Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Getting Ready...

To me, Thanksgiving has always been a more "inward" holiday. It doesn't have all the "bells and whistles" of Christmas and I wouldn't want it to. I deeply appeciate the holiday for what it means to me: family, sharing, blessings, gratitude, love, peace.

I have always felt there is something special about sitting around a table to share a meal together.

So, in preparation for the dinner my family will share (at my 93-year old Grandparents' house), I am preparing two of my favorites--cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.


Tomorrow night, I will set the cranberry sauce up to simmer in the crockpot using Stephanie's recipe. It couldn't get any easier than this. Tonight, a friend at work shared his recipe for cranberry sauce. It's almost identical to this one, only he adds Grand Marinier, too. Oh, yeah...Brilliant. I just happen to have a little bottle in up in my liquor cabinet. Yes!

I love the way Stephanie lays out all of her ingredients like this for each recipe. My brain reads this clearly. (I'm a visual learner, yes.)


While the cranberry sauce is bubbling away, I'll start on my favorite version of pumpkin pie...one with a streusel topping. I have a family recipe that was given to me by (get this) Cub's daddy's stepfather's Southern step-mama! Woah! It's very similar to this one. I'm going to use the REAL pumpkin I pureed last week. I can't wait to see if there is a real taste difference or if it's just hype.


And last but not least...If I have any energy after all of that, I'd really like to make these Corn Poppers for when we are all gathered around the table and we're just about to eat. I think this is a very cute idea and a nice way to get a family that's not big on saying grace (Why?) to remember what it's all about!



Well...here ends my Thanksgiving planning. We have the sparkling Cranberry-Apple Cider and just have to pick-up a bottle of wine and some flowers for the table.
I can't wait.

Any plans or recipes to share? I'd love to hear 'em!

3 comments:

Jojo said...

So Cub must be feeling better and your recipes sound divine! I will have to try the pumpkin pie with a streusel topping sometime. I love almost anything pumpkin. May you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Kristin said...

I want to do those poppers, what a fun way to get the little little kids involved in giving thanks.

And Cyndy, I just want to wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving..I will think of you on Thursday sending my thoughts straight up I-95..

Our Thanksgiving will be...non-traditional. We will start to do the final packing..with Friday being the last day for packing.. Saturday, the moving truck comes and Sunday morning..we're gone.

I can't even express in words how hard this week was for me. Saying Goodbye..and not knowing for sure, when I will see these people again..it really has been heartbreaking. Let me end this, I feel the tears.

Happy Thanksgiving, sweetie..

Jenn said...

I am a big Elsita fan!!! I have wanted one of her pieces for so long!! I recently found her papercutting blog, which is inspiring me to gather and write a post abut papercutting!! everything looks yummy!!