Pots and Pins

Quilt Group Friday...

A few years ago Terry showed up at our meeting with SEVEN quilts she had made in ONE week.  Seven.  Makes my bobbin throb just thinking about it!  At our most recent meeting, Lori quilted her way into the record books with an astonishing NINE QUILTS!!!  Okay, so they weren't all hers, but she had NINE quilts to show...NINE!  I brought in fabric...yes, fabric, not cut, not pieced, not sewn...but special fabric from a special lady who bought it for me in Garmisch, Germany! 

 

I've been petting this fabric now for a few weeks...can't decide what to do with it but since it's authentic dirndle fabric I'm thinking either I need to make myself a dirndle or a table runner...the mister might like the dirndle more!  They are rather festive!   I could learn to yodel and make streudel, too!   In any case, I'm thrilled with the fabric and hope to cut into it soon!  Thanks Linda!

Marsha has been hard at work sewing up a batch of pillowcases for her grandkids - each one was cute as can be but the "Lucy" is my favorite!

Stephanie is making this quilt for her son - something she just whipped up - jelly roll strips with random squares - oh to have her brain for a day!

After discussing our annual Christmas gift exchange, when Janet showed us this Christmas quilt/table topper, we all said she should bring that as her gift!!  Don't think that'll happen but we did love this!  And notice Claudia's selvege bag - she brought it last month but it wasn't quite finished, now it's done and it's fabulous!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Claudia wowed us all with her Kaffe Pickle Dish quilt...spectacular - and the backing is great, too!  I once tried to make a pickle dish quilt...after more UNsewing than sewing I decided it would be best if I just ate pickles and didn't try to sew them.

This small Christmas quilt is so beautifully quilted by Claudia...once that binding is sewn down it will be ready for the holidays!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Terry made this beautiful quilt from fabric called "woolies" by Bonnie Sullivan...the border fabric has little pumpkin people on it - so Terry embroidered a little pumpkin person on the back of her quilt...so adorable and fun, just like Terry herself!

Lori made this in her sleep...she would have had to because there just isn't enough time in the day to make all the quilts she made!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lori worked on this red-work Christmas quilt for a year!  Her hand-work is beautiful!! 

Another masterpiece from Lori...I think she is giving this quilt away...GIVING IT AWAY!  Godfrey!  All the fusing, ironing, top-stitching!  Hours and hours and she's giving it away!  To say this quilt is the size of Lori's heart is not exaggerating!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lori made the quilt on the left above, she said it was a simple pattern, does that look simple to you?!?  Lori showed us Kareena's "Beattitude" quilt...I apologize for the lousy picture which just doesn't do it justice.  Kareena has been quilting for all of ONE year and she tackled this...and she did it without ONE mistake!...how is that even possible?!?

When Lori and I went to the Portland Quilt market a few years ago we both fell in love with this blue and white quilt kit...and we both purchased it.  I came home thinking I would make this quilt for my sister...and then I noticed all the tiny pieces...I have an allergy to tiny pieces of fabric...so when Kareena wanted to learn to quilt I gave her this kit, thinking she could hack at it and maybe produce something usuable...never in my wildest dreams did I think she would sew it up exactly as the pattern was written, tiny pieces and all, and have it turn out to be so greatl!!  (To my sister, I shall be making you blue and white hot pads...I'm sure you'll love them just as much as you would have loved this quilt!)   

 

 

 

 

 

 

This colorful log cabin was made by Kareena's daughter, Emily, who is 13...I posted pics of the top when she finished it and now it's beautifully quilted and ready to be bound - it's queensize!!  The Santa quilt above is either Kareena's or Lori's, as they both made the same quilt and they were both at our show.  Terry did a fantastic job quilting them and they are identical so I wonder how they know who's is who's?!  They're huge, too, at least queensize, maybe even king! 

Denise finished off our show with this adorable Christmas pillow and ribbon tree!  I think she said the ribbon is pinned onto a styrofoam cone...a trio of them would make a lovely gift...I'm just sayin'...would be nice!

