Do you like entering recipe contests?  Do you have a holiday recipe you would like to share with others?  If so, this is the post for you to read!  SheSpeaks has teamed up with Macy’s and their Recipe Share Contest! Share your favorite holiday recipe for a chance to win $1000 and have it featured on Food Republic.

Mark Your Calendar:

The Macy’s Recipe Share Contest is running until November 30th, 2011, so be sure to enter ASAP!

How to Enter:

1. Head to www.facebook.com/macys
2. Click the Recipe Share tab
3. Submit your recipe
4. Share the contest via Facebook and Twitter

Don’t forget that you can submit and vote on recipes starting November 1st. You’ll have until November 30th when the contest ends to show off your best holiday recipes so get cooking!

This is the recipe I plan on sharing this holiday season: Pumpkin Pie Crunch (with photos)
Ingredients:

• 1 lg. can of pure plain pumpkin
• 1 lg. can of evaporated milk
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 t. salt
• 4 t. pumpkin pie spice
• 3 eggs
• 1 box of yellow cake mix
• pecans
• 2 sticks of melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 13 x 9 cake pan.  In medium sized mixing bowl empty pumpkin and add evaporated milk, sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and eggs. Mix well. Pour mixture into well greased baking dish. Sprinkle and spread dry cake mix on top of pumpkin mixture. Add chopped pecans and drizzle melted butter evenly over the top. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until nicely browned. Cover with whip cream and serve!

About Macy’s:

Established in 1858, Macy’s is the Great American Department Store – an iconic retail brand with over 800 stores across the country and online at macys.com. Macy’s offers an incredible selection and the best brands, tailored to each and every customer, while providing an experience that transcends ordinary shopping.

A big part of Macy’s unique heritage includes our special events?the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Fourth of July Fireworks, flower shows, fashion extravaganzas, celebrity appearances and holiday traditions that range from the arrival of Santa Claus to tree lightings and festive window displays. But beyond our signature events, Macy’s delivers magical moments every day through our shopping environment, service and merchandise – a great deal of which is sold exclusively through our stores. It’s all part of the excitement we’ve been creating for 151 years, and it’s all part of the magic of Macy’s!

Disclosure:  This post is part of the SheSpeaks campaign sponsored by Macy’s and I was paid for sharing.  What I shared and my opinions are my own.

I just got this via email from Driscolls and I just had to share it with you!

Strawberry  Halloween Ghost Graveyard Cake

Prep time: 30 minutes

Bake time: 25 minutes

Yield 12 servings

Serving Size: 1 slice

Strawberry Ghosts and Tombstones

• 1 container (1 pound) Driscoll’s strawberries, divided
• 3 Milano cookies
• 1 cup white candy melts
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
• Assorted Halloween sprinkles,like Jumbo Ghost Sprinkles
• 6 cream filled chocolate cookies, Oreo’s

Graveyard Cake

• 1 container (6 ounces) Driscoll’s blueberries
• ¾ cup water
• 1 package (18.25 ounce) devil food cake mix
• 1/3 cup oil
• 3 large eggs

Raspberry Strawberry Filling

• 1 container (6 ounce) Driscoll’s raspberries
• 1 ½ cup coarsely chopped Driscoll’s strawberries, divided
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Chocolate Ganache Whipped Frosting

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• Garnish
• 1 container (6 ounces) Driscoll Blueberries
• 1 container (6 ounces)Driscoll Raspberries

Strawberry Ghosts and Tombstones

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Combine candy melts and shortening in large microwave safe bowl. Microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds. Stir thoroughly. Continue to microwave and stir at 30 seconds intervals until smooth and completely melted.

Dip strawberries into candy melt to coat completely, let excess drip off. Carefully place stem side down onto prepared cookie sheet. Let stand at room temperature or store in refrigerator 30 minutes or until coating is firm

Using melted chocolate place dots of chocolate as glue and arrange ghost sprinkles for eyes. Pipe on eyebrows and mouth, let stand until firm.

Arrange cookies on tray. Spoon melted chocolate into a pastry bag fitted with Wilton tip # 3. Pipe saying onto each cookie.

Let stand at room temperature until coating is firm.  In food processor blend cookies until fine crumbs, set aside.

