Holiday

Pumpkin Spice Greek Yogurt Pancakes

6 Comments

I am crazy about pumpkin pie, but I pretty much only have it two times a year – at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  It’s not at all at a hard pie to make, but it just seems like a holiday pie to me! That said, I LOVE making other pumpkin recipes all year long, but since I ate pretty much whatever I wanted from the time the plane took off for our girls’ trip in Nashville in mid-October until Thanksgiving, I was wanting something I could eat that seemed indulgent – but would allow my pants to continue to fit by Christmas. 

I decided to see if Tracy’s Greek Yogurt Pancakes could become pumpkin-spiced, and I SO happy with the result.  Paired with your favorite syrup, these have just the right amount of pumpkin and not-at-all-secret spices to make you feel like you’re having a serious dessert.  These are definitely going on our Christmas morning menu – and a few other days in between, I’m sure, since my 5 year old has requested them several times, even though the recipe has only existed for about a week!  Hope you and yours enjoy them as much as we do.  ~Robin

PumpkinSpiceGreekYogurtPancakes_logo

Ingredients:

  • 2 c. plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 1 c. pumpkin puree
  • 1 c. all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • ¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ¾ tsp. ground ginger
  • ½ tsp. (or very slightly more) ground nutmeg
  • ¼ c. plus 1 T. sugar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 4 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions:

  1. Pour Greek yogurt and pumpkin puree into a medium sized mixing bowl or the bowl of electric stand mixer. Combine all dry ingredients and add to yogurt/pumpkin mixture. Mix just until dry ingredients are incorporated well.
  2. Combine eggs and vanilla. Add to yogurt mixture and mix until well combined.
  3. Cook in sprayed skillet or griddle pan until each side is golden brown (on medium or a little cooler). You can gauge when to flip each pancake when bubbles begin to form on the uncooked side.

WW Freestyle Info.: Makes 24 pancakes at approximately 5-inch diameter each. Each pancake is 1 point. 

Christmas Cranberry Cobbler

2 Comments

My sisters and I have a love for all things cranberry. I even love the cranberry ‘sauce’ that you must carefully remove from its can so that it retains that perfect can shape. With the holiday season about to be in full swing, I’m already planning which family get-together (or rare weekend at home) can be an excuse to make one of my favorites. This Christmas Cranberry Cobbler is the perfect combination of tart cranberries and a sweet cobbler topping. It’s great by itself or topped with a couple of scoops of your favorite vanilla ice cream. I’ve even been known to eat it for breakfast….cranberries are fruit, after all. ~Tracy

8CA9BA65-D2A1-40E5-99C8-CE6C83C1DA27

Ingredients:
  • 2 12 oz. bags of fresh cranberries
  • ½ c. + 2 T. granulated sugar
  • ½ c. packed brown sugar
  • zest from 2 med. oranges
  • juice from 2 med. Oranges
  • 2 tsp. Corn starch

Ingredients for topping:

  • 1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ c. brown sugar
  • ⅓ c. granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 ½ tsp. Baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 stick butter
  • ⅓ c. boiling water

Ingredients for sprinkle on top:

  • ¼ tsp. Cinnamon
  • 1 T. granulated sugar

Instructions: 

  1. Rinse cranberries and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add orange zest and juice to cranberries. Stir in sugar, brown sugar, and cornstarch and combine the entire mixture. Set cranberries aside.
  3. In a separate medium mixing bowl for topping, combine flour, cinnamon, both sugars, salt, and baking soda.
  4. Chop the butter into small pieces and use a pastry cutter to combine it with the flour mixture until all is crumbly.
  5. Add boiling water and mix with the flour mixture until forms a thick doughish batter.
  6. Spoon the cranberries in a 9×13 casserole dish that you have sprayed with cooking spray. Be sure to transfer all of the juices.
  7. Dollop spoonsful of the batter over the top of the cranberries covering the top.
  8. Combine the ¼ tsp. of cinnamon and the tablespoon of sugar and sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.
  9. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 for approximately 40 minutes.
  10. Allow to stand and thicken for approx. 15 minutes before serving.

