I’ve always liked mashed potatoes with turkey and gravy for Thanksgiving. Since my mother-in-law, whose house we usually go to for our big Thanksgiving meal makes both potato salad and scalloped potatoes instead, I haven’t had them in a while and thought it would be nice to bring them along as a side dish. So I made a big pot of homemade mashed potatoes this year. Guess what… when I got there, my mother-in-law had the same idea. It got really funny when my sister-in-law showed up with a big pot of steaming mashed potatoes as well.

Obviously there are only so many servings of mashed potatoes a person can eat in one meal and I am now stuck with a big tub of them in my fridge and we are all tired of eating them and have run out of the gravy to go on top.

So, what can I make with prepared mashed potatoes?

The Halloween candy is about gone and now it is time to focus on Thanksgiving! I love this holiday because it is so traditional. The family meets, we eat, we relax, watch football and skim the papers for the big sales for the following day.

Thanksgiving dinner is planned a week before the big day with my mother calling everyone to tell them what they are expected to prepare and bring. My dish for the last three years has been a recipe I received from a coworker.It is simple to make and is obviously delicious or she wouldn’t ask for it three years in a row!

Corn bread Casserole

1 can (12 oz) creamed corn
1 can (12 oz) sweet corn, drained
1  8.5 oz. Jiffy Corn muffin mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 stick melted butter
1 cup cheddar cheese (optional)

Heat oven to 350.  Mix all ingredients and place into a casserole dish. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove and layer with cheddar cheese. Return to oven until cheese is melted.

I double the recipe for my larger family. The double batch feeds at least 12 and more if there are various other side items to eat.

Since we’re getting close to Thanksgiving, I’m seeing sweet potatoes on sale everywhere. Like I do with my turkeys, I’d like to stock up and take advantage of the super low prices. But once I get all these bags of sweet potatoes home, what do I do with them or how do I store them?

We like to eat baked sweet potatoes with a little butter and sugar throughout the year … it’s a sidedish and dessert all in one. Other than that, I only use them for sweet potato pies that I usually bake just for Thanksgiving.

Any other ideas and / or good recipes?

Last May, I decided to make a very small garden of fresh fruits and vegetables. My soil is terrible so I left the plants in their containers. I picked up strawberries, cherry tomatoes,  green bell peppers and cucumbers.

By mistake, I picked up two plants that I thought to be red bell peppers but they were actually red hot peppers. I was able to produce a lot of cherry tomatoes, some strawberries and green peppers (though smaller in size than what I am use to eating/buying at the grocery store), only four cucumbers, and an oversupply of hot, red peppers. In fact, while all the other plants had stopped producing by July or August, my hot red peppers are still producing. And it is November!

Other than the fact that they are pretty and red,  I have  no idea what to make with them! They are too hot to add to a salad. My daughter and I have eaten a few as a “dare” by my son and I have added them to a vinegar and oil combination to make a pretty but only decent pepper sauce.

What can I make with red, hot  peppers? Any good recipes out there?

Ok, I’ll admit it … we went a little overboard on carving pumpkins this year. Now I’m stick with a bowl of cleaned and dry pumpkin seeds and no ideas on what do to with them.

I’ve roasted a few of them in a skillet with some butter and salt, which makes for a great snack, but there’s only so much of it you can eat.

What are your ideas and recipes for pumpkin seeds?

I had my Mommy’s Helper over the other day, and she has a pet turtle she’s adopted/saved. Anyway, I’m not going to ask what can I make with turtle (GROSS), but hang on — I do have a point here.

So, she has an indoor glass cage for her baby turtle and planted an asparagus plant in there for the turtle to eat. She said the plant is growing like crazy. (Although I don’t know that I’d personally eat THAT one.)

That got me to thinking. I have some containers in my back yard where I’ve planted a few things. I’m considering adding asparagus to a planter, but… I keep getting stuck on what in the world to DO with it and how to even grow the stuff in the first place.
I mean, I can figure out how to saute it or steam it or microwave it. But, eating a bunch of asparagus plain sounds awfully boring to me.

So, dear friends… what are YOUR favorite ways to eat asparagus? (And, do you have any gardening tips to grow asparagus?)
Looking forward to hearing your ideas.

My mom makes this awesome Curried Cauliflower every year for the holidays and I just love it. I’ll see if I can get her to share her recipe.

I, personally, love cauliflower cooked and served with cottage cheese and sunflower seeds on top. YUM.

What about you? I’m in the mood for some cauliflower. Any ideas for me?

I only have one way I can actually snack on Brussels sprouts. That’s microwaved, with a little butter and soy sauce.

Maybe it’s because my mom called them “Bird Brains” whenever she served them to me. I’m not sure.

I actually enjoy them that way, but I wonder if I’m missing out on some other fabulous way to eat Brussels sprouts. Do you have any great Brussels sprout recipes?

Let me have it! I’m ready to experiment!

I grew up in Northern Wisconsin and never heard of collard greens until life landed me in Pensacola, FL.

Now, my husband has falled in love with collard greens and I have NO idea what to do with them.

1. How do you clean them?
2. How do you cook them?
3. Spices?
4. How do you serve them?

Anyone have recipe ideas for making collard greens? My husband will be a happy man!

Other than the obvious — make a pumpkin pie!

When I lived in Oregon, there was a place that made Pumpkin Pie Shakes. I wonder if they used the Pumpkin pie filling to make those? Any ideas? A pumpkin pie shake recipe would be wonderful!

I’ve also had pumpkin pie where they made it with cool whip and vanilla pudding instead of baking it in the oven.

Lay it on me. I’m craving some pumpkin pie filling. Help me or I’ll be eating it right out of the can!