Tag Archives: Thanksgiving

Thankfull

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On Thursday morning I woke up early (but not too early, mind you) and tip-toed downstairs to don my apron and dive into my Thanksgiving preparations. I had finished the pecan pie late, late, late the night before and as I looked at it sitting on the counter I couldn’t help but thrill at its golden, nutty top and beautifully pinched, deliciously buttery crust. It was perfect.

I removed the remaining pie crust from the fridge and began to work it into a circle on the cold granite counter. Gingerly, I lifted it into a pie plate and set to work whisking the cream and sugar for the filling. As I stood over the stove watching it thicken, I found myself so completely content, quietly stirring.

Genius had compiled the most delightful playlist on my iTunes and it was streaming through the kitchen like the steam rising from the simmering pot in front of me. Gray clouds filtered the sunlight with coziness. And crispy, brown leaves tossed end over end through the backyard. Where did this morning come from? I thought. And how did I get so lucky to be in it?

I set the sugar cream pie to chill in all its sugary, creamy, cinnamony goodness and turned to the green beans. They were gorgeous. So crisp. So green. And I relished every minute fingering and sorting and slicing them. I made a point to try and be especially deliberate. I was so happy. So thankful. To be right where I was, doing what I was doing. And I wanted to experience the entirety of each moment, with every sense I possess. And in doing so, I found myself most thankful.

Thankfull–yes full–for sweet and simple moments of everyday bliss.

For color and taste and touch. In them is where I find the richness of life.

For opportunities. And the chance to pursue.

For this life I’m living. Despite all its uncertainty and overwhelmingness. There is still joy and peace and promise and laughter.

For the people around me. And the way they make me think, and laugh, and accomplish.

And for change. Yes. Change. As much as I resist it, I’d be stuck without it.

Thankfull, indeed.

And friends, I hope you had a Happy, Happy Thanksgiving too.

Since Thursday

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This is what I looked like after Thanksgiving dinner:

But I’m too vain to post a picture like that of myself, so Izzy graciously modeled.

Thursday was delicious in every way–full of good food (my mashed potatoes and pecan pie rocked the house this year), good friends, thankfulness, and costumes. Yes. Costumes. Last Tuesday Frit sent out a text to her family that everyone had to come to Thanksgiving dinner “in costume … this is NOT a drill.” We were just expecting pilgrims and Indians, but we should have known better …

Frit’s nephew Cooper, came as mashed potatoes (his “favorite”) and his twin brother Cameron, came as a turkey.

(Thanksgiving turkey, pilgrim, and mashed potatoes with 2 pats of butter there on top)

We had a slew of pilgrims and Indians ’round the table, and even an Indian from New Delhi (I think she got confused). It was fantastic!

Frit went as an Indian, complete with a paper grocery bag vest, and I, as a pilgrim, with a construction paper bonnet. The table was filled with everyone’s favorite dishes, new recipes and old, friends and family. We ate, talked, napped, and then ate some more. Isn’t that what it’s all about?

The next morning Frit had to go back to work so I traipsed up the mountain-side looking for our Christmas tree (it’s tradition). It wasn’t the same without her, and it was 1000 times more snowy than it has been in years past–I almost slid down the entire mountain I’d just climbed up when I lost my footing on a slick patch and my feet were numb by the time I climbed back in the car–but success was mine, when I found the perfect tree.

(crappy cell phone picture of our undecorated tree)

That night, we ate leftover turkey, potatoes (mashed and sweet), and cranberries, all rolled up inside lefse (Frit’s family is from Norway and they make this every Thanksgiving and Christmas). Then we popped in Elf and got to decorating (another tradition). After three times through Buddy’s adventures in the “magical land called New York City,” we were done and the house was sparkling Christmas. I have yet to take a picture of the tree lit and decorated, but I’m on it.

On Saturday, we went to the Nutcracker (yet another tradition for the first Saturday after Thanksgiving) and have decided that the pas de deux gets longer and longer every year. But the Waltz of the Snowflakes is always my favorite with Arabian coming in at a close second. And, just for kicks and giggles, I thought I’d share a picture of me when I danced in he Nutcracker as a child. I can’t remember which dance I was in this particular year–Russian maybe? Yes, I think that’s right. Little sister Karly (on the right) was one of the party girls.

Saturday night it began to snow and didn’t stop all day Sunday. We’ve got about 6 inches and our yard looks like a winter wonderland.

And all I can say is … I love this time of year.

Pecan Pie: A Maurer Family Recipe and My Personal Fave

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My great-grandmother, we called her Mama Maude, passed away this past weekend. She was 99, a mere three weeks away from turning 100.

She’s been plagued with Alzheimer’s for the last 10 years or so, so while it’s always sad to lose a family member, I’m also grateful that she’s no longer a prisoner to her darkened mind.

