I'm Thankful

This Thanksgiving I'm very thankful for my little family.  

They are my heart and my sunshine. 

Where ever we are together is HOME.

Photo Courtesy: Karoline Ouimet 

I Give Thanks

Mrs. P (aka Mother Ship) baked some pumpkin spice cookies and a pie to take to Thanksgiving dinner. It's Fin's FIRST Thanksgiving and I was so very excited. This time last year I was 20 weeks pregnant with her and I had just started this blog.

Oh the difference a YEAR can make.

I give thanks for my Granny Dodie who saved everything. I inherited her rolling pin. Usually, it's on display in my curio cabinet, but, my culinary whizz neighbour informed me it was still usable and a great model at that! So, I used a rolling pin for the first time ever to roll out my cookies.

Brown Glazed Pumpkin Spice Cookies

I give MOST thanks for a healthy - happy FINELY!

I give thanks for my pumpkin pie, but, my hips won't.

Before dinner my 2.5 year old nephew said grace.

Here is it word for word:

GOD IS GREAT, GOD IS GREAT, GOD is great, God is great, god is great. AMEN!

We gave thanks then I stuffed myself on DELICIOUS southern Thanksgiving goodness and some turkey. My favorite are always the sides. What's the difference between Canadian and American Thanksgiving? One Month and in the south - a lot more SUGAR! Sweet potatoes here should be called BROWN SUGAR with sweet potatoes not sweet potatoes with brown sugar. Fin loved them, on a sugar high she stayed awake for four hours after, missing her nap entirely! She was in a good mood so we let her stay up.

Fin' s FIRST taste of sweet potatoes.

Gavin (who said prayer) his brother Noah & Finley playing by the table before dinner.

This was a first family gathering for us with the babies all playing together. Prelude to Christmas when their three cousins join us! Can't wait! Really. We can't!

Mrs. P Baked Some Cookies

Mr. P came home from work the other day and said; "I have to bring something in for the Thanksgiving Pot Luck at work on Thursday.... can you double that spinach salad recipe so I can bring some to work?"  

I didn't have enough ingredients  to double the recipe- and was not in the mood to fight the Thanksgiving shoppers again that day.   So I volunteered to bake cookies.  This idea was well received. And then I  was faced with the daunting task of actually following through with the idea. I am not a precision cooker, and, while I am good at and enjoy cooking, baking and I have never really been compatible.

A number of years ago after a co- worker at Comedy Network was married another co-worker of ours would always ask the newly wed; "Mrs. McKenty will you bake some squares?" This was an ongoing question - a tribute to the new wife - I guess.  There never were any squares baked. 

All week in my head I kept hearing said co-worker's voice only this time she was asking "Mrs. P will you bake some cookies?"

Um, sure.  Can't let hubby go to work empty handed.  And as a mother to be I best get brushed up on baking cookies, cupcakes and rice crispy squares.  My usual success to date in this department has been to make door stops and hockey pucks. 

So I rifled through the Jamie Oliver - I'll Make you into a cook, Martha Stewart Holidays and the Joy of Cooking before settling on a peanut butter cookie recipe from Joy of Cooking.  Apparently this recipe won't be allowed to go to school (peanuts are banned due to allergies) but will be accepted into the office.

To my surprise - in two hours time - I produced 6 dozen cookies. Light, soft, edible peanut butter cookies.  Success.  Maybe it has something to do with being in the family way? Nesting?

At least it was too cold to go barefoot in the kitchen.  Maybe next week ... I'll try my hand at some squares.