The Tuesday Before Thanksgiving

I did some cleaning today. My main thing to get cleaned today was the window in front of my kitchen sink. I took the mini blind down and took it into the bathroom, filled the tub with hot water and then sprayed the mini blind real good with Grease Lightening and then put the blind into the hot water and let the grease Lightening do its thing. After it stayed in the water for a little bit I lifted it up and took the shower sprayer and sprayed it really good, then I laid it on a towel that I had laid on the floor and let it dry for a bit.

Grease Lightening is amazing! That blind was really yucky and now it looks like brand new! I can now look out of my kitchen window and not see spots all over my window. lol The view from my kitchen window is all wooded area and sometimes if I'm standing at the window at just the right time I can spot a deer or two. If I think to do it tomorrow I'll take a pic and show you all what it looks like while standing at the kitchen window. While the blind was soaking I washed the window and threw the valance into the washer.

I got everything put back up and then started on dinner. We had pinto beans for dinner tonight along with some cornbread. It was so good, plain, cheap and simple and it really hit the spot.

After dinner Eric, Matt and I went to Best Buy, Circuit City (it's so nice to have those stores so close to our house now) and Ukrop's (a locally owned grocery store). I was just going into Ukrop's to get a loaf of Baguette bread for my hot artichoke dip (see recipe below) and ended up spending over $40.00. :x We are invited our neighbors house Thanksgiving evening for dessert and the hostess said if I wanted to bring something that would be great so I'm taking The "BIG" Cookie (see recipe below), so I had to get the stuff to make that. I'm making one for us also, my kids said I had to make one for dessert. I'm also making some crock pot meatballs for my daughter April's boyfriend, Curtis. He loves them, this will be his first year coming to my house for Thanksgiving and I wanted to make these especially for him, so I bought the stuff to make those and I bought a few little odds and ends that I needed. I really don't want to go to a grocery store tomorrow if I can help it, the grocery stores are going to be SO busy tomorrow!

Hot Artichoke Crab Meat Dip

Recipe by: The Pampered Chef

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 cup mayonnaise

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped

8 oz. crab meat, chopped (real or imitation, real is better)

3/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions with tops

1 lemon

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper

Additional sliced green onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine cream cheese and mayo. Press in garlic. Zest lemon to measure 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Add lemon zest and all remaining ingredients EXCEPT red pepper and additional sliced green onions to bowl and stir gently until well blended. Spoon into Deep Dish Baker. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Sprinkle with red bell pepper and additional green onions.
Serve with Baked Pita Chips, sliced french bread rounds, Baguette bread, or crackers.

Chocolate Chip Sensation

AKA The "BIG" Cookie

Recipe by: The Pampered Chef

1 pk refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

8 oz cream cheese; softened

1/3 c sugar

1 pt half and half

1 pk instant pudding mix;-chocolate

1/4 c nuts; chopped

Preheat oven to 375.
Roll cookie dough into a ball and flatten. Roll out dough into a 13" circle on baking stone. Bake cookie for 12 - 15 minutes or until browned. Let cool 10 minutes. Loosen crust from stone. Cool completely.
Combine cream cheese and sugar; set aside.
Combine half and half and instant pudding. Let set until firm, about 5 minutes.
Spread cream cheese mixture on thoroughly cooled cookie base. Layer pudding mixture on thoroughly cooled cookie base. Layer pudding mixture over cream cheese layer. Sprinkle chopped nuts over cookie.
Chill until served.