Pie Night

For most families, traditions come naturally.  For blended families like ours, we have to work at it.  So when I heard of this idea I really wanted to give it a try and see if we could make it an annual tradition for our family.  Pie Night - where you get together the night before Thanksgiving and eat nothing but pie.  As I thought about it, it made sense to me.  We'll ALWAYS have the girls the night before Thanksgiving so this seemed like a great tradition for our family.  Not to mention there's never enough room after Thanksgiving dinner for all the pie you want to eat!

So, invitations were sent...

The girls and I made acorns from Nutter Butter cookies.  (Thank you Pinterest!)

The church cultural hall was decorated.

And pies filled the table.  (Yes, there's nothing but pie on that table!  The term "a slice of heaven" has a whole new meaning.)

We played Oink! Oink! and Thanksgiving charades but basketball was by far the most fun!

We also got caught up on the latest family gossip. (Sorry about the blurry picture. I'll work on my photo skills for next year.)

Hey!  Did you know Chelsea and Adam are expecting?!

 

 

All in all, I think it was a great night! I know most of you traveled an hour or more to be here. Thank you for supporting us in our endeavor to find new and lasting traditions for our family. We love you all!

 

Here are some of the recipes from that night:

Grandma's Cherry Cheesecake

2 pkg cream cheese (8 oz), softened

1/3 C sugar

8 oz Cool Whip, thawed

1 graham cracker crust (1 - 9" or 2 - 8")

1 C cherry pie filling for 9" crust or use 1 can for 2 - 8" crusts

Mix cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer until well blended.  Gently stir in Cool Whip topping.  Spoon into crust and refigerate 3 hours or overnight.  Top with cherry pie filling.

Chelsea's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake

Spice cake mix

1 big can of pumpkin

1 bag of chocolate chips

1 big container of whip cream

cinnamon

Pour spice cake and pumpkin in bowl.  Mix together and pour in chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 degrees until knife come out clean (about 28-33 minutes).  Let cool.  When ready to serve, put whip cream on top of cake and lightly sprinkle cinnamon on top also (for flavor and decoration).

Heavenly Peanutty Pie

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 C extra chunky peanut butter

1 C sugar

1-1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 C chocolate chips (can use mini chocolate chips)

8 oz Cool Whip, thawed

1 graham cracker crust

With mixer, beat cream cheese and peanut butter; blend well.  Add sugar and vanilla.  Fold in chocolate chips and Cool Whip.  Pour into graham cracker crust.  Chill at least 6 hours or overnight.