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Thanksgiving for the Vegetarian – 12 Recipe Ideas

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Thanksgiving for the Vegetarian - 12 Recipe Ideas | Mama Harris' KitchenThanksgiving is best known for Turkey. It’s pretty synonymous and what most of us expect that celebrate a traditional Thanksgiving. Sometimes there’s a ham thrown in too, and many family like to add other meats that might be their favorite too. Where does this leave the vegetarian, though? Sure, one would assume the vegetarian will eat one of the traditional sides like Macaroni and Cheese or Mashed Potatoes and Gravy. However, we have a tendency to add meats and broths to those as well. I see Macaroni and Cheese all the time with bacon or ham thrown in, and greens often have ham or turkey in them. Even stuffing or dressing often has some turkey, ham or even oysters in it, and the gravy for the mashed potatoes is often made with the turkey drippings.

Last Fall my daughter decided to become a vegetarian. We weren’t sure at first if it was a phase or something that would be more long term, however we have respected her stance on it and tried to be as accommodating as possible. It’s difficult sometimes when going to family or friends houses and they’ve cooked, and often forgotten that she’s a vegetarian. She usually ends up stuck with chips and dip, bread, or munching out of the veggie tray.

I know a lot of adult vegetarians that have Thanksgiving with other vegetarian friends. I don’t blame them! But what about when you have family coming over, and they are vegetarian. You’d like to provide them something delicious as well, maybe even something everybody can enjoy that is just as delicious as everything else. We don’t have to limit the vegetarians to a boring salad, a dinner roll and some cheesy pasta. How about adding something more to the menu? Something flavorful and delicious that will make them feel special? I’ve combed through some of my favorite recipes over the past few years and come up with some of my vegetarian daughter’s favorites, many of which she’s requested this Thanksgiving. Granted, a few are salads, bread, or pasta, but there’s so much more than that. Roasted veggies, flavorful rice, and even one with a vegetarian Italian sausage. Gathering this list made me realize I need to share more of these types of recipes!

I hope you find something for the special vegetarian in your life, or even a nice alternative to meat filled dishes.

Thanksgiving for the Vegetarian - 12 Recipe Ideas - Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Beets and Carrots | Mama Harris' KitchenRoasted Sweet Potatoes, Beets & Carrots

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Thanksgiving for the Vegetarian - 12 Recipe Ideas - simple spanish rice | Mama Harris' KitchenSimple Spanish Rice

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Thanksgiving for the Vegetarian - 12 Recipe Ideas - fried ravioli | Mama Harris' KitchenFried Ravioli with Marinara Sauce

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Thanksgiving for the Vegetarian - 12 Recipe Ideas - avocado, kiwi and pomegranate salad with blackberry lime dressing | Mama Harris' KitchenAvocado, Kiwi & Pomegranate Salad with Blackberry Lime Dressing

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What are some of your favorite meatless meals?

Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Beets and Carrots

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pompeian disclosure

roasted sweet potatoes, beets and carrots #PantryInsiders #ad - Mama Harris' KitchenRecently I discovered that Pompeian has a new product in their line up, the Coconut Oil Non-Stick Cooking Spray. Coconut oil has gotten pretty trendy over the last few years, and rightfully so. It has many nutritional benefits and is used in a lot of gluten free and vegan recipes. The Pompeian Coconut Oil Spray contains no propellants in the spray, only coconut oil. It also has a smoke point of 420 degrees, so you can use it in recipes that are cooked at a higher temperature than most. A lot of my roasted vegetable recipes contain olive oil, but olive oil has a lower smoke point, so it’s actually not an ideal oil for roasting – at least not the kind I was using. (the blends work amazing with this!) Even though the Pompeian Coconut Oil Spray is touted as being great on seafood and marinades, I thought it would be fun to use it to roast some delicious and colorful root veggies.

