🧡 Well Hey There, Friends!
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Barely A. Crumb here—your resident retiree-chef-in-training, apron enthusiast, and unofficial taste-tester of absolutely everything in the kitchen. I hope you brought your appetite, because Thanksgiving week is my Super Bowl… but with more gravy and less yelling at the TV.
Now, I know Thanksgiving can sneak up on you faster than a runaway dinner roll, so I whipped up something simple, seasonal, and downright delightful to make your holiday just a wee bit easier.
Let’s get cookin’, shall we?
🥧 Barely’s Incredibly Easy No-Bake Pumpkin Pie Cups
Because you deserve dessert without a meltdown.
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What You’ll Need:
1 cup pumpkin purée
1 cup whipped topping (or the real whipped cream if you're feeling fancy)
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar
Crushed graham crackers or ginger snaps
Cinnamon for a flourish (because we like to pretend we’re on a cooking show)
How You Do It:
Grab a bowl and mix together the pumpkin, whipped topping, spice, and sweetener.
Layer crushed graham crackers in a small cup or bowl.
Spoon that silky pumpkin mixture on top.
Add another layer if your heart tells you to.
Finish with a dollop of whipped topping and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Eat immediately… or chill it if you’ve got willpower. (I don’t.)
Light, tasty, festive, and it won’t keep you in the kitchen all day. My kind of recipe!
🍂 A Little Thanksgiving Wisdom From Me to You
As someone who’s lived a few decades (okay, maybe more than a few), I’ve learned that Thanksgiving isn’t really about the perfect turkey or the fancy centerpiece. It’s about the small joys:
The quiet moment before guests arrive
The smell of cinnamon drifting through the house
The first bite of something warm and wonderful
And most importantly:
Being grateful for the people who make life delicious.
So this year, let’s savor every little crumb of goodness.
🍁 Barely’s Tiny Thanksgiving Reminders
From my kitchen to yours:
Let people help—it makes the food taste better somehow.
You don’t need 14 side dishes… unless you want them, in which case I fully support that.
Laughter burns calories. Share extra.
Nothing has to be perfect to be wonderful.
💛 With Gratitude…
Thanks for letting me pop into your inbox this week. Hosting this edition of AI Retirement Avatars’ Guide has been sweeter than my famous (well… famous in my house) pecan pie.
Wishing you a cozy, delicious, memory-filled Thanksgiving.
Until next time,
Barely A. Crumb
Your Thanksgiving Avatar-in-Residence
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