A couple days ago I posted a review of June Tailor Quilt As You Go products. Here’s the video reviewing the full set. I have all three done in this video.
June Tailor Mug Mat!
These wonderful mats come in a pack of three. They are so easy to assemble. Amazon.com has the best price at $11.19. Granted you have to buy fabric separately unless you go through a site like Shabby Fabric’s site which you can get a full kit. The kit has the June Tailor kit and fabric. These can be expensive. Or you can get the kit there separately. Also, Michael’s site carry them as well.
If you’re looking to learn how to quilt and sew these kits are perfect.
Thanksgiving Count Down!
Here we go. One week till Thanksgiving. Let’s run though a quick list of to-dos and get them to-done.
5 DAYS: Check in with guest. Remind them of what they’re supposed to bring. Also, do a cleaning list for Tuesday.
4 DAYS: This should put you at Sunday so take advantage Sunday morning shopping. There won’t be many people in the stores. Shelves will be restocked. Stick to your list.
3 DAYS: Put everything in a designated spot so you can grab it quickly. Wash and prep all of your Thanksgiving linens. Take turkey out to thaw in water.
2 DAYS: Get your dishes ready. Put them through the dishwasher. Make sure you have everything you need. Start your baking.
1 DAY: Get your brine ready and brine the bird for 24 hours. Put your dressing together so you can heat up tomorrow. Set up activities for kiddies. You don’t want them being bored.
THANKSGIVING DAY: Obviously, put your bird in and if you have a thermometer built into your oven, awesome, use it. About a half hour before dinner time, put everything in the oven that needs to go in.
Of course, have a station set up of leftover distribution.
Gather Fireside for A Winter’s Tea! ❄
Look at this… 👀 https://pin.it/2LZOCs4
Are you ready for snowy days and activities related to them? Here’s an idea for a way to warm up.
TEA: The tea you choose should go with your meal. Such as Oolong Tea pairs with cream soup.
SCONES: These would be nice. You can add whatever jam you and your guest like.
SALAD: A salad like French Lentil Salad would be perfect.
SANDWICHES: Sandwiches are always popular. I’m not talking about the regular sandwiches. I am talking about pretty little sandwiches.
SWEETS: Vanilla Tea Cake Cookies in the post would be awesome. They are light, and similar to a Scottish Shortbread. Perfect for dunking.
26 Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes
Look at this… 👀 https://pin.it/38puEdW
Who doesn’t need more help with Holiday meals? These Make-Ahead Recipes could be used for any major holiday even though they are here for Thanksgiving Specifically. As always, I will share the ones that stand out and I feel like would hold up to freezing.
MAPLE WALNUT CAKE: Freezing cakes unfrosted is brillant. You can do this than take the cake out the day before you need it.
GRUYERE AND CRAB PALMIERS: Making these ahead is a good idea. I think maybe a couple days ahead.
SLOW COOKER MARINATED MUSHROOMS: Marinated any vegetable is awesome. Okay, maybe there are limits. Mushrooms though are the perfect vehicle for a marinade. They are spongy and absorb flavors easily.
You can freeze gravy and a cooked turkey, but I can’t bring myself to do this. We prefer a freshly roasted bird.
Let’s explore some ✨Fancy✨ Victorian Menswear (Ft. Heathcliff)
This was a wonderful video. Heathcliff and Bernadette go into detail on making a Victorian Men’s Shirt. Yeah! Here you see the research the pattern. Also Bernadette measures Heathcliff. They go through drawing the pattern.
Mid point of the video they get a used shirt from this era. It was starched to the point it could stand on it’s own. Once they finish the shirt, true to form, they starch the newly made shirt.
Friendsgiving Tea Party
https://ourpotluckfamily.com/friendsgiving-tea-party/
With the economy quickly falling apart, here’s something that spoke to me. A Friendsgiving Tea. Yeah! This would be a great alternative to a big dinner. This post has printable decorations as well.
TABLESCAPE: You could go with your basic Autmn decor or just colors. Which would be a good idea because you could put more focus on food.
FRIENDSGIVING FOOD: No reason to stray to far from the traditional foods. Turkey sandwiches, cranberry relish, deviled eggs, and brussel sprout slaw. Bite size versions of tradional pies.
DRINK: Spiced tea would be awesome. Featuring seasonal spices. Or an apple cider. If it’s all adults than a mulled wine would be a nice addition.
There’s an idea for an economical Friendsgiving Day. Personally I don’t celebrate this. I just find it weird.
