Carrot Soufflé {or Sweet Potato Soufflé}

 

This kind of recipe is my favorite. It tastes like dessert but can be classified as a side dish/vegetable at the dinner table.  My sister-in-law made this for our family for Thanksgiving a few years ago, and it's a favorite! It's been added to the must-have list for Thanksgiving dinner.  The rest of the list includes, turkey, homemade rolls, stuffing, cranberries (raw & cooked), whipped potatoes and gravy, gourmet green beans, cranberry cream salad, pumpkin pie, apple pie, and chocolate mousse pie. (I'll be sharing some of these other recipes soon)

We started getting a bountiful basket a few months ago and we got tons of carrots, and they were huge, like the size of a butternut squash or over grown zucchini.  As I was brainstorming what to make, this recipe came to mind, and I had to get it from my sister-in-law.  It was as good as I remembered!  My husband, myself, and our little 3 year old gobbled it all up!  

I hope you enjoy this, during the fall or for Thanksgiving dinner. Or anytime of year, really! :)

Carrot Soufflé {or Sweet Potato Soufflé}

Ingredients:

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2 cups carrots/sweet potato, cooked and slightly mashed

1 cup milk

3 large eggs

⅔ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup butter, softened

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

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Pre-heat oven to 350° F.  

Cook/steam carrots or sweet potatoes until very tender, and mash.  Measure out 2 cups and place in blender.  Add the remaining ingredients to the blender and blender until mixture is smooth.  

Grease a 2 quart casserole dish (or 8x8 glass pan) with butter or non-stick cooking spray.  Pour blended mixture into dish and bake for 45 minutes or until puffed and set.  

Note:

Double recipe for a 9x13 size casserole dish.  

Source:

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My sister-in law, Alissa

Ginger Pancakes

My husband was so excited when we made apple butter last week, he'd been telling me about these amazing Ginger Pancakes that the cook at Scout camp used to make them. She'd serve fresh ginger pancakes with fresh apple butter and whipped cream!  Sounds dreamy, eh?  Well, I'll tell you, it is! We made them last Sunday and shared them with some friends - we were all "ooing, and ahhing" over them! Yum! 

I love this fall time of year, these recipes for ginger pancakes, apple butter, pumpkin pancakes, and pumpkin coconut curry soup!  Yum!  

I hope you enjoy theses as much as we do!  

Ginger Pancakes

Printable Version {Click Here}

Ingredients:

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1 ¼ cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons canola oil

½ cup dark molasses

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ginger

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

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In a mixing bowl combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cinnamon.  In small mixing bowl add egg whites, and beat until stiff.  In a small mixing bowl or measuring cup mix together: buttermilk, oil, molasses and egg yolks.  Combine the wet with the dry until combined, then fold in the egg whites.  Cook on griddle until done.

Serve with apple butter and whipped cream.  

Enjoy!

Recipe Source:  Duane and Teri Miles, a family friend.

Apple Butter {Canned or Not}

I'd never had apple butter until I met my husband.  In fact, I can't say I'd ever head of it either. Have you? I was missing out!  This recipe comes from my husband's Great Grandma Cookston.  And my husband's Dad has been making it even since I've known him, I feel like that's what he's famous for....and his grilling (he does it perfect), oh and his dutch oven cooking!  Yum!  My husband and I both grew up eating good - and we can't seem to stop!  So what do you do with apple butter, you ask?  We love it on toast (use it like jam), peanut butter sandwiches, pancakes/waffles/crepes/french toast, ginger pancakes (recipe coming soon), or on top of vanilla ice cream, or praline pecan ice cream, there are lost of uses.  I think it'd be really good on these Cheesecake Cups. 

This recipe is really easy, especially if you have an apple-corer-peeler-slicer.  We whipped out 10 pints in no time.  You can make a small batch of this and just use it up in a few weeks like you would jam, or you can make a bunch and then can it and have it stored on the shelf.  That's what we do.  We made 10 pints this past Saturday with some apples from a friends tree.  My apple tree is about to have major limbs snap, the apples are wearing it down and it needs some picking. So I'll be making more apple butter this weekend, along with some applesauce, and apple pie filling!  Mmm!  

Note: 

I'll post some links below for you to check out if you are new to canning. This way you can read how to do it.  And just so you know this recipe is canning safe.  It calls for same amounts of apple pulp and sugar as the Ball Blue Book - and I called the USU Extension Service to be sure the spice variation that is used in this family recipe is safe - and it is! :) If you need canning supplies, here is a great start.

The recipe with instructions and printable are below. 

Start with fresh, washed apples.

Peel, core and slice them. This gadget is so handy!

Cook the apple pulp with the sugar and spices, store in the fridge up to two weeks or can for shelf stable storage. 

Process in boiling water bath.

Enjoy the "fruit" of your labors for the next year!

Apple Butter

Yield: about 4 pints

Printable Version {Click Here}

Ingredients:

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4 pounds apples (about 16 medium-sized apples)

4 cups sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:

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****Note: You don’t have to can this recipe. You can make a small batch and keep  If you plan to can this recipe and you are not familiar with proper food preservation methods please read about it here and follow all instructions: http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/uga/using_bw_canners.html  or purchase the Ball Blue Book here: Ball Blue Book

It is very important to follow proper canning instructions to ensure the safety of the food.  

You can also double or triple, etc the recipe if you have a big enough pot, or multiple pots.

To prepare the pulp:

Wash, peel, core and slice apples into quarters. Place apples and 2 cups of water in a large pot and simmer until apples are soft.  Drain the water from the apples and puree in food processor or blender.  Measure 2 quarts (8 cups of apple pulp).  

Combine the apple pulp, sugar and spices in a large saucepan or stockpot.  Cook slowly until it’s thick enough to round up on a spoon. I just find the consistency I like to spread on toast or a sandwich. As the mixture thickens stir frequently to prevent it from sticking to the pan. If it becomes too thick you can add water, or apple juice until it reaches the desired consistency.

Ladle the hot butter into clean and hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace.  Remove any air bubbles with spatula.  Wipe any spills from the jar, especially where the lid will touch and seal.  Adjust the two-piece caps on the jars - until tight. Do not tighten as tight as you can. Just enough to know it’s closed.  Process in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (adding time for altitude adjustment). See chart below.  I had to add 10 minutes to the processing time for my altitude - for a total time of 20 minutes.  

Following canning guide for removing jars and letting them cool.  (link at the top of the recipe or in the Ball Blue Book).  

Boiling-Water Canner Altitude Adjustments (from the Ball Blue Book - guide to preserving - 2009)

Altitude in feet	Increase processing time
1,001 to 3,000	5 minutes
3,001 to 6,000	10 minutes
6,001 to 8,000	15 minutes
8,001 to 10,000	20 minutes

Recipe Source: Ball Blue Book - Guide to Preserving - Published in 2009 with spice adaptations from a family recipe, all the way from my husband’s great grandmother.