Well that's it - another great meeting with the Sew Whats...next month marks the 14th anniversary of our group - even if we only had 5 quilts to show at each meeting, that would make an astounding 840 quilts in 14 years!!  But most of our meetings are filled with quilts and other sewing projects - so I'm sure that over the years we've made well over 1,000 quilts...and a lot of them have been donated to various causes...so next month we'll celebrate our group by giving ourselves gifts...we've earned them!

Nichole's Quilt...

Months ago they were married...and finally, their wedding gift is finished!  I do hope they like it...

Scrappy quilts "speak" to me...they are just inviting, as in, "Come!  Sit!  Snuggle up in me and forget about the laundry and the vacuuming!"  Who can resist that?

Nichole and Tyler are very active people - hiking, waterskiing, outdoorsy types...so I could see them using this as a picnic quilt or taking it camping for when they sit around the campfire roasting marshmallows...or for snuggling under while they watch the Hallmark Channel while it snows outside...oh wait, that's just me!  Congratulations Nichole and Tyler...I hope you have as many happy years as the mister and I have had...plus 50...(that should give you at least 51 good years!...kidding...52 or 53, maybe 54...oh alright, that would give you EIGHTY years of pure wedded bliss...anyone got any Ipecac?  There seems to be something caught in my throat...I'm choking on my own words...can I get a Heimlick?)

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What's the best way to use up turkey leftovers???  Tetrazini?  Soup?  Stew?  Nope...not even close...I found the best way over at Nibble Me This!  Chris came up with Leftover Turkey Hot Brown Crostini...a classic recipe made better and this time he used his OVEN, which I didn't even know he had - and so can you!  Click here for the recipe!

Black Friday...

Whew!  What a couple of days it's been!  Cooking and baking up a storm - for THREE people!  That's right, the famdamly didn't drive up this year because of the weather...so, so sad for me!!  I had already puchased my Thanksgiving supplies so I had to make the entire feast - and I did - and we ate and ate and ate and it was glorious!!!  We went into the dining room as three starving people and exited as the Three Pigs...so today is not Black Friday because of shopping...oh no, it's Black Friday because I'm under the illusion that if I WEAR BLACK I'll hide the 7 to 10 pounds I gained yesterday!  I haven't actually gotten on the scale but I'm sure it was at least that much...

The 21 lb. turkey was a bit big for my counter-top roaster - so I had to use a few rocks to keep the lid on:

If you don't have a roaster, consider getting one - it works just like an oven - you can even bake bread and pies in the thing...but cooking a turkey in it will guarantee a crispy outside and a moist inside...and they're cheap, too!  Target had one on sale for $27!!  Then you can save your real oven(s) for pies and sides and rolls, it's the right thing to do!  The turkey was the star, of course, but a couple of other turkeys showed up...

They refused to wear the hats until I said NOBODY EATS UNTIL I GET MY PICTURE!!  In a sweet voice, naturally, and so they put them on but refused to show their faces...I didn't make them eat with them on, I'm not cruel....and besides, I couldn't have risked having them get food on them!  We sat down at the table and before I brought in the food I made them read a small children's book called The Pilgrim's Story...it's about 12 paragraphs long...of course they protested...but I said, again in my sweet, soft voice, NOBODY EATS UNTIL YOU READ THE BOOK!  And so they read...and after each paragraph they injected their snide remarks, thinking they were hilarious...and they were.  Finally the feasting began...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Along with the Maple/Orange Glazed Turkey we had:

Pureed Pan Gravy - the best tasting gravy ever - no flour, no corn-starch, no lumps...it's miracle liquid!

Mashed potatoes...the secret to good mashers is butter...1 dozen peeled potatoes needs two sticks of butter and just a tad of milk...feel free to quote me on this.

Stuffed celery...it's a family tradition - stuffed with cheese that comes in little jars...artery clogging processed cheese on celery...polar opposites, like being a Republican in Seattle or a Democrat on the Eastside.