My daughter, RiRi, decided to become a vegetarian a few months ago. Since then, I’ve tried to accommodate her dietary change with our family meals. Sometimes that means making a smaller meal for her similar to ours but replacing the meat ingredient with something else or omitting it altogether. With the Thanksgiving holiday coming, I wanted to be sure I had more options for her that we could incorporate into our meal and decided that roasted sweet potatoes, beets and carrots would be a great option as a side for our Thanksgiving meal.

One of my good friends has been making a similar dish for the past few years and always says how delicious it is, so I decided to try my hand at it while testing out this spray. Roasting vegetables brings out the natural sweetness in the vegetable and one of my favorites is carrots, so I just had to add that to this dish as well. Sweet potatoes always remind me of this time of year as it is, but really this is a dish that can be enjoyed year round. The day I made this recipe I had it with some leftover pan fried fish and some brown and wild rice. It tasted divine together and was filling without being too heavy. The coconut oil was perfect with the sweet flavors of the root veggies, and didn’t compromise the taste at all. Now that I know this product exists, I would probably spray my doughnut pan with it when making my spice cake doughnuts, as well as use it when pan frying fish. I bet it would be amazing with salmon.

roasted sweet potatoes, beets and carrots #PantryInsiders #ad - Mama Harris' Kitchen

Ingredients:

  • 2 beets, peeled and diced
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes (the orange ones, sometimes sold as yams), peeled and diced
  • 4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, peeled, quartered and cut into wedges
  • Pompeian Coconut Oil Spray
  • 1-2 teaspoons each of salt and pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian parsley, chopped

Directions:

roasted sweet potatoes, beets and carrots #PantryInsiders #ad - Mama Harris' KitchenPreheat oven to 400 degrees.

Begin by peeling the beets and dicing them in an even size. Once diced, place them in a medium bowl, spraying all over with the Pompeian Coconut Oil Non-Stick Cooking Spray, then season with salt and pepper.

Prepare a large rimmed baking pan by lining with a silpat or silicone mat. Scatter the diced beets over the sheet and roast for about 15 minutes.

roasted sweet potatoes, beets and carrots #PantryInsiders #ad - Mama Harris' KitchenWhile the beets are roasting, peel and dice the sweet potatoes, adding them to the bowl, spraying, and seasoning with salt and pepper.

Once the beets are done with their first 15 minutes, add the sweet potatoes and toss around so they are all evenly distributed on the pan. Set the timer for 10 minutes.

roasted sweet potatoes, beets and carrots #PantryInsiders #ad - Mama Harris' KitchenWhile the beets and sweet potatoes are roasting, peel and dice the carrots. Toss in the bowl with the spray, salt and pepper.

Add to the pan with the roasted sweet potatoes and beets, mixing them up well. Set the timer for an additional 10 minutes.

roasted sweet potatoes, beets and carrots #PantryInsiders #ad - Mama Harris' KitchenPeel and quarter the onion, slicing in small wedges that are about the same size as the other veggies. Add to the bowl, spray with oil and toss with salt and pepper. Once the timer beeps, toss the onions with the rest of the veggies. Set the timer for another 15 minutes.

roasted sweet potatoes, beets and carrots #PantryInsiders #ad - Mama Harris' KitchenRoast an additional 10 minutes (if needed – all ovens vary so it may not need that last 10 minutes.). Let cool.

roasted sweet potatoes, beets and carrots #PantryInsiders #ad - Mama Harris' KitchenChop up some Italian parsley and sprinkle it over the veggies. Add a few larger pieces for garnish if you like.

roasted sweet potatoes, beets and carrots #PantryInsiders #ad - Mama Harris' KitchenEnjoy!

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Beets and Carrots

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Beets and Carrots

Roasted sweet potatoes with other root veggies lightly seasoned with salt & pepper, then roasted using coconut oil makes for a delicious & nutritious dish!

