Pumpkin for dessert....

Welcome to Friday, everyone! 

As promised, this post will focus on pumpkin - the dessert part!  But first, I want to include a picture of the Pumpkin Chili that was featured on the last post. 

A crockpot full!

The crockpot couldn't have held anymore!  There were some leftovers, so that's good!

Now, on to dessert.

Pumpkin Pie Dump Cake!

This is a recipe I have seen featured a few times this season.  Some of you may have even already made it.  The version that I used came from www.thecountrycook.net with a copyright 2012.

PUMPKIN PIE DUMP CAKE

1 can (15-oz.) canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 can (12-oz.) evaporated milk (I used fat free)
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 box Spice Cake Mix
1 cup butter, melted

- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
- Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and cinnamon until well-combined.  It will be very thin.  Pour it into the baking dish.
- Sprinkle dry cake mix on top of pumpkin mixture.  Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the top. 
- Bake for about 55-60 minutes. 
- Let it cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.  Leftovers should be refrigerated. 
Wouldn't this be delicious with whipped cream topping?

I didn't do this, but it would really be tasty to sprinkle some walnuts over the top of the cake mix before drizzling with the melted butter.

There were some other pumpkin-related desserts - Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies and Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies.  Munchomom.com has featured these recipes on her blog, so I will refer you to that site, if you are interested in recipes.  I have a couple of pictures below.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies

 Now, the time is here for that lunch I provide for the adult day care at my church!  Next Tuesday is the first Tuesday in the month!  So, you know it will be a busy time in the kitchen once again. 

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

Those other tables....

Good Thursday morning to you!  We have a cold, frosty one here, but the sun is out brightly shining, so it will probably warm up some today.

As promised, I want to share some pictures of other tables at Advent By Candlelight at our church on Tuesday night.

I believe you have an idea of what this event is like.  It is really pretty with all the candles lit and the overhead lighting on a low setting.  My camera, however, doesn't do very well in that little lighting, even with the flash.  We had a guest speaker, and our offering was divided between two special missions - Henderson Settlement in Frakes, KY, this year's emphasis for our Conference UMW, and Action Ministries, a program in Georgia.

Now - on to the guests for early supper after our chorus performance on Wednesday afternoon.  As it turns out, only 14 were able to attend, but we had a good time, nonetheless.  I mentioned Pumpkin Chili in the last post.  My daughter, Munchomom, has featured this recipe on her blog, but I cannot remember any other source she may have mentioned. 

THREE-BEAN PUMPKIN CHILI

1 Tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1/2 pound ground turkey
1 15-ounce can each of black beans, kidney beans, and white beans, drained and rinsed
1 29-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

- In large pot, over medium heat, warm olive oil.  Add garlic, onion, and peppers, and saute until onions start to turn translucent.  Add meat, breaking it up with fork, and cook until no pink remains.  Add remaining ingredients and heat until mixture starts to bubble.  Reduce heat to low.  Cook 1 to 2 hours to blend seasonings.  Serves 8 to 10.

Wait!!  That's not all the pumpkin that was served!!  There were even pumpkin desserts!!  Now, I've  moved to the most interesting, haven't I?  Well, I have to save something for another day's posting.:-)  Perhaps that will be the next post.

If any of you from chorus are reading, let me say once again what a pleasure it is to be able to be part of this group!  I'm really happy you were able to come on Wednesday afternoon.

Thank you so much for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

Which dessert?

Well, the "mystery" is over!  Here is what was left of the dessert that was served at Advent By Candlelight on Tuesday evening.

Red Velvet Pound Cake

Yes, the Red Velvet Pound Cake was the dessert I chose.  The other one will be stored in the freezer for later enjoyment.:-)

This is my table.

After setting up in the afternoon.

