Preparing for Thanksgiving Guests

You may remember that I am having my family for Thanksgiving this year.  I haven't done this in a long time and there is a lot to do!  I've learned a lot about myself through the process of preparing for the day.  While my homeschool mom eyes have been ever-watchful over my sweet daughter and her newly revealed to me learning style, as I've mentioned before, I'm realizing that I share the visual learner brain.  Translation:  lists!  And lots of them.  Piles, pictures from magazines, recipe cards, craft supplies, serving dishes; all where I can but my googly little eyes on them!

This has its good points.  And its bad.  I've realized multiple fancy, shmancy planning printouts are not my friend.  One good ole' blank sheet of paper with columns by category makes me sigh with contentment.  All (on one page) or nothing, people! 

So here's my list(s):

Paint living room and kitchen.
Hang new light fixtures.
Re-install curtain rod and curtains.
 And yes.  I know it was crazy to start a home-improvement project right before a holiday, but I couldn't help myself!  
Clean carpet high-traffic area.
Cleaning the dining chairs (Hello!  Milk spills!)
Thanksgiving/Fall decorations.
Confirm guest list & send directions to our new home.
Finalize menu.
Grocery list.
Grocery shop.

Locate and pull serving dishes.
Get kids' haircuts.

Table service for 21.
Food prep schedule.
Make note of when to pull 24lb turkey from freezer.
Choose outfits for the day.
Empty and charge camera.
Make Thanksgiving napkin rings.
Make centerpieces.
Last minute home cleaning. (Saving till the last minute! ;))

There's probably more.  

Here's my menu, which I'm very excited about and will make you wish you were coming here for Thanksgving too!  (And you'd be welcome!)


24lbs of golden Turkey goodness, cooked to perfection (a girl can dream!) and carved by (hopefully!) my unflappable Uncle Dan. (with dressing by Aunt Janie.)
Sweet Potato Spoon Bread
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Glorious Rolls (Think buttery melt in your mouth, can't eat just two!)
Cranberry Relish
Baked Corn Pudding
Beet, Carrot, and Apple Salad
Lemon Herb Green Beans
Herb Gravy
Pumpkin Pie
Pear Pie
Molasses Bourbon Pecan Pie (unless I can't find bourbon from a friend in which case the optional bourbon will be bourbon.)

Whatdaya think?  Hungry yet?

The things that throw me (list, list list!) are things like remembering to set butter out to soften; getting the turkey outta the freezer on time;  remembering you need serving spoons for all those dishes.  Since I'm not a practiced large crowd, meal provider, filling the salt and pepper shakers is off my typical radar! 

I'm so excited!  Even though we're having our big meal the day after Thanksgiving (That would be Black Friday to some of you!), I will be sharing heaps and oodles of thankfulness with, and for my family!

The Perfect Hot Beverage

I'm on a hunt for the perfect hot beverage for winter.  As things stand today, I am not a coffee drinker, and I'm not the hugest fan of hot tea, since I gave up adding refined sugar to my recipes, I'd like to be caffeine free, but I'm horribly, and expensively addicted to International Coffee's Vanilla Nut Cafe.  I'm between two to three cups a day, sometimes relying on the sugar/caffeine combo, and definitely relying on the warmth and comfort of a hot mug!  Those two to three cups a day equal two to three packages a week, and that expense is right up there with soda and fast food.

Being ready for a change, and a savings, I'm on the look out for a replacement.  What I'm looking for is a healthier, cheaper alternative.  And before I go further, I did try to find a recipe to make it myself.  No cheaper or healthier.  So, I'm looking for a no caffeine, and low or healthier sweetener drink.  What I've tried is various teas with various natural sweeteners that, quite frankly, don't go so well together, and herbal teas which I just can't seem to get used to.  I admit.  It won't be easy.  I like creamy goodness.  I may be kidding myself, but I'm going to keep an open mind!  

For today, I'm drinking my "sick" tea, which is really very good anytime.  It's lemon based, with raw honey, and ginger.  I used to make big pitchers of it using real lemons, freshly squeezed and ginger root cut by yours truly, but I make it by the cup now.  This is because I can no longer stand throwing away fresh produce that I haven't used just because I'm a terrible judge of how much I'll use before it rots.

Here's what I use now:



Yummy raw honey, organic crushed ginger, and 100% lemon juice.  I use about 2T of lemon, about 2 pea-size squirt of ginger, and 1T or so of honey.  I add it to already heated water.  YUM!  And, it makes you feel better when your a sicky.  So for today, this drink moves to the top of my list for the perfect hot beverage. 

Do you have a recipe to share? 

Yummy, Easy Granola Goodness

I just made the most yummy, super easy granola!  It was doubly yummy goodness because both kids gave it such high praise.  They usually aren't a fan of the stuff.

From the basic idea of choose your poison (just kidding!), you start with 4 cups whole oats.  Dump 'em in at least a 12" skillet.

Then the fun part!  Start adding.  Start with 1/3c of oil.  I used coconut (that sound you hear is the hallelujah yippees for all things coconutty).  Then add 1/3c sweetener (honey, agave, brown sugar, are some).  I used honey.

Turn skillet on low-med and start stirring.  Add whatever flavors/seasonings your family enjoys.  I threw in a little orange peel, cinnamon, coconut (of course!).  You could also add vanilla, which I would have done if I weren't out.  Add some nutty goodness--almonds, walnuts, etc.  Maybe a bit of dried fruit.  Flax would be good...:)

When thoroughly warmed, mixed and browned a bit, containerize and gobble down.  That's the best part.  The gobbling goodness!

WARNING!!  Highly addictive!

While this only makes a 4c batch, going stove top beats heating up the oven for an hour.  I think it only took me about 15 min total.  And eating it warm is so, so...well, you know!

So what would you throw in your batch of Yummy, Easy Granola Goodness?