Pumpkin Dip with Ginger Crisps

A new family favorite has emerged this year. Pumpkin dip with ginger crisps. Yum!

It's really a simple recipe and it makes a lot so you can share. You can make your own homemade crisps or purchase them at the supermarket. They are thin cracker like cookies, perfect for this recipe.

4 cups powered sugar
2 8oz pkgs. cream cheese
1 can (29 oz) of pumpkin
2 t cinnamon
1 t ginger
pumpkin pie spice to taste

Cream together powder sugar, and cream cheese until smooth. Add the pumpkin and seasonings and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Serve with those yummy ginger crisps and you will fall in love.

Gluten Free Apple Pie Alternative

Thanksgiving begins the holidays of food. For many of us the thought of enjoying all of Grandma's famous recipes makes our mouths water. However, many families have those who can not partake in the feast due to gluten allergies.
Thankfully these allergies are becoming understood more and more and fabulous recipes are developed all the time to replace gluten containing foods with delicious safe foods.

Over at Planet Gift Baskets, we understand gluten intolerance first hand. That is why many of our gifts and recipes have been taste tested and approved by all ages. Gluten intolerant and not try out these alternatives and we share with you the best of the best.

Sometimes we even fool a lot of people with our gluten free foods.

Check out our Apple Pie Alternative Dessert. It's quite simply amazing.

Explore our gluten free recipe site for more inspiration.

Using up Thanksgiving Leftovers

Just because it's a leftover doesn't mean it can't become something just as gourmet as the Thanksgiving meal itself.

Our family favorite for using up leftover turkey and veggies is Turkey Corn Chowder. Yum, just the thought of it on this chilly day makes my mouth water. Start it in the morning and go do your Black Friday shopping. Come home to the smell of a hot warm and heart chowder that didn't take long to make.

Turkey Corn Chowder

1/4 cup butter
1 large onion
2 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
*(replace 2 cups water and bouillon for 2 cups of leftover turkey broth)
4-5 potatoes
*(can use a cup of mash potatoes in place of 2 of the chunkier potatoes)
1 cup celery
*(if you made stuffing, I'm sure you have some leftovers in the fridge)
3 cups of turkey meat
*(self explanatory)
Salt and Pepper
2 cups of corn or cream corn
*(if you don't have these left over, you can open up fresh cans)
4 cups of milk
some parsley, paprika and sage

Saute onions and butter in the bottom of a large pot. Add broth or water and bouillon. Add chopped potatoes, celery and turkey. Cook about 10-15 minutes then add corn and milk and season with salt and pepper. Keep on minimum heat, or better yet, throw this mixture into the crock pot on high for 4 hours. It will be ready when you are.

A perfect soothing meal after the feasts of Thanksgiving Day.

Don't forget to enjoy some leftover pumpkin pie for dessert!

Neighbors Matter-Christmas Gifts That Will Mend Fences

Every year I want to do something for my neighbors. We say hello and smile as we pass in the car, but not more then that. When I hear my parents talk about the relationships that they had with their neighbors years ago, I wish we could  bring some of that back.

Most of us jump in the car and run to the store and to the soccer game and then to the pick up the kids from swimming lessons. And the list goes on and on.

This year I am going to get some type of gift for my neighbors and let them  know that even though we are all running in different directions, we do have a  certain bond and though times have changed, neighbors are still important and we all need each other.

The biggest problem is what to get them. I need a cheap Christmas gift. I  tried looking on the computer for cheap Christmas gifts and nothing really  jumped out at me. Most Cheap Christmas gifts ideas seemed to be just that . I  wanted something that was special and said that they were important people to  us.

Now I am really not that crafty. I mean I can’t just knit up gloves for  everyone, or sew dish towels with their names on them, but I can cook so I came  up with the idea of making my favorite bread and then wrap in up with a cute bow  and add a recipe card and a note. Hear is the recipe I used,. It is easy and you  can make it ahead and freeze it so you won’t get in to a last minute crunch. 

