In A Food Mood

Twas the Monday before Thanksgiving and all through the house

The mama was fretting and stressing her spouse.

The house should be cleaner!

There's groceries we need!

And what about the place cards?

We've all got to speed!

Ok, so that's all I got but you get the point. If you're hosting Thanksgiving you might sound like that. I am trying to keep the stress out of our Thanksgiving, but it inevitably sneaks in. I thought I'd provide two easy desserts for you to make, and maybe the recipes will help you stress less.

Tarheel Pie

1 cup chocolate chips
1 stick butter
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
pie shell (I use the Pillsbury red box)

Melt butter on stove (not in microwave-- it doesn't get hot enough). Pour hot butter over chocolate chips. Blend all remaining ingredients and pour into chocolate chip/butter mixture. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake in 350 oven for 40 minutes.

This is always the first to go wherever I serve it! It's seriously good and seriously easy. It's even better served warm with a scoop of whipped cream or ice cream on it. :)

Pumpkin Crisp

1 box yellow cake mix
1 can of pumpkin (15 oz.)
1 can evaporated milk
3 large eggs
1.5 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom of 9X13 pan. Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Pour into 9X13 pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture. Top with pecans. Drizzle melted butter over pecans. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Serve with whipped topping.

This to me is better than pumpkin pie. It's like a pumpkin cobbler. I have said before that I could stick my face in the middle of it. It's that good. But then again, I've already admitted my pumpkin obsession so that shouldn't surprise you.