So much mystery goodness…
Happy Monday!
First, an update: Last Monday, I wrote a longer than usual blog about working on my productivity skills and goals. I planned to start with getting more sleep to up my energy. My plan was to make a hard and fast bedtime. Well, that was in major conflict with my deadline schedule, and my deeply-ingrained habit of writing late at night. Sooooo, I’ve settled for getting 7-8 hours sleep a night. It’s worked out great. Between the happy light and a bit more sleep, I feel like I’m on the right track. I’m going to give it another week before I add in anything else. How are you doing on the changes you want to make?
Is your Thanksgiving week off to a good start? I’m making lists, which I always do when I’m getting ready for a big event. One reason I love Thanksgiving so much is that the food is front and center. We’re having a crowd, which is the way I like it, and I’ve added a new turkey breast recipe and braised carrots to our traditional menu of turkey, stuffing, cornbread dressing, broccoli, cranberry sauce and scalloped oysters. Plus, champagne! 🍾
Tell us what your favorite (new or old) Thanksgiving menu is–Or if you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, please share your favorite holiday feast. Comment here before midnight, Friday, November 24th to be eligible to win all the yummy books pictured above. They’re all boxed up and ready to pop in the mail.
Have a great week!
My favorite holiday feast–either thanksgiving or Christmas, depending if I’m cooking or not–is roast turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potato casserole, green ben casserole, a jello or green salad, cranberries and pumpkin and lemon meringue pies. A glass of wine or a mixed drink goes without saying. This dates back to my grandparents and the kids’ table in the kitchen Once in a while I switch something and someone always says “Where’s the green bean casserole?” Happy Thanksgiving
Happy memories of the kids’ table here, too, Janet. Delicious traditions!
Laura, the light lamp works?! Let me know, and I think you are doing quite well with your sleeping hours!!! I have several memorable Thanksgiving feasts from the past. My Mother always cooked capon, and had so many wonderful side dishes, including an Italian dish ( lasagna, stuffed shells, baked ziti) and mushrooms, peppers and onions, mashed potatoes, candied carrots and sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing made with Ritz crackers soaked in vermouth overnight, and an amazing cake. My Mother-in-law, made the very best American- style Thanksgiving: stuffed celery, black olives, dainty rolls, tomato juice, wine, cocktails, roasted turkey, two kinds of stuffing, candied sweet potatoes, cole slaw, succotash, fresh cranberries, mashed potatoes, and three home made pies: Pumpkin, apples and pecan pie with ice cream and freshly brewed coffee.
LOVE the light. It’s an investment I’m glad to have made.
Wow, two very different but equally mouth-watering menus. “Ritz crackers soaked in vermouth overnight.” (!)
My family usually does a set menu, no matter what. My husband’s family, on the other hand, uses holidays to experiment with new recipes. So in the spirit of I don’t have to cook the whole dinner this year, I’m making a family favorite, sweet potato souffle, and trying a new recipe, maple pumpkin pie in an almond flour crust. Also, a tradition is Friday after Thanksgiving we do Italian, so I’m making lasagna and a vegetarian bolognese, whcih I’m stoked to try. Got a new cookbook this week, it’s stunning. Called Naturally Vegetarian.
The Iasagna sounds amazing.
I forgot about your Friday after Thanksgiving Italian feast! And the almond flour crust sounds yummy–I would definitely try that. Happy experimenting. xx
My family don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, but we do eat turkey and sweet potatoes Have a great Thanksgiving.
Thanks, Karen. Enjoy!
We made three turkeys last year to decide how we best like to make them (we were taking it to Friendsgiving and you can’t show up with untested turkey!) So this year we knew which way to make our turkey — stuffed with aromatics and cooked in the roaster. We’ve also made it a tradition, no matter where we are, t have this odd concoction of dry jello and cool whip with cottage cheese and pineapple that is a tradition at my BFFs family. Everyone’s contributing, but we’ll have cornbread stuffing, green bean casserole, sprouts that I will politely ignore, and butternut squash soup. Oh, and Thor makes an amazing cranberry gravy.
I think we’re taking some Kentucky wine to share as well.
Cranberry gravy! Squash soup! Green bean casserole! I hope you had a great time. You have to tell the story behind the jello/Cool Whip/cottage cheese concoction–how did that tradition start?
Laura, my BFF is a St. Louis Vogel and it’s her family tradition. We had several holidays together when we both lived in Carbondale and now I’ve taken it with me. They call it a must for every holiday and now it is for us too It’s those friends who become family kind of tradition.
Love it!