Creamed onions...recipe courtesy of Smitten Kitchen, she said they were great and they were!

Braised Red Cabbage...another family tradition - cooked in red wine with molasses and apples...nothing like what you would expect - sweet and tasty!

Stuffing...no oysters or cornbread but the mister lapped it up, saying it was the best ever.

Raspberry Jell-O salad...another family tradition...there's always room for Jell-O!

Sweet Potato Casserole...the boy wouldn't touch it but the mister who claims to have a natural aversion to the stuff had two servings...two!

Green Beans with potato chips...yep, you read that right...green beans cooked crisp-tender then drenched in cream of mushroom soup and a bit of soy sauce then topped with crunched up potato chips...it's the salt in the chips that makes this the mister's favorite...

Pumpkin-Pear Soup...we started our meal with shots of this - sweet with a hint of curry...recipe will be up soon as you'll want to make this over the holidays - yes, you will!

Homemade rolls...After watching the parade AND the dog show on TV I was thinking everything was under control and then I remembered I hadn't made the rolls!!!  Fortunately I had just enough time so they were hot out of the oven right as we sat down!

Then we had pie...Cherry Cream Pie (recipe coming soon!) and Paula's Pumpkin Pie  - that would be Paula Deen's Pie so you know it's loaded with goodness!  And we had French Cran-Apple-Almond Pie ...and then, on the 7th day, seeing it was good, we rested from our work and ate and slept.  And we slept some more. 

And now we have leftovers!

 Hope your Thanksgiving was equally as grand!  Just typing all of this has me reaching for another Alka-Seltzer...plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is!  Now I must go for a waddle walk...I need to squeeze into my black pants so I can go shopping!

Happy Thanksgiving...

This is the first Thanksgiving since we've lived in the great Pacific Northwest where it has snowed...the turkey is in the oven, there's a fire blazing in the fireplace, and it's snowing outside...magical!  Soon it will be time for us to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade on TV, followed by the Westminster Dog Show...yep, big doin's around here!  My family didn't make it here for the feast - too many storms, too many mountain passes, too, too dangerous to drive - so they stayed home where they'll all get together and feast without the three of us...I'm already missing them! 

I hope your Thanksgiving is full of "F-words"...Family, Friends, Feasting, Football, Festive, Frenzy, Fancy, Fabulous, Flavorful, Flowers, Fragrant, and Fun...Happy Thanksgiving!

Double Onion Cheese Ball...

No holiday buffet would be complete without bacon-wrapped dates, pastry-crusted brie, stuffed mushrooms or a cheese ball on a pretty pedestal plate.  It's the Queen of the buffet and demands respect as one can't just grab at it with fingers, oh no, a spreader needs to be used, preferably a decorative one...it's definitely a high-brow appetizer.  But not to worry, even low-brow folks like me and the mister can enjoy the infamous cheese ball - spread on crackers (me) it's fit for royalty, scooped with Fritos (mister) it's as down-home as it gets.

 

 

 

You won't find a better recipe - trust me - this one is tried and true and not only is it my personal favorite but it's gotten rave reviews every time I've served it.  Sweet onions caramelized till they're practically candy, combined with the fresh, sharp taste of finely chopped green onions makes this a winner in the flavor department - then there's the cheese...two of them because one just isn't enough...Parmesan cheese blended with seasoned cream cheese guarantees every bite will be perfect.  And then the entire thing is rolled in chopped pecans.  Hallelujah-glory-be...it's a party in the mouth! Now, a word about pecans...I had in interesting conversation via email from a good friend (who shall remain nameless for her protection), she is married to a Southern Gentleman and this is what she had to say about Southerners and their pecans:

"...they also worship pecans, which I think is sacrilegious, don't you?  They put them in EVERYTHING, whereas I have my limits.  And if you-- heaven forbid-- should make brownies or cookies or pumpkin bars or cake WITHOUT them, they snort, "Needs nuts."  The South shall never rise again!"

