Liams Decadent Chocolate Pie

 A chocolate graham crust, a decadent chocolate cream filling, with fresh whipped cream makes the perfect holiday treat. 

CRUST

2 storebought chocolate pie crusts

FILLING

2/3 c. sugar

1/4 c. cornstarch

9 egg yolks

3 1/2 C. half & half

9 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

3 oz. bittersweet or dark chocolate

1 stick butter, cut

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

TOPPING

2 Cups heavy cream

2 Tbls. sugar

1 tsp vanilla

chocolate chips for garnish

Filling:
In a large heat-proof bowl, whisk together sugar and cornstarch, add egg yolks and whisk until smooth. In a saucepan, heat the half and half until it starts to simmer. Remove the pan from the heat. Pour the hot half-and-half into the egg yolk mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Keep pouring, whisking constantly, until you’ve added all the hot half-and-half.  Once all of the half and half has been added, pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until bubbles rise to the surface and mixture is very thick, about 3–4 minutes. (it should coat the back of a spoon nicely).  Remove pan from heat and add the butter, vanilla and chopped chocolate to the hot mixture in small handfuls. Mix together until thoroughly incorporated. (it should look like a big pot of hot chocolate pudding). Pour equally into crusts. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the filling and refrigerate the pies until the filling is cold and firm, at least 4 hours or overnight. (This will ensure that no skin will form while it’s cooling).

Topping: When ready to serve, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla together until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the chilled filling and garnish with shaved chocolate or chocolate chips, if desired. Serve immediately.

Corn Bread Casserole

1 box cornbread mix
1 can drained corn
1 can creamed corn
1 c sour cream 
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 egg
1/2 stick melted butter

Preheat oven to 350*.  Mix all ingredients together and place in a greased 8*11 pan.  Bake for 50 minutes  or til golden.

Libby's Pumpkin Pie

 2 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 heaping tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. clove
16 oz. can pumpkin
12 oz. can carnation evaporated milk

crust (bought or homemade)

Preheat oven to 425*. Combine filling ingredients and pour into crust.  Bake 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350* and bake and additional 50 minutes.  Cool and serve with whipped cream.

Thanksgiving Ambrosia Salad

2 small boxes Pistachio pudding
20 oz. can crushed pineapple (don't drain)
29 oz. can mandarin oranges
29 oz. can diced peaches
10 oz. bag mini marshmallows
16 oz. tub cool whip
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup toasted coconut

Mix pistachio pudding into the crushed pineapple. add remaining ingredients.  Chill, best if done the day before serving so pudding can set.  

Lion house rolls

• 2 cups warm water
• 2/3 cup instant nonfat dry milk 
• 2 Tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/3 cup butter softened 
• 1 large egg
• 5 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (bread flour can be used if you have it on hand and will make for a lighter roll)
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1. In the large bowl of an electric mixer or in a separate glass bowl, combine the water and the milk powder and stir so the milk dissolves.
2. Add the yeast to this mixture while water and milk is still warm. Let the yeast proof for a couple of minutes. Next, add the sugar, salt, butter, egg and 2 cups of the flour. Mix on low speed of mixer until ingredients are wet, then turn to medium speed and mix for 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and add 3 more cups of flour (now 5 cups total added so far) then mix on low speed until the ingredients are wet, then turn mixer on medium speed and mix for 2 minutes to knead. The dough will be getting stiffer.
3. Add up to 1/2 cup of flour. You might not need to add it all just slowly add it until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl if using a mixer. This can be done by hand as well. The dough should be soft, not overly sticky, and not too stiff. Scrape the dough off the sides of the bowl and pour approximately one tablespoon of vegetable oil all around the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough over in the bowl so it is covered with the oil. This helps prevent the dough from drying out. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until double in size.
4. Sprinkle counter with flour and put the dough on the flour.  
5. Divide dough into two equal portions. Roll each portion into a rectangle about 11X14 inches and about 1/4 inch thick and brush with melted butter. You then want to cut the rectangle into smaller rectangles that are 2"X4" (a little smaller than a dollar bill). 
6. Roll with the tail of the roll touching the baking sheet and place them on a parchment lined baking pan with the end of the roll resting on the pan. Cover again with a kitchen towel so they don't dry out as they rise. Let rise in a warm place until the rolls are double in size (approx. 1-1 1/2 hours)
7. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until they are lightly browned.  Brush with melted salted butter while hot. Yields 2 to 2 1/2 dozen rolls

Cranberry Salad (Sauce)

1 1/3 cup sugar

12 oz. fresh cranberries, halved.
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained (reserve juice)
2/3 cup chopped walnuts.
2 stalks celery, diced.

