Pumpkin Bars

2 Cups Flour

1 t Baking Soda

1 t Salt (scant)

1 Small Pkg French Vanilla Instant Pudding

2 t Ground Cinnamon

1/2 t each ground Nutmeg, Ginger & Cloves (or Fresh ginger & pie spice equivalents)

2 cubes softened butter (1 Cup)

1 C Brown Sugar (packed)

1/2 C Sugar

1 15oz Can of Pumpkin

2 Eggs

1 T Vanilla

Combine dry ingredients. In a separate large bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy and well mixed.  Add Pumpkin, Eggs and vanilla.  Slowly beat the dry ingredients into the wet.  Grease or spray a half sheet pan and spread batter. 

Preheat oven to 350.  Bake 15-20.  Let cool completely and frost with your favorite frosting.  I love Cream Cheese or this yummy pumpkin cookie frosting with brown sugar. Pumpkin Cake (Mom's)   Pumpkin Cookies  The base of this recipe is from my friend Kami and her amazing blog No Biggie Blog.

  

Fudge

 Deanna has kept this Christmas tradition alive for at least the 33+ years I've been married.  Her annual packet of Christmas Fudge arrives and is almost as anticipated as the actual Christmas Day itself.  I had a  good decade or so where I was able to keep it as my dirty little holiday secret... but at some point the children got smarter!  This was a much sought after recipe of my moms.  She even had about 20 extra copies of it stored in the box for quick disbursement.  

Also, I have it on good authority that Sylvia's FUDGE can be improved in the following ways:

• Canned Milk refers to EVAPORATED MILK, not sweetened condensed milk
• Use 2 T Vanilla, not 2 t
• Use MILK CHOCOLATE, SEMI SWEET & High COCOA (60%+) Content Chips - 3 flavors
• Recipe was created when product sizing was larger.  Use 1 1/2 C of each flavor of chips and approximately 2 1/2 C or a 7.5 oz jar of marshmallow creme works
• Pecans are just as good as Walnuts - Chef's choice
• Do not use cold butter.  Cut it up small for easier mixing (so funny that the recipe mentions "margarine".  My mother did NOT do margarine!  Or cool whip... Ever!)
• Reduce cooking time to about 6 minutes
• And finally, there is no mention of MINIATURE MARSHMALLOWS, but get them and use them!  Use lots of them they are the best part!  I'm going to say a cup a pound (3-4 C)... mix them in after all the chips have melted and just before you pour into the buttered pan, do NOT overstir

Special thanks to Deanna for sharing her improvements... No one reads my blog, so your secrets are very safe!  ;)

Raspberry Bread Pudding... Just like Kneaders used to make! And Vanilla Cream Sauce

• 1 1/2 Loaves French Bread (day or two old or let it sit out for a few hours)
• 1 Quart Heavy Cream (that's 4 C)
• 3 C Sugar (That's not quite a QUART of sugar... )
• 2 Eggs
• 1 T Vanilla
• 2 1/2 C Frozen Raspberries
• 1/2 C Sugar (NOW we're almost at a quart of sugar...)
• 1/4 C Apple Juice

In a large bowl, combine cream, sugar, egg and vanilla. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Cut bread into 1 1/2 inch cubes.  Add to the cream mixture, let sit for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to completely saturate the bread cubes.

In another bowl, combine raspberries, sugar and apple juice, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved.  Spray a 9x13 glass casserole dish and layer 3/4 of bread mixture.  Spread the fruit mixture evenly over the bread, (I kind of gently poke it down in some places to spread it more thoroughly throughout the bread in the pan...)  Top with remaining bread mixture.  Bake 40-50 minutes at 375 degrees.  (be careful and put foil on the bottom of the oven or under pan... it has been known to bubble sticky deliciousness over the sides and create a definite un-delicious smelly baked on MESS in the oven!  Sharing that particular tip for a "friend"...)

While baking make the incredible Vanilla Cream Sauce...:

• 5 C Half and Half (divided)
• 1 1/2 C Sugar
• 2 T Cornstarch
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 1 T Butter
• 1 T Vanilla

In a sauce pan heat 4 C of the half and half till hot and bubbly. Don’t scorch. In a bowl combine the remaining 1 C of h and h and the cornstarch. Whisk until completely dissolved. Add the sugar and continue mixing until the sugar is also dissolved. Add in the egg yolks, mix well. Gradually add the cold milk/egg mixture to the hot milk in saucepan, whisking constantly. Heat until mixture starts to bubble snd thicken. Do not burn. Remove from heat snd stir in butter and vanilla.  Serve warm. (This is an alternate Vanilla Cream Sauce. It’s a very different taste and texture from the other sauce... I may like it even better!)

