Not Your Usual Thanksgiving Turkeys

vanilla wafers or Ritz crackers
creamy peanut butter
chocolate almond bark
fall colored M & M's
candy eyes
candy corn

Line a cookie sheet or container with wax paper or parchment paper. Spread 1 t. peanut butter onto the back of a vanilla wafer or Ritz. Place another wafer/cracker on top Melt chocolate for 30 seconds on high in microwave. Stir and heat an additional  30 seconds until it is the consistency desired. Spoon a small amount of melted chocolate on one side of cookie. While the chocolate is still  pliable, add m&m's for feathers, candy corn for beak and candy eyes. (See picture) Set in refrigerator  so they will firm up.

*Feet can also be made for the turkeys to stand in if desired, just put a small amount of melted chocolate on the cookie sheet and stand the cookie up in it, I didn't do this part because I was going to be transporting my cookies to another house. Enjoy!

**I think the Ritz crackers work better since they are bigger, and I like the taste of the sweet and salty vs the sweet,

Pumpkin Caramel Cake

1 yellow cake mix
15 oz. can pumpkin puree, not pie filling
1 t. pumpkin pie spice
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
8 oz. cool whip, thawed
1/2 bag heath bits
1 jar caramel sauce

Combine cake mix, spice, and pumpkin intil smooth. Pour in sprayed 9x13 dish. Bake according to directions on cake box. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. Poke holes all over cake using wooden spoon handle. Pour condensed milk over top. Refrigerate 30 minutes.  Remove from refrigerator and spread cool whip over top. Sprinkle with heath bits and drizzle caramel on top. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 T. milk
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 c. whipped topping, thawed
1 graham cracker crust, store bought or homemade
3/4 c. cold milk
2 (4 serving size) pkgs instant vanilla or pumpkin pudding & pie filling
2 t. pumpkin pie spice
15 oz. can pumpkin puree, pie filling

Combine cream cheese, 1 T. milk, and sugar. Stir in whipped topping. Spread in crust. Beat 3/4 c. milk, pudding mix and spice together for 1 minute. Add pumpkin. Mixture will be thick. Spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate 4 hours until set. Garnish if desired. Store in refrigerator.

Spiced Cranberry Sauce

3 T. butter
1/2 c. minced onion
16 oz. can wholeberry cranberry sauce
3/4 c. apple butter
1/8 t. ground cloves
1 t. grated orange peel

Heat butter in pan over medium heat. Add onions. Cook and stir for 2 minutes until lightly softened. Add cranberry sauce, apple butter, and cloves. Reduce heat. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in orange peel. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutella Fudge

2 c. Nutella spread
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
1 c. chocolate chips
1 T. butter, softened

Combine nutella and  1/2 c. softened butter together. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is completely combined. It will be very thick. Line an 8x8 pan with wax paper. Press the nutella mixture down firmly in pan, Melt chocolate chips in microwave oven at 30 second intervals, stir, and microwave again for 15 second intervals, stirring in between until the chocolate is almost melted. Add 1 T. softened butter, mix and melt the chocolate an additional 10 seconds. Spread the chocolate evenly over the nutella mixture in pan. Allow the fudge to set in the refrigerator about 10 minutes. Remove from refrigerator. Pull up the wax paper to remove the fudge from the pan. Cut into bars on a cookie sheet and slide back into refrigerator. Allow to set an additional 10 minutes. Store in airtight container.

My Favorite Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins
2 c. carrots, chopped or sliced, your preference
3 stalks celery, chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 T. olive oil
1/2 t. thyme
1/2 t. rosemary
1/2 t. sage
1/2 t. oregano, optional
1 bay leaf
3 cans chicken broth
1 c. water
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 c. uncooked wide "No Yolk" egg noodles
3 T. chopped parsley

Line 6 qt crockpot and place chicken pieces in the bottom. Add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, oil, and seasonings. Add chicken broth, water, salt & pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours. Remove cooked chicken and chop or shred into bite size pieces. Place back in crockpot. Add egg noodles and parsley. Cover and cook just until noodles are tender. 5-10 minutes.

I serve with broccoli cornbread, cornbread, or crackers, and milk.

15 Minute Funnel Cake Bites

• 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/4 c. granulated sugar
• 3 T. butter, melted
• 2-3 c.oil, for frying
• Granulated or powdered sugar for tossing
• In a large skillet, preheat oil to 350*F. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. In another medium bowl, combine the milk, sugar and melted butter.Add the dry ingredients into the wet, stirring just enough to combine. With a small cookie scoop or teaspoon, scoop the dough out and place in the hot grease. If grease is not deep enough to cover both sides, flip when golden brown, about 1 minute. Remove once golden brown and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Toss with sugar and enjoy! Makes 12-1 inch bites.

