HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Happy Thanksgiving.  Due to a me rushing around, yesterdays recipe was missing 2 ingredients.  I have made it correct.  So sorry.

Have a beautiful day!

Ciao
Grayce

LEMON BARS

Good morning everyone.  Well today is the big day.  My eight year old Grand Daughter, Christina is going to be helping me get ready for Thanksgiving.   We are going to be baking the pies, making the stuffing,  making the cranberry relish and brining the turkey.  She is our little cook.  I think she will definitely replace Giada on TV in a few years!  Today I have a quick Lemon Bar recipe.  Cindy asked me for it yesterday, so I thought I would share it with you all today.

LEMON BARS

Base:

2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup of butter
Dash of salt

Topping:

2 cups of sugar
4 eggs slightly beaten
4 tablespoons lemon juice
Grated rind of one or two lemons (I use two)
1 tsp baking powder
4 tablespoons flour

Sift flour, sugar and salt into a bowl.  Cut in the butter.  Press into a greased and floured 13x9x2 pyrex baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Topping

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and pour over the base  Bake for 25 minutes more.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar after baking.  Cool before cutting.

LEMONLICIOUS!

Thanks for stopping in today
Ciao
Grayce

POLENTA AND SQUASH

Hi everyone, you are probably busy getting ready for Thanksgiving, as am I.  I just wanted to give you a last minute recipe that you may want to include in your Thanksgiving dinner or maybe with leftovers the next day.
This is a recipe I developed a few years back and my family loved it.  If you don't make it this week, try it soon.

POLENTA AND SQUASH

Serves 4 to 6

1 box of Valsugana Polenta
6 cups of water
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 pkg of cubed butternut squash (in produce section)

Cook the polenta as directed, when done add the cheese and butter, stir to mix and turn out onto cookie sheet or cake pan making sure the polenta is about 1" high.  Let cool completely.  Meanwhile, cook the squash just until tender.  Drain and set aside.  When the polenta is cool, cut into 1" square pieces.  Put in a bowl and toss with granulated sugar.  Put them back on the cookie sheet.  In a large sauce pan melt 1 stick of butter, add 1/2 cup maple syrup, cook just until heated.  Add the squash.  Turn heat to warm.  Heat oven to broil.  Put the polenta squares under broiler just until the sugar lightly browns.  Remove.  Put the squash and sauce in a large bowl, add the polenta squares and toss gently just to coat.  Sprinkle with a little grated parmesan and serve immediately.

Thanks for stopping in today
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE
Ciao
Grayce

HELLO EVERYONE

The book is coming along really well.  Linda and Bonnie are going to be taking photos for me soon.  I wanted to share a nice note that I received from one of my followers in Australia.

She is a friend of my daughter Linda:

Hi Linda,

I just wanted to say that I love your Mom's blog.  I was referring to it for some dinner ideas before heading out to the grocery store.  She's so incredibly upbeat and positive.  I'm in awe.  She has an admirer from all the way down under.  xx to you four.

It's little notes like that, that keep me feeling so good about my blog.  Thanks to all of you who read the blog, send me notes, thanks and encouragement.  It really makes it all worthwhile.

Thanks to all of you
Ciao
Grayce

DOLCE DI PRUGNA ITALIANO

Hope everyone had a great weekend.  We were lucky to have escaped the rain for Saturday and Sunday which made for Happy Trick or Treating.

One more dessert recipe from my up and coming book.  There won't be that many dessert recipes because we mostly had fruit and cheese on our table for dessert.  Here is one that I got from an Amish friend years ago. Great for this time of year when Italian Prunes are plentiful.  You can also use Plums, or Apples or Pears.  But I love the Prunes.

1 cup sifted cake flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
4 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tablespoons shortening
2 egg yolks
6 to 8 prunes cut in half and pit removed

 TOPPING

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick at room temp)
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
Mix together and crumble over the top of the prunes

Sift dry ingredients together.  Cut in shortening.  Beat egg yolks with a fork and combine with milk.  Mix well and add to the dry ingredients.  Beat well.  Pour into a greased 9" x 9" cake pan.  Top with the prunes face down.  Cover with the topping and bake at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes.

Serve warm alone or with whipped cream or ice cream.

Thanks for stopping in today
Ciao
Grayce