30 Days of Thanks: Day 1

I've never done one of these daily blogs but I thought: what the heck, it's a good motivator to stay consistent with my blogging and I can't think of a better topic: giving thanks. I've found that it is sometimes hard to give thanks, in fact, it can be a lot easier to complain at times. However, I usually find myself confessing this attitude to the Lord and praying for a heart full of gratitude instead. I just finished reading the book The Hiding Place and wow! That's a testament of giving thanks in all circumstances if I've ever seen one (I would also highly recommend the book!) So here goes!

Day 1: I am thankful for my husband, Alan. He is my very best friend. He knows me inside and out. At times, I am humbled by his love because he knows me so well. He knows when my heart is ugly and sees me at my worst (usually when I'm tired and/or hungry or both!) He is the spiritual leader of our household and someone who challenges me in my own walk with Christ. He loves my family (I love his family!) He has a great sense of adventure and lives life to the fullest. Yes, I am so thankful for him.

Chocolate Kahlua Pecan Pie

My contribution to Thanksgiving this year was Chocolate Kahlua Pecan Pie. This is one of my family's favorite holiday recipes and it was fun making this yummy dessert. Here is the recipe if you want to try making it yourself! Enjoy!

• unbaked pie shell
• 6oz package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup Kahlua
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• Kahlua Cream

Melt chocolate in small saucepan, add Kahlua. Stir until smooth. In large mixing bowl hand beat eggs lightly. Stir in brown sugar, salt, vanilla, syrup, and chocolate mixture. Then stire in buter and 1 cup of pecans. Turn into pie shell . Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup pecans on top. Bake slightly below center of oven at 350 until barely set in center and pastry is light golden brown, 45-50 minutes. Remove and cool. Make Kahlua Cream right before serving:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 Tbs. Kahlua
• 1 Tbs. powdered sugar

Beat together with hand mixer until soft peaks form. Top each serving with cream.

Turkey Day

Thanksgiving Day began at 7:30am with the "Hot to Trot" 5K in Turkey Creek! Alan's family joined us and this is always a good way to get up and begin the holiday.

 The run went great, Alan set a PR with his time!

We got ready for the day and then went to serve lunch at Flenniken, which is a half-way house in south Knoxville with Alan's family.

 There was a great turn-out and all the residents were very appreciative :)

That afternoon we went to Mimi's house for lunch with the Cagle extended family.

 And that night we went to my parents' house for dinner!

It was a long day but Alan and I enjoyed every minute of it. We have so much to be thankful for!

Southern Living Chocolate Truffle Cake

My contribution to Thanksgiving dinner this year was a Chocolate Truffle Cake from one of my Southern Living cookbooks...it was a huge success! It was a sweet (and pretty) treat if I do say so myself!

It took a little while to make and decorate, so I would advise planning ahead for plenty of time to try it out!

The finished product before...

...and after! Enjoy!

Cake Ingredients

• 8 (1 ounce) semisweet chocolate baking squares
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1¾ cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2⅔ cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1¾ cups buttermilk
• unsweetened cocoa
• Chocolate Truffle Filling
• Ganache
• 2 (14 ounce) containers of Pepperidge Farm Pirouline hazelnut rolled wafer cookies

Microwave chocolate in medium glass bowl for 1 minute or until melted. Set aside. Beat butter and sugar together at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, and then chocolate and vanilla and mix until blended. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until blended after each addition. Pour batter in 3 greased 9-inch cakepans dusted with cocoa. Bake at 350 for 22 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes and then transfer to cooking racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Truffle Filling

• 4 (1 ounce) semisweet chocolate baking squares, chopped
• 6 TBS. butter
• 6 TBS. whipping cream
• 2½ cups powdered sugar

Microwave chocolate and butter for 1 minute or until melted. Stir in whipping cream. Gradually add powdered sugar, stirring until blended and smooth. On cake stand, place first cake and then spread truffle filling between each layer as you stack.

Ganache

• 10 (1 ounce) semisweet chocolate baking squares, chopped
• ½ cup whipping cream

Microwave chocolate for 1 minute or until melted. Add whipping cream and stir until smooth. Spread ganache on sides and top of cake. Break cookies into long pieces and and line the sides of the cake with them. Decorate with thick ribbon and tie or hold in place with a long pin.

Give Thanks

Alan and I had a fantastic Turkey Day. We are blessed beyond measure with each other, our amazing families, great jobs (in Knoxville!), sweet friends, and so much more. We began the day bright and early with the 'Hot to Trot' 5K in Turkey Creek. Alan's parents, Katie, Patrick and Elizabeth all joined us. Some of us ran while others walked and it was a great excuse to get out of bed and start the day!

Around noon, we went to Alan's grandmother, Mimi's, house for a delicious lunch with most of the aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Heather, McNeill, Tinsley, and Brittany

Later that afternoon, Susan and Mitchell went to pick up the 2 kids they mentor through the KLF Amachi program: 2 adorable twins- Tionna and Tion.

Then we went to my parents' house for our traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Yum!

The whole crew (minus Colin and Rachel)!

Time to be Thankful

Alan and I drove to Knoxville on the busiest traffic day of the year: the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. The drive was awful due to yucky rain, but the weather could not dampen our excitement of going home for the holiday weekend!

Thanksgiving Day morning was cold but clear, and Alan participated in the Turkey Creek Hot to Trot 5K. I didn't run with him this time because he ran for time and he is quite a bit faster than me!

That afternoon, we went to Mimi's (Alan's grandmother) house for the traditional big lunch with all of the family. It was so much fun seeing all the aunts, uncles, and cousins! The food was delicious! I even participated by bringing a dessert that is traditional to St. Louis...ooey gooey butter cake!

On Friday, we went to my parents' house to celebrate Thanksgiving with all of my family. We got there right as Christa and Annie came back from shopping all of the doorbusters. It was relaxing to just spend the day cooking, hanging out, and greeting everyone as they arrived throughout the day. We had a big dinner that night with all of my favorites...especially mom's stuffing! Yum!

Saturday, we went to the UT game! I was so excited to make it to Neyland Stadium this season! We saw several friends tailgaiting before the game which was fun and the Vols brought home a win which will mean a Bowl game too, so that was all very exciting. Later on that night we went to Barley's to hang out with some more friends.

We went to Christ Covenant on Sunday to light the advent candle with Alan's parents and Katie which was special. Before leaving to go home, we went to my parents' house for lunch to celebrate Maggie's birthday. It was so much fun being home, but with everything that we did the weekend went by so quickly. Regardless, God is so good, and we have so much to be thankful for!