We’re heading out of town tomorrow to Durham, North Carolina. I made the desserts for the holiday. I’m about to place the Lemon Pound Cake into the oven and I just removed the Sweet Potato Pies (I made two of them) from the oven. I’ve posted the Lemon Pound Cake recipe before, but thought I’d repost it. I’ve also posted a recipe for Sweet Potato Pie. Since the internet connection is kind of spotty at my in-laws, I doubt I’ll be blogging until sometime this weekend. I realize I still need to do the Kingsbury children’s book giveaway as well as post my views about The Shack.

So, Happy Thanksgiving! If you need dessert ideas, try the ones posted in this blog entry! Enjoy, and stay blessed!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

SWEET POTATO PIE
1 (14 1/2 – ounce) can mashed sweet potatoes or 2 large baked sweet potatoes. (I prefer the baked sweet potatoes)
3/4 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon butter or margarine melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
One refrigerated pie crust

If using baked sweet potatoes, remove potatoes from the skin and place into bowl. Mix all ingredients together, except for the pie crust. Pour into crust. Bake at 400 degrees for first ten minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 35 or more minutes until done.

OLD FASHIONED LEMON POUND CAKE

1 ½ cups butter (3 sticks)
3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (I don’t measure the lemon juice. I use the juice from one whole lemon.)
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind (I don’t measure the lemon rind. I use the rind from one lemon.)
6 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup evaporated milk

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 10-inch tube pan. Beat butter in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add sugar ½ cup at a time, creaming well after each addition. Stir in vanilla, lemon extract, juice and rind. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir thoroughly after each addition. Pour into prepared pan. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 70 to 80 minutes. If cake is not done after 70-80 minutes, bake longer, until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes; remove from pan.

GLAZE:
Sift one cup of confectioners’ sugar into a bowl. Squeeze juice of one lemon into a separate bowl. Remove seeds from the lemon juice. Mix lemon juice with confectioners’ sugar and drizzle over cooled cake.