thanksgiving.
hosting our first thanksgiving was absolutely wonderful. it was sort of like having my training wheels on (which was awesome) because my parents were here & super helpful. my dad made his famous stuffing and my mom washed dishes and answered my every question like you wouldn't believe.
it was mostly wonderful because we were all together (& i got to sit in between my two favorite boys -- my husband & bro -- that's what happens when you're the place card fairy!) plus, how great is the macy's parade?!
here are some details:
i made the place cards out of paint samples. turns out there are lots of perfect colors -- pumpkin, haystack, firewood, & autumn roast to name a few. they're free. i taped them back to back and used my favorite tool -- a thin black sharpie -- to write the names.
centerpieces were super simple: some pears in a vase, some locally grown pumpkins and a gorgeous white platter we got as a wedding present.
extra fun table b/c ryan's best friend, henk, also stationed here, joined us. the more the merrier! and, he brought an extra pumpkin pie & wine -- such a gentleman.
the menu:
- locally raised turkey (quote of the day, very early in the morning, as we were getting tom the turkey ready for the oven was ryan "yep, this is definitely locally grown and not butterball -- don't worry i'll get the last few feathers") we stuffed it with lemons, apples, bay leaves, onions & sprinkled it with salt and pepper.
- this sweet potato dish (so good, i think it was the two sticks of butter)
- dad's famous stuffing (the recipe has about 100 ingredients, i'll put you in touch with my dad if you'd like it :)
- mashed potatoes from this cookbook
- rolls from a local bakery
- greens
- fresh cranberries (mary) and canned (ryan)
- pumpkin pie also from this cookbook
- & this wine
how was your thanksgiving? favorite recipes? don't forget our thanksgiving eve here!
married life, yum Tue, November 30, 2010 at 8:00 AM
Reader Comments (6)
We did the easy thing: had someone else cook! We went to the Biltmore Estate and I ate the best butternut squash and sage ravioli...No prep, no clean up and we had a blast as a family touring the mansion! {Your table was lovely! What a clever idea with the paint samples!}
Awww so glad to see a picture of Henk on here! He's so handsome!! He was really proud of himself for helping with the cooking and bringing over the pie and wine. I was proud, too :) Looks like a great Thanksgiving! I love the entire table setting.
What a great Thanksgiving! I love your style. And, by the way, the chandelier from your last post is awesome. :) Looking forward to seeing you over Christmas!
mary, your thanksgiving looks like it was beautiful! your dining room is just lovely... i cannot wait to see more photos of your home!
Wow Mary, your Thanksgiving table looks absolutely stunning! I am in love with that table runner and napkins!
It looks like you did a great job hosting your first Thanksgiving. Love the paint chip place cards. I actually did a little diy project with paint chips too! I'll be sharing that very soon. Always love seeing what you're up to on T & F!