Ingredients

  • 2 beets, peeled and diced
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes (the orange ones, sometimes sold as yams), peeled and diced
  • 4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, peeled, quartered and cut into wedges
  • Pompeian Coconut Oil Spray
  • 1-2 teaspoons each of salt and pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Begin by peeling the beets and dicing them in an even size. Once diced, place them in a medium bowl, spraying all over with the Pompeian Coconut Oil Non-Stick Cooking Spray, then season with salt and pepper.
  3. Prepare a large rimmed baking pan by lining with a silpat or silicone mat. Scatter the diced beets over the sheet and roast for about 15 minutes.
  4. While the beets are roasting, peel and dice the sweet potatoes, adding them to the bowl, spraying, and seasoning with salt and pepper.
  5. Once the beets are done with their first 15 minutes, add the sweet potatoes and toss around so they are all evenly distributed on the pan. Set the timer for 10 minutes.
  6. While the beets and sweet potatoes are roasting, peel and dice the carrots. Toss in the bowl with the spray, salt and pepper.
  7. Add to the pan with the roasted sweet potatoes and beets, mixing them up well. Set the timer for an additional 10 minutes.
  8. Peel and quarter the onion, slicing in small wedges that are about the same size as the other veggies. Add to the bowl, spray with oil and toss with salt and pepper. Once the timer beeps, toss the onions with the rest of the veggies. Set the timer for another 15 minutes.
  9. Roast an additional 10 minutes (if needed - all ovens vary so it may not need that last 10 minutes.). Let cool.
  10. Chop up some Italian parsley and sprinkle it over the veggies. Add a few larger pieces for garnish if you like.
  11. Enjoy!
https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2014/11/roasted-sweet-potatoes-beets-carrots/

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roasted sweet potatoes, beets and carrots #PantryInsiders #ad - Mama Harris' Kitchen

What would you make with the new Pompeian Coconut Oil spray?

Last Minute Thanksgiving Ideas

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If you’re looking for that perfect last minute dessert or dish to compliment your Thanksgiving meal, you’ve come to the right place! I have a long list of recipes that is sure to please and compliment any Thanksgiving meal! Whether you’re hosting and you forgot a dessert or you’re bringing your own dish to a pot-luck and haven’t a clue what to bring, no worries! I’ve got you covered!

(I am apologizing in advance for some of these older photos – if anything, let’s just laugh together at how they’ve evolved!)

For Breakfast or Brunch:

For Appetizers

For Dinner (main & sides):


For Dessert

Most of all, enjoy your holiday and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Remember to let your loved ones know how thankful you are for them, not just this holiday, but every day! I’ll be taking the next few days to spend time with my family and prepare for Thanksgiving, I’ll see you after the holiday!

Easy Holiday Recipe Ideas for Entertaining!

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During the holiday season it’s not out of the ordinary for family or friends to come visit. Whether they are visiting for the holiday or just during the holiday season I’m often at a loss of what to make. I love having a few easy recipes on hand that I can whip together and they appear that I spent forever on them. That way my guests can feel welcomed and special! The other day I went to Smart & Final and was inspired by all of the great deals you can find. Smart & Final is great because they carry warehouse size items with no membership fees! It’s always a one stop shop, which is my kind of store. The last thing I want to do is lug my kids all over town to five different stores in order to purchase everything I need. Time is essential and if I can cut corners I will! Smart & Final is also a great place to go for your holiday needs, they have everything from quality produce, party supplies, bakery items and everything in between!

While shopping, I discovered Smart & Final was about to have a great sale. If you purchase any five participating General Mills, Kraft, or Mars products you get $5.00 off instantly PLUS two free movie tickets! I was instantly inspired and wanted to see what sort of easy treats I could whip up for holiday guests with these products, many of them being products that I purchase and use regularly. See for yourself on the Smart & Final circular.

We love yogurt in this house, and Yoplait Fat Free yogurt is a favorite. I love that I can purchase the 18 pack at Smart & Final and get six cartons each of all three flavors! I knew I wanted to make a parfait, and I wanted to give it a holiday flavor. I decided to whip up my cranberry sauce and add some fresh raspberries and then chop up some Nature Valley Oat’s and Honey bars for a delicious granola sprinkle on top! This is just one of those treats that looks so fancy and appears like a lot of work. Secretly, it’s easy!

