Merry Christmas Eve ... Perfect Pumpkin Pie

Hi Everyone I know you're crazy busy so I thought I'd just throw up a quick recipe!  I made this pie and it turned out so pretty I just had to share right away!  Hope you all are having a very Merry Christmas and enjoying family and friends.

I found this recipe on All Recipes for the Perfect Pumpkin Pie, I added some leaves and a pumpkin to dress it up.  I got a Paula Deen pie kit and had to try them out.

INGREDIENTS:

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin 1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes.
2.	Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

I took a second pie crust and used it to cut out my leaves and the pumpkin to dress the pie up.  I just attached them with a little water and then when I cooked I used my pampered chef pie shield.  If you don't have one they are cheap and a good investment if you make pies and don't want  burnt crust.  Also I usually make my crust but I was in a pinch so the froze did just fine.

Enjoy and have a VERY Merry Christmas!!

Yummy Side Dishes & a Sandwich!

It was my turn to make a treat for the girls at my Women’s Group at church.  I thought I would try out a few healthier options, and they were a big hit!  I also made a really yummy pork sandwich that was also very yummy.

First off I made Pumpkin Pie Dip for the girls to enjoy with some sliced apples.  This is one of my favorites.

Next off was Makeover Spinach Gratin from my favorite site Skinny Taste.  Thankfully all the girls love spinach and ate it right up!

And for a yummy sandwich that was so tasty!  This BBQ Sandwich with Homemade Slaw, which is the first time I’ve ever enjoyed slaw!!

I hope you enjoy and maybe make one to try out, I promise all three where a hit!  What’s on your menu tonight?

Our Thanksgiving Feast Part II

I started my Turkey day up at 7am to make sure everything was done up right and ready to go for my guest to come visit.

The night before I made my list of what I needed to do and the order I needed to do it in.  Made my day run smooth.  I even found a way to put up my note with a magnet on my stove hood … lol

My morning started with taking the turkey out of the brine rinsing it and putting it in the oven. Then came next on my list to do the Mashed Sweet Potatoes Brulee. Which turned out so yummy.  I had Rick take his torch to the top to caramelize it … lol.

Next on my list was a veggie I hated as a child but now as an adult I love (I’m sure it had nothing to do with it being paired with Pancetta either .. lol).  These Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta were so yummy I think I may have to make them every week.

And then of course the best part and you all know my love of pumpkin, which was a perfect way to end our course with Skinny Pumpkin Pie.  Mine wasn’t as pretty as the recipe I got it from but it sure did taste good!

Hope you enjoyed the meals you had and might like want to make something here.  Thank you again for being a blessing in my life.  Have a wonderful day and I hope a great meal tonight.  Anything special planned for tonight?

Thanksgiving Sweet Treats (Recipes)

Well I'm looking a little less stressed today :). I wanted to show the sweet side of our dinner. I do have a few left over turkey recipes that I can't wait to share (stay tune ... like how I suck you in to come back?)!

Today I have for you a yummy pie & a twist on a traditional dish that we usually have. I'm always looking to bring new recipes to ones that we have. Oh yes no way do I do the same thing each year (Yes again it does drive everyone nuts).

My first recipe is a yummy pie, I made the crust from the food network recipe but wasn't too impressed with it. Sorry Paula you let me down with that one! So I'm just sharing the pie recipe.

Pumpkin Ginger Pie

by My Blessed Life

Ingredients:
Filling:
1 can (15 oz) pumpin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 t. grated fresh ginger
1 t. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 t. salt

Crust:
1 frozen deep dish pie crust

Streusel:
1/2 cup crushed gingersnap cookies (about 9)
2 T. packed brown sugar
2 T. all purpose flour
2 T. butter, softened
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place cookie sheet on oven rack. In large bowl, mix filling ingredients. Pour into pie crust.

Bake pie on cookie sheet 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees; bake 15 minutes longer. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix streusel ingredients. Sprinkle streusel over filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely on cooling rack, about 3 hours. Cover and referage any remaining pie. Enjoy!!

ALEXIS NOTES: I used FF evaporated milk and whole wheat flour. I did make the crust put it just wasn't up to snuff to share.

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Second is a twist on the usual Sweet Potatoes I do. This recipe was fab and I'll do it again. I used Yams (which in some places people call them sweet potatoes). I threw them in the oven and it was so easy to peel the skin right off.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallow & Pecan Topping

by Food Your Way

Sweet Potatoes:

• 4 large sweet potatoes
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

Topping:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 cups mini marshmallows

1. Bake sweet potatoes at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes until tender.

2. Peel and mash the baked sweet potatoes. Add sugar, eggs, milk, salt, melted butter and maple syrup. Mix well and transfer into a greased 9×13-inch dish.

3. Mix the brown sugar, flour, melted butter and pecans in a separate bowl. Crumble mixture evenly over sweet potatoes in diagonal rows.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Add mini marshmallows to alternate rows and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the marshmallows are golden brown.

ALEXIS NOTES: I used yams, sugar substitute, wheat flour and they were out of the mini marshmallows so I took big ones and cut them up!

I'm linking up to Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays and Tasty Tuesdays.