As God is my witness, Scarlett, I have to agree with her...the lowly pecan is nothing more than the ugly step-sister to the almond, which everyone knows is the queen of nuts.  And if I'm not mistaken, walnuts and pecans look a lot a like - which can only mean one thing...inbred nuts...Southern inbred nuts ala Jerry Lee Lewis marrying his 13 year old cousin and receiving a bag of pecans as a wedding gift!  (I just made that part up about the bag of pecans - as if THAT was believable!)

Make this one folks - it's a keeper!

Double Onion Cheese Ball - Pots and Pins

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 medium sweet onion (such as Walla Walla or Vidalia), finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 green onions, finely chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 packages (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 cups pecan pieces

In a large skillet melt butter and add sweet onions, salt and pepper.  Stir occasionally over medium heat until onions are caramelized, about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.  In a large bowl combine the Parmesan cheese, cream cheeses, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and green onions and mix with a wooden spoon until smooth.  Blend in caramelized onions, mix well.

Lay a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and scoop the cheese mixture onto the plastic wrap, mounding up as much as possible.  Wrap the plastic around the cheese mixture and form a ball as you wrap.  Put cheese ball into refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up a bit.  Wrap cheese ball.  Spread pecan pieces on a plate and roll the cheese ball around in the pecans, pressing a bit as it rolls until the cheese ball is completely covered in pecans.  Wrap with a clean piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.  Serve with crackers or Fritos.  Makes one very large cheese ball - about the size of a softball.

Years ago I was given a cheese ball as a gift along with some wonderful crackers - it was such a treat!  I mean, who gives cheese balls?!?!  I've never forgotten it and every year, I try to return the favor and give at least one cheese ball away...I know - so cheesy - but I've never had anyone refuse it or tell me it didn't tickle them pink! 

Pumpkin Pie Biscotti...

Ooooooooh the weather outside is frightful,

Biscotti is so deeeelightful,

Grab a mug or a cuppa tea,

Sit, enjoy a piece with gleeeeeee! 

 

24 numbing degrees out...snow, ice, wind...a good day to head into the kitchen to whip up a batch of these most delightful cookies!  They're like biting into a piece of pumpkin pie - nutmeg, cinnamon, pumpkin..it's all there combined with a crispy crunch from double baking, and toasted pecans and you're got the perfect gift to share with friends and something good to munch on while you're slaving in the kitchen on T-day.  The Boy loved these but I'm certain the mister will turn his nose up...and speaking of the mister:

1.  He watched the weather report last week

2.  He immediately cooked up an important meeting in Houston

3.  He left town right before the storm hit

4.  He'll return after the mercury rises

5.  He shall be punished

He's never (and by never I mean almost never, he was here for one storm, maybe two) here when there's a storm...has never battened down the hatches, never shoveled ice from the walk, never babysat the pipes so they won't freeze...he has some sort of internal radar that goes off when bad weather is about to move in...it's 24 degrees here, it's 84 degrees in Houston.  I rest my case.

 

 

 

But really, it's the Pilgrim story all over again...Having survived the Mayflower (my trip down the big hill to the grocery store), I have set about preparing for the elements (adjusting the thermostat to MY settings) while I forage for food (in my refrigerator) and seek refuge with an old friend, the Hallmark Channel (equivalent to having Squanto over for tea).  I shall prepare the feast BY MYSELF and being the good Pilgrim, I will let bygones be bygones (provided there's a "sorry gift" attached) and allow the Indian (the mister is 1/4 Cherokee) to return from his hunting expedition (riding shotgun with Tony the Texas Tiger) so we can celebrate together (beats loading muskets and shooting arrows!) all the things we're thankful for.

 

Pumpkin Pie Biscotti - Adapted From Sunset Magazine

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/4 cups pecan pieces

3 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin puree

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease one cookie sheet.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add pecans and cook, stirring constantly, until they are browned and fragrant, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool completely.

