Thanksgiving Recipes – Happy Thanksgiving Canada!

Happy Thanksgiving to our neighbors to the north, in Canada! I’ve never celebrated Thanksgiving in Canada, but from what I hear, they share similar foods as those that will be featured on tables across America on our Thanksgiving next month.  We love celebrating Thanksgiving – –I have so many fond memories with my family, such as the ones found in this post.  But part of the reason why we love Thanksgiving is because we love food—good food, like the kind that many busy family members spend hours preparing for the special meal we share together on that day.

I’m sharing a couple of recipes from my baking collection, in honor of Canadian Thanksgiving and in preparation for ours.  I’m a Pumpkin Pie advocate, believe me, but not everybody is.  So, if you’re wanting to change things up, or offer some other options, here are two delectable choices.  The first recipe is Nana Deane’s Pecan-Coconut Pie, shared by the Food Network’s Alton Brown, and is an amazingly delicious Coconut and Pecan Pie, courtesy of Ray’s Dairy Made, Burton, Arkansas.  If it’s a Southern pecan pie recipe, you know it’s gotta be good!

Nana Deane’s Pecan-Coconut Pie does not disappoint

Nana Deane’s Pecan-Coconut Pie

Servings:6-8     Difficulty: Easy
Cook Time: 30-60 min

Ingredients

10 1/2 ounces granulated sugar

3 large whole eggs

2 ounces unsalted butter, melted

4 ounces buttermilk

3 ounces pecans, chopped (approximately 3/4 cup)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

3 ounces sweetened coconut flakes

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch salt

1 pie crust (pre-baked)  NOTE: I linked to a good crust recipe that I’ve used before on allrecipe.com

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, melted butter, buttermilk, coconut, pecans, flour, vanilla and salt.

Pour this mixture into a 9-inch pre-baked pie crust.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the pie is golden brown and the center is barely set.

Cool for 40-45 minutes before serving.

Another yummy option would be to make Pumpkin Cookies.  Who doesn’t like cookies, right? Although I haven’t tried making these cookies, they were a recipe of my Mom’s; and since her baking became legendary in our parts, I’m gonna trust that these cookies are equally fabulous.

Pumpkin Cookies

Makes about 5 dozen

Ingredients

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup raisins, soaked in 1 cup of boiling water and drained

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

With a mixer, cream shortening and sugar until fluffy.

Add egg, pumpkin and vanilla – mix well.

Stir in dry ingredients.  Chill.

Drop on greased cookie sheet.

Bake approximately 15 minutes and cool on a cooling rack.

If you try these recipes, I’d love to hear how they turned out!  If you have any questions, please just let me know.  And Happy Thanksgiving – today if your Canadian, and in November if your American 🙂