SOUR CREAM BANANA BREAD

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup butter

3 cups sugar

3 eggs

6 bananas, mashed

1 (16 ounce) container sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons baking soda

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease four 7x3 inch loaf  pans. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon  cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas,  sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in  nuts. Divide into prepared pans.

Bake for 1 hour

It's International Chocolate Day!

How are you going to celebrate chocolate? Milk, Dark or White? With nuts or without?

Did you know Chocolate is a vegetable? It comes from the Cacao tree found in rainforests. Who knew? Now what's stopping you go EAT YOUR VEGETABLES!

Celebrate by sending your best friends a gift basket filled with chocolate goodies at Planet Gift Baskets.

Sweet and Savory Leg of Lamb

This was our first time making a leg of lamb. Thankfully a wonderful friend came over and walked my daughter and I through the whole process. It was delicious and not nearly as intimidating as I thought it would be. 

The ingredients included a 3 pound boneless leg of lamb, grape jelly, red wine, grape juice, oregano, thyme, rosemary, onion, garlic and salt. Not to bad now is it?

First we diced up all the onions and garlic. Some of the onion was left in chunks. Finely chopping the dried herbs brought out the fragrance.

Heat about 1/2 cups of the grape jelly up until it's smooth and runny. After chopping the herbs, add to the grape jelly.



We added about a cup of grape juice to the grape jelly, threw in the onions and garlic and added the red wine. A good dose of salt and pepper and it was ready to marinate.

A beautiful boneless leg of lamb. Notice I took the netting off the lamb put left it in the pan with it. This allows the marinade to touch all of the meat, while keeping my netting fresh so that I can put it back on before cooking.




Place the lamb into a cooking bag and pour the marinade over it.

Make sure you remove as much air as possible and give it a good knot. I kept mine in a pan in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Boy did it smell good.

Once you've marinated the lamb for 24 hours, remove it from the plastic bag with the marinade. Put the netting back onto the lamb, and place in a covered roaster at 350 degrees for about 3 hours.

A beautiful and easy dish to make and serve. Your guests will be greeted at the door with an amazing aroma that will have them excited to sit down and eat.

Gluten Free Molten Chocolate Cupcakes

 In your life you eat a lot of different types of foods, you make, bake, and cook a lot of food too, and every so often, you run across a recipe that is worth holding onto. This is that recipe. The cakes are easy to make,are mindbogglingly good. Sweet, rich, and great with a glass of milk, gluten free molten chocolate cupcakes make a great party dish, a kid-friendly afternoon snack, or a tasteful late night dessert. These cakes are gluten free, so those of us with celiac can celebrate!

 

 

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 2 Hr
Makes: 18 Cupcakes

Recipe Details

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 box Betty Crocker® Gluten Free devil's food cake mix
• Water, butter and eggs called for on cake mix box
• Powdered sugar, if desired
• Raspberries or sliced strawberries, if desired

Preparation Instructions:

1. In small microwavable bowl, microwave whipping cream and chocolate chips uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds; stir until smooth. Refrigerate about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until thick.
2. Heat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 18 large (2 3/4x1 1/4-inch) muffin cups. Make cake mix as directed on box, using water, butter and eggs. Place 1/4 cup batter in each muffin cup. Spoon 1 tablespoon cold chocolate mixture on top of batter in center of each cup.
3. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool 1 minute; carefully remove from muffin cups to cooling racks. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
4. To serve, remove paper baking cup from each warm cupcake; place on individual dessert plate. Sprinkle each with powdered sugar; garnish with raspberries. To serve leftover cupcakes, rewarm by removing paper baking cups and microwaving on plate uncovered on High 10 to 15 seconds. 

 To make this dish really something else, add a fruit to it, I used strawberry.  This breaks up the richness, and enhances the taste of the chocolate. The powdered sugar allows for the sweetening of the cake, it is semi-sweet so it tastes more like dark chocolate. Which is all fine and dandy, but the sugar on top adds a certain 'umph'.Anyways, enjoy eating you molten chocolate cakes, and have a fantastic summer!

Check out where we got this recipe at, http://www.glutenfreely.com/recipes/desserts/ 
There are plenty of other great recipes (that are super easy).
Give them our love!