Let's Talk Turkey!

Happy early Thanksgiving!! Thanksgiving is my ABSOLUTE favorite holiday. I love everything about it: being with family, helping my mom cook eating all of her delicious food, family football games, cousin pictures, etc. etc! (Side note: I spent many hours perched on the kitchen island after school chatting away with my mom watching her cook dinner. I have her to credit for my love of good food and the ability to cook.) We always have Thanksgiving at my house with my mom's entire family and guests. It usually ends up being around 30 people and this year does not disappoint!

Thanksgiving dinner table a few years ago

I won't be in Lugano on Thanksgiving and therefore will miss my friend's Thanksgiving dinner. I decided I still needed a little bit of Thanksgiving anyway so I decided to make pie. My mom sent me some Libby's pumpkin (one can for the pie and another for options like pumpkin oatmeal, which I am really excited to try next week), necessary spices and Nana's famous Pumpkin Pie recipe.

Surprisingly, Switzerland does not sell many baking ingredients like brown sugar, baking powder baking soda etc. Luckily, the only ingredient I was lacking for this recipe was brown sugar. I ended up attempting to make my own with white sugar and molasses, but due to the fact I don't have a mixer or blender it didn't really take on the brown sugar look...however, the proportions were correct so I threw caution to the wind and used it anyway. After a little over an hour of baking the pies were done.
My room now smells a little like Thanksgiving and I am really enjoying it. Tomorrow I'll bring the pie up to class so we can all have a little bit of home!

Finished Pumpkin Pie!

I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving! And in the spirit of Thanksgiving a little list with a few things I am thankful for :)

• A loving family
• Amazing friends
• My health
• My freedoms 
• My life
• The ability to travel and explore
• The Fall season & all things "fall"
• Good food & fine wine
• The Adirondacks (especially the escape & beauty it provides)
• Skype/iMessage (to easily keep in touch!)
• Coffee
• Colgate
• Photos & scrapbooks
• Laughter
• Fireplaces