Pumpkin Sweet Potato Casserole

Every year we have "Friendsgiving" with people from church. Our church does food well; I'm talking heaven-quality. Seriously. Someone had brought this version of sweet potato casserole and I immediately sought out who made it in order to get the recipe. It's light, yet filling. It's sweet, but not too sweet. It's just right. I added my own touches to it like the pumpkin and cinnamon. The pumpkin can totally be omitted and you don't need to change anything else. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

5-6 medium sweet potatoes
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup canned pumpkin (optional)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 stick butter (4 TBSP)
1 cup chopped pecans

1. This first step can be done ahead of time; the day before or the morning of. Preheat oven to 400. Wash sweet potatoes and poke all over with a fork. Lay foil over a baking sheet (for easy clean up) and place sweet potatoes in oven for 1 hour or until soft. Allow to cool until you can handle them.

2. In a large bowl scoop out flesh of sweet potatoes. Add salt, cinnamon, pumpkin, egg and vanilla. Mix well with electric mixer. Grease a 9x13 pan. Transfer sweet potato mixture to 9x13.

3. In a medium bowl place flour and brown sugar. By 1 TBSP increments add butter. With a pastry cutter or a fork, mix all together to form a clumpy topping. Add pecans and mix well. Spoon this mixture on top of sweet potatoes. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes, until heated through.

Whole Roasted Chicken

 I made my first ever whole roasted chicken and it turned out beautifully! I made up my own recipe (yes this is an original) based on a few websites and a friend's recipe. I'm sure it would taste great with turkey if you aren't making stuffing. Don't forget about step #6 - making your own broth from all the hard work you put into your dinner. (It's actually not that much work, but people won't realize it!)

INGREDIENTS:
1 TBSP unsalted butter, room temp
1 lemon

Rub chicken with butter, add salt and pepper and lemon zest

salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 celery stalk cut into large slices
1/2 of an apple, diced
1-2 sprigs rosemary (optional)
3-4 cloves garlic
1 med. sweet potato, peeled and chopped
2 med. yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

1. Get out a roasting pan and preheat the oven to 475. Remove all the gross stuff from inside the chicken. Give that chicken a rinse under cool water. Place in the roasting pan.

2. Rub the chicken with butter. I just use my hand to rub it in. Don't melt the butter first, but it should be at room temp. After thoroughly washing your hands, zest a lemon over the chicken letting it fall where it may. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze some of the juice over the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and garlic powder.

3. Next work on what you will stuff the chicken with. Stuffing the chicken with herbs, apples, and celery help to keep it moist and add a wonderful flavor. So take the squeezed lemon halves, celery, rosemary, apple slices, and garlic and just shove it in the cavity of the chicken until it's all stuffed. Pour about 1-2 cups of water into the roasting pan.

4. Once the oven is preheated place on the bottom rack of the oven for 12 minutes. This helps to seal in the juices and moisture. Then reduce heat to 375 and bake. One website says to cook a chicken for 20 minutes for every pound. I cooked a 5.5lb chicken and cooked it for about an hour and 45 minutes. When there is about 45-50 minutes left of cook time add potatoes, making sure that there is still water at the bottom of the pan for the potatoes to cook in.

5. When a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees behind the thigh or when the juices run clear, it's done. Let it sit out in the pan or on a cutting board for 10 minutes to let the juices collect. Slice it up, scoop out the potatoes and serve! Your mom will be proud!

6. Save the carcass to make your own chicken broth. It's SO easy! Just add lots of water to the roasting pan with the carcass in the pan. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 1-2 hours. Throw out the carcass. Pour the broth over a strainer into a BPA free container, preferably glass. Seal and refrigerate. I read on Martha Stewart's website to leave the thick fat layer on top until you use it. It helps to seal in the flavor. She just knows everything! Use within 2-3 days or freeze.

Tomato-Cheddar Egg Strata with Broccoli

     This strata is perfect for a brunch, or even Christmas morning because you make it the night before. It doesn't take long to assemble either.


INGREDIENTS:
3/4 of a french baguette, cubed
1 handful grape tomatoes, quartered
1 cup broccoli, chopped small
8 eggs
3 cups milk
salt & pepper for tasting
4 oz ricotta cheese (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Grease a 9x13 with butter, but don't preheat oven because you are cooking it either the next day or in a few hours.
2. Place chopped bread in the bottom of 9x13 pan until the whole bottom is completely covered. Sprinkle tomatoes and broccoli and evenly distribute among the bread.
3. In a large bowl whisk eggs and milk. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over bread, tomato and broccoli, pressing down on the bread with a spoon so it is all soaked by the eggs. Using a large spoon, place dollops of ricotta cheese on top of mixture, about 6 or so dollops or as much as you like. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.
4. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Remove from fridge and let sit out, uncovered for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean. Let sit for 5 minutes; cut and serve.