It was about 1:00 in the afternoon when I went to church to set the table.  I took lots of other pictures of other tables which I will share with you at some point.  At this time, I must hurry and post the recipe, then get busy.  I have invited the chorus here (after our premiere performance of the Christmas season) this afternoon for an early supper - 20 plus!  Yikes!  What was I thinking?!?:-)

RED VELVET POUND CAKE

1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup solid shortening
3 cups sugar
7 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 ounces red food coloring
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Beat together butter and shortening  until smooth.  Add sugar and beat until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time; beat well after each addition.  Stir in vanilla and food coloring.
- Combine dry ingredients.  Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk; beat well.  Begin and end with dry ingredients.  Pour into greased and floured 10-inch tube pan.  Bake 1 hour and 20 minues.  Let set about 10 minutes and remove from pan.  Yield:  About 16 servings.

More table pictures will be forthcoming.  Now - it's on to "all things pumpkin!"  Anyone for a bowl of Pumpkin Chili?  Oh - do you want that recipe, too?  It's up next!

Thank you for reading.  I appreciate your comments.

What's next?

Packing up.

Another one.

Finished packing this one.

What?!? Still another?!?

The "what's next" is Advent By Candlelight, an event sponsored by the UMW at my church.  We have an opportunity to be a table hostess, and I volunteered again this year.  The above pictures show the packing up process.  These things will be taken to church, and I will set my table for the event, which is to be held tonight. 

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Red Velvet Pound Cake

The table hostess provides dessert for those at her table.  Which one of the above desserts will be the one to go?  I know that someone who follows this blog will be one of the ten at my table, so I will just leave this a mystery until another time.  I don't want her to know ahead of time.:-)  Whatever I choose, this will certainly have some action.

Whipping is in order!

The next post will answer which dessert, as well as show some of the tables when they are all set in a Christmas theme.  I hope you will return.

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

From the "farm"

The "newlyweds" in our family live about an hour's drive away in a rural area of an adjoining county.  They rent a house built in the 1870's with several acres around and a few out buildings.  Thankfully, the one in best condition is the barn.  There are three horses who enjoy the shelter of the barn, and I have shown them previously on the blog.  The "Country Couple" also have two dogs and a cat.

We began calling this place a "farm" when chickens came to live there!  I asked about the breed of the chickens, but cannot remember to tell you.:-(  They are not all the same kind, and some of them are rather young.  Nonetheless, they are doing what chickens are supposed to do!:-)  We were really surprised and pleased when this came on Thanksgiving evening.

Almost a half dozen!

The "Country Couple" came in the late afternoon.  Our daughter had to work earlier in the day.  It was good to see them, anyway, and they brought us gifts from the chickens!  We will really enjoy these eggs.  We have not been to visit the chickens, so I don't have any pictures. 

Thanksgiving week-end is over now.  Another week is beginning.  Christmas Day is a month from yesterday!  What's next?  That will be the subject of the next post!

Thank you for reading.  I appreciate your comments.

Blessings....

As we have been concentrating on this season of Thanksgiving, we have been reminded of how very blessed we are.  These words seem very appropriate at this time.

                 "Bless this house, O Lord, we pray,

                     Make it safe by night and day;

                   Bless these walls, so firm and stout,

                      Keeping want and trouble out;

                   Bless the roof and chimneys tall,

                      Let thy peace be over all;

                   Bless this door, that it may prove

                       Ever open to joy and love."

                                               - Taylor

While not the usual colors associated with Thanksgiving arrangements, this is what was provided for us in our yard for our table arrangement.

Knock-out Roses and White Mums

Yes, our Knock-out Roses are still doing well, though the Mums are showing some "wear."  The vase has been a favorite for many years, a gift from a former student.

The next post - From the "Farm."

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

Camping out....

Lest you think this post is about ME camping out, may I hasten to let you know that my idea of camping is staying in a room with hot and cold running water, heat and air, and the promise of an expanded continental breakfast the next morning!:-)  The closest I have ever come to tent camping was when I went on a Mother-Daughter week-end when City Girl was in Girl Scouts, and we stayed in a platform tent.  That must have been in 1980, so it has been awhile.

No, the camping I refer to is this:

In our backyard!

