Dressing the Table

How to dress the turkey is not the only ritual of adornment required for a holiday dinner. Dressing the table and setting the general ambiance is just as important to setting the holiday mood (I voice this truism at the risk of sounding Pippa-esque in my excessive simplicity).

The perfect candles, dishes, flowers, table cloth and even apron can change the mood of the entire day. Here are some Thanksgiving decor tips on how to dress your table before (or after) you dress your turkey.

Williams-Sonoma Champagne Flute

Matching Wine Glasses Available as Well

The gold rim gives these glasses a special holiday feel.

Williams-Sonoma Taper Candle Holders

My mother always places these all around the table in addition to two larger taper candles in the center of the table. She does it at Thanksgiving and Christmas (and sometimes Easter as well) and the result is that the entire table seems to glow.

Caspari Gold Taper Candles

For the larger tapers in the center, the gold adds to the overall glow. I am sure I have listed these on this blog before but the Caspari gold tapers are my favorite for fall and holiday parties.

 

Bernardaud China

This china is basically my "reach" china in life but should I ever reach those heights, it would look beautiful on a Thanksgiving table.

 

Pottery Barn Carson Plaid Tablecloth

Rustic Placecard Holders 

Instructions Below Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Tools and Materials
Floral shears
Evergreen branches (about the thickness of a pencil)
Hot-glue gun
Card stock
Calligraphy or felt-tip pen
Small evergreen sprigs

1. With floral shears, cut slim evergreen branches into 4-inch segments.Trim off any nubs.

2. Holding two segments of about the same thickness, adjust them to fit together snugly -- this might
require some twisting, turning, and further trimming.

3. Turn pair of branches over; run a line of hot glue across the pair's width, 1/4 inch from each end. Let dry.

4. Write a guest's name on a 1-by-2 1/2-inch piece of card stock.

5. Slip place card into holder; tuck a small evergreen sprig into one end.

Cranberry Topiaries as Centerpieces

Instructions Courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens

Using half toothpicks, skewer fresh cranberries to various sizes of foam balls, available at local crafts stores. Cover the foam completely with berries. Rest the balls on top of shapely glass, silver, or mercury glass candlesticks to create statuesque topiaries.

Transfer this simple gift wrapping look into a napkin ring concept

Tie a linen napkin with linen or twine and stick a sprig of evergreen inside.If you do not have the time to make the place cards, attaching a simple label to the ribbon or twine (as seen here) can serve the dual purpose of napkin ring and place card holder.

Etsy Choisette Apron

In my opinion, the best hostess apron whether in the burlap shade or the more holiday appropriate red.

Make edible holiday ornaments as party favors for your guests

You can use either a sugar cookie or gingerbrad recipe. I like these recipes from Good Housekeeping (they are the recipes my family uses every year!). Finish them off with twine to maintain the rustic holiday theme.

Sugar Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies

 Happy Thanksgiving!

I Would be Proud to Partake of Your Pecan Pie

When Harry Met Sally has numerous hilarious scenes, one of which is almost entirely improvised. The scene I am referencing is Harry awkwardly asking Sally out on a pseudo-date. He attempts to hide his awkwardness by turning the exchange into a lesson on how to speak in a funny accent that he tells her he has devised for them to speak to each other for the day. The phrase he uses to show her the staccato of the accent? "I would be proud to partake of your pecan pie". The phrase was Harry's inelegant way of asking Sally to a movie and the phrase will now also serve as my inelegant way of introducing the promised pecan pie recipe.

The Scene

The Pie 

Southern Pecan Pie

3 eggs

2/3 C. sugar

Dash salt

l Cup dark corn syrup

1/3 C. melted butter or margarine (I use butter)

******************

1 C. to 1 1/2 C. pecans

******************

1 9- inch unbaked pastry shell

Beat eggs thoroughly with sugar, salt, corn syrup, and melted butter.  Add pecans.  Mix pecans and batter.  Pour into unbaked pastry shell.

Bake in moderate oven (350) 50 minutes or till knife inserted halfway between outside and center of filling comes out clean.  Cool pie before serving.   

A Thanksgiving Appetizer

No, this post is not about appetizers but the post itself is a taste of the holiday to come (next week already!).

(Classic Hand Turkey proving my role as a traditionalist)

I love Thanksgiving but I pretty much hate Thanksgiving food. Hate is a strong word. Thanksgiving food is not my favorite part of the holiday season with a major exception in the form of my grandmother's pecan pie.

(Pecan Pie Picture from Food and Wine...I promise my grandma's pie looks even better)

I am, however, a big traditionalist and I do not want to eradicate all aspects of Thanksgiving thoroughfare (and, after all, you can walk it all off on Black Friday).

(A visual representation of Black Friday...or a soccer match...one of those)

Here are my ideas for a Thanksgiving update, keeping all of the tradition but eliminating the heavy gravy/mashed potato/I should have worn expandable pants and need to fall asleep now feeling (well, you might still feel the latter part but you will be significantly more satisfied). 

