Good morning! One more day until Thanksgiving I’m hoping work passes by quickly today, because I’m really excited about going home for the holidays.

Last night’s baking was 96.3% successful. I made three pies. All seem edible, and two are attractive. Pretty good for a girl who has never made a pie. Disclaimer: I did NOT make my own crust. I am not that impressive.

I got the first two pie ideas from the lovely and endlessly insightful Abby. Pie numero uno was a Praline Pumpkin Pie.

I wish I would have taken a picture of the praline layer on the bottom. So luscious. If I liked pumpkin, I would be all over this bad boy.

Next up was a PHILADELPHIA 3-STEP Pumpkin Cheesecake.

If I decide to indulge in dessert, this will probably be where I turn. There is only half a cup of pumpkin in this guy and 2 packages of cream cheese. Right up my alley. However, I usually tend to turn down desserts on holidays and get seconds, thirds and tenths of the mac ‘n cheese, mashed potatoes, and random veggies. I love me some warm cheesey carbs.

The third and final pie was a traditional pumpkin pie, since the original task I was given was to bring a pumpkin pie – and the other two are variations. I used the Libby’s recipe.

I put that foil around the edges as a suggestion from my mother, who said it would help keep the outer crust from burning. She was right about that, but my pie was overflowing and so some the filling seeped onto the outer crust and caused the foil to congeal to the dough. So, when I took the foil off much of my crust went with it This was the 3.7% fail. The pie innards smelled just like my Grandma’s pumpkin pie though, so I’m hoping people will enjoy it even though the store-bought crust is all crumbly.

Since I don’t like pumpkin, I didn’t do a whole lot of “quality checking” like I usually do when I bake. So I was more than excited for my dinner – Cranberry Apple Sauce Oats.

I just cooked up some oats and topped them with cold apple sauce and some chopped pecans. It was truly magnificent. The cold/hot combo was a sensory delight and all the spices in the apple sauce really took the oat experience to a new level for me, since I never really add that much stuff to my oatmeal.

I baked and oatmealed while watching The Biggest Loser, and at some point I got in some ab work (Jillian makes me to planks every time I watch that show) and some random arm exercises. Then I bathed, packed for tonight, and hit the hay. One benefit of being super busy and stressed? It knocks me out at night! I think I fell asleep before 11 both nights this week.

Have a good Wednesday guys! Whether you’re on holiday already, finishing up your workweek or living outside of the USA and celebrating Hump Day