I know it has been quite a long time since I have blogged and for that I am sorry. My goal was to post once a week, but ever since school has started back up, blogging has taken a back seat. I would like to update you on all the wonderful happenings in my life before I get down to the nitty gritty of my family’s traditional Thanksgiving feast.
First and foremost, I have not stopped cooking or baking! I have tried several new recipes over the last few months, but have neglected to either write them down or take pictures. I know! I know! But I do have several new apple pies in the freezer I will share with you, thanks to Sky Top Orchards in NC from which I picked several bushels of apples this fall. I have also been trying to cook a little lighter lately in hopes of myself being a little lighter before the holidays crept in and all the decadent and succulent food was placed in front of me. Second, I am absolutely loving my new position at my new school! Not only did I go from a 45 minute drive down to a 7 minute drive, but my class in itself is amazing! We have already covered mountains, rocks and minerals, the American Revolution, and much much more. Every Friday we have a science lab in class and it is so awesome to see the love for learning happening each and every day. I couldn’t be more blessed in my career. I also decided to be an assistant coach this year for Girls on the Run for grades 3-5. We are in training for our upcoming 5K in December and we were just in our small town Thanksgiving Parade. We had such a good time and after the 2 mile walk through main street, the day was so pretty, I decided to run all the way back.
So let’s talk turkey! My mom makes the very best Thanksgiving feast I have ever had and has been doing it for years. Well, this year we decided to document the event with pictures and write everything down. Now, she is not one for using precise measurement, so you are going to see a lot of “a dash of this” or a “sprinkle of that.” Just use your best judgement if you are trying to recreate these amazing dishes. Above all, try to enjoy the process as much as my mother and I do each and every Thanksgiving.
One more thing….Happy Birthday Mom! I love you so much! 
**Cupcake courtesy of Sweet Cakes in Cornelius, NC. They have the best cupcakes in the South!
Sweet Potato Casserole has been in my family’s Thanksgiving feast ever since I can remember… 
Ingredients:
1 large can Yams (drained)
1 C sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
2 sticks of melted butter
Beat yams until smooth and add rest of ingredients. Pour into a 9×13 pan.
Topping:
1 box or 16 oz. of light brown sugar
2/3 C flour
2 sticks of melted butter
1 C chopped pecans
Mix brown sugar and flour in a small bowl. Add rest of ingredients and crumble with your hands onto the top of the casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Enjoy!
Next up is one of my favorites!
Mandarin Orange Salad 
Ingredients:
2 small boxes of each orange/pineapple jello
2 C mandarin oranges – drained
1 can crushed pineapple (Drain pineapple and reserve 1 C for topping or add orange juice)
Mix together jello per package directions and add oranges and pineapple. Put in 9×13 pan and chill until firm.
Topping:
1 egg
1/2 C sugar
2 T flour
2 T butter
1 C pineapple juice
1 package Dream Whip
On top of double boiler, beat egg, sugar, and flour. Slowly pour in juice. With an electric mixer, beat until thick and smooth. Remove and add 2 T butter. Chill 1 1/2 hours. When cold, beat 1 package of Dream Whip per package directions and fold into chilled topping. Spread onto jello.
With a post this big I plan to spread it out over the next few days, so tomorrow….turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes! I hope everyone had a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving.