Reader Recipe Round-Up: Thanksgiving

I did a shout-out for YOUR Thanksgiving recipes, so we could all be inspired with new and exciting dishes to bring to the table.  Bloggers and blog readers alike shared some some tasty vittles, and here is the promised post to pass it along to you!




Barb from A Life in Balance shares her mother-in-law's German Stuffing.




Carrie from Making Lemonade has a great Thanksgiving menu and make-ahead's post you should check out!




Diane from Knitting Zeal posts about her stuffing and cranberry relish.




Melissa from Lissabee Confections shares a delicious cupcake recipe, which she describes as being "like a pumpkin roll in a cupcake, but SO MUCH EASIER":

Autumnal Delight Cupcakes

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• a few pinch fulls of pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• extra cinnamon for garnish

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 24 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners. (I used Jumbo Muffin Pan, and it made about 8-10 giant cupcakes!) Sift together the flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.


Beat 1/2 cup of butter, the white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Stir in the milk, vegetable oil and pumpkin puree after the last egg. Stir in the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups.


Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.


While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. Once the cupcakes are cool, frost with the cream cheese icing, and garnish with cinnamon on top.


Lissa's Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 stick butter, melted
4 cups confections sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz package cream cheese


Cream all ingredients together, add one cup of sugar at a time until everything is blended together. Add more or less sugar depending on how sweet you like your frosting. I like mine sweet! I use 4 cups.

Karin shared this dessert recipe that she says is "light and refreshing:"

Easy Coconut Pie

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted 2 eggs, beaten 
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 
• 3/4 cup sugar 
• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut 
• 1 cup milk 
• 1 9-inch unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine melted butter, eggs, flour, sugar, coconut, and milk. Pour into pie shell. Bake until firm, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Alicia shared several awesome recipes:

Tropical Carrot Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting (from Epicurious)

Cranberry Sauce 

(from Rachael Ray magazine):

1 cup sugar , 1 cinnamon stick , 2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger, 2 tsp grated orange peel, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp ground cloves, 12 oz fresh cranberries

Med saucepan combine 1 cup water with sugar, cinnamon stick, ginger, orange peel, salt and cloves. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Stir in cranberries and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, stirring until it thickens ( about 8-10 minutes).

Carmelized Onion and Cornbread stuffing

2 tbsp butter,  2 chopped onions, 6 large corn muffins cut into cubes,  handful fresh sage torn up, 1 egg, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup chicken stock, salt and pepper to taste

Pre heat oven to 375. Melt butter in med skillet. Add onions and cook for about 10 minutes. Add sage and put into large bowl. Add your cornbread cubes to this and toss well. Season with S / P. In separate bowl whick eggs , cream and stock. Pour over cornbread and stir together. Spoon into buttered dish and bake until crisp on top - about 30 minutes. This can be put into turkey cavity as well but we never do it that way. 

My high school friend, Jeannine, sent 2 great recipes as well!

Sweet Potato Muffins

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups sweet potato puree
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup raisins or craisins (optional)
1/4 cup pecans or walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line muffin pan with muffin papers or grease them.
3. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Add sweet potato puree and mix well.
4. Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg together.
5. Add flour mixture to potato mixture alternatively with milk. Do not over-mix.
6. Fold in nuts and raisins, if using.
7. Fill tins 2/3 way full.
7. Bake for 25 minutes (or 15 minutes for mini-muffins)

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Craisins

Dice some pancetta (or bacon) and cook medium-high heat until start to get a little bit crispy and the fat is rendered. Add craisins and brussels (cut in half of quarters, depending on the size). Add a spoonful of whole-grain mustard and a splash or two of apple cider. Cook until brussels are just tender - don't overcook. 

SO many great recipes to try!  As I get more I will update this post - so please, send along YOUR recipes to share with the rest of the community!

To submit a recipe, fill out the form below by midnight!