PUMPKIN PIE

In fact, we all love it so much that PhilBillPaul always makes several “practice” pies before Thanksgiving. We’ve had two so far.

With real whupped cream.

Because you can’t eat pumpkin pie without real whupped cream.

It’s illegal.

Or immoral.

Or maybe just plain wrong.

For some reason, PhilBillPaul has always made the pies.

I know you’re thinking, “What in the heck does she cook?!?”

Since this is my blog, I don’t really think I should feel any peer pressure or become defensive.

But I do, just a little.

I guess it’s my natural reaction because I do feel a tiny bit bad for those of you overachieving domestic divas who prefer not to delegate.

My friend Ann told me this summer, “I’m a doer.”

To which I replied, “I’m a delegator.”

Apparently that’s not a word. Whatever. I like to delegate.

It takes all kinds to make the world go ’round.

If you’re still searching for a fabulous pumpkin pie recipe - look no further - here it is:

Pumpkin Pie

• 1/2 C sugar
• 1/2 C light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten (don’t overbeat)
• 1.5 C evaporated milk
• 1.5 C canned pumpkin

Prepare favorite pie crust in deep dish pie pan. (PhilBillPaul uses the Pillsbury® crust in refrigerator section of grocery–he’s not that much of an overachiever himself.)

Mix together until well-blended. Pour into crust. Sprinkle additional cinnamon on top of pie. Bake at 425º for 10 minutes and then reduce oven temperature to 350º and bake 35 minutes. Now start testing pie for doneness by sticking thin knife in center. Continue baking until knife comes out clean, then pie is done. Let pie cool to set. Refrigerate remaining pie (if there is any left).

Whupped Cream
We do the squirt can variety of real whupped cream and sometimes get crazy and buy the “light” version. Usually we buy the “whatever is cheapest” version. Or if you are fan-cee like my mom, go ahead and take a carton of heavy whipping cream and whip that up by hand. That’s her official holiday duty when she picks up pies at Baker’s Square and visits my siblings at the holidays. After years of cooking for a family of six herself, it seems like a pretty fair trade.

Squirt can or homemade - it’s all delish.

But hide the can from Scary Baby and The Grunter because they would eat it straight up without the pie if we let them.

What will be on your Thanksgiving dessert table this year?

I’m pretty sure the Cross Country team doesn’t read my blog so I can share some pictures of the gifts.

First, let me just tell you it’s tough to find an appropriate unisex gift for teenagers! Especially with a small budget.

I actually started searching for ideas by “googling” the title of my post.
Is “googling” a word? No clever ideas came up. But I do love a challenge and was happy to do all the shopping online.

I highly recommend The Engraved Gift Store if you need anything engraved. They made me say WOW! I ordered 14 very affordable solid pewter key rings on Thursday online and had them one week later. With free engraving, free shipping and free gift boxes.

I was delighted to find the boxes had little name labels on them and they included the cute gift cards that fit perfectly inside the box. I LOVE companies that make my life easier with little touches like that!

How cute is the little pewter track shoe I attached to each key ring? Remember, it was a tight budget so I went to eBay and found a shop that had 10 zipper pulls listed and when I emailed the shop, the owner emailed me right back and said he would include 4 more for just an additional $2.00 which meant the shoe charms were just under a dollar a piece with shipping. I also LOVE to find bargains!

I also made digital photo collages for each of the fourteen seniors, uploaded them to Costco Photo Center and picked them up last weekend.

I don’t dare show you any of the collages in case one of them really does read my blog. They should get at least one surprise.

The senior gifts were fun to get ready and I don’t mind helping because I say “no” to most school volunteering these days. You know, those pumpkin bars really used up most of my volunteer energy.

What’s semi-funny is that I did not volunteer to do senior gifts. I didn’t even know they did senior gifts. I’m out of touch like that.

What I did volunteer to do is help put the girls’ senior scrapbooks together. Because I am a parent of two of the five seniors and by volunteering to donate albums and supplies, I could be sure the scrapbooks were extra lovely.

