Change of plans

Last week I was telling you all how excited I was for Thanksgiving, I teased about my beautiful tablescape and the meal I was cooking. CHANGE OF PLANS!

The original plan was dinner at my house for 12, no big deal. As the week went on, the neighbors and I started talking and several people didn't have anywhere to go. Others had family coming in that they didn't want to be trapped with and with this in mind we decided to all have Thanksgiving together. One problem, 30 people.

Only one house in the neighborhood was large enough for all of us, so we moved the entire Thanksgiving celebration across the street.

We divided up the tasks for the meal and I was responsible for a vegetable and dessert. My life just got much easier!

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving and really enjoyed our time together, but I must admit I was disappointed as I enjoy cooking the meal and doing the tablescape, but alas neither was necessary.

I did want to share with you what I had planned for the tablescape and apologize that there are no photos, but like I said, it never happened.

• Plain white linen cloth
• Antique crocheted overlay
• Wrought Iron Candelabra that runs the length of my table
• Petite votives
• Assorted photos in frames of various sizes of family and friends who I am thankful for. The photos would be interspersed along the table and at varying heights.
• Cobalt blue linen place mats
• Solid white china
• Silver flatware
• Cobalt blue water glasses
• Long stem crystal wine glasses
• Blue and white plaid linen napkins with silver napkin rings
• Place cards were to be my special message to each guest. On a white card and written in silver ink the card would say "Leigh, I am thankful for your kindness." "Clint, I am thankful for your generosity." etc. etc.
• Each person was to also have "to go" bags. Using craft paper lunch bags and tied with festive ribbons, each person would have taken away their left-overs for the next day.

Oh well, it didn't happen this year. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that your celebration was Home Made Easy.

Pomegranate Spritzer

I received an email from a reader asking about one of the items on my Thanksgiving menu, the Pomegranate Spritzer.

This is something I made up a month or so ago and it has become a favorite for my friends. The drink is refreshing and smooth.

Wine isn't a taste that I enjoy, so I decided to make the spritzer and I enjoy it as an alternative for dinner and cocktail parties.

The Pomegranate Spritzer is a simple drink to make, I use a moderately priced zinfandel, pomegranate juice and 7-Up.

Mix equal parts each. Chill and serve.

The Pomegranate Spritzer, Home Made Easy.

The menu

Thanksgiving is my favorite meal to cook each year. I enjoy the whole process, a full day of prepping and cooking and setting the table and making everything look perfect.... for me the preparation of the meal is better than the food.

I begin the day early, usually with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade playing in the background. I start by stuffing the turkey, basting and putting it in the oven. Followed by preparations for my dressing and desserts.

The last items of the day are the side dishes.

I like to begin serving appetizers around 2PM followed by dinner at 5 sharp.

This year's menu is a very traditional meal filled with family favorites.....

Turkey,

stuffed with apples, celery, onion, orange and potatoes

Cornbread Dressing

(recipe below)

Gravy

Broccoli Casserole

Sweet Potato Souffle

Deviled Eggs

Green Beans

Black Eye Peas

Seven Layer Salad

Mandarin Orange Congealed Salad

Cranberry Mold

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

accented with fresh fruit salad topping

Mini Pumpkin and Pecan Pie Tarts

Pomegranate Spritzer

Ice Tea

When I moved to Florida, my friends had no idea what I meant when I mentioned dressing for a Thanksgiving gathering. I found that dressing is typically a southern dish (and for those of you who don't live here, Florida really isn't southern....who knew!), in the rest of the country people just stuff the bird and serve stuffing. In the south we make dressing.

Growing up my mother and grandmother would spend hours discussing the dressing, you could never make it too perfect and in our family the challenge was intensified..... some of us (the smart ones) like the dressing super thin, the family members who have no culinary taste like the dressing thick. My mother and grandmother would work diligently to make sure everyone got what they wanted, so they would always cook 3 pans of dressing.... one thick, one thin and one medium. The medium pan was for nibbling as we prepared for the main feast.

I have carried on the tradition of 3 pans as well, whether I am surrounded by family or friends, it just makes Thanksgiving a bit more special when I prepare those three pans of dressing in a salute to my mama and ma-ma.

If you haven't tried dressing give it a try sometime, it isn't difficult; however, it is time consuming, but worth the time and effort when you see the satisfaction on your guests face.

Cornbread Dressing Recipe

Buttermilk Cornbread (I make it from scratch)
1 Package of Seasoned Stove Top Stuffing Mix
Loaf Bread (Preferably white)

The breads for your stuffing may be cooked on the day of service or 2 - 3 days ahead of time. Crumble all the bread items together and set aside.

1 Large Onion Chopped
Celery Chopped

Smother the chopped onion and celery and combine with the breads

6 hard boiled eggs, crumbled and mixed with the other ingredients

8 cups of Chicken Stock mixed into the dry ingredients

4 sticks of butter melted and mixed with the other ingredients

Fresh herbs

salt and pepper to taste

Poultry Seasoning to taste


Combine all the wet and dry ingredients. Press into a large pan or cast iron frying pans. Bake at 350 for approximately 45 minutes.

Serve with turkey as a side dish with gravy or dry.

Cornbread dressing makes a GREAT accent to a turkey sandwich the day after Thanksgiving, so enjoy this southern tradition, it is Home Made Easy.

Things to Come

I am incredibly excited about Thanksgiving. I have planned a traditional menu, but I am most excited about my table scape, I will be setting it up this weekend, so make sure you stop in later for all the details and photos.

To make the table scape even more interesting, I am not buying ANYTHING, it is being created by things I have around the house.

Now that, my friends is the epitome home made easy!

Election Night Dining

This week is election week, can you believe it? Finally after 2 years of running we are very close to having a new President.

With this in mind, I have put together some menu ideas for Election Night that could be fun if you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent. So take a look and choose your favorites, but just remember to VOTE! Not only with your menu but at the ballot box as well.

McCain - Palin Voters...

Cranberry Salad (Arizona)
Chicken Enchiladas (Arizona)
Alaskan King Crab Legs (Alaska)
Corn and Chile Salsa (Arizona)
Tomatillo (Arizona)
Mexican Cornbread (Arizona)
Peach and Berries Cobbler (Arizona)

Obama - Biden Voters...

Crab Puffs (Delaware)
Carrot Soup (Delaware)
Deep Dish Pizza Squares (Illinois)
Chicken Vesuvio (Illinois)
Garden Peas (Delaware)
Fried Tomatoes with Horseradish Glaze (Illinois)
Sugar Creme Pie with Cracker Jack Topping (Illinois)


Independent Voters....

Strawberry and Blueberry Fruit Cups (For those red and blue states)
Hot Dogs and Hamburgers
Baked Beans
Potato Salad
French Fries
Sugar Cookies
Neapolitan Ice Cream

Whoever your candidate or politics, enjoy the menus and have a happy election day, but most importantly VOTE!

That is election night dining, Home Made Easy.