“I think preparing food and feeding people brings nourishment not only to our bodies but to our spirits. Feeding people is a way of loving them, in the same way that feeding ourselves is a way of honoring our own createdness and fragility.”-Shauna Niequist
In this month of Thanksgiving, we gather with the ones we love and celebrate thanks around the table. Over the years, I’ve collected recipes from magazines, blogs, friends, family members and I treasure them. I wanted to share a few of my favorites with you.
Pumpkin Crumble
Ingredients: 1 box yellow or white cake mix
1-2 sticks butter
1 (16 oz) can pumpkin
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1//4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 C chopped pecans
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon additional cinnamon for topping
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 2 cups of cake mix in a bowl. Cut in 3 Tablespoons of chilled butter.
Crumble butter until it’s in small pieces. Place mixture in a 9 x13 baking dish and press flat.
Mix pumpkin, eggs, sweetened condensed milk and spices until smooth.
Pour onto cake mixture in pan.
Add the additional cake mix and extra cinnamon.
Sprinkle on top. Pour/drizzle butter on top and pecans (optional)
Bake for 40 minutes
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pecans
Ingredients: 2 lbs. brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
Directions: Heat oven to 400 degrees. On large rimmed baking sheet, toss sprouts, pecans, oil, garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Turn the brussel sprouts cut-side down.
Roast until golden and tender, 20-25 minutes
Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
Ingredients: 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 (8 oz) block white cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup toasted pecan pieces
Directions: In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and grated cheddar cheese with electric mixer until incorporated.
Stir in garlic powder, cranberries and pecans.
Using your hands, shape the mixture into a ball. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until time to serve.
The Picnic Cafe Tea Punch
Ingredients: 8 cups water
1 family-size tea bag or 4 standard-size tea bags
1 cinnamon stick
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
Ice cubes
8 lemon slices
8 fresh mint sprigs
Directions:
Bring four cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add tea bag(s) and cinnamon stick to water. Let stand five minutes. Remove tea bag. Add sugar and stir to dissolve. Stir in orange juice and lemonade concentrates. Pour tea mixture into pitcher. Add remaining four cups water and stir well. Chill until cold, about four hours. Discard cinnamon stick.
Fill eight glasses with ice. Pour tea punch over. Garnish each glass with one lemon slice and one mint sprig and serve.
Leave your favorite recipe in the comments below or share on my Instagram page. Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!
See more of Sweeney Cottage from my previous article here