Thanksgiving Thoughts

Wow!  Just a little over a week till Thanksgiving, that feast of feasts, that shark feeding frenzy, that hog wild eating event.  Since I will be attending a family reunion in Natchez, Ms where we will eat at a restaurant, I won't be cooking this year.  Nor will I have leftovers to eat or seconds to gobble.  Controlled portions is a good thing.  And if we have nothing but lemon pie to choose from like last time, I won't even have any dessert.  Everyone knows you must have pumpkin pie, or pecan or at least sweet potato pie at Thanksgiving.

If you have been good and working out and eating like you should, the holiday season should be nothing to dread.  If you haven't been exercising, you can still start today.  Get off the couch and dance with the stars tonight or go back to the gym like you've been meaning to.  Remember, exercising will get you in shape for Black Friday, that 24 hour long period of intense shopping the day after the feast.  Only the fittest survive and succeed on Black Friday.  The wimps stay home.

I know many of my readers have an unrealistic idea of just what we do and don't eat at the cardiologist's house, so today I'm sharing a new pie recipe.  I made this pie for my sister's birthday dinner on Sunday.  I recently bought the new Southern Living Ultimate Christmas cookbook for $10 at Dillards.  All proceeds go to the Ronald McDonald House.  Anyway, this recipe came from that cookbook and is a real winner.  It's very easy and sinfully delicious but only God knows the calorie count.  Make this as a sidekick to the pumpkin pie.

Caramel Chess Tart
1 refrigerated pie crust
1/2 cup butter softened
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla
Powdered sugar to dust on finished pie

Fit pie crust in a 10 inch tart pan with a removable bottom or in a regular 9 inch pie plate.  Bake at 450 for 9 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.
Beat butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in flour and buttermilk.  Add vanilla and stir well.  Pour into pie crust.  Bake at 350 until almost set.  Cool on wire rack and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.  Remove tart pan rim before serving, if using tart pan.

My goodness, this was so good, I'm surprised we didn't fight over it.  Get your turkey now and start letting it thaw around Sunday.  Check last year's blogs for some other recipes and ideas.  You can also make some casseroles ahead so you aren't swamped and tired on Thanksgiving day.  Divvy up the cooking and chores such as table setting and clean up.  One person doesn't have to do it all.