CONTEST: Win a Bed Tray! 2 Winners

I make these every year around Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's enough to make 2 rolls, which I do so I can add nuts to one. Everyone raves about this recipe! It takes a bit of work, but is WELL worth it!!! I hope you try it and enjoy it as much as I do:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

FILLING
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch jelly roll pan or cookie sheet.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in pumpkin puree, eggs, and lemon juice. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Spread the mixture evenly. Add nuts if desired.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 15 minutes.
Lay a damp linen towel on the counter, sprinkle it with confectioner's sugar, and turn the cake onto the towel. Carefully roll the towel up (lengthwise) with the cake in it. Place the cake-in-towel on a cooling rack and let it cool for 20 minutes.
Make the icing: In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and sugar with a wooden spoon or electric mixer.
When the cake has cooled 20 minutes, unroll it and spread icing onto it. Immediately re-roll (not in the towel this time), and wrap it with plastic wrap. Keep the cake refrigerated or freeze it for up to 2 weeks in aluminum foil. Cut the cake in slices just before serving.

This recipe is my 13 yr old DD's.....She just learned in Home EC she made it last night and it's pretty good and easy and lots of fun for kids!
Just bake your favorite flavor cake in a 13x9 in baking pan, allow the cake to fully cool, Then take a straw and push holes all over the cake, then make a box of jello gelintin,(we used cherry) and pour over the cake filling in the holes, refigerate for 2 hour or until jello is set and then top w/ coolwhip.

My favorite dish is "SWEET POTATO COCONUT CASSEROLE"
I love any type of sweet potato dish but this one is my favorites.

3 cups sweet potatoes, mashed
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon dark rum (optional)
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups milk
1 stick butter
1 cup flaked coconut (optional)

Enjoy!

Wash and peel potatoes and boil until tender in salted water. Mash with butter while still hot. Stir in sugar, vanilla, lemon and seasonings.
Beat eggs well and combine with milk. If using coconut, add to milk. Slowly add milk to sweet potatoes, stirring until well mixed.

Butter a casserole and transfer potato mixture, spreading evenly. Dot the top with an extra tablespoon of butter, if desired.

Bake at 400°F until firm and lightly browned.

My step grandmother used to make this for us at Thanksgiving. It was always one of the favorites, and being that she passed away 2 days ago it is in her memory that I post this wonderful recipe

To activate yeast:
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 cakes compressed or dry yeast
Dough:
• 2 cups lukewarm 2 percent milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 4 large eggs, use 1 whole plus 3 yolks
• 1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)
• 8 cups sifted all-purpose flour (approximately), divided
• Walnut filling:
• 2 pounds shelled and finely ground English walnuts
• 5 cups sugar
• 2 cups scalded milk
• 1 cup (2 sticks) plus 11/2 to 2 teaspoons melted butter or margarine, divided
• 2 eggs, beaten
To activate yeast: Stir 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon flour and yeast into warm water and cover with plastic wrap; let stand for 5 minutes.
To make dough: Mix milk, 3/4 cup sugar and salt; add beaten eggs, yeast mixture, melted butter and 2 cups of flour. Blend thoroughly and slowly add remaining flour, mixing well until dough starts to clean the bowl.
Turn dough out on floured surface and knead until it is smooth and does not stick. Divide dough into 2 large pieces (they will weigh about 21/2 pounds each), or 4 small pieces (11/4 pounds each).
Place dough in lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise 1 hour in a warm place. Dough will double in bulk.
To make walnut filling: Measure 2 pounds of finely ground English walnuts into bowl and add 5 cups of sugar; mix well. Heat milk and 1 cup butter or margarine to boiling; pour over nut mixture. Add eggs. Mix and let stand until ready to be spread on the dough.
If the mixture thickens, add small amounts of warm milk.
To roll each piece of dough: Spread white sheet or cloth so entire table is covered. Sprinkle with a couple tablespoons to a handful of flour (use sparingly). After dough is placed on surface, roll dough out with rolling pin to about 10 or 12 inches, spoon 1 to 11/2 teaspoons melted butter on top. Using tops of hands, stretch dough out from center until dough is thin and uniformly opaque.
Trim edges and save; spoon proportionate amount of nut mixture on the dough and spread evenly with rubber spatula until dough is covered.
Lift edge of cloth and roll like a jelly roll; trim ends and shape into a U. Place in loaf pan and brush with egg whites. Continue with remaining pan(s).
Cover pans lightly with plastic wrap and allow to rest for approximately 15 minutes.
Remove plastic and place in preheated 325-degree oven and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check bread within 30 minutes and also at end of the hour to see that it is not getting too brown.
Laying sheet of foil on top of loaves will help prevent over-browning.
Remove from oven and cool on rack 20 to 30 minutes.
When cooled, put in food storage bag and wrap in aluminum foil if bread is to be frozen. Povitica bread can be frozen for several months.
Makes 2 loaves (one loaf yields 10 to 12 slices, including the end pieces).