Yes, that is a tent, and yes, it is in our backyard!  Machoman and Boy Munchkin certainly have had a great time "camping out" in our backyard during this Thanksgiving visit.  There was a fire in the fire pit, and you know what that means!!  Yes!!  S'mores!!  Everybody in the family really enjoyed that!  With the threat of rain coming, camp was "disassembled" last night, and the campers came indoors for one night.:-)

I am not sure whether Machoman considers his "camping out" a relaxing way to spend this break away from work or not.:-)  He has reported on all sorts of "sounds in the night" in the neighborhood, sounds that we did not hear.  Perhaps we had better rest indoors.:-)

How about you?  Do you - or have you ever - enjoy camping?  

The subject of the next post will be about blessings.

Thank you for reading.  I appreciate your comments.

The day after...

Happy Friday to everyone!  Have any of you ventured out to any "Black Friday" sales?  I know some of you are celebrating Thanksgiving today - and perhaps there are those of you who will not have your family gatherings until the week-end.  Here, we had our family gathering yesterday.

There is no "Black Friday" shopping planned for any of us.  We will just continue to enjoy one another's company while taking care of some of those leftovers!:-)  A few preparations for the Christmas season will be made, though.

Some favorite books.

Because Thanksgiving has come earlier than usual this year, I feel like there is a little more time before Christmas.  It will be good to relax with some of these favorite books, doing a bit of rereading and helping set a holiday mood for me. 

You may recognize Susan Branch's Christmas Memories book.  It is already out on the table in order for our guests to write appropriate comments as they visit.  Also by Susan Branch, Christmas Joy always has a prominent spot on the table.

Skipping Christmas was a gift from a friend, and it is good to read again each year, as is The Cat Who Came For Christmas.  Deck the Halls has wonderful illustrations by Norman Rockwell, and the Little Big Book of Christmas has a variety of Christmas-related stories, recipes, and traditions.

So, while it seems that there is still time, I plan to take some time to relax this week-end with a book!

The next post will tell about a way some other people relax!

Thank you for reading.  I appreciate  your comments.

Just the right size....

....for just a bite of Pecan Pie - and with no corn syrup, either, for those of you who are watching that!

Pastry in the pans.

Filling added, ready to bake.

Out of the oven.

I have had this recipe for Tea Time Tassies for a number of years, probably 30 or more.  In another life, when we had a four-year stint at catering, a local newspaper ran an article about our little business, and the picture taken was of me making these exact pastries!  Machoman prefers them to the usual Pecan Pie, and Country Girl likes the Pecan Pie!  This is the answer to satisfy both of them!

TEA TIME TASSIES (Pecan Tarts)
PASTRY
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (3-oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sifted flour
- Blend softened butter and cream cheese together.  Stir in flour (I used my hands).  Chill about one hour.  Shape into two dozen 1-inch balls.  Place in tiny ungreased muffin tins.  Press dough on bottom and sides of cups.
FILLING
1 egg
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon soft butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup broken pecans
- Beat together all but pecans until smooth.  Divide 1/2 pecans among cups.  Add egg mixture (about one teaspoon), and top with remaining pecans.  Bake at 325 for 25 minutes.  Cool.  Remove from pans.  Freezes well.

I use this same pastry recipe for several other things that are baked in these pans and need a crust.  It is really versatile.

I send along wishes for a very Happy Thanksgiving Day to all of you!

Thank you for reading.  I appreciate your comments.

Ready and waiting....

Happy Wednesday to all!  The day before Thanksgiving is here!   Have you spotted any turkeys running around your place?

Some of you call today's recipe "stuffing," and others call it "dressing."  I have always called it dressing, probably because I rarely stuffed it in the turkey.:-)  Through the years, my method has evolved to what I have been doing for the past several years. 

While in the past, I have used all sorts of bread crumbs - always homemade - cornbread has been the base for at least 25 years.  Yikes!  Let's not talk about how long!:-)  This has become the favorite for those at our house (The Husband).  Oh - and I have been known to enjoy it as well.:-)  So, using for a guideline - long ago - just in my first apartment - Betty Crocker has these instructions from a Dinner For Two cookbook.  I am printing it the way it appears in the cookbook.

