Whole Baked Sweet Potatoes

We have baked Sweet Potatoes at our house about once a week or so and I usually wrap them like a baked potato in tin foil, but for our Thanksgiving feast I thought I would actually look up a recipe and figure out how you are supposed to do it. ;) I found one (which I can't find now to reference) that was perfect.

Wash your whole sweet potatoes (or yams...whichever you buy). Place on a rimmed cookie sheet and brush vegetable oil over each one. Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes at 450 degrees or until a fork goes in easily.

I found that this method carmelized the outside a little better than the tin foil method and was much faster as well.

Crock Pot Glazed Carrots

Last week I made a full Thanksgiving dinner for the kids and the hubby (well, the hubby did a lot of the work, so I should say we made Thanksgiving dinner for the kids) since we don't have to cook it for anyone else this year. I usually do roasted carrots in the oven, but this year, I thought it would be great to simplify and try a crock pot recipe. I found this one in the "Mormon Pantry Slow Cooker Cookbook" and it turned out yummy.

2 lbs. baby carrots (I actually had purchased the regular long carrots already thinking I was doing my other recipe, so I sliced them and used those and they were great)
1 cup water
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup orange juice
3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine in a slow cooker; cook high 4-5 hours or low 8-10 hours until carrots are tender. Stir before serving. I loved that I didn't even have to mix the ingredients around in the slow cooker before turning it on and by the end everything was beautifully melted together and made my house smell yummy all day!

Thanksgiving Etiquette

So, I have a question for all you cooks out there.  It's my in-laws' turn to host Thanksgiving this year.  My assignment is to bring a jell-o and homemade rolls, and I feel confident making those.  I'm making my grandma's perfect rolls, and raspberry pretzel jello.

By way of information, I have to admit I'm not a big fan of Thanksgiving food.  Call me Chandler Bing, but I don't particularly like turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, or gravy (ick).  My family just does Thanksgiving differently.  I have recently learned to like mashed potatoes, but only the way I make them--with lots of flavor and seasoning, and no gravy whatsoever.  But here's the problem: my in-laws like to make really traditional, simple food.  They like their meat really, really well done (like shredded) and prefer their potatoes with butter and milk only--no salt, pepper, chives, sour cream, or anything like that. And they like to make the turkey and potatoes themselves, rather than assign them to their children.  At the other Thanksgivings I've had at their house over the years, I barely eat anything and wind up starving by the time we finally get home (thank goodness for cold cereal)!

So here's my question: would it be rude to bring some mashed potatoes I made myself, the way I like them?  I would of course make enough to share with others, but I don't want to offend my in-laws.  On the other hand, since I know I'm not really going to like anything else at the meal (that I didn't bring), would it be so bad to bring something else I know I would eat, so I don't have to eat cold cereal at 10 p.m.?  Or would that be too rude, and I should just suck it up?

Cookie Dough Cupcakes

This is my new favorite dessert!!!

For the cookie dough:

2 sticks softened butter

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

4 tbsp milk

1 tbsp vanilla2

1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup mini chocolate chips

For the cupcakes:

3 sticks softened butter

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed

4 large eggs

2 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting:

3 sticks softened butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
To make the cookie dough, combine the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 mins. Beat in milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Beat in the flour and salt until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Using a 1.5 tbsp scoop, shape the dough into balls or tubes. Freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet overnight.

**If you don't feel like doing the cupcake batter from scratch, you can use a cake mix and just prepare as directed for cupcakes**

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla.
Using a 3 tbsp scoop, fill the prepared cupcake liners 2/3 full with the cupcake batter. Place a frozen cookie dough ball on the top center of each cupcake.
Bake at 350 for 16-18 mins.

To make the frosting, combine the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in the salt, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.
Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips!

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Call for Help

I'm in need of some creative assistance.  My sister-in-law had to have some serious surgery today, and I'm planning on bringing her dinner on Monday when she gets out of the hospital.  She has five darling but very picky kids and a food-loving husband.

I am just so sick of all the things I usually make when I bring dinners to people.  I need new ideas!  Since they live in Layton and I have a day job, I would prefer something that travels really well, holds heat well (if it's meant to be served hot, that is), and could be mostly assembled the night before or in the morning before work. Oh, and even though I like lots of out-there flavors and veggies, I think she and her kids only like pretty standard stuff.  In the past I've made things like chicken enchiladas, lasagna, chicken pot pie/casseroles, soup, chili, etc.  I just need help out of my rut!

Thanks!

Pretzel Jello

This is one of those quirky, quintessential Mormon salads/desserts (it's Jell-o for heaven's sake!), and I'm pretty sure the missionaries we had over last night ate half the pan.

2 1/4 cups pretzels, crushed*
3/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. butter, melted*
2/3 cup sugar
1 block cream cheese, softened
3 Tbs. sugar
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1 tub Cool Whip
1 large package raspberry Jell-o
1 small package raspberry Jell-o*
3 cups boiling water*
1 bag frozen raspberries, thawed

Crush pretzels in a food processor or a Ziploc with a rolling pin until they are pea-sized crumbs.  Mix with melted butter and 2/3 cup sugar, then pat into a 9 x 13 pan.  Bake at 400 for 5 minutes, then let it cool.

Dissolve Jell-o in boiling water, then stir in raspberries.  Refrigerate until thickened and syrupy.  In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese with 3 Tbs. sugar and pineapple.  Gently fold in Cool Whip.  Spread over cooled pretzel crust.  When raspberry mixture is this consistency of a thick syrup (but not set yet), spread it over the top. Refrigerate until fully set.

This keeps for a few days in the fridge before the crust gets soggy, but it never lasts that long at my house!

*The original recipe calls for 2 cups of pretzels, 3/4 cup butter, 1 lg. pkg. of Jell-o, and 2 cups water.  However, I like a slightly thicker crust and a slightly thicker Jell-o layer, so I modified it.  This definitely fills up a 9 x13 pan to the brim, too, so do with it what you will.  I also barely spray the bottom of my pan with Pam before baking the pretzels.  I never did before, until I saw a crust completely adhere to the bottom--weird with all the butter in there--so now I err on the side of caution.

Easy Guacamole

I don't know about you, but we love avocados and Mexican food at our house.  I always bought Wholly Guacamole pre-made from the store, but I decided to make my own last night and it was awesome!

4-5 ripe Haas avocados
1/2 red onion, diced
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 small jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, diced (optional)
juice of 2 limes (or you can use bottled lemon or lime juice, but this tastes fresher)
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced or 1 tsp. garlic powder
2 roma tomatoes, diced or 1/3 cup jarred salsa (or 1 tomato and a scant 1/4 cup salsa)
scant tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
Lawry's seasoned salt
pepper


When I made this, I just kept tasting as I went, so feel free to start small on the seasonings and work your way up until it tastes right to you.  I started out by scooping the avocados into a bowl, and tossing them in lime juice so they wouldn't brown.  I tossed in both types of onions, jalapeno, 1 tomato and a scant 1/4 cup salsa.  I added garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin, and sprinkled the mixture liberally with Lawry's salt and pepper.  Then I mashed everything together with a fork.  I don't like my guacamole pureed into baby food, so I left it a little chunky.  When I tasted it, it needed a bit more flavor, so I added a touch more chili powder, salt, and pepper.  I like my guacamole to have a distinct citrus-y and onion-y flavor, so if you don't, cut back on the onions and the juice and just add them bit by bit to taste.