Category: Holidays

Holidays

I Love Christmas Cards

Lora Knows...

cardsI love Christmas cards! I like to sneak off to my local Hallmark store, alone, and browse browse browse. Going alone allows me the freedom to compare, choose, and buy without anyone complaining about the level of their boredom.

When I get home I make a hot cup of chai and sit down with the cards that made this years cut. Then it is time to go through the mailing list. I always tell myself I will keep it up during the year, but that never seems to happen. So, then I have to take time to to remove some, add some, and update others.

I think it just adds that little something special to the holidays to receive a handwritten card, in a handwritten addressed envelope, with that Hallmark seal on the back, and a postage stamp.  It is something I have done since my teens, and reminds me of my wonderful Gran who did the same.

Now that the cards are here, it is time to get started on the first of many boxes. Once finished it will be time for the next phase of the holiday season. Wrapping. Good grief, I need to remember to buy tape. Alexa, add tape to the shopping list!

Cooking, Holidays

Pumpkin Surprise

Lora Knows...

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and that means more than family, football, and turkey. It means pumpkin. Through the holidays we will be on pumpkin overload. Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin soup, pumpkin risotto, and of course pumpkin pie.

I don’t mind pouring all the love and time into a traditional pumpkin pie, but it really isn’t my favorite. My fave isn’t even a recipe that has been handed down, or even one that has to be put in the oven. It is a no-bake “Double Layer Pumpkin Pie”.

It has been lovingly renamed “Pumpkin Surprise”, because the whipped topping is on the bottom. I also think it has become my favorite, because it has started a tradition with my nieces. They love helping me make this quick and easy recipe. Plus, their giggles are priceless when they shout “surprise, it’s upside down!” when someone cuts into the pie.

INGREDIENTS

84 oz cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

1 cup cold milk

2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix

1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, whisk together cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of milk, and sugar until smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spread into bottom of crust.

Pour 1 cup of milk into large bowl, and thoroughly mix in pudding mix, pumpkin, cinnamon. When thickened, spread over cream cheese layer.

Refrigerate 4 hours.

NOTE: Chilling the crust before adding the first layer and then again after the first layer helps the pie to set and will help avoid the layers mixing together.