I'm spending this Thursday with my mom. It's just the two of us, but our dinner will consist of turkey, cornbread dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, fruit salad, dirty rice and rolls, and a pumpkin pie for dessert. Yum.
As for my recipes, the last few years we had spent Thanksgiving with my grandfather and a bunch of family. It's always requested that I bring carrot cake. I use this recipe
Gigi's Carrot Cake. I do two layers not three and use toasted walnut pieces not pecan. And top with Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream Cheese Frosting
2 pkgs cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
powdered sugar
pure vanilla extract
almond extract
First blend together the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Or if the stuff is too room temperature, until it's well blended. (I used the whisk on my KitchenAid.) Then add in powdered sugar. I think I usually end up with 2 cups, but after 1-1/2 cups I start tasting the frosting. I don't like it too sweet. Then once it's at the right sweetness, I had probably a tablespoon and a half of vanilla and 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of almond. A little almond goes a long way and seriously almond extract makes everything better. If the frosting is too thin, put it in the fridge for 15-30 min to thicken up.
After you level the cakes, put a thin coat of frosting on and then put the cake in the fridge for at least 30 min. This sets up the thin layer and catches all your crumbs and makes your top coat look extra pretty. This is enough frosting for a good thick layer between the cakes.
I like to put walnut pieces on the side of the cake to spruce it up (toasted or not, either way makes it pretty).
edited to add: I always start with fresh carrots, peel and then grate with the food processor (the only reason I own a food processor). Someone tried to convince me that you could use carrot baby food, but I dunno about that. I also try and squeeze out the excess water from the carrots. A 32 oz bag of fresh carrots makes plenty grated for the cake.