Perfect Pecan Pie

Leave a comment

This summer, Tracy’s oldest son turned 18.  Instead of cake, he asked for a dessert smorgasbord (a kid after my own heart) so he could have a dessert sampler-platter of sorts.  Here is the birthday boy with his buffet!

IMG_2148.jpg

The four of us girls and our Mom each made a different dessert, based on his request.  Side note:  there is no discussion needed when desserts are requested around us!!   Anywho, Mom and I were talking about pecan pie recipes, we made them slightly different, so we combined the two versions and this recipe was born.  It is seriously, without a doubt, the best pecan pie known to a pecan pie lover.  So, if you have a hankering, or if you need a knock-your-socks-off pecan pie, this will be your go-to from now on!  ~Kathy

Perfect Pecan Pie from Four Sisters Dish

Ingredients: 

  • 1 (9”) deep dish unbaked pie crust
  • 4 eggs, plus one egg yolk
  • 1 c. dark brown sugar
  • ¾ c. light corn syrup
  • 3 T. pancake syrup
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 4 T. butter, melted
  • 1 ½ c. pecans, chopped
  • ½ c. pecans halves

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
  2. In a small bowl, beat eggs and egg yolk until combined but not foamy.
  3. Add brown sugar, mix well.  In large mixing bowl, combine corn syrup, pancake syrup, vanilla, salt and melted butter.
  4. Pour in egg mixture and combine well.
  5. Evenly distribute chopped pecans into bottom of pie shell.
  6. Arrange pecan halves over the top of the chopped pecans.
  7. Slowly pour corn syrup mixture over pecans, not disturbing the pecans as much as possible.
  8. Bake for 10 minutes at 400˚F.
  9. Lower the oven temperature to 325˚ and bake an additional 40 – 45 minutes until center is completely cooked through.
  10. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Old Country Store Brussels & Kale Slaw

Leave a comment

When I think of salads, I typically think of summer.  This, however isn’t your typical salad.  In fact, it’s more of a slaw… a fall slaw.  I like the sound of that; heck, it almost rhymes.  But not quite.  Anywho, if you’ve ever visited Cracker Barrel Old Country Store for dinner, you may have had their Brussels Sprouts N’ Kale Salad.  If so, this will be very familiar.  I’m not sure what exact ingredients their version has, but I think I hit it pretty close.  Mine has shredded Brussels sprouts, kale, dried cranberries and pecans, just like theirs.  I kicked it up a notch, though, with addition of finely diced apples, red onion, and a maple vinaigrette.  What says Autumn more than apples, pecans, cranberries, and maple?  Nothing, folks.  This is the perfect Autumn/Fall/Holiday Salad/Slaw/Side.   ~Erin

salt_20181111_195523_423.jpg

Ingredients: 

  • 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 c. maple syrup*
  • 2 T. apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp. dry ground mustard
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 lb. Brussels sprouts, stems cut off and outer leaves removed, then washed
  • 3 c. chopped kale
  • 2 apples, cored & finely chopped
  • 1/4 of a red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 c. dried cranberries, coarsely chopped (or more if not following WW)
  • 1 oz. pecans, toasted if desired & chopped

Instructions: 

  1. Mix together the first 5 ingredients in a jar with a lid (shake to combine) or a small bowl (whisk to combine).
  2. Shred the Brussels sprouts, preferably using a food processor.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the shredded sprouts with the chopped kale, apple, and onion.
  4. Pour the dressing over top and stir.  I like to add it gradually and stir, so as not to overdress the slaw.
  5. Top with chopped cranberries and pecans.
  6. Chill until ready to serve; toss to redistribute dressing before serving.

WW Freestyle Info.:  This recipe makes 8 1-cup servings at 6 points with regular maple syrup. With sugar free maple syrup, it’s 4 points per 1-cup serving.

