Turtle Pumpkin Pie

Every Thanksgiving evening, after dinner has settled, we eat pie. Lots of pie! Banana Cream, Lemon Meringue, Chocolate, Coconut Cream, Apple, Cherry, and our traditional Sugar Pie. And our fairly recent new comber... Turtle Pumpkin Pie.

I've never been a Pumpkin Pie fan until I made Turtle Pumpkin Pie. And now it's become my absolute favorite! It's light and fluffy with just the right amount of pumpkin and spice. It's tantalizing to the taste buds. It's divinely delicious. And, it's as easy as pie to make! 

Turtle Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. caramel ice cream topping, divided

1 Graham Cracker pie crust

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. pecan pieces, divided

1 cup cold milk

2 pkg (3.4 oz. ea.) vanilla instant pudding

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tub (8 oz.) whipped topping, thawed, divided

Directions:

1. Pour 1/4 cup caramel topping into crust; sprinkle with 1/2 cup nuts.

2. Beat milk, dry pudding mixes, pumpkin and spices with whisk 2 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups whipped topping. Spread into crust.

3. Refrigerate 1 hour. Top with remaining whipped topping, caramel topping and nuts just before serving.

Go to Sugar Pie for tradition, memories, and recipe.

Happy Thanksgiving!

What are you making for Thanksgiving?

Writing prompt #2: Share a Thanksgiving recipe you will be cooking up this month.

Hosted by

Mama Kats Pretty Much Famous Writer's Workshop

Sugar Pie

The year 2011, most of the kids came up for Thanksgiving. We had a scrumptious and plentiful dinner, which included all our favorites and traditional dishes. Like turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, brown glazed carrots, stuffing and cranberry sauce, homemade rolls, apples and yams, cheese stuffed celery and olives, and bread and butter pickles. 

And then we made pie... lots of pie! Chocolate, Banana Cream, Pumpkin Turtle, Cherry, Apple (with fancy lattice strips), and mom's Sugar Pie! What a  special treat! 

Who can not remember those fond memories of home as kids when we anxiously awaited for mom's Sugar Pie. I remember mom rolling out the left over pie crust, with help from us kids. Then we would sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over top and slide the pie pan in the oven. I remember peering through the glass window of the range, watching and waiting... waiting and watching. I could hardly wait for Sugar Pie to come out of the oven. As soon as it was cooled enough, we each got to break a piece off to eat. Sugar Pie was such a treat because we got to eat it even before Thanksgiving dinner began.

Mom's Sugar Pie will be on the menu again this year!

How about you? What are you fixing for Thanksgiving this year?

Happy Birthday mother! I love and miss you so much.

Thankful Notes

Writing thankful notes for Thanksgiving has become a treasured tradition at our house.

Before the kids arrive, I place slips of paper and pens out for them to write down things they are thankful for or blessings that have come into their lives that they want to share with the family.

Later in the evening, after Thanksgiving dinner has settled, we all gather around the kitchen table, eat pie, and share our thankful notes with each other. The youngest grandchild to the oldest adult participates. All twenty eight of us! This tradition has brought our family closer together. It provides the perfect setting for each of us to reflect on the past year and the opportunity to count our blessings! 

In each family member's thankful note, FAMILY is always the first thing on the list. Love and appreciation for one another are common themes running through the notes. 

Is it any wonder that Thanksgiving is a time for family gatherings and giving thanks for our bounteous blessings and harvest! Creating memories and traditions binds families together across all generations. 

Writing prompt #5: Write a post in just 12 lines.

Hosted by

Mama Kat's Pretty Much Famous Writer's Workshop

Thank-ful

the definition...

1. Aware and appreciative of a benefit; grateful

2. Expressive of gratitude

We're sitting around the table, and it's my turn to share. So many thank.ful.ness... 

• family - everyone before me and everyone after me!
• grandchildren and being a grandmother
• children
• brothers and sisters (especially sisters.. now that parents have passed away)
• parents
• hubby 
• grandparents and ancestors
• good examples
• home 
• food (too many to list -- I love the taste of food!)
• Thanksgiving dinner... especially turtle pumpkin pie and bread and butter pickles
• clean sheets on my bed
• my body; ears to hear, eyes to see, nose to smell yummy stuff, taste, the feel of things, ten fingers, ten toes, a mind to think, and everything else that keeps me alive... wow! the body is truly amazing.
• my spirit
• clothes
• shoes
• p.l.
• relaxing
• holidays
• running water
• hot shower
• engagement calendar (can't live without it!) -- I haven't converted to i-phone, nor do I have future plans to do so. I like to write things down on paper, see it, and check it off!
• talking to my children - prefer in person, but on the phone will do
• heat
• air conditioning
• a clean house
• order (not chaos)
• inspirational and landscape paintings
• faith & testimony
• temple
• scriptures
• Jesus Christ
• prayer
• family history books
• forgiveness
• sun
• rain
• snow
• good hair days
• hair color
• flowers - tulips, daisies, roses
• chocolate anything!
• microwave
• orchard
• garden
• health
• computer
• blogger
• scrapbooks
• journals
• telephone
• financial security
• quilts
• socks on my feet
• talents
• children who are good citizens
• Utah
• mountains
• ocean
• America
• constitution of the United States
• the right to vote
• American flag
• soldier - especially mine!
• freedom of religion, right to bear arms, speech
• family heirlooms
• family outings & adventures
• week dates
• coke 
• Suzie Q's and Snowballs (sad tears)
• holidays
• no schedule!
• yard 
• trees
• living in the country
• being able to see the stars in the night sky
• a good book
• a good doctor
• breathing in clean air
• color; bright colors
• snuggles and cuddles from grand babies
• nature
• protection
• safety
• personal history books (parents, ancestors)
• thoughtful gifts
• daughters that are nurses
• friendship and companionship with youngest daughter (lives close by and doesn't work outside the home)
• work
• humor
• laughter
• kindness
• compassion
• thoughtfulness
• quiet
• beauty 
• peacefulness
• respectfulness
• comfort
• education
• great ideas!
• memories of home
• creating something
• my own office
• space (like not in my face kind of space)
• alone time
• having someone else cook... that means eating out! 
• visiting historical sites
• taking trips in and out of the country (that doesn't mean I'm thankful for airplanes.. I would rather not fly)
• car
• light
• my bed - heavenly!
• old, worn, and loved again treasures!
• sunset
• sunrise
• Sunday drive
• inspirational music
• Christmas music
• Christmas lights on Temple Square
• LIFE!
• LOVE!

I think a grateful journal sounds like a good thing for next year to help remind me of all the blessing I have in my life. 

Thankful Notes

Here's a Thanksgiving tradition we do at our house. I have slips of paper and pens set out for family members to write down something they are thankful for. When we are eating pie, we  take turns sharing our thankful notes. It helps us more fully recognize and count our blessings and prepares our hearts for the Christmas season.

What are you thankful for?

Writing prompts:  #2 - Share what you are thankful for

#3 - Tell us about a favorite Thanksgiving tradition