In a large bowl, add flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice; stir well to combine.  In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla, stirring well with a wire whisk.  Slowly add pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until the dry ingredients are moistened.  (Mixture will be very crumbly; it wil gradually become moist after stirring).

Knead or gently stir the cooled nuts into the dough.  Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 portions.  Lightly flour hands and shape each portion into a 1x15-inch long log.  Place the logs on the prepared cookie sheet.  Bake for 24 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.  Cut each log diagonally into 1/2-inch slices using a serrated knife.  Place the slices on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 15 minutes.  Cool completely on wire racks.  Makes about 60 biscotti.

 

Thanksgiving Blessings Mix...

A few years back we had the pleasure of having Thanksgiving dinner with some dear friends, The Canadians, and their extended family.  The food was wonderful and we were soon as stuffed as the bird had been...and then it was time for their version of the "turkey trot."  Now folks, I'm not a dancer...I would make Bristol Palin look like she deserved to be on DWTS, so imagine my horror when The Canadians told us before we could have dessert we had to tie a seat cushion, fashioned into a cumbersome turkey tail, around our waists and then trot/dance/embarrass ourselves around the center of the room as they all sang Albuquerque Turkey!  I played the "guest" card, insisting that I would rather watch this "sweet family tradition" and not "steal their thunder," hoping they wouldn't make me get up...the mister practically jumped at the chance to make a fool of himself...as he is quite experienced in these matters...watching him was hysterical - almost worth the price of admission...which was free!  I breathed a sigh of relief when I was "excused" and still allowed to eat dessert...I don't know which would have been worse - pecking my way around the room or missing dessert! 

I'm quite certain pretending to be a dancing turkey is a crazy Canuck tradition...as I've never met an American who does the turkey trot (met plenty who do the "trot" AFTER stuffing themselves with dinner, though!)  I got this "recipe" from them...I've also seen it on-line and in magazines - and you probably have it already as it's been around a while but it's a fun little treat to give to your restless turkeys before the feast. 

*You can find Bugles in the chips section of the grocery store - they are usually available this time of year and they sale-out quickly - so hurry!

Thanksgiving Blessings Mix

*Bugles:  Shaped like a cornucopia or Horn of Plenty, a symbol of our nation's abundance.

Pretzels:  Arms folded in prayer, a freedom sought by those who founded our country.

Candy Corn:  The sacrifices of the Pilgrim's first winter.  Food was so scarce that settlers survived on just a few kernels of corn a day.

Nuts or Seeds:  Promise of a future harvest, one we will reap only if seeds are planted and tended with diligence.

Dried Fruits:  Harvest gifts from our bountiful land.

M & M's:  Memories of those who came before us to lead us into a blessed future.

Hershey's Kisses:  The love of family and friends that sweeten our lives.

Mix one cup of each in a large bowl.  Scoop into cellophane bags.  Print out the saying and attach to each bag.  Makes about 6 cups/6 bags worth.

Sweet Potato Casserole...

At our T-day cooking class, The Fashionista made this Sweet Potato Casserole, it's very close to the Sweet Potato Casserole that Ruth's Criss Steakhouse serves...and so very delicious.  I know a lot of people love sweet potatoes that taste like dessert, with gobs of marshmallows, swimming in orange juice and topped with more streusel than all of Germany!  I prefer to eat my dessert AFTER dinner, not with, so I've stayed away from those very sweet dishes...and while this recipe is sweet, it's not over-the-top-cavity-inducing-sweet...it's just riiiiiiight.

 

 

This photo of Max just cracks me up -  and I posted it with this recipe because I want to WARN you about it...it's not just good, it's tummy-sticking-out-can't-resist-one-more-bite-good...so if you make these sweet potatoes, you should plan to wear elastic-waist pants on T-day ...and IF you overeat you know you're going to look just like Max!