ENJOY - Amy

Well, my husband and daughter have made it a family tradition to go to Epcot on Thanksgiving and have dinner at a different country each year. This year is Canada! One thine my daughter loves is hummus her daddy make it

chick peas
garlic to flavor
1 tsp tahini
lemon juice to flavor
put in food processor and blend!
Since my hysterectomy is next week - I plan on having a great time at Epcot this year and eating at a few countries!!!
Happy THanksgiving

I saw one pumpkin cheesecake already but wanted to add my favorite recipe from the Cheesecake Factory. (because I really want to win, I wanted to add another recipe...scheduled for surgery next week and could really use the tray!).
I just made this on Sunday for my father-in-law's Thanksgiving. He had it early this year, since my mother-in-law has to work.

SERVES 8 (change servings and units)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup sugar, plus
1 tablespoon sugar
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
whipped cream

Directions
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2 Make the crust by combining the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and 1 T sugar in a medium bowl.

3 Stir well enough to coat all of the crumbs with the butter, but not so much as to turn the mixture into paste.

4 Keep it crumbly.

5 Put foil partway up the outside part of an 8-inch springform pan.

6 Press the crumbs onto the bottom and about two-thirds of the way up the sides of the springform pan.

7 You don't want the crust to form all of the way up the back of each slice of cheesecake.

8 Bake the crust for 5 minutes, then set aside until you are ready to fill it.

9 In a large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, 1 C sugar, and vanilla.

10 Mix with an electric mixer until smooth.

11 Add the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice and continue beating until smooth and creamy.

12 Pour the filling into the pan.

13 Bake for 60-70 minutes.

14 The top will turn a bit darker at this point.

15 Remove from the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool.

16 When the cheesecake has come to room temperature, put it into the refrigerator.

17 When the cheesecake has chilled, remove the pan sides and cut the cake into 8 equal pieces.

18 Serve with a generous portion of whipped cream on top.

Half of our family loves pumpkin pie and the other half of the family loves cheesecake; so, this is a compromise and everyone is happy!!

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. milk
1Tbsp. sugar
8oz. cool whip (divided)
1 cup milk
1 can (15 oz.) Pumpkin
2 pkg. (4 - serving size each) jello vanilla instant pudding
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 graham cracker pie crust

Mix cream cheese, 1 tbsp. milk and sugar in large bowl with a wire whisk until well blended. Gently stir in half of the whipped topping. Spread into crust.
Pour 1 cup cilk into large bowl. Add pumpkin, pudding mixes and spices. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Spread over cream cheese layer.
Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Garnish with remaining whipped topping. Store leftover pie in refrigerator. Yum! Yum!

easy appitizer.
2 cans pillsbury crossints
freash brocli about one bunch
a head of califlower
carrots
tomatoes
Mild shredded cheder cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 package cream cheese
Roll out crossants to line a 13x9 inch pan bake until golden brown.
Using a food processer chop up carrots, brocli and califlower,in a mixing bowl combine cream cheese and sour cream, then fold in vegtables, sread on crossant and top w/ tomatoes and cheese...refrigerate over night, cut and serve

2 (3oz.) pkg Cream Cheese
1 1/2 tsp. mustard
1 tsp grated onion
1 tsp lemon juice
Dash cayenne pepper
Dash salt
4 1/2 oz can shrimp

Drain shrimp. Break into pieces, stir into cheese mixture with mustard, onion, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Chill. Form into ball. Serve with assorted crackers.

My family loves it to so it is the dish I get to make each year for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I do not measure what I put in it I just taste as I go.

5-6 medium sweet potatoes
1 stick butter
1 egg
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
¼ cup milk
¼ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar

In a separate Sauce pan mix together:
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
½ to 1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup flake cereal with almonds


For a large 9x13 dish you will need 5 to 6 sweet potatoes depending on the size. I like medium potatoes. You will boil them till they are cooked, I test them with a knife. Let them cool and then pill the skin off and mash them. I add 1/2 to 1 stick of butter, one egg, cinnamon, 1/4 cup milk and then brown and white sugar. I think it was about a 1/4 cup of white and 1/2 of brown. I taste as I mix and get it to the sweetness I want. If you prefer all white or all brown that will work to. I put this mixture in a baking dish and then in a sauce pan I melt 1 stick of butter and then add close to a cup of brown sugar, once this has melted I add 1/2 to 1 cup of chopped pecans and then I use a flake cereal that has almonds in it. You can use any cereal you like. I crush it in my hands while adding it so the flakes are not so large. I add until the cereal absorbs most of the liquid from the brown sugar and butter. Once it is mix together you can turn the fire off under it and spread over the potato mixture. I bake at 350 for 30 min. This is a dish you can adjust according to what you like.