sweet potato casserole

I loved this dish years ago with lots of nuts and almost every recipe uses egg as a binder so my children have never had the pleasure of enjoying this yummy holiday treat! This is the first one I have made that comes close to the right comfort food feel, it is a combination of several recipes. I hope you enjoy! I think this would also be delicious with good bourbon in with the half and half, or triple sec instead of vanilla.

1/4-1/2 cup half and half
6 sweet potatoes peeled and cut
1 tablespoon brown sugar (original recipe called for 3, it was way too much!)
1/2 stick butter (this could probably be reduced)
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
dash of vanilla
1/4 cup orang marmalade
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 stick butter

Cook sweet potatoes in half and half, butter, and brown sugar until they can be mashed with a fork, about 30 minutes. Mash potatoes add ginger, cinnamon,nutmeg, cloves, vanilla, and marmalade. Pour mixture into individual oven safe ramikins or an 8x8 pan.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine oatmeal, brown sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon. Using a fork or fingers crumble ingredients until they combine as pea size crumbles. Sprinkle oatmeal mixture over sweet potatoes. Bake until top begins to brown and crisp, about 20-25 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

Cut out sugar cookies

This was the first year that Molly has ever been able to eat a cute little iced cut out sugar cookie. This recipe is fantastic- no eggs, no nuts!

8 oz cream cheese
1 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or whatever you like!)
2 cups flour
Powdered (confectioner's) sugar

Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar, add vanilla. Slowly add 2 cups flour. Shape into a large ball. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use powdered sugar instead of flour to prevent cookies from sticking when rolling out (this prevents the cookies from getting too tough from extra flour and adds a slightly sweet taste) Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness, use cookie cutter to cut into shapes. Bake 7-12 minutes. Decorate with icing, sprinkles or sanding sugar.

Molly enjoys icing the cookies with powder sugar icing flavored with orange juice, tinted with food coloring.

Corn pudding

This is such a comfort food for me, unfortunately most recipes call for eggs, this is one that does not.

1 box jiffy corn muffin mix or similar mix
1 can creamed corn
1 can whole kernel corn no added salt
1/2 stick of butter
8 oz of sour cream
shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter, mix in corn muffin mix, creamed corn, whole kernel corn with liquid, and sour cream. Pour mixture into 8x8 pan or casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes, add cheddar cheese to top, bake 10 more minutes or until set. This recipe is also good spiced up with onion sauted in the butter, chopped jalapeno peppers, tabasco, or cayenne pepper. Enjoy!

Molly's Favorite Cupcakes-no eggs!

1 chocolate cake mix
1 can cherry pie filling
12 oz of cherry soda, we like black cherry
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry cake mix, cherry pie filling and soda, whip until the consistency of a "normal" cake batter. Using 1/4 c measuring cup, fill cupcake tins. Bake until cupcakes spring back to touch, 20-25 minutes. Frost with your favorite frosting, we like homemade chocolate buttercream garnished with a cherry or whipped cream with a cherry and chocolate sprinkles.

Molly and I hope that you enjoy this recipe as much as we do.
This recipe can be make into 2 round cakes or 13x9. It also freezes well(before frosting).