NOTE: Bacon would make a wonderful addition to this strata, but then again, when isn't bacon welcome in the kitchen? Just cook it first and chop. (375 in the oven for about 12-15 minutes depending on how crispy you like it.)

Meatballs

Family Circle magazine is sending me free issues thanks to the dying market of flipping through pages. I came across a recipe for meatballs and was inspired to make them. They turned out really good! What I love about them is that they make a lot so you can set aside about two other portions in the freezer for a quick meal another night.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb package of ground beef
1 lb package of ground turkey
1 large egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
olive oil

1. Heat a large skillet on the stove top and pour in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Meanwhile in a large bowl combine all ingredients with your hand until well combined. Form into small balls, maybe golf ball size. Brown the meatballs in the skillet in batches, and heat until cooked through. Set aside and cook all the meatballs. Makes about 3-4 dozen.
2. Use what you need for dinner and freeze the rest in batches.

Cinnamon Banana Cake

What do you do with bananas that have turned brown? I prefer to eat them when they are pure yellow with a hint of green. So do the brown bananas just sit in your fruit bowl hoping to be eaten by someone? I have a great recipe for you so you don't have to waste produce just because it's over-ripe. And the best part is that it makes plenty for a brunch, or dessert for guests. Here's a banana bread recipe for those over-rippened bananas.

INGREDIENTS:

2 sticks butter, soft or room temp

3/4 cup sugar

2 very ripe bananas (the more brown the better)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 pint (2 cups) plain greek yogurt

FILLING:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 TBSP cinnamon

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 pan. In a large mixing bowl beat butter, sugar, bananas, eggs, and vanilla with an electric mixer until combined.

2. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt with a whisk. Blend well. Slowly add dry mixture to wet while beating on low with an electric mixer. Add in yogurt and mix well. Next make filling; in a small bowl combine brown sugar, cinnamon, chocolate chips and walnuts.

3. In a greased 9x13 layer batter and filling two times. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Chocolate Snack Cake with Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting

Are you looking for a moist, simple chocolate cake? Well I've got a cake for you! One great things is that there are NO EGGS in the entire recipe! This is my friend, Colleen's recipe and the frosting is from allrecipes.com. I am just simply passing on delishiousness from my kitchen to yours!

CAKE INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup cold water
1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350 and grease a bundt pan. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients; flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Whisk until well blended. Add oil, water, vinegar and vanilla. Whisk again until well blended. Pour into pan and bake for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
2. Let the cake sit for 10 minutes then turn out to cool.


SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 TBSP butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1-1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar

In a small sauce pan melt butter and chocolate chips; let cool. Blend in sour cream, vanilla and salt. By the 1/4 cup gradually add confectioners sugar whisking well after each 1/4 cup. Continue to add confectioners sugar by the 1/4 until you have the consistency of frosting; it will be no more than 1 1/4 cups. Frost the cake when it is well cooled.
Let sit on a covered cake stand on the counter or table for 2-3 days, then discard. Make sure you eat it and share with friends of course!

Avocado, corn and tomato salad

Simple and summery is what this is. This is a quick and easy side dish to any meal that tastes amazing freshly prepared.

INGREDIENTS:
3 corn cobbs, raw
1 heaping handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 avocados
3-4 scallions or green onions, diced
1 TBSP lime juice or 1 lime juiced
salt and pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 TBSP butter

1. In a medium bowl add quartered tomatoes, season with salt and let sit for 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile in a large skillet place butter. Stand the corn on end and cut the kernels off of the corn and into the pan. Over medium heat saute corn for 2 minutes. Add garlic, lime juice, and season with salt and pepper. Saute for another 2 minutes, but do not let the garlic brown. Take the pan off the burner and set aside.
2. Add scallions and corn to tomatoes and stir to mix well. Set aside. Just before serving add avocado and stir well. Waiting to add the avocado ensures it won't brown. This tastes great at room temperature.

Serves about 4 people.
Also feel free to add other things like cilantro and/or black beans to make it more hearty.