And thanks to my former next door neighbor and his fabulous camera, I can give you a sneak peek of one of the gorgeous title pages I was able to make for my daughters.

If you all will be quiet and won’t tell them you got to see one of their pages…

before the banquet,

before they get their albums.

I really want to show you my new

most favorite candid photo

of a moment captured on film

of my twin daughters being sweet to each other…

Shhh, don’t tell them I showed you any of this!

Now available for hire to find decent gifts within your budget without ever having to go the mall. Woo-hoo!

What did you do this weekend?

This is why we don’t stay in hotels.

This is why we go back again and again…

*******

Sometimes I avoid looking at the monthly calendar because it can overwhelm me. Does anyone else do that or is it just another quirky thing I do? Never mind, don’t answer that.

I looked at the calendar yesterday and realized it is two weeks and two days until Thanksgiving. AHHHHH!

I have seen some great tips on how to get organized before Thanksgiving including starting to clean and dust last week.

Lucky for me, this is our third year in a row we’ve taken our Thanksgiving on the road. Which means I won’t be troubling myself with cleaning and dusting my house.

At least I’m not behind on my non-existent checklist. Whew.

If I had a checklist - and yes, I have had one for many years - I have a timesaving trick or two that I can share to help you prepare. We have had many, many Thanksgivings here at my house with other families who do not have extended family living near (like us) or with family members who traveled to Georgia to be with us.

I remember the early years of marriage where I cooked everything ALL DAY and I was exhausted by the time we sat down to eat. Timing everything properly even with two ovens was always a challenge for me.

The one item that always bogged me down but is a Thanksgiving MUST is piping hot, homemade mashed potatoes. Even though Mr. Flexible PhilBillPaul would have eaten those flakes from the box. Ick.

I always review our holiday menu with the kids because I love to hear what their favorites are and these potatoes are always on the top of everyone’s list. Even though we are going away, I make several of our favorites and as of last year, we ordered the rest from a restaurant. For me, it’s a great combination of homemade and easy so we can all enjoy the day!

When I found the recipe for Make Ahead Party Potatoes, it changed my Thanksgiving-Homemade Mashed-Potato-Life! No more beating the potatoes minutes before everyone sits down to eat. (Remember I only got a grown-up Kitchen-Aid mixer two years ago so it was a workout to beat 5 pounds of potatoes!)

Make Ahead Party Potatoes

• 5 pounds potatoes, peeled and chunked
• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 stick butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 C sour cream
• 1/2 C milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• bread crumbs
• Parmesan cheese, to taste

In large saucepan, cover potatoes with water. Add good pinch of salt and cook over medium high heat until tender. Drain off water and coarsely mash potatoes. Add 6 tablespoons of butter, cream cheese, sour cream and salt and pepper. Beat with electric mixer until smooth. Add milk gradually - you want the potatoes to be light and fluffy so if they seem too wet, don’t add all the milk.

Transfer potatoes to a greased casserole dish or 9×13 pan and top with bread crumbs, Parmesan and last two tablespoons of butter cut into small pieces. Refrigerate, cover tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days before baking. Before baking, bring dish to room temperature. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes or until heated through and top is lightly golden.
Serves 10-12

Next week I’ll feature another one of our family favorites - The One that PhilBillPaul makes every single year!

*******

Oh, I almost forgot…for those of you who are nosey interested and are asking “Where do you go?”

We head to the Great Smoky Mountains. Granny flies in from Texas and we pack up our cars and head to a semi-secluded cabin in a quiet, beautiful area of Tennessee that we have vacationed at for many years.

If you have a timesaving tip or favorite Thanksgiving recipe, share it here - the clock is ticking and we could all use a little help!

I have noticed this “cool” factor is not quite as important to my son as it is to my daughters - both the younger one and the “older” ones. The nine year-old is just as likely to point out my dorkiness as the seventeen year-old darling twins.

The nine year-old had an entirely pink wardrobe for a number of years. If it wasn’t pink, she didn’t want to wear it. There was no such thing as too much pink. She has since added a few other colors to her wardrobe palette along with sparkles, sequins and anything shiny.

