take my word for it wednesday.. thanksgiving edition..

well can you believe thanksgiving is only a week away.. i can't.. seriously where did the year go? and it's been one heck of a year that's for sure.. my son turned 21, my daughter turned 16 and i lost both my grandparents in a 2 month span.. definitely a year of highs and lows.. but it is the time for giving thanks and i wanted to share with you a couple of my families favorite thanksgiving recipes.. but your going to have to take my word for it that they are good... because not until after thanksgiving will i be able to post pictures.. but seriously if anyone reads this besides my mother take my word for it these recipes are awesome!! (she already knows they are good so she doesn't need to take my word for it.. ) i will start off with the best recipe of all.... grandmommy's sweet potato casserole.. their legendary.. their amazing.. their everything thanskgiving should be baked in a casserole dish.. are they a dessert?? are they a side dish?? you be the judge.. it will be bitter sweet making them this year but i know in my grandmothers 94 years (she died just short of 95) hundreds of people enjoyed this dish.. how do i know that? because my mother has thanksgiving every year and we have had as little as 20 people and as large at 65 at my mothers house on thanksgiving day and every year people rave about my grandmothers sweet potatoes.. here is the recipe as written by my grandmother..

sweet potato casserole

prep time: 15 minutes

cooking time: 40 minutes

servings: 8-10

casserole:

1 40 oz. can of yams, mashed (or 3 cups mashed sweet potato or yams)

1 stick of butter, melted

1/2 cup of white sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

topping:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 stick of butter, melted

1/3 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped pecans

mix casserole ingredients together in a glass casserole dish (not sure it has to be glass but my grandma always liked it in the glass) then in separate medium mixing bowl combine topping mixture and pour over yams as a topping.. (don't mix in) bake at 350 degrees (f) for 35-40 minutes or until light brown..

jalapeno cornbread stuffing

1 cup butter, melted

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup apple, chopped

1/2 cup golden raisins

2 jalapenos seeded and chopped (more if you like more heat or you could even leave the seeds in.. and remember these little babies are hot so wash your hands when done and don't touch your face or eyes before washing.. been there done that.. no fun)

1 cup chicken broth

2 6 ounce packages of mrs. cubbison's seasoned corn bread stuffing (one box)

salt and pepper to taste (i like alot of pepper in mine)

in a large mixing bowl combine all the above ingredients.. if it seems dry add a little more chicken brother and/or melted butter.. i let mine sit over night.. then in the morning i stuff my bird.. now if not cooking in the bird then place stuffing in a greased baking dish, cover and bake in a 350 degree (f) oven for about 45 minutes.. remove cover (check again to make sure its not dry.. if it is melt a 1/2 a stick of butter and pour over the stuffing) and bake another 10 minutes longer uncovered..

(picture borrowed from hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com)

overnight pumpkin bread pudding

prep time: 20 minutes

cooking time: 45 minutes
servings: approx. 12

10 croissants, ripped into small pieces
1/2 cup butter, melted
6 large beaten eggs
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups half-half
1 cup pure canned pumpkin
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tsps. pumpkin pie spice

topping

1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
1 cup coursley chopped pecans
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup light karo syrup

melt butter and pour into a 9x13 casserole dish.  put ripped up croissant pieces into buttered casserole dish.. in a large bowl add milk, half and half, beaten eggs, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. mix well.. pour mixture over the croissant pieces.. gently press down croissant pieces so the milk and egg mixture is absorbed.. cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

when you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees (f).  to prepare topping, mix melted butter, brown sugar, pecans and karo syrup in a small bowl.. pour over top of croissants.. bake uncovered for 45 minutes.. serve immediately..