My Experiences Within Motherhood, & my Attempts to Maintain a Personal Life Outside of It.

My experiences within motherhood and my attempt to maintain a personal life outside of it.
...Here I record my own self discipline: My commitment not to "let myself go". My promise to seek my God and follow my passions.
My attempt to do so despite and amidst the chaos of chasing around my high-energy kids while learning the French culture...

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Countdown to Thanksgiving: 5 Days Left!

Am I possibly going to have enough time to pull this off??  The infamous Thursday is looming around the corner...

John's parents arrived this evening.  I think we all feel like now the festivities can begin. My favorite thing about Thanksgiving is that it is truly a holiday that centers around family.

Today, in preparation I am researching dessert recipes.  I'm really stumped for what I'm going to make, because there are just too many good options. One dessert has already been set in stone for Thanksgiving in this family, whether I like it or not.  It's pecan pie.  Three years ago I made my very first pecan pie with a recipe taught to me by my sister-in-law, Elizabeth.... who, I might add, is a proficient baker.  She knew how to make her dad's favorite pecan dessert, so as soon as I managed to master the recipe myself, it was never coming off the holiday menu.  There is only one problem with this situation:  I am personally not a fan of pecan pie.  So I asked myself, "Why would I go through making an entire Thanksgiving feast to not enjoy a dessert at the end that I truly love??"  Why?"  Well, I just won't have it.  I have too much of a sweet to tooth to undergo such a travesty, so indeed, an additional dessert must be made.  

My original thought was that I will simply make either an apple or pumpkin pie in addition, and then choose the alternative pie flavored ice cream from Dryers, so that I get a little of everything.  And if you have never had the Dryers Pumpkin or Apple Pie flavored ice creams, I beseech you, go and pick up a carton and have some for this Thanksgiving!  They are to die for!

  
As my search for the perfect Thanksgiving dessert has continued, however, I am tied between three equally fabulous options:  

Ginger Pumpkin Tart
     ...has a ginger cookie crust, and the pumpkin filling is made by whipping together pumpkin puree, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk... yummy!
Stuffed Baked Apples
     ...a quick, easy dessert (can't beat that), that sounds oh-so scrumptious. Basically an apple pie inside out:  a hollowed out apple stuffed with all kinds of yummy goodness and baked in the oven.  Serve a la mode, and you can't go wrong!
Cranberry Cheesecake Pie
     ...a cranberry cheesecake filling with additional fresh cranberries nestled inside a flakey pie crust... I'm sorry, but I don't know what about that doesn't sound good!


So there you have it... If I was cooking for a crowd, I would probably find a way to simply make all three, but alas, with only four people around the table, I simply cannot justify so many sweet calories.  I'm going to be finalizing my Thanksgiving menu tomorrow (which I will discuss in tomorrow's countdown post), so after I take a few votes, hopefully I'll have this decision nailed down... I wish I had enough time and enough mouths to make them all... but I don't need to commit Thanksgiving suicide!

Please, cast your own vote and tell me your opinion on which dessert I should make!  Sweet eats, everyone!

2 comments:

Felicia said...

Out of those three I would go with stuffed baked apples. However, I recently discovered a great love, which is sweet potato pie! YUM I am making it for our thanksgiving. Don't know if that helps any.

Unknown said...

I love Pumpkin Pie ice cream!


I really don't eat baked fruit. The pumpkin tart sounds the best to me.

I have been making a pumpkin walnut pie for the last several years. It has a graham cracker crust also. This year, my family is doing the cooking and I get to enjoy our traditional foods. ( my family eats the same things every holiday and only certain things on specific holidays)

Can't wait to hear how it all turns out!