I am always a day or two late after Halloween getting our pumpkins carved but the kids still enjoyed the gooey mess.
My nephew, Q, just wanted to play with the pumpkin’s “innards” so went around helping everyone scoop it out.
We accumulated lots of innards.
The young’uns masterpieces.
For me, Halloween marks the beginning of Fall. Up until this day, the weather is still warm enough to wear summer clothes but after this day, the chill sets in and I am giddy. Giddy because my favorite holiday is approaching, Thanksgiving!
Little Man said he was game this year to wear the “alien” costume. Every year I beg one of the kids to wear this 30 year old handmade E.T. costume that was once worn by their daddy. He was a hit with anyone over the age of 20. =) I believe they need to do a remake of E.T. so this younger generation can get onboard.
Middle Man working on staying in fierce Ninja mode.
He wasn’t willing to get out of character even for me.
My nephew, Q and his mama came from Alabama to visit for the sole reason to go trick or treating with his cousins!
The dude can’t help but smile!
We are supplied for the masses who will be ringing our doorbell.
Princess dressed up a bit to hand out the candy.
I even decided to put on a little something to get in the spirit of the day.
So we have one missing from our bunch. Big Man was a bit bummed to not get to participate but he had duties to perform as ballboy for Luke’s football team. His daddy told him that he made a commitment and when you make a commitment you keep it. Tough lesson but I promised I would make it up to him and he would partake in his siblings spoils.
My dad has been making these bean for a few years now and they instantly became part of our holiday menu and a side dish every month or so.
SUPER SIMPLE INGREDIENTS:
Cut up your pork (or bacon) and add it to a large pot. Set the pot on a medium-high heat and allow the meat to cook. You are wanting the grease from the fat before adding your beans. (if using a ham hock, just place it in the pot)
You will cook the meat for a good 8-10 minutes until the meat is browned and you have an ample amount of grease.
This ginormous can of green beans is easy to find here. I get mine at Walmart in the section that houses all the large canned goods.
Add your can of green beans with juice. Then sprinkle a good helping of garlic salt and pepper over this. I use probably 2 tablespoons of garlic salt and 1 tablespoon of pepper. Keep them handy because you may want to add more later as this cooks.
Stir this up and set it over medium-high heat. Cover and let it come to a boil. Once it begins to boil, turn the temperature down to low and put the cover back on.
You will cook this for 4 1/2 – 5 hours. Every hour or so, stir the beans and have a taste. This is when you can add more garlic salt and pepper if needed.
The reason I love the Italian Green Beans for this is that they stand up to the long simmering where other string beans will fall all to pieces. This pot of beans is so very tasty and is why I added it to my holiday menu cause I just can’t get enough of them throughout the year! Enjoy!
I am a lover all of things pumpkin. With pumpkin in a name, I am more often than not going to try it! This was the pumpkin experience that got me hooked! A family friend, who happened to be a wonderful cook, made this recipe and asked if I would assist. This was during my pre-baking and pre-cooking days when I was just starting college. Well, the process was kind of fun and the end result was well worth any effort I made and ever since then, I am a pumpkin lover.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE ROLL:
INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING:
flour and extra powdered sugar
Beat eggs on high speed for 5 minutes.
You are wanting it to get nice and frothy.
Gradually add 1 cup sugar to these frothy eggs while it is still beating away.
Add 2/3 cup pumpkin and squeeze 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Stir these in until well mixed.
So far so good.
In a large mixing bowl add your flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
Mix together the dry ingredients and then dump that into the bowl with the “wet” ingredients.
Fold the dry into the wet until completely mixed together. This is still going to be quite runny but not to worry, that is what we want. Our cake will cook thin.
Spray the bottom of a jellyroll pan with cooking spray and then sprinkle flour in it. Shake and toss this around until the jellyroll plan is completely covered with the flour. You want it good and covered to keep the cake from sticking to the pan.
Spread the pumpkin mix into the jellyroll pan evenly and pop this into a preheated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes.
While that is cooking, pull out a thin, clean kitchen towel (you don’t want a fluffy kind, you want one that is unfluffy if you get my meaning). Spinkle powdered sugar over the towel and smooth it around with your hand. We are going to turn the cake out onto this towel in a bit.
Take a big spatula and go around and loosen the sides of the cake. This is not going to look perfect, well at least mine never does but just ease around it and loosen all sides and underneath as best you can.
Not sure where the picture before this went but what I did was gently flip the cake out onto the towel covered in the powdered sugar. This is the underside that was facing the pan. I then cover this side in powdered sugar. Not looking so attractive but again, not to fret about.
Now starting at one of the shorter sides (compared to the longer sides), begin rolling the cake up into a log. You will be rolling the towel with the cake. Pop this into the refrigerator to cool.
Back to your mixing bowl. Dump 1 cup powdered sugar, 8 ounce cream cheese, 4 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and beat this together until creamy.
I could just eat this up but I will refrain because I know how good this will be in a few minutes!
Take the roll out of the refrigerator and unroll it.. not very attractive is it? no, it is not but it will be in a moment.
Spread the cream cheese mixture over this ugly mess. Use it all and lay it on nice and thick. Roll it right back up without rolling the towel into it like the last time.
OOOhhhhh…. AAAAhhhhhh! And it is as good as it looks!
This is not just a Christmas treat and it will be devoured! Enjoy! T
I am one of those who does not like cranberry sauce, cranberry jello..okay cranberry juice mixed with grape juice is good but all those others, I will just passed over.
BUT…. this is a recipe that I got from my Granny and I am in love. You don’t have to wait until Christmas to make it you just have to find the raw cranberries and that can be tricky any time of year.
Simple, simple ingredients which is almost always a pre-requisite. The only problem is finding raw cranberries but I am on a mission to see if Ocean Spray will send them directly to me. We shall see because I want this more than just Christmas time!
Ingredients:
In a food processor, grid up the raw cranberries until they are al chopped up nice and tiny.
Cut up your apples and toss them with the lemon juce to keep them from turning brown.
Cut your grapes in half.
Now in a medium bowl, combine the cranberries, apples, grapes and sugar. Stir this up. Send this to the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
Just before serving, fold in the mini marshmallows.
Oh. Yes. This is the way I should have been eating cranberries all along. This salad does not last long around my family! Enjoy!
My Days Can Count 