Tag: #EasyandQuick

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48 Thanksgiving Cookie Recipes to Make All Season

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Pie often takes center stage when it comes to Thanksgiving desserts, but Thanksgiving cookie recipes deserve just as much attention. These bite-sized treats are perfect for dunking into a hot cup of coffee after the big meal or during the day while the turkey roasts. From spiced pumpkin and maple-flavored cookies to doughs filled with cranberry, pecan and chocolate, these autumn cookie ideas are whimsical, comforting and a welcome change of pace after a feast.

Our holiday cookie recipes range from soft and chewy classics to crispy creations, flavored with everything from fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom, to apple and caramel. They are rich in flavor and ideal for gatherings big and small. Many can be made ahead and stored in airtight containers, so they stay fresh for days.

For extra holiday charm, these fall cookie recipes can be decorated with playful touches (one even looks like a turkey) and seasonal colors, making them perfect for pretty dessert trays and gift baskets. Pair them with French hot chocolate or hot apple cider throughout the season for a cozy treat. A few cookies next to the best Thanksgiving pies will create a memorable dessert spread.

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Sausage Cheese Puffs

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

If you’ve ever wanted an excuse to eat sausage and cheese in one bite-sized, delicious puff of glory, this is it. These sausage cheese puffs are like the love child of your favorite breakfast sandwich and that cheesy biscuit you can’t resist at restaurants. They’re crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and packed with savory sausage and sharp cheddar. Plus, they’re the perfect finger food, which means less time with a fork and more time savoring every bite.

Sausage Puffs Ingredients

  • Bulk Italian sausage: Sausage adds savory flavor and richness while providing fat that helps bind the mixture together.
  • Biscuit/baking mix: This mix provides structure, allowing the puffs to rise and hold their shape. If you’re out, try this recipe for homemade biscuit baking mix.
  • Shredded cheddar cheese: Cheddar brings a sharp and tangy flavor and contributes to the gooey texture of the puffs.
  • Water: Water hydrates the biscuit mix, making the dough workable and ensuring the ingredients bind together properly.

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Pecan Pie Brownies

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

For many chocolate lovers, there’s no better dessert than a batch of homemade brownies. But this twist on the classic may just change minds! This recipe dresses up chewy brownies with an unexpected topping: gooey pecans.

This pecan pie brownies recipe starts with chocolaty brownies as the base and has a sweet brown sugar pecan pie topping. It’s everything you love about a classic pecan pie paired with the ultimate brownie base layer. Try a batch for Thanksgiving or a holiday dessert exchange. Everyone in the group is guaranteed to ask for seconds.

Ingredients for Pecan Pie Brownies

Ingredients For Pecan Pie Brownies Molly Allen For Toh
Molly Allen For Taste Of Home
  • Sugar: We use granulated sugar to sweeten the brownies, and brown sugar sweetens and helps caramelize the pecan topping. Feel free to use all granulated sugar or all brown sugar for both measurements if desired.
  • All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour imparts the perfect soft and tender brownie texture.
  • Baking cocoa: Choose natural, unsweetened cocoa such as Hershey’s Cocoa or Nestle Cocoa.
  • Baking powder: We use just a bit of baking powder to get the brownies to rise nice and tall.
  • Canola oil: Oil enriches the brownies so they’re moist and tender. You can use melted butter as a substitute if you prefer.
  • Eggs: You’ll need five eggs total for this pecan pie brownies recipe: two for the pecan pie topping and three for the brownie base.
  • Light corn syrup: This pecan pie brownies recipe uses corn syrup in both the brownie base and the topping. The syrup adds chewiness to the brownies while helping make the ideal gooey pecan topping.
  • Vanilla extract: I always like to invest in one of the best vanilla extracts. You could use vanilla paste for a more intense vanilla flavor, but never use imitation vanilla.
  • Pecan pie topping: The pecan pie topping is the star of the show for this decadent dessert. You can choose to buy whole pecans and roughly chop them yourself, or purchase a package of chopped pecans.

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Turnip Bake

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Our turnip bake—also known as a turnip puff—turns a sturdy root into something unexpectedly plush. Cubed turnips are simmered until tender, then mashed with butter, eggs, a touch of brown sugar and seasonings. Baking powder lifts the mixture just enough so it feels airy around the edges while having a custard-like center. On top, buttered dry bread crumbs turn golden and crisp, adding toasty crunch over the soft, savory interior.