(original recipe fromgatetoplate.com)

Crockpot Broccoli Stuffing

12 oz. bag frozen broccoli florets, thawed

10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup

6 oz. box cornbread stuffing

12 oz. Velveeta or cheddar cheese, cubed

1 1/2 c.  chicken broth

1/2 t. garlic powder

salt and  pepper, to taste

Place cornbread stuffing in a microwaveable bowl and pour chicken broth over it, stirring together until stuffing is moistened. Place in microwave and cook for 3 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Transfer stuffing to lined crockpot, then add broccoli, mushroom soup, & Velveeta. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir to combine, cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours, or until broccoli is tender. Serve hot and enjoy.

Crockpot Ham with Pineapple

1 bone-in spiral cut ham, fully cooked

3 c. brown sugar, divided

1/2 c. maple syrup

20 oz. can pineapple tidbits, undrained

 Evenly spread 1 ½ cups of the brown sugar into the bottom of a 6 quart crockpot. Place the ham on top of the brown sugar. Slightly pull apart the slices of ham. Slowly pour the maple syrup evenly over the top allowing it to drizzle between the slices. Pour in the can of pineapples making sure to get some on the top and between the slices. Evenly sprinkle the remaining brown sugar on top. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours.

How to Spatchcock Poultry

1 12-14 lb turkey, or other type poultry

3 Tbsp. kosher salt

2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper

1 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary

1 Tbsp. minced fresh thyme

1 Tbsp. minced fresh sage

Step 1: Pat the Bird Dry with Paper Towels. Give your turkey a towel drying to remove any extra moisture from its skin. The less moisture, the more crispy the skin will get as it cooks. Step 2: Cut along the Side of the backbone. Place the whole turkey on a cutting board with the breast-side down. Then, locate the backbone along the center of the bird. Starting at the tail, use a sharp pair of kitchen shears to cut alongside the spine. Try to cut as close as you can to the backbone so you don’t risk cutting any other joints. You may feel a little resistance as you cut through certain rib bones of the bird—in this case press down on the shears with both hands. Step 3: Remove the backbone. Rotate turkey 180° so that the uncut side is closer to your dominant hand. Cut along the bone again and remove the backbone from the turkey. Test Kitchen tip: Don’t throw away that backbone! Place it in a resealable plastic bag and save it in the freezer for your next batch of homemade stock or gravy.  Step 4: Flatten the bird. Back to the bird: Flip it over so that the breast side is facing upward. With two hands (and a little bit of hulk-strength), press down firmly on the center of the bird until you hear a crack. This is the wishbone breaking! Voila. Your turkey is successfully spatchcocked. One last thing. See how those wings are splayed out? Give them a quick twist and tuck them underneath the body of the bird. Test Kitchen tip: This helps keep the wingtips from burning and allows your bird to lie nice and flat. Step 5: Add Herbs and Seasonings:  Mix the salt, pepper and minced herbs and rub (with gusto!) all over the turkey. Test Kitchen tip: Adding salt to the skin now will help remove extra moisture so the skin can get extra crispy. Step 6: Refrigerate overnight. Here’s where a little patience makes a big difference. Transfer the turkey to a rack on a foil-lined rimmed baking pan, then pop it in the fridge, uncovered, overnight, for up to 8 hours. Test Kitchen tip: Don’t be tempted to cover the turkey with plastic wrap or foil before chilling. You want it to air out. The more the skin is exposed to air drying in the fridge, the crisper it will be after roasting. Step 7: Get Cooking. Ready to roast? Dial up the oven to 450° and remove the spatchcock turkey from the refrigerator. Let your turkey come to room temperature while the oven gets toasty. (It’ll cook more quickly and evenly this way!) At last! It’s time to cook. Send the bird into the oven and roast for about 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. You’ll know that it’s cooked to perfection when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 170°-175°. Step 8: Let Rest.  Don’t grab that carving knife just yet! Once out of the oven, let the turkey stand for 15 minutes before carving. This will help the meat retain its juices.

Originally posted by Taste of Home

Butterscotch Apple Cake

1 c. oil
3 eggs
2 c. sugar
2 1/2 c. SR flour
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
3 large apples, chopped (I left the peeling on)
6 oz. butterscotch chips

Heat over to 350 degrees. Spay 9x13 pan. Thoroughly combine eggs, oil, and sugar. Add flour and spices. Beat until thoroughly mixed. Batter will be thick. Use a sturdy spoon to add the apple bits. Scrape the mixture evenly into the pan. Sprinkle with butterscotch chips, pressing into batter. Bake for 1 hour until golden brown and pulling away from sides of pan. Cool thoroughly and cut into squares with a plastic knife. Yum!

1st picture: before baking

 2nd picture: after baking