This week marks the start of the holiday season. Whether or not you're hosting, one the biggest concerns is what food to contribute to the celebrations. If you're scrambling to find the perfect dish to bring for Thanksgiving, let us help you out. Here are some delicious options the Kat Krew is making this year. Warning - chance of food coma just from reading below!
Sweet Potato Casserole
Submitted by: Jamie Brittain, Controller
Ingredients:
- 3 cups sweet potatoes, baked and smashed
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- Dash of salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 stick butter, melted
Topping
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 stick butter
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
Beat the first seven ingredients until smooth. Pour into greased 9x13 casserole dish. Mix topping ingredients with a pastry blender until crumbly. Sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Best Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Submitted by: Jessica Morin, Business Development Manager
Ingredients:
- 1 12-oz. bag fresh cranberries (approx. 3 cups)
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/3 cup raw honey, plus more as needed
- 1 tbsp freshly grated orange zest
Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. As the cranberries cook, they will start to pop. Let cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15-20 minutes until you no longer hear the cranberries popping and it appears the sauce is thickening. Allow to cool and then refrigerate until cool. As the sauce cools, it will thicken more and more. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, add more honey to taste, as this recipe makes a slightly tart cranberry sauce.
Stuffing
Submitted by: Samantha Damico, PR Specialist
Ingredients:
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 4 stalks celery, finely diced
- 1 stick of butter
- 1 bag of stuffing
- 2-3 cans of chicken broth
- Bells seasoning or poultry seasoning
- Salt & Pepper
Directions:
In a large pan, melt butter and add onions and celery until onions are transparent. Add salt, pepper, and bells seasoning (at least 1 package). Add bag of stuffing, turn flame on low, and mix thoroughly. Add chicken broth a little at a time until stuffing is soft, but not soggy. Add more seasoning, salt, pepper, as needed. Put in an oven proof dish and bake until hot in a 350 degree oven.
Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
Submitted by: Lauren Wedemyer, Client Relations Manager
Ingredients:
- 4 (15 1/2 ounce) cans green beans, french sliced
- 2 (10 1/2 ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (6 ounce) can fried onions (Durkee's)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions:
Mix drained green beans and mushroom soup together in a bowl. Add 1/2 can of Fried Onions and mix in well. Place mixture into a 2 qt casserole dish, cover and place into a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes (or until mixture is bubbling). Remove cover and top casserole with remainder of Fried Onions and the shredded cheese (use more or less to taste). Return to oven for another 15-20 minutes until cheese is browned nicely.
Brown Sugar Pecan Pumpkin Cheesecake*
Submitted by: Katie Tocci, Support Contract Manager
Ingredients:
Crust
- 2 cups crushed cinnamon graham crackers
- ½ cup melted butter
Filling
- 3 8 oz packages of cream cheese
- 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 ¼ cups of sugar
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 tablespoons of flower
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- ½ cup of chopped pecans
- ½ stick of butter
- ½ cup of flour
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
For the crust, combine the crushed graham crackers with melted butter and press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.
For the filling, beat the cream cheese until creamy. Add pumpkin, eggs, sour cream, sugar and spices. Beat until combined. Then add the flour and vanilla and beat. Pour the filling over the crust and place the spring form pan onto a foil wrapped cookie sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine ingredients for the topping. Add the brown sugar, flour and pecans. Cut in the half stick of butter with a knife. After the cake has cooked for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and sprinkle the topping on. Return to the oven and cook for 45 more minutes.
Remove the cheesecake and allow to cool. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least four hours before serving.
*Always a crowd favorite at our Holiday Potluck in the office!
Bourbon Pecan Pie
Submitted by: Sierra Winston, Client Relations Manager
Ingredients:
Crust
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons butter, chilled
- 1/4 cup water, iced
Directions:
Place flour and salt in a food processor and pulse. Add butter and pulse until the butter is the size of small peas. Stream in water and pulse until it is barely combined; making sure it is not overmixed. Wrap dough in plastic and rest for a couple of hours in the refrigerator before rolling out the dough.
Pecan Filling
- 2 3/4 cup pecan halves
- 8 egg yolks
- 2/3 cup dark corn syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2tablespoons bourbon
- 1/2 orange, zested
Directions:
In a pan, combine yolks, syrup, brown sugar, butter, cream and salt. Cook over low heat until 160F, which should take around 7-10 minutes, stirring the entire time. Strain into a bowl, and stir in vanilla extract, bourbon and orange zest. Add the pecan halves. Pour into already baked pie shell. Bake at 350 for around 25-30 minutes, or until done. Cool completely before unmolding.
Pumpkin Pie
Submitted by: Jamie Brittain, Controller
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked pumpkin
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 1/2 stick butter
Directions:
- Pour ingredients above, in order, into blender. Blend for a few seconds until smooth. Pour into baked pie crust. Spread evenly. Put on baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 10 min .Then, reduce to 300 degrees for 30-40 min.
Easy Mini Apple Pies
Submitted by: Katie Tocci, Support Contract Manager
Ingredients:
- 1 can of biscuits
- 1 can apple pie filling
Streusel Topping:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup flour
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Directions:
Use whatever biscuits you like, but if they’re thick you should cut them in half so they won’t be so large that they push the filling out when they bake.
Pat the biscuits down in the muffin pan and up the sides as much as you can so it will hold in the filling.
Put a large spoonful of apple pie filling in each one.
Mix ingredients for streusel topping, and sprinkle on each little pie.
Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees, and they’re done!