This veggie bake is perfect when you want a side that plays well with meat loaf or roasted chicken but doesn’t fade into the background. The veggie side dish is earthy and slightly sweet, and the contrast between the creamy base and the crackly crumb topping gives every bite texture.

Turnip Bake Ingredients

Overhead shot of a wooden surface with raw ingredients
ELLIE CROWLEY FOR TASTE OF HOME
  • Turnips: The turnips provide the base and creamy texture once cooked and mashed. Their natural moisture also keeps the casserole tender.
  • Butter: Butter enriches the puree for a plush, satisfying texture. It also toasts the bread crumbs on top, promoting even browning and a crisp finish.
  • Eggs: Eggs bind the mashed turnips and dry ingredients into a cohesive batter. The eggs help the batter set into a custardy structure in the oven, giving the bake sliceable lift.
  • All-purpose flour: Flour adds body so the mixture isn’t watery. It forms a framework with the eggs that helps the casserole hold its shape.
  • Brown sugar: A touch of brown sugar rounds out the turnips’ slight bitterness. The molasses notes also deepen flavor and aid browning.
  • Baking powder: Baking powder lifts the batter so the vegetable base isn’t dense. This leavening creates a soft, souffle-like texture.
  • Salt and pepper: Salt sharpens the natural flavors of the turnips and the dairy, while the black pepper brings gentle heat and aromatic bite.
  • Nutmeg: Ground nutmeg adds warm, fragrant complexity that pairs well with root vegetables.
  • Dry bread crumbs: Bread crumbs create a crunchy, golden topping that contrasts with the creamy interior. Feel free to use store-bought, Panko or homemade seasoned bread crumbs.

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17 Freezer-Friendly Thanksgiving Dishes You Can Make Right Now

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Stock Your Freezer Before Thanksgiving

Maybe you have that big work conference right before Thanksgiving, or a million homemade costumes to make for the school play. Whether you’re hosting or bringing a dish to pass, we’ve got you covered. These dishes can be made right now (from Thanksgiving sides to desserts) and go into your freezer for a later date. We’ll tell you how to get them ready when Turkey Day rolls around, so that homemade is within reach even if you’re short on time. No need to thank us on the national day of gratitude — the satisfaction that we’ll be helping you eat well is thanks enough.

We love this genius make-ahead. Though you could just assemble the casserole and bake day-of, you can also wrap that casserole, freeze it, and forget about it until an hour before go-time. Then, just unwrap and bake right from the freezer. A last-minute topping of fried onions will give it that essential little something extra.

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41 Healthy Brunch Recipes for Happy Mornings

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Just because you’re indulging in a mid-morning celebration doesn’t mean it has to slow you down all day. These healthy brunch recipes keep it light and lovely for the weekend’s happiest get-together.

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45 Apple Desserts for a Cozy Fall Season

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Shifting into autumn promises the return of our coveted fall desserts, and with the season’s prized fruit, apple desserts are the most anticipated. Their versatility is overwhelming, and toting home a bag of apples is giddying—what do you make?

We’ve rounded up our best apple desserts to help you decide. Want something classic? Our best apple pie, sugar-coated apple cider doughnuts and truly German apple strudel are textbook fall desserts. Looking for something a little more modern? That’ll be our caramel apple cheesecake, apple pear cake with cream cheese frosting or multi-layered apple crumb bars. How about something easy? Our apple cake, apple cobbler and apple crisp all have the word easy in their titles.

Our list includes all these recipes and so much more. As always, serve your apple dessert with vanilla ice cream, homemade whipped cream or salted caramel sauce. And if you’re an avid baker, I totally recommend playing around with other types of cinnamon, like Ceylon or Saigon, for more nuanced flavors.

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Apple Cranberry Slab Pie

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

I like to think of apple cranberry slab pie as the winter version of a summery mixed berry pie. It’s filled with four different fruits—apples, cranberries, raspberries, and the zest and juice of oranges—that are baked with sweet cinnamon and cozy nutmeg. The filling is fully encased between two flaky pie crusts with an easy, faux lattice topping so we can peek at the cranberry-colored fruits inside. The slab pie serves 15, so it can be a strong contender for anyone who attends a big Thanksgiving or holiday party every year.

