Favorite Pumpkin Pie Recipe

This is a delicious pumpkin pie recipe. The spiced whipped cream is exquisite!

1 frozen 9-inch deep-dish pie crust, thawed, pierced all over with fork (I use this recipe)
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 large eggs
3/4 cup chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 400°F. Reshape crust edge to form high-standing rim. Bake crust until browned, pressing bottom and sides of crust occasionally with back of fork, about 14 minutes. Cool crust on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Whisk pumpkin, condensed milk, sour cream, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, vanilla, and allspice in large bowl to blend. Whisk in eggs. Pour into crust (some filling may be left over).

Bake pie until filling is puffed around sides and set in center, about 55 minutes. Cool pie on rack. (Can be made ahead. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours, or cover and chill overnight.)

Beat whipping cream, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon ginger in bowl until peaks form. Spoon large dollops around edge of pie and serve.

* Recipe found at Epicurious.

Pate Brisee (Short Crust Pastry)

Here's one of my favorite crust recipes. I found it here .

Pate Brisee (Short Crust Pastry):

1 1/4 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated white sugar

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.54 cm) pieces

1/8 to 1/4 cup (30 - 60 ml) ice water

Pate Brisee: In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/8 cup (30 ml) water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched. If necessary, add more water. Do not process more than 30 seconds.

Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.

After the dough has chilled sufficiently, place on a lightly floured surface, and roll into a 13 inch (33 cm) circle. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).) Fold the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch (23 cm) pie pan. Brush off any excess flour and tuck the overhanging pastry under itself. Use a fork to make a decorative border. Alternatively, you can trim the pastry to the edge of the pie pan. With the remaining pastry make decorative cut-outs (leaves, pumpkins, etc.) and with a little water, attach them around the lip of the pie pan. Refrigerate the pastry, covered with plastic wrap, for about 30 minutes before pouring in the filling.

Favorite Green Bean Casserole

Here's a recipe I discovered on Trader Joe's Gourmet Fried Onion Pieces container. I made some adjustments and put it together for our Thanksgiving feast yesterday - it was delicious!

This is my version of the recipe:

2-3 lbs of fresh green beans (pressure cook and set aside, cooks in less than 5 minutes!)
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium white onion, finely diced
1 tub mushrooms chopped up
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
8 oz Trader Joe's Fried Onion Pieces

Step 1: Onions and Mushrooms
In large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp butter.
Add onions and saute about 4 minutes.
Add mushrooms cook about 6 minutes or until soft.
Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Set aside to cool.

Step 2: White Sauce
Melt 4 Tbsp butter in medium saucepan over medium to high heat.
Add 1/4 cup flour, whisk until mixture begins to turn golden about 2 minutes.
Pour in milk and whisk constantly until mixture thickens about 3 minutes.
Stir in 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
Remove from heat to cool.

Step 3
Mix together mushrooms and onions with White sauce
Butter a 9" X 13" glass or ceramic baking dish.
Spread green beans in dish, pour white sauce mix over it.
Cover dish with foil.
Broil about 10 -15 minutes until heated through.
Remove from oven and sprinkle Trader Joe's Gourmet Fried Onion Pieces on top of green beans. Serve immediately.

Notes: You can save time and use a can of cream of mushroom, however after trying this mushroom sauce I will not be using the can stuff anymore! Homemade is best! If you are not planning on serving this dish right away - do not put the fried onions on they will get soggy! Leave the beans covered in a warm oven and sprinkle on the fried onions right before serving.
This mushroom white sauce would be great over linguine or fettuccine any pasta for that matter! This is a tasty white sauce recipe to keep on hand if you are out of cream of mushroom in your food storage or need a quick white sauce for a dish. Melt some cheese with the white sauce for a cheesy sauce!

Quick Rolls, Hamburger or Hot Dog Buns

Photo: L Stogdill

This is the roll recipe of choice when I am short on time. These are just as good as Grandma's Rolls recipe. You can make these with all types of flours, we love Kamut and Spelt flours. This is a versatile dough great for homemade hamburger buns or hot dog buns also. Try sprinkling some sesame seeds on top for hamburger buns. This recipe is tailored for a Bosch Universal mixer but you can use a Kitchen Aid or any other mixer.

