JENNA | Grandma’s Shapasta Salad

* You can make this dish in advance, but if you wait too long to serve it, be sure to have some additional dressing on hand as it will dry out a little as it sits.

¾ lb dried penne pasta
16 oz poppyseed dressing
6 oz grated parmesan cheese
1 head of broccoli
12 oz cherry tomatoes

Boil pasta. Once al dente, remove to a colander and rinse with cold water. In the meantime, rinse your tomatoes and broccoli. Cut the broccoli stems off so that all that remains are tiny little segments of broccoli trees. Combine pasta in a large bowl. Cover in poppyseed dressing and parmesan cheese, tossing to coat. Chill pasta salad for an hour or two so the dressing melds with the pasta.

Jess Spicer | Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

* Jess usually makes two loaves, one with chocolate chips and one without. She also says it’s DELICIOUS served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top! 

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
¾ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips
cooking spray
8”x4” loaf pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat loaf pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Place the flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl; whisk to combine. Add the sugar, pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract to the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Toss 1 cup of the chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon flour. Stir the chocolate chips into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips over the top of the loaf. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then run a thin knife along the sides of the pan to loosen the bread. Let the bread cool in the pan, then invert, slice, and serve.

Kyra | Green Bean Casserole

* Kyra always makes a double batch because this is a fan favorite in her family!

1 can (10 ½ ounces) cream of mushroom soup
¾ cup milk
2 cans (14 ½ ounces each) green beans, drained
1 1/3 cup French fried onions
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix cream of mushroom soup, milk, and pepper (to taste) in a 1 ½ quart baking dish. Stir in green beans and 2/3 cup of French fried onions. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot. Stir. Top with remaining 2/3 cup French fried onions. Bake 5 minutes more or until onions are golden brown.

Heather | Lime Jell-O Mold

* You can also try apricots with lemon Jell-O or pears and pineapples!

3oz lime Jell-O
1 can pear halves
3oz cream cheese
1 tablespoon mayo
1 cup whipping cream
1 ½ cup pear juice + water

Heat juice and Jell-O. Crush pears and add cream cheese and mayo. Combine with hot Jell-O, then mix. Let cool! Whip cream and fold into cooled mixture. Pour into greased mold (or plastic bowl with lid).

Leah | Caramel Apple Pie

PIE CRUST

2 ¼ cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cups shortening
5 tablespoons ice water

Place flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add 1/3 of the shortening and beat at low speed until very fine, about two minutes. Scrape bowl while beating. Add remaining shortening and beat only until shortening is in larger particles, about 1 minute. Gradually add ice water. Reduce mixer speed and beat just enough to make the dough hold together. Form dough into a ball and cut into 2 pieces. Roll out 1 piece of dough to fit the pie pan, then place the rolled-out piece into the pan.

FILLING

Macintosh Apples
1/3 cup dark corn syrup (Karo)
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon Cinnamon
3 tablespoons melted butter
4 teaspoons cornstarch

Place sliced apples in a pastry-lined pan. Mix corn syrup/Karo, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, and cornstarch. Pour the mixture evenly over the apples. Put on the top crust and brush the crust with milk. Bake at 425 for about 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Jillian | Cranberry Sauce

* Try this recipe for those who aren’t fans of canned cranberry sauce!

1 (12-ounce) bag of fresh cranberries
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon orange zest
juice from 1 orange about 3 to 4 tablespoons
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (from 1/2-inch knob of ginger)
1 cinnamon stick

In a medium saucepan, set over medium heat, add the cranberries. Add orange zest to the cranberries. Squeeze in the orange juice, along with all the other ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the cranberries have burst, and the sauce has reduced slightly. Remove the cinnamon stick and discard. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill. The cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools. Keeps in the fridge when stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

­­Sunny | Sweet Potato Casserole

* This recipe has been in Sunny’s family for over 50 years!

POTATO MIXTURE

3 cups mashed sweet potato (1 large can)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup melted butter

Mix ingredients and pour into a casserole dish (9×12).

TOPPING

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup melted butter

Mix well and sprinkle over the potato mixture.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Allow to sit and cool for 15-20 minutes.

Jennifer | Chocolate Chess Pie

3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 stick butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 small cans of evaporated milk

Beat eggs. Add sugar and cocoa, mix. Add butter, vanilla, and milk. Mix well and pour into unbaked pie shells. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

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