Healthier Heavenly Hash (a.k.a. Ambrosia Salad)

Leave a comment

Our mom makes this at many holiday meals.  If you are from the South (or the Midwest, as we are) this is considered a side dish.  Let’s be honest though, it’s a dessert that’s socially acceptable to eat along with your meal.  What’s not to like about that?! Whether you choose to enjoy this as a side or as a dessert, you’ll find no judgement here.  It contains fruit, so it makes sense it could be either one, right?! Right. ~Erin

salt_20181028_184653_521.jpg

Ingredients:

  • 1 (6 oz.) container plain non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 (20 oz.) can pineapple tidbits packed in juice, drained
  • 1 (23.5 oz.) jar mandarin slices, packed in juice, drained
  • 8 T. unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 2 ounces (1/4 of a regular sized container) of Fat Free Cool Whip
  • 1 ½ c. mini marshmallows

Instructions: 

  1. Mix Greek yogurt with pineapple tidbits.
  2. Gently stir in mandarin oranges, coconut, Cool Whip and mini marshmallows.
  3. Serve immediately.

Tip: If not serving immediately, set aside marshmallows and stir in just before serving.

WW Freestyle Info.: This recipe makes 7 half cup servings. Each serving is 4 points.

 

Butternut Cake with Bourbon Sauce

Leave a comment

The first time our Mom made this cake and told me that it had butternut squash in it, I must admit I was extremely skeptical.  But, it’s cake, and not even what I thought was a strange ingredient was going to keep me away (notice that I did not think the bourbon was a strange ingredient).  I make this cake every Fall now. It seems to be the perfect start to weather that lends itself to sitting under blankets with a sweet treat and a cup of coffee.  And don’t worry, the alcohol in the bourbon cooks out…because you don’t want to skimp on this sauce!  ~Tracy

salt_20181014_220846_040.jpg

Ingredients for the cake:

  • 1 large butternut squash
  • 2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tsp. ground ginger
  • ½ tsp. ground cloves
  • 1 ½ c. brown sugar
  • ½ c. + 2 T. butter, softened
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ c. orange juice

Ingredients for the sauce:

  • 4 T. butter, softened
  • ¼ c. bourbon
  • ½ c. brown sugar
  • 1 c. heavy cream
  • 1 c. powdered sugar

Instructions: 

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Split butternut squash in half lengthwise and lay face down on a parchment lined or sprayed baking sheet.
  3. Roast for 45-60 minutes until fork tender (time will vary with the size of squash).
  4. Set the squash aside and allow to cool completely.
  5. Gently scoop out the seeds and stringy seed area and discard.
  6. Scoop out the squash and puree to a smooth consistency.
  7. Set pureed squash aside 1 ⅓ cup.
  8. In large bowl combine ½ cup + 2 T. of softened butter and 1 ½ c. brown sugar.  Mix until creamed together.
  9. Add eggs one at a time until combined.
  10. Add orange juice and squash puree mixing just until all are combined.
  11. Gradually add in flour mixture and mix on medium speed until all is incorporated into squash mixture.
  12. Pour into 9” bundt pan that has been sprayed with baking spray.
  13. Bake at 400 for approximately 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
  14. Cool for 20 minutes and turn out of bundt pan.

Instructions for sauce:

  1. Combine 4 T. softened butter, ½ c. brown sugar, and ¼ c. bourbon in a medium saucepan.
  2. Bring to a boil.
  3. Remove from heat and add heavy cream and powdered sugar while whisking.
  4. Return to heat and boil again, whisking continually.
  5. Reduce heat to a low simmer and slowly whisk while cooking approximately 8 more minutes or until mixture begins to thicken slightly.
  6. Cool to room temperature before pouring over cake.  You can poke a few holes in the top of the cake using toothpicks to help the sauce absorb into the cake.
  7. Reserve a small amount of sauce to pour over each slice.

 

Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

1 Comment

I got this recipe at a Weight Watcher meeting years ago.  When I say “years ago,” I mean back when you were given a point range (mine was 18-23 points per day) and when you ran out of points, you were stuck eating green beans for supper.  Thank goodness it’s not that way anymore!

I have made this pie with both sugar free pudding and regular, and it works well either way.  I’m not a fan of sugar substitutes so I figured the WW points both ways. I will say, however, I really can’t taste the sugar free aftertaste in this pie at all (you know what I’m talking about I’m sure, if you aren’t accustomed to using sugar substitutes).  My 11-year-old daughter didn’t even notice a difference!

