Over the River and Across the Plains

“I used Grammarly’s online plagiarism checker because it has given my sentences a whole new meaning.” Without it, Eat, Pray, Love would be Eat Prey, Love.

Tis the time of the year to go over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go. As a child, I loved that saying, because we literally did just that as we drove from Connecticut to my grandparents’ farm in Massachusetts. This year my husband and I are going over the Poudre River and across wide open spaces to Oklahoma to spend Thanksgiving with my cousin’s family and my aunt. (Who knows. It might inspire another story.)

On Wednesday, the night before Thanksgiving, Cousin Meg and I are making four pies – pecan, pumpkin, chocolate pudding, and Key Lime using our dear grandmother’s recipe. For the pecan pie, we’re using nuts picked from my uncle’s tree – yum! And I’m bringing a recipe for Spicy Nuts so we can make some very addictive snacking treats using pecans.

If you’re also making a pecan pie and have leftover nuts, here’s the recipe. It’s super easy and great for football games.

Spicy Nuts

1 lb pecan halves

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 T tabasco sauce

1/4 tsp cinnamon

dash of ground cumin

1-1/2 tsp salt

2 T canola oil

2 T Kahlua (optional, but not for this cook)

Mix all in a bowl or bag. Lay out in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 8-1/2 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool.

This story is based on Thanksgivings
at my grandma’s house.

After your Thanksgiving with your family, I would love to read your version of The Night Before Thanksgiving. So send me a whole poem, a few stanzas, or funny things that happened. I’d love to hear from you!

Gobble, gobble.

Filed under: Natasha Wing