Thanksgiving | I Can Cook That

Potato Farls (Irish Potato Bread)

I personally did not grow up eating Potato Farls, probably because around me, there was no such thing as leftover mashed potatoes. (I am still a mashed potato fiend, but I’ve managed to turn it down to a more respectable level.)

But when I am visiting family in Ireland, Potato Farls is one of the foods I am most excited to eat (along with Irish Brown Bread and the rest of the components of a beautiful Ulster Fry.)

Potato Farls is just mashed potatoes kneaded with some flour, butter, salt, and pepper, then fried up into tasty little pieces, making them the perfect recipe for the day after Thanksgiving!

Ingredients (multiply as needed):

1 lb mashed potatoes
1 cup flour, plus more as needed
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for frying
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
olive oil

Continue reading Potato Farls (Irish Potato Bread)

Pureed Rutabaga

Pureed Rutabaga is a staple of basically every extended family gathering I have ever been to. But my family always refers to this dish as Turnips, which used to confuse me quite a bit because, well, there is also a vegetable called a turnip.

Apparently, rutabagas are also known as yellow turnips which is where this confusion comes from. Rutabagas are actually a hybrid of a turnip and a wild cabbage!

Anywho, I love pureed rutabaga / turnips. They are fluffy, creamy, with a little bit of spice.

This recipe is particularly perfect for large gatherings because you don’t have to use your stovetop or oven at all, saving space for other dishes.

Ingredients (serves 4, multiply as needed):

1 large rutabaga
1 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper (preferably white pepper)

Continue reading Pureed Rutabaga

Homemade Pumpkin Ice Cream

You didn’t think I’d let October pass without sharing multiple new pumpkin recipe, did you? Especially with all the ice cream recipes I’ve been making lately, it should come as no surprise that I wanted to share a Homemade Pumpkin Ice Cream recipe!

Pumpkin ice cream is my absolute favorite ice cream. More specifically, Woodside Farm Creamery‘s pumpkin ice cream — their version is so wonderfully rich and creamy!

So I knew it was about time I tried to make my own at home. This recipe uses egg yolks to achieve that uber creamy texture!

Ingredients (makes approximately 1 quart):

4 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
8 egg yolks
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree

Recommended tools (paid links):

Continue reading Homemade Pumpkin Ice Cream

Apple Cider Whoopie Pies

My love for all things pumpkin is no secret. But it’s about time I gave apples their autumnal spotlight! These Apple Cider Whoopie Pies combine two of my favorite things – whoopie pies and apple cider donuts – to make an absolutely wonderful fall dessert.

If you’ve never had a whoopie pie before, they are just two cake-like cookies with a creamy frosting sandwiched in between. These Apple Cider Whoopie Pies have two spiced apple cider flavored cookies, coated in a cinnamon sugar, and then filled with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients (makes 10 whoopie pies):

Cookies:

1 1/4 cups apple cider
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg, at room temperature
1/4 cup apple butter
1/4 cup sugar

Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 oz powdered sugar

Continue reading Apple Cider Whoopie Pies

Roasted Beets and Sweets

I recently bought a ridiculous number of beets. I honestly can’t even tell you what moved me to do so, but I was staring down a good dozen plus beets for a household of two.

We were able to use some up in this awesome recipe for Gemelli with Brown Butter Beet Sauce, and I used a lot up in a salad recipe I will post later, but I was still left with about half a dozen beets!

This recipe for Roasted Beets and Sweets is fairly straightforward, used up all my remaining beets, and works as a good Sunday afternoon recipe so you have an easy side ready for later in the week (or to eat immediately with Sunday dinner).

Ingredients (serves 6):

6 beets, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided

Continue reading Roasted Beets and Sweets

Pumpkin Roll

I can’t believe I’ve never shared a pumpkin roll recipe on this blog! For someone as pumpkin-obsessed as me, I’m happy to finally rectify that!

This recipe is a mostly classic recipe, with the addition of chocolate chips into the cream cheese filling. I made this for Thanksgiving, and my aunt who hosts it enjoys pumpkin-chocolate combinations, so I made this one for her.

This pumpkin roll recipe has been developed to be made in a half sheet pan (paid link).

Ingredients:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
12 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Continue reading Pumpkin Roll

Cranberry Turnovers

I absolutely love cranberry sauce, but with all of the other delicious sides on Thanksgiving, my family and I rarely finish the entire can. This recipe for Cranberry Turnovers takes your leftover cranberry sauce and turns it into a simple and delicious breakfast!

I adapted this recipe from Country Living, although I kept it fairly close to the original.

Ingredients (serves 8):

1 (17.3 oz package) Puff Pastry, thawed
8 oz cream cheese
2 egg yolks
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, divided
1/2 cup leftover cranberry sauce
1 tablespoon almond extract (or vanilla extract to make nut free)

Continue reading Cranberry Turnovers

Frosted Pumpkin Brownies

For those that follow me on Instagram or Twitter, it comes as no surprise that I am a huge fan of pumpkin recipes. In fact, I have over 30 recipes that use pumpkin on this blog!

So hopefully you’ll allow me to add another one to the list: Frosted Pumpkin Brownies!

So when I had a nagging sweet tooth recently, I figured it was time to also feed my pumpkin need. This recipe for Frosted Pumpkin Brownies is comprised of a chewy, chocolatey brownie topped with a nice thick layer of pumpkin buttercream frosting, resulting in a decadent treat for the chocolate and pumpkin lovers in your life.

