Thanksgiving Food and Thoughts

I have several fancy-schmancy bundt pans, and today I chose to use 'The Rose.' Somehow, the food just seems to little taste better when the table is pretty, the candles are glowing and a few special touches are added here and there.

Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Buttermilk Icing

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (15 oz can)
3/4 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs

For icing:
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons buttermilk (well shaken)
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bundt pan generously, then dust with flour and knock out the excess.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt in a bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, 3/4 cup buttermilk, and vanilla in another bowl.

Beat 1 1/2 sticks butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Then add eggs and beat 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add flour and pumpkin mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until batter is just smooth.

Spoon batter into pan and smooth top. Then bake about 45 to 50 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick or skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a rack 15 minutes. Then place rack over cake and flip the cake onto rack. Cool 10 minutes more.

For icing:
While cake is cooling, whisk together buttermilk and confectioners sugar until smooth. Drizzle icing over slightly warm cake, then cool cake completely.

Thanksgiving was rather simple around here this year. Jarad couldn't come home, and because I must work tonight I was not be able to go to my Daddy's house, the place we usually all gather for the holidays. So it was just me, Justin, Savannah, 2 of my clients and Andi, of course, who scampered around the table in search of whatever may have landed on the floor. A friend stopped by and brought a pumpkin pie, and another friend came bearing the biggest, prettiest poinsetta I've ever seen. I'm wonderfully blessed to know a handful of folk I can truly call 'friend.'

Regardless of how many or how few gathered around my table today, I know have much to be grateful for. I'm thankful to know and serve the one and only living God---the God who allowed me to be born in this wonderful country of freedom and plenty. May I never forget that my plight could have been much, much different. I have a wonderful family, a precious grand daughter, a sweet place to call home, and the ability to make a good living. I walk in good health and I'm free to gather with believers and worship God any time I so desire. God is good. All the time. And I am thankful.