Around here:

I am starting to think about Thanksgiving around here.

It’s probably time since it is the 14th of November and I am hosting.

YES!!! my whole family is coming to my house for Thanksgiving.

This has never happened before. 

We have always lived away and mostly had Thanksgiving just the 6 of us, or with friends.

(Thankgiving 2008, Houston, TX)

So… I am so excited to share this holiday with my family in my own home.

The plan for decorating is mostly to use what I already have.

I did buy a beautiful new table cloth.  I hope to add some pumpkins, pretty dishes, and a few thankful quotes on chalkboards.  Hopefully, it will look beautiful and feel special.

But we all know that the holiday isn’t about the tablescape.  It is about sharing it with those I love.

I’m so excited for my kiddos cousins to be here in our house. 

We currently live about 2 hours from my family.  That can be challenging at times, but it also turns out to be awesome too.

…Because that means these cute little kiddos get to sleep at my house for the whole weekend.  There is something wonderful about having your family all stay together in the same house.

I am looking forward to game nights, late night visits, yummy food, and listening to my kids play with their cousins.

Our family always divides up the meal, and each person is in charge of a few things.  It makes it so easy and really no stress for me at all.

I look forward to all the yummy food.  I mostly look forward to the sweet potatoes and the stuffing.

I have some favorite recipes, I would love to share them with you.

It will add to your Thanksgiving dinner, and make you look forward to eating them each year.  I know I do.

 

Sweet Potato Souffle:

Mix together:

3 C. boiled and mashed sweet potatoes

1/2 C. sugar

1/3 C. milk

1/2 C. melted butter

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

Once it is mixed place in a 9x13 pan.  Add the topping.

Topping:

1 C. brown sugar

1/3 C. melted butter

1/3 C. flour

1 C. chopped pecans

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes

Cornbread and Wild Rice Stuffing

Ingredients:

1 cup of wild rice(I use uncle bens microwave kind)

8 slices of stale Italian bread cut into cubes

1 tube pork sausage(Jimmy Dean)

4 T. butter

1 large onion, chopped

3 medium celery ribs, chopped

3 cups packaged corn bread stuffing like Stove top

1 Cup dried cranberries

1/2 C. chopped parsley

3 t. thyme

3/4 t. ground pepper

2 to 2 1/2 C. chicken broth

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Microwave your rice for 90 seconds or cook your rice in water until moist.

2.  Meanwhile spread cubed bread on a jelly roll pan and bake until lightly toasted.  Stir once.  Takes about 15 minutes.

3.  In a large skillet cook sausage until browned.  Rinse the fat with hot water in a colander.  Add it to a large dish.

4.  Add butter, onion, and celery to a skillet.  Increase heat to medium-high and cook until the vegetables are softened.  Pour into dish with sausage.

5.  Add rice, bread, bread stuffing, cranberries, parsley, thyme and pepper.  Toss to mix.  Drizzle with 2 cups chicken broth, tossing until evenly moistened.  Add remaining broth if needed.

I like to put this in a dish that I can put in the oven to keep warm until I serve it.

I actually make both of these recipes the day before, and then bake them the day of.

You will not be sorry with either of these dishes; they are simple & delicious.

Now that I am finally thinking about Thanksgiving, it was time to pull out my holiday planner and start making some lists.

I love this little binder.  It comes out the first part of November and I plan out the next 2 months.

Let’s face it.  There is a lot to remember this time of year, and lists are a must.

If you would like to have one of these SWEET binders for yourself, you can find the FREE printable here.

I thought it might be fun to leave you with a look at how my Thanksgiving mantle has changed over the years.

Enjoy!!

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

(taken with my iphone)

That Thanksgiving banner has been around a while, but I still love it. I’m glad I made it. 

P.S.  I made it out of brown paper sacks, and book pages; so it was completely free.

I hope and pray your month can be full of blessings and thankfulness for all you have been given.