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We all have favorite recipes! Whether it's a turkey dinner or a fine dessert, food is more than just fuel. Mealtime is a great time to reconnect with family and friends. If you have a recipe you'd like to share, send it to us. We can't guarantee that they'll all be shared here, but we'll put as many as we can online for everyone to enjoy.

What's your specialty? Pies? Pot Roast? Donuts? Spaghetti sauce? How about some wild game recipes?

Connie's blueberry pie!

Betsy's Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins

Christmas Plum Pudding

1 1/2 cup soft Breadcrumbs
1 cup seedless Raisins
1 cup Currants
1 cup chopped Dates
1 cup chopped Cherries (red & green)
1 cup roughly chopped pitted Prunes
1 cup cooked Apple chunks
1/4 cup of Lemon Peel (or some lemon juice)
1/2 cup chopped dried Apricots, Apples etc
1/2 cup chopped Walnuts
1/2 cup butter
1 cup Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Bicarb of Soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Cloves
1/2 teaspoon Allspice
1/4 teaspoon Mace
1/2 cup ground Suet
1/2 cup brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Molasses
1 cup Brandy
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Marmalade

2 omega-3 eggs (or 1 whole egg + 1/3 cup egg whites, or can use all egg whites)
1 1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 scoops Whey Protein Vanilla Powder
1/3 cup Milled Flaxseed
2-3 tablespoons Organic Ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon (approximately) of each:
Organic Ground Nutmeg
Organic Ground Ginger
Clove
All spice
Pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan Crystal Salt
1 teaspoon NuNaturals More Fiber Baking Blend
2 (15 oz.) cans pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
1 cup Organic Walnuts, toasted
Organic Ground Cinnamon, sprinkle to taste

Directions:

1. Spray 9 x 9 baking pan with canola oil.

2. Using a 14 cup food processor, blend eggs until creamy.

3. Add cottage cheese, molasses and vanilla to eggs. Blend until thick and creamy (approximately 1 minute).

4. Add one can of pumpkin at a time to the mixture, blending in between.

5. Add remaining ingredients, except nuts, and blend until mixed.

6. Mix in nuts until blended.

7. Taste the batter to check sweetness. Add some stevia or more spices according to your liking.

8. Pour into the sprayed pan and sprinkle cinnamon on the top before baking.

9. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Rotate the pan at 50 minutes to ensure even browning.

10. When the bars are cool, cover with plastic wrap or foil. Cracks will appear on the top and will flatten when the bars cool. Note: Bars must sit overnight for the flavors to meld. They will not taste good right out of the oven.

Who doesn't love mac and cheese? This traditional comfort food isn't just for kids. This grown-up gourmet version with cheddar and ricotta cheese is melt-in-your-mouth creamy and smooth.

Ingredients:

8 ounces uncooked macaroni
1 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 shallot, finely minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour mixed with 2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1-3/4 cups (7 ounces) shredded reduced-fat mild Cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (optional)
Directions:

1. Cook macaroni according to package directions, omitting salt. Drain; set aside.

2. Combine chicken broth and shallot in medium saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Cover; reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in flour mixture. Cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add mustard, pepper, 1 cup Cheddar cheese and ricotta cheese. Continue stirring until cheeses are completely melted. Stir in cooked pasta; mix well.

3. Remove pasta mixture from heat; stir in remaining 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese and parsley, if desired. Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh parsley sprigs, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition per Serving:

(Serving size = 1 1/8 cups)

Calories = 398
Total fat = 8 g
Saturated fat = 4 g
Carbohydrate = 54 g
Protein = 28 g
Cholesterol = 33 mg
Sodium = 788 mg
Dietary Exchanges:

Starch = 3 ½
Meat = 2 ½

Finally, a meatball sub you can sink your teeth into without wrecking your diet! This scrumptious Italian classic uses lean ground beef to cut the fat content, and a plethora of herbs adds loads of flavor into each meatball.

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray
½ cup chopped onion
3 teaspoons finely chopped garlic, divided
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Italian-style crushed tomatoes, undrained
2 bay leaves
2 ½ teaspoons dried basil, divided
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves, divided
¾ teaspoon black pepper, divided
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ pound 95% lean ground beef
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 egg white
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
½ teaspoon ground mustard
4 French bread rolls, warmed and cut in half lengthwise
Directions:

1. Spray large nonstick saucepan with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat until hot. Add onion and 2 teaspoons garlic. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add tomatoes with juice, bay leaves, 2 teaspoons basil, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and red pepper flakes; cover. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard bay leaves.

2. Combine beef, green onions, bread crumbs, parsley, egg white, water, remaining 1 teaspoon garlic, 1/2 teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, marjoram and mustard in medium bowl until well blended. Shape into 16 small meatballs.

3. Spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat until hot. Add meatballs. Cook 5 minutes or until meatballs are no longer pink in centers, turning occasionally.

