Holiday Lime Jello

2 c. boiling water

1 (6 oz) pkg lime Jello

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple

1 (8oz) box cream cheese

1 c. heavy whipping cream, whipped

• Soften cream cheese. Whip with crushed pineapple (include liquid) and set aside.
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• Whip cream and refrigerate.
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• Pour boiling water over Jello. Wisk until disolved. Freeze Jello in the Kitchen Aid bowl until it's the consistency of loose jam. Freeze the beater too.
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• Whip Jello until it forms stiff peaks.
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• Fold in cream cheese mixture.
• Fold in whipped cream.
• Pour into bowl and refrigerate until set.

My Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

I started to make Libby's Gingersnap Pumpkin Chiffon Pie, except the store didn't have the Pumpkin Pie Filling, only the Canned Pumpkin. (Knowing there's a shortage this year...I was grateful, but we needed to improvise.)

I'm using a purchased Graham Cracker Crust so I needed less filling than the recipe called for (they had a 9" deep dish pie.)

Filling:

• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 c. very hot water
• 1 15 oz. can pumpkin
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice
• 2/3 c. evaporated milk
• 1 box (3.4oz) vanilla instant pudding
• 1 c. thawed, CoolWhip

Place gelatin in small saucepan. Pour water over gelatin; let stand for 1 min. Heat over low heat stirring often, until the gelatin is dissolved. Add evaporate milk; heat, stirring frequently, until just hot (not boiling). Remove from heat.

Beat canned pumpkin, sugar, spice, and pie mix. Slowly pour in milk & gelatin. Beat on high for 2 minutes total. Carefully fold in whipped topping. Spoon into crust. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Visit to Gramp's House

Day 1 Dinner: Ikea Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, Cooked Carrots

Day 2 Breakfast: Elsie & Cereal

Lunch: Grilled Ham & Cheese, Pears, Ben & Jerry's Cookie Dough Ice-Cream

Dinner: Mustard Chicken, Steamed Red Potatoes, Zucchini, Applesauce, & Cookies

Baking: Peanut Butter Cookies

Day 3 Breakfast: Elsie & Cereal

Lunch: Tortilla Soup, Tortilla Chips & Cheese, Skinny Cow Ice-Cream

Dinner: Gram's Cheddar Meatloaf, Campbell's Rice-n-Roni, Green Beans

Day 4 Breakfast: Cinnamon Rolls, Eggs & Sausage

Lunch: Deli Sandwiches

Dinner: Chicken Kisses & Salad. Raspberry Pie

(Gramp couldn't eat the crescent roll, so I made a bit of the chicken mix in a ramekin with mashed potatoes topping it like a shepherd's pie. This was a hit.)

Baking: Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Day 5 (Turkey Day) Breakfast: English Muffins

Lunch: Crackers & Cheese & Deli Meat & Apples & Grapes

Turkey Dinner!!!

Day 6 Breakfast: Elsie & Cereal

Lunch: Bean Burritos

Dinner: Thanksgiving Left-Overs

Baking: Nanny B's & Cut-Outs

Day 7: Breakfast: Make Ahead Breakfast

Lunch: Deli Sandwiches

Dinner: Ham & Steamed Red Potatoes & Carrots

Baking: Banana Bread & Persimmon Cookies

Day 8: Breakfast for the Road: Uncle Dan Sandwiches...that's what my kids call "egg mc muffin's"

***Extras: We didn't get around to making the Turkey Cobbler, so I've left the chunk turkey in the deep freeze for our next visit. We were able to mail a box to Uncle Roy with 3 mini loaves of banana bread, Nanny B's, Peanut Butter Cookies, Cut Outs, and the Koolhaas hat.

Thanksgiving Menu 2009

Turkey (rubbed with Bell's Poultry Seasoning)

Gravy

Rolls

Mashed potatoes

Stuffing 1 & Stuffing 2

Jello (raspberry jello with raspberry juice and pears, lime with purred pineapple)

Yams with marshmallows

Applesauce

Cranberry Sauce

Tossed salad with candied walnuts and pomegranates

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Pumpkin Dessert

1 lg. can pumpkin

1 c. sugar

1 13 oz can evaporated milk

3 eggs

4 t. pumpkin spice

1/2 t. salt

1 box yellow cake mix

1/2 c. walnuts

1 1/2 stick melted butter

Mix all but last 3 ingredients.

Pour into a 9 x 13.

Sprinkle with cake mix.

Dribble with butter.

Sprinkle nuts. Bake at 350 for 45-50 min.

In search of the perfect cole slaw...

Tonight I tried the Neelys Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw. I subbed 1/2 chili powder and 1/2 paprika for the cayenne because that's what I had. I also used white wine vinegar. Go figure, I have red wine, white wine, balsamic, and rice wine vinegar but no apple cider. The mustard didn't specify so I used dijon. We're having Brisket on Whole Wheat French Rolls and M wanted to try some new cole slaws. We'll see if this recipe is a keeper, or if we're still in search of the perfect coleslaw. There were some other recipes I wanted to try. Blue Cheese Cole Slaw. And Cole Slaw with Pecans and Spicy dressing (this one has Granny Smith apples).

Criss Cross Applesauce

This summer, our family went to the Gravenstein Apple Fair. Gravenstein apples taste like my Grandma's applesauce. In Daily City, and again in Napa, the trees in their backyard were Gravenstein. We just had to buy 2 bushels. That's roughly 160 apples.

We drove home in a car that smelled like apples. Quickly, I tried to see how many would fit in my fridge. The rest became applesauce right away. Gravensteins have a short shelf life.

1/8 the apples, fill a pot, add a little water at the bottom of the pan, bring to a boil, stir and simmer until you have applesauce.

Here's what you'll have after cooking. Now all you need is a foley food mill.

I don't have an after photo, but the food mill takes out the seeds, stems, and peels leaving you with smooth applesauce that tastes just like my Gram's. YUM!