week of thanksgiving: easy recipes for kids!

Only three more days till thanksgiving! when i was kid, i remember wanting to help my mom and grandma cook on thanksgiving. of course they gave me the little things to do such as pour gravy or putting napkins and plates on the table. sure it was fun helping but i wanted to do something more. I wanted to cook! so i made a list of thanksgiving treats that are easy and fun for kids to do. they will smile when the the family comes over and eats there treats. with a little help from you, they will have the best thanksgiving ever!

1. thanksgiving turkey cookies

(recipe from http://www.Pillsbury.com)

Ingredients

1

roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated sugar cookies or 1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury™ Ready To Bake!™ refrigerated sugar cookies (24 cookies)

1

container (16 oz) chocolate creamy frosting

Candy corn

Orange decorating icing

Miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits

step 1.

bake cookies as directed on packaging. cool completely. (about 10 mins)

step 2.

spoon chocolate frosting into 1-quart storage bag. seal bag. cut off tiny bottom corner of bag. on each cookie,pipe frosting on outer edge of half of cookie. arrange candy corn over frosting feathers.

step 3.

pipe orange frosting onto each cookie to resemble turkey face and feet. Use orange icing to attach baking bits to turkeys face for ice. pipe black gel on baking bits for centers of eyes.

2. turkey muffins

(from http://www.parenting.com)

ingredients 

• Pumpkin muffins
• Red apple
• Green apple
• Sliver of carrot
• Squeezable icing—eyes

instructions

From each apple, cut a slice from the side of the apple. Set flat and cut squared-off, tapered feathers. Cut a small beak from a thin slice of carrot. Make a slit in the end of a green grape and dab off excess moisture. Insert beak into grape. Poke small ends of feathers into muffin and set head on muffin, resting on the muffin paper. Once assembled, add tiny dot eyes with icing.

3. apple stuffing muffins

6 Cups bread cubes (See below)

1 Cup diced apple
1/3 Cup finely-diced onion
1/2 Tsp. minced sage
1/2 Tsp. fresh thyme
Dash of cinnamon
1/4 Cup apple juice
1 1/4 Cup chicken broth
Maple syrup

Saute onion. Add apple, sage and cinnamon. Mix all ingredients and then spray muffin tin with olive oil. Press gently into muffin tins. Drizzle lightly with maple syrup. Bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes. Serves 10.

Making Bread Cubes

(www.parenting.com)

4 Slices whole wheat bread
4 Slices oatmeal bread

Cut bread into cubes. Arrange on baking sheet. Spray with olive oil cooking spray or drizzle, lightly, with olive oil. Broil, on low, for about 1 minute on each side.

4. apple pie mints

(www.parntmap.com)

this one will need a little more help from the parents!

recipe: Smitten Kitchen,

5.lovely gobblers 

Mama Ashley of 7th House on the Left made these adorable little turkeys! they will a treat to gobble right up!

6. turkey sugar high.

These little gobbler treats featured on Our Best Bites

7.  cookie cornucopia 

I can’t get enough of this cookie cornucopia featured on The Decorated Cookie!

8.  whoopin  it up thanksgiving style 

these woopie pies are to good to be true! on Thin Crust, Deep Dish.

9. holiday cookie cravings 

everyone will love these treats !on Picky Palate –

10. pop goes the turkey

these super adorable cake pops can be found on Bakerella.

11. pretty little pumpkins

to take care of those Oreo truffle autumn cravings on Cookies & Cups

6 creative recipes for thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the time of year where we get together with are family and eat a gigantic feast of all different kinds of food. theirs mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, and my favorite pumpkin pie. All around everyone else love your food. You want this years feast to be the best. here are 20 of the best recipes for thanksgiving

before you read on i rated this list by taste and creativity so that your will wow everyone this year.

1. apple and onion stuffing

(copied from rachelray.com)

ingredients-
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 stick butter, softened
1 fresh bay leaf, available in produce department
4 ribs celery and greens, from the heart, chopped (save time and purchase celery already washed, trimmed and cut into sticks, this makes chopping fast work)
1 medium to large yellow skinned onion, chopped
3 McIntosh apples, quartered and chopped
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
8 cups cubed stuffing mix (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
2 to 3 cups chicken stock, available in paper containers on the soup aisle

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil to skillet and 4 tablespoons butter. When butter melts, add bay leaf and add the vegetables as you chop them, celery, onions then apples. Sprinkle the vegetables and apples with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Cook 5 to 6 minutes to begin to soften vegetables and apples then add parsley and stuffing cubes to the pan and combine. Moisten the stuffing with chicken broth until all of the bread is soft but not wet.

Butter 12 muffin cups, 2 tins, liberally with remaining butter. Use an ice cream scoop to fill and mound up the stuffing in muffin tins. Remove the bay leaf as you scoop the stuffing when you come upon it. Bake until set and crisp on top, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove stuffin’ muffins to a platter and serve hot or room temperature.

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/apple-and-onion-stuffin-muffins-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/apple-and-onion-stuffin-muffins-recipe.html?oc=linkback

2. baked mashed potatoes with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs

(copied from http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

• 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons plain dry bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 13 by 9 by 2-inchbaking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter and set aside.

Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until they are very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain; return the potatoes to the same pot and mash well. Mix in the milk and melted butter. Mix in the mozzarella and 3/4 cup of the Parmesan. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Transfer the potatoes to the prepared baking dish. Stir the bread crumbs and remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the mashed potatoes. Recipe can be prepared up to this point 6 hours ahead of time; cover and chill.

Bake, uncovered, until the topping is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

3. pumpkin Pie crunch

(copied from: http://www.bettycrocker.com)

Ingredients

1/4

cup brown sugar

1

tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4

cup butter

2

teaspoons vanilla

2

cups Cinnamon Chex™ cereal

2

cups Wheat Chex™ cereal

2

cups Honey Nut Chex™ cereal

8

oz pecans

Directions

• 1In small bowl, mix brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice; set aside. In small microwave-safe dish, microwave butter on High about 30 seconds or until melted. Stir in vanilla. In large microwavable bowl, mix all cereals and pecans. Pour butter mixture over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly distributed. Add sugar and spice mixture and stir until coated.
• 2Microwave uncovered on High 5 minutes or until mixture begins to brown, stirring every minute. Spread on wax paper or a cookie sheet to cool. Store in airtight container.

4. orange-glazed roast turkey with Gluten free cranberry orange stuffing.

( copied from http://www.bettycrocker.com/)

Cornbread

3/4

cup cornmeal

1/2

cup tapioca flour

1/4

cup white rice flour

1/4

cup sweet white sorghum flour

1/4

cup potato starch flour

2

teaspoons gluten free baking powder

1

teaspoon baking soda

1

teaspoon salt

1/2

teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2

teaspoon guar gum

1 1/4

cups almond milk, soymilk or regular milk

1

teaspoon cider vinegar

1/3

cup sugar

2

eggs

1/4

cup ghee (measured melted)

Stuffing

1/3

cup butter or margarine

3

medium stalks celery, chopped (1 1/2 cups)

1

large onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

3/4

cup dried cranberries

4 1/2

teaspoons chopped fresh or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage leaves

2

teaspoons grated orange peel

1 1/4

cups gluten free Progresso™ chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)

1/2

cup chopped pecans, toasted

Turkey

1

whole unbasted turkey (12 lb), thawed if frozen

2

teaspoons dried sage leaves, crumbled

1

teaspoon salt

1/4

teaspoon pepper

2

tablespoons butter, melted

Glaze

1/2

cup gluten free orange marmalade, melted

Directions

• 1Heat oven to 400°F. Spray bottom and sides of 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray (without flour). In medium bowl, mix cornmeal, all flours, the baking powder, baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, the xanthan gum and guar gum. In large bowl, beat milk, vinegar, sugar and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until frothy. Gradually add ghee, beating constantly until thoroughly mixed. Add cornmeal mixture; beat on low speed about 1 minute or until well blended. Pour into baking dish.
• 2Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center and cornbread pulls away from sides of baking dish. Cool 15 minutes. Cut into cubes; set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• 3In 10-inch skillet, melt 1/3 cup butter over medium heat. Cook celery and onion in butter about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender. In large bowl, mix cornbread cubes, celery mixture and remaining stuffing ingredients.
• 4Stuff turkey just before roasting. Fill wishbone area with stuffing. Fasten neck skin to back with skewer. Fold wings across back with tips touching. Tuck drumsticks under band of skin at tail, or tie together with heavy kitchen string, then tie to tail.
• 5In small bowl, combine 2 teaspoons sage, 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper; rub into turkey skin. Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Brush with melted butter. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh and does not touch bone.
• 6Roast uncovered 3 to 4 hours. After about 2 hours of roasting, cut band of skin or string holding legs. Place tent of foil loosely over turkey when it begins to turn golden. Brush marmalade on turkey about 20 minutes before turkey is done. Thermometer will read 165°F when turkey is done, and drumsticks should move easily when lifted or twisted. Thermometer placed in center of stuffing will read 165°F when done. Let stand about 15 minutes for easiest carving. Brush again with marmalade before carving.

5. stuffed mushrooms

(copied from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe)

ingredients-

• 12 fresh mushrooms

• 1/2 pound ground beef

• 1 tablespoon minced onion

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1/4 cup bread crumbs

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 1/4 cup butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Remove and chop mushroom stems.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine ground beef, onion, and garlic. Cook until beef is no longer pink; drain. Mix in chopped mushroom stems, 1 tablespoon butter, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in cream.
3. Dip mushroom caps in 1/4 cup melted butter, and stuff generously with meat mixture. Arrange stuffed mushrooms in a baking dish. Sprinkle with chili powder.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven.

6. cranberry relish with pears and walnuts

(copied from http://www.cookingchanneltv.com)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 medium shallot, 1/4-inch dice
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• One 12-ounce package fresh cranberries (3 cups), half roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
• 2 scallions, white and green parts, sliced
• 1 Bosc pear, peeled, cored and cut into matchsticks
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add theginger and shallots and cook until the shallots are softened, 2 minutes, and then pour in the sherry and vinegar and simmer until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, 3 minutes. Stir in the sugar, lemon zest, whole cranberries and 1/2 cup water. Bring to asimmer and cook until the cranberries begin to burst and the mixture is thick and syrupy, 20 minutes. Pour into a medium bowl and let cool slightly.

Fold in the chopped cranberries, walnuts, scallions and pears and season with the salt and pepper. Chill until ready to serve