December 21, 2011: Chocolate Caramel Pecan Turtle Pie Recipe

This recipe – which would make a wonderful holiday dessert – is courtesy of my dear mother-in-law, Judy. It’s special enough for Christmas dinner and the combination of ingredients will please the chocolate lovers as well as the traditional dessert lovers in your family.

Chocolate Caramel Pecan Turtle Pie

Filling:

1 14-ounce bag vanilla caramels

½ c. butter

½ c. heavy whipping cream

2 cups pecan halves, roasted

Chocolate cookie pie crust or regular pie crust, blind baked

Topping:

1/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips

2 T. butter

2 T. light corn syrup

½ t. vanilla extract

Prepared whipped cream topping

To prepare filling: add caramels, butter and cream to a heavy, medium-sized saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring often with a whisk, until caramels and butter melt. Remove from heat and whisk until completely smooth. Stir in pecans.

Pour mixture into prepared pie crust. Cover and chill three to four hours, until completely cooled and firm.

To prepare topping: stir chocolate chips and butter in a heavy, small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in cream, corn syrup and vanilla until thoroughly blended. Pour over chilled pie and chill an additional hour. Just before serving, decorate with dollops of whipped cream.

Serves 10

December 5, 2011: Lil Smokies in Barbecue Sauce

This is an old favorite recipe for serving at holiday parties because it’s quick and easy to make while being quite popular with guests. Sometimes, however, I prefer to serve it as a main dish for my husband and I (it makes a little bit more than the two of us can eat but it’s great for a leftovers lunch the next day). Although it may sound strange to add jelly to the sauce, try it before you knock it; it’s quite yummy!

Lil Smokies in Barbecue Sauce

¼ cup finely minced white or yellow onion

1 one-pound package Lil Smokies (Hillshire Farm brand, for instance) sausage

½ cup ketchup

2 T. corn syrup

1 T. prepared yellow mustard

1 t. chili powder

½ t. ground cumin

2 T. grape jelly (or seedless jam, such as blackberry)

1 t. Tabasco sauce

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

In a small crockpot, add minced onions and turn heat to high. Allow onions to cook for a few minutes, until they begin to soften. Add remaining ingredients and turn heat to low. Simmer for an hour or so, until heated through and the flavors have been allowed to meld. Taste and adjust sauce as necessary.

Serves 3 – 4 as main dish, 8 as appetizer