I always make a sugar free pumpkin pie for my DH because he is a diabetic. My son is going to make us a pumpkin cheesecake again this year...yummy!

I'm trying to keep things simple this year since it's my first year to host and first turkey ever. I'm making Williams-Sonoma's pumpkin dessert squares. It's basically just a jar of their pecan-pumpkin butter, a box of yellow cake mix and some wet ingredients (eggs, butter, vanilla, etc.). They are so easy and so good. I think my mom may be bringing a couple of pies, but I'm trying to keep it as easy and stress-free as possible. I want to enjoy the party too!

Chrissy

I tend to go overboard on everything, LOL, which is why we're having Butterfinger Cheesecake, pumpkin pie, blueberry crisp and homemade ice cream. Of course, we're having two kinds, butter pecan and espresso brownie chunk, gotta go for that overkill.

I'm kind of thinking of making chocolate cupcakes that look like turkeys for the kids, do you think that's too much? (grin)

Annie

I'm making a Dutch Apple pie for us on Friday & making a dozen chocolate-pecan pies for the food bank's dessert selections on T-Day. I'll use the red box pie crust because everybody loves that stuff & the filling goes together in 3-5 minutes. They bake in 45 minutes & I can bake them off six at a time so less than 2 hours start to finish for the dozen pies.

/tricia

We have been invited to our neighbours for a Thanksgiving dinner Thursday. I've been asked to bring my bread pudding with caramel sauce.

If I hadn't already committed to the Bread Pudding I would have made a Sticky Toffee PUdding.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Sticky Toffee Dessert
=====================

1 cup whipping cream
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
6 oz. Pitted dates
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. Baking powder

NOTE: I used Medjool Dates

. This comforting Pudding lives up to its name! For an extra touch,
garnish dessert with a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Serves 6 to 8.

Note: I used my Caramel sauce over this dessert.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line an 8 inch spring form pan with
aluminum foil and butter it well.

Place cream, 1 cup of of the butter and 1 3/4 cups of the brown sugar
in a saucepan on medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes, until the sauce
begins to turn brown and thicken slightly. Pour half into the
spring form pan. Save the rest of the sauce.

Place dates and baking soda in a bowl. Add boiling water, mix and let
cool.

Place the remaining butter , the remaining sugar and vanilla in an
electric mixer. Beat on medium high for about 5 minutes, until well
creamed. Beat in the egg, then stir in the date mixture.

Combine flour and baking powder in a bowl. Fold into the egg mixture
until evenly incorporated. Pour into the spring form pan and bake in
the oven for 30 minutes. Turn down the oven to 300°F and bake for 60
minutes, until golden brown and firm when touched lightly.

To serve: unmould the pudding, slice it and place on individual
plates. Drizzle with the warmed reserved sauce.

NOTE: I found that this cake cooked much quicker than the time called
for in the recipe. I baked it for 30 minutes at 350°F and then for
another 20 to 25 minutes at 300°F.

Caramel Sauce
=============
Caramel Sauce

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup cream
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
. Mix all the ingredients together and simmer for about 5 or 6 minutes.

Serve over Bread and butter pudding, apple pie and ice cream, warm
gingerbread, etc..

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Bread And Butter Pudding With Caramel Sauce
===========================================

5 or 6 slices of bread
1/2 cup butter

1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar
5 eggs
2 cups cream (Or milk)
vanilla
pinch of salt

Caramel Sauce

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup cream
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla

NOTE: If you prefer the pudding to have more custard, then use less bread so that all of the custard is not absorbed into the bread when baked.

. Cut crusts from bread and spread each slice with butter. (Bread slices
can be left whole, or cut into halves, quarters or cubes.

Place bread buttered side up in a oven proof dish. (may use any shape
dish, or glass loaf pan, cutting bread to fit)

Beat the sugar and eggs together and then add the cream, vanilla and
salt.

Pour over bread and allow the bread to absorb. (make be refrigerated
at this point and baked later)

sprinkle with some white sugar and place dish into a pan of hot water
and bake in a 350 oven for 45 to 1 hour, or until pudding is set and
golden.

To make caramel sauce,

bring butter, sugars, cream and salt to a boil and then simmer for 3 or
4 minutes. Remove from heat and add the vanilla.

Apple crisp and pumpkin pie here, the basics. Since my mom can't make her apple pies anymore and I like apple crisp better myself, I'm changing tradition just a little bit!

There aren't a lot of us, so I'm thinking pumpkin (or butternut) pie and a glazed carrot cake that is so gooey it should be fine made days ahead. We've never been able to test its keeping ability though. Maybe pecan pie because it's so darn easy, but I'm trying to eat less. Things do not look good on that front.

Pumpkin Pie, Candy Bar Brownies, Chunky Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Ann's Silly Toffee Squares (Ann I love these things!).

Not too much to me Annie:) Thanksgiving and Christmas are the two times that I really like sweets and Ann, both of your dishes look to die for!

