Giving Thanks

So, I don't post as often as I did for a while. I have been REALLY busy just having FUN with my family! We went to Disneyland twice before our passes expired and were treated to the Christmas Parade and all of the holiday decorations! Gavin had a piano recital, and Ella and I have been to the library for story time! We got started on our holiday decorations and best of all, we have spent time with FAMILY!

Thanksgiving was GREAT! We celebrated at Andy's parents house and the Arizona Huffakers (Matt, Rebecca, Noah, Sam and Madelyn) were there with us (along with Jack, Sharon and Great Gramma!). I spent ALL of Wednesday cooking, so that I could just enjoy the fun on Thanksgiving Day. I made the casseroles: Green Bean (poo poo on Martha who thinks this is "not classy"... that might be true but it tastes SOOOO good!), Dressing (it was not put into the bird, so you cannot call it stuffing), Pecan Yams and a Chocolate Pie. I am not a fan of pumpkin and Yes, I have tried it (lots of times). I just don't like it! My Aunt Jeannette makes this AMAZING Chocolate Pie for the holidays and so, now, I too have taken up her tradition! The Yams too have become something of a "signature dish" although I cannot claim rights to them. They were made by a ministerial intern at our church a few years back and they are affectionatly reffered to as "John's Yams" in that circle. Apprently, my brother-in-law Matt just calls them INCREDIBLE. I admit, I have to agree!

Yams are something that I have detested since the first day that my mother scooped up a spoonful from a jar of Gerber's and placed it lovingly into my mouth, only to have it spewed back at her in a mud gyser like fashion! They are simply put, "Gross". However, the year that John made them at our church, I went through the buffet line and found them plopped onto my plate. Of course, I would not eat THOSE, I thought to myself. But, they did have this yummy looking topping made of pecans and brown sugar, so I picked at that a little and when some of the yam came with it, I realized that THIS was no ordinary yam dish! THIS was delicious! I procured the recipie and decided to make them for the holidays. They have been a hit ever since. I will admit that I make mine a bit thinner in the yam department and a bit thicker in the topping, but hey.... they are good!

The Chocolate Pie has been known to dissapear mysteriously from the fridge during the course of the Thanksgiving Day and my Aunt usually makes 6 or so, just to cover that problem. My cousin Laura and I sat gabbing in the motorhome one year and served ourselves a slice, and then a second. Eventually, Laura got up, grabbed the tin and some forks and we finished off an ENTIRE pie. We played dumb when questioned about the missing pie, but I suspect that my aunt figured it out by the chocolate at the corners of our mouths and the bloated, rather green look on our faces! Chocolate Pie also makes a wonderful breakfast the day after Thanksgiving, just serve with a glass of milk!

Thanksgiving was full of activity, with 5 kids running around! Well, Maddie just kind of scoots right now... We did sand paintings, and playdough and the big kids played with Star Wars figures from Andy and Matt's childhood. Andy got a chance to golf with his brother, the boys played Wii, we went to the movies, we bought a Christmas tree, we watched a movie at home -curled up on the couch enjoying fire, we played in the park, took family photos and had a second dinner together! On Sunday, after church, my Aunt Marie came over and we made Christmas Cookies! We decorated until sundown and now have a nice stash of cookies put away in our freezers! Ella even made her very first cookie! It was busy and lots of fun!

Here are the recipies for those two dishes, I hope that you try them and enjoy them as much as we do! ( I would have taken pictures of the dishes, but they were gobbled up pretty quickly!)

Aunt Jeannette's Chocolate Pie

1 pre-baked pie crust
1 small cool whip

Cream together:
1 stick of salted butter
3/4 c. sugar

Add:
2 squares of melted unsweetened chocolate (not too hot, make sure it is cool)
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs - ONE at a time, beat for 5 minutes after each egg

Fold in:
1/2 container of cool whip
Pour into shell and refrigerate, serve with remaining cool whip.
(guard with your life...or hide in a closet with a fork and pie, take a napkin and enjoy!)


Pecan Yams
the original recipie made 12-15 servings, and I have cut that down to 6-8...feel free to increase!

Topping
1 1/2 c. pecans
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 T. butter
8 T. flour
Put all ingredients into food processor and pulse until even, crumbly consistency. Do not over process. Set aside. (you CAN use a blender for this, or chop nuts and then cut in butter)

Yams
32 oz. canned yams with liquid drained off (I think that the can really comes in a 28 oz? just get whatever is closest...it's ok to go a little over, or under)
3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
2 T. butter, melted
1/2 t. vanilla
Put yams and milk in processor and blend until smooth. Add additional ingredients and mis until blended. It should resemble thick cake batter. Pour into ungreased 9x9 inch pan and spread topping over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until browned.