For my second treat I decided to use something that is my personal favorite. Multi-Grain Cheerios! I have a bowl every morning, but I wanted to do something different. I remembered a few years ago I had made some Cheerios Treats in a pan and cut them up into bars. Very similar to Rice Krispies treats, but replacing with Cheerios and adding some peanut butter. They got rave reviews, but I wanted to change it up a little more. Those treats can be a pain to cut through, so I decided why not create little balls? And add some Planter’s Salted Nuts that are a part of this sale too! The finishing touch was some melted chocolate drizzled over the balls!

Both of these treats are so simple to make, even the kids can join the fun in making them. While they are both great treats for your adult guests, they’re fun enough that the kids can enjoy them too!


Holiday Berry Parfait:
(makes 6 parfaits)

  • 1-1/2 cups cranberry sauce, I used my recipe but you could buy canned too
  • 4 six ounce cartons Yoplait Fat Free Strawberry Yogurt
  • 1 pint fresh raspberries, washed and sliced in half
  • 2 packages Nature Valley Oats & Honey Granola Bars (4 bars total), roughly chopped
Directions:
 
Layer 2-3 teaspoons of cranberry sauce in the bottom of each parfait cup.
Open two cartons of yogurt and split them between the cups.
Top with cut raspberries, reserving at least 6 halves for garnish.
Top with the other two cartons of strawberry yogurt, splitting between each cup.
Top each cup with the chopped granola.
Add a few drops of cranberry sauce and a raspberry half for garnish.
Finish with a dab of whipped cream.
Enjoy!
 
Peanut Butter & Cheerios Balls:
(makes about 18 balls)
  • 5 cups mini marshmallows
  • 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
  • 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/3 cup chopped Planter’s Salted Peanuts
  • 2-1/2 cups Multi-Grain Cheerios
  • 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips, melted
Directions:
Begin by melting marshmallows in medium saucepan over medium heat.
When marshmallows are halfway melted, add the butter and continue to stir over heat.
Once butter and marshmallows are almost smooth, add peanut butter and nutmeg.
Add Cheerios and peanuts to a medium mixing bowl.
Pour melted peanut butter marshmallow mix over cheerios and peanuts.
Mix to combine.
Once cooled, grab a small handful of the mixture and roll into balls.
(A tip to help prevent sticking to fingers, spray hands with baking spray!)
Once balls are rolled, place on wax paper to set and cool completely.
Melt chocolate chips, and drizzle over the cooled snacks.
Let set for 10-15 minutes, then serve.
Enjoy!
What are your favorite holiday treats to whip up for your guests?

Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes

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Au Gratin Potatoes is originally a french dish that is common in the boxed mix area in your supermarket. It’s  a dish I grew up eating and another favorite that I consider a comfort food. I’ve mentioned before that I love to make those old comfort foods and instead of making the boxed mix I like to learn how to make them from scratch and ingredients that I typically can find in my pantry at home, free of preservatives and additives.

This was made for Christmas dinner with a beef roast and red wine reduction, but would be equally delicious for a nice Easter meal with ham and a nice green salad or even my Parmesan asparagus. This is another dish that I made months ago that was in the infamous lost folder. I intended on posting this during that time frame that I was busy unpacking and party planning, but of course the folder was lost and has since been found.

RiRi declared upon first bite that this was “heaven in a pan” and immediately ordered me to quote her on that when I shared this recipe with you all. So, here is my heaven in a pan potatoes (adapted from this recipe), hope you like them!