Drain and reserve the juice from the pineapple.  In a medium pot bring sugar and pineapple juice to a boil.  once it comes to a rolling boil, add cranberries and boil on medium/high for 7 minutes, stir often.  Remove from stove.  Add pineapple, chopped walnuts and diced celery.  Transfer to a storage bowl and refrigerate.  Can be eaten/stored for a week.

Flaky Pie Crust

2 cups flour
2 tsp. Sugar ( for sweet pie)
2 sticks salted butter
1/2 cup sour cream

Whisk together dry ingredients. Cut in butter til course crumb texture. Stir in sour cream and knead with hands into a round disk. Wrap in steam wrap and refrigerate 1/2Hour to 1 hour.

Green bean casserole

5 cans green beans
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 cans fried onions (12 oz. total)

Place in a 9 x 13 pan the beans, mushroom soup,  milk, salt & pepper and one can of onions, mix. Place the dried onions on top bake at 350° for 40 minutes.

Turkey Brine

This recipe comes from http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/my-favorite-turkey-brine/

3 cups Apple juice/cider
2 gallons Cold Water
4 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary Leaves
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
1-1/2 cup Kosher Salt
2 cups Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Peppercorns
5 whole Bay Leaves
3 large oranges (just the peels) 

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover. 
2. Allow to cool completely, then pour into a large brining bag or pot. Place uncooked turkey in brine solution, then refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours. 
   
   When ready to roast turkey, remove turkey from brine. Submerge turkey in a pot or sink of fresh, cold water. Allow to sit in clean water for 15 minutes to remove excess salt from the outside. 
   
   Discard brine. Remove turkey from clean water, pat dry, and cook according to your normal roasting method.

Candy Bar Chocolate Caramel Pie

1 Chocolate Grahm Cracker Crust

35  Kraft Caramels
1/4 Cup Milk
1 Tbls. Butter
(or replace milk and butter with 1/4 c. half and half)
1 Cup Chopped Toasted pecans

1 bar of Hersheys chocolate
2/3 C. Semi Sweet chocolate chips
(you want about 5.5 ounces of chocolate total)
1/4 C. milk or whipping cream

Cook Crust for 10 minutes at 300*. Allow to cool. Melt Caramels with milk and butter. Add pecans and pour into crust, refrigerate about 1/2 hour. In microwave melt chocolates. With a whip add in milk Spread onto caramel mixture and refrigerate until set. You'll want to let this pie sit out about 10-15 minutes before cutting into.

This is like a candy bar it's so very rich. Indulge yourself around the holidays or anytime you need a quick chocolate fix, Small pieces are best. Oh so yummy!

Caramel Apple pie

1 9 inch unbaked pie shell
3/4 c. sugar
3 Tbls. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
6 apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 c. caramel ice cream topping

CRUMB TOPPING
1 c. flour
1/4 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. firm butter

Preheat oven to 400*. combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Toss with the prepared apples. Spoon into unbaked shell then drizzled the caramel topping over the top. Combine crumb topping ingredients by blending until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over apples. place in middle of the oven for 45 minutes. Cool for 1 hour before slicing.

Honey Butter

2 sticks soft butter
1/2 jar marshmallow cream (small jar)
1 c. honey

Blend ingredients and chill. Serve with all breads and enjoy!
This is so easy and yummy it's sinful, we love it especially with Thanksgiving dinner rolls

Praline Sweet Potato Souffle

2 - 40 oz. cans sweet potatoes, drained
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. milk
1 stick butter

TOPPING
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. flour
1 c. chopped pecans
1 c. shredded coconut
1/3 c. margarine, melted

Heat oven to 325. Combine yams, eggs, salt, sugar, vanilla, milk, and margarine. Blend with mixer until smooth and pour int o a 9 *13 pan. Prepare topping by combining brown sugar, pecans, flour, coconut and margarine. Sprinkle over potatoes. Bake for 45 minutes at 325*

This is almost a dessert it's so good. We only make this for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, but it's a well loved family favorite.