This weeks blog post is a two for one special. It took me a while to get to my birthday post so now you get last week and this week rolled up into one.
Grammy and Gramps returned from Paris and brought Annie a beautiful French doll. She actually got quite attached to her quickly and brought her to brunch with us. I have a doll from when my Grammy went that I keep up in Annie's room so this is a very special doll.
This is Annie at brunch. The photo makes me laugh.
That night Adam and I had a date night in downtown Danville. We went to the Pear and the Peasant which was an EXCELLENT restaurant. Kerren and Dan went this last weekend and were not disappointed either. I had the best homemade cocktail of my life. It was a spiced pear martini that tasted like fresh fruit and fall all at once.
Annie and Mommy also got matching slippers, which Annie calls slips. Grammy and Mommy looked all over the mall to find a pair that did not have a cartoon character on them. Annie has worn them every day since then and slept in them twice. I think this a great idea for a toddler!
Costco sells these amazing pre-brined and rubbed turkeys. All I had to do was add some herbs and the veggies and I could focus my effort on the side dishes which I enjoy cooking more anyhow. While it was expensive, when you look at the cost of the brine and bags and rubs you usually get a for a turkey it wasn't that much more and you had all the work done for you.
For whatever reason Annie was SUPER excited to cook and eat a turkey. She wanted to eat some of it raw!
While the turkey cooked Annie decided to paint for a while. This is her new absolute favorite thing and I am in love with it b/c it works on her fine motor skills and its not very messy with these big sheets. Her Papa Woods and Papa Jerry would both be proud as they were both hobby artists as well.
I love to set a good table and Thanksgiving is no exception. Even if it was only for the 3 of us. In a way that made it more fun b/c I did not have to worry about having so many dishes to wash.
This was the most heavenly pumpkin pie I have ever tasted. Adam does not even really like pumpkin pie and he loved this. Recipe below:
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
- 1 piece pre-made pie dough
- Whipped cream, for topping
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.
For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.
Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.
Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.
For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.
Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.
The turkey came out beautifully. I would do this again in a heart beat.
This kid loves a turkey.
Annie admiring her work.
I got these great rainboots for my birthday from my parents. I wore them for the first time this weekend when it rained and they were super warm. The knit inserts are awesome as well. If rainboots are your thing the Hunters get 2 thumbs up from me.
Just a few holiday shots of Annie. She is getting so big in my arms these days. I am so proud of the little girl she is becoming.
Daddy got into the painting action on Sunday. He did a FAB job with Ariel don't you think?
And as a last note Adam got to have his very own leftovers. The right of any man I believe. He claims nothing is better than a leftover Thanksgiving Panini. We hope everything is having a fantastic November!
