We all have that special recipe handed down between generations that makes it to your Thanksgiving table every year. Whether it is great-grandmother’s traditional stuffing or a new twist on a classic, there is no lack of choices for the holiday. Robert Paul agents have come up with some of our favorites to share with you. 

Thanksgiving Recipes from our kitchen to yours…

Christine Altneu’s Pumpkin Bread

To kick off the holiday, Christine Altneu makes a really moist and delicious pumpkin bread to have for breakfast when the turkey is busy cooking in the oven. The original recipe says to bake in 4 coffee cans.  You can also use 3 large loaf pans if you don’t buy your coffee in cans anymore.

“I can make it a day or two ahead and it stays super moist,” said Christine. “It’s originally my mother’s recipe and I have it in her handwriting which makes it even more special.”

Ingredients
3 ½ cups flour, either white or whole wheat
3 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. nutmeg
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
2 cups pumpkin (1 small can)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients in large bowl.
Make a hole in the center and add oil, eggs, water and pumpkin.
Mix with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Pour into 3 oiled loaf pans or 4 oiled coffee cans.
Bake 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees or until knife comes out almost clean but still sticky.

Meghan Ostroff’s Corn Chive Pudding    

While she can’t claim the recipe as her own, Meghan Ostroff has been making this corn chive pudding for years, to great success.

Ingredients
two 10-ounce package frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 cups milk
4 large eggs
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped, reserving pod for another use
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
a pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Garnish: 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter a 1 1/2-quart quiche dish or pie plate.
In a food processor pulse half of corn until chopped coarse. In a bowl stir together chopped corn and remaining corn kernels and sprinkle with sugar and salt, stirring until combined well.
In another bowl whisk together milk, eggs, vanilla seeds, butter, flour and chives and stir into corn until combined well. Pour pudding into quiche dish or pie plate and sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake pudding in middle of oven until center is just set, about 45 minutes. Garnish pudding with chives.

Amy Whiteside’s War Cake

One tradition in Amy Whiteside‘s home is a yummy spice cake known as War Cake. The cake originated during World War II when eggs were scarce.

Ingredients
1 cup shortening
2 cups water
2 cups sugar (or 1 cup sugar and 1 cup applesauce substitute)
1 cup raisins

Directions
Boil and cool these 4 ingredients above.

Add gradually and mix:
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ to 2 tsp cinnamon
1 ½ to 2 tsp cloves
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped walnuts

Bake at 350 degrees
45-60 minutes in a tube pan or in 2 bread pans

Rich Lonstein’s Apple and Prune Dressing

Rich‘s great-grandmother was famous for her apple and prune dressing with a dash of sugar. “It is sweet and easy to make!” A sample recipe of this dressing is below!

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 cups pitted prunes, quartered
4 cups peeled apples
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
1. In a small bowl, slowly pour boiling water over butter; stir until butter melts.
2. Place remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour water and butter over bread mixture and toss gently.
3. Transfer to a 10×14-inch baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. To reheat, pour 1/4 cup hot water over top, cover, and reheat at 350°F for 20 minutes.

Katie Propper’s Cranberry Coffee Cake

A tradition in the Propper house is this delicious coffee cake.

Ingredients
1/2 bag of cranberries, chopped
1/2 bag of walnuts, chopped
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup melted butter
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions
1. Mix 1/2 bag of chopped cranberries, 1/2 cup of walnuts, 1/2 cup sugar. Press into bottom of 10″ pie plate or springform pan
2. Mix 2 eggs, 3/4 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, 1/2 tsp almond extract and 1/4 tsp salt and pour over cranberry mixture.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes
4. When cool, invert cake onto plate so cranberries are on top