Home Decor, 1 Week to Go!
Thanksgiving is only a week away! Halloween seems like yesterday~
I just love pumpkins and I’ll keep them as long as I can~
What is your upcoming holiday plan?
I keep things simple this time of year, and try not to stress out before all the holiday cheer
Between the Halloween goblins and the Christmas elves,
Keep things to a minimum, we need to rest ourselves!
We’ve stocked the bar
and the menu is done~
Pretty soon we’ll start cooking, and that will be fun!
My son is going to brine the turkey with the recipe and instructions found here, on Big Green Joe a blog about cooking on a Big Green Egg ceramic cooker. Yep, that is the way we’re rolling this year, turkey cooked on the Big Green Egg. Before cooking he is going to stuff it with lemons, oranges, onions, garlic and thyme.
I just happen to have some lemons! A special friend just gave us a bushel full! Look at the size of them!
Did you know you can freeze lemons? For more lemon uses click here~
For the side dishes HHjr and I chose 2 recipes that we experimented with this fall, and 2 recipes from our favorite Food Network stars, Bobby Flay and Guy Fieri.
Green Beans Clementine [there’s lemon in this too!] is a light dish to balance out some of the heavier ones. It is also a cold or room temperature dish, which frees up precious room in your refrigerator and oven. You can also make this one day ahead! We are changing the pecans in this dish to almonds since the sweet potatoes have pecans in them.
The Squash Gratin is a yellow squash casserole that was adapted from the Blackberry Farms cookbook. It is made with grape tomatoes and Manchego Cheese…it might sound like a strange choice but it is sooooo good and it will balance so well with all the other dishes.
For the most important Stuffing or Dressing~what do you call it?~ we are relying on Food Network’s super star, Bobby Flay. We chose his Sourdough, Wild Mushroom and Bacon Dressing.
Whiskey Glazed Sweet Potatoes from Guy Fieri finish the list of sides, it’s your basic sweet potato casserole amped up a with a little flavor boost of whiskey
Dessert is actually being brought by my SIL so that will be something festive for sure~ and I don’t know what it will be so I put 2 of my recent fall desserts on the menu in case you need some last minute ideas in that category~
Mini Pecan Pies with Chocolate
I recently tried a little larger version of these and they were extra tasty because they could hold more chocolate and pecans!
I tried making them in my mini bundt/pumpkin pan just for fun
Large or small you can’t go wrong!
So, take a deep breath, the holidays have only just begun!
for a tutorial on making the Turkey Bottle Topper/Napkin ring click here
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Jenna, Your menu is delicious and positively drool-worthy! Bobby Flay’s dressing (as we call it), sounds amazing! I had no idea you could freeze lemons, the things I’ve learned blogging 🙂 I’m trying to take deep breaths so I can Keep Calm and Gobble On. I knew Thanksgiving was a week late this year but just realizing Christmas is 33 days away…yikes! I’m still in Thanksgiving mode.
Looks like a delicious Thanksgiving, Jenna.
We are going out to eat with our family Sunday. Granddaughter and grandson in law Xanti and Kyle will be in town from KC, Monday. The plan is to meet them for lunch next week. They have so many stops we decided to get together for Thanksgiving early. Lessens the stress for everyone, since family is scattered rural and city.
Sounds like a star studded menu! Wow, my mouth is watering with your side dishes. The side dishes are always my favorites and these all sound over the top. I also had no idea you could freeze lemons. These are such beauties!
I try to get everything (major) done in November so that I can enjoy all of the parties as business of December. I also read the book 20 years ago – Unplug the Christmas Machine and now I just do the things I choose to do – it really helped destress the holidays.
Enjoy your fabulous menu.
Hmmm, I think I’d just like to come to your house for Thanksgiving. I’m happy to bring something, the salad perhaps? I like the combination of ingredients.
I love the little poem that was scattered between the pictures. Very cute!
PS – Your menu sounds delicious! Now if only there was a way to magically share your delicious food with all your blog buddies!
Thanks Caitlin, I wish I could share it with you!
Thank you so much for all the lovely recipes. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
Thanks Liz, you are too kind! Happy Thanksgiving to you!
A fantastic menu, and I love how you have stocked and decorated the bar. The lemons stole the show too! I do freeze them. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Your menu sounds wonderful, Jenna!
Your Thanksgiving Day menu sounds absolutely yummy!!!! The turkey cheese ball is gonna be great! You are SO creative!
I gotta tell you…my family would smack me up one side and down the other if I came out with those mini pecan pies! 🙂 They are such ravenous dogs on Thanksgiving…I’d be in the dog house for months!! No teaching them about moderation! 🙂
Have a great Thanksgiving, girl!!!!!!!
Happy Thanksgiving to you too Alycia! It’s so nice to hear from you!
I am trying not to panic since I’ve done very little for Thanksgiving yet but Monday I will be in full swing. Your menu sounds great. The guys do our turkey on the Green Egg also. I think we stuffed it with an apple, onion, thyme and I will be have to find the recipe for the other items.
Your pilgrims and turkey are so cute. Love your painted glasses in your bar.