Sara's Sweet Surprise

MY THANKSGIVING IS GOING TO POT!

 

The table will be set.

Our star guest Mr. Tom will be sitting center stage waiting for his accompaniment.

 

For many years this was our traditional Thanksgiving side dish..."sweet potato casserole."  Loaded with toasty, gooey marshmallows.

That is until......one year when inspiration and (marshmallow) boredom hit.   That's when a  new (side dish) star was born and my Thanksgiving went to pot.

"POT PIE" that is.

Here's the how-to's for my.....

Sweet Potato Apple Streusel  Potpie.

SWEET POTATO FILLING

2-3 29 oz cans cut sweet potatoes or

the equivalent of  baked sweet potatoes.

1-20 oz. can (no sugar added) apple pie filling
1/2 c. diced apple 

Combine drained sweet potatoes, apple pie filling and diced apple. 

Spoon half of the  sweet potato filling into a baking dish. 

Spread an even layer of the streusel topping over the filling.

Repeat with the remaining filling and topping.

Bake 350 degrees 25-35 mins

STREUSEL TOPPING:

    3-4 tbsp. butter, semi firm
 1/2 c. (give or take) flour or Bisquick

1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 c. coarsely chopped pecans 

1/2 c.coconut (optional)

PUMPKIN SHAPED SHELL 

and

FALL LEAVES

Using prepared pie crust

(Trader Joes has phenomenal frozen pie dough sheets).

 

Before rolling dough out, brush various autumnal colors of food coloring in random spots.

Leave some of the natural color as well.

Roll  dough, then

with a maple leaf cutter stamp a variety of sizes. 

For the veining gently score the leaf with a paring knife. 

Using the back of a mini bundt  or  jumbo muffin pan coat it generously with oil.  (I used a coconut spray oil , but any oil will do).

Cover the individual  pan shapes with pie crust (I cut the crust that's going to be the top shorter)

 Baste the shell with food coloring.

This is only necessary if you want the shell to resemble a pumpkin

Bake until golden brown.

Fill your baked pumpkin shells with the piping hot...  

Sweet Potato Apple Streusel.

 Top with a  dollop of whipped cream.

Thanksgiving wouldn't be complete without a few gifts of gratitude.  Sweet pumpkin and acorns shared with family and friends.

The acorns and pumpkins are this years fun discovery that I'm ecstatic about making (showing major restraint in not inhaling every
one of them).
How classic do these lil' pumpkins look in white.

  I will be posting the blogger who has the directions, along with a major change I made to the original recipe.  You can choose either option.

(you can convo me if you need the directions before Monday)

This is the magazine I found the acorns, plus many other wonderful Thanksgiving and Halloween ideas.