Mexican Thanksgiving

Sorry for the delay in my reporting on our "Mexican Holiday," as the Europeans call their vacations ("holiday").  Nonetheless, our trip to Cancun for Thanksgiving weekend was fabulous!  We enjoyed beautiful, warm weather, delicious food, great scuba diving and couple time.  It was like a little mini-post-honeymoon!  We even won a future trip to Destin, FL (my heaven) at a silent auction one evening.  We're so blessed to be able to have these little getaways during this early part of our marriage.  God is so good!

Just before boarding a boat for our Sunset Lovers Lobster and Steak Dinner Cruise

Beautiful Mexican sunset

At a benefit for disabled children at the Ritz Carlton Cancun

 

Neat idea of stones in martini glasses ... I've already done the same with the martini glasses in our wine bar

Enjoying the amazing food and drinks at the benefit

Diving the Caribbean Sea for the third time (first for us in Cancun)

Our last night on the trip

My Thanksgiving meal contributions

Tomorrow Mark and I will be headed to the Crowley parents' home for Thanksgiving meal.  Three o'clock with Rich, Judy, David, Veronica and Violet.  Katie and Paul are off to Katie's sister's home to celebrate with just-arrived Skylar!

I've just been asked to bring my traditional sweet potatoes (Mom's recipe) but have decided to contribute another side and a dessert.  Here's what I'm making:

-- Mom's Sweet Potatoes
3 large cans sweet potatoes
1 small can crushed or tidbit pineapples (I prefer chunks)
1 stick margarine or butter, melted (I prefer unsalted butter)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups miniature marshmallows
Drain sweet potatoes and place in large tupperware bowl.  Add pineapples, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and melted butter. Mix in bowl well.  Place half of the mixture in a glass baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Add one cup of marshmallows, then add remaining potato mixture. Heat in microwave oven for five minutes. Add one cup of marshmallows to top of the potatoes and heat in oven on broiler for three to five minutes to toast the marshmallows.  Serve. 

-- Green bean and rice mixture from River Road Recipes II: A Second Helping.  It's a cookbook I grew up on and one that my Aunt Maureen was kind enough to gift me for one of my bridal showers this past spring!  I don't have the book in front of me, so I can't type out the recipe right now, but maybe if I remember later, I'll post it.  I've never made this particular recipe, but it sounded good and I wanted to try contributing perhaps a new food tradition to this familial meal.

Lastly, I'm bringing
-- Mom's Derby Pie

1.5 c pecan halves
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup karo syrup
6 Tablesoons flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup margarine, melted
6 oz. semi- sweet chocolate morsels
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 unbaked 9" pie crust (I bought a deep dish pie crust this year as I've had too much liquid in the past)
1 cup whipped topping
1 shot bourbon (optional)
Combine sugar, flour and karo syrup. Add remaining ingredients {except whipped topping} and pour into unbaked pie crust. Bake at 324 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes. Serve with whipped topping. Enjoy!

Last year I also made the pie (pictured above) for Thanksgiving at the Crowleys and initially failed to include the pecans!  It's difficult to make a chocolate pecan pie without the pecans.  I blame my sister, though, as the copy of the recipe I had was one she had written down and she didn't write down the pecans.  Her excuse was that it was obvious and assumed that one would include pecans when baking the pie.  I went shopping straight from the ingredients list, though!  Ha.  I was sure to buy pecans last night at the store when I went on my shopping trip.

What are you making?  Share your recipes!