Add to the mix that the two in high school are athletes and are NOT girly-girls and I truly have both ends of the fashion spectrum. Shopping with my “big” girls hasn’t been fun and has not classified as a mother/daughter bonding time for at least a decade.

For many years Roger Leroy headed straight to the boys department to buy gym shorts and warm-up pants. I think the first year she wore girls’ jeans was freshman year of high school.

We actually argued before their senior picture appointment when I asked if they would please, please consider wearing small stud earrings and a necklace. And if that wasn’t ridiculous enough, I then suggested a little mascara and eye shadow would be a lovely touch.

I’m uncool, I tell you.

And I know things could be worse. Much worse. I try to keep this in perspective.

So now they have to look for a nice shirt (notice I didn’t say dress or skirt) to wear to the upcoming cross country banquet.

I offered to take them to lunch and shopping on Friday afternoon. Who knew when we picked Cracker Barrel that it would turn into a timesaving one-stop shop?

Tucked way in the back of Cracker Barrel’s country store shop was a 70% off corner of Fall apparel. Don’t even get me started on what a bargain shopper I am. It’s a finely developed skill that has served our family well.

Never mind that there is no dressing room in Cracker Barrel. I just had the girls try on the blouses in the corner.

Shirts were $39.99 marked down to $11.99! Woo-hoo - what a bargain!

And they would easily match their dress pants - you know, the black ones - the only ones they own.

Since they are twins I thought it would be super cute if they dressed alike for the banquet.

Forgive the bad quality photo - I only had my camera phone when I forced them to pose for this picture…

It’s very hard to make out the sequined spider but it’s worth squinting and trying to get the full effect. I thought it really set off the plaid fabric.

OKAY, OKAY, I’m just kidding. We didn’t buy them.

Because the hats weren’t on sale.

The young female Cracker Barrel clerk did say “Boy, I thought my mom was bad…”

Huh? I don’t know what she was talking about.

They insisted on going shopping by themselves on Saturday. And proceeded to buy this shirt.

Wizzy got the same exact shirt except in beige.

After laughing at me when I said they could dress alike and I was
just kidding.

Which suspiciously looks like the sparkle blouse I wore rollerskating in the 9th grade at “The Tree” in Rockford, Illinois.

Because I used to be cool.

Or not.

I have made this many times for our Thanksgiving dessert table. It is also perfect for a holiday brunch. Since my birthday is in September, it has been a delightful stand-in for my birthday cake several times because I don’t necessarily need a traditional cake.

Don’t let the three steps intimidate you.

If I can make it, you can make it.

I promise.

If Leigh Anne whips it up and takes one of her gorgeous pictures, I’ll be sure to come back and post it (hint, hint).

Apple Bavarian Torte

Step one - mix up the crust:

• 1/2 C butter
• 1/3 C sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1 C flour

Preheat oven to 450º Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and flour. Press crust into flat bottom of springform pan. Set aside.

Step two - mix up the cheese mixture:

• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

In medium bowl, blend cream cheese and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Pour cheese mixture over crust.

Step three - apple mixture:

• 6 medium apples
• 1/3 C sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 C sliced almonds

Peel, core and slice apples (get one of those handy, dandy apple devices!) Gently toss apples with sugar and cinnamon. Spread apple mixture over all. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 400º, bake for additional 25 minutes. Sprinkle almonds over top of torte and continue baking until lightly browned. Cool before removing from pan. Yield: 12 servings
–Recipe from Pampered Chef Favorites 1992

Or blog worthy.

It’s all important stuff - this job of raising human beings.

Yesterday My Pumpkin a.k.a. The Grunter had a significant FIRST.

He took a ride with me about a mile and half down the road.

Remember all the stickers the doctor, dentist and teachers gave your kids?

Yesterday he got The Most Important Sticker…

Mama and “Pop” (as he refers to PhilBillPaul) are proud to add another voter to this great country.

And we’re feeling old…

I remember reading an article many years ago titled “All the Last Times” by Sue Diaz. (I think but I’m going from memory here because I’m being lazy and not digging into my files to find the actual article.)

