Good morning everyone!  Happy Thanksgiving to all!  I do hope you have most of your sides prepped and ready, covered with saran wrap in the refrigerator.  See?  You already have a better outlook for the day!  I was thinking of you when I awoke and thought you may be one side shy.  So, here you are a fabulous, decadent creation to share next to your luscious turkey. 

Now, don't rush out there to prepare this.  Sit back, read and do something for yourself for a change.  This only takes a few minutes to prepare.

1 -2 pounds of broccoli
1 cup shredded cheese (you can mix cheddar, Colby, American - whatever your favorite)
1 cup milk
2 tab. butter
2 tab. flour
salt and pepper to taste

Steam broccoli until crisp/tender.  Place butter and flour in saucepan and cook until thick and smooth. Add milk stirring constantly along with cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook on medium until mixture reaches desired consistency. Pour over drained broccoli.

I do hope you spent time preparing your pies and desserts yesterday.  This will alleviate a good amount of holiday stress at your table.  Today is a great day to begin preparing your side dishes.  This way, come morning, you can literally stuff the bird, place it in the oven and rest for hours doing something you enjoy.  Thanksgiving Day should not be full of complex activities.

Try preparing Candied Sweet Potatoes this afternoon.  You can cook the potatoes, drain, and add all the toppings.  Then just cover with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator till tomorrow.  Grab your food processor and make Homemade Turkey Stuffing also.  Cover and place next to the sweet potatoes.  This way, when you stuff your Mayo Greek Roasted Turkey, it will take 15 minutes from stuffing to oven.  And, if you tried it last year, you know what a deliciously moist bird this is!

One last dish you can prepare is Sesame Green Beans.  This dish is economical and can be sautéed a day in advanced, wrapped in saran wrap, and placed in the refrigerator to be heated up before the big meal.

1 - 2 pounds of green beans
2 tsp. olive oil
2 - 3 cloves sliced garlic
1 -2 tab. sesame seeds
1 tab. soy a sauce
1 - 2 tsp. sesame oil

In a saucepan combine oil, garlic, and green beans.  Sautee on low/medium for about 15 min.  Add remaining ingredients and cook until slightly crips.  Cover with Saran Wrap and place in refrigerator until the next day.

I've been on a pie bake this afternoon sharing the best of pies with you.  Yet, for some reason, my favorite slipped my mind and I just had to get back on to share this family favorite with you.  I don't chop my pecans leaving them halved.  By doing so, you get a rich carmel bite with each mouthful.  Enjoy!

1 1/2 cups halved pecans
3 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup of corn syrup
2 tab. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pie crust

Combine eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and vanilla in a bowl.  Mix by hand to combine ingredients well.  Add pecans and mix again.  Pour into pie crust and bake at 350 degrees for 55 min.  Hide this one so it makes it to the Thanksgiving table!

Don't get your pants in a tizzy just because it is getting closer to Thanksgiving Day, and you just haven't prepped a thing!  You still have days to get organized making turkey day a whole lot more enjoyable.  Do begin making your table fare days before to ensure you are able to enjoy your family the day of the feast.

Two days before the big day is always pie day here at home.   In fact, I rely on that Tuesday before Thanksgiving as designated pie or dessert day.  This way, I can wrap pies, stick them in the back of the refrigerator and not have to worry about the hassle the day before. 

One such requested favorite is coconut cream pie.  My youngest just loves this pie, and it is so heavenly, that it won't make it past the day after Thanksgiving!  Enjoy, and get to pie making today!  Don't forget the delicious Fresh Ground Pumpkin Pie from last year's table.

1 graham cracker crust
1 package of Cook and Serve Jell-O coconut cream pudding
1 2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup coconut
1 container of Cool Whip
1/4 cup toasted coconut for top

In a saucepan, add milk, coconut, and pudding. Bring to full boil on medium heat, stirring constantly.   Let stand for 10 minutes.  Pour into pie crust and allow to cool for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.  Top with Cool Whip and toasted coconut.  Allow to chill for several hours.

Weekends are made to concoct larger dinner entrees in hopes they'll be a few leftovers to feed the masses in future days.   This gives you a sense of peace, as you don't have to be a walking waitress finding lunch or snack ideas for those you love.  If you have two teenage boys as I do, dinners invariably see little remains that can be packed away for a lunch or late night snack.

