Orange You Glad it's a Holiday?

... I sure am.

Even though I'm 3,000 miles from my parents and sister, I still enjoyed a beautiful day of celebration with my family away from home.

The day started with a pre-feast cleansing breakfast:

green juice, raspberries and a shot of aloe vera juice

Then I got to baking.

First up: Pumpkin Loaf

... I've been a cravin' a slice of this since seeing Caitlin add it to her breakfast every morning for the past week. I had to have some for myself.

First, make the wet mix

then the dry

Put 'em together.

Gather and prep your baking equipment

Then proceed to pour

Pop 'em in the oven- 50 minutes for the loaf, 30 for the muffins- and wait...

Well, that's if you have a normal working oven built after 1965.

If you have my oven, you just gotta pray...

or have a great carving knife to remove the excess burnt edges.

Luckily, the inside was perfect, moist and delicious

I'd be lying is I said said I wasn't A LOT disappointed, but it's all good... I just feel bad for my landlord because I'm not going to STOP bugging him until there's a new stove in.my.kitchen.

The next project of the morning: Sweet Potato Casserole.

I've made one of these in the past, but today I used a less sugary recipe brought to you by the fabulous Angela. It was a total crowd pleaser- practically jumped out of the casserole dish.

Wash and fork stab your yams

Wrap 'em in an aluminum foil blanket and bake for around 45 minutes in a 450 degree oven

Peel them, add Earth Balance (or butter of your choice) and MASH

...

Add 5 of these

One of these

And all of this

Time for the sweet n' crunchy topping...

Put the yam mixture in the dish,

then add the topping,

bake et voila

Amazing.

The spread

My [first] plate

My gorgeous table neighbor

After the feast, there was a whole lot of this

then some of this.

She had a piece of pie the size of her head

And we lounged.

Which brings me to what I'm grateful for...

My family and friends, my love, coffee; a body that allows me to exercise and devour my favorite foods; a mind that lets me think, read and write this blog, all of you out there in cyber world that inspire me to keep writing; for hopes and dreams; California and the east coast.

The fact that I'm going home for Christmas after 2 years of being away.

And seconds on pie...

Always seconds on pie.

Happy Thanksgiving!