29 Winter Recipes
https://foodiosity.com/winter-recipes/
Halloween brought us our first snow. Yeah! In 2015, we had snow on Halloween. It was fun because we’d just moved here. So yeah, that was fun for her first Halloween here. Here we are almost ten years later and snow on Halloween is a reminder that winter is closing in. So below will be recipes that would be incredible to come in from the cold to.
SPICED APPLE PIE: OMG! Oh sweet heaven. What better than a slice of hot Apple pie… Another dessert would be warm cobbler with a scoop of ice ceeam.
SPICED LATTE: This would be nice to have coming in from a storm to. Warmth of the spices and of the liquid.
CINNAMON ROASTED NUTS: This would be a nice winter snack. You could add or change the spices.
SPICY ROOT VEGETABLE STEW: Stews are so welcoming in the winter. If you wanted to you could add a protein. Otherwise serve a nice dessert with this healthy stew.
These are the things that stood out to me. What about you?
Feastive and Flavorful Thanksgiving Appetizers
Look at this… 👀 https://pin.it/3k73T1I
Can you believe we are staring down Thanksgiving or as my daughter says ‘National Food Day’. November 23 to be exact. Yep! It seems like the tears have flown right by.
Prepping for Thanksgiving will start today. Let’s start with appetizers. I will share the ines that stood out to me the most.
BACON WRAPPED SHRIMP: Oh yeah! If you have issues with pork and seafood together, move on. Seasonings are simple. Cajun, honey, salt, and pepper. And parsley to garnish. If you don’t dig parsley, skip it.
BAKED BRIE WITH CRANBERRIES AND WALNUTS: Every major holiday needs a awesome cheese. Fall holidays almost require cranberries and nuts. This has all three. You can’t go wrong.
BEST DEVILED EGGS: Deviled Eggs are essential for major holidays. These can make or break your appetizers.
SAUSAGE BALLS: Here’s another appetizer that alwayse goes well. Trick is make sure they aren’t to dry. I have had that happen. So take your dry mix and add it in as you feel needed.
Here is sone suggestions for appetizers. What are your go to items?
WHAT I LEARNED FROM OUR VINTAGE 1950S MENU
https://lifewithdee.com/what-i-learned-from-our-vintage-1950s-menu/
Dee (Deanna Piercy) is sharing her menu plan that came from the 1950s. Dee shares what she learned about this era of dinners. There are things we have to remember about the cooking then from now: SPICES! Yeah! We have an abundance of spices that June Clever didn’t have access to or know about. Lucy did. 😉 Here are the things Dee and her family learned.
FAMILY LOVED THESE MEALS: Yeah. Her husband and son loved the meals. You have to remember, they didn’t have convince items like pre-made frozen meatballs. We have a variety to choose from. If you don’t have a day to make them, buy them.
MEALS WERE BLAND: As I said above, they didn’t have acvessto the spices we now have. I think the 1950s housewife would be overwhelmed by the variety of spices we now have.
FEED A HERD: The meals from the 1950s seem like they could feed a herd. That’s simply because they had smaller portions.
PREP TIME: Some recipes from that era are broken down into things you can do ahead and some you do at that time.
The menu was simple. Remember, dinner time was when the family set down and caught up on their day. Each person took a turn. Usually dad started.
Monday – spaghetti and meatballs, green beans in crumbs, tossed salad with dressing (vinager and oil based), garlic toast. Occasionally dessert was served.
Tuesday – Baked pork chops, baked califlower with white sauce and cheese, buttered corn, baked apples. I see a pattern here.
Wednesday – Chicken pot pie (here’s the part where you break up the preparations) and pineapple salad. Literally a slice of pineapple on a leaf of lettuce 🤔.
Thursday- Stuffed bell peppers, lettuceand tomato with thousand island deessing ( if you can make great), Grandma’s cranberry star salad.
Friday – Swiss steak, scalloped potatoes, buttered carrots, peach and cottage cheese salad, pineapple upside down cake.
Saturday- On this saturday they eat out to their daughter’s. So Dee took a chocolate mayonnaise cake. 🤔 However, you could do something easy or throw a roast in the crockpot.
Sunday – Pot roast, mashed potatoes, broccoli with Hollandaise sauce, tossed green salad, hot rolls, and leftover dessert.
Keep in mind alot of the cooking could be modernized. Like the pork chops. You do a sheet pan meal which you out everything on one pan.
Welcome to Scratch Kitchen! 