4. Add meatballs to tomato sauce. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Place 4 meatballs in each roll. Spoon additional sauce over meatballs. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition per Serving:

(Serving size = 1 sub with 4 meatballs)

Calories = 282
Total fat = 9 g
Saturated fat = 3 g
Carbohydrate = 32 g
Protein = 18 g
Fiber = 1 g
Cholesterol = 35 mg
Sodium = 497 mg
Dietary Exchanges:

Meat = 2
Starch = 2
Vegetable = 1

Serves 10

A popular request by kids, and a favorite from Dreamfields Pasta.

Ingredients:
8 ounces Dreamfields Spaghetti
8 ounces lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs
1/2 cup skim milk
4 cups shredded skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 jar (26-ounces) pasta sauce
1 can (6 ounces) sliced black olives
1 can (4 ounces) sliced mushrooms

Directions:
Prepare spaghetti according to package directions. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.
In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown hamburger. Add onion, salt and pepper and cook until onion is soft. Drain off excess juices.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs. Add milk and one cup of mozzarella cheese and mix. Toss mixture with cooked pasta.
Grease a 9x13x2 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter. Spread pasta mixture to in the baking dish.
Layer ground beef, pasta sauce, remaining 3 cups of mozzarella cheese, black olives and mushrooms. Cover and Bake at 350-degrees F for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake 10 minutes more. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition information per serving (1/10 of recipe): 348 calories; 25 g protein; 12 g digestible carbohydrates; 16 g fat.

A budget conscious recipe with cocoa, vanilla, oil, vinegar, and other ingredients.

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
pinch salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
10 level tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup salad oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups cold water
Preparation:

Sift dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and mix with a large spoon until smooth.
Spoon into a greased and floured 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
Frost with your favorite frosting.

8 TBSP softened butter ½ tsp salt ½ cup light brown sugar 1 TBSP ground ginger ½ cup molasses 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 egg ½ tsp ground allspice 2 ½ cups all purpose flour 1 tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp baking powder

Procedure:

Cream butter and sugar together, then beat in molasses and egg. Add all dry ingredients and spices together and mix until well blended. Add dry ingredient to creamed butter/sugar mixture and mix until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface about three-quarters of an inch thick. Using a cookie cutter cut out cookie figures or into three inch squares( if you’re not artistic) and place in a pre-heated 350F oven for 7-8 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Personally, I like mine plain, but you can frost the cookies if you wish (2 cups powdered sugar, 1/3 cup butter, 1 tsp. vanilla and 2 TBSP milk or cream) or just sprinkle with regular sugar while they’re cooling.

This is a classic stewed pumpkin pie, with a lovely spiciness from the cloves, and aromatic with brandy. There were, in early America, versions of pumpkin pie made with sliced raw pumpkin, just as we make apple pies today.

Pumpkins, as prolific as their cousin zucchini, proved to be very useful to the English and other settlers in America. They can be dried or stored whole in cool, dry places in the house until they were wanted. They were used as a side dish for meat, and by the nineteenth century, pumpkin was one of the most common pie fillings.

The secret to making a good pumpkin pie from fresh pumpkin is to drain the pulp well after cooking. Mash it, then let it sit in a sieve for 10 minutes to allow most of the water to drip away before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2 cups homemade stewed pumpkin (or 1 15-ounce can plain pumpkin puree)
1 cup milk or half-and-half
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup light brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup brandy
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
¼ - ½ teaspoon ground cloves (clove lovers will want to use the larger amount)
¼ teaspoon salt

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

Put the milk or half-and-half in a saucepan with the butter and the sugar, and warm them together until the butter melts. Add the warmed milk to the pumpkin in a large bowl. Add the beaten eggs, brandy, spices, and salt and mix until it becomes a smooth batter.

Line a 9-inch pie plate with your crust, crimping the edges, then pour in the pumpkin mixture. Bake for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Old Fashioned New England Roasted Turkey
Orange-Maple Marinated

This wonderful, old northeastern method of marinating the turkey overnight in maple-orange produces a remarkably moist and flavorful bird. Combine the reserved marinade with the pan drippings and reduce to a scrumptious tangy gravy.

Marinade:

2 cups orange juice
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup bourbon
Turkey:.. One 12-pound fresh or frozen whole turkey, thawed
3 oranges, peeled and quartered
3 small bay leaves, plus more for garnish (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsifted all-purpose flour
Citrus garnish (such as oranges, orange wedges, and kumquats; optional)
Fresh thyme leaves (optional)
1) Prepare marinade: In a large bowl, combine orange juice, broth, maple syrup, and bourbon.
2) Remove giblets and neck from turkey. Rinse turkey thoroughly with cold water; pat dry.
3) Place turkey in a 2 gallon heavy-duty plastic food storage bag. Carefully pour in marinade. Seal; place in large roasting pan. Refrigerate overnight, turning bag occasionally.
Prepare Turkey: Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
4) Remove turkey from plastic bag and reserve marinade. Insert orange quarters and bay leaves into cavity. Sprinkle salt in cavity. Skewer neck skin to back or tuck wing tips under shoulder joints, holding skin in place. Tie drumstick ends together with string. Place turkey on a wire rack set in a large roasting pan. Insert a meat thermometer into thigh, making sure it doesn't rest on the bone.
5) Roast turkey until thermometer registers 180 degrees F -- about 3 hours. (Cover turkey loosely with foil if it gets too brown before reaching required temperature.)
6) Remove turkey from oven; transfer to serving platter. Remove and discard oranges and bay leaves.
Let turkey stand at least 20 minutes before carving.
7) Pour reserved marinade into a 2 quart saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Skim and discard any foam from mixture with a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to medium; cook until reduced to 3 1/2 cups -- about 15 minutes.
Preparing Gravy.
8) When turkey has been transferred to platter, skim off all but 1/4 cup fat from drippings in roasting pan; stir in the flour until well mixed. Gradually stir in the reduced marinade and cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.
Presenting the masterepiece.