We were so busy at our class that I forgot to take pictures of all of the wonderful food!!!  I lifted this one from the web, (photo courtesy of atohmc) just so you could see what it looks like.  It's a creamy dish; after the potatoes are baked until fork tender, they are put through a ricer or mashed, then they're "doctored" and put in the oven to bake to perfection.  You can find the Ruth's Criss recipe on-line if you want a sweeter dish, as The Fashionista adapted the recipe by reducing the amount of sugar to 1/3 cup, which was, in my humble opinion, the right thing to do.

You say potato - I say yam...sweet potatoes are the white/yellow flesh...yams are the orange flesh potatoes...so while this is called a sweet potato dish it's made with yams..got it?

Sweet Potato Casserole - Adapted by Megan Gee, aka The Fashionista, From Ruth's Criss Steakhouse

For the potatoes:

3 cups sweet potatoes, about 3 large yams, peeled and diced (cut all as close to the same size as possible so they will cook evenly)

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick butter, melted

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all the topping ingredients together and set aside.  Put peeled and diced sweet potatoes in a pan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until fork tender.  Remove from heat and drain.  Put cooked sweet potatoes through a ricer or hand mash (make sure you have about 3 cups mashed potatoes).  Add the remaining ingredients to the mashed sweet potatoes and thoroughly mix together.  Place in a buttered baking dish and sprinkle the topping over it.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Let rest for 20 minutes before serving.  Serves 6.

 

Kids T-Party...

Oh the drama of it all!  Kids acting like turkeys on T-day - running, jumping, CRAZED...and then I gave them knives and told them to chop, slice and dice...to my surprise, no one cut themselves or anyone else!  So that alone made it a successful party!

 Each child went home with an "exact replica of the Mayflower," pictured above with the white sail, a foam turkey place card, a chocolate turkey, a turkey mask, plus a rolled up "Thankful List" to write, with their families, everything they're thankful for this year...I had them help me get a head start on my list - hopefully by Thanksgiving my list will be completely filled.  

Giving the kids masks to wear was like giving them permission to have a seizure...all of a sudden they were WILD!  I think they thought I wouldn't know who was doing the acting up!  Oh...but I knew!  All in all, they were pretty good and they all did their assignments, like Pilgrims, cooking their dinner. 

They made Turkey Taco Cornucopias - after filling the tortillas, they are rolled up, like an ice cream cone, in the shape of a cornucopia...clever, no?)  Leah shucked the corn with finese and grated cheese until her arm almost fell off!  Casey removed the corn from boiling water, using tongs like nun-chucks and mastered the tortilla warming like a pro...I'm sure he'll have a bright future in the food service industry!  Dawson made more than a dozen fruit and cheese skewers, chopped lettuce and tomatoes and Zoe arrived just in time to grate cheese like nobody's bizness!   For for dessert they all made themselves Pilgrim Hats...I'll be cleaning chocolate off the cabinets for days to come!

My Sous Chefs were wonderful - they helped so much and even did dishes!  Thanks Katie and Mia!!

What is it with kids and their fingers?!? 

We had one no-show due to the flu, she called and said if her "fever isn't very high" she was still going to come! 

Five kids, two sous chefs, 1 1/2 hours...we just barely finished everything when their moms showed up to rescue me pick them up. 

 

 

 If you need some quick and easy Thanksgiving ideas for kids, click here.  The Family Fun website has great ideas for games, snacks, recipes and crafts - I found the directions for the Mayflowers ships on there and the turkey centerpiece - made with a honeydew melon, pear, red pepper and fruit skewers...the kids loved it!

 

The Pilgrim Hat Cookies are made from Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies with a chocolate-dipped marshmallow "glued" on top, and a bit of yellow icing piped on.  The kids had fun making these - and so did I! 

The turkey masks were made from stiff felt - I purchased a plastic mask (found at craft stores for .99 cents) to use as a template, then cut the brown felt to match; glued on the beak and wattle, attached some elastic to each side and in no time the kids were looking and acting like turkeys on the loose! 

