Apple Pie Ice Cream

Who wouldn't want this tomorrow after gorging themselves with turkey? Freshly baked, warm apple pie topped with APPLE PIE ICE CREAM!! Oh my goodness, please make this. It's so, so good and decadent and will work perfectly with the other desserts on your Thanksgiving table tomorrow. Just imagine creamy ice cream with scrumptious chunks of sweetened apple scattered throughout. Yum. Enjoy and have a wonderful day with your loved ones! 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

For apples:

• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. light brown sugar
• 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

For ice cream:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add sugar and stir until combined. Add apples and cinnamon and stir to coat in the butter mixture. Continue cooking over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender and liquid has reduced.

Transfer apple mixture to a bowl and refrigerate until 1-2 hours or until completely chilled.

In a bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream, half-and-half, sugar and vanilla. Gently stir in the cooled apple mixture. 

Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. I have a KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker and it took about 20 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for 3-4 hours. Enjoy!

Source: SK Original

BBQ Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

If you're going to make your Pumpkin Pie from scratch for Thanksgiving, definitely roast your pumpkin seeds instead of throwing them away. It's super simple to do and they're a healthy snack for the whole family. You can roast them plain with a dash of salt, or spruce up the ingredients to make a BBQ version like I did here. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup unshelled, raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground mustard
• 1/4 tsp. light brown sugar
• 4 to 5 squirts olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Remove the seeds from the pumpkin and separate them from the stringy pulp. Rinse the seeds in a colander under cold water. Shake off any excess water.

Spread the seeds on a baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes or until seeds are dry, tossing halfway through.

In a small bowl, combine the onion powder, garlic powder, mustard, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt and brown sugar.

Remove the seeds from the baking sheet and place the seeds in a medium bowl. Lightly spray with oil. 

Add 3/4 of the spice mixture to the pumpkin seeds and toss to evenly coat.

Cover the sheet pan with parchment paper and spread the seeds evenly on top. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes or until brown and crunchy, tossing half way through. 

Remove from oven and immediately spray more olive oil over the seeds. Toss with the remaining spice mixture. 

Source: Skinnytaste

Pumpkin Nutella Cookie Bars

Want to switch up your Thanksgiving dessert a little this year? You should make something that still includes pumpkin…but also includes NUTELLA!! Sounds like a winner, doesn't it? Cookie bars are exactly what they sound like: a moist cookie-like dessert that is made into thicker bars. And then stuffed with Nutella :) They would be great on your Thanksgiving table and a surprising new treat everyone will enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Nutella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x9” pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Place melted butter, pumpkin, and both sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. You can also use a hand mixer, if you prefer. Mix until smooth, about 30 seconds. 

Mix in egg yolk, baking soda, salt, spices, and vanilla. Mix in flour until batter is smooth. It’ll be a soft batter.

Press half the batter in the bottom of the pan. The batter is sticky so you may want to spray your hands with cooking spray. It’ll be a thin layer in the bottom of the pan. Bake for 8 minutes.

Place Nutella in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for just a few seconds until pourable. Pour evenly over the top of the partially baked crust. Spread it carefully so it doesn’t rip the cookie bars. Scoop tablespoons of batter over the top and carefully spread with your fingers. It won’t be a smooth layer but will mostly cover.

Bake an additional 17-20 minutes until the top is no longer glossy and the edges are golden brown. Cool completely before slicing.

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Source: Adapted from Crazy for Crust

Brown Sugar Glazed Baby Carrots

Bradley used to hate, hate, HATE carrots, but the past few weeks he has been really into them. Therefore, I've been more than determined to include them in most things I make for dinner before the phase passes. So far I've put them in Vegetable Soup, an easy pasta with vegetables and our favorite slow cooker meal, but I also wanted to make them as a side dish. These are incredibly easy to throw together and are a perfect side dish for any dinner. Plus you only need a handful of ingredients. They'd be perfect on your Thanksgiving table as well! Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb. baby carrots
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Pepper, to taste

Place carrots in a medium saucepan. Pour in water so that it almost reaches the top of the carrots.

Bring the water to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and transfer to a bowl.

In the same saucepan, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add the carrots back in and stir to coat with the sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until carrots are fully glazed. Serve immediately.

Source: SK Original

Apple Cinnamon Fruit Leather

Fruit roll-ups used to be one of my favorite treats as a child. I can still hear that thin layer of plastic being peeled away from the sticky leathery treat. But with all the preservatives and sugar buried in the ingredients list, it's one of the last things I want to give Bradley. It was SO simple to make my own fruit leather at home and it came out amazingly similar to the store-bought stuff. I made this one with fall ingredients, but I can't wait to try it out with fresh strawberries and blueberries! Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 medium-large apples (about 4 cups)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

Core and peel apples. Chop into large chunks. Toss in lemon juice to avoid browning while prepping the remaining apples.

Drain the lemon juice from the apples and place them in a large saucepan. Add the apple cider, sugar and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat. When apples are tender, use a potato masher to slightly mash the apples. Continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes.

Carefully pour mixture into a blender or food processor to purée.

Divide purée evenly between pans. Use an offset spatula to smooth out the mixture.

Bake for 3 hours or until leather is slightly tacky and no longer wet. (*Time will vary depending on the thickness of your mixture.) Every hour, rotate pans 180 degrees and swap rack levels.