Ingredients:

Brownies:

coffee extract (can substitute in
mini

Pumpkin Buttercream Frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (note: can also just use 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual spices, if preferred)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 cups powdered sugar

Continue reading Frosted Pumpkin Brownies

Pressure Cooker Cauliflower Puree

I absolutely love the flavor of cauliflower, which means I’ve been in heaven these past few years with all of the attention cauliflower has been receiving as an alternative for everything from rice to pizza crust. So I was quite surprised when I realized I hadn’t shared my recipe for Pressure Cooker Cauliflower Puree yet!

This recipe is easy to make and comes together in less than 30 minutes!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 large cauliflower head, cut into florets
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

Continue reading Pressure Cooker Cauliflower Puree

Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

I’m all about making as many things as possible ahead of time to make actual dinners or events easier to manage. And Thanksgiving is certainly no different. Slow Cooker recipes, like this Slow Cooker Creamed Corn, are perfect for make ahead sides for Thanksgiving!

This recipe for Slow Cooker Creamed Corn is super easy and can be made a few days ahead of time if needed. But, because it’s in your slow cooker, it’s also easy to make the day of while not using precious stovetop and oven space!

Ingredients (serves 6-8):

6 (10 oz bags) frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 (8 oz) block of cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into slices

Continue reading Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

Bloody Marys

I’ve been told I make a pretty darn good Bloody Mary. Although I can’t take much credit for it; I’ve been using my grandpa’s recipe for years now. My “responsibility” at Thanksgiving every year is to keep the pitcher of Bloody Marys full, so I’ve had some practice.

I’m finally sharing my recipe on here to highlight a fun event happening in South Philly this weekend at one of my favorite bars: Moonshine. Chef Christine Hazel, of Hell’s Kitchen and Chopped fame, is hosting a Brunch Cooking Class this Sunday, December 9th, at 11 am. The class includes learnings how to make some brunch dishes, dish samples, and 2 signature cocktails. You can get tickets here. (I’ve already purchased mine, so come hang out with me!)

So why not get the brunch cocktail party started now?

Ingredients: (serves 4)

2 cups tomato juice
the juice and zest of 1 lemon
the juice and zest of 1 lime
2 oz Worcestershire sauce (some brands are gluten-free)
10-15 dashes hot sauce (depending on how much heat you’re looking for)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 oz vodka
ice
for garnish (optional): celery stalks, lemon wedges, lime wedges, olives

Continue reading Bloody Marys

Thanksgiving Leftover Skillet Pizza

It probably goes without saying that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love spending time with my family and digging in to awesome food! My aunt and uncle have hosting Thanksgiving for years now, and they always make a point to make more than we could ever eat so we have leftovers.

I could eat Thanksgiving leftovers every day, but sometimes its nice to switch up the presentation a bit.

This recipe for Thanksgiving Leftover Skillet Pizza makes the most of whatever leftovers you have on hand!

Ingredients:

1 cup shredded cooked turkey
3-4 tablespoons cranberry sauce
3/4 cup each shredded mozzarella and shredded cheddar cheese, divided
All-purpose flour
8 ounces prepared pizza dough, at room temperature (or cauliflower crust to make gluten free)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup mashed potatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup cooked vegetables, (I used Brussels sprouts)
1/2 cup crumbled stuffing
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
cranberry sauce and gravy, for serving

Continue reading Thanksgiving Leftover Skillet Pizza

Pressure Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes

I really love sweet potatoes. I have a pretty bad sweet tooth, so sweet potatoes are right up my alley. Growing up, we used to always have them mashed with a ton of butter and topped with roasted marshmallows. Mmm.

This version for Pressure Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes is a bit more stripped down, no marshmallows here. The natural sweetness is allowed to shine through (although I do enhance it a bit with some maple syrup)!

Plus, because I cooked the sweet potatoes in my Pressure Cooker, this recipe is done in no time!

Ingredients:

4 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into similar sized pieces
1 cup water
1/4 cup unsalted butter (or coconut oil to make dairy free/vegan)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
thyme, for garnish

Continue reading Pressure Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Thanksgiving Recipe Round Up

I thought it might be helpful to make a Thanksgiving Recipe Round Up by adding all of my favorite Thanksgiving-friendly recipes to one post, so they are easier to find. This time of year is busy enough, you shouldn’t have to search for all of these yummy options! Just click on a photo to go to the full post and recipe.

Main protein:

I have yet to roast an entire turkey myself, so these options are more for a smaller family Thanksgiving, or even in addition to the full turkey if you’re having a huge crowd!

Sides:

Let’s be honest. Thanksgiving is ALL about the sides! Here are some of my favorites. Some traditional, some not so much.

Couscous with Dried Cranberries and Pine Nuts

Green Bean Casserole with Mushrooms and Fried Onions

Pomegranate Mustard Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Browned Butter and Lemon Brussels Sprouts

Winter Risotto with Farro and Arborio Rice

Moroccan Black Lentils with Kale and Onions

Desserts:

I hope you saved room!

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache

What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving recipes?

Slow Cooker Garlic Red Potatoes

I’ve mentioned before that my smoke alarms in my house are… sensitive. If I roast anything in the oven, they tend to go off. So when possible, I try to find alternate means to cook my food. In the summer, that means a ton of grilling. And as the weather cools off, my slow cooker becomes my best friend!

My latest Hungry Harvest (note: this is a referral link) included 2 pounds of red potatoes, so I wanted to try cooking the potatoes in my slow cooker.

This recipe for Slow Cooker Garlic Red Potatoes works well as a side to a recipe that already is using up your oven, like a roast turkey or chicken. It’s also a good option for a night that you can set the slow cooker in the early afternoon, and let it do its thing while you go about your day. When it’s dinner time, your side is all set, and you can quickly whip up a seafood dish, or sautéed chicken in no time!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 lbs red potatoes, cut into bit sized pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Continue reading Slow Cooker Garlic Red Potatoes