Better late than never?

Well, I don't know about that in this case, because I was supposed to give you a few Thanksgiving recipes...but the good news is that these also make great Christmas recipes! I am still going to pass these along~ after all, it is Thanksgiving weekend, right? Although, if truth be told, to my family, this day after the day of giving thanks means the first day of the Christmas season! We are SO excited around here! We have the lights up outside and in the kids' rooms so far...

Now, I must apologize first for not giving the recipes on time...I just know that millions and millions of you were absolutely crushed at not receiving these as promised, but somehow managed to brave it through Thanksgiving without them. Uh, yeah...anyway...our Thanksgiving plans changed when my mom came down with an awful cold. She was really sick, and didn't want to expose anyone to it, so she wasn't able to have Thanksgiving at her house. We have a tradition of spending this holiday with both my husband's parents and mine, and his mother and mine alternate years. (Our house is too small to accommodate everyone who comes.) We missed my mom and dad this year, and Gracie was SO upset that she wouldn't see her Nona! SO...this year my mother-in-law came to the rescue with just two days to spare, bless her heart! And like many of you, I brought out all the recipe books...




Then spent the day before and the day of cooking and baking...




Until I was ready to drop from exhaustion...but then the fun part came~ time spent with family! We ate until we could eat no more...




And everyone else played games, one of which was a very loud game called "Pit"...



With everyone laughing and trying to win...



And then we ate some more...




While they played Pit, I had fun crafting something...




...that I meant to make days beforehand! But maybe at least this is better late than ever! I saw this on Cherry's Jubilee, and asked her pretty please for the directions...promised I'd make it...barely kept the promise, too!


So all's well that ends well. It was a great Thanksgiving, and to top it all off, I got to craft a bit. What could be better? (Besides my mom and dad being there of course!)



I hope that you had a wonderful day, too! What did you do for Thanksgiving this year? :) And my next question is...do you still want these recipes? Well, okay, you twisted my arm! :)

Sweet Potato Pie

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix and put into greased casserole dish or pie plate.

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup soft butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans)

Mix until crumbly and spread over entire casserole. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 30- 35 minutes, until top looks hot and bubbly.

Pumpkin Pie~

Pie Crust:

*This is a recipe for a double crust, but I LOVE this recipe. You can just cut it in half if you only need the one crust, and this is a great recipe for a double crust pie, especially fruit pies! :)

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cold, cut into bits
1/3 cup very cold water ( I puts ice in the water)
I have found it necessary to add more water, about six teaspoons more.

1. Combine the flour, salt, and butter in bowl. Work until mixture is crumbly; the butter should be about the size of small peas.
2. Add the water all at once and work until just mixed.
3. Without handling the dough any more than necessary, divide in half and press each half into a disk.
* If using this for a double crust pie, wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate while preparing the filling.
For the pumpkin pie, prick the sides and bottom of unbaked crust with the tines of a fork, and bake in a preheated 450 oven for 10 or so minutes, or until lightly browned.

Pumpkin pie filling:

This recipe uses real sugar pumpkin for the filling, but you can use canned pumpkin as well.

2 cups sugar pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, melted
3 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Cut up pumpkin into fourths and remove seeds; steam. Remove skin and mash like potatoes. Mix the two cups mashed pumpkin with all the other ingredients. Add to baked pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees F. for about one hour.


Well, there you go! Just in time for Christmas! (SMILE!) Have a fabulous, fun-filled weekend! :)