Happy Thanksgiving!

 



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Melania For First Lady

Prioritizing family first, quiet support of her husband's endeavors, discretion concerning family matters, Melania Trump is a role model for wives.

Melania For First Lady

Vote Trump 2016 

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Thanksgiving Menu & Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans Recipe

 Image courtesy VintageHolidayCrafts.com

Thanksgiving Menu

Herb Roasted Turkey with Gravy

Brown Rice

Crockpot Cornbread Stuffing 

{for cornbread, use vintage cornbread recipe}

Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Reduction and Cranberries 

 Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans {recipe below}

Sandra's Sweet Potato Pie

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Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans

This recipe is from our State Farmers Market Restaurant and calls for cooked fresh pumpkin.  However, I make this casserole using sweet potatoes because you can always find good North Carolina sweet potatoes in season year round!

3 cups mashed fresh sweet potatoes (peel, dice and boil sweet potatoes until tender; then mash)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 stick melted butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 stick melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans

{For topping, mix together sugar, flour, butter, then add pecans}

Add mashed sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl.  To the bowl add sugars, eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and butter.  Beat until smooth.  Pour into 2 quart casserole dish.  Cover with topping mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.  If needed, tent foil over casserole to prevent topping from browning too quickly. 

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Trump on SNL

That awesome feeling when the next President gives you a retweet! 

The numbers don't lie - it was the best Saturday Night Live in years.  With the show generating its highest ratings since 2012.

My favorite moment of the show - 

Successful, brilliant, handsome and great moves!

TRUMP 2016!

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Saturday Morning Coffee Date



My favorite way to start a Saturday - latte and donuts date with Hubby at our favorite coffee shop!

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Natural Hair Updo Style

As cooler Autumn weather sets in, I'm retiring my afro twist out hair style in favor of a more protective updo.  

I'm hoping 'roll, tuck and pin' type styles will protect my ends from the cold, dry air as well as encourage hair growth.  I'm also loving the ease of the style as daily maintenance requires only a spritz of aloe vera juice+water mixture for moisture and wrapping my hair at night to maintain the form.

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Recipe - Hearty Slow Cooker Chili & Homemade Cornbread



A hearty, slow cooker chili recipe for those cold Winter days!

Slow Cooker Chili:

1lb ground beef

1 can red kidney beans, rinsed & drained

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1-28 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained

1-6 oz. can tomato paste

1 - 1 1/2 cup (or sufficient amount to fill slow cooker) vegetable or tomato juice

3 teaspoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Brown ground beef. Drain fat. Mix in chili powder and cumin. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes.  Add browned meat to slow cooker.  Add kidney beans, diced onion, diced green pepper, undrained tomatoes, vegetable/tomato juice and tomato paste to slow cooker.  Stir to combine.  Cook on low for 10-12 hours or high for 4-5 hours.

To add more heat to the chili, add 1 chopped jalapeno pepper to the browned meat. Also substitute one 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes with green chilies and one 14.5 oz. can of regular diced tomatoes for the 28 oz. can of tomatoes.

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A perfect accompaniment to the chili is this homemade cornbread recipe.  The recipe is from one of my Momma's old cookbooks, The Modern Family Cookbook by Meta Given (1953 edition).

The recipe is for corn sticks or muffins, but I usually bake my cornbread in a cast iron skillet.  

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup yellow corn meal

3 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoons salt

1 egg

1 cup of milk

1/4 cup melted shortening (can substitute canola or vegetable oil)

Mix ingredients, pour into a prepared pan or tins and bake at 425 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes.   

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Welcome November