Fall

Classic Pumpkin Pie: So Easy It’s Ridiculous

by liz · Nov 16, 2020

Even though my favorite holiday pies involve Pumpkin and Bourbon (no brainer) or Sweet Potato and Pecans (two pies in one!) you can’t beat the ease of the classic holiday pumpkin pie. And the Libby’s pumpkin pie recipe on the back of the can is as classic as you can get.

Here it is, with step-by-steph photos…and even a video. Enjoy making this for your holiday dinners, even at the last minute, and be sure to please everyone’s sweet tooth at the table.

Classic Pumpkin Pie

Recipe by Libby’s

Ingredients for 10 servings:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 ounces) Pumpkin purée
1 can (12 fluid ounces) Evaporated Milk, (Or substitute with equal amount Lactose-Free or Almond Cooking Milk)
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell or Homemade Pie Crust (it’s easier than you think, and it’s so much better than a store-bought crust)

Directions:

Make pie crust, or thaw premade crust. IF HOMEMADE: make your pie crust look pro by using your finger to press the sides all the way around. It’ quick, simple, and elevates the look of the end result.

Preheat oven to 425° F and gather ingredients.

Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl.

Beat eggs in large bowl.

Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture.

Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

Pour into pie shell.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F, and bake for 40 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Classic Pumpkin Pie

Author: Libby's

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 55 mins

Serves: 10

Ingredients

¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 ounces) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 fluid ounces) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk, (Or substitute with equal amount Lactose-Free or Almond Cooking Milk)
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell or homemade pie shell

Instructions

Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
Pour into pie shell.
Bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

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No-Fail Sweet Potato Pie: Southern Charm on a Plate

by liz · Nov 14, 2020

Being from the South/Midwest/Above Texas, the thought of a sweet potato pie with a pecan pie topping really appealed to me. Plus, this one even has “No Fail” in the recipe title!

If you’re looking for something a little easier, a little slower, with a nice Southern drawl, this one’s for you. Plus, it beats all the pies on the holiday table!

Watch the video above to see how easy it is.

No-Fail Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients for 8 servings:

FILLING

3/4 pound sweet potatoes (about 2 large or 3 small to medium)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 can (14 ounces) Sweetened Condensed Milk (fat free is ok)
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 unbaked (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell or Homemade Pie Crust (it’s easier than you think, and it’s so much better than a store-bought crust)

TOPPING

1 large egg
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

FOR FILLING

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Wash and wrap sweet potatoes in foil, as shown above.

BAKE for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on size. Unwrap and rinse potatoes under cold water; remove skin. Break apart in large bowl. INCREASE oven temperature to 425° F.

POUR melted butter in bowl with sweet potatoes. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Blend in sweetened condensed milk, grated orange peel, cinnamon, vanilla extract, nutmeg, salt and egg. Pour into unbaked pie shell.

BAKE at 425° F, as shown above, for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; reduce temperature to 350° F.

FOR TOPPING

MIX together egg, corn syrup, sugar, butter and nuts in small bowl; spread over pie.

BAKE for an additional 25 minutes or until set.

Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Topping

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep time: 2 hours

Cook time: 90 mins

Total time: 3 hours 30 mins

Serves: 12

Being from the South/Midwest/Above Texas, the thought of a sweet potato pie with a pecan pie topping really appealed to me. Plus, this one even has "No Fail" in the recipe title.

Ingredients

FILLING
¾ pound sweet potatoes (about 2 large or 3 small to medium)
¼ cup melted butter
1 can (14 ounces) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell or Homemade Pie Crust*
TOPPING
1 large egg
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

FOR FILLING:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Wash and wrap sweet potatoes in foil.
BAKE for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on size. Unwrap and rinse potatoes under cold water; remove skin. Break apart in large bowl.
INCREASE oven temperature to 425° F.
POUR melted butter in bowl with sweet potatoes. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Blend in sweetened condensed milk, grated orange peel, cinnamon, vanilla extract, nutmeg, salt and egg. Pour into unbaked pie shell.
BAKE at 425° F for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; reduce temperature to 350° F.
FOR TOPPING:
MIX together egg, corn syrup, sugar, butter and nuts in small bowl; spread over pie.
BAKE for an additional 25 minutes or until set.

