I’M THANKFUL FOR MARTINI’S! No matter how big or small your Thanksgiving is this year, there’s one thing you can’t forget, and that’s the pumpkin pie. However, this is 2020, and nothing is really as it seems, so if that’s the order of the day, then this Pumpkintini should fit the bill! It’s simple to make and tastes just like a slice of that iconic pie!
I believe I’ve said this multiple times, but if you’re new to my blog, I’ll say it again. New England winters are HARSH!!! Brutal even. Don’t get me wrong, fall is gorgeous, summer is beautiful, and spring is magical with all the colors slowly blooming in nature until one day everything is lush and green and colorful. Winter, however, is cold and no matter how I try to protect my face the dry air eventually causes it to dry out, which means my cheeks can flake they get so dry and my brown and the middle of my face gets overly oily in an attempt to compensate for the dryness. I was so happy to find this festive face mask packed with skin-soothing ingredients that are sure to have you soft and balanced again.
This Thanksgiving may be a little odd this year. It may be more difficult to have large Thanksgiving gatherings, and money is tight, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a happy Thanksgiving anyway. Thanksgiving at my house will be just my husband and me, and because of that, we’re scaling down how much food we make. I was really excited and happy to find this simple and yet highly delicious tart. It has all those really classic holiday flavors and makes for either a nice appetizer if you happen to have a large family or a tasty side for a smaller family like mine.
Dried orange slices have always fascinated me. Maybe it’s because I grew up in Florida, but I remember seeing potpourri, garland, and even Christmas ornaments with dried orange slices. I remember taking a slice and holding it up to the light and seeing all those segments no longer fruit but frozen in time yet beautifully colorful. Now, as an adult, I wanted to make my own orange slice garland to stand out against the white of the New England Winters.
Twas a dark and stormy night, and I decided to make this Macabre-Roni and Cheese Stuffed Squash. However, as I added the ingredients, I soon realized I was creating a MONSTER!!! This bubbling, cheesy creation threatened to overwhelm my unsuspecting sauce pot. As lightning struck, and I brought the concoction to my quivering lips I realized my taste bust were ALIVE!!!! While I have scaled down this recipe for a reasonably sized household, it’s potency will none-the-less leave your family ghoulishly grinning for more.
Being thankful and having gratitude for what you have in your life has a MAJOR positive impact. It can cure depression, make you overall happier, healthier and wealthier as it can boost your career and it can even help you live longer! So you can see why a holiday around giving thanks can be such a great thing to celebrate.
Thanksgiving is also a wonderful time to give to others as others have given to us. No matter how little or much you have in your life, people have positively touched you in ways that have helped you and volunteering is a great way to recognize that and give back. In this post, I would like to share with you what I personally have learned from volunteering, why I’ve incorporated it as part of my Thanksgiving traditions, and how you can start this lovely tradition in your own home.
One thing I love during the holidays, or really any time is candied nuts. You can usually find them in these clear plastic bags and they’re EXPENSIVE! I’m talking $5 for a little bag! So as always, when I find I really enjoy something expensive, I set out to see if I could possibly make these myself at home. Then I wouldn’t have to spend so much money, AND I could have them whenever the mood struck!
Thankfully I was able to find a wonderful recipe for Cinnamon Sugar Pecans featured on the food blog Joy, Food, Sunshine and I decided to put it to the test. The results were not only easy, but better than I expected, and can I just say that my home smelled DELICIOUS too! An added plus is that they are FREEZER FRIENDLY!!!! YASSS!!! This means that as you try to keep healthy during the holidays, you can still sprinkle these over your cranberry and blue cheese salad to give it a little extra holiday sweetness! Running at 119 calories per serving these are also not a bad mid-afternoon snack option, way better than the leftover office donuts in the lunchroom (just sayn’).
I read an article once saying that your sense of smell is the strongest maker of memories and if you think about it, that’s probably why the food you ate as a kid has a nice comforting effect when you smell it now as an adult. It doesn’t go away once you reach adulthood though, so if you’re looking to make some new memories this year, you’ll want to check out this Pot-pourri recipe I tried that will guarantee to get your whole house smelling like fall.
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I am a long time fan of Alton Brown. He doesn’t just throw a recipe at you, but rather takes the time to educate you about the way food works and explain exactly happens when you do certain things to your food. So when I was looking for a new dessert to try and make I found his Alton Brown’s Bourbon Pecan Pie Recipe on the Foodnetwork.com website. I served it actually yesterday for my Halloween party that I threw, but it is a wonderful fall dessert and easy to make in comparison to other things I’ve cooked. If you have any questions please feel free to drop me a line and I’ll do my best to answer. I hope you enjoy it. Read more