(So I had seen the RASPBERRY BREAD PUDDING at Kneaders for years and completely dismissed it because... hello!?  Bread Pudding!  Ewww.... I mean, vanilla pudding, chocolate fudge pudding, even tapioca pudding... but BREAD PUDDING!???  Until one day I heard 3 friends all agree that Kneaders Raspberry Bread Pudding was the best thing in the world.  Not just the best "bread pudding", but the best thing ever.  Well, I had to try it.  They may have been right.  So of course, my next step was to recreate this deliciousness and add it to my repertoire.  I refer to it as "Baked Raspberry French Toast to my family... because... BREAD PUDDING!...  As usual, I read and then put the best parts of several recipes together.  Then through trial and error, I make alterations.  This is the finished result of my research.  You're welcome!)

Pumpkin Spice Steamer...

1 1/2 C Pureed Pumpkin
1 1/2 C Sugar
1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
Pinch of Salt
4 Tbsp Vanilla

Combine pumpkin, sugar, spice and salt, in a saucepan and bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Store this in a glass 1 Qt canning jar with lid.  To make 1 steamer... In a saucepan put 1 Cup milk (of your choice) and 2-3 Tbsp of pumpkin mixture (more or less to taste...)  Whisking constantly, whisk the mixture into the milk and bring almost to a boil. Serve immediately.

(This is delicious.  This is MY original recipe after doing much research on Pumpkin Steamers and Lattes... I have to agree with many people's suggestion that a lot of the fun of this awesome drink is NOT having to make it.  Just walking in and buying a ridiculously expensive drink in the cool cardboard cup, is fun.  So, if you buy one or two a season... Don't worry about it, continue on!  But if you want it more often, this is a yummy alternative.)

April Fools... Eggs Sunny Side Up

2 Slices of Pound Cake
1/4 C. Vanilla Yogurt
1 Apricot Half

Toast the pound cake to a golden brown. Arrange pieces on a plate so they look like ONE piece of toast. Spread yogurt over cake to cover "seams" and make it look like the "white" of an egg. Place the apricot, rounded side up, in the middle of the yogurt. April Fools!

My kids got a kick out of this. (Although they ALL passed on actually eating the apricots, they did enjoy the yogurt and cake for breakfast.)

Coconut Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie...

1 unbaked Pie Shell

Cream Cheese Layer:
1 8 oz. pkg Cream Cheese
1/3 C. Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp. Coconut Extract
1 Tbsp. Grated Coconut

Coconut Pumpkin Layer:
1 15 oz. can Pumpkin
1 1/2 C. Coconut Milk
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger
1/4 tsp. Ground Cloves
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Grated Coconut (Sprinkle on top)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix all ingredients for the cream cheese layer and spread in an unbaked pie shell. Mix all ingredients of the coconut pumpkin layer and pour on top of the cream cheese layer, sprinkle with grated coconut. Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 50-60 minutes until knife inserted comes out clean. Top with whipped cream.

(After making a delicious sweet potato pie...I tweaked the recipe to give it an Island/Thanksgiving twist! It worked... Mahalo nui loa!)

Butter Cream Frosting...

1/2 C. Shortening

1/2 C. Butter

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

4 C. Sifted Powdered Sugar

1 Tbsp. Milk

In large bowl cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, a cup at a time. Mix well. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When well mixed, add 1 Tbsp. milk. Add more milk if necessary. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. (If you need pure white icing, substitute shortening for the butter and use clear Vanilla extract.)

(I found this recipe online and tweaked it. I used a butter/margarine combination, no shortening and lemon extract because I was using the frosting on Lemon Sugar Cookies.)

Sugar Cookies...

1 C. Butter
1 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
3 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 C. Sour Cream (or Plain Yogurt)
1/2 tsp. Lemon Extract


Cream butter and sugar together, add eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and gradually add to mixture. Mix well. (I refrigerated it for approx. an hour at this point...) Roll dough out on a floured surface approximately 1/4" thick. Bake at 350 for 10-11 min. Frost, decorate and enjoy!
(Thanks to my friend Monica H. for this great recipe. She described them as being similar to Granny B's in taste and texture. I would agree that is a good description! This recipe helped me get over my years of bad luck with sugar cookies. We will definitely make them again.) I frosted them with a butter cream frosting.

Mrs. Claus' Chocolate Chip Cookies...