I make this pie for Thanksgiving often and it’s always a popular dessert choice.  You can’t go wrong with cheesecake and pumpkin! ~Erin

salt_20180908_183543_234.jpg

Ingredients:
  • 4 oz. fat free cream cheese, softened
  • 1 c. plus 1 T. 2% milk
  • 1 T. sugar
  • 1 ½ c. Fat Free Cool Whip
  • 1 9-inch graham cracker crust (regular or reduced fat – doesn’t change points per serving)
  • 2 small packages vanilla instant pudding mix, dry (regular or sugar-free, fat-free)*
  • 1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp. ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp. ground cloves

Instructions: 

  1. Mix cream cheese, 1 T. milk, and sugar in a medium bowl until smooth.
  2. Gently stir in whipped topping.
  3. Spread all but about ½ cup of the mixture on the bottom of the crust.
  4. Pour 1 cup of milk into a medium bowl; add both packages instant pudding mix and beat with a wire whisk or mixer until smooth. The mixture will be thick.
  5. Stir in pumpkin puree and spices; mix well.
  6. Spread the pumpkin mixture over the cream cheese layer; top with dollops of the remaining cream cheese mixture.
  7. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or, preferably, overnight.

WW Freestyle Info.: This recipe makes 8 servings. If using sugar-free, fat free instant pudding mix, each serving is 7 points. If using regular instant pudding mix, each serving is 12 points.

Luscious Lemon Blueberry Cake

2 Comments

lemon cake 2.jpg

In case you haven’t noticed, choosing your birthday cake is a big deal in our family.  It often takes weeks of contemplation and meditation to make the choice.  My husband has a tendency to lean toward the fruit flavors, so his latest birthday cake request was this lemon beauty.  Generous amounts of lemon and big blueberries can almost make you think you’re eating something healthy.  ~Tracy

LusciousLemonBlueberryCake_logo

Cake Ingredients:
  • 1 c. soft butter
  • 1 ¼ c. sugar
  • ½ c. brown sugar
  • 4 eggs at room temperature
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 c. buttermilk
  • Zest and juice from 3 lemons
  • 3 c. sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 T. baking powder
  • 1 small package (3.4 oz.) Vanilla Jell-O Instant Pudding
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 2 c. blueberries
  • 1 T. flour
Frosting Ingredients:
  • 12 oz. cream cheese
  • ½ c. softened butter
  • 3 ½ c. powdered sugar to start; you may need to add more as you mix
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • Zest and juice from 2 lemons
Cake Instructions:
  1. In large mixing bowl or bowl of your electric stand mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add in sugar and brown sugar and cream well together.
  2. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mixing slightly after each. When all eggs are incorporated, beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.
  3. Add buttermilk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix well.
  4. Add dry ingredients (pudding, flour, salt, baking powder) and mix just until incorporated.
  5. Toss the blueberries in the 1T. of flour. Gently fold into batter.
  6. Pour batter equally into 3 prepared* cake pans. You can use 2 pans if you prefer, but you will need to adjust the cooking time.
  7. Bake at 350ºF for approximately 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow each cake to cool for 10 minutes, then remove / turn them out of the pan.
  8. Cool cakes completely before attempting to frost. Cakes are easier to frost of you allow them to sit in a freezer for a few hours after removing them from their baking pan.
  9. *For this cake, I use 3 9” round cake pans. I recommend lining the bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment paper. Spray the top of the parchment and the sides of the pan with a flour baking spray to ensure easy removal from the pan.
Frosting Instructions:
  1. For the frosting, cream together cream cheese with butter.
  2. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt and cream together with cream cheese mixture.
  3. Add zest and juice from 2 large lemons and 1 tsp. of vanilla. Mix on medium speed. You may need to add a little more powdered sugar to achieve the right frosting consistency. Making homemade frosting is not an exact science. If you accidentally feel like you’ve gotten your frosting too thick, add 1 T. of milk to thin.
Instructions for Layering Cake with Frosting:
  1. Be sure cakes are completely cooled.
  2. Stack layers of cake with your preferred amount of frosting between each layer. Use remaining frosting to cover top and sides of cake.

