Happy Friday! I woke up at 5:30 this morning with thoughts of Thanksgiving dinner swirling in my head. I got my coffee and sat down with my trusty old recipe binder to brainstorm this year’s menu and table. I’m always surprised by what I have in there. Over the years I have collected variations on Thanksgiving recipes, some I have tried- and others well, I hope to try some year!
Among the torn out pages are inspirational table settings, cooking tips from newspaper clippings, years of William’s Sonoma handouts, holiday menus from restaurants and scribbled index cards cards from my grandma’s ancient recipe box. All of these are covered in plastic page protectors and and are a real help when I begin this planning stage of Thanksgiving.
Pages of the notebook -this with Max’s timeline for a Thanksgiving day a few years ago.
Most precious to me is my mom’s own handwritten instruction on how to cook a turkey that she gave me when I first got married. I read it again this morning and I am so glad to have kept it. Makes me feel a bit like she is still here with me.
With my mom at my home Thanksgiving 1999.
Besides my binder, I refer to my pile of cookbooks and I also have been furiously saving ideas from Instagram and other blogs. I am always looking for something new that grabs my fancy. This year I am going to give mashed potatoes in the slow cooker a go from the Half Baked Harvest blog. What a brilliant idea- one less thing on the stove and keeps them warm- always a challenge with mashed potatoes. I love Tieghan’s photo and recipes. Her Instagram has some of these recipes, including a little speed video clip of these Crockpot Three Cheese Mashed Potatoes.
Smitten Kitchen is another great food blog and her Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Onions made in a iron skillet looks delicious and may take the place of my roasted brussels sprouts this year.
I also like Smitten’s Apple Herb Stuffing with the addition of tart apples and fresh torn bread -a mix of sourdough and country bread.
Deb Perelman who writes Smitten Kitchen, was on NPR the other day and what a great gal. It was one of those shows where people called in and told their favorite Thanksgiving dishes and tips. It reminded me of something my grandmother listened to when we were kids on her little a.m. radio in the kitchen. One caller recommended strapping blue ice packs to your turkey’s breast while it comes to room temp before cooking. By keeping the white meat extra cold it will cook slower and apparently dry out less. I think I’ll try that as well this year.
I always like a festive cocktail and this Cranberry Thyme Spritz, also from Half Baked Harvest, looks so pretty and has two of my favorites in it, elderflower and grapefruit. Another new thing this year is I am going to order brioche rolls from the world famous Manresa Bakery in my town. Seems a shame not to when they are a five minute drive away. They also have a chocolate pistachio babka that I might have to indulge and get.
As far as the table, I still have this fabulous giant white pumpkin and I plan to work him in somehow with our precious wooden turkey carved from Max’s Kentucky great-grandfather that we love. I am thinking of using my linen tablecloths with black cloth napkins and add in some earthy accents- from the outside like leaves and branches with masses of tea lights. My son Griffin is always good helping me forage for such things and figure out the arrangement.
Last year I found these faux bois looking placemats at Crate & Barrel and kind of went from there with tan napkins and used my tortoise shell looking tumblers as vases for short arrangements I made from a supermarket bouquet and succulents and berries from the yard. You can probably tell I used the page from my binder above as my model.
A few years before that I used linen tablecloths and my parent’s china with my collection of old silver, glass and white votives. Pears and olive branches added the color.
I love the green of pears with silver and linen!
Besides dressing the table what are you wearing? Personally, I like a dress and thought this little number was cute. It’s just right for Thanksgiving with it’s colors and long sleeves and I’m digging the dropped waist too.
I rarely go to The Loft, but also found this for a more casual California feel and like this number below with velvet accents.
I also still LOVE this Trina Turk dress for winter events and this velvet one looks comfy and flattering. I’ve been eyeing a pair of cream colored booties which would give the dresses a little edge. I like this pair from Trina, this pair from The Loft, and these by Sarah Jessica Parker.
So much to do, but I love this time of year! Jackson, my college son is coming home today for a week. I can’t wait to just hang out with the kids and cook together.
SO I’m throwing it out there..What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish? Do you have any great tips for cooking the meal, or cool traditions that are unique to your family? Please, please share below. I’d love to hear more neat ideas.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
Kim
P.S. I have a new dining table arriving the week after next that I bought on a trip to Ojai last weekend. I can’t wait to tell you all about beautiful Ojai- why it should be on your radar, and about the cute shop I bought the table and chairs from- all on another post.
