THANKSGIVING is UPON US

Well I set my table this morning and will probably change it up again...not quite happy with it kinda of a Hodge Podge of things-meaning got the paper plates this summer, mother-in-law bought me the gold ribbon runner, and couldn't pass up a good deal on the pumpkin topiaries. We will see but onto food...

Every Wednesday before Thanksgiving Queenies is a cross between a family filled Traditional home and the "best little whore house in Texas" hey no children are reading this ;-) The same people come to have breakfast and leave with the same pie orders they have been placing since 1986...as for the latter description, towards the end of our day we are pie and cookie "slingers" and will do just about anything to empty out our deli cases. That's why this year we are relaxing and having a pot luck lunch after we close. Should be an interesting mix. One person is bringing Moroccan hand pies (i will get this recipe for us) another Italian Beef and who knows what the kitchen staff has in store for us. I am going to do some oldie but goodies.

M-M-M Mousse Made Easy-

1 cup milk

2 pkgs. German Sweet chocolate (the smaller you break it up the easier)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1 large pkg. cream cheese (8 oz) Room Temp

2 large containers Cool Whip (8oz each)

Combine in small sauce pan over med heat: milk, chocolate, sugar and cocoa (if you stir the sugar and cocoa together, it will dissolve more quickly) When the chocolate is melted, combine with the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Beat this well and scrape bottom and sides a few times to be sure all lumps are dissolved. When looks like chocolate syrup, add the Cool Whip and mix well. Voila Mousse.

Artichoke, Spinach, and White Bean Dip

...found this awhile ago in my Cooking Light Magazine so some of the ingredients are low-fat but thinking you could use the good ole stuff and it will be good if not better

1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan

1/4 cup canola mayonnaise

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

S&P

1/8 tsp ground red pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (15 oz) can organic white beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14 oz) can baby artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

1 (9 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry

1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Place first 7 ingredients in a food processor, and process until smooth. Spoon into another bowl. Stir in the artichokes and spinach. Spoon the mixture into a 1 quart glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with the mozzarella. Bake at 350 for 20 min or until bubbly and brown. Serve with Pita Chips.

BEER BREAD and BROWNIES

I have been on hyperdrive for the past few weeks and after an even longer week at work I decided to stay home Saturday night and Bake. Did we have dinner that night you ask? ...NO. We "sacrificed" our waistlines to the dessert gods and had not 1 but 2 bowls of Brownie A La Mode. These aren't your everyday brownies, but Ina's Outrageous Brownies (yes the same one's i so awkwardly told her I loved at the New York Food Show). These are so RICH you really only need 1 ... but I digress. As if the brownies weren't glutinous enough, I made my mom's beer bread Sunday afternoon to go with our Minestrone Soup. This bread is so easy. I usually use 1 can of Budweiser, but we still have some Sam Adams Oktoberfest in the kegerator so subbed that. I think I prefer the Bud, but have also made it with a honey wheat beer and that was good too.

3 Cups self-rising flour

2 Tbsp sugar

1 12 oz can beer

4 Tbsp melted butter

Mix together (this dough is very dense and sticky) and bake at 350 for about 20 min then brush/pour another 3 Tbsp melted butter over the top and bake another 25-30 min.

Best warm and if you can handle it with even more butter, but good to dip in soup or in a couple of days crumble over the top of a casserole or use as the "crust" to a pot pie.

I have my Thanksgiving menu planned out and am starting to think tablescape's so I will use Michael's camera ans take a couple of pics. Let me know what you gals are making - I'm sure it will be fantastic! Love to All