ReciPes and RanDom ThouGhts....

First I thought I would share with you some fabulous recipes that I use on thanksgiving faithfully...This is Sweet Potatoes Only I use the orange kind not the white ones...

3 cups sweet potatos about 4 large ones

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs lightly beaten

4 Tablespoons butter or margarine..(I use the real thing)

1/2 cup milk

1-1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla

Boil potatoes for about 30-40 minutes or until tender.. Peel away skins and put in a 9x13 baking dish and mash. Put the other ingredients in a bowl and mix. add to the potatoes and mix, spreading out in casserole container.

TOPPING:

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup butter

1 cup coconut (optional)

mix all together and put all over the top of the potatoes and bake at 350 for 30 minutes

Enjoy! this is like eating dessert and is so good..great leftovers if you have any left...

Ciabatta Stuffing with chestnuts and Pancetta

by Giada De Laurentiis from food network..

This is the best stuffing recipe I have tried by far...

Ingredients
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
8 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 (7.4-ounce) jars roasted peeled whole chestnuts, coarsely broken
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 pound day-old ciabatta bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter a 15 by 10 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a large bowl. Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, and garlic. Saute until the onions are very tender, about 12 minutes. Gently stir in the chestnuts and parsley. Transfer the onion mixture to the large bowl with the pancetta. Add the bread and Parmesan and toss to coat. Add enough broth to the stuffing mixture to moisten. Season the stuffing, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mix in the eggs.
Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down, and bake until the stuffing is heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.

Hot Cocoa and homemade Marshmellows

by Tyler Florence foodnetwork

I give this out at christmas time..it is a huge hit...and making the marshmellows is so much fun...

Ingredients
3/4 cup powdered milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
Homemade Marshmallows, recipe follows
Directions
Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Take the bittersweet chocolate and roughly chop it up to give a chunky but consistent size. Mix well with a wooden spoon and then store in a dry airtight container. To make the hot chocolate, simply add 1 cup of water per 1/2 cup of hot cocoa mix. Heat in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring with a whisk. Heat until hot, but do not boil, about 6 to 7 minutes. Serve with marshmallows.
Homemade Marshmallows:
3 tablespoons (3 packets) powdered gelatin*
2 cups cold water
2 cups sugar
2 egg whites**
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted, plus more for dusting pan and marshmallows
Butter, for greasing pan
In a medium sized saucepan soak the gelatin in the cold water. After the gelatin has softened, approximately 10 minutes, add the regular sugar and then gently dissolve over low heat, approximately 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
In a mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks and then fold in the sifted confectioners' sugar. While the mixer is on low, slowly pour in the cooled gelatin mixture. Increase the speed and beat until white and thick. The volume should double in size and should form between soft and firm peaks.
Line an 8 by 8-inch baking dish with high sides with foil, grease slightly with butter, and coat with confectioners' sugar. Alternatively, you can use a baking sheet, but the marshmallows will not be as tall. Pour marshmallow mixture in and top with more sifted confectioners' sugar. Leave out overnight or for at least 3 hours to set. The marshmallow should be light and spongy when set.
Loosen marshmallow from edges of tray and invert onto a large cutting board. Peel off foil and use a large knife to cut the marshmallows into cubes. Dredge each piece in confectioners' sugar.
* We retested this recipe. It works best with 3 tablespoons gelatin.
FN Kitchens
**RAW EGG WARNING
Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

Okay now for the random thoughts.. I showered before bed last night and went to bed with wet hair and when I looked at myself in the mirror this morning the first words out of my mouth were "oh My"..I had big hair! now I ask you...I can fuss with my hair and add all that gel and hairspray and I can never get my hair to be that big or let alone stay that way all day unless I totally glue it down so it doesn't move...I looked like I had a mowhawk...and not a pretty one either...so I am now in the process of styling it for the day...to look somewhat presentable...lol...

I just finished getting the house all spic and span for thanksgiving...got a blazing fire in the stove to keep us toasty and now I am going to craft and be productive...

It is rainy and cold today so it is nice to be inside all toasty.....Take care and have a wonderful tuesday!

Gina :>)

P.S. Don't forget to watch the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving tonight...I will be glued..I love all of those shows and probably always will...I'm a toys R us kid...:)