Thanksgiving

This year we had Thanksgiving at my mother in law's. There were about a dozen or so people there.

I made a pumpkin cheesecake. I followed the recipe this time, next time I'll make a couple of changes (noted in italics)
Crust:

1 1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (use graham cracker crumbs)

3/4 cup chopped pecans

3 tablespoons brown sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

* 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 1 1/2 cups canned solid pack pumpkin
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 1/3 cup maple syrup
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
* 4 eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and flour a 9 inch springform pan. (Line pan with aluminum foil first!)
2. Using a fork, combine gingersnaps, pecans, 3 tablespoons brown sugar and melted butter. Press mixture onto the bottom and two inches up the sides of the pan to form the crust.
3. With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the pumpkin. Mix in the cream, maple syrup, cinnamon, allspice and vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until smooth.
4. Pour batter into prepared crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes, or until center of cheesecake is set. Allow to cool in pan for 30 minutes, then refrigerate overnight.

It was wonderful, but a bit rich after a big meal. I am looking for a mint cheesecake recipe for Christmas.

I also made a ham and broccoli pastry dish last week. It was pretty yummy.

Ingredients:
10-12 oz ham slices chopped up
6 oz shredded swiss cheese
2 cups FRESH broccoli chopped
2 tbs mayonaise
1 tbs dijon mustard
1/2 c onion chopped
1 tube of crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 350. roll out crescent rolls and press seams. Mix remaining ingredients together in a large bowl. Spread mix down center of crescent rolls and then fold rolls together. The top will be open. Seal the ends. Bake until crescent rolls are brown--10-15 minutes.

Notes: I didn't put the mustard or onions in (Shane dislikes both). I used frozen steamed broccoli--MISTAKE. It was too watery! All in all it was yummy. I heated the leftovers up in a cast iron skillet. It was pretty good left over too!

Why?

Today I was reading the SJ-R online as I usually do. One of the first articles to appear was about a young soldier--Cpl. Chad Young--who died while serving our country. Every time I read one of these articles, I tear up. I fear that my brother Lucas will meet the same end. I don't talk to my brother, so I'm not sure why it makes me cry. I have let him hurt me time and time again, so I'm not sure why he even matters.

I'm to the point where I feel like I am an only child for the most part. Lucas has removed himself from my life and my mom's. He still talks to my dad regularly--but I guess birds of a feather flock together. My older brother is not someone I know anymore. He is "taking some time for himself." I'm sorry, but once you have children, you sign away the right to have time for yourself. He shouldn't have had kids if he wanted to be selfish. Just my humble opinion.

I am sometimes jealous when I see families who are close to one another. I doubt I'll ever have that. My family used to be close...but a divorce changes things big time.

Oatmeal Apple Crisp

Somehow as I am getting ready to type this, I feel like I have posted about this recipe on here before. I'll go look, but I may not delete this post. It is just THAT good! OH and simple. My non-cooking friend Lydia even made this :) I learned something from her the day we cooked this. You can use a vegetable peeler on apples. Who woulda thunk?

Oatmeal Apple Crisp
1 c rolled oats (I use quick oats since that's what is in my house)
1 c brown sugar
1 c flour
1/2 c butter melted

Mix above ingredients to make the crisp part.

3 c peeled, cored sliced/chopped apples (I slice mine and generally use golden or red delicious)
1/2 c white sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Spray an 8X8 (or 9X9) pan with cooking spray. Layer half of oatmeal crumble in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle sliced apples with cinnamon and sugar, mix to coat apples (I used more than what was called for!) Put remaining crumble on the top. Bake for 45-60 minutes. The recipe says 45, but I like my crisp a little crispier! :) So it was an hour for me.

After baking this twice, I will use 4-5 cups of apples next time. Three cups was four small apples. I will go with 6-7 next time. I like a little more apple considering how much "crisp" there is!

It made my house smell delicious! After the paint smell from Thursday, it was welcome!

Sneak peak and other goings on

My friend Joni did our pictures again this year. I think this is the second year. It was SUPER windy, so my hair isn't very pretty. The boys didn't have that problem though! Wade is an easy kid to take pictures of. He gets a cheesy smile from time to time...but he cooperates pretty well. The pictures were taken at our friend's farm--Thanks, Grundy fam!

• 
  Other happenings...Wade and I both have colds. I think Shane is getting it. Luckily, Shane will get over it quickly. Wade and I will have to take antibiotics to kick it. Wade also has a double ear infection! Wahoo! Only his second ever...but still not loving it!
• Wade is going to get allergy testing done on November 23. Say a little prayer for me that I don't go crazy first! I'm going to be more nervous than he is because I know what is going to happen. He doesn't :(
  
• I think we are getting new carpet for Christmas.
• Massage on Thursday :P <3
• Hot water is amazing for a sore throat.
• Started Christmas shopping online.
• Going to Tuscola on Saturday! Yippee!