Holiday Cherry Cheesecake

Graham Cracker Crust
18 crushed graham crackers
3 Tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
2 pinches of cinnamon

Mix all the Graham Cracker Crust ingredients in bowl. Add to a 9 inches glass baking dish. Press crust into the bottom and sides of pan. Set aside, DO NOT BAKE.

Cream Cheese Mixture
2 - 8 oz cream cheese packages
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon Brandy
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Cherry Topping
1 -21 oz can of premium cherry pie filling and topping
1/4 of a lemon
4 Tablespoons sugar
Mix well and set aside in the refrigerator (Remove lemon before topping cheesecake)

Mix all the cream cheese mixture with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes. Pour this mixture into the graham cracker crust. Smooth and even out.

Bake in a preheated 325 oven for 30 minutes or until firm.

Remove from oven. Let rest for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours. Add cherry topping.

Serves 8 to 10

(1946)

Frank Capra's "Its a Wonderful Life" is "the" Christmas classic! Jimmy Stewart plays George Bailey, a man who learns the hard way how truly blessed he is. The ending always bring tears to my eyes, no matter how many times I see it. My recipe for Holiday Cherry Cheesecake is a classic among cheesecakes. A special dessert to showoff during the holidays or anytime you want to treat yourself, family, and friends to something extra special. Happy Holidays to all and I wish you all a bright and Happy New Year!

Mama's Best Sweet Potato Pie

The perfect sweet potato pie for your Holiday meals!

PRINT THIS RECIPE

8 cups sweet potatoes (about 5 medium sweet potatoes), cut into 2" pieces
12 cups water

1 stick butter
1 -1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 - 15 oz . package Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust (2 crusts)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large pot, boil potatoes in water until tender, about 12-15 minutes. Drain. Pour sweet potatoes into electric mixing bowl. Add butter to sweet potatoes and mix on high speed until creamy.

Reduce mixer to medium speed. Add sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla and lemon extracts, cinnamon and salt. Increase mixer to high speed. Mix until creamy and smooth. Unroll pie crust onto 2 pie plates. Pour 1/2 mixture into each pie shell.

Bake 50 - 60 minutes or until firm in center and crust is golden brown.

Makes 2 pies; Serves 16-20.

(2000)

"Whats Cooking" is a special little film about four families during Thanksgiving. Each one has their own set of family drama and laughs. I waited for months to spotlight this film. With an ensemble cast of fascinating characters, this film is perfect for Thanksgiving.

This "Mama's Best Sweet Potato Pie" is my Mother's recipe. She made the best sweet potato pie I have ever tasted (and I have tasted quite a few). My Mom put lots of love into her cooking, and of all her recipes, this is one of my favorites. The sweet potato is the star of this pie, with just a hint of vanilla, lemon and cinnamon flavors. "Whats Cooking" at its heart is a movie about love in families, and Mama's sweet potato pie is all goodness and love!

Holiday Fresh Greens with Smoked Turkey

2 pounds fresh Mustard Greens (Collards or Kale can be used) - washed and rinsed twice, stems removed

1 to 1 -1/2 pounds Smoked Turkey (legs, necks or wings)

1 Tablespoon sugar

Place smoked turkey in 5 cups water in a large pot. Turn heat up to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour. Remove smoked turkey and cut into slices or chucks. Place 1 cup of the smoked turkey back into the pot.

Turn up heat to a boil, add greens and sugar. After boiling, lower heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Drain, retaining 4 tablespoons of greens liquid (pot liquor) for saute pan.

In a saute pan add:
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil 1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tablespoon jalapeno pepper, chopped (from jar)
2 Tablespoons jalapeno pepper juice (from jar)
1 green onion, chopped
3 Tablespoons red bell pepper, chopped
Dashes of salt and black pepper

Saute for 3 minutes. Add drained greens, smoked turkey and 4 tablespoons of pot liquor to saute pan. Stir well. Turn off heat.

Optional, chop cooked Greens before serving.

