Oh you are the most delightful bunch! Caroline, I'm starting to think that I need to try Chocolate Cheesecake again. I've only had it once, and thought it was terrible! Maybe I got hold of a bad cook! Then again . . . I guess I really don't need another food on my "love it" list! Keesha, how wonderful that you're daughter will be home from London! (Mum's the word!) GGG, I've not had lentils since my flower-child days. Now that I'm actually making some effort to eat healthier I need to drag out some of the old recipes! MrMorton, Thanksgiving has been our traditional day to start the Christmas season too. I figure that it's too much work to go through just for a few weeks, and I love the decorations and lights etc. Memo, selfishly I'll be glad when the wonderful wedding is behind you . . . maybe we'll be see more of you around the C.G.! So glad to hear from you! Kent, I agree with Steven (even though I sadly have no idea who the writers are that he refers to!), but your post about your relatives and the traditional dishes was hilarious and you really should be paid. Annette, LOL at your DH and the brussels sprout! A drumroll please. FlowerLady, your meal sounds delicious. I'm ever thankful for your gracious presence around the cottage. Tracy, What a fun tradition! No doubt your run will be a piece of cake after hosting the Seed Swap! ThinMan, I hope you're really not going to make your brother wait until Thursday! lol! What lucky children to be living next door to wonderful grandparents (I should know, mine lived next door too!). Steven, I hope you'll be sending us a photo of you with your DuMOL pinot and expandable pants! Happy Thanksgiving to All, Patti

Decided on carrots---cause stuff was-sitting-on-countertop......It-turned-out-okay.Doubled-the-recipe all-but-the-blueberries......not-quite-doubled-sugar- dripped-molasse-from-almost-empty-bottle-ito-it......Pretty-good-the-first-one-finished-yesterday Wish-pecan-walnut,were-not-so-high----settled-on-almonds- Love-the-crunch-of-nuts.. I-still-have-more-pumplkins..... Got-one-sitting-cut-open-in-kitchen-now Going-get-fat-from-eating-all-that-delicious---Pumpkin-gooey-cake......even-though-put-less-sugar,cream-cheese-than-called-for Will try pumpkin next... I-had-to-toss-out-three-pumpkins-cause-they-got-frozen-----and yucko---moldy....out-in-garage--- ..It-bothered-me-to-do-so--but-cant-eat-liquid-slime-mold Trying-to-compost-the- soft,bad-parts---but-so-much-to-deal-with-here-in-city-burb... Thanks-all Jean

Pumpkin Gooey Cake (gluten free and if you wish, vegan) Crust: 1/4 c. melted butter OR coconut oil or vegan margarine 2 oz cream cheese softened (or silky tofu) 2 c. almond flour (Trader Joe's sells this cheap) 1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract (trader joes has a vanilla in a glycerine base) 1/8 t. salt 1/2 c. sugar (you could use several drops of stevia if need be) 1 large organic egg or the equivalent of egg replacer, or a tablespoon of flax seed meal mixed with two tablespoons of warm water. 1/2 t. aluminum and gluten free baking powder (Rumford brand) 1/2 t. cinnamon mix the butter and cream cheese together and blend it until it is nice and smooth, add the liquid ingredients and then add the dry. Spread in an 8x8 inch greased pan (lined with parchment makes it much easier to get out and cut into squares). Bake 15 mins at 350 and cool. Filling: 6 oz. cream cheese (or 6 oz of the silky tofu) 1 stick (1/2c.) softened butter, coconut oil or vegan margarine 1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree 3 eggs or make the equivalent of 3 eggs with egg replacer (flax doesn't look as pretty for the filling) 1 teaspoon vanilla (as above) 1/2 c. sugar, 1/3 c. honey, or several drops of stevia (NuNaturals is the best, non-bitter Stevia) 11/2t. cinnamon 1 t. nutmeg 1/4 t. ginger blend everything together with beaters until smooth and fluffy. Bag the bowl a few times to get rid of all air bubbles. Layer this delicious filling on top of the almond cake crust and bake 55-60 mins (it will be jiggly, this is good) at 350. MMMMMM, so good and gooey. Plus it is not too sweet. Just enough!