Place all of the following ingredients into your Bosch Universal bowl with the dough attachment:

2 cups warm milk**
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup oil or melted butter
2 Tablespoons instant quick rise yeast
2 eggs
6 cups flour (you want the dough soft but not too sticky)

Mix on "M" for 30 seconds.
Mix on Speed 1 for 8 minutes.
Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.
Oil hands and make egg sized balls or bigger if you want larger rolls.
Let rise until double about 25-45 minutes depending on how warm the kitchen is. You can also put the oven on warm (leave the oven door ajar) and let rise close to the oven to speed up rising in cooler temperatures.
Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned.
Butter the tops if desired.

**Food Storage tip: You can use 2 cups hot water and 3/4 cup dry powdered milk to substitute for milk.

Yam Souffle

My friend Laura L. shared this delicious recipe with our family a couple of years ago and we have made it part of our Thanksgiving and Christmas menus ever since! This dish is like dessert!

6 cups mashed yams
1 1/3 cup brown sugar (omit if you want)
1 tea spoon salt--or to taste
4 eggs
2/3 stick butter
1 cup milk
2 tea spoons vanilla--or more if desired
2/3 cups flour

Mix & pour into greased 13X9 pan

Topping
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped peacons
1/3 stick butter, softened

Mix and crumble over top

Bake @ 350 degrees for about an hour

Notes: Yams are naturally sweet, I wouldn't add any sugar to them. I only use sugar for the topping.

Fresh Cranberry Citrus Relish

Ran across this recipe last year around the holidays but unfortunately I have not been able to relocate it online to share with you the source. It is really good and our family likes it better than the cooked cranberry sauces. This is a raw food recipe and only uses natural sugars from the dates and It's best to make this a couple of days ahead and let the relish marinate for best flavor!

2 C fresh cranberries
1 orange, peeled and cut into sections
1 apple (I left out the apple)
1/2-1C dates (I prefer Medjool dates)
Orange juice or water for consistency

Process cranberries, orange, apple and dates in a blender and serve.

Notes: Mandarin or blood oranges are my favorites for this recipe. Add the dates little by little and taste test for sweetness. Organic cranberries have a milder and less acidic flavor. We prefer a chunky less runny relish so we use very little orange juice or water. If you do not like dates use raw honey, fructose or agave nectar.

Grandma's Rolls

I found this recipe back in 2004 while browsing the New Era magazine. The name of the article was " The Family Secret" and I am so glad this family shared their family secret roll recipe! These are one of my all time favorite roll recipes! I have been making these wonderful rolls since discovering the recipe for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals - it's become a family tradition! We are mostly a whole grain bread family so it's a treat to have white rolls.

Grandma’s Rolls

In a saucepan, combine:
2 cups milk
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
Bring to a boil, then cool.

In a small bowl, combine:
1 cup lukewarm water
2 heaping Tbsp. yeast
2 tsp. sugar
Set aside and let dissolve.

2 1/2 tsp. salt
3 beaten eggs
7–9 cups flour

When the milk mixture has cooled to lukewarm, pour into mixer. Add a cup of flour, all of the yeast mixture, salt and three beaten eggs. Beat until smooth. Add flour a little at a time while mixing until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl but is not stiff.

Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray, and let rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in size. Punch down, cover, and let rise again until doubled in size.

After dough has risen a second time, divide in half. Place on a floured board or counter. Roll out until 1/2 inch thick, and cut into circles. Place on a greased cookie sheet so rolls are almost touching. Let rise about 30 minutes.

Bake at 375° F for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.

Notes: You can make these rolls ahead and freeze them. When ready to use, pop them in the microwave or in the oven to reheat.

If you want to look up the recipe on www.LDS.org here is the source:

Janet Thomas, “The Family Secret,” New Era, Nov 2004, 37