Serves 6.

(1987)

"Planes, Trains and Automobiles" is one of my favorite Thanksgiving films, starring the late and great John Candy as Del, and Steve Martin as Neal. These "wild and crazy" guys are trying to get home for Thanksgiving, but a Midwest snow storm puts them on a route to detour hell. This film is usually run during Thanksgiving, so please do yourself a huge favor and check it out. We have provided the film trailer, which will give you a taste of the fun!

Holiday Fresh Greens is a soulful and delicious version of the vegetables I grew up with. Greens are vitamin enriched with 0 Fat. This vegetable will be a holiday favorite sidedish for everyone. "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" last scene shows Del finally making it home for a beautiful holiday dinner with his family. This reminded me of my family's Thanksgiving dinners. My mom always made everything taste so good, even the vegetables!

Holiday Sweet Potato Pound Cake with Vanilla Glaze

2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, beaten, room temperature
3/4 cup sweet potatoes, well mashed
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
4 tsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Walnuts for garnish (optional)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10" Bundt pan. Set aside.

In an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugars for 4 minutes. Add eggs, 1/3rd at a time, mixing well between additions.

Reduce mixer to medium speed. Add sweet potatoes and mix until well combined.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Reduce mixer to low speed. Add flour mixture and milk in thirds, mixing well between additions. Add vanilla extract.

Pour cake batter into Bundt pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until cake tester inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool 15 minutes before inverting.

To make the glaze: In a medium sized bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract until smooth. After cake has cooled completely, drizzle glaze over cake. Garnish with walnuts, if desired.

Serves 12.

(1995)

Happy Thanksgiving! Reel Good Recipes is excited to bring you holiday recipes and films during this joyous season. We are kicking off the holiday season with the film "Home for the Holidays." It's a must-see for those of us who like to see other people's family drama on Thanksgiving. Holly Hunter stars as Claudia, a woman having a string of bad luck who is making her way home for Thanksgiving to see her dysfunctional family (are there any other kind?). Robert Downey Jr. plays Tommy, Claudia's gay brother. There's also a host of other fun and crazy family members. Check out this film. It's worth every crazy minute.

Our recipe for Holiday Sweet Potato Pound Cake with Vanilla Glaze is perfect for your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. This moist, buttery, pound cake is all about the subtle flavors of sweet potatoes, cinnamon and vanilla. The "Home for the Holidays" dinner table would have been a lot happier if they had served our Holiday Sweet Pound Cake with Vanilla Glaze. I'm sure it would have cut down on the family fighting because their mouths would have been busy enjoying our pound cake!

Potato Salad

Quick, Super Easy and Delicious, this potato salad has heart and soul!

Soul Food (1997)

“Soul Food” is one of those movies when you watch it, you feel the love and history, good or bad, with the family. Early in the movie Mama Joe (Irma P. Hall) is in the kitchen with her three daughters cooking Sunday dinner, which is a tradition in their family. They share laughter and spit some fire, but it’s all good!!

My recipe for Heart and Soul Potato Salad is a tradition in my family, just like Mama Joe’s. All the great food at the Sunday table is much more than just sharing a meal. It’s a time for families to share each other. Heart and Soul Potato Salad on your dinner table or picnic outing will certainly bring your family and friends together.


5 medium size red potatoes
2 eggs
½ cup mayo (you can use a lighter mayo, if preferred)
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
¾ teaspoon of bottled celery seed
1 tablespoon light vegetable oil (I prefer Wesson)
Dashes of salt and pepper , to taste
Optional: Dashes of paprika on top of salad


Boil potatoes in water until tender (large folk should glide through). Let potatoes cool, then chop into mouth size cubes.

Boil eggs. After eggs have cooled, peel and diced into small cubes.

In a large bowl lightly mix all of the ingredients above. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Serve on serving plate lined with lettuce, spoon classic potato salad onto plate. Optional: Sprinkle with paprika.

Serves 5 to 6.