Tom Turkey Table for Two

It seems as though my Thanksgiving celebration gets smaller and smaller every year. It has gone from a table of 14 down to this year‘s table for two. But no matter how many people I serve, I want that table to be special, and the food to be good. 

This table for two out in the conservatory is where I enjoy most of my meals. It’s cozy, light and bright, and I am surrounded by all of my plants. It makes me happy just being in this room.

The table covering is a simple chocolate brown table round. I chose tin chargers to complement the rustic, wicker turkeys flanking either side of the place setting that have tin heads and tail feathers.

  The fall garland and iron candle holders are from a local gift shop. I interwove illuminated maple leaves among them that you can find

here.

The dinnerware is by Johnson Brothers, in the “His Majesty” pattern, something I have been collecting for years.

 

 I like to start my meal with potato leek soup, it has become a bit of a tradition over the years, and I enjoy serving it in this turkey tureen. The lid keeps the soup warm throughout the meal.

 

The colorful turkey coffee mug is a sentimental favorite of mine. This came from Ladue Florist, a lovely local florist and gift shop that my mother and I used to frequent. She bought me 12 of these about 20 years ago and I have loved them ever since. 

The water glasses are by Mikasa in their “Park Lane” pattern.

 The coupe glass is new this year. These come beautifully boxed in a set of four, and I find that I use them not only for champagne and wine, but martinis as well.

The plaid napkins I’ve had for years, they came from Pottery Barn. The flatware is Mikasa ‘Opulent’ hammered flatware,

 No matter how you intend to celebrate your Thanksgiving, whether you are hosting a crowd, or dining on your own, make it special.

 

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

 This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Balls

 

I am not a pumpkin pie person. Truth be told, generally speaking, I’m not all that fond of pie anyway, although I have known to break that rule in recent years. I do, however, like pumpkin in various baked goods, and now in an unbaked good, like these easy and delicious No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Balls. There wasn’t really much to putting them together. There is that rather tedious aspect of having to roll them into balls, but in this case, the effort was well worth it. They freeze beautifully, so you can make these a couple weeks ahead of your Thanksgiving (or other special) dinner, and remove to the refrigerator an hour or two before serving.

 No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Balls

 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 c. pumpkin puree

½ c. powdered sugar

1½ t. pumpkin pie spice

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

¼ t. kosher salt

1 c. graham cracker crumbs*, plus extra for rolling

1 c. white chocolate chips, melted, divided

 In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.

 Add the pumpkin puree, powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Mix until well combined.

Stir in the graham cracker crumbs and mix until the mixture holds together. Melt ½ cup of white chocolate chips in the microwave. Add to mixture and beat to combine.

 Scoop the mixture into tablespoon-sized portions and roll into balls.

 Roll each ball in additional graham cracker crumbs to coat.

Melt remaining white chocolate chips and drizzle on top of the cheesecake balls.

 Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up before serving.

 For extra flavor, sprinkle some cinnamon or graham cracker crumbs on top before the white chocolate sets.

 Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

 *As an alternative use half graham cracker crumbs and gingersnap crumbs.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

"Soup to Nuts" Thanksgiving Tablescape

When you have hosted Thanksgiving dinner for 30+ years, eventually, trust me, you run out of table setting ideas. I don’t like to do the same thing year after year, but this year I really struggled to pull something together. I brought absolutely every Thanksgiving/autumn item up from the belly of the beast, spread it out over the countertops and table, and chose from there. I don’t know how my guests will feel, but I am enjoying the change.

I went with a simple, dark checked tablecloth and topped it with round placemats. From there I used tin chargers from a local business (shout out to The White Rabbit), and then used plates edged in plaid that I got a couple of years ago from Pier One.

  The pheasant luncheon plates on top are from Williams-Sonoma, years ago. I love them, but don’t often find the opportunity to use them.

I liked the colors here, but particularly liked the edge that I knew would show around the acorn soup bowls (also Williams-Sonoma years ago). 

This year I absolutely fell in love with the plaid napkins from Pottery Barn as well as the miniature copper mug napkin rings! Aren’t these adorable?! I filled them with mixed nuts (so that we would have everything from soup to nuts for dinner). I will bring them out again at Christmas time and fill them with cranberries. I am over the moon about these.

The pinecone flatware is from Cabela’s. Don’t underestimate Cabela’s when it comes to dinnerware. They have some amazing things.

The crystal is German-made Mikasa gifted to me by a friend who was sick of them. I think they look lovely here.

The turkey and artificial foliage and gourds I’ve had for a number of years, and it never gets old. This year, to mix things up, I wove lighted fall maple leaves throughout so that when the time has come for dining, all I need to do is flip a switch in the power pack (carefully hidden at my place setting) and everything will be a glow.

Whatever you do, however you celebrate, with whomever you celebrate, have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.

