A Heart of Thanks

Things I am thankful for:1. My husband—who goes to work everyday so his crazy wife can stay home and cook a 20 lb. turkey for the two of them (Yes, that is me and the turkey, at home, having a good ol’ time).  Who takes care of his sick wife who should really be in bed but instead spends all day with her turkey.  Who buys her curly fries to cure a cold and takes her Black Friday shopping to buy a puffy vest and a $4 mini slow cooker. 2. My home—that my dear husband bought last year to one day share with his wife.  To have a home to call my own and decorate it any way I want.  To have a place to come home to snuggle up with my husband after a long day of family feasting and coughing. 3. Leftover turkey—because two people cannot eat 20 lbs. in one day.  I am most thankful that $9 is going to feed us plenty of meat for a month and that with a little creativity, we will being eating happy.  We are talking barbecue turkey sandwich, turkey corn chowder, turkey chili, turkey and dumplings, turkey enchiladas…We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I have a lot to be thankful for…like Nyquil.  I went MIA this week because me and Mr. Turkey were busy with Mr. Cold…I am sure you understand.  But needless to say, it is very obvious how fantastic this first Thanksgiving was for Brent and I.  Though still sick, doing life with him is the best.  Now that I have him, I couldn’t do life without him.  We are blessed and I am thankful. 

I get pretty stressed with the holidays, the whole make everyone happy thing makes me crazy.  So in order to enjoy the fun parts of the holiday…cooking, decorating, being with the hubs…we celebrated our own Thanksgiving the night before and then did the family festivities the next day.  It was good to have time to ourselves and create our own new traditions as we journey through this newlywed season of life.

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We don’t do cooked fruit, so here is our take on a Thanksgiving pie… 

Oreo Pudding Meringue Pies Meringues:

4 egg whites

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup sugar

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form.  Add sugar 2 tablespoons at a time, beating at high speed until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is almost dissolved.  Fill decorating bag with large star tip and pipe meringue onto paper lined cookie sheets in spirals and pipe a border of rosettes around each base.  Bake 275 degrees for 35 mins. Oreo pudding:

1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding (following pudding directions on box)

1 tub of cool whip (I go generic and lite)

However many crushed Oreos you would like

Stir items together and refrigerate until ready to serve. Spoon pudding into meringue cups and serve with crumbled Oreos. Delish.  And don’t be ashamed of being caught eating the pudding straight out of the bowl. 

I had some extra pudding so I made baby Oreo cookie crusts in a mini cupcake pan (crushed cookies and butter), spooned pudding in each and froze.  Hello little Oreo ice cream bites!

Have any good leftover turkey ideas???