I hope everyone had as nice a Thanksgiving as I did. I had dinner with That Joplin Woman, dinner with the Evans family and mashed potatoes and corn with the Roets family. I was one happy pilgrim.

I thought my mother was trying to pull a fast one on us by trying a new recipe, when we are all about tradition and knowing what to expect.

We pulled the ham out of the oven, uncovered it, and I asked her why she put sauerkraut on the ham. She informed me it was pineapple. Made more sense, but it sure looked exactly like sauerkraut.

The three meal offerings of desserts alone were mindboggling. Pumpkin pie, peach cobbler, coconut cream pie, chocolate cake, pecan pie, cherry pie and apple pie plus a couple others I didn’t even have time to see made me want to do what I love to do at dinner — eat dessert first. But, I refrained and was still able to enjoy the meal and the dessert.

Our Texas kids were here this year to celebrate with us and I could not have been happier. My 4-year-old grandson, Atlas, crawled into bed with me the first night, so excited that they had just arrived at around three in the morning.

He was in no hurry to go back to sleep. Each time I thought he had dozed off, he would surprise me by getting right in my face and saying “barbecue.” Never did figure out what that was all about but it made me laugh. I decided I could sleep when he went back to Texas so I was happy to stay awake with him as long as he wanted.

I’m looking forward to this Saturday. I will be one of the judges for the gingerbread house competition. This will be a big deal, staged at Memorial Hall and sponsored by the Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau.

If you are interested in joining the fun, give them a call and get entered. It will be run like the Food Network challenges: The basic gingerbread house materials will be supplied and contestants will add their own special touches in the four hours allowed.

For those familiar with the television challenges, you will appreciate the fact that I may wear a headband and speak with an accent to give the “Kerry Vincent effect.” Kerry is kind of feared as a judge, so I hope the headband is where the similarities end.

If you have never made a gingerbread house before, maybe this is a good year to give it a try. Even those kits they sell at the store give you a nice little house without any extra ingredients.

Now would be a good time to use that leftover Halloween candy for dressing up that gingerbread house. Or, you can get a good recipe and start your house from scratch. Gingerbreadlane.com suggests first cutting your house out of cardboard then using the pattern to cut your dough to the right size.

Also, right out of the oven is the time to do any trimming, while the dough is still warm. Waiting too long will probably mean broken panels if you try to reshape.

A funny thing about gingerbread recipes: They are not easily doubled. They just don’t work as well, so if you need more than one batch, make more than one batch.

The house is easier to put together if you use a pastry bag filled with icing for better aim at your mark. Pipe onto one piece then press the other piece into the icing. Hold it in place or, better yet, prop the sides up with a can of green beans or similar size cans. The cans are heavy enough to keep most walls in place.

For the perfect icing, combine 3 egg whites, 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tarter and 1 (16 ounce) box confectioner’s sugar. Beat for seven minutes, and voila, you are ready for construction.

Decorations are only limited by your imagination. If you are doing really elaborate decorations, it may be easier to decorate before putting the house together. It may be a little harder to prop up for drying, but something could be figured out with a kabob stick or maybe a small spatula with the bottom leaning against a book.

Your gingerbread house will stay pretty for weeks, so create your own masterpiece. And, don’t forget to make a gingerbread man with the leftover dough. I always remember biting off the head of the cookie first, equating that to licking the center of an Oreo first. It’s just the way it should be done.

As I browse through my Joy Harvester’s recipes, it’s difficult to narrow it down to three to share with you. The first pick, however, was easy.

My friend Melba Ebright’s recipe for busy people was calling my name. You know I love those slow cooker recipes and you know I love potatoes.

Fern Ellis shared her recipe for chicken on Sunday. I think you could call it chicken anyday.

And, Maxine Hampton reminded me of a recipe I printed several years ago and it’s time for a rerun. The Adam and Eve’s apple dumplings really are delicious and really do contain Mountain Dew. This is one of those recipes that make you wonder how people come up with these ideas. But, this one is genius and sure works great.

Thank you to my Joy Harvester’s hostess Beverly McKelvey for the fish pin cushion she made. It’s too cute and so handy.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week and happy eating!



Recipe for busy people

2 pound package frozen hash browns, partially thawed

2 cans cheddar cheese soup

1 (13 ounce) can evaporated milk

1 small can French fried onion rings

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients, saving half of the onion rings. Pour into greased crock pot. Cook on low for 7 to 9 hours or on high for 3 hours. Sprinkle remaining onions on top before serving.



Chicken on Sunday

1 stick oleo or butter

1 (2 pound) chicken, cut up

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of celery soup

2/3 cup milk

7 ounces Minute rice

1 packet onion soup mix

Salt and pepper

Melt butter in baking dish. Mix soups, milk and rice; pour into baking dish. Place chicken in dish and sprinkle with onion soup mix. Cover; bake at 300 degrees for 2 hours.



Adam and Eve’s apple dumplings

2 cooking apples (Fuji work well), peeled, cored and cut into 8 slices each

2 sticks butter

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 (12 ounce) can Mountain Dew (not diet)

Place 1 slice of apple in each triangle of crescent dough; roll up from wide end. Place in sprayed 9 x 13-inch baking pan. In saucepan, melt butter and mix in sugar and spices. Pour over dumplings. Pour on Mountain Dew. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with ice cream if desired.

Address correspondence to Cheryle Finley, c⁄o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, Mo. 64802.