Thanksgiving

I can't believe that Thanksgiving is already over and Christmas is only a few weeks away. I still think it should be the middle of September. The restaurant was closed Thanksgiving day and I took Wednesday off too so I could go to see my family for more than just a few hours. Mama , of course, had a list of things she wanted me to make when I got there Wednesday. Most of it was the usual Thanksgiving fare but I did get to try a couple new desserts(both out of my Nigella Lawson cookbook).

Sticky-Toffee Pudding

for the cake:
scant 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour
1/2 cup whole milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped rolled dates

for the sauce:
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
approx. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in little blobs
2 1/4 cups boiling water

Preheat the oven to 375 and butter a 1 1/2 quarter capacity baking dish.
Combine the sugar with the flour in a large bowl. Pour the milk into the measuring cup, beat in egg, vanilla and melted butter and then pour this mixture over the sugar and flour, stirring-just with wooden spoon -to combine. Fold in the dates then scrape into the prepared baking dish.
Sprinkle over the sugar for the sauce and dot with the butter. Pour over the boiling water and transfer to the oven. Set the timer for 45 minutes, though the dessert might need 5 to 10 minutes more. The top of the dessert should be springy and spongy when it's cooked; underneath, the butter, dark brown sugar and boiling water will have turned into a rich, sticky sauce. Serve with vanilla ice cream, creme fraiche or heavy of light cream.
Serves 6-8

I only tasted a bite before I headed back home to Statesboro Thursday afternoon but I heard that all the brothers liked it so I guess it was pretty good.

One of our things to do at Thanksgiving is try and get an updated family photo...it's always a challenge with all of us. I think we got 1 or 2 decent ones out of 10.