Tres Leches Cake

This cake will literally knock your socks off. It is SOOO good! Sometimes I read ingredients to recipes and think, ugh, just reading this is grossing me out. You may think that with this cake, but get past that and make it! It is worth making and eating at special occasions. You will begin to come with more and more special occasions in which you need to make this; I promise. I straight up stole my recipe off of Martha Stewart from Pinterest. I am claiming nothing amazing of my own. Here it goes...

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted and cooled butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12oz) can evaporated milk
1 cup whole milk

WHIPPED TOPPING (you will not regret making this from scratch)
2 cups (1 pint) heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Cut up seasonal fruit (1 peach and 1/2 a pint of blueberries was plenty)

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 pan. In a small pot melt butter on the stove top, allow to cool. Meanwhile in a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl use electric mixers to beat eggs and sugar. Beat on high for 4 minutes, until pale and thick. (Mine never got thick, but it was fine.) Add vanilla and beat. With mixers on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat to combine.

Alex helping to poke holes

3. With a rubber spatula fold in cooled butter until incorporated. Transfer to baking dish and bake 30-35 min until toothpick comes out clean. Rotate half way through (this has got to be a Martha thing, but I did it too.)
4. In a medium bowl whisk three milks (tres leches) until combined. Once cake is finished, immediately poke holes throughout with a wooden skewer. Pour the milk mixture over the cake and let cool for 1 hour.
5. To make the whipped topping, combine heavy cream, sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixers until thick, about 3-4 minutes. Spread on cooled cake and garnish with fresh fruit. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Graham Whipped Delight

This is the perfect summer dessert. It is so simple, doesn't have many ingredients and only takes minutes to whip up. It comes from my friend Kory, so thank her! Here's what you need.

INGREDIENTS:
1 box honey graham crackers
2 oz cream cheese, soft
1 pint heavy cream
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1.5 tsp vanilla
sliced fruit such as strawberries, blueberries and bananas

1. Line a 9x13 plan with a single layer of graham crackers. Set 1 cracker aside for the topping.

2. In a large mixing bowl whip the heavy cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Mix well until creamy.

3. Plop the cream cheese mixture onto the graham crackers and smooth over. Top with sliced fruit. Crumble the last graham cracker and sprinkle over top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Open-faced Eggplant Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:
1 eggplant
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup breadcrumbs (or more)
extra virgin olive oil
1 fresh loaf ciabatta bread
1 jar of pasta sauce or homemade sauce
mozzarella cheese for sprinkling on top

 1. Slice the eggplant. Scramble the egg in a medium bowl, add the milk. In a separate bowl place breadcrumbs. Sprinkle a bit of salt and mix it into the breadcrumbs. Heat a large skillet with oil. Add the eggplant and cook on one side until brown. Turn over, add more oil and brown the other side.

 2. Meanwhile slice the ciabatta bread in half and then into what ever size portions you would want to eat. (I did one large size and a small size. We never got to the smaller size.) Place on a cookie sheet.
3. You can either put sauce on the bread first if you like to taste a lot of sauce, or just put the eggplant straight on the bread once both sides are browned. So it goes bread, eggplant, sauce then top with cheese.

4. Set your broiler to low. Place in the oven on the top rack for 4-7 minutes or until cheese has melted. Keep checking it so it doesn't burn. Serve immediately.

Asian soup with pork

This is probably the only recipe on this blog (so far) that came straight out of my head. I was really craving a soup like this so I bought some ingredients. I checked out some website for recipes, but I didn't like most of the ingredients listed. It turned out so good I immediately went back and thought through everything I did so I could replicate it. Here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
1 bottle Kikkoman, Teriyaki garlic & green onion marinade (found at most grocery stores)
1 boneless pork roast (I bought this pre-packaged in the meat section)
1 TBSP canola or vegetable oil (instead of olive oil)
1/2 tsp celery salt
3 -4 carrots peeled and cut julian style
3 celery stalks, trimmed and diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 or 2 TBSP soy sauce
2, 32 oz boxes of chicken broth
1 bag bean thread noodles (a Chinese clear noodle, but you can use any noodle you wish. Try the international isle at the food store.)
4-5 scallions or green onions, diced

1. Preheat oven to 400. Heat a skillet and pour a little bit of the Teriyaki sauce in the pan. Add the pork roast. Cook for 5 minutes on each side, you only want to brown it in the sauce. Place the pork in an oven-safe dish and pour about 1/2-3/4 cup Teriyaki sauce over the roast. Cook for 45 minutes in the oven or until no longer pink in the middle.

2. Meanwhile, heat a stock pot with canola oil. Add celery, carrots and celery salt. Cook about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add soy sauce and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Once boiled add noodles and cook for about 10 minutes or until tender.