Ham Salad

Leave a comment

As much as I am in love with Walmart’s new online grocery ordering and pickup system, I have to admit that it does seem a little impersonal.  I mean, how am I going to know what’s going on in the lives of the check-out folks without that grocery line banter?  I’ve talked before about my memories of our small-town grocery store, Bay’s Grocery.  I remember our mom chatting with the butcher as he wrapped up her selections, of which one of my favorites was the ham salad.  I wish I could remember exactly what was in that ham salad, but I’ve created my own version here that is the perfect use for that left-over Easter ham.   ~Tracy

Ingredients:
  • 2 c. finely chopped ham (trimmed of fat before chopping)
  • ¼ c. finely chopped celery
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
  • ¼ c. finely chopped kosher dill pickle
  • ¼ c. light miracle whip
  • 1/8 c. + 2 tsp. fat free plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • Dash salt
  • Dash pepper

Instructions: 

    1. The best method to finely chop your ham is to use your food processor (as shown in photos), but you can easily chop by hand, it’s just a little more time consuming.
    2. After chopping your ham, celery, egg, and dill pickles, combine all ingredients and gently stir together.
    3. Cover and refrigerate to chill all ingredients together.
    4. Serve on your favorite crackers or some of your favorite toasted bread.

WW Freestyle Info: This recipe makes about 3 cups of prepared ham salad. Each 1/4 cup serving is 2 points.

Butterscotch Pie

2 Comments

If your idea of butterscotch involves any type of bright yellow candy that is wrapped in cellophane, you are in for shock….REAL butterscotch tastes good!  Amazingly good!  This butterscotch pie is so good that we refuse to make it for group parties and potlucks.  Why? Because we want as much of it for ourselves as possible.  Not good for the waistline, but so good for the soul.

Occasionally as kids, we girls could sweet talk Mom into making a double batch of the pudding so we could have some to eat and still have plenty for the pie. In retrospect, she probably didn’t like to wait for the pie either – but she had us convinced that she was “giving in” and making extra pudding.  We can imagine her trying hard to keep a straight face as she’d say, “Well [sigh], I guess I could…”  Well played, Mom. Well played.  ~Robin and  Tracy

Butterscotch_Stacked.jpg

Ingredients for pie filling: 

  • 4 T. butter
  • 1 c. brown sugar, packed
  • 1/3 c. flour
  • 2 c. whole milk
  • 3 egg yolks (slightly beaten) – save whites for meringue
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Ingredients for meringue:

  • 4 egg whites (worth it to use one more egg so you don’t risk being short on meringue)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • ½ tsp. cream of tartar
  • ½ c. sugar

Other ingredients:

The usual baking supplies for your favorite pie crust (or just follow package directions if using store-bought crust; be sure to set it out to thaw, if frozen)

Instructions:

Bake your pie shell; set aside to cool.  If it was on a different temp, change oven to 350 degrees and leave on.

For pie filling, begin by melting, then browning butter in a large sauce pan on medium-high heat, stirring constantly.  Do not leave on too low a temp or it will take for-e-ver.  You don’t have time to wait that long for this pie.  As butter gets ready to brown, it will begin to froth quite a bit (see photos below).  Trust the process and keep stirring constantly.  It will turn a nice deep brown before your eyes almost instantly.  Immediately when it turns brown, remove it from the heat.

20171123_194157
20171123_194229
20171123_194415
BrownedButter

Whisk in flour and brown sugar; blend in well.  Return to medium heat and then add milk and lightly beaten egg yolks and continue to stir constantly to keep from sticking.  Cook over direct heat until mixture thickens to pudding consistency.  Remove from heat; then add vanilla and stir it in.  Pour into baked pie crust.  Don’t overfill, as you will need to have exposed crust to seal the meringue.

For meringue, beat egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar for about one minute on medium speed – until soft peaks form.  Increase mixer to high speed, gradually adding sugar now (about 1 T. at a time). Beat on high about 4 or 5 minutes — until forms stiff, glossy peaks and sugar is dissolved. Immediately spread over pie, carefully sealing to the edge of pie crust to prevent shrinking.

Cook 12-15 min. at 350 degrees, or until meringue is golden brown. If edges of crust or top of meringue begin to brown too much, you may need to move pie to a lower oven rack.

Cool completely to room temperature before slicing.

20171124_115935