3/4 C. Sugar
the giggle from an elf
3/4 C. Packed Brown Sugar
found high on the shelf
1 C. Butter
a reindeer's shy wink
2 Eggs
fairy dust colored pink
1 tsp. Salt
a wish from a child
1 tsp. Baking Soda
one elf smile - wild
2 1/2 C. Flour
one gallon of joy
the twinkle that's found
in a small girl or boy
1 C. Chopped Nuts if you like them
if not, leave them out
1 1/2 C. Chocolate Chips
remove all signs of doubt
1 tsp. Vanilla
a huge dash of love
a sprinkle of peace
from the wings of a dove

Cream the butter and sugar, 5 minutes for sure. Mix the giggles and winks, add the eggs and beat more. Add salt, soda, flour, fairy dust and the wish. The elf's sweet smile and beat well - what a dish! Add the chips and vanilla, and nuts if you will. Scoop with small ice cream scooper and your cookie sheets fill. Bake 350 degrees 10 minutes 'til done. Eat with peace, joy and love and have bundles of fun!
Merry Christmas!
(These are suspiciously similar to Toll House Cookies...We got this recipe from Mrs. Claus herself as we rode the Polar Express - Heber, UT - December 2008. Be sure to serve these with Hot Chocolate as "thick as melted chocolate bars". I believe...)

Peppermint Trifle...

1 Red Velvet Cake Mix
1 Large Pkg. Instant Chocolate Pudding
12 oz. Pkg. of Cool Whip
25 Starlight Peppermints (Crushed)

Make cake according to package instructions. (If you can't find a red velvet mix, add 1 Tbsp. Red Food coloring to a German Chocolate Cake mix.) Bake in a cookie sheet with sides for 20 minutes. Cool Completely, cut into 1" cubes. Make pudding according to package directions but add 1 extra C. milk. It will be a little thinner. In a trifle dish or punchbowl layer 1/3 cake cubes, 1/3 pudding, 1/3 cool whip and 1/3 of the crushed mints. Repeat 2 more times. Garnish with a whole candy cane.

(This was a fun holiday twist on our favorite dessert.)

Asparagus...

1 lb. Fresh Asparagus (snap off the ends)

1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 Clove of Garlic (minced)

1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce

1/4 C. Milk

1/4 C. Chicken Broth

1/4 tsp. Ground Black Pepper

1 C. Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1/2 C. Crispy Fried Onions (French's)

Steam or boil the asparagus in lightly salted water until desired tenderness. (5 min.) In a saucepan combine soup, garlic, soy sauce, milk, broth and cheese. Heat through. Arrange hot asparagus on a serving dish. Pour sauce over the top and sprinkle the fried onions.

(This was a variation of a Thanksgiving green bean casserole. James and I like asparagus and this was delicious.)

Sweet Potatoes...

4 C. Sweet Potatoes (cut & cooked)
1/2 C. Apple Cider
1/4 C. Flour
1/4 C. Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Ground Ginger
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 C. Butter
1 1/2 C. Miniature Marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350*. Place sweet potatoes in an 11x7 inch shallow baking dish and pour cider over. In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt; mix together and cut in butter with a pastry blender. Spread evenly over sweet potatoes. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with marshmallows and broil until browned. (1-2 min.)

(Made for my first solo Thanksgiving dinner 11/27/08.  Revised for Thanksgiving 2009)

Stuffing...

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic (pressed)
1 Large White Onion (diced)
2 C. Sliced Mushrooms (8 oz pkg.)
2 Stalks Celery (sliced)
4 C. Bread Cubes (I use an onion seasoned french bread)
1/2 C. Apple Cider
2 Eggs
1 14 oz. Can Chicken Broth
1 tsp. Rubbed Sage
1 tsp. Ground Thyme
4 C. Mrs. Cubbison's Herb Seasoned Cube Stuffing (10 oz. box)

(Several hours or the night before, cut french bread into small cubes and spread out on a cookie sheet to dry.)

In a large skillet heat oil and saute garlic, onion, mushrooms and celery until tender. In a large mixing bowl place dried bread cubes and pour apple cider over top. Mix well. In a small mixing bowl combine 2 eggs, chicken broth, sage and thyme. Whisk together until well blended. Add Mrs. Cubbison's stuffing to french bread cubes, mix. Pour wet mixture over the bread/stuffing and stir until evenly coated. Fold in vegetables. Lightly stuff turkey and roast. (Or place in a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350* for 40 minutes.)

(Stuffing for my first solo Thanksgiving 11/27/08. If it was just me eating this I would add chopped apples, pears, dried cranberries and more celery.)

Laura's Cheesy Scalloped Carrots

12 Medium Carrots
1 Onion (diced)
1 Clove of Garlic (pressed)
1/2 C. Butter
1/4 C Flour
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Dry Mustard
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/4 tsp. Celery Seed
2 C. Milk
1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
1/2 lb. Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese (about 2 C.)
3 C. Soft Bread Crumbs

Cut carrots into 1/2" pieces and boil in lightly salted water until tender. (About 5 min.) Saute onion and garlic in butter for 3 minutes. Add flour, salt, dry mustard, pepper, celery seed and milk. Cook until smooth. Remove from heat, fold in dijon mustard. In a 9x13 casserole dish; layer carrots and 1/2 of the cheese and 1/2 of the white sauce. Repeat. Top with crumbs. Bake @ 350* for 30 minutes.

