White Chocolate Cookie Butter Truffles

These truffles were a mistake actually.  Well, not a mistake so much as they weren't supposed to happen. I wanted to make a different truffle but I couldn't find the components I needed to make it happen.  However, a bag of Spekulatius cookies and a jar of Speculoos cookie butter said I had everything I needed to make these little balls of spiced cookie heaven.  Smooth, creamy, full of flavor and dressed up in white chocolate and topped with a piece of those delicious spiced windmill cookies.  These truffles are perfect for sharing. In fact, I shared them right away with my November Foodie Pen Pal!

Broccoli Parmesan

This is by far one of my favorite "fancy" ways to prepare broccoli.  Now, Dave and I love broccoli and will have it just steamed, maybe with a little salt and butter, but even just plain is great for us.  But toss a creamy cheese sauce on top and broil it for a bit of crispy gooeyness and I'm sold.  I love everything about this broccoli and made it for the very first Thanksgiving we hosted. I really should make it more often, because it's simple and can easily be added to a weeknight meal.

Pumpkin Roll Bars

There's just something about pumpkin and cream cheese that's delicious.  Simultaneously light and indulgent, it's a combo I really like, whether in these muffins or this cake.  So I figured these bars would be an excellent way to get my fix.  These bars are made of a soft, sweetly spiced pumpkin cake with a cream cheese topping, swirled with more pumpkin batter for a simple bar dessert full of pumpkin flavor and creamy filling.We had game night with some friends and a pumpkin roll bar was definitely the delicious dessert we needed to end the night.  They'd be a perfect dessert to put on your Thanksgiving buffet or take with you to your holiday gathering.  I'm pretty sure I'm making these again for our holiday meal, but let's be honest--my menu is usually a moving target.

Quick Homemade Dinner Rolls

The first time I made these, Dave asked me if I got a recipe from a local restaurant.  The second time I made them, he said they were better than the ones at the restaurant.  I'll take it.  These rolls are so good--soft and fluffy on the inside, covered by a perfectly buttery shell--not quite a crust, but enough of a crunchy edge that gently yields to a perfect dinner roll inside.  And since it's built in thirds, you don't even have to disturb that perfect exterior--just break apart, slather with creamy butter and munch away.  And all done in 60 minutes.

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

I love taters.  It must be the Irish in me, but whatever it is, I can't get enough of them: fried, roasted, baked or mashed.  Mmm, mashed.  It's by far my favorite way to shovel potatoes into my face.  Since we're frying our turkey this Thanksgiving, I wanted a flavor-packed variation since I won't have pan drippings to make gravy.  I have some other gravy-making alternatives in mind, but in case those don't quite work out, at least these potatoes can stand on their own.  Loaded with cheese, sour cream, bacon and scallions, it's like potato skins in mashed potato form.  Creamy and delicious, how could you not want to pile these onto your plate?