FEAST-ivities

The month of November, and October for that matter, passed by so quickly!  Autumn is definitely filled with a lot of family activities and traditions.  

Once again, I am Back-blogged and so I share a few highlights of the Autumn months...

And let the Feast, er, Festivities begin...

Our dear friends invited the girls over for a pumpkin carving night, what fun!
Prize ribbons and all....

And with pumpkins, come pie!

My Butterfly made this baked deliciousness from scratch.  

All Souls Day, a holy day, commemorates all of the faithful departed.  We celebrate with a beautiful Solemn Mass.  Our Cathedral Choir sung Gabriel Faure's Requiem.  Heavenly.

This November, my husband lost another of his aunts.  We held the memorial (or remembrance) reception at our home for dear uncle's wife.  Their friends and family were invited and it was a blessed day.

Autumn is my favorite season...the colors, the coolness in the air, and all the foods associated with Fall...

And then there is THANKSgiving...a time to reflect and express our gratitude for all that has been given to us in the preceding year.  Yes, here in Northern America we clebrate the autumn harvest festival from 1621, but it is much more than the traditional turkey and trimmings feast that most Americans replicate.  It is stopping and giving thanks to God for everything. Watching football, feasting and enjoying the company of family & friend reunions are just wonderful benefits and blessings. ;o)

Thanksgiving Menu and Recipes Here

Hopefully, I will resume with the final Autumn back-blogged feast-ivities soon...

xo,

~ Tasty Toms ~

My daughters had so much fun making these tasty toms...

 

 

and Post Turkey Five Mile Hike with the AHG & their families...

~ Back-Blogged: A Thankful for...Edition ~

With Thanksgiving just behind us, I'm reflecting on the small blessings of life...

Our olive trees gave a bit more than last years harvest.

Our Myers lemon tree just keeps on giving, which allows me to give to others.

The giving tree.  Fresh lemons are expensive...I'm thankful for this tree.

Our new orange tree is now producing lots of delicious fruit.

Thankful for the warm California sun...

I'm thankful for our bishop and his work in our diocese...and the honor of having him to dinner at our home with my family.




Altar Boy Training.  Noon.  My son is leading the boys in the Angelus.

Lunch follows shortly...I'm thankful for hot ('n ready) pizza to help me feed the troops.

Teen Talks.  I began these Teen Talks last year with our first talk on the Cristeros.  A few times a year speakers come to our parish and give a talk to our youth.  Big Blessings...

I'm calling this my mid-centennial extravaganza celebration...

Sweet (& bubbly) gift from my dh,
beautiful floral bouquet,
complete with love note (on fancy paper) :o)

  Five-Oh!

 

 

I am thankful for my Husband, my children and most of all,

His Love.

 

 We give you thanks, Almighty God, for all Your benefits, who live and reign, world without end. Amen. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.   (GRACE AFTER MEALS)

~ Thanksgiving Feast & Recipe Links ~

This is a re-post of my new favorite Thanksgiving Recipes:

~ The Thankful Feast ~

LAST YEAR...
We had my husband's extended family, my family and some of our friends from our church for dinner.  Our home was full!  :o)  Nice!!
 
THIS YEAR...
I cooked for my little family of five.  So I had the luxury of snapping photos; no worries about time constraints and walking around in my pj's all day.  :o)  Nice!!
 
EVERY YEAR...
My husband and I try different recipes for our Thanksgiving Turkey.
 
Traditionally, we always cook a turkey, but we don't use the same recipe every year.
We may tweak some, but I can't remember ever cooking a turkey using the same recipe twice...not in the 22 years that we have been married.
 
ONE YEAR...
We came up with the idea of using bacon as a self-baster.  We covered the skin of the turkey with bacon; skewering the bacon to the entire outside of the turkey.  Don't laugh.  It was delicious (but fattening).
 
RECENTLY...
I took on A Challenge of making one thing useful/beautiful in the Master Bedroom, and just last week I decided to take a NEW CHALLENGE...to try this new recipe and change my turkey-baking-ways.  I took Stephanie (over at Sweet Boutique), up on her challenge...and then some...I tried (basically) her entire Fabulous Menu.

Words cannot describe and my pictures do not do it justice...
But, Hands down, this was the all time favorite and BEST tasting bird (and Thanksgiving Dinner) in our family history.

 

I think we have found our tradition.  :o)

I have posted (3 sub-posts) on each of the dishes that I tried, so as not to have such a terribly long post...Here is the Menu:  (click on dish to find pictured posts)

~ Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes ~

 

~ Harvest Stuffing ~

 

~ Sweet Potato Crisp ~

 

~ Roasted Asparagus ~

~ Cranberry Sauce ~

 

~ Roasted Turkey ~

~ Apple Pie ~

~ Egg Nog & Hot Apple Cider ~

The calm, after the storm

 

My table decorations were very simple this year.  I used fresh Cuties California Mandarins surrounding a 3-wick candle (which I actually removed to make way for all the food) and placed it on the Lazy Susan.  My topaz harvest linen with burgundy napkins.  Super simple.