The ships were made from FIMO (Sculpey would work, too); a thin, wooden dowel is inserted as the mast and then they're baked for 30 minutes to harden.  I used a stiff piece of white felt for the sails but a white paper plate would work just as well.  I filled them with Reese's pieces, raisins and nuts.  The kids were impressed...and I was impressed because they even knew the answers to these questions:

How many days were the Pilgrims at sea on the Mayflower?  ....65

How many Pilgrims set sail?...110   How many died on their journey? ....1

How many died that first winter?  ...More than half!

What was the Indian's name who helped the Pilgrims? ...Squanto

I told them the Pilgrim story last week...and they remembered it a week later...wish I could do that!

 Should have closed the pantry door...oh well...I do try you know! 

Another great T-day recipe up tomorrow!

Pumpkin Mousse......

The mister left Global Headquarters early yesterday to renew his driver's license.  He opted to go to the Bellevue DMV, only the busiest in the state, where he sat for 2 1/2 hours - calling me to report on his boredom every 15 minutes.  I believe I have already told you how I loathe the phone and as much as I hate it, the mister loves it.  He calls for NO REASON to tell me things like it's raining at his office, what he had for lunch, and that there's a new guy in his building who sells kitchenware.  All breaking news in his world.  Yesterday he called to tell me about the guy who shot his TV because he was mad Bristol Palin was not voted off DWTS!  He's like my very own personal Hollywood Reporter and earthquake prognosticator...Did I hear about Charlie Sheen's hotel rage?  Did I see who Oprah has on today?  Did I hear about the earthquake that hit Southern Washington?  4.2 on the Richter!!!  It's very exciting for him when the Earth moves!  When he called to tell me he finally got his license renewed and was on his way home I thought I would have 30 minutes or so of quiet before he walked in the door...nope...he called to tell me about the traffic...then he called to tell me about the price of gas...and finally, he called to ask what was for dinner.  Since I had spent SO MUCH TIME on the phone with him the only thing I had ready for dinner was the Pumpkin Mousse!

 

 

 

 

Light and airy, velvety smooth with just the right amount of spice and a hint of rum - which is optional but the alcohol cooks out so just go for it!  Crushed ginger snaps line the bottom of the goblets, so every bite has a nice surprise - it's a nice substitute for pumpkin pie if your oven is filled with rolls or turkey and you just can't bear the thought of rolling out one more pie shell...Pumpkin Mousse is the way to go!

See those roses?  They were part of the toss bouquet from last weekend's wedding...no, I didn't catch it, that would have just been rude!  But I did make the bouquet because Bridezilla asked me to and when she didn't use it I brought it home...last week's wedding cured me of EVER helping with another...yeah, I know, I've said that before but THIS TIME I MEAN IT - I'm out of the wedding business!  Okay, now that I got that out of the way, just take a gander at the mousse...so creamy and rich, 5 dangs my friends...it's dang, dang, dang, dang, dang good!  Roll me over and bring on the coma, this one's a keeper!

Pumpkin Mousse - Adapted From Dave Lieberman - Food Network

1 cup pumpkin

3 cups heavy cream, separated

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 tablespoons rum, optional

2 teaspoons vanilla, separated

1/2 cup powdered sugar

12 Ginger snaps, crushed, plus 8 more for serving

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine pumpkin and 1 cup of cream with sugar, spice and rum, if using.  Bring almost to a boil, but do not boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla and allow to cool completely.  Meanwhile, whip the remaining two cups of cream, powdered sugar and remaining teaspoon of vanilla until soft peaks form.  When pumpkin mixture is completely cool, fold whipped cream into pumpkin until there are no visible streaks.  Spoon a heaping tablespoon of crushed ginger snaps into the bottom of each goblet, if making individual servings or put all of the crushed ginger snaps in the bottom of a large serving bowl.  Spoon mousse into individual goblets or large serving bowl.  Garnish with additional Ginger snaps.  Serves 8.

May your stuffing be tasty

May your turkey be plump,

May your potatoes and gravy

Have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious

And your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs!

Author Unknown