Pineapple Casserole

My niece-in-law, Christen, makes this delicious casserole for family parties. Because she and Rich host the entire family for Thanksgiving, I have come to think of this dish as a new classic Thanksgiving dish. The picture below is the recipe as it appears in Christen's recipe book. This year, instead of hoping that there will be leftover Pineapple Casserole to take home, I just made it myself.

I don't know what it is about casseroles, but I just love them. Maybe it is the seemingly incongruous ingredients all thrown together into a pan that usually results in a delicious dish. Maybe it is because casseroles are so easy to make. Whatever the reason, I usually love casseroles. This Pineapple Casserole in no exception. It is sweet and salty, crunchy and creamy all at the same time. It is almost a dessert. Because it is so easy to make, give this casserole a try. Next time I make this casserole, I might even add some nuts, such as macadamia nuts, to the topping.

Pineapple Casserole 

• 1 cup sugar
• 6 Tbsp. flour
• 2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 20 ounce cans chunk pineapple
• 1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs
• 1 stick (8 Tbsp.) melted butter

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a casserole dish. In a mixing bowl, mix the flour and sugar together. Blend in the shredded cheese.  Reserve the juice from the canned pineapple; blend the pineapple with the cheese mixture. Pour the contents into the dish. 

Combine the Ritz cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 6 tablespoons of pineapple juice. Spread on top of the casserole. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Day of the Dead Bread

Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 2, when offerings are made to deceased relatives. The holiday is primarily celebrated in Mexico and coincides with Halloween and All Souls' Day. The food offerings are meant to honor the dead, and families often hold picnics at their family member graves. There are a variety of traditional foods, including candy skulls, tamales, and other treats. But I personally love Day of the Dead bread, known as Pan de Muerto. I usually buy some at a local Mexican bakery. It is always delicious, but I thought I would try making it myself this year.

Day of the Dead bread is a sweet egg bread. It is often covered in colored sugar, but I skipped the sugar. I made a single large loaf, but smaller individual sized buns could be easily made. During the second rise, set aside some of the dough for the decorative elements on top of the bread. I attempted to make crossbones, but sometimes the extra dough is shaped into a skull. I used anise and orange zest. The anise is what makes this bread special. Sometimes cinnamon is added to the dough.

 Day of the Dead Bread 

• 1/2 cup lukewarm milk 
• 4 Tbsp. butter, softened 
• 1/4 cup sugar 
• 1 tsp. salt 
• 2 tsp. instant yeast 
• 3 large eggs, divided 
• 3 cups flour 
• 1 tsp. anise seed 
• 1 tsp. orange zest

Combine all the ingredients except one egg white. Set aside the egg white in the refrigerator for the egg wash. When all the ingredients are blended, knead the dough for a few minutes until the dough is smooth. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise for about two hours. The dough will increase in size, but will not quite double. 

Break off a piece of dough a little larger than a golf ball and place that dough in the refrigerator. Shape the remaining dough into a ball, place the dough into a greased 9-inch round pan, and flatten the dough. Allow the dough to rise, for about two hours.

Heat the oven to 350. Using the egg white mixed with a tablespoon of water, brush the top of the bread with the egg wash. Using the set aside dough, form a decorative shape, such as crossbones and place on top of the bread. Brush the entire top of the loaf with the egg wash. Bake the bread for about 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Although this recipe is not from Mom, it has become a family favorite. I love just about all things pumpkin. I found a variation of the recipe somewhere that I can no longer recall the source. Since I first made this recipe, I made several adjustments to suit my preferences. These delicious cookies are now popular at family parties, especially in the fall when pumpkin is everywhere. Even people who don't particularly like pumpkin like these cookies.

This recipe makes a lot of cookies. Fortunately, these cookies freeze well, so they can be enjoyed for a long time. And the cookies stay soft and moist, even after being defrosted. I prefer using milk chocolate chips, but use any kind of chips you like. I really like the combination of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and you can use more or less of each spice to suit your preferences.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies 

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat the over to 350. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Add vanilla and pumpkin puree. Mix in baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Mix in the flour until fully blended. Stir in the chips. Scoop spoonfuls of dough onto cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes. Allow to cool on wire rack. Enjoy!