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Pumpkin Pie Deconstructed: 6 New Recipes

by liz · Oct 25, 2020

Pumpkin Bourbon Pie Recipe — Photo by VeryBestBaking.com

Pumpkin pie, a holiday tradition. Whether you like the classic version or a slightly more flavorful Broubon version (which makes this the favorite for my family), it’s just not the holidays without a pumpkin pie of some kind.

This year, we’ve asked 6 bloggers to help us deconstruct and reinvent pumpkin pie, and create 6 totally new ways to make it. You’ve probably seen Bravo’s Top Chef where contestants are often asked to take whatever ingredients are given to them and create something delicious and spectacular out of it. I do this best with the remnants in my fridge, especially after a party. Well, we’re throwing classic pumpkin pie fixings at our bloggers, and you’re going to like what they’ve cooked up.

Or baked up in Jessica’s case, from How Sweet It Is, who created the 6-layer Pumpkin Pie Spice cake above (plus another layer cake with more chocolate!):

Cake #1 = 2 layers each of peanut butter cake, crunchy cinnamon apple cake and spiced pumpkin cake, each layer sandwiched by a layer of cinnamon sugar butter cream
Cake #2 = a center layer of pumpkin spice cheesecake, enveloped by chocolate fudge cake with the outermost layers being peanut butter cake, concealed in a thick layer of dark chocolate fudge chip frosting

Kelly from Evil Shenanigans created a lighter, elegant pumpkin dessert with the Cinnamon Crêpes with Pumpkin Mousse & Graham Crust Crumble above, something even the pickiest in-laws will love.

Or maybe you don’t especially like pumpkin pie (I know there are some of you out there), and maybe you’d like a refreshing twist like Pumpkin Pie Popsicles above from Damaris’ Kitchen Corners. These are so unique; I love how creamy they look, and also easy to make!

Another twist on the original is Knuckle Salad‘s Pumpkin Ice Cream Pizza Pie above, which Kristina re-creates from her childhood memories of ice creams shop goodies and tough love.

Looking for something delicious, crustless and gluten-free? Then, the Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding recipe above created In Erika’s Kitchen is for you.

I don’t know about you, but I love crème brulée, and I love Julie’s (aka Mommie Cooks) Pumpkin Crème Brulée above, although I think I would have loved her pumpkin hand pies and whoopie pies too.

So this holiday season, we hope you’ll be inspired to deconstruct your own pumpkin pie and try something new. It not, there’s always the classic version…and the slightly more tipsy one too.

Recipe Links:

Scrumptious Homemade Tortilla Soup Recipe

by liz · Jan 4, 2019

Soup is one of my all-time favorite meals; I could eat it every day during winter, spring and fall. And sometimes in the summer.

If you like to make your own stock, soup makes an incredibly delicious, hearty and healthy meal. And making stock is easier than you think. The first thing I do is store all chicken carcasses, steak bones, lobster shells or pork bones from whatever I happen to have eaten recently in freezer bags. And during the week, I also keep various vegetable trimmings in a freezer bag, then dump it into a crockpot with the meat bones or shells and let it simmer on low for several hours. Then, pour it through a sieve or use a skimmer to remove the bones and extra stuff (but keep the meat in). And voilà.

Homemade Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken or homemade broth
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 small onion, diced
12-16 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large zucchini, trimmed and halved
1 carrot, peeled and quartered
1 bell pepper, halved and seeded
1/2 jalapeño chile, seeded
2-3 large garlic cloves, peeled
2-3 cups chicken, cooked and chopped
1 cup whole kernel corn
3 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons chile powder
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Tortilla chips and sour cream, for garnish

Directions:

Place stock in large saucepan or pot on medium heat.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil.
Coarsely chop tomatoes, zucchini, carrot, bell pepper, jalapeño and garlic (or use food processor to chop); add to skillet.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until vegetables are slightly browned.
Add to pot, and bring to a low boil.
Add chicken, corn and cumin and chile powder and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes.
Top with chopped cilantro, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with tortilla strips, sour cream and cilantro, as desired.

