Baked Chicken Spaghetti (ala Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients

• 2 cups Cooked Chicken
• 3 cups Dry Spaghetti, Broken Into Two Inch Pieces
• 2 cans Cream Of Mushroom Soup
• 2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1/4 cup Finely Diced Green Pepper
• 1/4 cup Finely Diced Onion
• 1 jar (4 Ounce) Diced Pimentos, Drained
• 2 cups Reserved Chicken Broth From Pot
• 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 1/8 teaspoon (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Cook 1 cut up fryer and pick out the meat to make two cups. Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.

Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).

Reference:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/chicken_spaghet/

Ooey Gooey Pumpkin Cake (a Paula Dean recipe!)

Reference:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pumpkin-gooey-butter-cakes-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 egg
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Variations: For a Pineapple Gooey Cake: Instead of the pumpkin, add a drained 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

For a Banana Gooey Cake: Prepare cream cheese filling as directed, beating in 2 ripe bananas instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

For a Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

****Tip: make sure to melt the butter for both the crust and the filling

Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

3 Cups sweet potatoes (cooked and mashed)
1/2 cup sugar (brown)
1/2 Cup butter
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 Cup whole milk or half n half

Boil and mash the potatoes. Mix in the remaining ingredients and put into a 13x9x2 casserole dish, sprayed with Pam cooking spray.

Topping:

1/3 cup butter melted
1 Cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 Cup chopped pecans

Melt butter and mix in remaining ingredients. Sprinkle on top of potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Thanksgiving Corn Bread Stuffing

Ingredients:

2 Cannisters of Grands Biscuits
9 x 12 pan of cooked cornbread
1 sleeve of saltine crackers
1 entire bunch of celery
1 large onion
2 sticks of salted butter
4 to 5 cans of chicken stock
3 eggs beaten
Poultry seasoning to taste, probably 6 TBS
3 tsp. salt

The night before, cook the biscuits and the cornbread and leave out, uncovered. The next day pick the biscuits apart into tiny pieces in a BIG bowl and do the same to the cornbread, smush and crumble the crackers in the dry mix too. (this is always my girl's job and they love it!)

In a large skillet pan melt 2 TBS butter and add finely diced celery and onion and cook until onions are translucent.

Mix everything together in a very large bowl. Add 3 eggs , poultry seasoning and salt. Place in a large dish,
 9 x 13 or bigger. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover for the last 15 min if you like it crusty on top. (yummy!)

Creamed Corn

Ingredients:

2 Boxes or 1 LG bag of frozen corn
8 oz whipping cream
8 oz whole mile
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 pinch of pepper
2 TBS. melted butter
4 TBS flour

Combine all ingredients except the butter and four and simmer until the corn is done. Blend in the butter and flour. Put in a casserole dish (8X8) and sprinkle with parmesean cheese. Put under the broiler to melt.

I always double this recipe at Thanksgiving. Add more flour as you like to make it thick!

Thanksgiving BBQ Turkey Rub Recipe

In a bowl combine 6 TBS each of the following:
Season Salt
Fresh Black Pepper
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Ancho Chile Powder
Parsley Flakes
Cinnamon
Poultry Seasoning
Sage
Dill

2 TBS. Red Pepper Flakes
3 TBS. Salt

Put all ingredients in a food processor and grind to a powder.
Put in a bowl and rub on the turkey after covering (massaging with hands) the bird in olive oil.
Place the turkey on the grill with indirect heat. Make the grill (charcoal) as hot as possible for 2-3 hours until the leg bones are loose.  Internal temperature of the bird should be 180 degrees or a bit higher. (we usually cook a 20lb turkey)

Yummy Turkey Gravy:

From the drip pan in the grill, add 1/4 cup drippings to a hot pan, sprinkle in wonder flour to make a roux then add white wine while continuing to stir with a whisk. Salt and pepper to taste.