Thanksgiving Recipes

Everyone knows that I am thankful for Paula Deen... and all her butter-filled recipes!  And what better time to indulge in Paula's southern cooking than Thanksgiving?

I made her pumpkin bread and mini-pecan pies... Both were big hits, so I wanted to pass along the recipes for your upcoming holiday gatherings!

{image via Paula Deen Magazine}

Paula Deen's Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients:
3 cups sugar (I substituted 1 cup brown sugar)
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin
2/3 cup water
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease & flour baking pans (I used Baker's Joy and it worked like a charm).
2.  Mix sugar and oil with mixer.  Add eggs and blend.
3.  Add pumpkin and blend.  Add water and blend.
4.  Combine remaining ingredients and add slowly to mixer.
5.  Add pecans.
6.  Fill pans about 3/4 full and bake for 1 hour or until golden brown.

Recipe yields 2 loaves (I only had mini bread pans on hand, and was able to make 6 mini loaves)

Paula Deen's Mini Pecan Pies

Crust:

1 stick butter (8 tbs)

1 cup all-purpose flour

3-ounces cream cheese

1.  Soften cheese and butter.  Blend well in mixer.
2.  Stir in flour.
3.  Chill 1 hour.
4.  Shape into 12 equal-sized balls.  Place in ungreased muffin tins.
5.  Press down to shape into crusts.

Filling:
1 egg

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Dash of salt

2/3 cup chopped pecans

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 
2.  Beat egg, sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
3.  Divide half the nuts among muffin tins (over crusts).
4.  Add egg mixture over top.
5.  Top with remaining nuts.

6.  Bake for 25 minutes, or until filling hardens.

Recipe yields 12 mini pies (or 24 if you use the mini-muffin tins)