Print recipe below.

Scrumptious Homemade Tortilla Soup Recipe

Recipe type: Main

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 4 servings

Making scrumptious homemade tortilla soup is easy - and even more delicious if you like to make your own chicken stock or vegetable stock.

Ingredients

4 cups chicken broth
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small zucchini, trimmed and halved
1 medium carrot, peeled and quartered
½ green bell pepper, halved and seeded
½ jalapeño chile, seeded
1 large garlic clove, peeled
1½ cups chicken breast meat, cooked and chopped
½ cup whole kernel corn
3 teaspoons ground cumin
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Tortilla chips and sour cream for garnish

Instructions

Place stock in large saucepan or pot on medium heat.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Coarsely chop tomatoes, zucchini, carrot, bell pepper, jalapeño and garlic (or use food processor to chop); add to skillet.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until vegetables are slightly browned.
Add to pot, and bring to a low boil.
Add chicken, corn and cumin and chile powder and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes.
Top with chopped cilantro, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with tortilla strips, sour cream and cilantro, as desired.

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Easy Baked Picadillo Empanadas & Abuelita Chocolate Tamales

by liz · Sep 15, 2017

It’s time to celebrate Hispanic heritage month with some delicious new recipes from the Meals.com kitchens: Easy Baked Picadillo Empanadas and Abuelita Chocolate Tamales. Empanadas are popular in almost all Latin American countries. There are a vast amount of different versions and fillings…some are fried, some are baked, some are sweet and some are savory.

This Easy Baked Picadillo Empanadas recipe was inspired by the Argentinean empanada with its popular picadillo filling. Picadillo is a ground beef filling and it varies on the ingredients and method of preparation, depending on the country of origin. Some have hard-boiled eggs, olives, raisins, potatoes and even capers. This version has a sweet and salty combination of ingredients like raisins and green olives and flavorings like cumin and Maggi seasoning.

This version is very easy to prepare, and it’s a healthier alternative to the more typical fried version. Using Sofrito cooking base and pre-made frozen dough cuts preparation time by more than half. And baking the empanadas cuts fat and calories. And they’re delicioso!

Easy Baked Picadillo Empanadas from Meals.com

Ingredients for 24 empanadas:

24 (two 11.6-ounce packages) frozen store-bought empanada dough discs, defrosted
1 pound lean ground beef
1 Beef Flavor Bouillon Tablet, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
small green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small potato, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives
1/2 cup raisins
1 packet (3.98 ounces) Sofrito Seasoning Paste (tomato, garlic, onion)

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease large baking sheets.

HEAT large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, bouillon and cumin. Cook, stirring frequently, for 8 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Add bell pepper, potato, olives, raisins and sofrito. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until mixture is heated through and has thickened slightly.

PLACE 2 heaping tablespoons beef mixture in center of each pastry disc. Wet edges with water; fold in half and crimp edges with fork.

PLACE empanadas on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

Abuelita Chocolate Tamales recipe — Photo by Meals.com

And for dessert: tamales. Tamales (sweet or savory) are a must during any Hispanic celebration. Even President Obama celebrates Hispanic Heritage with tamales!

This is a sweet tamale recipe and Abuelita Chocolate Tamales are a breeze to make since there is no stuffing involved. Simply prepare it like a cake batter and spread on a corn husk, wrap and then steam! And the cinnamon cream sauce on top is the perfect finishing touch! Double your chocolate enjoyment and pair these tamales with a hot Atole.

Abuelita Chocolate Tamales from Meals.com

Ingredients for 14 servings:

14 large dry corn husks

2 cans (7.6 fluid ounces each) Media Crema, divided

1/4 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablets (90 grams each) ABUELITA Chocolate

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 3/4 cups masa harina flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups warm milk

Directions:

SOAK husks in warm water for at least 1 hour or until softened and easy to fold.

