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Cool Thanksgiving Pies

Growing up in a small town on the Big Island of Hawaii, Thanksgiving dessert consisted of traditional fruit pies and little more. Which is not to say that I don’t love fresh fruit pies, but when I moved to the “mainland” in the late 1980s to attend college I was introduced to a whole new Thanksgiving dessert option: Ice cream pie. To this day I make sure that at least one frozen (or refrigerated) pie is featured on our Thanksgiving buffet. Decadent chilled pies are much cheaper to make than to buy. What’s more, they offer guests a chocolaty option … Continue reading →

Passing On the Pie: Other Pumpkin Desserts

For some, Thanksgiving is just not Thanksgiving without a traditional pumpkin pie. For others, the holiday is a great excuse to experiment with new pumpkin recipes. My family falls into an in-between category. We love pumpkin pie, but there are several of us who also enjoy sampling new pumpkin desserts. Over the years, the following pumpkin recipes have become welcome members at our Thanksgiving buffet: PUMPKIN SPICE CAKE 1 (18.25-ounce) package spice cake mix 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin 3 eggs 1 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 9-inch by 13-inch baking … Continue reading →

Mini Desserts For Your Thanksgiving Buffet

There was a time when pumpkin pie was the only dessert served on Thanksgiving. Not anymore. These days Turkey Day diners expect a variety of sweet treats to cap off their mega-meal. My family goes all out on Thanksgiving with a huge dessert buffet featuring a variety of pies, cakes, cookies and other goodies. However, the most popular treats are the mini desserts. They may be small (which enables everyone to sample without guilt), but they’re big on taste and are simple to make. Take a look: APPLE TARTS Ingredients: 1 sheet puff pastry 6 ounces almond paste 2 tablespoons … Continue reading →

Simple Thanksgiving Pies

Thanksgiving is just two weeks away, and while this year might not be your turn to cook the bird, there’s a good chance that you will be responsible for contributing at least one dish to the Turkey Day feast. If that’s the case, consider one (or all) of the following dessert recipes. They are easy as pie to make, but so incredibly delicious that your family and friends will never know that you didn’t slave away in the kitchen preparing them. PUMPKIN SUPREME PIE Ingredients for the Crust: 1/2 cup butter, melted 2 cups graham crackers (crushed) 1/4 cup sugar … Continue reading →

Last-Minute Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

You may have finished your Thanksgiving grocery shopping days ago, but there are many home cooks who are still scrambling to piece together their Turkey Day feast. I know because I just drove past a parking lot full of them outside our local market. (Hard-core shoppers and it’s not even Black Friday yet.) Regardless, it just goes to show that there are some people out there who have yet to finalize their Thanksgiving menu yet. If you are still searching for the perfect dessert to share on this day of giving thanks, then consider the simple pumpkin creations listed below: … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving Menu: Then and Now

Leave it to domestic diva Martha Stewart to school her own cooking guest about the dishes served up at the very first Thanksgiving dinner… on national TV. Did you see Stewart doling out her on-air corrections last week? Whereas I felt bad for the visiting chef, I did learn a lot about what was really on that first Thanksgiving menu. Did you know that the Thanksgiving holiday as we know it is only about 150 years old? Back in 1863, following a stalwart campaign by Sarah Josepha Hale (a writer best known for penning “Mary Had a Little Lamb”), then … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving Recipes: Vegetables

As much as your children would rather you forget them all together, vegetables are a vital part of a traditional Thanksgiving spread. While my brother’s tot will happily munch on carrots sticks (drowned in Ranch dressing) as though he were part rabbit, my preschooler needs to be bribed to take even a nibble of the crunchy orange vegetable. This is why our family meals such as Thanksgiving must include a variety of veggie dishes. The first one I’m sharing with you is the only carrot recipe my daughter will eat. Once you scan the ingredients you’ll see why. The second … Continue reading →

Last-Minute Turkey Tips

The folks at Butterball are working overtime right now answering questions from turkey cookers from coast-to-coast. Whether you are preparing the holiday bird for the first time or the 100th time, it’s nice to have a guide to ensure you are on the right track. Here are some tips to get you through Thanksgiving… and beyond: FROZEN TURKEY If you haven’t moved your turkey from the freezer to the fridge by now, you’re asking for trouble. In order for your bird to be oven ready by tomorrow you need to submerge it in cold water (in its plastic wrapping) immediately. … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving Recipes: Gourmet Appetizers

What time do you eat Thanksgiving dinner? Some families dine as early as 2 p.m. while others wait to break bread at the traditional dinner hour. If your family waits until after the Turkey Day football games are over before digging into your Thanksgiving spread, you aren’t alone. I’ve spent many Thanksgivings with families who wait until late evening to eat their holiday feasts. In most cases it’s planned that way because it takes that long for guests to get their appetites back after chowing down on tasty appetizers. The following recipes are not your average chip and dip, mini-meatball … Continue reading →

Not Your Mama’s Thanksgiving Recipes

Back in my previous life as a TV journalist, I had the opportunity to cook with local “celebrity” chefs when they appeared on our morning show. I actually did more eating than cooking, but I learned some culinary tricks just the same. The holidays always included a steady stream of cooking segments featuring proud pro chefs whipping up unique dishes. The following is a sample of some of the recipes I saved from those segments. They’re nothing like my mom served us on Turkey Day, but boy were they popular with our studio crew. THANKSGIVING GRAVY Ingredients: 1 can cream … Continue reading →