Ummm...i LIKE pie!

Our Thanksgiving Feast would not be complete without pie and copious amounts of real whipped cream!  Ok, let's face it, I love whipped cream and I merely like pie!  Don't judge.
I have story after story of my love affair with whipped cream and how it led to my downfall on more than one occasion.
One such story sticks out in my mind and I'm sure my Mom and Dad remember it well.  I was maybe 10 or 11 and I was tasked with preparing the whipped cream for my Mom's dinner party later in the evening.  It was the whipped cream made with milk and an envelope of powdery goodness.   It was supposed to yield 2 cups of frothy delight.
I remember "tasting" it to make sure that it was suitable for Mom's company.  That was the beginning of the end...it was like the Siren's call to me and every 30 minutes or so I would check on it and make sure it still tasted ok.  I would be careful to smooth the whipped cream back up the sides of the bowl to make it still look like there were 2 billowy cups of creamy goodness.

I think I left to spend the weekend at my Father's house because I don't recall being there for the reveal.  I do however, remember my Mom asking me if I had sampled the whipped cream and I, um, well, couldn't lie and I told her I just tasted it!
Unbeknownst to me, when my Mom pulled out dessert and went to portion out the whipped cream she realized that she didn't seem to have quite the full 2 cups yield...she scraped out the remaining whipped cream into a measuring cup to find that I had left her only 1/4 cup...total!

This happened close to 30 years ago, and it still gets brought up from time to time...some tales are too good to let die and they just become part of the family lore!
My Pumkin Pie recipe is straight from the back of the can, substituting nutmeg for cloves.  My whipped cream recipe can be from a can, an envelope or carton...it just has to contain dairy!

Homemade Whipped Cream
1 8oz carton of heavy whipping cream
1 tsp of vanilla
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
Pour whipping cream into COLD mixing bowl, with a COLD wire whisk attachment whip on high speed until frothy, add vanilla and powdered sugar continuing to whip until soft peaks form.  If you prefer a firmer whipped cream whip until peak tips stand up but not much further than that or you will get sweet butter!

Just a little somethin'- somethin' to get the party started!

Another family favorite at Thanksgiving is the appetizers while we are waiting for the feast to begin. One of my favorites growing up, were my Mom's Stuffed Mushroom Caps.  She used to freeze left over muffins to keep cornbread on hand for this recipe. I found an easier substitute that is a available seasonally this time of year...Stovetop Cornbread Stuffing mix!

Cornbread Stuffed Mushrooms
1/2 pkg Stovetop Cornbread Stuffing mix
12 to16 oz of mushrooms
1/2 c Parmesan* cheese, grated or shredded
1 stick of butter or margarine
1 medium onion
1/4 c water, stock or melted butter, optional
Clean and stem mushrooms, do not discard stems.  If needed slice a small piece off top of cap so that it sits level on the baking sheet. 
Finely mince stems and onions. Melt butter in skillet and add minced stems and onions.  Stir over medium heat until soft, not browned.  Add half of stuffing mix, (save the rest in a ziplock bag for another time) and toss to fully coat stuffing in butter. If needed you can add a little water, stock or extra melted butter to moisten mixture.  Add cheese and stir until melted.  Heap mixture into caps and place in a pre-heated 350 degree oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until stuffing is golden brown.
*Can use whatever cheese you prefer - I've used mozzarella, swiss, gruyere, and jarlsberg.
NOTE: This recipe is also a great way to use up leftover stuffing...like that EVER happens at our house, but your family may not be the stuffing hounds we are! :)

Who doesn't love stuffin'?

It's time to give thanks and I'd like to share some of my favorite Thanksgiving Recipes in preparation for the big day.
I love simple things and this recipe for Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing doesn't get much simpler. It is so good just as it is that we have to prepare two batches every year.  You can also personalize it to make it your own!

Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing
2 large onions
1/2 c butter
12 c soft bread cubes
1 Tbsp poultry seasoning
1/2 c water
1 c sliced celery
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Finely chop onions and cook in butter over medium heat until soft but not browned. Add bread cubes, water, celery, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Mix Well.  If not moist enough add more water or melted butter.  Enough stuffing for a 12 to 15 lb turkey or if you prefer dressing, place into a buttered casserole and bake 1 hour at 325.