If you’re not a big fancy Christmas cookie maker, than these might be your rescue! And the kids can help! Just use your imagination and they’ll all still look cute!
1 package (16 ounces) Nutter Butter cookies
1-1/4 pounds white candy coating, melted
Miniature chocolate chips
M&M’s minis
Pretzel sticks, halved
Decorating gel or frosting
Using tongs, dip cookies in candy coating; allow excess to drip off. Place on parchment paper. Place two chocolate chips on each cookie for eyes. Place M&M’s minis down middle for buttons and orange gel for the nose and red gel for the mouth.
For arms, dip ends of two pretzel stick halves into coating; attach one to each side of snowmen. Let stand until set. Pipe mouth and scarf with gel or frosting.
I feel so weird sharing this recipe for my Cookin With Brook segment, since it’s not ACTUALLY mine (although I did make a couple tweaks)! But Tommy’s wife Patty said it’s totally legal and this is Tommy’s favorite dish at Thanksgiving! It’s super easy and delicious!
5 lbs of sweet potatoes peeled and diced (I actually found that you can get them already peeled and diced to save some work!)
½ cup of melted butter
1½ cups mini marshmallows
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
¼ cup maple syrup
1/8 cup orange juice
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
In lightly sugared water, boil sweet potatoes 15 minutes or until very tender. Drain and add butter and brown sugar. Whip with an electric mixer until incorporated. Add remaining ingredients and continue to blend until smooth. Transfer to a lightly buttered 2 qt casserole dish. Cover with pecans and refrigerate overnight. Place in a 350 oven for 35-40 minutes or until heated through.
PECAN TOPPING
1 cup pecan pieces
½ stick butter
¼ cup brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
Melt butter in a sauce pan. When melted add pecans and stir for 2 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat an let cool slightly. Add brown sugar and toss to coat pecans.
Saw this recipe on Pinterest and made it IMMEDIATELY! Now…you must know from the title and the picture, these are NOT a low-fat veggie option. BUT…if you want a really tasty, gourmet-looking side dish. Cook these instead of the old green bean casserole for Thanksgiving! YUM!
And bonus…it is a way to get the pickiest of eaters to eat their green beans!
1 pound fresh green beans
5-6 slices bacon, cut in half
2 tablespoons butter
1 T brown sugar
1 T garlic powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Place a cooling rack on a large cookie sheet (or use a broiler pan like me).
Wash and dry green beans. Snap off the ends. Grab a small handful of beans (anywhere from 5-10 green beans) and lay them on a half-strip of bacon. Roll the bacon up and around the green bean bundle and place it in the pan, seam side down. Repeat with remaining green beans.
Melt the butter in a sauce pan on the stove. Add the brown sugar and garlic powder and mix together until well combined. Remove from the heat and brush over the tops of the green bean bundles. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cover with foil and roast for 35 minutes. Remove foil and roast for another 10-15 minutes or until the bacon gets nice and crisp. Enjoy!
I LOVE having another oven when that Thanksgiving kitchen gets busy. I use my ADVANTIUM Oven from Gerrit’s Appliance! It’s the perfect size and I LOVE that I can microwave AND bake in it! Check them out here!
I saw an idea on Pinterest for a way to have Nachos in one big casserole and I thought I’d give it my own twist and try it out on my family. WOW! It was delicious. You can make your own, too. And get this! It can feed your family for about $10!
1 (12 oz) bag tortilla chips
½ cup melted butter
1 pound lean ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded pepper-jack cheese
1 jar (16 oz) picante sauce
(optional)
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
chopped jalapenos
green chilies
chopped tomatoes
Heat oven to 375 degrees
Put tortilla chips in a blender and pulse into fine crumbs
Melt butter and mix in chip crumbs
Press into the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking dish.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside.
Cook taco meat per seasoning packet directions.
Add picante sauce.
Mix the two cheeses together.
Stir ½ into the meat mixture.
(this is where you would stir in any other nacho favorites like olives or jalapenos or whatever)
Scrape entire mixture into the prepared crust.
Sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the top.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is melty and golden
I used my ADVANTIUM Oven from Gerrit’s Appliance! It’s the perfect size and I LOVE that I can microwave AND bake in it! Check them out here!
My nephew’s wife brought this to our girls’ weekend and it was a BIG hit. I actually made a “skinny” version and I think it’s just as good. It literally takes 5 minutes to make, so add it to your fall gatherings now!
1 cup Pumpkin puree
1 tsp Pumpkin spice
1 tsp Cinnamon
½ tsp Ground Cloves
1 (3½ oz) box Vanilla instant pudding, sugar-free fat free
8 oz Cool whip free
Low fat honey graham crackers to dip
Mix pumpkin with spices.
Stir in dry pudding mix.
Fold in whip cream.
Chill and serve with graham crackers
This recipe is easy and makes MANY MANY MANY! Perfect for teacher gifts or hard-to-buy for friends on your list.
1 bar German Chocolate cooking chocolate
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
48 oz almond bark
(OR 24 oz almond bark and 24 oz milk chocolate bark)
1 16 oz dry roasted unsalted peanuts
1 16 oz dry roasted salted peanuts
Place all ingredients in Crock-Pot. Cook on low for 1.5 hours or warm for 3 hours. DO NOT TOUCH. Turn Crock-Pot off and let it sit for 20 minutes. Cover counter top or table with waxed or parchment paper. Stir mixture completely. Drop by spoonfuls onto paper or into small paper muffin papers. Let harden and store in airtight container. Give away and save some or your family to enjoy. (they also freeze very well to give away later!)