Without reprinting or plagiarizing the entire article here –she told of how we are wired to take pictures and record all those “first times” in our children’s lives. Like their first step, first tooth, first day of school, etc. It made an impact on me and helped guide me through these 19 years of parenting with a vision I might not have had if I hadn’t read that article.

Her unique perspective touched me and I have remembered through the years to savor “All the Last Times” and not just the firsts. It’s a challenge because those last times aren’t always so easy to remember or record. I vividly remember one of her examples…the last time you could carry that baby in your arms and tuck them into bed before they became too heavy to lift.

So I watched those tiny twin daughters of mine and remembered that Saturday was a milestone day. The Last Time they would run a cross country race as seniors in high school…

The practice, conditioning and plain old hard work it takes is often overlooked by the “bigger” more popular sports. There are a lot of great cross country slogans the teams have printed on their t-shirts. Here are a few of my personal favorites:

“Cross Country: no time outs, no half times, no substitutions”

“If it was easy, everyone would do it!”

Everyone doesn’t do it - it really is a grueling “underdog” sport that is rarely recognized. I just wanted to take a moment to recognize this last time. And I am so proud of both of them…

For the curious few, Roger Leroy has not had another growth spurt nor is she as tall as Wizzy. I think she was standing on a small hill.

On a totally unrelated note…

This may be the first and last time that Scary Baby will or has ever offered up her Halloween discards to us without me having to sift through her bag and steal beg for candy.

Look at the loot she gave us that she didn’t want. Woo-hoo - except for that trail mix stuff.

It was a very good weekend. How was your weekend?

Life Lesson (LL): The Last Times are just as sweet and as important as the Firsts…

Share a Life Lesson (SALL): Any “Last Times” you have savored and will share here?

Did I ever show you what the wiener dogs were last year?

Sabu was ketchup. Dudley was mustard.

You would think I would know how to fix the red eye but I think it’s a nice Halloween effect…SCARY wiener dogs!

I want to hear what your kids are dressing up as.

I want to hear if you dress up? Does your husband dress up?

What’s your Halloween plan?

I’m not nosey, I’m just interested.

Come on, indulge me so I can get some ideas for a last minute costume for PhilBillPaul…

…who has never dressed up in the 21 years we’ve been married.

I wonder if I could get him to dress up if I let him wear his motorcycle helmet?

Here’s The Grunter and Roger Leroy trying on the lovely helmets and I can assure you that no teens were injured while wearing the helmets in my bedroom under close supervision.

Leave a comment and tell me what your family is doing for Halloween!

P.S. There is still time for you to click over to iLash Girls and enter for any one of our three different giveaways. Fun jewelry, professional coaching and a yummy triple treat! Hurry though - two are ending tonight at midnight PST.

I asked PhilBillPaul for the apple crisp recipe he made last week.

He willingly shared the recipe he found at Allrecipes.com but I think it’s important you know about the changes he made right from the start.

He DOUBLED the topping. Then he put just one quarter of it on the bottom and the remaining three quarters on the top.

Frankly, I’m surprised he even put apples in it. Because he likes fruit almost as much as he likes vegetables.

Which is hardly at all.

Sad, I know but I knew this when I married him and I’ve accepted it.

Apple Crisp

• 1 C all-purpose flour
• 3/4 C rolled oats
• 1 C brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 C butter, melted
• 4 C peeled, cored and sliced apples
• 1/2 C white sugar
• 1 T cornstarch
• 1/2 C water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350º In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Stir until crumbly. Press half the oat mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover with sliced apples.

In a medium saucepan, combine white sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla. Cook, stirring, until thick and clear, 10 minutes. Pour over apples. Cover apples with remaining crumble mixture. Bake in preheated oven 45 minutes, until bubbly and golden.

Vanilla bean ice cream optional but highly recommended.

One more thing sort of related to apples.

On Monday, I forgot to tell you that on our way home from the apple orchard that we found our perfect mountain cabin.

The view from the deck…

Check out the grill area on the deck…

The cabin…

Truly a glorious place on 5 acres.

Anyone want to go in halfsies?