This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

Blackberry Cranberry Sauce

Thanksgiving food is largely traditional, and it’s not easy to vary your menu from year to year without meeting with some resistance. One year I made the mistake year of serving cream of mushroom soup as a starter instead of my traditional potato leek, and there was an exchange of gunfire. This year, I decided to stick with the basic menu in order to avoid the dramatics, and simply change up the cranberries. I found this recipe online, and was intrigued by the addition of the blackberries. As much as I love blackberries, honestly, I can’t tell you when I last bought some, so I had to make this. It is delicious! I think it is one of the best cranberry sauce varieties that I have ever tried. If you’re looking to try something new, try this.

Blackberry Cranberry Sauce

Adapted from Studio Delicious

2 c. fresh cranberries

½ c. water

¼ t. kosher salt

¾ c. dark brown sugar

1 4-oz. container fresh blackberries

2 t. vanilla

1 T. raspberry vinegar

In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, stir together cranberries, water, salt, and sugar, stirring to help dissolve the sugar. Bring mixture to a boil until the cranberries pop and sizzle, about 7 minutes. Add blackberries and raspberry vinegar, lower the heat to medium, and allow mixture to gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 more minutes until the liquid is syrupy and almost evaporated. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool and serve. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week.

 

 

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Pumpkin Pecan Bundt Cake

 

I know that what I am about to reveal is going to stir controversy, but I am who I am, and I make no apologies when I say that the worst part of Thanksgiving dinner, for me, is dessert. I am not a particular fan of pies, but I find pumpkin and pecan (the former in particular) to be totally uninspired. As a consequence, I am always looking for something different, yet seasonably appropriate to serve for dessert.  I found this recipe on the Eagle Brand website, was intrigued, and decided to give it a try. It’s quite good! In fact, I think this would be equally good at a brunch as it would at dinner. If you’re looking for something different yet appropriate, the answer just may be right here.

Pumpkin Pecan Bundt Cake

1 c. vegetable oil

3 large eggs

½ c. sugar

1 14-oz. can of Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk

2 t. vanilla extract

1 15-oz. can pumpkin purée

2½ c. all-purpose flour

2 t. pumpkin pie spice

1 t. cinnamon

1/8 t. cloves

1 t. baking soda

2 t. baking powder

½ t. salt

½ c. buttermilk

 Glaze:

1 stick butter

1 c. sugar

¼ c. rum

½ c. chopped pecans

 Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a decorative 12-cup Bundt pan with Baker’s Joy.

In the work bowl of a stand mixer beat oil, eggs, and sugar together until well blended. Add milk, extract, and pumpkin purée, and beat until combined.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add it to the liquid mixture, in increments, with mixer running. When the wet and dry ingredients are combined, slowly add buttermilk, beating until just combined.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 60 to 70 minutes until cake tests done. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and continue cooling for another 10 minutes. Transfer cake to serving plate.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and sugar together. When better has fully melted, stir in rum, and cook for five minutes. Remove from heat, add pecans, and spoon over top of cake.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Baked Spinach and Zucchini

I have, for months, been trying to convince myself that a truly organized person needs only grocery shop once a month. So far, I have been able to stick to this with few exceptions. The problem with this scheme is that I end up buying a lot of produce all at once, and then it all starts to get dodgy at once, and I end up with one vegetarian meal or side dish after another. You may not see a problem with this, but let me tell you, when those vegetables are cruciferous, you end up with a BIG problem. We won’t even go there. As a consequence zucchini that I had planned to use in zucchini bread ended up taking a different direction in Ina Garten’s recipe called Baked Spinach and Zucchini. I love this dish for many reasons. It is relatively easy to put together, can be made ahead, can be served hot or at room temperature, as a main dish or side dish, and works at any meal of the day, breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I didn’t have any extra large eggs, so I used three large ones and upped the cream. My version is below. This would be perfect for the holidays.

Baked Spinach and Zucchini
Slightly adapted from Ina Garten

Olive oil
3 scallions, white and green parts, sliced ¼” across
2 small zucchini, sliced in ¼”-thick rounds
½ T. Melissa’s minced garlic
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
½ c. cooked basmati rice
2 T. chopped fresh basil
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
¼ t. ground nutmeg
1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large eggs
½ c. heavy cream
1 T. unsalted butter, melted
¼ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra
2 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray an 8” x 8” baking dish with PAM; set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 12-inch sauté pan. Add the scallions and zucchini and sauté for two minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more. Lightly press most of the water out of the spinach and add it to the pan. Add the rice, basil, parsley, nutmeg, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper, and toss well. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, melted butter, and ½ cup Parmesan. Pour the mixture over the spinach and zucchini, and smooth the top. Sprinkle with some extra Parmesan cheese and the Gruyere. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

Brussels Sprouts with Brandy Garlic Sauce

My number two son is as big of a foodie as I am, and loves to regale me with stories of various dinners out (good, bad, and often hysterical) while he’s on the road with his job. He recently had the opportunity to dine at a restaurant called The Pepper Sprout. He was describing a Brussels sprouts dish that sounded phenomenal. He located a copy of the menu online, and sent it to me. One of their small plates was Brussels sprouts; they were described like this: “Sautéed Brussels sprouts, red onions, cranberries, in a cast iron skillet with a brandy garlic sauce. Finished with toasted walnuts and blue cheese. ” Does that sound delicious, or what? They also offer a dip with spinach and “carnalized” onions. I’m not kidding. Somebody needs to proofread that menu. Or if not, I do not want to know what those onions are doing, but I digress. I decided to give recreating this dish a try (subbing on hand dried cherries for the cranberries), and was very pleased with the results. Having never tried the offering of this restaurant, I can’t tell you how authentic this is to theirs, but I can tell you that they are elegant, delicious, with a lovely presentation. 