Warning: These dishes are not meant to be consumed in tandem.

Food divided by the necessary flavors:

Butternut Squash (3 ways)

Butternut Squash Lasagne 

Recipe courtesy of Giada

Eat pasta & squash & cheese and look like Giada! Ok, not really, but this Italian take on the fall favorite will be delicious even if it may not make you look delicious. I made it at my 2010 Christmas party and there was nothing left at the end of the evening.

Parmesan Roasted Butternut Squash 

Recipe Courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

The roasting aspect at least appears to make it slightly healthier and the Parmesan aspect certainly makes it infinitely tastier. 

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Sugared Walnuts 

Recipe Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine  

Still a side but with more layered fall flavors...

Turkey (3 ways)

Turkey Osso Bucco 

Recipe Courtesy of Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop

Allowing a change from the standard stuffed turkey, turkey osso bucco is still rich and decadent but with a simpler blend of flavors.

Turkey Chili 

Recipe Courtesy of Cooking Light

This turkey chili is incredibly light and with the addition of the lime and cilantro it is refreshing as well as comforting.

Turkey Bolognese 

Recipe Courtesy of Giada 

Full disclosure: this recipe is a personal favorite and as a bonus the ingredients are cheap and it is incredibly simple to execute (not to mention, it is DELECTABLE).

Cranberries (3 ways)

Oatmeal, Cranberry & Chocolate Chunk Cookies 

Recipe Courtesy of Giada

Cranberry sauce is my least favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal (except for MAYBE gravy). Dessert is my favorite part. Forgetting about the sauce and putting that cranberry flavor into a dessert instead? Brilliant!

Holiday Sticky Buns 

Recipe Courtesy of Ina Garten

...Or have those cranberries as a decadently sweet breakfast (after all, you have to WARM UP for dinner)  

Mixed Grain Pilaf with Cranberries and Pine nuts 

Recipe Courtesy of Williams-Sonoma

So you just HAVE to have cranberries with the main course? Put those cranberries in more of a supporting role with this simple Williams-Sonoma recipe (also check out that website's Cranberry Sorbet which I resisted putting on here since that would be 7 dessert-like things).

Stuffing 

Is pretty good---if you want to splurge in an area that is not dessert, this food should be first in the running and perhaps (definitely) deserves its very own post.

Potatoes (3 ways)

Crispy Lemon Potatoes 

Recipe courtesy of Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop

For those of you who still harbor some skepticism when it comes to GP's cooking prowess, you will be happy to know she has the official seal of approval from Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue's food writer. So cease your "she's too skinny to know anything about food" comments and try these potatoes with a refreshing citrus-y twist.

Sweet Potato Fries 

Recipe Courtesy of Giada

I don't love fries or sweet potatoes (am I allowed to admit that publicly?) but I love these sweet potato fries and I am certain you will as well! These fries were also a hit at the aforementioned holiday party. 

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter 

Recipe Courtesy of Giada

So apparently I dream of being Italian but gnocchi is a pasta made from potatoes and this version includes the holiday-apropos sweet potato AND maple and cinnamon so this dish is basically Christmas on a plate (you're welcome).

Dessert (4 ways---the most essential part of the meal clearly gets an extra shout out)

Maple Pecan Pie 

Recipe Courtesy of Ina Garten

Not as amazing as my grandmother's pie (recipe to come as soon as she e-mails it to me/figures out e-mail), but Ina Garten will most likely not have to be banished from the Hamptons in shame. This pie is an incredibly delicious alternative to Irene O'Brien's original.

Peanut Butter Cookies 

Recipe Courtesy of Betty Crocker WITH a Variation (ADD SOME KISSES...CHOCOLATE THAT IS!)

These cookies are my favorite at the holidays (they are amazing as a side to pecan pie). Just make the Betty Crocker Peanut butter cookie recipe but instead of making the fork indentations, add the kisses on top as soon as they come out of the oven. The best result occurs if you do half the cookies with milk chocolate (for other people) and half the cookies with dark chocolate (for me). Also, it is VERY important to roll the peanut butter cookie dough balls in LIGHT brown sugar before you bake them because (a) dark brown sugar will cause the cookies to be too crispy and (b) if you are going to have dessert, do not skimp on the sugar.

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Recipe Courtesy of Kraft WITH a Variation

 (ADD SOME MINT TRUFFLE HERSHEYS KISSES CHOPPED INTO LITTLE PIECES INTO THE BATTER--IT WILL TASTE LIKE A MELTED PEPPERMINT PATTY WITH EACH AND EVERY BITE--WHICH IS WHY I AM YELLING RIGHT NOW...THAT'S EXCITING!)

I think I said it all in the title except I created this variation as a gift to my little brother and that is why I am his favorite sister.

Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie

Recipe Courtesy of Cooking Light

Pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, ice cream and brandy means that, yes, Christmas has come early this year.