thanksgiving?

Question

i am 14 years old and i will be 15 in november. this year i would like to contribute to my family's thanksgiving dinner. i really like to bake, but i wouldn't try and bake really complicated stuff yet. are there any cute and pretty unique ideas? what's your favorite thanksgiving dessert? i'm open to anything!
thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Apple cake, always a favorite dessert for any holiday or special occasion. This cake has a delicious Caramel Glaze, and if you want you can make the little marzipan decorations included in this recipe. A very pretty and festive dessert for Thanksgiving.

Ingredients:
For Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1 3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup raisins

For Caramel Glaze:
1/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-4 teaspoons milk

For Marzipan Decorations:
Packaged marzipan
Confectioners' sugar
Food coloring: orange, yellow, green, and brown

Instructions:
To Make Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 12-cup bundt pan.

In a large bowl, blend together all ingredients for cake batter except nuts and raisins.

Beat 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in nuts and raisins. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool upright in pan for 30 minutes; invert onto serving plate. Cool completely.

To Make Caramel Glaze:
In small saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter. Stir in brown sugar; remove from heat. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk; blend well by whisking. Spoon caramel glaze over cake. Decorate with marzipan pumpkins, leaves and acorns.

To Make Marzipan Decorations:
For Pumpkins, tint a medium piece of marzipan with orange food coloring. Shape into small balls and shape into pumpkins. Shape a medium piece of brown marzipan into a pumpkin stem.

For Acorns, tint a small piece of marzipan with brown food coloring; divide into two pieces and add more food coloring to one of the pieces.
Shape the light brown piece into a small oval, making one end pointed. Use dark brown piece to form acorn cap; place cap over the oval end of the light brown piece. Add texture by cutting V's into it with a small knife.

To Make Leaves and Stem, tint small pieces with orange, yellow, green, and brown food coloring. Roll out small pieces, dusting surface with confectioner's sugar to prevent sticking. Cut with a small leaf-shaped cookie cutter or cut leaf shapes with paring knife.

Makes 12 servings.

Answer 2

I don't know how ambitious you are, but I made this pumpkin cheesecake last Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit.

http://www.kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&u1=keyword&u2=pumpkin%20cheesecake&u3=**4*10&wf=9&recipe_id=54715

Also, the topping is optional. I think that I made it, but skipped the coconut.

You might be surprised how easy it is. Just have confidence, I am sure you can do it since you said that you are interested in baking. If you don't like this recipe, almost all cheescake recipes with sour cream in them turn out great! Another favorite is Kraftfoods Oreo cheesecake recipe.

Whatever you decide to make good luck and I am sure that your family will love your effort!!

Answer 3

How about Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars? They're perfect for the holidays!

1 (16 oz.) pkg. pound cake mix
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, soft
1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 (14 oz.) can condensed milk (not evaporated)
1 c. chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl on low, combine cake mix, 1 egg, butter, 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, until crumbly. Press onto bottom of 15 x 10 inch jelly roll pan. Set aside. In large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in condensed milk, then remaining 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix well. Pour over crust and sprinkle with nuts on top. Bake 30-35 minutes or until set. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

Have a great holiday!

Answer 4

For easy (but no bake), I love pistachio pie. My great aunt always made it for family gatherings.

1 Keebler graham crust
1 pkg. pistachio pudding mix
1 can (about 15 oz.) crushed pineapple, slightly drained
1 tub of Cool Whip

Mix the pudding powder with the pineapple and wait 10 minutes. Fold in the Cool Whip, put it in the crust, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Voila! Cool and creamy after a heavy meal.

Answer 5

Hi Nikki,

Try baking some really basic dinner rolls. You can make them in advance and freeze them for the big dinner, which will be really helpful to your Mom. Nothing tastes as good as home-made rolls, and everyone will be impressed by your baking skills. If you have never baked with yeast, don't let it scare you, as I have been baking with it since I was 11. Besides, if you bake these in advance, you have room to "redo" if you make any mistakes. Good luck!

Answer 6

We make yogurt pie..it is cold and light and is a nice change from all the 'heavy' foods that went with dinner.

It's really simple, as you only need two cups of flavored yogurt (both the same flavor), and 8 oz. container of cool whip, one graham cracker pie crust.

Thaw the cool whip (not warm, just soft). In mixing bowl, blend cool whip and yogurts.......Pour into pie crust and freeze for a minimum of two hours. Cut with a hot knife (knife dipped in hot water) into pie slices and serve. If you chose to use Banana split flavored yogurt or banana/strawberry, you can drizzle chocolate sauce over the pie and top it with Reddy whip and a cherry as a type of frozen banana split. With those same yogurts, you could also put banana and/or strawberry slices in the pie crust before you pour the yogurt/cool whip mix over it.

However you wish to do it, plain or dolled up, it always goes over very well.

Good luck, it is never too late to show you are willing to step up and become part of the prep. It makes you a bit more thankful for what you mother/father (who ever the cook is) does everyday.

Answer 7

Pumpkin Pie and its so easy to make.. just buy a pie crust or if you prefer use a recipe book and make one from scratch and then buy the pumpkin filling and follow the directions.. my mom and I used to make the crust from scratch.. it was always fun.. and its my favorite dessert for Thanksgiving.

Answer 8

When I was your age, I bought myself a cookbook called "The Jof of Cooking" and now, ten years later I'm a professional chef and I still use it for simple baking recipies. Every recipe has been tested and they work.

I'd make pecan pie, some bread or rolls.

Answer 9

- Pumpkin pie squares
- Pumpkin muffins
- Cornbread
- Corn muffins
- Pigs in a blanket
- Pumpkin scones
- Blueberry scones

Answer 10

Good for you, honey. I am sure whatever you make will be well received by your proud family!

BTW- I love pumpkin pie with whipped cream!
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