Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope everyone is enjoying their turkey dinner. I am heading out to Tina and Ian's for turkey dinner. Tina and Ian hauled 125 bales of hay yesterday, and today Lee and Ian are back out for another 125 bales today. So I am going to up with them later.

Lee was loading the bales on to the conveyor and Tina and Ian were packing them in the barn.

What was I doing you ask? I was occupational health and safety supervisor. And Master Documenter of Events.

This is Riley, Tina and Ian's chocolate lab. I captured this rare moment of him not barking.

Yesterday, before we headed out to help with the hay, I was making Pumpkin Date Squares. I got it all put together and baked them up at Tina's for dessert last night. It is quite a tasty fall recipe and they aren't overly sweet. They can be served warm or cold, and with or without a dollop of whipped cream.

Pumpkin Date Squares

Filling

• 1 cup chopped dates
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Crumble

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup butter, melted

In a saucepan, bring filling ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix crumble ingredients except for the butter. Mix until combined and with a fork, incorporate the melted butter until crumbly.

Pat half of the crumble mix into a lightly greased 8x8 pan. Spread filling over top and sprinkle with remaining crumble mix.

Bake in the center of 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden. Cool in pan on rack.

Enjoy!

A Celebratory Drink

Wow, it has been almost a month since I last posted. I have to give a big congratulations to Tammy and Jeff on the birth of baby Rebecca Lynn on September 26th. I don't have any pictures but will be sure to share when I do! She is such a little doll!

So in honor of the birth of little precious, I am having a celebratory drink. (Roll with me here) Actually, I made a new slush recipe on Saturday night and didn't have any Sprite till today. It is darn good slush! Don't have a pic of that either as it is dark and pics with flash look horrid. I got the recipe from jenng on Tasty Kitchen.

jenng's Slush

• 1 cup sugar
• 9 cups water
• 2 bags raspberry tea
• 1 can frozen orange juice
• 1 can frozen pink lemonade
• 1 can frozen limeade
• 1 26oz (750mL) black cherry vodka

In a large pot, combine 7 cups of water and sugar. Boil for approximately 1 minute and set aside.

In a tea kettle, boil remaining 2 cups of water and pour over tea bags. Steep for 20 minutes. Remove tea bags and pour into the pot.

Stir in all of the concentrates till combined. Pour in vodka and allow mixture to come to room temperature.

Pour into a large container and put it in the freezer. It won’t freeze completely due to the alcohol, but it should become slushy—thus becoming SLUSH.

Scoop into glasses till 1/2 to 3/4 full (depending on your taste) and top with soda.
Kick back, close your eyes, drink and enjoy !!!

I mixed mine in two 4L ice cream containers as it wouldn't all fit in one. Enjoy! I am!