BREAD STUFFING

1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup minced onion
4 cups (1 qt.) coarse or fine bread crumbs or cubes
1/2 cup chopped celery (stalks and leaves)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried sage, thyme, or marjoram
poultry seasoning to taste

- Melt butter in large heavy skillet.  Add onion and cook until yellow, stirring occasionally.  Stir in some of the bread crumbs.  Heat, stirring to prevent excessive browning.  Turn into deep bowl.  Mix remaining ingredients and rest of bread crumbs lightly.  For dry stuffing, add little or no liquid; for moist stuffing, mix in just enough hot water to moisten crumbs.  One quart makes enough stuffing for a 4-lb. fowl.

In the interest of decreasing fat from our diet, I have begun cooking the onion in a bit of chicken broth rather than the butter.  I usually add a cup of broth to the crumbs, just enough to moisten it a little.  Then, it is baked at 350 degrees F. until brown on top, usually 30-45 minutes.  Oh, we often are able to have fresh sage for this, and that makes it really good.:-)

Ready and waiting.

I apologize for the darkened photograph.  I just don't seem to be able to consistently have luck with getting the lighting just right.:-( It appears to have already been baked, and that isn't the case.

Anyway, the dish of dressing is now made and waiting to go into the oven for our mid-day meal on Thursday.

Dressing has always been one of my favorite dishes.  I cannot relate any stories about being with any family members when they were making their dressing, therefore learning from them.  However, my paternal grandmother had a version that I truly enjoyed.  It wasn't baked in a pan, but made in little patties (similar to salmon patties) before being baked in the oven.  Very tasty to me as I was growing up!  My sister, who follows this blog, may have some idea how our grandmother achieved this.

Hopefully you are able to relax a bit and enjoy this time with those whom you love.

Thank you for reading.  I appreciate your comments.

A favorite....

 First, I welcome the new follower!  Thank you for coming along.

Happy Tuesday to everyone!  Are you making progress on your list for the week?  We are working through it here. 

This is one of the favorites around here.  The recipe, given to me by a friend,  has been around our house for at least 35 years!  One year, Boy Munchkin said it was his favorite thing about Thanksgiving!:-)  He is not the only one who enjoys this "salad," though.:-)

A "malfunctioning photographer" is responsible for the photography that is missing from this post.:-(

Ready for the refrigerator.

 

 

APRICOT PINEAPPLE GELATIN SALAD
1 small package of apricot gelatin
1 small can of crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup of buttermilk
1/2 of 8-oz. carton of whipped topping

- In saucepan, add can of crushed pineapple, with juice.  Heat to boiling.  Add powdered gelatin. Remove from heat; cool.  Stir in buttermilk and whipped topping.  Place in desired container and let set in refrigerator.

I usually double this recipe just to be sure to have enough.:-) 

We are having beautiful weather!  Our Knock-out Roses are still looking pretty good!  With Thanksgiving coming earlier this year, there may be some roses around to bring in to the table!

There is another blog I want to mention to you.  Leann at theoldparsonage.blogspot.com has a great giveaway at this time.  She also has been giving some good points for taking care of Christmas preparations early and avoiding last-minute stress!  Check it out!

Something else from our list is on the way in the next post!  I hope you will return!

Thank you for reading.  I appreciate your comments.

Another step....

Let me welcome a new visitor!  Thank you for reading along.

I hope everyone has had a good week-end.  This week will be a special one for many of us.  I'm sure some of you are taking steps toward having your special Thanksgiving preparations underway.  I have taken another one here - cranberry sauce!

Here it is, in the dish ready to serve.  Oh!  Maybe I need to have a larger serving dish.  There are some of us who consider cranberry sauce as a side dish rather than a relish.:-) 

The recipe I use is simple and doesn't use anything except cranberries, sugar, and water, and is found in my trusty Betty Crocker cookbook.

CRANBERRY SAUCE

4 cups cranberries, washed, any stems removed
2 cups sugar
2 cups water

- Stir sugar into water in a saucepan; heat to boiling; boil for 5 minutes.
- Add cranberries; heat to boiling; boil for another 5 minutes.
- Cool; refrigerate at least 8 hours.