Elijo, One of my favourite cakes is a . It is a bit time consuming but well worth it. I even made this cake for my own 50th birthday last year. Home Cookin 4.9 Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table ================== This cake is from the 1984 Food and Wine Magazine. I have been making this cake for my DH's birthday since then. I have scanned the from the magazine that depict the assembling of this cake. It will make the written directions easier to follow. Genoise ************************************************************ Makes one 10 x 3 inch round layer 1 3/4 cps sifted all-purpose flour 8 eggs, at room temperature 1 1/4 cups sugar 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1/4 cup clarified butter, tepid Filling 1 cup heavy cream chilled 2 tablespoons confctioners sugar 1 tablespoon framboise, raspberry brandy 1 pint coarsely chopped strawberries sliced strawberries and fresh mint sprigs for garnish ************************************************************ Raspberry Syrup Recipe ************************************************************ 1/2 cup sugar 1 tablespoons framboise (raspberry brandy) In a small heavy saucepan, combine the sugar with 1/4 cup of water. Bring to boil over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the framboise. ************************************************************ . Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly butter a 10 inch springform pan. Cover the bottom with a round of parchment or waxed paper. Lightly butter the paper. dust the entire pan with flour; tap out any excess. Sift the flour two more times on a piece of waxed paper and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar and lemon zest. Set over - not in - a large saucepan filled one-quarter of the way with hot water. Warm over low heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture is smooth and syrupy, with a deep yellow color and feels warm to the touch, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat. In a large mixer bowl, beat the warmed eggs and sugar at high speed until tripled in volume and holds a ribbon for a full 10 seconds after the beaters are lifed. (This will take 10 to 15 minutes if you are using a kitchenaide type mixer or 15 to 20 minutes with a hand beater.) Sprinkle half the flour on top of the beaten egg mixture. Using a balloon whisk, fold in the flour lightly but thoroughly, using scooping and swirling motions and lifting the whisk out of the mixture with each folding stroke. Pour the tepid butter on top and quickly fold it in, using the same motion. Spoon the remaining flour on top and fold in quickly and delicately, with a minimum number of strokes; too much folding will deflate the batter. Pour into the springform pan and tap once on the counter to help spread the batter evenly. Bake in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes to 45 minutes, until the cake is golden brown on top and a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and tranfer to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan. Invert to remove the bottom; peel off the waxed paper. Invert again to let the cake cook right-side up on a wire rack for 2 or 3 hours. If making ahead, wrap airtight in plastic and store in a cool dry place for up to three days or freeze. Hollow out the cake: Using a potlid or tart pan bottom as a guide, centre a 7 inch circle on top of the genoise and with the tip of a sharp knife, cut down 1 inch deep into the cake and cut around the circle. Insert the knife in the side of the cake 1 inch down from the top and swivel it back and forth, keeping the knife horizontal. The idea is to remove the 7 inch circle of cake from the top, leaving the sides of the cake intact. Carefully remove the top of the cake and with the cake cut side up, trim off enough of the cake to leave an even layer of 1/2 inch thick. Cut this round into 8 wedges and reserve. Place the genoise shell on a large serving platter. Carefully hollow out the inside with a knife, leaving a 1/2 inch layer on the sides and a 1 inch layer on the bottom. Cut the insides pieces roughly into 1/2 inch cubes and place them in a medium bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the rasperry syrup on top and toss to moisten. Brush the insides of the genoise shell with the remaining Raspberry Syrup, dabbing generously on the sides and lightly on the bottom. Do not moisten the wedges. In a large bowl, beat the cream with 1 tablespoon of the confectioners sugar and the framboise until soft peaks form. Fold in the chopped strawberries and the moistened cubes of cake. Spoon this filling into the genoise shell, spreading it into an even layer. Arrange the wedges of cake decoratively on top, in a spiral pattern with the points meeting in the middle. For decoration, slice whole strawberries almost through to stem and fan out. Place one on the edge under each wedge and a couple in the middle. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and a some sprigs of mint.