Streuseled Pumpkin Pie

A pumpkin pie with a moist gingersnap streusel on top calls for no whipped cream, just seconds on the pie!

yield: 10 servings

1 pie crust

Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
15 oz unsweetened pumpkin
12 oz evaporated fat-free milk
1 egg
3 egg whites

Streusel:
10 gingersnap cookies
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine all filling ingredients (3/4 cup sugar through egg whites) in a large bowl. Mix at medium speed until combined. Pour into prepared pie crust. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes.
3. While pie bakes, place gingersnap cookies in a food processor; pulse until crumbly and the texture of breadcrumbs. Add sugar and flour; pulse until combined. Add butter; pulse until crumbly.
4. When pie has baked for 35 minutes, remove pie from oven and sprinkle with cookie mixture. Return to oven; bake 20 minutes or until center is set. Cool to room temperature.

Carrot Soufflé

Similar to sweet potato casserole in texture and taste, this recipe calls for more-readily-available carrots. A great addition to the typical Thanksgiving feast.

yield: 8 1/2-cup servings

7 cups chopped carrot
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
3 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cook carrot in boiling water 15 minutes or until very tender; drain. Place carrot in a food processor; process until smooth (you can mash with a potato masher if you don't have a food processor). Combine carrots with sugar through eggs, mixing to combine.
3. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until puffed and set. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Crunchy and sweet with the texture of oatmeal cookies but the chocolaty-ness of chocolate-chip, these are sure to be a hit with everyone.

yield: 3 dozen cookies

1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup oats
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate minichips

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
3. Place sugars and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and egg; beat until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Stir in pecans and minichips. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove cookies from pans and cool on wire racks.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Fluffy and flaky, these biscuits are buttery even without adding butter.

yield: 14 biscuits

2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk to flour mixture; stir just until moist.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 4 or 5 times. Roll dough into a 1/2-inch-thick 9x5-inch rectangle; dust top of dough with flour. Fold dough into thirds (like folding a sheet of paper to put into an envelope). Repeat rolling and folding. Roll dough into a 3/4-inch thickness and cut into 14 dough rounds. Place dough rounds on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 12 minutes or until golden.