Bena Mae’s Kitchen: Thanksgiving, the day after

Thanksgiving, the day after

Today I am wallowing  in the afterglow of a fine Thanksgiving.  Everything went as though it were scripted, family together around the dinner table, the two boxers eyeing the scene from another room, the tape player turned low with strains of 40’s music, and all the traditional food that has Thanksgiving written all over it.  Sounds of “my, this is good” emanated with each forkful of food, suppressing the conversation for just a little while.
Later, pumpkin pie and coffee, accompanied by sighs of contentment,  completed the scenario.  Another happy family gathering, another year of spending a wonderful holiday together.  May it always be like this.
My daughter-in-law almost hit a glitch the day before Thanksgiving.  Deciding that she would forego the hours of chopping and basting and pie-making and standing on her feet in the kitchen for days, she ordered a complete deluxe dinner to be picked up the evening before Thanksgiving…ham, turkey, yeast rolls, corn souffle, sweet potatoes,  2 pies and several other veggies.
When she got home, after standing in a line of 20 or 30 other people who were also taking advantage of a free day from cooking, she saw that the ham was missing. She called the establishment and told them about it. They asked her to come back and pick up the missing ham.
When she returned to the store, there was still a line of people waiting to pick up their dinner.  Seeing her waiting in line, the manager called out her name and presented her with a large spiral-cut  honey baked ham..  When she proceeded to pay him for it, he refused her offer and gave her the ham with his compliments and apologies. 
The moral of the story is “there are still people with integrity and good intentions in this world.”  The proprietor could easily have taken the 40 or 50 dollar cost of the ham and pocketed it.  But he chose to take responsibility for the store’s mistake and gave her the ham.  It was a heartwarming sign that there is still goodness in the world.  Hopefully, we will still see more of this in the weeks to come.
Today, I am basking in the comfort of having a fridge full of delicious leftovers from yesterday’s meal…pumpkin pie, turkey, ham, cranberry sauce, yams, enough food to last for 3 or 4 days.
Life is good.
 

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This recipe is good for breakfast after Thanksgiving or anytime.
 
 BAKED PUMPKIN FRENCH TOAST
 
1 1/2 cup Milk
2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 teaspoon Cinnamon, ground
1 cup Pumpkin Puree
1 cup Brown sugar
Maple Syrup,
Toasted Almonds,
Shaved Coconut for garnish
1 loaf KING’S HAWAIIAN Original
    Hawaiian Sweet Round Bread
 

Preparation
Step 1
Cut KING’S HAWAIIAN Sweet Round Bread into 1-inch cubes and set aside in a large bowl.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 325 Degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet and set inside oven until mixture is ready.
Step 3
In a blender, add all ingredients except the bread and puree until smooth.
Step 4
Cover the bread cubes with the blended mixture and mix to coat.
Step 5
Pour bread mixture into skillet and bake French toast for 45 mins until toothpick comes out clean.
Step 6
Serve with maple syrup, toasted nuts, coconut and enjoy!