Thanksgiving Eve Preparations

It's been awhile since I've posted, as I've been busy as a bee preparing for the upcoming holidays.  

It seems hard to believe today is already Thanksgiving Eve.  We'll be traveling to my SIL''s home on Cape Cod for dinner tomorrow. 

 In preparation for Thanksgiving, I baked an apple pie and a pumpkin pie to take with us for dessert.  Whenever I bake pies to take to someone  house, I like to use disposable, aluminum pie tins.  That way I don't have to worry about bringing home a pie plate (or any leftover pie, which I really want around the house tempting me.)

To add a  festive, fall touch to the pies, I made three leaf shaped cutouts on the apple pie, which I then applied randomly on the crust of the pumpkin pie, after brushing  them with a little beaten egg.

 Here's my pumpkin pie recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 box (1 crust) Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin purée
• 1 1/2 cups milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.  
2. Prepare pie crust according to the one-crust directions on the package.
3. Combine brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in small bowl.
4.  Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin purée and sugar/spice mixture. Gradually stir in milk. 
5. Pour pumpkin mixture into the prepared pie crust.
6. Bake for 15 minutes at 425°F. Reduce temperature to 350°F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. 

You can find my apple pie recipe here.

In addition to the pies, I am also bringing a broccoli & cheese bake with me.  You can find the recipe here.  Today, I put everything together  in the casserole dish from my Pyrex Portable Carrier and just popped it in the fridge.  Tomorrow morning, I will bake it  right before we leave, then I'll pop it into the insulated carrier.   The hot pack will keep it warm on the drive to the Cape.

I'm looking forward to spending time with family and enjoying a wonderful meal together.  We have so much for which to be thankful!

Wishing you and yours a blessed Thanksgiving!

That Perfect Holiday Top

Every year around this time, I begin my hunt for that  perfect holiday top. You know the one I am talking about.  It has to be gorgeous and festive looking.  It  needs to have long sleeves and should be made of a lightweight and  comfortable fabric.   And, it must look and feel fabulous on.   It should also look great paired with either jeans or dress pants.

Every year I search for that perfect holiday top but end up disappointed.  However, this year will finally be different.  At last, I have found my perfect holiday top at  dressbarn.com.  I was so excited when I saw it that I hurried down to my local Dress Barn to grab one to try on.  Unfortunately, it was not yet in stock.  I quickly came back home and ordered one online using a 20% off coupon code.


My perfect holiday top arrived yesterday afternoon.  I quickly ripped open the package, and it is every bit as gorgeous as I thought it would be!  It is done up in a lavish lace and paisley print and is finished with a filigree of metallic embroidery and sequins at the neckline. The front of the top has fluid pleats down the center.  It has ruched sleeves  and is finished with a dramatic sharkbite hem.   I tried it on. It fits perfectly and is so comfortable.

I am doing the happy dance and can check that one off  my holiday shopping list.

Thanks for stopping by!

Holiday Bark

 This sweet treat is perfect to set out on the coffee table for your guests to enjoy on Thanksgiving.

 I also like to whip up a couple of batches to give as gifts at Christmastime.  I've already bought some holiday candy jars from the Christmas Tree Shop for $2.99 each, which I'll fill with homemade holiday bark. I think they'll make sweet gifts!  

Ingredients:

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sliced unsalted almonds
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
2. Slowly melt chocolate chips in a double boiler, stirring frequently.  (If you don't have a double boiler, you can use two nested saucepans.  Just be sure to add water to the bottom pan.)
3. Stir cranberries and almonds into the melted chocolate. 
4. Spread the mixture onto the lined baking sheet.
5. Chill in the freezer for 20-30 minutes until set.
6.  Break into pieces and place covered jars.  
7. Refrigerate jars or store them in a cool place.  You can also make holiday bark ahead of time and freeze it.  Just remove it from the freezer a couple of hours before you're ready to serve it or give it as a gift.

Enjoy!

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Holiday Planning

Over the years, I've learned to take the stress out of the holidays by careful planning and getting my gift shopping done early.  I think the key to successful holiday shopping is good organization. To help me stay organized, I use an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of my holiday gift purchases.  It keeps my shopping within budget, so I don't end up with credit card debt after the holidays are over.  You can download the spreadsheet template here. 

I also do quite a bit of gift shopping online.   Many online sites offer free shipping and other discounts this time of year.   For example, right now, if you're an Old Navy cardholder, you can enjoy a 30% discount on your entire order at oldnavy.com.  Just enter the coupon code ONSTUFF30 when you check out.  Plus if you spend over $50.00, your order will ship free.  Also, many items are on sale now.  I found some great deals for the family and saved $47.06!   Of course, in addition to getting great deals, I was able to shop from the comfort of my sofa wearing lounge pants.  Now that's my kind of shopping!

Once I have purchased my holiday gifts, I note it in my holiday spreadsheet. As I buy the gifts locally or when they arrive, after purchasing them online, I wrap them.  This eliminates spending hours wrapping gifts all at once.   My goal is to have the holiday shopping  done and wrapped by Thanksgiving. After Thanksgiving, I can focus on the holiday tasks I enjoy, like decorating, baking and planning our holiday celebrations. 

Speaking of decorating, right now is a good time to add a bit more sparkle to your holiday décor.  Stores like Michael's are well stocked with gorgeous holiday decorations.  Wreaths, florals, themed ornaments and holiday ribbon are 40% off this week at Michaels!   And, if what you're looking for is not on sale, Michael's has a coupon on their website for 40% off one regular priced item.

I also like to plan my holiday tablescape ahead of time, right down to the the centerpiece, table linens, dishes, and napkin rings.  Right now, Michael's has their holiday chargers on sale for $1.99 each.  I picked up a few  of the plum ones.  They coordinate with the colors in my dining room, so I can use them throughout the year.

With some careful planning and frugal shopping, it is easy to keep the holidays stress free.

Thanks for stopping by!