(Laura's carrots are a Thanksgiving tradition. Carrot lovers (me) and carrot haters (James) alike will be able to agree on this delicious side dish.)

Pumpkin Cake

2 C. Flour
2 C. Sugar
4 Eggs
1 1/4 C Oil (replace with 3/4 C. Oil)
1 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 Tbsp. Cinnamon (replace w/ 2 t. Cinnamon +1 t. Nutmeg + 1 t. Ginger + 1/2 t. Ground Cloves)
1 1/2 C. Pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla

In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake for about 60 minutes at 350*. Frost with a cream cheese frosting. Optional, sprinkle with chopped walnuts. (I bake this in a bundt pan. While warm, drizzle with a Cream Cheese Eggnog glaze. 4 oz. softened Cream Cheese, 2 C. Powdered Sugar, 1 tsp. Vanilla, 1/4 C. + Eggnog. Mix well with a hand mixer. Add more eggnog to get to a "glaze" consistency.)

(This is my mom's famous PUMPKIN CAKE. At Thanksgiving of 2005 when we celebrated her 70th birthday, we served this yummy cake in her honor. I baked about 15 cakes and the above italics are my changes or additions. Just eliminate them if you'd like to bake it exactly as Mom would.)

Raspberry Cream Cheese Pies...A Geddes Tradition

Raspberry Topping

1 12 oz. Pkg Frozen Raspberries
1 HeapingTbsp. Cornstarch
1/2 C. Granulated Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla

Pour frozen berries into a medium saucepan. Before turning on the heat add the cornstarch and sugar. Mix well to coat the frozen berries. Heat berries until mixture thickens and boils. Remove from heat, add vanilla. Set aside to cool while making cream cheese filling.

Cream Cheese Filling
1 Pint Whipping Cream
1 8 oz. Block of Cream Cheese (softened)
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar

With a hand mixer whip the cream until stiff. Separately, blend cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold together with the whipped cream. Pour into a baked pie shell. Cover with cooled Raspberry Topping. Chill until firm. Makes 2 pies.

(A beloved Geddes family tradition. Probably the most requested, most traded, most used recipe we have. These pies have become a requested addition to Christensen Thanksgivings. I definitely make mine sweeter than the original... My alterations are in italics, otherwise the recipe is unblemished.)

Candy Apple Cider...

2/3 C. Red Cinnamon Candies
1 C. Lemon Juice
1/4 C. Brown Sugar
8 C. Apple Juice
15 Whole Cloves

Melt cinnamon candies in lemon juice over medium heat. Dissolve brown sugar. Add apple juice and cloves. Simmer for 25 minutes to allow flavors to blend and then remove cloves. Serve hot from a heatproof vessel.

(Do not pour the hot cider in your recently acquired deceased Grandmother's punchbowl, unless you are ready to "divy" up said punchbowl amongst your 5 children and have a need to clean up a very sticky mess in the LDS Church Cultural Hall and describe how delicious this cider is to the Enrichment ladies, while they drink... water. Oh well, I still have the cups and this IS delicious.)

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake...

1 8 oz. Block of Cream Cheese

3/4 C. Sugar

1 C. Pumpkin

1 C. Cool Whip

1 tsp. Vanilla

Your favorite pumpkin pie spices*

Graham Cracker Crust

In a large bowl mix softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Fold in pumpkin, cool whip, vanilla and spices. Pour into graham cracker crust. Chill at least 4 hours. Serves 8.

Crust:

11 whole (4 section rectangle Graham Crackers)

1/4 C. Sugar

6 Tbsp. Melted Butter

1 tsp. Vanilla

Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs, add sugar and mix together. Add vanilla to melted butter and pour over graham cracker crumbs. Mix well until evenly coated. Press into a 8 or 9" (glass works best) pie plate. Bake at 350* for 6 min. Cool completely before filling.

(*My favorite pumpkin pie spices are 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. ginger, 1/2 tsp. ground cloves, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg)

Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce...

Gingerbread

1 1/3 C. Flour

1 Egg (slightly beaten)

1/2 C. Packed Brown Sugar

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/4 tsp. Salt

3/4 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Ginger

1/2 C. Shortening or Butter

1/2 C. Boiling Water

1/2 C. Molasses

Grease bottom only of 9" pan. In large bowl combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger. Mix well add egg, butter, boiling water and molasses. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes.

Lemon Sauce

1 C. Sugar

2 Tbsp. Cornstarch

1/4 tsp. Salt

2 C. Boiling Water

4 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

2 tsp. Lemon Zest

Boil until clear and add 1/4 C. butter. Serve over warm gingerbread cake and top with fresh whipped cream.

(This is one of my FAVORITE holiday recipes! I didn't think I would like it, wow, was I wrong! Grandma Norma's recipe.)