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 russet potatoes, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • season to taste with salt, pepper, paprika, nutmeg
  • 1-1/2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Using one tablespoon of the butter, saute the garlic and onion in a pan until soft.
Combine the sliced potatoes in a bowl with the sauteed garlic and onion and mix until well combined.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter or margarine.
Add the flour and salt, quickly whisk to create a roux.
Slowly pour in the milk while whisking and add the remaining  seasonings.
Continue to cook, whisking often until sauce has thickened considerably.
Add most of the cheese, leaving a handful or two to sprinkle over the casserole dish at the end when the potatoes are ready to bake.
Mix the cheese into the sauce just enough until melted. Remove from heat.
Grease a large casserole dish, and spread half of the potato/onion mixture along the bottom.
Then pour half of the cheese sauce on top.
Spread the remaining potatoes on top, then pour the remaining sauce on top, spreading evenly.
Sprinkle the remaining handfuls of shredded cheese on top. Spray the bottom of a sheet of aluminum foil (the part that will be covering the casserole) and then cover the casserole dish with the foil.
Bake in pre-heated oven for about an hour.
Remove foil and bake another 30 minutes, or until cooked through.
The potatoes on top will be golden and slightly crispy, and the potatoes inside the casserole will be soft and cheesy. Delish!
Just look at all that cheesy goodness! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Bread with Brown Sugar Glaze

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Throughout the holiday season, I always enjoy my Pumpkin Spice Bread Muffins and so this year for Thanksgiving I decided to make a loaf instead of muffins.

I mentioned in the muffin recipe post that I enjoy these so much with walnuts and raisins, so I decided to include those in the loaf as well. To dress it up a bit, I also decided to do a glaze over the bread loaf, and a brown sugar glaze seemed like the perfect way to go. It took an already delicious base to extraordinary.

My husband couldn’t get enough, and he’s not particularly partial to pumpkin at all, but it was that good! I served it for breakfast with my Quiche recipe, and this would even be great for Christmas morning!

Pumpkin Bread Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
  • 3/4 tablespoons baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 can pumpkin (1 cup)
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Brown Sugar Glaze Ingredients:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Soak raisins in a bowl just covered with orange juice to wake them up.
In a mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugars. Add eggs and mix until blended well.
In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices). Once combined add the dry mixture into the butter/sugar mixture. Mix until barely combined, then fold in the pumpkin. Fold in the walnuts, then squeeze all the juice out of the raisins and fold those in.
Lightly spray or grease a standard size loaf pan, and pour mixture in. It should come to about 3/4 of the way up that pan, you can make muffins with the remaining mixture if there’s any left.
Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
While the loaf is beginning to cool, combine melted butter, vanilla extract, milk, brown sugar and powdered sugar.
Mix until well combined. Work fast, it will solidify quickly!
Remove the loaf from the pan, and place on parchment paper while still warm.
Drizzle the glaze over the bread liberally.
Sweet, delicious goodness!
Once cooled slice and serve. Be sure to use a serrated knife for a nice, clean cut that won’t tear the bread and glaze up too much.
Enjoy!

Savory "Omelet Inspired" Breakfast Casserole

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Sometimes weekend mornings can be very busy for me. Even on those days on the weekend when we actually don’t have a football / baseball / basketball / softball / cheer / track event. We have a big family, and sometimes making one omelet for each of my family members (or something like that) will leave me in the kitchen for way longer than I like, no matter how much I love cooking. I love to spend time with my family and eat together, enjoying one another’s company.

So a while back I decided to try a breakfast casserole, inspired by all the things I love in an omelet – and maybe a few extras. Of course it’s evolved a little from the initial time I made it. I also made this last year for Thanksgiving morning with my Pumpkin Spice Bread Muffins and a pot of coffee and it was a hit. This would be great to prepare the night before Christmas, and just heat and serve Christmas morning after everyone is done unwrapping presents!

There’s a lot of ingredients in here, some you can switch out for others for those picky eaters in your life. I like to eat it as is, my older sons and husband like it with hot sauce or salsa. I believe one time I sliced up some avocado and served it with the slices on top and some sour cream and salsa. Just like an omelet! However you like it, serve it or switch it up, it’s definitely a different take on breakfast or brunch than the average scramble and pancakes.

