Happy Thanksgiving and cooking at 12:00 a.m.

Happy Thanksgiving!  I am thankful for so many things.  I have had a wonderful blessed year, and I know that is a cliche, but I truly do not deserve the fortune and blessings that come my way, so I am so grateful for all that our founding fathers did for this country so that we can have this freedom of religion and speech (there are others, but I need to brush up on my constitution history).  When we study about what all the early settlers faced, it is so powerful.  They wanted religious freedom more than their safety, comfort, and self-gain.  Their joy was God...they are true examples for us to follow, second of course to Jesus.

So I am up baking and thankful that my dear sweet mom and dad bought me this for my b-day:

This machinery makes me feel like a culinary queen.  I feel like all my dishes taste better because she( I will name her, I promise) is touching each ingredient and skillfully folding and cuddling and whipping....sorry.  But to not drag this out, I really love her!  One of my dear friends told me that when you get a Kitchen Aid mixer you "HAVE ARRIVED."  So that is how I feel!  Hello everyone, you can't tell?  It is me, the one who has arrived!  Please, please hold down your applause!

O.k.  on with the final dishes.  I made:

PUMPKIN PIE, crust is sad looking but the pumpkin will make you sing!

PECAN PIE

Sweet Potato Casserole...recipe is going to follow!

Mashed Potato Casserole....this is great too!

Each year we all bring different things.  I was given the starches.  I loved taste testing!  You, have been so patient reading, listening, crooning, so without any further delay, here is the Sweet Potato Recipe:

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

3 cups, sweet potatoes, cooked, peeled or canned (I bought the yams, and they taste great and easier)

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon allspice

Mash sweet potatoes. Mix all ingredients into sweet potatoes. Pour mixture into greased casserole pan. Mix topping ingredients together and sprinkle on top of sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

TOPPING:

1 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix together and sprinkle over sweet potato mixture. Can brown a few minutes in the oven.

Happy Thanksgiving!