Black Walnuts,Pecans and Acorns!!!

Good Morning my dear friends far and near!

On my daily morning walk I have time to think and reflect but recently I take that time and fill it with nothing but gratitude and what an amazing journey I am having!!!!! And I truely believe this is only the beginning of my journey of gratitude!!!

I want to take this time and say 'HAPPY THANKSGIVING' to all of you! We will be spending the day with friends. I have on my to do list of making Pumpkin pie,Pumpkin Roll and twice baked sweet potato casserole and a chili cornbread salad to take along. Some of these recipes are posted on my blog and if you would like the others that are not posted let me know and I will be happy to share with you!

I dearly miss our children and grandbabies this time of the year and am sure they miss us too. But I am thankful that they are all well and healthy and are prospering in all areas of their life! And having them all only a phone call away makes it sweetly nice!!! I love you all! <3

I want to share a few pictures of what I have been filling my pockets with on my morning walks this past week. The acorns I am not sure why I am collecting them for. Look how huge some of them are! The pecans are only a few broken ones,we have a nice bunch in the garage.They come from our back yard and beside the road on my walks. The darker picture are black walnuts all from our back yard. We have three black walnut trees and four pecan trees in our back yard! What a blessing! We need to do something next year for a better crop and to keep them squirrels away from the pecans.

love and peace to each of you until next time---karen

Pumpkin Pie

This recipes comes from my momand it is a winner!

It makes 3 pie.

Make crusts for 3, 9-inch pie

1 cup white sugar

1 2/3 brown sugar

5 eaggs,beat seperately

4 cup milk

2 cup pumpkin

1 cup evaported milk or cream

3 Tbls. flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

Pinch of salt

Mix together sugars,salt,spices,egg yolks and pumpkin.Then add milk and cream or evap. milk.Fold in beaten egg whites.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes then 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until done. ENJOY!!!!

Crunch Top Apple Pie

Make your favorite pie dough for a double crust recipe for a 9- inch pie

#/4 cup sugar

1Tbls. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

dash salt

3 1/2 cups peeled,chopped cooking apples

1 (16 ounce) jar applesauce

1 Tbls. lemon juice

2 Tbls. butter,chopped into small pieces

Crunch Topping:

3 Tbls. all-purpose flour

1 Tbls. sugar

Dash salt 1 Tbls.butter,at room temperature

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F

Line a 9- inch pie pan with half the dough.Combine sugar,flour,cinnamon and salt in a bowl.Stir in apples,applesauce and lemon juice.Spoon apple mixture into pie pan and dot with butter.Cut remaining crust into stripes;arrange in a lattice design over top of pie. For crunch topping,combine flour,sugar and salt in a bowl.Using a fork,cut in butter until crumbly.Sprinkle over top of crust.Bake for 10 minutes,then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for about 45 minutes,or until crust and topping are golden brown.

Note; pie is runny when hot but sets up when cool...it has a very good flavor!!

Cranberry Pecan Salad

1 cup pecan halves

2 Tbsp. raspberry vinegar

1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp.sugar

1/2 salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste(optional)

6 Tbsp.olive oil

6 cups mixed salad greens,rinsed and dried

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 medium red onion,thinly sliced

crumbled feta cheese

1) Preheat oven to 400 drgresF.Spread pecans evenly on a baking sheet.Toast for 8 to 10 minutes,or until lightly browned and fragrant.

2) In a small bowl,stir together the vinegar,mustard,sugar,salt and pepper;mix until sugar and salt dissolve.Whisk in olive oil

3)In a salad bowl;toss together the grens,cranberries,pecans.onions,and cheese.Drizzle with vinaigrette,and toss gently to coat.

Twice Baked Sweet Potato Casserole with Bacon

Twice-Baked Sweet Potato Casserole with Bacon from Pillsbury.com

www.pillsbury.com

Thanksgiving meal

Oven Roasted Turkey with Butter

1 (12 to 14 ) pound fresh turkey

Kosher salt and freshly groung black pepper

Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Stuffing,recipe follows

Extra-virgin olive oil

Sage Butter,recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and remove the top rack of the oven

Rinse the bird thoroughly inside and out with cold water,and pat dry with paper towels.Sprinkle

the cavity and skin liberally with salt and pepper.Stuff the cavity with stuffing and if required,truss the legs.Cover the turkey with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.Push the sage butter under the skin of the turkey,being careful not to punture the skin.

Put the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan,and into the oven.Continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer into the meaty part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F.The thigh juices will run clear when pricked with a knife,about 3 hours total(15 minutes per pound).If the legs or breast brown too quickly during roasting,cover with foil.

Sage Butter:

2 sticks butter,softened

1/4 cup chopped sage

Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients

Caramelized Onions and Cornbread Stuffing:

2 Tablespoons butter

2 onions,chopped

6 large cornmeal muffins,cubed

Handful fresh sage leaves,chopped

1 egg

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup chicken stock

Salt and fresh;y ground black pepper

Preheat the oven tp 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.Add the onions and cook,stirring,for about 10 minutes,or until soft and caramelized.Add sage and scrape into a large mixing bowl.Add the cornbread pieces,season well with salt and pepper,and give it a good toss until its well combined.In a separate bowl,whisk together the egg,cream and the stock and pour that over the cornbread.Stir the stuffing together and stuff the cavity of the turkey.You could also spoon it into a buttered baking dish and put it in the oven alomg with the turkey.Bake until hot and crusty on top,about 30 minutes. Yield: 6 to 8 servings