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, and shredded
  • lemon pepper, to taste
  • season salt, to taste
  • canola oil
  • 8 oz thick sandwich meat ham, chopped
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 (4 ounce) can diced greed chile
  • 1 (4 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
  • 1/4 medium red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped
  • 2 ounces monterey jack cheese, small slices
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • medium cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions:
Start by peeling your potatoes, then shred them. I use a cheese grater to shred. 
Potatoes naturally have a ton of moisture in them, so I like to use a cheesecloth to get it all out.
I intend on frying these up like a hash brown, and they’re difficult to fry if they have all the natural moisture in them. Just wrap a cheesecloth around your shredded potatoes, form it into a ball like this, and squeeze as much moisture as you can out of them.
It will look like this when you’re done.
Now add about 2 tablespoons of oil to a medium sized pan. Once the oil is heated, add the potatoes. Add a little bit of lemon pepper and seasoned salt to season them, and fry them up, a few minutes on each side, and try not to move them around too much. Just flip every few minutes.
They should look something like this when they’re done. You don’t want them too crispy, but you want them to maintain their shape. They will be on the bottom of the casserole dish under the rest of your layers for your casserole. 
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare your casserole dish by lightly greasing or spraying the inside. I suggest something around the size of an 8×8 square dish. If you use a different shape or size, adjust your cooking times accordingly.
Once the dish has been prepared, layer the potatoes in the bottom of the dish as evenly as you can.
Now chop up the ham and onion. Add them to the same pan you cooked the potatoes in and saute a few minutes. No need to add any oil, the pan should be perfectly seasoned from the oil and potatoes.
Once the ham and onions have been sauteed a few minutes, add in the garlic and mix around for a minute or two. Then add the parsley and oregano.
Once complete, add to the casserole dish on top of the potatoes.
Combine the drained mushrooms with the diced chile, and layer that in the dish on top of the ham mixture.
Now chop up the spinach and bell pepper, combine, and layer above the rest of the ingredients in the dish.
Slice up your monterey jack cheese (you can play around with the cheeses, I just always have mainly 3 cheeses in my house because that’s my kids favorites.) and layer it above everything else.
In a bowl combine the eggs, whipping cream and salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth.
Then carefully pour the mixture over the ingredients.
Sprinkle the top with the shredded cheese. Cover with foil (spray the inside of the foil with non stick spray so the cheese won’t stick!) and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil, then bake another 20 minutes. 
The cheese should be golden and the casserole should hold well and not be jiggly. Let sit for at least 30 minutes before slicing. I prefer to make this the night before, I let it cool, then cover and refrigerate. It’s a breeze to cut through and heats up well. This is a staple in my home for Thanksgiving and Christmas brunch, but also make it on those occasional weekends. It never lasts long!
So many tasty layers, definitely a savory dish!
There’s your potato crust!
Serve warm, and enjoy!

White Chocolate Cranberry Nut Cookies

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I’m so excited to share this cookie recipe with you. During the Christmas season, a lot of people love to give (and receive) cookies as gifts. All the stores have various cookie tins and platters, with a wide variety of size, color, and shape. These are wonderful to fill with a variety of cookies for your neighbor, boss, teachers, or host/hostess.