Susan Branch has posted a way to make Cranberry Sauce in the oven on her website.  I am going to try this way for Christmas!  It seems so much simpler.  Have any of you tried making it this way?

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

Always in season....

I recently read these words, attributed to G. K. Chesterton.

              "I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought,

                      and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."

Sending wishes to you for a blessed Sunday!

A head start....

It is that time around here!  "What time?" you may ask.  Time to get a head start on next Thursday!:-)  So, today I took the first step!

In true southern tradition, we serve Cornbread Dressing on Thanksgiving here.  Now, I have used this same recipe to stuff the bird, but we really prefer enjoying the dressing as a side dish, baked in a baking dish.  Of course, it has to start with this:

Cornbread!

 

 

I may have posted my Cornbread recipe before, but here it is again.  I give Southern Living magazine credit for printing this recipe in 1980 - or earlier.  Just can't remember!

CORNBREAD
2 cups plain cornmeal, either white or yellow, or a combination
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (or less) salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
Iron skillet
 - Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
 - Measure oil into skillet, and add skillet to oven. 
- Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl.  Add eggs and buttermilk, mixing until moistened.  Remove skillet from the oven.  Be careful - it is hot!  Add hot oil to cornbread batter, swirling the skillet in order to spread the oil over the bottom and around the side.  Mix cornbread batter to incorporate the oil.  Pour the batter into the skillet.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden on top.

After it had cooled a little, I cut it into wedges to cool further before storing it until I make the dressing.

Uh, oh!

I about had to call in reinforcements to keep The Husband from sneaking some!:-)  He just has to remember that Spoon Bread we had at the Boone Tavern Dining Room!:-)  I may even try some of that for Thanksgiving!

Thank you for reading.  I appreciate your comments.

Some time away....

Happy Friday to everyone!  Do you anticipate the arrival of a Friday in the week?  It brings about a change of pace for some people who are looking forward to some different week-end plans.  We recently took some time away, but not on the week-end.  Our little getaway was during the week!

Has anyone else been here?

For our anniversary (back in August), the "children" gave us a Groupon for some time at Boone Tavern in Berea, KY.  There was, of course, some "fine print" on the Groupon, plus we have had a very busy schedule in the past few months.  We finally got away this week.

Pointing the way.

The Boone Tavern is located at the campus of Berea College, a small college with approximately 1,600 enrolled currently.  All the students do some kind of work to help finance their college education.

Entrance for guests to register.

The Boone Tavern was originally built in 1909.  One hundred years later, in 2009, the hotel underwent major renovation, becoming the first green hotel in the state of Kentucky!

Porch on the side.

The temperature was not very warm when we were there, so there were not any guests enjoying the rocking chairs on this porch.

The staff could not have been any nicer!  If you want an idea for a place to head for some time away, consider the Boone Tavern!

Whatever you have planned for the week-end, I hope you will find it time to recharge for what is coming next week!  :-)

Thank you for reading.  I appreciate your comments.

One week from today....

Happy Thursday to everyone!  Do you realize that one week from today is actually Thanksgiving Day?  Time is really flying by!

I have shared some of my Thanksgiving books with you earlier.  Today I want to share another one, particularly trying to show the work of the artist.

Newell Convers Wyeth was born in 1882, the first of three generations of an extraordinary family of artists.  He admired the work of Henry David Thoreau and studied under Howard Pyle.  His first published illustration appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post in 1903.  However, his most famous illustrations were for children's classics such as Treasure Island, Robin Hood, The Last of the Mohicans, and Rip Van Winkle.  Less known are Wyeth's murals which he painted for a wide variety of clients.

In 1940, Wyeth was asked to create a series of murals for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in New York.  It is from this series that the illustrations for this book were taken.

Wyeth challenged the existing notions of Pilgrim society as being severe by depicting the pleasures and beauty of the colony.

Many of us are probably in the midst of our own Thanksgiving preparations.  In all our "busyness," let's remember to enjoy the beauty around us!  We have much for which to be thankful!

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

Assisting with Veterans Day....

