Hubby and I had a deliciously, quiet Thanksgiving this year. Owing to the fact that I had just visited with our daughter for an extended stay the end of October, our family decided we’d forgo our usual celebration in her neck of the woods and stay put, she there, us here.

Because of Nutcracker rehearsals, our ballerina daughter is unable to travel home until sometime during the Christmas holidays. So with Costco’s assistance she provided the turkey breast and fixings for the pot-luck dinner with other dancer friends who were also unable to be with their families. From the sounds of it all went well, and our daughter continues, unwittingly, towards happyily-ever-after domesticity. Little does she know… 

I opted for the help of Trader Joe’s on Thanksgiving Day. It was they who provided all the neat, little boxes filled with delicacies that only required my assistance in reheating, whether in the oven or the microwave. Doing it up in style, I transferred all the goodies into my lovely Portmeiron serving dishes.(amazon.com)

 If my hubby hadn’t been in on the game plan, he might’ve assumed I’d cooked everything from scratch. I guess I would’ve been outed since I hadn’t slaved away in the kitchen all day, while he relaxed watching football on the tely. If memory serves me correctly, I was probably decorating the house for Christmas. I’m not one for sitting still…unless I’m writing, of course.

One dish I knew I wanted to make with my own two hands, however, was a chocolate pie for my husband. It is one of his favorite desserts, as it was one of my father-in-law’s…a loving and generous man…whose soul now rests in heavenly peace.

Shopping for a box of chocolate pudding, among other things, I happened to glance at the recipe on its side. “Oh my gosh!” I thought, “I’m making this dessert!” Needless to say it was a huge hit with my husband, and me, as I’m sure it will be with you.

candy crunch pudding pie

1-1/2 cups cold milk*
1 pkg. (5.9 oz) JELL-O Chocolate Fudge Flavor Instant Pudding
1 tub (8 oz) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
2 milk chocolate English toffee candy bars (1.4 oz each), chopped**
1 OREO Pie Crust (6 oz)
Chocolate syrup***

BEAT milk and pudding mix with whisk 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 COOL Whip and all but 3 Tbsp. candy. SPOON into crust. TOP with remaining COOL WHIP and candy. Drizzle with chocolate syrup.

*I’m lactose intolerant so I used almond milk. It worked just fine.
**SKOR bars are a god option.
***Easier to use than melting BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, as recipe said.

…from my sweet tooth…to yours…buon appetito!!!(photo by Cat Cindy Lady @ allrecipes.com)

………hugmamma.  😉