Birthday Celebration!!

March 3rd is our son-in-law Josh's birthday!!  We are going to be out of town so will celebrate early.  Since I have time I'm really enjoying planning special days for our kids (and our extended family members, but that's another post).  Josh requested pulled pork and cookie dough ice cream pie for dinner.  I am filling in the rest of the sides and my mom is making a rainbow jello.

Here are a couple of the favorite family recipes I'm using tonight:

 

 To the pulled pork I added a can of pineapple tidbits.  Jaclyn, my daughter, always makes it that way and so I did it before remembering that Josh might not!  Oh well, he is a good sport.

My sides tonight are steamed vegetables and baked red potatoes.

I also made this salad.  It's one of my families favorites.  The changes I've made include: 
Cooking the green onions in the microwave for a minute and cooling before adding to cabbage and noodles.  I think 3 T. sunflower seeds and only 1 T. sesame seeds is a better fit.  I also like to use toasted almonds.  A baking sheet full toasts at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, stirring once.  Cool before chopping and adding to salad.  You could also add cooked, chopped chicken to this salad and make it a meal.

 Birthdays at our house include several traditions:  1) the Happy Birthday tablecloth made years ago by Aunt Sheryl.  2) A Bible promise in the fortune cookie.  Josh's promise for 2014 is Isaiah 30:18.  "The Lord LONGS to be gracious to you.  He RISES to show you compassion.  The Lord is a God of justice, blessed are those who wait for Him." 3) We take a picture of the birthday boy (or girl) while still in bed. 4)  The birthday boy (or girl) gets to choose their favorite dinner and dessert. (below)

 

 

    

 ICE CREAM PIE - QUICK & YUMMY!
-Butter a 9 x 13 pan and freeze. 
-Crush 11 whole graham crackers and mix with 6 T. melted butter or margarine.  Spoon into pan, pressing into bottom and maybe a little up the side.  Refreeze for at least 10 minutes.
- Fill with your choice of softened ice cream
- Drizzle chocolate syrup over ice cream
- Carefully top with cool whip.  Freeze until ready to serve.

The Pecan Pie was a surprise.  My mom had made it for Thanksgiving dinner and Josh liked it!  I'm a horrible pie crust maker but had just been to a class (another post) so thought I'd give it a try.  Rolled out easier, boosted my confidence but still fell into pie while in the oven.  I was pleased that my dough numbers did show back up after the pie cooled.  Here's the Betty Crocker Cookbook recipe I used:

Prepare pastry for 9" one-crust pie.  Chill while preparing filling.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Filling:

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 c. butter or margarine, melted
• 2/3 c. sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 c. pecan halves or broken pecans (I prefer smaller than a half size)

Beat eggs, sugar, salt, margarine and syrup with hand beater until well mixed and foamy.  Stir in pecans.  Pour into pastry-lined pie plate.

Bake until set, 40 to 50 minutes.  Cool slightly.  Serve warm or refrigerate.  I made in the morning so refrigerated and set in the warm oven after taking out dinner.  (Turned oven off).  This warmed the pie in time for dessert.  Serve with whipped topping.

Happy 29th Birthday Josh!!  It was fun!