Happy Wednesday to you!  I know this post is a bit "after the fact," but it is always a good day to remember our veterans and their service to our country.

This is the tenth school year of my retirement.  A fellow retired teacher returns to our school to help plan a special program honoring the veterans who have a connection with the school.  She enlists some of us to assist, and that is where I headed at 6:40 on Monday morning!  Yikes!  That is really early for this retiree!:-)

Name tags for attendees!

More names.

Two tables had this covering.

It was my job to welcome veterans and see that they had their name tags.  Then, Boy and Girl Scouts were on hand to escort the veterans to their proper location. 

The program was really good, with music performed by the local middle school orchestra, and a speech given by a local TV news anchor.  I was really glad I began my day early in my red, white, and blue just to have a chance to show appreciation to this great group of veterans!

Thank you for reading.  I appreciate your comments.

Adult day care....

Are you having a good Tuesday thus far?  The weather is certainly doing some strange things across the United States this season.  I hope conditions will be good today wherever you are.

I have had several posts about the adult day care at our church during the past week.  This is a program that has been in existence for just about seven years, and most of the participants have dementia or some sort of memory issues.  Whatever menu I might choose would not seem repetitious to them.  Then there are a few who come for the socialization opportunity.  Sadly, the lunch I served to one of these participants last Tuesday was the last I would serve for her, as she passed away just this past Friday.

It takes special people to staff this program, and I personally think we have the best!

As part of the fund-raising to support this program, there was a special event this past Sunday evening.  Some entertainment - this time a "jug band" and a well-known local television host known for his storytelling ability - and a silent auction were on the program!

From the Silent Auction!

This arrangement found a perfect spot in my house! 

How about you?  Do you ever attend Silent Auctions?  Do you ever bid - and win?

Thank you for reading.  I appreciate your comments.

Not only cooking....

This is more than likely a very busy time for most of you as you are probably making plans for when you are going to take care of the cooking duties that may be your responsibility in about a week and a half.  Be sure to take time to "smell the roses" or, in this case, enjoy some seasonal reading.

Two of a larger collection.

One for children - and one for me!:-)

The familiar song in a book!

Busy time here, so this is short.  More about that in another post.  I hope your week is off to a good beginning!

Thank you for reading.  I appreciate  your comments.

Good to follow....

I recently found these words.....

          "Blessed is the one who is too busy to worry in the daytime 

                    and too sleepy to worry at night."

                                                               Anonymous

Then, this quote from the Bible -

               "Do not be anxious about anything......."

                                                    Philippians 4:6  NIV

Have a blessed, peaceful Sunday!

The star of the show....

Good Saturday morning to you!  Do you have any special plans for the day?  We are hoping to watch some football on TV.:-)  UT and Missouri will play around noon, and the game is to be televised.  This has not been an outstanding season for the Vols.:-(  We are hoping they win today!

The "star of the show" that I mentioned, though, has nothing to do with football.  I'm talking about the turkey that will take center stage on many tables this month.  While we have our family gathering on Thanksgiving Day, I know there are many of you who have Thanksgiving celebrations planned at other times. 

Turkey will be part of our Thanksgiving Day meal; however, I have spotted a few turkeys already parading through the house!

Waiting for "the bird."

Waiting for the gravy!

How about some Chocolate Cream Cheese Turkey Mints?

Keeping an eye on the goings-on in the kitchen.

Supervising reading time.

Ready with a cheery "gobble-gobble" greeting.

Some mantle decor.

Through the years, we have enjoyed turkey in different ways.  We have found that the simplest preparation is the best for us.  As most of us prefer the white meat, I plan to buy only a turkey breast, actually two of them.  While fresh ones are available in our area, we will go with frozen.  Also, I plan to use the slow-cooker/crockpot to prepare our turkey.  I will use sage and rosemary from our herb garden and will probably add an onion along with some carrots for flavor.   On Wednesday night I will plug in the two crockpots, and the turkey will be ready by morning.  We plan to have our meal at noon.  For us, the most important aspect of the day will be gathering with family!  Our times together are far too infrequent!

Thank you for reading.  I appreciate your comments.