Bean thread noodles

3. Once the meat is cooked let it sit for at least 5 minutes to let the juices collect. I promise this is worth it. Slice the meat into thin strips. Ladle the soup into bowls. Place the pork on top of the soup and garnish with green onions.

NOTE: Cilantro would be a great addition to this soup if you like the flavor. You can add it to the broth in the last few minutes of cooking the noodles of just place it as a garnish on top of the soup.

Sausage, potatoes and vegetable casserole

Here's to another Pinterest find! I really love Pinterest for so many of my cooking, decorating and gardening tips. So this recipe comes from a woman's blog called, Kayotic Kitchen. I've made this twice in the past month and it's delicious! Here's what you need.

INGREDIENTS:
4 Italian sausages (1 package will do)
8 small yucon gold potatoes
1 red pepper sliced
4-5 carrots, peeled and sliced lengthwise
1 small onion sliced thick
1 garlic clove
2 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken broth
cracked black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450. Peel and quarter potatoes. Peel and slice the carrots. Slice the red pepper and cut slices in half. Cut the onion into large slices. Place all of these in a 9x13 pan. Combine garlic clove (pressed), olive oil, lemon juice, chicken broth in a small bowl. Mix well and drizzle over vegetables. Crack black pepper over vegetables. Cover with foil and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile fill a large skillet 1/3 full of water. Place sausages in water and bring to a boil. Keep the water at a slow boil for 8-10 minutes, then turn sausages over. Cook an additional 8 minutes. Remove from pan and slice into 1in pieces.
3. After the potatoes and vegetables have cooked for 30 minutes add sausages, stir well and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender and sausages are fully cooked (no longer pink in the middle.)

Iced Tea

I grew up on iced tea - home made that is. It was a summer staple in our house. I love a tall glass on iced tea on a hot summer day. My favorite is to toss a sprig of peppermint into my glass and pour the iced tea over. That way the mint isn't too strong, but just right for my taste.

INGREDIENTS:
8 tea bags (I use 4 black and 4 green tea)
1 gallon cold tap water
1/2 - 3/4 cups sugar
1 or 2 TBSP lemon juice

1. In a large stock pot bring water to a rolling boil, turn off heat. Add tea bags and let steep for 12 minutes. Pull out tea bags and toss them in the trash. Add sugar while still hot and stir well. Add lemon juice and stir well. Pour tea into a large pitcher and store in the fridge. Serve as needed.

NOTE: There is no need to buy those tea bags that say they are for iced tea. That seems like such a gimic to me. I buy Lipton or Harris brand tea bags. You can buy decaffinated if you like, most times I do. Buy the really big box of tea to save money. At our house I make iced tea about once a week, sometimes more in the summer.

Beet Pancakes

Due to watching a documentary, Hungry For Change, I am implementing even more fruits and veggies and less sugar into what we eat. I don't want my kids to grow up with diabetes or other health problems because of the food choices I make at the grocery store or out and about. 

In the February 2013 issue of Parenting Magazine they had a new column featuring Catherine McCord who's goal is to give her kids the desire to eat healthy foods. I spotted these beet pancakes and loved the color. I gave it a try, letting the kids join me in the process and using our senses to explore beets. We had a blast!!!

Once we roasted the beets and they cooled a bit, I let the kids explore this new food with me. We played with the beautiful bright color the beets bled into the foil. We dipped our fingers in it, tasted the juice and Lilia let me "paint" her face. (It came off just fine.) Because the kids helped me with most of the process, even making the pancakes and watching them turn such a beautiful color, they were so excited to eat them! You just got your kids to each an incredibly healthy veggie! 

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup white flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3 TBSP brown sugar

1 TBSP baking powder

1/2 salt

3 TBSP melted butter

3/4 cup pureed beets

1 1/4 cup milk

1/3 plain greek yogurt

1 egg (I didn't have plain greek yogurt so I used 2 eggs instead)

1 tsp vanilla

1. How To Roast & Puree Beets:

Preheat the oven to 400. Cut the beets off close to the end of the stem. Discard the leafy part or use it for another use. Wash the beets well with water, scrubbing them with your hands. Wrap each beet, still in it's skin, in foil and place on a baking sheet. (They don't have to be dried off.) Bake for 48-55 minutes or until a knife cuts through easily. 

Allow to cool enough to handle them. The beets will stain your hands, but it comes off with a good washing. Peel the skin off with your hand and or a knife. Slice them down. Puree them until smooth. Set aside in a bowl.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well. Add all of the wet ingredients and mix well again. The batter will become the most beautiful color fuschia!