~ Thanksgiving Menu: Sweet Potato Crisp ~

Save those marshmallows for your hot chocolate or s'mores.  Once you taste this creamy and sweet potato crisp recipe you will want to make this without the sticky (and messy) "candied" version.

This is what you will need....go ahead an double your shopping list, because this is one dish you are going to want to make again, soon:
2 Sweet Potatoes
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ginger
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon whipping cream
1/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon pepper (yes, pepper)

Peel and dice the sweet potatoes, place in pot and fill with water.  Boil until tender.

While the potatoes are cooking, mix the remainder of ingredients together with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. 

Drain and mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher.

With a hand mixer, mix all the ingredients together until light and fluffy.
Place the sweet potato mixture in a baking dish.

~ The Crisp ~

Mix together:
2 Tablespoons cold butter
3/4 cups pecans
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
If you use a food processor, pulse just a few times.

Place the crisp ingredients on top of the sweet potatoes.


Ready for the oven...

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

For the complete Thanksgiving Menu & Recipes, click HERE.

~ The Thankful Feast ~

LAST YEAR...
We had my husband's extended family, my family and some of our friends from our church for dinner.  Our home was full!  :o)  Nice!!

THIS YEAR...
I cooked for my little family of five.  So I had the luxury of snapping photos; no worries about time constraints and walking around in my pj's all day.  :o)  Nice!!

EVERY YEAR...
My husband and I try different recipes for our Thanksgiving Turkey.

Traditionally, we always cook a turkey, but we don't use the same recipe every year.
We may tweak some, but I can't remember ever cooking a turkey using the same recipe twice...not in the 22 years that we have been married.

ONE YEAR...
We came up with the idea of using bacon as a self-baster.  We covered the skin of the turkey with bacon; skewering the bacon to the entire oustside of the turkey.  Don't laugh.  It was delicious (but fattening).

RECENTLY...
I took on A Challenge of making one thing useful/beautiful in the Master Bedroom, and just last week I decided to take a NEW CHALLENGE...to try this new recipe and change my turkey-baking-ways.  I took Stephanie (over at Sweet Boutique), up on her challenge...and then some...I tried (basically) her entire Fabulous Menu.

Words cannot describe and my pictures do not do it justice...
But, Hands down, this was the all time favorite and BEST tasting bird (and Thanksgiving Dinner) in our family history.

I think we have found our tradition.  :o)

I have posted (3 sub-posts) on each of the dishes that I tried, so as not to have such a terribly long post...Here is the Menu:  (click on dish to find pictured posts)

~ Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes ~

~ Harvest Stuffing ~

~ Sweet Potato Crisp ~

~ Roasted Asparagus ~

~ Cranberry Sauce ~

~ Roasted Turkey ~

~ Apple Pie ~

~ Egg Nog & Hot Apple Cider ~

The calm, after the storm

My table decorations were very simple this year.  I used fresh Cuties California Mandarins surrounding a 3-wick candle (which I actually removed to make way for all the food) and placed it on the Lazy Susan.  My topaz harvest linen with burgandy napkins.  Super simple.

~ Thanksgiving Menu: Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes & Harvest Stuffing ~

~ Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes ~

This Recipe *whipped* up so easily...Butterfly gets all the credit for putting this delicious dish together.

Ingredients:  New Red Potatoes, Skins On!, cut in half (yes, that easy!!) ~ 3lbs.,
Sour Cream (1/2 - 3/4 cup), Blue Cheese (6 ounces), Butter (3 Tbs.)

Drain, then mash those potatoes (50 calories burned)  :o)

Adding the blue cheese, sour cream and butter.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Delicious!!!

~ Harvest Stuffing ~

Besides the incredibly flavorful and succulent turkey, this was another top favorite.

Ingredients:  Shredded Carrots (1 cup), Chopped Celery (1 cup), Chopped Onion (1/2 cup), Butter (1/2 cup), Salt (1/4 tsp.), Nutmeg (1/4 tsp.), Pepper (1/4 tsp.), Bread Cubes, dry (8 cups), Apples, Chopped & Peeled (2 cups), Chopped Walnuts (1/2 cup), Toasted Wheat Germ (1/4 cup), Chicken Broth (1/2 - 1 cup).

Be prepared for delicious smells to take over your kitchen.







Butter.  We love butter...but don't use it all that often. 

Let the aromas begin...

Cooking the carrots, celery, and onion just until tender.  Then, stir in salt, nutmeg, and pepper.

Adding the Apples...

Adding the carrot mixture...







Drizzle with the broth...I used the full cup.

Ready for the oven...Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes at 325. 

I have enjoyed so many different types of stuffings:
With sausage, or black olives, with....the list goes on and on.  But this recipe really complimented the turkey...no distractions.  It was very enjoyable on it's own, but lends a freshness and was not too overbearing in substance and flavor.

Another incredible addition to the Thanksgiving Table...

 For the Full Menu and Thanksgiving Feast...go Here.

Thank you to the gracious Stephanie over at Sweet Boutique for sharing her Thanksgiving Menu.