Ingredients for Apple Cranberry Slab Pie

  • Pie crust dough: To make pie crust dough from scratch, take out a large bowl and whisk together 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon sugar and 2 teaspoons salt. Cut in 1-3/4 cups shortening until the mixture is crumbly. In a small bowl, whisk together a large egg, 1 tablespoon white vinegar and 1/2 cup ice water. Gradually add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, tossing it with a fork until the dough holds together when pressed.
  • Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the pie filling. Light brown sugar, which imparts a caramel-like flavor, could also deepen the sweetness a bit.
  • All-purpose flour: The fruits will expel a lot of liquid as they bake. Adding all-purpose flour to the filling thickens that liquid, turning it into a sort of glossy sauce. Don’t skip the flour or the pie filling will be a pool of liquid!
  • Apples: Tart, firm apples, like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith, are best for a pie filling. Always peel the apples first, then core and slice them.
  • Raspberries: Use fresh or frozen raspberries here. If using frozen, thaw the raspberries completely, then strain the excess liquid.
  • Cranberries: You can normally find fresh cranberries during late fall and throughout the winter season. Grocery stores will stock them in the refrigerated produce section, but you could also use frozen. If using frozen, thaw the cranberries completely and drain the excess liquid.
  • Oranges: Orange zest and juice brighten the pie’s flavor. You’ll need about two oranges to get 1/2 cup of fresh orange juice, although you can use orange juice from the store.
  • Spices: Nutmeg and cinnamon add to this pie’s cozy, wintery flavor. Grate your nutmeg fresh for the boldest taste, and invest in other types of cinnamon for more nuanced flavors.
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75 Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers to Enjoy Before the Feast

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

The kitchen is busier than ever on Thanksgiving, between pies cooling on the counter, sides rotating in and out of the oven and the turkey roasting to golden perfection. Having a spread of easy Thanksgiving appetizers helps slow the pace of the day, giving guests something to nibble before the feast. Rather than adding more stress, these recipes offer simple and quick ideas of what to serve, including many make-ahead dishes, so everyone is satisfied and the kitchen stays calm.

Whether you prefer cold appetizers, like pinwheels and veggie dips, or hot appetizers, like stuffed mushrooms and baked Brie, this collection has a recipe for every need. There are classics, like deviled eggs and bacon-wrapped shrimp, and new ideas if you want to branch out, such as cheese and crab-stuffed puff pastry bites.

If you want to make one large appetizer rather than a few smaller ones, try one of these charcuterie board ideas loaded with nuts, cheese, pickles, sliced meats, crackers or bread. It’s colorful and can be assembled in advance, so all you need to do when guests arrive is set it out, offer them a Thanksgiving cocktail and enjoy the holiday.

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Aperol Spritz Cranberry Sauce

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Aperol spritz is the trendy summer sipper. As with any trend, variations abound, eventually leading to the holiday Aperol spritz that’s spruced up with cranberry sauce to bring the drink into the colder months. But what if, instead of cranberries elevating an Aperol spritz, the Italian apertif made the quintessential holiday cranberry sauce a little more sophisticated?

Aperol’s notes of orange, vanilla and floral herbs lend themselves well to cranberry sauce, which is already loaded with orange juice and zest. The pairing makes sense, and this Aperol spritz cranberry sauce is living proof. Even if your family isn’t normally a from-scratch cranberry sauce group, this elevated version will change minds. It’s a great make-ahead dish that takes only 25 minutes, start to finish, but creates an upgraded feel on Thanksgiving.

Ingredients for Aperol Spritz Cranberry Sauce

  • Cranberries: You can use fresh or frozen cranberries for this recipe. If using frozen, thaw the cranberries first and drain the excess liquid.
  • Orange juice: Orange juice’s sweet, tangy flavor makes it the perfect liquid to help break down the cranberries and plump up the dried cranberries.
  • Dried cranberries: Dried cranberries add a bit more texture and sweetness.
  • Sugar: Cranberries are very tart, so we need a good bit of sugar to balance out the flavors.
  • Aperol: Aperol is an Italian bitter aperitif with a clear orange hue and notes of orange, vanilla and fresh herbs. It’s the star component in an Aperol spritz.
  • Orange zest: Fresh orange zest punches up the orange flavor. Zest the orange in the same way you’d zest a lemon: Grate only the colorful outer skin without grating the bitter white pith underneath.

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