I'm Thankful for Turtle Pumpkin Pie!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.  As with many holidays here in Kitimat, this year we got together with a group of friends and had a Thanksgiving Dinner Potluck.  I love these holiday meals; in addition to the great time we have spending time with our Kitimat friends, we get to try out recipes that, while new to us, are time-honoured traditions in our friends families.  I volunteered for dessert duty on both Thanksgivings we have spent in Kitimat, and although my dessert of choice may not be a traditional family recipe, it is quickly becoming a tradition in my new household, and at our Thanksgiving potlucks!

Last year my mother introduced me to Turtle Pumpkin Pie.  My sister was making it for our family's Thanksgiving Dinner, and as Mom was describing it I knew it would be the perfect dessert to take along to our Thanksgiving Dinner!  I personally love traditional Pumpkin Pie, however some people don't enjoy it, although interestingly enough they almost always like pumpkin flavoured foods (lattes, cookies, and the like).  My theory is that it is the heavy cooked pudding consistency of pumpkin pie that they don't like.  And fair enough; these are probably the same folks who take a pass when bread pudding or custard is on the menu.

Turtle Pumpkin Pie, a Kraft Foods concoction, takes the flavour of pumpkin pie and puts it into a sweeter, fluffier form.  It still uses canned pumpkin, but instant vanilla pudding mix, milk, and Cool Whip are added to make a delightful cream pie filling that is spooned into a graham cracker crust lined with caramel topping and pecans (just like a Turtles chocolate, see?)  The pumpkin filling is topped with lots of Cool Whip and then drizzled with more caramel and a sprinkle of pecan pieces as the final touch.  It's really rich and yummy, and will change the mind of many pumpkin pie opponents.  

Another great thing about Turtle Pumpkin Pie?  It's super easy to make; in fact, it's no-bake!  It only takes an hour to set up in the refrigerator, so you can even prepare it while the turkey's cooking. It doesn't get any better than that! (Oh alright, I suppose if it were calorie free...)

Here is a link to Kraft Canada's recipe for Turtle Pumpkin Pie.

I decided to roast a turkey for us on Monday so we could have "leftovers" during the week.  We especially love making Hot Turkey Sandwiches, and Turkey Leftover Sandwiches (with stuffing and cranberry sauce).  My project for tomorrow is to make Turkey Soup from my turkey frame (I always make sure to leave lots of turkey on the frame for the soup!) I decided to go traditional with this turkey and simply stuffed it with bread stuffing made form my Mom and Nana's recipe, and seasoned it with butter and poultry seasoning.  Sometimes, the heart just needs tradition!  Although, I will admit that I broke out my fancy turkey basting kit and injected some melted REAL butter into the meat before popping it into the oven.  It was unbelievable!

Of course, having a turkey with all the trimmings in the fridge leads to lots of late night snacking!  I will have to make sure I get in lots of walks this week!

I've enjoyed sharing some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes and traditions with you over the last few posts.  The next big celebration?  Halloween, of course!  I've started decorating and planning already, and we picked up a batch of candy and treats for the trick or treaters when we were in town this week.  As well, I have lots of wonderful homemade treats planned! And of course, I'm looking forward to sharing it all with you!

In closing, I'd like to thank everyone who commented on Friday's post; what an outpouring!  You made me feel great!  I am still catching up with visiting everyone who visited my blog last week and on Monday, but rest assured I will be stopping by your blogs soon!  

Have a wonderful week (it's halfway over already!).  See you on Friday!!!