Chocolate Frosting

My oldest son turned 22 last Saturday and he requested yellow cake with chocolate frosting. I'm always on the lookout for frosting recipes, and when my neighbor recommended this one I knew I needed to try it. All I can say is YUMMMMM!! It's super easy and really chocolaty; you've got to give this a try! 

Ingredients

• 2 cups butter (no substitutes), softened
• 9 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 1/2 cups baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Add enough milk until frosting reaches spreading consistency. This recipe makes way more than you need for a 2 layer cake, but I'd rather have too much than too little. I froze the remainder of the frosting for future use.

Enjoy!

Carrot and Turnip Mash

Every family has that one special recipe that's become a tradition at Thanksgiving, this one belongs to my husband's side. When I first married into the family I was reluctant to try this side dish, I'd never had turnips before and cooked carrots weren't my favorite. But once I tried this delicious dish I quickly became hooked. The sweetness of the carrots mixed with the starchy turnips are just too good to pass up. It's a super quick and easy recipe to make.

Ingredients


4 Large Turnips, peeled and quartered
10 Large Carrots, peeled and cut
1 stick Butter
1/2-1 c Half and Half
Salt to taste

Bring peeled and cut up carrots and turnips to a boil (add some salt to water), let simmer for 20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain water and add butter and 1/2 c half and half, you can add more half and half if you'd like it creamer. ( Pretend you're making mashed potatoes) Using a hand or stand mixer mix carrots and turnips until combined, but not smooth. You don't want them as smooth as mashed potatoes, I find that texture is too much like baby food.

Ingredients

Cover with water and add salt, bring to a boil

Butter

So good!

Enjoy!

Oreo Turkey Place Holders

Last year I made these cute place holders for Thanksgiving, and let me tell you they were a HUGE hit! The kids loved making them and the adults thought they were pretty cool. We made them the night before and it quickly became a family affair. I did have a little bit of a problem with humidity here in Florida, but I'm guessing most of you will be having cooler weather than we usually do. I originally found this idea at Our Best Bites, check them out, they are amazing. 

Ingredients
Double Stuffed Oreos

Candy Corn

Whoppers

Peanutbutter Cups

Chocolate Frosting

Yellow Frosting

Optional, Red Frosting

Optional, Black sprinkles for Eyes

I used candy coated sunflower seeds for the feet and gobble part.. or whatever that's called

Follow the instructions from Our Best Bites! 

I wasn't food blogging last year so I didn't take very many before pictures

These are so easy!

Gobble Gobble

Enjoy!!

My Favorite Stuffing Recipe

A few years ago I came to the conclusion that regardless of what I thought... I COULDN'T do it all! This especially rings true at Thanksgiving time, I used to run around the kitchen like a crazy woman trying to cook, entertain my guests and keep everything clean. NOT ANY MORE! Now I cook and freeze my sides the week before turkey day, this way all I have to do is reheat them. Of course I still cook my turkey, ham, gravy and rolls on Thanksgiving, but for the most part I get everything else done ahead of schedule.

Today I made my favorite stuffing recipe, this is the same one my mom made while I was growing up. It's from the old red Betty Crocker cookbook and I absolutely love it. I've adapted it a bit, but for the most part it tastes just like mom used to make.

Ingredients
2 loaves cheap white bread, broken up into pieces
3 c Chopped Celery (with leaves)
1 1/2 c Finely Chopped Onions
1 1/2 c Butter
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Ground Sage
1 tsp Dried Thyme
1/2 tsp Pepper
1-1 1/2 c Chicken or Turkey Stock


Either dry your bread out the night before, or if you live in a humid place like me tear it into pieces and place on cookie sheet and bake in low oven for 20 minutes, or until dry. Cook and stir celery and onion in butter in large pot until celery is tender; remove from heat.

Take dried bread and pour chicken or turkey stock over the top, just enough to slightly dampen bread. Add spices to celery and onion mixture and then stir in bread. Mix together and pour into casserole dish. Cover and bake in 375 oven for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. My husband always likes it a little bit brown on top, so I usually take the cover off after 30 minutes and continue to bake it just long enough for a crust to form (10 min or so)

Ingredients

Include the celery leaves

Yumm, butter, onions and celery

Spices

Pour some chicken stock over the top of bread crumbs

Just enough to soak it up

Add spices, then bread

yummmmm

Ready for the freezer

Enjoy!

Veggie Turkey Platter

Thanksgiving is almost here, yikes, and I don't know about you but I am NOT ready!!! I stumbled upon this darling appetizer idea and this will definitely appear on Turkey Day at my house. Such a cute and easy idea,  I'm guessing even picky kids will eat their veggies. I found the instructions HERE, check it out!

Enjoy!!

Holiday Breakfast Ring

I've posted this recipe before but I wanted to make sure that you see this so that you can make it for your family this holiday season. It's quickly become a family favorite in our home and I know you'll love it too!

Enjoy!