November Nesting

 

 

I don't have the cold temperatures or the snow starting to fly like many of you, but there is still something about the month of November that gives me the urge to nest. To use these next few weeks to get myself and my house ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm not talking about decorating; that can wait. But, doing some extra cleaning, planning my Thanksgiving menu and table setting and enjoying the last bit of fall where shorter days force you inside a bit earlier, with candles lit and a warm drink to end the day.

I put together a few of my fall favorites; both decor and food, that might give you some inspiration for your Thanksgiving hosting plans. My table will only have four place settings this year, rather than fifteen, but the plans will still reflect the specialness of the holiday. We will still have all the usual favorites, including brunch with mimosas while we watch the parade, a special cocktail and appetizers while we watch football and a pretty table at dinnertime. From these ideas shown, I'm making the stuffing and the chutney (traditional and delicious) this year and also have a new idea for my table with a Florida twist. If it works, I will share.

 

No Sew Burlap Table Runner

 

Indian Corn Candle

 

My Mother's Stuffing

 

Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

 

Cranberry Apple Ginger Chutney

 

Simple Method to Preserve Fall Leaves

 

So Simple, So Sweet Place Setting

Happy Wednesday!

 

Apple Brownies

 

 

 

What's in a name? Apparently for me, a lot. Wanting to use a bowlful of apples on my kitchen counter, I started scrolling through Pinterest looking for a quick and easy apple recipe, maybe a cake or some type of bar. I happened upon a few recipes for Apple Brownies and I was intrigued. They really should be called Apple Blondies (no chocolate), but for me, Apple Brownies just seemed more fun.

They were easy to put together and I was happy to see they were loaded with chopped apples. As usual, I used Truvia sugar equivilents to make these a little more diabetic friendly. No other changes were made, but these would also be delicious with whole wheat flour. And, the scent when these were baking was heavenly. The original pin and recipe can be found here.

These brownies are delicious and have just enough sweetness to satisfy any sweet tooth. The thickness of the batter helps keep the apples from sinking to the bottom, so there were plenty of apples in every bite. Serving suggestion: Serve a warm apple brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce. Autumn on a plate!

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

{ Linking with these friends}

Savvy Southern Style

Between Naps on the Porch

21 Rosemary Lane

Stonegable

Christmas Can Wait

 

 

 

There has always been the tendency to rush one holiday season right to the next, when we move from Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas. A lot of the blame can be attributed to the retail world and their rush to put out Christmas decor at the end of summer. But, it seems this year, once the calendar turned to November 1st, the whole world (especially the blogging and Instagram world) was talking about putting up their Christmas tree. I'm going to take a step back, slow down and enjoy the moment a bit more.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. By rushing to Christmas, we rush right past the quiet joys of Thanksgiving. The simple harvest decor, the traditional menu that doesn't require a lot of thought and the simple pleasure of spending the day with family.

You will never see a Christmas tree up in my house in early November. It honestly hurts my head to see pumpkins and Christmas decor mixed together. It just seems like a lot of unneeded pressure we put on ourselves, when there is still the whole month of December to enjoy everything Christmas. One whole month to listen to Christmas music, wonder at Christmas lights and eat your fill of Christmas cookies.

So my suggestion (if you can) is to wait and let Thanksgiving have its place. Don't drag the bins out until after Thanksgiving. Give yourself a break. There are no Christmas police that say your tree must be up by December 1st. Especially this year, when Thankgiving falls early and there is a whole week of grace. Holiday decorating doesn't have to be just a chore you need to finish.

Happy Monday!