Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 (29 ounce) cans sweet potatoes, drained and mashed
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons butter, melted

Directions

1. Lightly grease a slow cooker.
2. In a large bowl, blend sweet potatoes, 1/3 cup butter, white sugar and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Beat in orange juice, eggs and milk. Transfer this mixture to the prepared casserole dish.
3. In a small bowl, combine pecans, 1/3 cup brown sugar, flour and 2 tablespoons butter. Spread the mixture over the sweet potatoes. Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

Creamed Onions with Crispy Bacon

Creamed Onions with Crispy Bacon (Emeril Lagasse)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds pearl onions
• 3 strips apple smoked bacon, diced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows (I left this out)
• 2 tablespoons snipped chives (I left this out)

Directions

Fill a medium saucepan half full of water and bring to a boil. Add the pearl onions, cover, and set aside until onion skins are very soft and onions are easily peeled, about 10 minutes. Drain onions and refresh under cold running water or in an ice bath. When onions are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife peel away the tough outer skins. Set aside.

In a medium heavy pot render the bacon until crispy, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove bacon using a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towels to drain. Reserve and set aside.

Whisk the flour into the rendered bacon fat and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes, until a blond roux is formed. Whisk in the chicken broth and cook, stirring, until mixture thickens. Add the heavy cream, thyme, salt, pepper, and Essence and cook until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the pearl onions and continue to cook at a low simmer, partially covered, until onions are very tender and sauce is very thick and flavorful, 45 minutes to 1 hour. When ready to serve, garnish the onions with the reserved crispy bacon and sprinkle the top with the chives

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Pomegranate Mimosa

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/drink/views/Pomegranate-Mimosas-350910

Thanksgiving Crafts

http://www.momswhothink.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-crafts.html

Kids Halloween Cutouts

A very simple but fun kids activity that I will post when I have a moment

Pork, Apple and Cheddar Meatballs with Egg Noodles

Okay, I know it's a little silly to post a picture of a magazine clipping, but:

1. The pictures I take of food always look gross
2. I forgot to take a picture
3. I burned the meatballs

Other than me burning the meatballs, this was really, really good.  The meatballs were really great.  This is a really good, different recipe.  It has a real fall feel to it for some reason.  Must be the apples.
The girls didn't eat very much of it, but I think that might have something to do with the 1/4 pound of cheese they ate while I was preparing the meal.  I used a really sharp Vermont Cheddar.  I didn't think they would like the cheese itself, but they couldn't get enough of it.

1 pound ground pork
1 cup coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tart apple, such as granny smith, peeled and grated
1/2 small onion, grated
1/2 cup chopped parsley (I left this out because I forgot to buy it)
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper
One package egg noodles
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces (I didn't use the full 4 tablespoons...makes it really greasy if you ask me)

1. Preheat the broiler.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and grease with butter (I skipped this part and just put them on a nonstick pan...worked fine). 
In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, cheese, breadcrumbs, apple, onion, 3 tbsp parsley, the egg, 1.5 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Shape into 16 meatballs and arrange on the baking sheet.
Broil the meatballs until golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the noodles.  Drain, then return to the pot and toss with the butter and remaining 5 tablespoons of parsley.  Divide the noodles among 4 plates; top with 4 meatballs each.

Making Rock Candy

A fun kids activity that I will post when I have time and when I figure out if it actually worked (takes up to a week, but I don't see any crystals forming yet)