Saturday, November 24, 2012

Our first Thanksgiving

At what point in a girl's life does she make the transition from simply feasting on Thanksgiving goodies to actually partaking in the preparations? Although I have always helped my mom in the kitchen on Thanksgiving (okay, maybe not as much as she would have liked), I decided that since I was a Mrs. this Thanksgiving that it might be time for me to contribute a little more.

I made sweet potato casserole and green bean bundles and had to take a few photos as evidence.

Now I'm no Pioneer Woman, but I will do my best to share the recipes... This sweet potato casserole is my favorite - and I have had lots of sweet potato casseroles in my 24 years.


Start with boiling 3-5 sweet potatoes, depending on size - you should end up with about 3 cups of sweet potatoes. I peel them after I boil them and mash them up.


 Add 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, 3/4 stick butter (melted), 1 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp. vanilla flavoring, 1/2 tsp. salt, mix it up and pour into an oblong casserole dish


Now make the topping -

1 stick butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts 



Pour topping over sweet potatoes 


Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes. After 20 minutes, put marshmellows on top (I like a lot of marshmellows) - I added more after I took this picture - and then finish baking for 10 minutes until the marshmellows are melted.


This isn't the prettiest picture ever but they are awesome!



 I also made green bean bundles but I was too preoccupied to remember to take pictures at this point (I could never been a professional). I did remember once I put them in the oven..




Use whole cut green beans and wrap in half slice of bacon. Mix up 1 stick of butter (melted) and 1 cup of brown sugar with 1 tsp. garlic salt and pour over the bundles. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

...

We have enjoyed four Thanksgiving meals this Thanksgiving. We spent Thanksgiving Day at home in Louisiana and ate with Andrew's parents at lunch, went to one set of his grandparents Thursday evening and then to his other grandparents Friday at lunch. Then we were off to Mississippi for Thanksgiving with my parents this weekend. 

Andrew has fried turkey after turkey this year with our new oil-less turkey fryer that some of our sweet friends gave us as a wedding present and they were all delicious. I meant to take pictures of the process but as it turns out, I am a terrible photographer. And honestly, I am so sick of turkey at this point that I don't even want to look at another turkey for at least two weeks.

Here we are (a little squinty eyed) Friday outside Andrew's grandparents' house on the bayou. 


We have so much to be thankful for, but I am especially grateful for the new family that I gained this year. I could not imagine a more loving family that I could have possibly married in to. They are absolutely wonderful and mirror my own family in so many ways. I am thankful for how much our families are alike and how we were raised with the same values. I am also thankful for a patient and loving husband who is teaching me how to become a better person everyday.

"I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High." Psalm 7:17

2 comments:

  1. Love you! So very thankful for you. God's blessings are beyond comparison...& you, my dear, are a blessing from God to us. :D

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  2. Oh, I forgot to mention...please...please...please make your sweet potato casserole again...it was truly my favorite!

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