3. Cook on a griddle about 3 minutes on each side. Serve with honey, syrup or raspberry sauce.

The Dirty Dozen & Clean Fifteen

These are the fruits and vegetables in which you should either buy organic, hence The Dirty Dozen or The Clean Fifteen, which you can buy conventional.

The reason for The Dirty Dozen is because these fruits and vegetables listed have the most pesticide residue in them. 

Check the web...I'm not making this stuff up.

Spinach and Quinoa Salad

Spring is around the corner. My body is craving vitamin D in the way of sunlight as well as healthy light, yet filling foods. I recently was adventurous enough to start cooking with Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wa). It't not terribly intimidating, I just didn't know what to do with it. Well we ordered dinner out one night from Sweet Green, a salad place and I had quinoa in my salad. Since then I've been toying with my own variations and I love it! Here are some ideas you could try.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup cooked quinoa (use only 4-5 TBSP on your salad)

2-3 handfuls organic spinach (see the dirty dozen)
sugar snap peas, cut into thirds
dried cranberries
shredded carrots
raw or cooked green beans (slightly cooled)
raw or cooked broccoli (slightly cooled)
2 TSBP black beans
3-4 slices of cheese diced
1 celery stalk sliced
avocado slices
a handful or your favorite nut

DRESSING:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TBSP lemon juice
2-3 dashes of Mediterranean Spiced Sea Salt (contains garlic powder, oregano, basil, etc)

1. The basic ingredients to start with are spinach or lettuce of some kind and some quinoa. The rest of the quinoa you don't use store in the fridge for another day's salad. So really layer any of your favorite salad toppers and as much as you want. Nuts are the good fats so don't skimp on them. Everything else is so healthy and pack with much needed vitamins and nutrients so pile it on!
2. For the dressing; place all three ingredients in a seal-tight small container and shake well. Drizzle on your salad as you see fit. Save the rest for later by storing it in the fridge. Remember that olive oil is the good fats too so it's ok to eat!

Crock Pot Carolina Pulled Pork

INGREDIENTS:
2 onions
2 TBSP brown sugar
1 TBSP smoked paprika
2 tsp salt
1 (4-6lb) pork butt or shoulder roast
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Place onions in crock pot.
2. Blend brown sugar, paprika and salt; rub over roast. Place the roast in the crock pot.
3. Combine both vinegars, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, sugar, mustard, garlic and cayenne in a small bowl and stir to mix well. Drizzle about 1/2 of mixture over the roast. Refrigerate the remaining sauce.
4. Cook roast on low for 8-10 hours. Remove meat and onions and place in a large serving bowl. Add the juices from the crock pot and those that were refrigerated. Serve plain or as sandwiches.


NOTE: I discovered this recipe from a friend. It's so unbelievably, melt-in-your-mouth tasty! The original recipe is from Kate Wheeler on savour-fare.com. As usual I have made some adaptations to make it my own.

Vegetable and Bean Soup

The following recipe is adapted from Jamie Oliver's "Spring Vegetable and Bean Soup." Here goes my version...

INGREDIENTS:
3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2, 32oz packages chicken broth
2 cups cauliflower, chopped
2 cups broccoli, chopped
1, 15 oz can chick peas or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Handful of spaghetti noodles broken into thirds
4 stalks of kale, the leafy green part broken off of the stem (optional)
1 1/2 TBSP lemon juice
sea salt & pepper to taste

1. In a large stock pot saute carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in 2 TBSP olive oil. Season with salt & pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until onion and celery are tender. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Once boiled add cauliflower, broccoli and beans. Add broken spaghetti and lemon juice. Season again with salt & pepper. Bring to a second boil, then simmer covered for 10-12 minutes.  If you are using kale, throw that in after the 10-12 minutes and cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until kale is wilted.
2. The soup is finished, it's time to eat!

Corn Pudding Souffle

This dish is a Thanksgiving tradition for our family. It's my mother-in-law's recipe. I look forward to it just as much as the turkey. Thankfully we get to have it again at Christmas! Here it is:

INGREDIENTS:
2 eggs
1 1/2, 8 oz packages corn muffin mix
2, 14 oz cans kernel corn, drained
2, 14 oz cans cream style corn
1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup grated cheddar or swiss cheese


1. Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl combine eggs, corn muffin mix, corn, cream style corn, sour cream and melted butter. Mix well. Spoon into a large, deep baking dish and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake for 10 minutes more or until a knife comes out clean. Serve immediately.

Serves 10-12