Allow leather to cool before slicing. Using a pizza wheel or knife, carefully slice fruit leather into desired sizes. Wrap in wax paper. Store in an airtight container.

Source: Adapted from Baked by Rachel

Maple Baked Sweet Potatoes

There was no doubt in my mind that for this month's SRC post I would be delivering something Thanksgiving-worthy. Margaret's blog, Tea and Scones, had a ton of options to choose from, but this sweet potato recipe won me over. I really only needed two ingredients (plus a few pantry essential items) and it was really easy to put together. And seeing that I'm due a little over a week after Thanksgiving, I wanted something quick, simple and delicious that I could make without wearing myself out! We really, really enjoyed this side dish and I'm certain I'll be making it again, Thanksgiving or not. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 3 lbs.), peeled and sliced 1" thick
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp. pepper
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/3 cup water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 

In a large saucepan, cover the sweet potato slices with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well. 

Arrange the sweet potatoes in a large gratin dish. Season with the salt and pepper, then dot with the butter pieces. Drizzle the maple syrup over the sweet potatoes, sprinkle with the water and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the sweet potatoes over and bake for about 25 minutes longer, until they're tender and lightly browned. Once done, turn on the broiler and broil for 1-2 minutes, until golden brown.

Source: Tea and Scones

An InLinkz Link-up

Tater Tot Breakfast Bake

Chris had some friends over the other weekend and told me that he was craving a breakfast that had tater tots in it (since, let's be honest, tater tots make everything better). The first thing that came to my head was a play off of my Sausage and Hash Brown Bake and a random recipe I had seen floating around on Pinterest. This bake was seriously mouthwatering and all the guys devoured it. This definitely might be my new favorite breakfast bake. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground breakfast sausage, casings removed
• 3 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
• 1 cup Bisquick
• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 (2 lb.) bag frozen tater tots
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and torn into pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large skillet, cook sausage on medium high heat, making sure to break it up as it cooks. Once browned, drain and layer on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 2 cups of the Cheddar cheese evenly over the sausage.

In a large bowl, whisk the Bisquick, milk, eggs, pepper, onion powder and salt. Once mixed, pour evenly over the cheese and sausage in baking dish. Layer the tater tops in even layers on the top.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and top with remaining 1 cup Cheddar cheese and bacon pieces. Return to oven and cook an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Source: SK Original

Healthy Granola with Chia Seeds and Dried Fruit

I love how nutrient-packed chia seeds are, so I've been on a hunt for new recipes to make using them. Homemade granola was an obvious choice since Bradley and I both love having yogurt for breakfast, and granola is one of my favorite things to sprinkle on top. It's just so expensive to buy! By making my own at home, I can include exactly what I want in it at a fraction of the cost. Oats, seeds and dried fruit make a healthy and tasty combination for this. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds, unsalted
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 1/2 cup agave syrup
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/4 cup blueberry infused dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the oats, sunflower seeds, walnuts and chia seeds onto a baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Meanwhile, add the agave, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt to a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the ingredients are combined, stirring frequently.

Once the oat mixture is done, remove it from the oven and reduce the temperature to 300 degrees F.

Add the oat mixture to a large bowl. Add the dried fruit and immediately pour the liquid mixture over the oats and fruit. Stir to combine. 

Pour mixture back onto the baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

Source: SK Original

Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Sometimes I just want a sweet breakfast that I can enjoy with a steaming cup of coffee. Nothing special or spectacular, just something to do the trick. A simple cake like this is exactly what I need on those mornings--a moist cake with pops of blueberries and a slightly sweet crust. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 tsp. lemon zest
• 3/4 cup + 3 tbsp. sugar, divided
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups flour, divided
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with butter or coat with non-stick spray and set aside. 

Cream butter with lemon zest and 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. of the sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. 

Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with 1/4 cup of flour.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 3/4 cup flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.

Spread batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining 1 tbsp. of sugar. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If still wet, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.) 

Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Source: Alexandra's Kitchen

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

Bradley loves getting a lot of attention, and I'm more than willing to give him all the attention he needs (especially before the new baby comes). That makes it more than essential to have dinners on hand that I can either make in advance or that take little prep time. Slow cooker meals are ideal since I can throw everything in the crockpot and then have the rest of the day to devote to my attention-seeking son. 

Chris and I both love sandwiches (and Bradley loves everything!) so French Dip sandwiches immediately sounded like an easy win in my book. They were extremely easy to prepare and even better to eat. The au jus sauce had tons of flavor and was a delicious accompaniment to the sandwich. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (3-4 lb.) beef chuck or rump roast
• Salt and pepper
• 2 (10.5 oz.) cans beef consommé
• 2 (10.5 oz.) cans reduced sodium beef broth
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 envelope onion soup mix
• 1 envelop Au Jus gravy mix
• 8 sub buns, cut in half
• 16 slices Provolone cheese

Season the beef roast with salt and pepper.

In your slow cooker, add the beef consommé, beef broth, Worcestershire, onion soup mix and Au Jus gravy mix. Stir until combined. Add the beef. 

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 5-7 hours.

Remove beef from slow cooker and shred using two forks.

Preheat your broiler.

Arrange the sub buns on a baking sheet. Top each half with the shredded beef and two slices of cheese. Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is crusty. Remove from oven and place the second half of bread on top of the sandwich.

Meanwhile, skim fat from the juices in the slow cooker. Spoon juices into small bowls. Serve alongside bread as a dipping sauce.

Source: SK Original