I am always on the lookout for recipes that engage the senses, and when micro waved  again, lose little taste value.  This recipe is a tried and true favorite.  What doesn't get eaten on dinner night, is readily consumed the following day. 

1 tab. oil
2 large handfuls of Frozen Seasoning Blend
1/2 pound of Kielbasa (freeze remaining 1/2 for future use)
1/2 6 oz. can tomato paste
1   8 oz. can tomato sauce
1  14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 cup water
1 tsp. Italian seasoning blend
1 tsp. basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 box of favorite pasta
1 to 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese

Slice  kielbasa  into 1/2 inch rounds.  Fry with Frozen Seasoning Blend with oil for 5 minutes.  Add tomato products and spices.  Allow to cook for 20 minutes.  Boil noodles according to package directions.  Place 3/4 of the noodles into sauce that has been cooking.  Place the rest in the refrigerator for a quick snack.  Place shredded cheese on top and cover.  Allow to cook until cheese melts.

With pineapples on sale each week, I was inspired to dig up this recipe and give it a try this weekend.  What a lovely, heavenly moist creation this cake is!  Light, yet delicate,  I can promise you this will soon be a requested favorite. 

2 cups flour
2 tsp.  baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
20 oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup chopped nuts, optional
1 cup coconut

Combine all ingredients well and beat on high for two minutes.  Bake in a 9 x 13 inch greased and floured baking pan at 350 for 45 minutes.

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
1 stick of butter
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup toasted coconut

Beat cream cheese and butter on high until fluffy.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla.  Frost cake and top with toasted coconut.

I recently found a box of lasagna noodles in my food pantry bag.  How ironic I thought - when will by budget allow for such a famed treat?  I can attest they sat in my cupboard for some time.  Then a recent trip to Aldi found 1/2 pound blocks of mozzarella cheese for $1.49 a piece.  I picked up two.  Also,  14.5 oz. cans of tomato sauce and diced tomatoes for .59 each.  Finally, a can of tomato paste for .39.  Heck, all I needed was the ricotta cheese and some ground beef that was already lurking in my freezer.  A reasonable lasagna was in the making!

Ground Meat Sauce:
1 pound of ground meat
2 good handfuls of Frozen Vegetable Blend
1/2 can tomato paste
1 cup water
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
14.5 oz. can tomato sauce
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. basil
salt and pepper to taste

Fry ground meat and drain when brown.  Add rest of ingredients and allow to cook on simmer for 30 min.  Cool slightly.

Cheese Filling:
1 pound of ricotta cheese
8 oz. cottage cheese
2 eggs
1 1/2 pd. mozzarella cheese shredded
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients well and set aside.

Topping:
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese grated
3 tab. parmesan cheese


Boil lasagna noodles as per package instructions.  In a 13 x 9 inch pan or lasagna pan, place two good scoops of meat sauce.  Layer with one layer of noodles (should be three).  Place two more scoops of sauce and layer with an additional layer of noodles.  Place 1/2 cheese mixture on the noodles and place an additional layer on top of noodles, press to make cheese even.  Place two scoops of meat sauce on top and layer with an additional set of noodles.  From there, add the rest of the cheese mixture and pat down with additional layer of noodles.  Then add two more scoops of sauce and top with final layer of noodles.  Top with the rest of the sauce and smooth layer over top so that noodles do not brown.  Then top with remainer mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.  Bake on 350 for 30 minutes. 

These little bites of bliss are absolutely sublime!  Melt in your mouth goodness - that only comes from homemade cooking. These perfect squares add a bit of love to a family movie night fest or an added treat to a weekday dinner.  They are quick and easy taking ingredients into hand that are already available in your cupboard.  Little ones especially love to pat the dough down creating imprint of little fingers.

1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 2/3 cup flour
3/4 stick of melted butter
additional 1/3 cup sugar for top

Place all in a bowl and mix well.  Pat down in a cookie sheet making a square or circle around 3/4 inch thick.  Sprinkle additional sugar on top. Bake at 350 for 35 - 40 minutes.   Cut into squares.