Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! My chalkboard is finished and ready to display for Thanksgiving day!

I am looking forward to having my family join me for the feast this year. I love everything about Thanksgiving...the cooking, the parade, the great food and wine, and of course most of all spending the day with my family.

Here are two of my favorite recipes that I will be making along with a few others ;0)

Creamed pearl onions:

• 12 ounces pearl onions
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup goose stock or 
• chicken broth

• Directions

  Blanch the pearl onions by placing them into a large pot of rapidly boiling water. Cook them for about 1 minute. Remove the onions from the water with a strainer, then plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain them, then remove the skins.

  Put the onions in a 3-quart saucepan and place over low-medium heat. Add the cream, bay leaves, parsley, garlic and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Then, remove the cover and add stock. Season again. Allow to cook down for 5 minutes to tighten up the cream sauce. Discard the garlic clove and bay leaves before serving.

and from Southern Living, Black bottom

pumpkin pie

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped pecans

• 1 cup cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup crushed gingersnaps
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
• 2 cups whipping cream, divided
• 2 (1.4-oz.) chocolate-covered toffee candy bars, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste*
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• Garnish: semisweet chocolate shavings

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool 10 minutes.
2. 2. Stir together graham cracker crumbs, next 2 ingredients, and toasted pecans until blended. Press crumb mixture on bottom, up sides, and onto lip of a lightly greased 10-inch pie plate.
3. 3. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack, and cool completely (about 30 minutes).
4. 4. Microwave 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels and 1/2 cup whipping cream in a small microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 minute or until melted, stirring at 30-second intervals. Spoon chocolate mixture over bottom of pie crust; sprinkle candy bars over chocolate mixture. Cover and chill 1 hour or until chocolate mixture is set.
5. 5. Meanwhile, whisk together sugar and flour in a heavy 3-qt. saucepan; add eggs, egg yolks, and milk, and whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until a pudding-like thickness. (Mixture will just begin to bubble and will hold soft peaks when whisk is lifted.) Remove from heat, and whisk in pumpkin and vanilla bean paste. Transfer to a bowl. Place heavy-duty plastic wrap directly on warm filling (to prevent a film from forming); chill 30 minutes. Spoon pumpkin mixture over chocolate; cover and chill 8 to 24 hours or until filling is firm.
6. 6. Beat remaining 1 1/2 cups cream at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add syrup, beating until soft peaks form. Spread or pipe over pie.
7. *Vanilla extract may be substituted.