I am not making the dessert this Thanksgiving, but if I were it would either be Ann's Bread Pudding which we absolutely LOVE, or one of these which are both T&T as well.

Apple Walnut Cobbler
Source BH&G January 1997

5 c tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced
3/4 c chopped walnuts
3/4 c sugar, divided
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c evaporated milk
1/3 c butter or margarine, melted
Half & Half or light cream (Optional)

Preheat oven to 325F. Lightly grease an 8x8 square baking dish. Spread the apples in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 c walnuts, 1/4 c sugar and the cinnamon. In medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, 1/2 c sugar and baking powder.

In small bowl, combine the egg, milk and melted butter. Stir egg mixture into the dry ingredients until smooth. Pour evenly over the apples, sprinkle with remaining walnuts.

Bake 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm, cut into squares. If desired, serve with half & half or cream.
9 servings

Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs
1 c sugar
¾ c flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2/3 c canned pumpkin
8 oz chopped walnuts

Grease jelly roll pan and line with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350º.
In large bowl, beat eggs for 5 minutes. Gradually add sugar, beat until light. Mix in flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, soda, salt and pumpkin, blend well. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle with nuts. Bake 15 minutes. Turn out onto clean kitchen towel, and roll up into towel. Cool.

Frosting:
6 oz cream cheese
1 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 T butter

Combine all ingredients and beat until smooth.

Unroll cooled cake, remove towel, spread with frosting and roll back up. Chill well, slice to serve.

Linda

Hmmm...I have to make a sweet potato for hubby..and pumpkin for my 16 yr old...The little ones would be happy with ice cream...gosh I don't know..

Kahlua pecan pie with extra pecans and chocolate chips. And probably a pumpkin pie as well. I don't care for desserts much, but as my husband does, and we have family coming to help us eat them, I'll make the effort.

Everyone has great ideas! Anne would it be bad because I don't really know you to drop in for dessert? lol. calculating time from here to MI. Butterfinger cheesecake and blueberry crisp...mmm.. Hmm. I do like apple crisp and Woodie is alot closer.

Apple, Cherry & Pumpkin pies and Poppy Seed Roll... But I think I'll have to stop by RachelEllen's house for a piece of that Kahalua pie... lol

Rita

I wish you would! We're a small group this year, and it would be better if my husband had help eating the leftover pie!

I think my family would be very disappointed if I didn't make pies...it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without them.
So I have to take to my sil's house apple, pumpkin and pecan pies. She is making a bread pudding.

I'm thinking of making this, but HATE meringue. Wonder how it would be with whipped cream on top?

LEMON FREEZE TORTE

Reminiscent of lemon meringue pie, this is a light refreshing treat after a heavy meal. Could use orange juice and rind instead of lemon, if desired.

5 egg yolks
6 egg whites
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup Lemon juice
Grated rind of 2 lemons
2 cups whipping cream
1 pkg. (3-1/2 oz./100 gm) Ladyfingers or Puff Pastry Pretzels
Pinch of Cream of Tartar

In top of double boiler, beat together 5 egg yolks, 2 of the egg whites, 1 cup of sugar, lemon juice and rind, cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Spoon into bowl, refrigerate until cool.

Whip cream until it holds its shape. Fold into cooled lemon mixture. Line sides of 8-inch buttered springform pan with ladyfingers. Spoon in lemon-cream mixture and freeze for 6 hours or until firm.

In separate bowl, beat remaining egg whites with cream of tartar until frothy, gradually adding remaining sugar (1/4 cup) beating until soft peaks form.

Pile meringue on top of frozen lemon desert. Broil on bottom rack of oven until meringue is brown. --about 1 minute. Transfer again to freezer.

About 1 hour before serving transfer torte to refrigerator, or counter. remove sides of springform pan.

Makes about 12 servings.

Source: Canadian Living Christmas Cooking Dec. 1986.

Well I'm not making Pecan Pie Muffins - that's for sure. hee hee!

Ann your pictures look incredible!

Our family members are not big dessert people but I do want to have a couple of choices so my mom is making an apple pie and I am going to make the yummy Spanish Bar - a dark, spicy cake with simple white icing. Nancy (wizardnm) found the best recipe when we experimented trying to reproduce this delicious cake from the A & P of our memories.

Spanish Bar

2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 TB cocoa
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. allspice

Add:
1/2 cup oil
2 cups applesauce
2 eggs
1/1/2 cups raisins

Mix the first 8 ingredients together in an electric mixer; mix well. Add next 3 ingredients. Raisins should be added last. Bake at 350 degrees in a 9x13-inch pan for 30-35 minutes (tube pan 40-45 minutes).

Top with glaze:

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
1 t. lemon extract
1-2 TB hot milk

Mix all together and put on cake while still warm.

Teresa, I'd love that Spanish Bar Cake, so I probably won't make it, LOL, too much would be left for me to eat.