This particular cookies screams “Holiday Season” to me. They have Cranberries, macadamia nuts, white chocolate chips and Brandy in them! Leave these out for Santa and you’re sure to get some happy surprises in your stocking!! Now, I made these for Thanksgiving too, but you best believe I’ll be making them again for Christmas, and possibly before then! They’re a very chunky cookie, but the taste… oh, the taste is divine! I’m not sure where I got the original recipe for these. A quick search on the internet can find quite a few similar recipes, but I do know I changed a few things on that original recipe, so even if I found it I’m not sure I’d recognize it! I’ve made these for a few years now during the holiday season, and they’re become part of my traditional holiday cookie menu. Hopefully they will be added to yours as well!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • orange juice (or Brandy)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon of your favorite Brandy liquor
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 cup macadamia nuts, slightly chopped
Directions:
First, measure out your dry cranberries into a bowl. Pour orange juice (or Brandy) over them until they are all just covered with the liquid. This wakes up the cranberries so they won’t taste so dry when you bite into them, they’ll be nice and plump and the orange juice balances out the tartness. You can use Brandy too, it will give them a little deeper flavor.
Preheat the oven for 375 degrees.
While the cranberries are soaking, add the butter or margarine with the sugars and start creaming them together until they become smooth.
Once the sugars are creamed, add in an egg and mix until smooth.
Then add in the brandy, then the vanilla and almond extracts.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Once mixed well, slowly stir them into the wet batter. Mix until batter is just barely wet.
Add in the white chocolate chips and fold them into the batter, then the macadamia nuts.
Use a cheesecloth to squeeze the excess juice out of the cranberries, then add them in as well.
Fold the berries in with the nuts and chips until just combined.
Place the batter in heaping spoonfuls onto your cookie sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, they will still be just a bit doughy. Allow them to cool for a minute before transferring to a cooling rack. Once cooled, they are perfectly soft, with a thick texture. 
Serve and enjoy!

Mexican Cornbread

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A few years back I made a delicious Mexican Cornbread dish for Thanksgiving, but it was using boxed cornbread. I wanted to recreate the recipe, but using my own cornbread recipe. My cornbread is sweet, so I took the sugar down a notch, and removed the vanilla extract altogether. Add a few tweaks in and you have a whole other dish!

This is what I love about cooking, most of the recipe’s I’ve posted and shared on this blog are my basic recipes for things, I’ve posted a good deal of my base models, and I feel now I can share with you the various ways we can change them up. It’s fun and adds a new dimension to traditional recipes. While this dish isn’t as sweet as my traditional cornbread, it has a bite to it, and it’s a lot moister. you can even just mash it up and use it as a cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It was a hit too!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 can creamed corn
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 (7 ounce) can roasted green chile, drained. (Or 4 ounce can green chile and 4 ounce can chopped jalapeno, drained)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugars, salt and baking powder.
Stir in the milk, the oil, then the egg one at a time. Whisk until well blended.
Now add in the can of creamed corn, the drained chile, and the cheese.
Mix until blended throughout.
I used roasted green chile because I wanted the kids to eat it, but it’s great with jalapeno’s or a mixture of the two. Play with it and see what you like!
For this you need a pan a bit larger than my original recipe calls for. I use a 2 quart rectangular baking dish and it fits perfectly. Lightly grease or spray the pan and then pour the mixture in.
Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
It’s a moist bread, but if you cook a little longer it won’t be as moist.
Just depends on how you like it!
Spread a little butter or margarine over the top and serve warm. Enjoy!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

by 20 Comments

For as long as I can remember, carrot cake has been one of my favorites cake flavors. Of course, paired with cream cheese frosting. When I was younger I would just buy the mix out of the box, and sometimes buy one from the bakery. For some reason the bakery carrot cake is always a much different texture than the boxed variety. And the frosting was always much sweeter, almost to the point where you couldn’t eat it unless you scraped most of it off! These are kind of in between, it’s a bit richer and more decadent than the boxed cake, but not as sweet and heavy as some of the bakery carrot cakes I’ve had. It’s a nice, happy medium.

Last year I made a carrot cake for Thanksgiving, and it was delicious. This year my husband requested a 7-Up Cake. I still wanted to make my carrot cake, so I decided to halve the recipe and make cupcakes*. I also had some maple extract I bought a few months ago, it was at a super clearance price at Target and I decided to pick it up. I bought it with the intention of making a maple cream cheese frosting someday for my carrot cake. It was a great idea, and they turned out wonderfully. I think I like them even more as a cupcake than a cake. I hope you love them as much as we did, they didn’t last long!