 Graveyard Cake

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour 2 (9-inch) square baking pans. Combine in food processor 1 cup blueberries and water. Puree 1 minute or until smooth

Blend cake mix, blueberry mixture, oil and eggs in large bowl on low speed just until moistened. Scrape sides of bowl.

Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in remaining blueberries. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans.

Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Raspberry Strawberry Filling

Combine raspberries and 1 cup coarsely chopped strawberries in food processor. Puree 1 minute or until smooth.

Press through a sieve to remove seeds. Whisk sugar, cornstarch and berry puree in small saucepan until blended.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly and boil 1 minute.

Remove from heat stir in ½ cup chopped strawberries; set aside. Cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache Whipped Frosting

Bring heavy cream to a boil over medium- high heat in medium saucepan. Whisk in chocolate. Whisking constantly until the chocolate is completely melted.

Pour chocolate into a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap, chill 2 hours.

Beat on low to medium speed 30 seconds or just until ganache is thickened and begins to hold a shape. Do not overbeat.

 To Assemble:

Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread raspberry strawberry filling to ½ inch from edge. Top with second cake layer.

Frost sides and top with ganache whipped frosting. Arrange blueberries around top edge of cake and raspberries around bottom edge of cake.

Sprinkle center top with cookie crumbs. Arrange strawberry ghosts and press cookies into cake, for tombstones.

Yields

Raspberry Strawberry filling= 1 ¼ cup

Whipped Ganache yield 2 ½ cups

Healthy Tips:

Prepare cake with eggbeaters

My mom decided to share a recipe with me that she found on Food.com because she said it was really yummy.  I think it actually sounds really good and I might try it myself this weekend.  Where else are you going to get a nice piece of Pecan Pie for just 4 Carbs?

Making the crust

Almond Crust

• 1.5 Cups almond meal or almond flour
• 3 Tablespoons melted butter
• Artificial sweetner equal to 3 tablespoons sugar

In pie pan pour almond flour and sweeterner and stir, add melted butter and finger press to pie pan.

Making the filling

Filling

• 3 Beaten eggs
• 1 cup Splenda or Stevia
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tblsp melted butter
• 1 cup sugar free maple syrup or Mrs Butterworth’s Sugar free
• 1.5 cups of pecans

Beat eggs and Splenda , add vanilla, butter & syrup. Visit Mrs. Butterworth’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MrsButterworths, select the green spring bottle design and type in the secret code: 79129–13G for a fun surprise for you kids.*

Then add nuts. Pour into unbaked almond crust and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. This is NOT a sponsored post.

Nutrition Facts

Total Carbohydrate 4.0 g
1% Daily Value
Dietary Fiber 2.6 g
10% Daily Value
Sugars 1.3 g
5% Daily Value
Protein 5.7 g
11% Daily Value

Thanks Mom for sharing!

Review

When cooking try to always use the best ingredients.  Welch’s 100% Grape Juice has no sugar added and tastes like fresh Concord grapes.  It is the only grape juice we purchase – although we do switch between white and purple.  Welch’s worked great in this particular Paint it Purple Project as it was the healthiest ingredient in our Easter Bunny Cake recipe.

Paint it Purple

My boys and I were tasked with the “Paint it Purple” project this week.  We had to do any activity involving Welch’s 100% Grape Juice made with Concord grapes in conjunction with National Nutrition Month.  Since Easter is right around the corner we decided to make our Grape Easter Bunny Cake.  We figure eaten in moderation it can not really be that bad for you….well, if nothing else it makes a great table decoration!

Easter Bunny Cake Recipe

Every year we make an Easter Bunny Cake.  This year we decided to make a Grape flavored one featuring Welch’s.

Ingredients:

• Cake Mix
• 3/4 cup Welch’s 100% Grape Juice
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 egg white
• 1/3 cup oil

Mix all ingredients together as per package directions and bake.

Once cake has been cooled cut out ears and bow tie for your Easter Bunny.

Line a cookie sheet with foil and parchment or wax paper.  Align your cake to form a bunny.

I make homemade vanilla frosting for our cake because it is much yummier and easier to frost in my opinion.

I also dyed the coconut flakes used for the bunny ears purple with Welch’s 100% Grape Juice.

Easter Bunny Cake

We had a blast making our cake!  It had a slight grape taste – not overpowering that made it even more yummy.  Although this recipe wasn’t found in the Welch’s Recipe Box there are a lot of healthier alternatives there you should check out.

