Holiday Bread Pudding

INGREDIENTS:

1 (1 pound) loaf white bread, toasted and cut into cubes
2 tablespoons butter
5 cups half-and-half cream
12 eggs
3 cups white sugar
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

Butter each slice of bread on both sides. Tear buttered bread into little pieces, and put into a very large mixing bowl.

Beat eggs with vanilla, and then pour over bread. Stir in half-n-half and sugar. Pour into a large baking dish, 13 x 9 inches or larger. Sprinkle with the spices.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool. Serve hot or cold.

Rice Krispies Treats Thanksgiving Turkeys

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 (10 ounce) package marshmallows
6 cups Kellog’s cocoa krispies cereal
candy corn
red-hot candies
pretzels
peanut butter

DIRECTIONS:

In a large microwave safe bowl, heat margarine and marshmallows at HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth.

Add Kellogg’s Cocoa Krispies. Stir until well coated. Using spatula coated with cooking spray or waxed paper, press mixture into 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch pan coated with cooking spray.

When slightly cooled, shape cereal mixture into body and head shape using buttered hands. Place on waxed paper or a surface coated with cooking spray. Allow to cool.

Spread peanut butter over turkey body and sprinkle with cocoa krispies cereal. Decorate with red hot candies and miniature marshmallows for eyes and candy corn for beak.

Break off sides of twisted pretzels and insert into body for tail feathers. Insert pretzel rods for legs.

Pecan Pie Bars

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup margarine
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Cut in 1 cup of margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the prepared pan, and press in firmly.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.

While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. In a large bowl mix together the eggs, corn syrup, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3 tablespoons margarine, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the chopped pecans.

Spread the filling evenly over the crust as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until set. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing into bars.

Pumpkin Apple Cobbler

INGREDIENTS:

8 small Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
3/4 cup pumpkin butter
1/2 (14 ounce) package pumpkin quick bread mix
4 tablespoons butter
sweetened whipped cream (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, stir together the apples and pumpkin butter. Spread evenly in a 8 or 9 inch square baking dish.

Pour the pumpkin bread mix into a bowl, and cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the top of the apples.

Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the apples are tender enough to insert a fork. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Pumpkin Butter

INGREDIENTS:

1 (29 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 (2 ounce) package dry pectin
4 1/2 cups white sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Mix solid pack pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and dry pectin in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil. Mix in sugar all at once.

Stirring constantly, return to a full boil and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Transfer immediately to sterile containers. Seal and chill in the refrigerator until serving.