I didn’t know Mama Maude very well–she lived in Pennsylvania and I grew up far away down South–but we exchanged letters for a period of time when I was in grade school and I remember visiting her for her 80th birthday party. She made us sticky buns for breakfast one morning and we loved taking evening baths in her claw-footed tub upstairs. That was the first time I remember playing in the snow and I can still see the sea-foamy green paint on the walls in her living room.

Thinking about Mama Maude got me to thinking about my Grandma Sally, Maude’s daughter, my dad’s mom (or “mum” as she says it). She and Granddad lived only minutes away when I was a child. We ate Sunday dinner at their house every week growing up. All birthday parties were held in their living room and each Thanksgiving, my sister and I would arrive early to help make the pies. Karly did the pumpkin and I was all over the pecan. The recipe we used belonged to Mama Vic, my other great-grandmother (Granddad’s “mum”). It was also the “official” pecan pie recipe on board the “Lazybones”, my grandparents first boat. This was the dessert they fed the tourists who came for a ride up and down the Orange River in Florida.

I’d love to share it with you.

Mama Vic’s Pecan Pie

(my sisters and I say it pee-can, although Maude and Vic probably pronounced it pe-cahn seeing as they were Yankees from PA [grin])

1 9″ pie crust (this is a great one)
1 cup dark Karo syrup
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
3 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 tbsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

  1. Combine syrup, sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla and mix with mixer till smooth.
  2. Stir in pecans and pour into crust.
  3. Line edge with foil strip to avoid burning the crust.
  4. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
  5. Remove foil strip and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes or until center doesn’t jiggle.
  6. Let cool completely.

*Variation for High Altitude: Reduce heat to 325

Tutorial: Custom Placemats

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To finish off the custom tablescape I designed for Thanksgiving, I made a matching placemat to go with the napkins and table runner. It’s a simple design, and I love what it adds to the finished look. Like I always say … It’s all about presentation, presentation, presentation.

Supplies

2 pieces of fabric measuring 14 1/4″ x 18 1/4″ (although you can certainly increase this depending on the size of your plates and table) . 1 piece of contrasting/coordinating fabric measuring 14 1/4″ x 4″ . lightweight fusible interfacing (14 1/4″ x 18 1/4″) . sewing machine . thread . pins

Steps

  1. Iron long sides of contrasting fabric strip under 1/4″.
  2. Pin strip to placemat top 4″ from left edge.
  3. Stitch in place along long sides 1/4″ from edge.
  4. Iron fusible side of interfacing to wrong side of placemat top.
  5. With wrong sides together, pin placemat top to placemat bottom.
  6. Sew 1/4″ from edge, leaving about 3″ open for turning.
  7. Trim corners, being careful not to cut seams.
  8. Turn right-side-out and iron flat, making sure to iron under your opening for turning.
  9. Topstitch 1/8″ from edge along all 4 sides.

Tutorial: Cloth Napkins & Napkin Rings

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I love cloth napkins. Love them. And I plan to use them for all my family meals. You know … as soon as I have a family to cook meals for. But that’s beside the point. The point, is cloth napkins. In my opinion, they make table settings look extra lovely. Which should always be the goal. Lovely meals. Lovely presentations. Lovely time spent together around the table.

Plus, using them means less paper waste in the landfills. And it’s so easy to just toss them in with the loads of laundry you already have to do. It really takes no extra effort to use cloth napkins.

OK. I’m off my soap box now. Here’s how to make your own so that you can customize your tablescape to the desired look you want. They’re SO easy!

Cloth Napkins

(makes 4 napkins)

Supplies

1 1/4 yards of fabric (44/45″ wide) . scissors or rotary cutter . sewing machine . thread . iron

Steps

  1. Wash, dry, & iron your fabric.
  2. Cut four 21″ squares.
  3. Fold raw edges of each square over 1/4″ on wrong side of fabric and iron in place.
  4. Fold again 1/4″ and iron.
  5. Sew 1/8 of inch from edge along all four sides of square.

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Matching Yo-Yo Napkin Rings

(makes about 7 rings)

Supplies

1 foot of coordinating fabric (44/45″ wide) . scissors or rotary cutter . sewing machine . needle . thread . matching button or bead . fabric glue

Steps

  1. Cut one 12″ x 3″ strip of fabric and one 7″ x 3 1/2″ strip of fabric.
  2. Fold the short ends of the 12″ strip under 1/4″ (on wrong side) and iron in place.
  3. Now fold the same strip in half, lengthwise, with wrong sides together.
  4. Hand stitch (over, under, over, under) along raw edge, close to edge, pulling and gathering to create the round yo-yo.
  5. Close yo-yo by stitching ends together. Set aside.
  6. Take the 7″ strip and fold in half, lengthwise, with right sides together.
  7. Machine stitch 1/4″ from raw edge to create a tube.
  8. Turn tube right-side out and iron flat.
  9. Overlap raw ends of tube 1/4″ and sew together to create ring.
  10. Turn seam to inside of ring and iron to one side.
  11. Using fabric glue, attach the yo-yo to the ring at the seam.
  12. Glue button or bead to center of yo-yo.
  13. Allow to dry before using.