The Pies

I am grateful that everything came together beautifully for our Thanksgiving day meal. I think what saved me was I took care of little tasks over a few days time instead of trying to do it all at once frantically on the Thursday. And I simply asked for help from my kids when I needed it.

 The pies are a Pecan and an Apple Caramel. I also made a batch of Celebration Cookies and Brownies with Toasted Coconut and Chocolate Chips.

Then last minute I decided to whip up a meat stuffing to go with the bread stuffing because I had some ground beef in my fridge. I sautéed the Ground Beef with finely chopped onions, celery, diced fresh garlic and tarragon. I don't normally like a meat stuffing but making it unexpectedly and with a creative flair it turned out really yummy.

And it was such a gift to spend the day with all three of my children.

 

Gratitude, Wooded Walks & Holiday Menu

'Thank you' is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding."

  Alice Walker

   A very Happy Thanksgiving from Cape Cod. When I looked for a quote related to gratitude and saw this one by Alice Walker it reminded me of many years ago when I met her in Dallas, Texas. She was, at the time, one of my favorite Authors. I went to a Lecture she gave at SMU-I was in graduate school at the University of Texas, Dallas. My two older children were in preschool and I wouldn't get pregnant with Sophia until a few years later. It's strange how much life changes with each passing year.
 I remember I was so happy  that day when I had a chance to speak with her at the end of the event. She struck me as a very powerful, strong and beautiful woman. Even though it's been about 15 years
since that day I still cherish that particular memory. All I remember saying to her was Thank You.

It's funny how in spite of life's many challenging and difficult times there are always so many blessings and things to be grateful for. I want to be the kind of person who always remembers to reflect on the good life has to offer.

I took a friend out to a fun celebration lunch yesterday at the gorgeous new restaurant in Mashpee Commons-Café Estia. The food and service were great. If you're in town give it a try. I wrote my friend a card and in it I shared fifty blessings on tiny pieces of paper of things we have shared that I remain grateful for. We had a lot of fun and even though our relationship over the years has experienced it's own minor ups and downs what remains constant is our willingness to maintain our friendship and support one another when we can.

I'm cooking the Thanksgiving meal this year. For starters I'm making Shrimp wrapped in Bacon, Curry Deviled Eggs and Hand-rolled Taquitos with cheese. I am cooking a Turkey too with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Brown Sugar Butter Nut Squash and Freshly made Cranberry Sauce. For desert, I've decided to make a Pecan Pie, Dreamy Island Cookies and Apple Pie. It's always a lot of work to create a Thanksgiving meal but it's so nice to sit down and enjoy it together once it's done.



Five Things I'm Grateful for Today:

1) All three of my kids will be home.
2) People in my life that I love to cook for.
3) Wooded Walks in the Fall. I love going to the Beach so much in the summer that I often forget about all the amazing wooded walks on the Cape. And how beautiful it is here in addition to the beach. Photo above was from a five mile hike between Cotuit and Mashpee this past weekend.
4) My passion for making really good food.
5) Friends and Family who remind me what there is to be thankful for.