Favorite Thanksgiving Recipe

Yikes! It is already the middle of November with Thanksgiving right around the corner. I am thankful for so much it would take a book to list them all. But family and friends definitely top the list. This time of year is the best for sharing and creating memories with family and friends.

Since so much of our time with family and friends is spent sharing good food, for the next couple of weeks let's share holiday recipes and decorating tips.
I'll go first!

Pumpkin Spice Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1/2 cup butter or shortening
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
(in a large bowl combine butter and sugar and beat till fluffy, then add eggs one at a time and beat well)

Combine 1 cup of canned pumpkin with 2/3 cup of sour milk
(add 1 teaspoon of white or apple cider vinegar to 1 2/3 cup of milk and stir to sour)

In a separate bowl sift together:
1 3/4 cups flour
2 TBS baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ginger
Sift into pumpkin mixture and beat on low until all ingredients are moist

Bake in any size cake pan/pans or 2 loaf pans (greased and floured)
Bake 35-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cream cheese rum frosting:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, soft
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon rum
1 pinch salt
Blend in a bowl until creamy.


Frost with cream cheese rum frosting while still warm and serve with coffee, tea or other favorite beverage.

I hope you enjoy this old family recipe.

Memories

I just returned from a road trip to Washington state where I visited with family. My husband was unable to accompany me so I had the opportunity to create new memories with my sister, Beth. We booked a double queen suite along the Yakima River, stayed up too late, ate too much and giggled more than we had in years. It was the best 'slumber party' ever! One I will remember for the rest of my life.
This week I'd like to ask all of you to share a favorite memory with a relative or friend, one that you treasure, one you think of and it still brings a smile to your face or better yet you bust out laughing.
Thank you for stopping by and I look forward to reading your contributions!

How to find a bit more 'me time' in your day.

I thought we should start with something simple and fun. Let's share our secrets gleaned through the years to lessen the demands placed on women of today. We may not make our own soap, use scrub boards to do our laundry, or churn our own butter but even with all our technology to help us out, women of today are swamped. We wear so many hats we need our own "hatters", and some days we feel we may go "as mad as a hatter".

I recently coined a phrase "There is no shame in Swiffering". Some say using "Swiffer" products is cheating. I remember one friend saying: "The only way to mop is on your hands and knees. My floors are clean enough to eat off of."
Personally I don't often serve breakfast, lunch or dinner on the floor. Like most modern women of today, I prefer dishes. My favorite "Swiffer" product is the 360 degree duster. Our home is 3400 sq feet, if I didn't "Swiffer" I would be a slave to keeping it clean. I start at the top and work my way down and when the duster is about ready for a refill I use it on my floors. It is absolutely fabulous for getting into those low tough to reach places and even full of dust the thing is a hair magnet.

So remember no matter which hat you are wearing today: wife, mom, sister, daughter, aunt, grandmother, granddaughter, teacher, nurse, chauffeur, chief financial officer, personal shopper, coach, chef, friend, referee, or CEO, first and foremost you are a woman. To be your best get to know and nourish yourself first, otherwise you will come in last.