Thanksgiving

Our family is thankful for so much this year! Jackson and I are thankful each day that we are married to each other. We are also thankful that Rosie came into our lives this year. For our first married holiday season, we are incredibly thankful that both of our families live close enough to see them on holidays. This year we are heading to Greensboro to Jackson's brother's house for early Thanksgiving with his whole family. Then we are making our way down to the beach for Thanksgiving with my family. I can't wait to visit with everyone and I'm sure eat way too much.

Speaking of eating, this year for Greensboro I am making 2 unhealthy but delicious Paula Deen recipes.

First a broccoli casserole:

Servings: 8-10 servings
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 35 min
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients 

2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped broccoli, cooked and drained
1 cup Mayonnaise
1 cup Grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 10 3/4-ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 cup crushed Ritz crackers
2 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 13 by 9 inch baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl combing, broccoli, mayo, cheese, soup and eggs.  Mix well with a metal spoon.  Place the mixture in the prepared baking dish.  Top with the crushed crackers and pour the melted butter evenly over the crackers.  Bake for 35 minutes or until set and browned.

And second, Paula at her finest with a Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake (sans nuts)

Servings: 20-24 servings
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 50 min
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients 

1   (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
3 to 4 tablespoon cocoa powder
1   egg, plus 2 eggs
1   (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1   (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
Butter, for greasing pan, plus 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking pan. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 8 tablespoons (1 stick) melted butter, and stir until well blended. Pat mixture into prepared pan and set aside. In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the remaining 2 eggs, and the cocoa powder. Lower the speed of the mixer, and add the powdered sugar. Continue beating until ingredients are well mixed. Slowly add the remaining 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of melted butter, and the vanilla, continuing to beat the mixture until smooth. Stir in nuts with a rubber spatula. Spread filling over cake mixture in pan.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the cake; the center should still be a little gooey when finished baking. Let cake partially cool on a wire rack before cutting into pieces.

Finally, at my family Thanksgiving I always make REAL (no jello or shortcuts) banana pudding. It is a  little trouble making sure the pudding mixture doesn't burn and gets to the right consistency, but it is so worth it!

what you need

3/4

cup  sugar, divided

1/3

cup  flour

Dash  salt

3

 eggs, separated

2

cups  milk

1/2

tsp.  vanilla

45

 NILLA Wafers, divided

5

 bananas, sliced

make it

HEAT oven to 350°F.

MIX 1/2 cup sugar, flour and salt in top of double boiler. Blend in 3 egg yolks and milk. Cook, uncovered, over boiling water 10 to 12 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.

RESERVE 12 wafers for garnish. Spread small amount of custard onto bottom of 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Cover with layers of 1/3 each of the remaining wafers, bananas and remaining custard. Repeat layers 2 times.

BEAT egg whites on high speed of mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread over custard, sealing well to edge of dish.

BAKE 15 to 20 min. or until lightly browned. Cool slightly. Top with reserved wafers just before serving.

Happy Thanksgiving!!