*If you do want to make a cake out of it, just double the recipe and don’t let the cream cheese frosting get as fluffy, you would want it a little thinner to spread over the top of the cake and between the layers.

Cupcake Ingredients:

  • 3 cups grated carrots
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 3-4 tablespoons Brandy
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
  • 1-1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • handful of crushed and whole almonds for garnish, if desired
Frosting Ingredients:
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, cold
  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons maple extract
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
Use a cheese or vegetable grater and grate the carrots. Place carrots directly into a large measuring cup, and fill it to about 3 cups. Add the brown sugar, and let sit for about an hour. The brown sugar will help to release most of the water in the carrots, and will help them to get much softer. It will also help release the natural sweetness, as well as add to that sweetness with a brown sugar flavor.
Measure about a 1/2 cup of raisins, and pour brandy in just to the top of the measuring cup. Place in a bowl, and let that sit for about an hour right along with the carrots. The liquid wakes up the raisins to plump them back up. You don’t want dried out raisins in your cake, you want to taste that sweetness and when you bite into them they’re moist. I use brandy because it’s the holidays and it gives it a nice little taste. 
While the carrots and raisins are soaking, it’s a good time to start preparing your batter.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Beat both eggs in a large bowl on medium until they are light and fluffy, as seen here.
Gradually add the sugar in small increments while continuing to beat at medium speed.
Now add in the oil, still gradually, while beating on medium.
Vanilla extract, again beating on medium.
Once the batter is mixed sufficiently, fold in the crushed pineapple until just blended with the batter. 
In a separate bowl, combing the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.
Once the dry ingredients are mixed sufficiently, slowly fold it into the wet batter.
Mix until just blended together.
By now, the carrots and raisins should be just about done soaking.
Lay a folded cheesecloth inside of a mesh strainer over a bowl.
Drop in the carrots first, then the raisins. Let sit a few minutes over the bowl as the liquid strains out.
Then carefully remove the edges of the cheesecloth from the strainer, and bring the edges together, forming a ball in the center out of the carrots and raisins. Squeeze the ends to make the ball tight, and continue to squeeze the ball until most of the moisture has squeezed out.
I highly recommend this technique, as one of the first times I made this I didn’t use a cheesecloth, and was never able to get most of the moisture out. It does change the texture of the cake, and this will help the cake mix stay light. The added moisture will take longer to cook and make the cake/cupcakes heavier.
Now add in your measured chopped walnuts, and the carrots and raisins.
See how plump and juicy the raisins look?
Fold the carrots, raisins and walnuts into the mix until they seem pretty evenly distributed.
Get your cupcake pan ready, I use foil liners and spray the insides as well as the top of the pan just in case the cupcakes rise a little over the top they won’t stick.
If you’re making a cake and doubling the recipe, you need two 10 inch cake pans, and you may have a little batter left over for a few cupcakes. It makes a lot!
I didn’t fill the cupcake tins too high, but the batter only rises just a bit. I probably could have filled the tins just a bit more, and made a few less cupcakes out of it and they would have been larger.
This made 20 cupcakes.
Pop the cupcakes in the preheated oven, and bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Some ovens vary, so I’d stay on the low side to be safe and check every so often.
While the muffins are cooling down, start mixing the frosting. First place the refrigerator temperature cream cheese in a bowl, and beat it first on low, then working your way up to medium.
Add the butter until it’s blended together, then add the extract.
Add the powdered sugar a little bit at a time while still mixing. I ended up using about 4 cups of sugar because that consistency felt right to me. I kept beating at a medium speed until it was a fluffy consistency, but the frosting shape held together well.
Pipe the frosting on with your favorite frosting tip, I used a star shaped one here.
Garnish with some whole almonds and sprinkle with crushed ones, if desired.
Refrigerate any leftover cupcakes, since it is a cream cheese frosting.
When you’re ready to eat more, just take them out of the fridge about 20 minutes before serving, and they will be perfect. Enjoy!
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Mama Harris' Kitchen