Thanksgiving Recipes

Recently we had guests and I tried 2 new recipes. Both of them are suitable for the holiday season, and turned out very tasty. The cake is very moist, and seems to be even more moist after several days in the refrigerator. Enjoy!!

Cranberry-Pineapple Salad

1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple
2 pkg. (3 oz.) raspberry jello
1 can (16 oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce
2/3 cup chopped walnut pieces
1 medium-sized apple, chopped

Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Add water to juice to measure 2 1/2 cups; pour into saucepan. Bring to boil. Add to gelatin mixes in large bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in pineapple, cranberry sauce, nuts and apple. Can be poured into one serving dish, jello mold, or 24 paper-lined 2 1/2-inch muffin cups. Refrigerate until set (overnight is best). Unmold and serve on lettuce leaves if using jello mold or muffin cups.

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

In a mixing bowl, beat pumpkin, sugar and oil. Add eggs. Mix well. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, & salt. Add to pumpkin mixture and beat until blended. Pour into a greased 10" x 15" x 1" baking pan. Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool completely before frosting.

FROSTING:
Beat 8 oz. cream cheese and 1 stick of softened butter or margarine until smooth. Add 2 cups 10x sugar, 1/8 tsp. salt, and 2 T. flour and beat well. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and beat until mixed in. If frosting seems a little stiff, add 1 Tbsp. milk. (Nuts can be sprinkled on frosting if desired.)



P.S. I enjoy pumpkin roll but seem to have so much trouble with the cake part cracking when I roll it up. This recipe tastes a lot like pumpkin roll, but is much easier to make, and isn't quite as sweet. It is a "hit" with my family!!

This 'N That

I figured it's time to share a few more photos.

Jayna is enjoying kindergarten and is learning so many things. Every time she's with us she amazes us with how much she's learned in such a short time. April had her first parent-teacher conference and we're so proud of how well she is doing. The only problem is a family trait that's been passed down (from her grandma) ....talking too much. I remember only too clearly how badly I wanted to be the study hall monitor when the teacher left the room. When I questioned why I was never chosen, he told me that when I could keep my name off the list (of those who had been talking while he was gone) for a week, then he'd consider me .... I don't ever remember being chosen.... so I must have never had a good week. UGH! Anyway, back to Jayna, the teacher is pleased with her overall behavior and attitudes, etc. Way to go, girl!!!

Jayna's kindergarten picture (What a young lady she's becoming!)

Helping grandpa rake leaves..... well, after grandpa had raked them, she jumped in the container.

Kaylee LOVES Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Every day she wants to listen to it over and over again. At the end of each program they sing the "hot dog song." I was in another room and heard her lustily singing along with it. When I checked on her, she was at the keyboard singing right along. What a girl!

VACATION IN MYRTLE BEACH, SC.

On October 30 we left for Myrtle Beach for a week's vacation. Friday evening, Saturday morning and evening was Gaither Fest at the Convention Center. There were quite a few singing groups/individuals there, and Ken Davis brought a stirring message Saturday morning. We had reservations at one of our timeshare units in Myrtle Beach and friends from Indiana joined us. It was 3 years before (to the day) that we had met Bob and Diane Cooper on the Singing at Sea cruise. We thoroughly enjoyed our time together and made many memories.

This is the condo where we stayed. Looking at the back side (from the beach).




Looking at the beach from our balcony





Walking the beach





Sunday morning before church


Sunday morning before church




Bob & Diane brought binoculars. We enjoyed looking out over the ocean and often saw cruise ships and fishing boats on the horizon. Looks like Diane is using one lens and Bob the other!!





We went to an Imax theater one day. Here we were just outside the building.





Yes, we had to don the 3-D glasses. Don't we look chic???





This is our kitchen. It was a very lovely unit, with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.



Bob and Diane brought their "Sequence" game along. We played many rounds throughout the week. Sometimes it was the women against the men; sometimes one couple against the other. What great fun we had, with a lot of laughs!!!





On the way home we got into a bit of rain, then the sun came out. I spied this rainbow and took a picture with my cell phone while we were traveling. It was so beautiful.

Now we're back home and back in the groove of normal life.....whatever that is!