Thanksgiving Desserts!

So this year, my mom was in charge of dessert-- that meant I was making dessert for Thanksgiving. I made the time consuming yet best tasting mistake by watching Bobby Flay's Thanksgiving Throw down with Ree Drummond..... that feast looked amazing! So I knew I wanted to make pecan pie (cause that's my favorite) but I didn't know what else. I guess pumpkin pie would have been the other traditional choice but once I saw my mother salivating over the pumpkin bread pudding Bobby Flay made on the throw down, I knew I had to make it. I have never made bread pudding so it was a gamble-- especially since my first and only try was the product to be brought to Thanksgiving dinner. It turned out to be a disaster and then a wonderfully surprising success!

The pecan pie was awesome and simple! You can find the recipe on food network but I like how Ree Drummond explains it on her website better: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/11/pecan-pie/ Then be sure to make the whiskey maple cream sauce because that is what put this dessert over the top!!!! http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/11/whiskey-maple-cream-sauce/ Quick tip: I used the frozen pie crust because I'm not a big connoisseur of pie crust-- I don't think anyone noticed!

Then it was Bobby Flay's turn... oh Bobby... so expensive with ingredients, yet everything I make from him is amazing. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/pumpkin-bread-pudding-with-spicy-caramel-apple-sauce-and-vanilla-bean-creme-anglaise-recipe/index.html I was trying to make the pumpkin bread recipe the night before so I wouldn't have to spend all Thanksgiving morning making this.... well, one of the things I learned.... I'm a disastrous cook after my bedtime!!!! I tried to make the Anglaise and ended up scrambling the eggs and then the bread came out raw even though I tested it with a toothpick. My roommate came out to find a flipped over loaf of bread--half raw/half cooked on the kitchen counter in the morning!! I wanted to succeed at this dish though-- so I attempted it again in the morning. IT TURNED OUT AWESOME!!!!! The pumpkin bread itself is so so moist! I didn't get a chance to try the anglaise sauce again but I did make the caramel sauce. By itself, it taste a little odd with a hint of licorice (because of the star anise) but with the pudding--- oh my geez!!! I recommend if you don't want to spend tons of money on it so use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean. And if you want to attempt the Anglaise (I will again) to watch a video on it. I didn't think the eggs would scramble and then I watched a video on how to make it and it showed how not to scramble the eggs. If you don't want to make the Anglaise or Caramel Sauce then definitely try the pudding or even just the bread! This is going to be my go to dish to impress for the holidays!

Would have taken a prettier picture if I wasn't so anxious to try it!