Garnish turkey with whole oranges, orange wedges, bay leaves, and fresh thyme, if desired, and serve with gravy.

Serving: 12

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Sour Apple Raisins and Rum Custard Cake

Crust
* 1 1/2 cups flour, unbleached, unsifted
* 5 Tbls. sugar
* 1 Tbls. lemon, rind of, grated
* 2/3 cup butter or margarine
* 1 Lg. egg yolks
* 1 Tbls. milk

Filling

* 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
* 2 Tbls. butter or margarine, melted
* 4 cups apples, tart, sliced
* 1 Tbls. lemon juice
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup raisins -- Soak raisins in 1/4 cup rum for 1/2 hour before using.
* 1/4 cup rum
* 3 Lg. eggs, beaten
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1 3/4 cups milk

1. CRUST: To make crust, mix flour, sugar, and lemon rind.
2. Cut in butter or margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add egg yolk and 1 T of milk; mix gently to form a dough.
4. Pat into bottom of a 10 inch Springform pan that has sides only greased.
5. Press dough up sides of pan for 1 inch.
6. FILLING: Toss together bread crumbs and melted butter.
7. Spread evenly over pastry crust.
8. Toss apple slices, lemon juice, and 1/4 c of sugar.
9. Spread apples over crumbs.
10. Drain raisins, reserving rum, and sprinkle raisins over apples.
11. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 15 minutes.
12. Beat eggs and sugar until thick and lemon colored.
13. Stir in milk and reserved rum.
14. Pour custard over apples and bake for 45 to 60 minutes at 350 degrees F. until custard is set.
15. Cool completely before serving.
16. Do NOT remove springform pan until cool.

Yields: 8 servings

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New Orleans Sweet Potato Bread Pudding With Rum Sauce

1 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and finely chopped
2 cups raisins
1/4 cup dark rum
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 quart whipping cream
2 cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons cane syrup (Very thick dark brown sugar syrup)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 (16 ounce) loaf French bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
Rum Sauce
Whipped cream

Arrange sweet potatoes in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam 10 minutes or until tender. Set aside.

Combine raisins and rum. Set aside.

Combine eggs and next 5 ingredients in a bowl; add bread pieces, sweet potato, and raisin mixture. Spoon mixture evenly into 2 lightly greased 11 x 7-inch baking dishes. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until set, covering with foil to prevent over browning, if necessary.
Serve warm with Rum Sauce and whipped cream. Serves 16.

RUM SAUCE:
1 1/2 cups butter
1/4 cup dark rum
3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 egg yolk

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; stir in rum. Add confectioners' sugar; stir with a whisk until smooth. Stir in egg yolk; cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until mixture reaches 160 degrees F.
Makes 2 1/2 cups.

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Soft and Fluffy Thanksgiving Rolls

Plan ahead as these have 2 rises and you will also need two 9x13" pans.
4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (2 envelopes)
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups milk, lukewarm
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs, beaten
6-6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, as needed
Preheat oven to 375°F
1) Combine yeast with water and 1 tsp sugar, set aside for 5-10 minutes or until frothy (if yeast doesn't froth, then it is dead or old- either you need fresh yeast or your water was too hot and killed the yeast).
2) Add warm milk (again- warm, but not too hot or yeast will die), melted cooled butter, remaining 1/3 cup sugar, eggs, and just 3 cups of the flour.
3) Beat mixture until smooth - either with a dough hook in an electric mixer or using a spoon.
4) Next, this time using a spoon even if you have a mixer, stir in enough flour to form a soft dough ball (depending upon the hunidity of the day, you will need more or less flour).
5) Turn dough onto a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, additional additional flour if needed to keep from sticking.
6) Place in a a lightly greased large bowl and then flip the dough over to coat top; cover with plastic wrap that has been greased or nonstick spray, and let rise in a warm place until doubled- about 1 hour.
7) Punch dough down, then place on a lightly floured board and divide in half.
8) Now divide each half into 12 pieces, shaping each piece into a ball.
9) Place 12 dough balls each into two 9x13" greased baking pans.
10) Cover as before and let rise until doubled, 30 minutes to an hour.
Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Best served warm.
After cooking, brush with a little extra melted butter while still warm to give them shiny tops, if desired.
Yields: 24 servings