Brussels Sprouts with Brandy Garlic Sauce

1 lb. fresh Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved
1/3 c. chopped red onion
¼ c. Melissa’s dried tart cherries
2 T. butter, divided
1 t. chopped garlic
2 T. brandy
2 T. water
2 t. fresh lemon juice
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
½ t. beef soup base
½ c. heavy cream
2 T. chopped walnuts, toasted
1 T. Bleu cheese crumbles

Hydrate cherries in ½ cup warm water; set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch sauté pan over medium/high heat. Add Brussels sprouts and onion, and sauté until sprouts are cooked through and onion is transparent, 4-5 minutes. Drain cherries, and stir into mix. Cook for one additional minute. Pour into warm serving bowl. Return pan to heat and melt 2nd tablespoon of butter. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute. Add brandy, and cook until nearly evaporated. Add water, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and soup base. Cook until slightly thickened. Add heavy cream, reduce heat to medium, and cook until heated through. Pour over Brussels sprout/onion mixture, top with walnuts and bleu cheese crumbles, and serve immediately.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

Thanksgiving 2020-Style

This post contains affiliate links.

There is little dispute that Thanksgiving 2020 is going to be different from any we have celebrated in the past. Whether your gathering this year is going to be big or small, I am certainly not going to judge. My family decided against the big gathering this year, so I will have the smallest crowd ever, there will only be three of us.

Despite the fact that it will be a small group, that does not mean that I won’t be serving the same delicious food, and setting a beautiful table.

 

This year I am opting for rustic charm over casual elegance.  The tablecloth was a local purchase from a shop that has since closed. The table runner I found at Pottery Barn years ago; I love its versatility. I have yet to find a season where I can’t press this into service if need be. Black and cream plaid placemats are topped with round rattan placemats on which I have placed a tin charger from favorite local shop, The White Rabbit.

Plaid dinner plates from the late, great Pier One are on top of that. Beneath one of my favorite patterned soup bowls -- that pattern being David Hardin’s “Autumn” -- I have plain orange salad plates, gifted to me by my cousin. She no longer needed or wanted them, so passed them to me. I was both pleased and surprised at how well they blended with so many of my dishes.

I am a sucker for sentimentality, so always include something of my mother’s at each holiday table. The flatware and stemware both belonged to her. The flatware always garners a lot of comments. It’s pretty to look at, fun to use, and I love the whimsy.

The centerpiece is a pumpkin tureen surrounded by orange berries made specifically for the tureen. It, and the candlesticks (with their own berries), were part of a table display at a local shop, sadly, now long closed. I loved it so much that I bought everything. It’s been around for ages, but I still love it today as much as I did when I first saw it.

 

Lovely leaf salad plates will hold freshly baked croissants and honey butter. Each one represents a different color of the beautiful fall leaves that we have been lucky enough to experience this month.

Whether you’re serving two or ten, or just dining alone. Make the occasion special.

 

 

This post is linked to Tablescape Thursday.

 

"Centering" on Thanksgiving

This post contains affiliate links.

There is no better example of “rolling with the punches” than this centerpiece.

I host Thanksgiving every year, and look forward to decorating when the weather turns cool. This year, however, when the weather turned cool, my son, his wife, and their two cats descended upon me and my quiet abode for a six-week stay during the completion of their new home; it was challenging for all of us. 

I wanted to set glorious tables for us every night, but they and their stuff managed to present quite the obstacle between me and my stuff.

It wasn’t a question of not being able to get to my seasonal storage; I couldn’t even see it. So, I grabbed what I could, interspersed it among things that I had, strung some lighted fall leaves, and we all found it quite appealing.

The gourds (something I absolutely love year after year) and mini Indian corn are courtesy of Melissa’s Produce. After all, does anything say fall more than colorful gourds and Indian corn?

Seasonal fall décor like gourds and corn come in handy for adding texture, height, and color. The string of lighted maple leaves, bought on a whim, was tucked here and there.

Considering this was a “make do,” we all quite enjoyed it. Flipping the switch on those lights came to be a bit of a ritual, signaling dinner.

 So, no excuses, any of you. Even if you have nothing by way of holiday decor, a few seasonal elements -- gourds and a simple string of lights -- can make a festive addition to your existing table or centerpiece.

Get the look:

Galvanized Three-Tier Tray

Faux Gourds

Faux Indian Corn

Maple Leaf String Light

Cow Creamer

Corn Pitcher

Turkey Tureen