COMBINE 1 can media crema, sweetened condensed milk and cinnamon in small bowl; refrigerate.

PLACE Abuelita chocolate and remaining 1 can media crema in medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat; set aside.

BEAT butter in large bowl until creamy. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Alternately add flour mixture, milk and Abuelita mixture to butter, mixing well after each addition until consistency of thick cake batter (masa). (If masa is dry add a few tablespoons of warm milk; mix well.)

SPREAD 1/4 cup masa mixture, using back of a spoon, to form a square in the center of the lower wider portion of one husk. Fold right then left edge of husk over masa. Fold up bottom edge. Repeat with remaining masa mixture and husks.

PLACE vegetable steamer in pot with lid; add water to just below steamer. Arrange tamales upright in steamer rack. Cover top of tamales with a damp towel; cover. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Steam, adding water as needed, for about 1 hour or until masa pulls away from husks. Serve warm with media crema sauce.

Luscious Peanut Butter Frosting & Filling Recipe

by liz · Oct 17, 2015

If you’ve ever made a chocolate cake, or even a chocolate triple-layer cake, without adding peanut butter frosting (or filling between the layers), you haven’t lived. Much like the famous candy that marries chocolate and peanut butter so well, this frosting pairs just as exceptionally with chocolate cake. So here you go…and you’re welcome.

Chocolate layer cake recipe up next….stay tuned!

Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C.s heavy whipping cream
1/4 C. granulated sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 C. creamy peanut butter
1 C. powdered sugar, sifted

Directions:

In medium mixer bowl, beat heavy cream and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form; set aside. In large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter and powdered sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the whipped cream, beating until just blended.

Luscious Peanut Butter Frosting & Filling

Author: Liz Dodder

Recipe type: Dessert

Prep time: 10 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Just as the famous chocolate/peanut butter candy professes, this peanut butter frosting was meant for chocolate cake.

Ingredients

1½ C.s heavy whipping cream
¼ C. granulated sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 C. creamy peanut butter
1 C. powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions

In medium mixer bowl, beat heavy cream and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form; set aside. In large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter and powdered sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the whipped cream, beating until just blended.

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Pork Tenderloin with Red Grapes & Herb Cream Sauce + Wine Pairing

by liz · Feb 21, 2013

In cold weather, braised meat or a meat dish with accompanying sauce is the perfect choice, and this pork tenderloin recipe makes impressing your family or dinner date incredibly simple. Pork tenderloin is the most tender part of the animal — which makes your job easier — and I had the butcher at my local organic market cut it into 1/2-inch slices. Then just follow the recipe; prep time is 10 minutes and cooking time is 15 minutes. This recipe makes even a complete beginner look good! And, it’s easy to pair with wine (see below).

Pork Tenderloin with Red Grapes & Herb Cream Sauce

Ingredients for 4 servings:

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme, crushed
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 to 1 1/2 lb. pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 teaspoon olive or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (5 fl.-oz. can) Evaporated Milk
1 cup red seedless grapes, cut in half

Directions:

COMBINE garlic salt, rosemary, thyme and black pepper in small bowl. Sprinkle pork with half of spice mixture as shown above.

HEAT oil in large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pork and cook on each side for 3 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Remove from skillet; set aside and keep warm.

REDUCE heat to low. Add flour, evaporated milk and remaining spice mixture to skillet. Stir to loosen brown bits from bottom of skillet. Cook for 3 minutes. Add grapes and cook for an additional minute until thickened.

PLACE pork on serving platter and top with sauce.

Wine pairing:

I am a Pinot Noir lover, which goes well with pork and works fine for this recipe. But to take the flavors up a notch, I paired it with a Rhone Red Blend. This is usually based on three grapes, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre (also known as a GSM) but can sometimes include other Rhone varietals. These blends are typically described as having blackberry, leather and pepper notes, and go well with juicy, gamey meats as well as French-style spice blends, especially rosemary.