National Nutrition Month

Welch’s Family Vine Tool

Did you know that Welch’s has a site called Welch’s Family Vine Tool where you can create a family health history?

The Welch’s “Family Vine” is an internet-based tool that makes it easy for you to record your family health history. The tool is easy to access on the web and simple to fill out. It assembles your information and makes a “pedigree” family tree that you can download. It is private–it does not keep your information. It gives you a health history that you can share with family members or send to your health care practitioner.

The Grape Science Center

Have you ever wanted to learn more about the grapes found in Welch’s Grape Juice?  Visit The Grape Science Center and learn about the nutritional benefits of Concord grapes and how they affect your cardiovascular, cognitive, and immune systems.

Disclosure: “I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Welch’s and received a product sample to facilitate my review and a gift code to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

I would love any feedback on our Easter Bunny Cake – do you have a special Easter tradition?

Baked Brie Puff (with Raspberry Sauce)

Ingredients:

Big & Flaky Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

2 T. Brown sugar

2 T. Finely chopped walnuts

2 T. Seedless raspberry jam

Brie Cheese

Confectioners’ Sugar

***

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix brown sugar and finely chopped walnuts, set aside.

Open crescent roll and place roughly a 1” x 1” piece of brie in center.

Add  1 teaspoon of sugar/nut mixture.

Fold sides two shorter sides up over brie.

Fold long side to cover top, pinching closed all the way around.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake in oven for 16 – 20 minutes depending on oven until lightly brown.

In small sauté pan melt on low heat 2 tablespoons of seedless raspberry jam until a rolling boil and remove from heat.

Once pastry is done drizzle lightly with raspberry sauce (roughly 1 teaspoon) and dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar.

Enjoy!

A simple, yummy side-dish to go with your Thanksgiving meal.  If you missed it earlier this week I posted my famous Pepperoni Stuffing recipe and my Pumpkin Pie Crunch recipe.  I use the Pink Stuff not as a dessert, but as a side.  My kids love it and it makes a lot.  It’s a great thing to bring if you are going somewhere for the holiday and have to bring a dish.

Pink Stuff

Ingredients

1 (6 ounce) large package strawberry Jell-o
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
2 (8 ounce) containers Cool Whip
1 (16 ounce) container small curd cottage cheese
1 (15 ounce) large can Mandarin oranges
1 (20 ounce) large can crushed pineapple

Directions:

1. Soften both packages of cream cheese.
2. Drain oranges and pineapple, save juice.
3. Refrigerate fruit and juices separately.

4. In final destination (large) bowl, make Jell-o with fruit juices and water.
5. Refrigerate 1 hour.
6. Whip Jell-o until frothy.

7. Mix in softened cream cheese and Cool Whip.
8. Fold in cottage cheese.
9. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

10. Mix in Fruit.
11. Refrigerate.

Looks gross, doesn’t it?  Well, it really isn’t!

Since the holidays were quickly approaching I thought I would share a great dessert recipe for your upcoming family gatherings.  Not only is this quick and easy, it is simply delicious.  I’ve made this several times over the past couple years and it is always a hit at the party.  I hope you enjoy…

Ingredients:

1 lg. can of pure plain pumpkin
1 lg. can of evaporated milk
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 t. salt
4 t. pumpkin pie spice
3 eggs
1 box of yellow cake mix
pecans
2 sticks of melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease 13 x 9 cake pan.

In medium sized mixing bowl empty pumpkin and add evaporated milk, sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and eggs. Mix well.

Pour mixture into well greased baking dish. Sprinkle and spread dry cake mix on top of pumpkin mixture. Add chopped pecans and drizzle melted butter evenly over the top.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until nicely browned. Cover with whip cream and serve!

I was originally going to post my lasagna recipe, but it is too much work. Instead, I chose my Moist Banana Bread recipe for the following reasons: it is easy and everyone has bananas that have started to turn. I make mine low fat and no one has ever been disappointed. I assure you – if you want to put smiles on your families face, this is the recipe for you! Please make sure you post a comment after you tried this!

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream (fat-free)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
2 medium bananas, mashed

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the butter mixture until smooth. Finally, fold in the sour cream, walnuts and bananas. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F (I turned my oven down to 325 degrees after 15 minutes) for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool loaf in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.