Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Thanksgiving is almost here. Thanksgiving is usually my first indicator of how fast the school year is going. If you say, "wow I can't believe Thanksgiving is already here", it is going really fast. If you say, "I thought Thanksgiving would never come", then the school year is going at a snail's pace. Let me tell you it is going at warp speed. In my estimation, it should only be about the middle of October but here is near the end of November.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. You spend time with your family, eat yourself silly, and lounge around watching football games and talking to the ones you love most in the world. What could be better ~ not much. This year, it is going to be My mom and dad, grandma, my cousin and her family, and Jimmy and me. Diane and Doc won't be with us this year. We will miss Diane and her lively conversation. We will see them next year.

Everyone has their favorite part of the meal. Some people would love to main line gravy if they could. Some enjoy the mashed potatoes. Others, it is the sweet potatoes. For still others, they love corn bread. Almost everyone loves the tryptophan filled turkey. I like all of those except for maybe the mashed potatoes. Sorry people I just don't like them. What I do like most of the Thanksgiving meal is the Stuffing. I fill about half my plate is filled with stuffing. Nothing better than my mom's stuffing.

So I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. Here are the recipes that I am going to make for Thanksgiving at my Mom and Dad's.

Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Honey


You can roast the potatoes and bananas ahead of time, then put it all together just before serving. Then heat it up in the oven.
5 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed 4 bananas, unpeeled 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/4 cup honey Kosher salt 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup dark brown sugar 1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, put them in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes. Toss the bananas into the pan and continue roasting for 10 to 15 minutes, until both the bananas and potatoes are very soft. Remove the pan from the oven but don't turn the oven off.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh into a large mixing bowl. Peel the bananas and add them to the bowl along with 1 stick of the butter, and the honey. Season with salt and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until everything's well combined and the mixture is fluffy. Spoon into an oven-proof serving bowl and smooth the top.
In a separate mixing bowl, use your fingers to rub together the remaining stick of butter, the brown sugar, flour, and pecans until the mixture is the consistency of coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the sweet potatoes and return to the oven. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the crumbs are golden. Serve hot

Cranberry – Pistachio Muffins

1 corn muffin mix
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup chopped unsalted pistachios
1 ½ tsp. grated orange zest
Garnish: dried cranberries and chopped pistachios

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat 6 star shaped disposable foil baking cups or 6 muffins cups with non-stick spray.
2. Prepare muffin mix with the egg and milk as the package directs. Stir in cranberries, pistachios and zest just until blended.
3. Evenly spoon batter into prepared cups. (If using foil baking cups, place on baking sheet.) Sprinkle cranberries and pistachios on top.
4. Bake 15 minutes or until golden and wood pick inserted in centers comes out clean.