Coconut, stop by, there'll be plenty. Oh, and bring me some of that apple crisp from Woodie's too, will you? (grin)

Annie

I'm in Texas now - at my sister's house in Austin, and I will be making my lime pie for Thanksgiving. I usually make two of them, but I think I will make one at a time this year, since there won't be that many of us (8), and my SIL usually makes her pecan pie, which is really good. I'll call her to find out, and if she isn't, I'll need to make two lime pies because a lot of people eat two pieces. I picked the limes from my tree yesterday before we left. I'll need to get the rest of the ingredients tomorrow, after I take inventory at my parents' house.

Lars

We're invited guests this year, and my friends know I like to bake so I offered to make a requested Pumpkin Roll. Of course I had to test drive it first, since I've never made it before. The good thing is because of that, it looks like we're going to have leftovers of our own, which is never a bad thing. I think the hostess is going to make pumpkin pie as well.

Right now I have my grandmother's potato rolls proofing in the WD. She would always cut them (I used the pumpkin can), butter each piece and put the buttered sides together before letting them rise. I know it's not dessert, but I'd pass up dessert every time for these. They're going to be small sandwich buns for a brisket that's going in the oven soon.

I'd be very happy with any of the above listed!

We are joining friends this year, so I am bringing the pumpkin bread pudding this year. Very easy to make and make ahead....I do skip the caramel sauce and just serve it with sweetend whipped cream and I use the Splenda brown sugar.

Bread pudding
2 cups half and half
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1 cup (packed) plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 cups 1/2-inch cubes egg bread (about 10-ounces)
1/2 cup golden raisins

Caramel sauce
1 1/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup whipping cream

Powdered sugar
For bread pudding:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk half and half, pumpkin, dark brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and vanilla extract in large bowl to blend. Fold in bread cubes. Stir in golden raisins. Transfer mixture to 11x7-inch glass baking dish. Let stand 15 minutes. Bake pumpkin bread pudding until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare caramel sauce:
Whisk brown sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until butter melts. Whisk in cream and stir until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes.

Sift powdered sugar over bread pudding. Serve warm with caramel sauce.

Curtesy of Wildfire Restaurant, Chicago.

Ahhh, pumpkin bread pudding...yummm. Just before Halloween I made some pumpkin bread for my son who was coming home for the weekend. Forgot to put in the sugar. I think I used Ann t's recipe for bread pudding with caramel sauce, using the pumpkin bread. That stuff was so good.
Wasn't a good day for pumpkin bread though. I made another loaf, had it in the oven. I started a pot of coffee, looked around & realized I had left out the pumpkin. I had to pull the pan out real quick, pour out the batter, add pumpkin, & wash the pan. It did turn out tasty, but the bread pudding was favored.

N- I made pumpkng bread on Saturday and was about to put it in the oven when I saw the eggs on the counter. Out of the loaf pan, into the bowl and added them in lickety split...back to the oven it went and all was well.

For Pat T: Re: your lemon freeze torte - that sounds quite good! Are the lady fingers the crunchy, Italian type used in Tiramisu or the soft, spongy type? Thanks.

arline

Gosh! They all sound delish. Mom has bronchitis, and when I mentioned how chocolate would make her feel better... she interjected chocolate meringue pie with oatmeal crust. So I found my chocolate. I keep thinking something lemony too, but Lars' pie is calling out louder. If I'm gonna eat something bad, I'm not sticking to "Thanksgiving" themed, I'm eating whatever I want. I'll go back on the diet Friday (23 pounds left to lose/27 lost. Oh wait. Reverse that. Because on Friday that'll probably be 27 pounds left to lose/23 lost!). Thanks for the inspirations. These are certainly going to get looked at again and again. I haven't had my fill of pumpkin yet. Pumpkin pancakes, bread, pumpkin roll. And then the spanish roll... and...

Arline - I made my own ladyfingers. They are the sponge-type, but I let them dry out a bit. Here's the recipe I used:

HOMEMADE LADYFINGERS

2 Tblsp. butter
3/4 cup plus 2 Tblsp. sifted all-purpose flour
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
4 egg whites, beaten until stiff
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease and flour 2 baking sheets with 2 Tblsp. butter and 2 Tblsp. of flour. Mark parallel lines in the flour across the width of the tray about 4 inches apart. (If you omit this step, your cookies will spread!)

Put the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and has tripled in volume, about 8 minutes. Add the egg whites, the remaining 3/4 cup flour, the salt and vanilla, and fold to mix well until the mixture is smooth. Fill a large pastry bag with a 3/4-inch plain tube with the mixture. Pipe fingers about 4 1/2-inches in length on to the baking sheet, using the lines as a guide. Dust the ladyfingers with powdered sugar. Bake until just firm on the outside and soft in the center, 15 to 18 minutes.

Yield: 24 ladyfingers.

Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse.