Brenda's Recipes

Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie (taken from Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie):

• 1 Ready Made Pie crust in 9-inch pie dish
• 1 15oz can pure pumpkin
• 1 12oz can evaporated milk
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp cloves

For Topping:

• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

*Mix ingredients together in small bowl and set aside*

Directions for Pie:

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Mix sugar, salt, and spices in small bowl.
3. Beat eggs in large mixing bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar spice mixture.
4. Gradually stir in evaporated milk, until smooth with no lumps.
5. Let pie crust defrost according to package directions. Place in 9 in pie dish. Fold and scallop edges. (If you don’t know how to do this, Google it… there are instructional videos all over the internet that can teach you how to make a nice pie crust edge.)
6. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes at 425. Then reduce temperature to 350 and bake for another 25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle topping evenly over pie. Return to oven cook another 25 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and let stand for two hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with Chocolate Frangelico Cool Whip.

Chocolate Frangelico Cool Whip

• 2 cups Cool Whip
• ¼ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp Frangelico liquor
• ½ tsp cinnamon

1. Melt chocolate chips. Add frangelico and cinnamon to melted chocolate.
2. Pour over Cool Whip and mix together evenly.

*If you have a hand mixer or electric stand mixer that would whip it together better than by hand.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 4 slices of smoked bacon, chopped
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 2 tbsp white wine
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. In oven safe skillet or casserole dish crisp bacon over medium high heat. Remove bacon and set aside on plate lined with paper towels. Dispose of fat in the skillet.
3. Return skillet to stovetop. Deglaze pan with white wine, scraping brown bits from bottom of pan.
4. Add shallots and sauté for about 5 minutes.
5. Add Brussels sprouts and olive oil and mix together to combine and evenly coat.
6. Place skillet in oven and roast for about 15-20 minutes until cooked through and golden brown.
7. Remove from oven and add butter and bacon, toss to combine.
8. Salt and pepper to taste.

A sophistiated and impressive twist on an incredibly simple side dish, and a perfect accompaniment for your Thanksgiving Day meal.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs green beans, washed and trimmed
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup walnuts
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• 2 tbsp minced shallots
• 2 tbsp  lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Toast walnuts and cranberries on baking sheet at 375 for about 3-5 minutes, careful not to burn. Let cool and coarsely chop.
2. In mixing bowl whisk: lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon, olive oil, and shallots.
3. Boil green beans in salted water for about 5-7 minutes. Until tender yet crisp. Strain and shake off any excess water.
4. Combine green beans and Dijon mixture. Toss to coat evenly. Top with walnuts and cranberries. Add salt and pepper to personal taste.