugar (or 3 3/4 cups)

Splash of vanilla (about 1 tsp.)

1/4 caramel topping (I may have used 1/3 cup - just whatever tastes good to you)

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 

Cinnamon (for optional garnishing)

With an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter. Mix well. Slowly add the powdered sugar, mixing between each addition. Add vanilla, caramel, and pie spice. Frost cupcakes and dust lightly with cinnamon. Refrigerate any leftovers (as if there are going to be leftovers!)

Pumpkin Bread

Please tell me I'm not the only one obsessed with pumpkin right now.

Aubrey, my 3-year-old daughter, and I made a special trip to the store yesterday. Just for canned pumpkin. Of course I picked up other "necessities" while we were there (Diet Dr Pepper anyone?) but I was craving my pumpkin bread and wanted to kick myself for having not made it yet!

Did I mention we WALKED to the store? It's a 20 minute walk to Target and it was worth every step. This bread is just that good. It's perfect for Thanksgiving day breakfast...or any breakfast for that matter. I won't lie, I had some this morning with a glass of milk.

This bread is super easy to make. It's really just one of those recipes where you throw everything in your mixer, pour into pans, and bake. And, it makes 3 loaves of bread. So, wrap some up and share with friends, family, or neighbors. Or keep all three to yourselves, we won't judge.

Another great thing about this bread is that you can add whatever you want to it. I did one loaf with chocolate chips and did the other two loaves plain. You can also add walnuts, mashed banana, or cinnamon chips. This is also really good with the cinnamon butter I made for the pumpkin pancakes.

Pumpkin Bread
submitted by Kelli

2 (15-oz) cans pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 cups sugar
6 eggs
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnamon

Optional add-ins: chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, banana bread, mashed banana, walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour three loaf pans.

Using an electric mixer (or a stand mixer with paddle attachment), mix together pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients in two batches to the pumpkin mix until just combined. Add any optional ingredients until just mixed.

Pour mixture evenly between the three prepared loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with small crumbs attached.

{If your bread appears done on top but not cooking in the middle, turn your oven down to 250 and continue to cook until the middle is done. I cooked mine for half hour at 350 and one hour at 250}

Loaded Baked Sweet Potatoes

One of my favorite things to do is go out to dinner. Don't get me wrong, if this blog doesn't prove it enough, I also looooove to cook and bake. But there is just something magical (yes, magical) about sitting down to a dinner I didn't slave over, eating it with pretty music playing (or football on the TV above my head), and then the dishes flying off the table to a special place where someone other than me washes them. Magical.

But sometimes I get something at a restaurant that I immediately think, "If I don't get to eat this every day of my life, I might go crazy." For instance, Panera Bread's broccoli cheese soup. Or any of the cheesecakes from Cheesecake Factory. I even dissected and wrote down the ingredients to a yummy corn and avocado salsa from CPK a couple months ago.

One of those things also includes the loaded baked sweet potato from Texas Roadhouse. In all honesty, though, theirs is a yam, not a sweet potato. Or they've somehow found a way to turn their sweet potatoes orange on the inside. Sweet potatoes are actually more of a golden yellow, but they are still divine. Yes, they are. And I love myself a whole bunch of them come November and December.

I knew they had a butter sauce and some marshmallows on top, and brown sugar played a role, but I wasn't sure exactly what else, so I googled it and found a blog where she actually also googled it and found that *honey* was the missing ingredient. And letmetellyou it is out of this world. The mixture turns into a buttery, carmely sauce that takes these potatoes over the top.

Even though the title says "sweet potato" feel free to use yams too! They are just as yummy, I swear! In fact, the website I got this recipe from used yams even though she called them sweet potatoes.

Your typical sweet potato. Baked for 45 minutes or until fork tender.

But them open like you would any other potato. Or make your significant other do that part :)

My hubby even sliced the insides a little to give it a "mashed" appearance.

Make your sauce. Butter, honey and brown sugar together are am-ah-zing. Your sauce is done when it's a nice light brown and bubbles are forming around the edge.

Add a small amount of marshmallows. Or more than a small amount. But you will add more, so not too much.

Pour on your sauce. Let it settle and see if you need to add more. Trust me, the more the merrier. Really.

Add on a little more marshmallows and broil for seriously 30 seconds. Don't burn them or they'll be hard and yuck. Just nice and toasty brown.

Seriously, the potato was bigger than the chicken. And it was so good!

Loaded Baked Sweet Potato

submitted by Carissa, from Sugar Mama Baking Co.

6-8 sweet potatoes, about the size of a baked potato
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
8 TBSP butter (1 stick)
a bag of small marshmallows

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.Bake sweet potatoes for 30-45minutes, until fork tender.

While baking, melt butter in a saucepan on stove. Whisk in honey and brown sugar for about 3-5 minutes until it becomes a nice caramel sauce.

When baked potatoes are done, pull them out of the oven, open them like a baked potato, put a couple marshmallows on them, pour some of the honey-caramel sauce on top of the marshmallows, then put more marshmallows on top.  Set the oven to broil and broil the potatoes for 30 seconds or until marshmallows are toasted–but not burned. Remove from oven and serve.
Yum.

Pumpkin Pie Dip

I love the fall. The leaves changing colors, the cooler temperatures, the kids going back to school...

I also love that I can bake things that include pumpkins and turkey and cinnamon. Those things just doesn't sound as good in the summertime, right?

My dad sent me some recipes from Taste of Home and this one jumped out at me. Probably because exactly 1 cup of pumpkin was sitting in my fridge from my pumpkin pancakes. In fact, the only thing I didn't have was gingersnaps...not my favorite cookie any other time, but with this dip they were divine. Seriously. Perfect for bringing to a holiday party or pre-Thanksgiving dinner snacking or even cleaning-up-after-Thanksgiving snacking.

Get all this together.



 After mixing the cream cheese and powdered sugar, add the canned pumpkin and mix, mix, mix some more.

Add the rest of the ingredients and pour into a serving bowl. Serve with gingersnaps. You can also serve it with fruit slices (think apples and pears) or on zucchini or banana bread. 

Pumpkin Pie Dip
courtesy Taste of Home

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Gingersnap cookies


In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in the pumpkin, sour cream, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and ground ginger until blended. Serve with gingersnaps. Refrigerate leftovers.