Simple Last Minute Thanksgiving Ideas for All Ages!

Thanksgiving is nearly here and it's a truly special time to take stock of all we have to be grateful for. It's also a time for family togetherness, eating, and kicking off the holiday season.

Looking for some simple last minute Thanksgiving ideas that would be appropriate for all ages? I've got a few you might want to try!

Easy & Delicious Thanksgiving Appetizer 

This simple and delicious Thanksgiving appetizer only calls for three ingredients: 

• Refrigerated crescent rolls (or you can substitute pastry dough) 
• Cranberry relish
• Brie 

Simply roll each crescent into a little twist and stuff with a small amount of brie. Bake at 375 degrees for ten minutes and top with the cranberry relish. You can also mix the cheese and relish together and bake it all together. 

Easy Thanksgiving Craft 

An adorable blog I stumbled across spotlighted this project and I just had to try it! So easy and wouldn't it be really fun for all ages? 

Paint a lovely fall tree with broccoli of all things! 

All you need is some acrylic paint, paper or a canvas and broccoli! 

Mix your colors to your style and get to painting! This would also make a great way to decorate your place cards for the Thanksgiving table. 

Thanksgiving Treats in the Lunchbox 

I used to love opening my lunch to find a little note or treat from my mom. With Thanksgiving coming soon, here are a few simple ways to add some joy to your child's lunch box. 

From Oatmeal Creme Pies, to cups of chocolate pudding, and even individual cracker snacks, just about anything can be turned into a turkey with some googly eyes and trimmings! Check out how one blogger made an adorable snack that would also be fun to use as place cards for your Thanksgiving table! 

Hopefully these ideas inspire you to try something creative this Thanksgiving season. 

I have so much to be thankful for and that definitely includes YOU! Thanks for reading my blog. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones! 

Thanksgiving Tips & Tricks for a Less Stressful Holiday

I have always loved Thanksgiving, but for some reason I'm really getting into the spirit this year. It might sound really cliche, but I'm feeling so thankful. Every day I'm reminded of all the things I have to be grateful for. And with that sort of a perspective, it's hard to feel stressed. 

That doesn't mean there won't be less than perfect moments. I'm certain there will. But I'm not putting any pressure on myself to make sure everything is a certain way. Of course, it helps that I'm not hosting but as a good guest, I won't show up empty handed.  

If you are hosting Thanksgiving this year, I've got some great news for you. It doesn't have to be perfect. Seriously, it won't be. 

But you can still create a wonderful experience for those you hold dear. And with these tips, you can avoid some of the potential pitfalls the day can bring. 

Appetizers are your best friend 

If I had only one tip to pass along for a less stressful Thanksgiving, it's this....appetizers and nibbles are your very best friend. You might be thinking "but that doesn't go with my perfect menu!" Or maybe, "Everyone will spoil their appetite for the amazing meal." Or whatever you're thinking. 

I promise you that appetizers are the way to go. People will be hungry. They might not eat breakfast because they are saving room for all that turkey and dressing. Something won't be ready at exactly the time you thought it would. Uncle so and so will say something offensive. Aunt you-know-who will be in rare form. Having a tray of snacks and nibbles for your guests to nosh on before the main meal is served will help cover a multitude of sins. 

Preferably something with salt and fat. 

What about a popcorn bar with all different flavors and assorted toppings? This is a great light snack for guests to enjoy pre-meal. 

Don't forget the relish trays

Maybe it's just me, but I think relish trays are a must for holidays. Things like pickles and olives not only make great pre-meal nibbles, but they also help to cut the richness of some of the other traditional holiday food. 

Go for a mix of dill and sweet pickles, as well as a variety of olives. Don't forget the party picks and maybe a small bowl for your pits (if you have any). 

There's also the southern staple of taking a brick of cream cheese and topping it with some type of hot pepper jelly. Add crackers and you're good to go. 

Don't try to make everything from scratch

 

Finally, there's no reason to try and make every single thing on the table from scratch. There are lots of great store-bought options available that take lots of stress out of the equation. 

Things like cranberry sauce (Trader Joe's has a great option) and rolls (I swear by Sister Schubert and a local option for Knoxville, Flour Head bakery). They aren't the star of the show so don't stress too much. 

You can also go the easy route with desserts. Not a baker extraordinaire? Just pick up something sweet from the store. It's not such a big deal. We make things way too hard on ourselves. 

Create a Thanksgiving drink station 

Instead of trying to do everything yourself for your holiday meal, how about letting your guests do it for you? Create a DIY drink station stocked with all sorts of juices and mix-ins and let your guests go to town! 

Some options they might enjoy: 

Cranberry juice + seltzer water + lime + vodka (optional) 

Apple juice + ginger ale + caramel syrup + white rum (optional) 

Lemonade + tonic water + grenadine + gin (optional) 

Sometimes it's really the simplest things that end up being the most popular. Don't make things too hard on yourself and you're sure to have a much better Thanksgiving. Plus, this frees up your time and energy for the important stuff....being grateful and celebrating your blessings! 

Simple Thanksgiving Shortcuts to Save your Sanity!

Thanksgiving is next week and while it's a special holiday, there's also a lot of pressure to create a meal that looks like something from a magazine. 

It's hard to enjoy the time spent with family when you put so much pressure on yourself to make it perfect. I feel like sort of a hypocrite writing about Thanksgiving shortcuts because I'm not responsible for my family's Thanksgiving meal. We're really lucky to have multiple generations and us younger folks haven't quite been passed the torch of cooking the main meal. Everyone brings at least something though, so our host (my great-aunt) doesn't have to do everything.

Even though I'm not the Queen of Thanksgiving, I know how to spot a shortcut. And I know that when you are having a huge bunch of hungry people at your house, shortcuts can be a godsend!

Here are some of my favorite shortcuts you might want to cash in on this year...

1) Pie in a Jar - So I'm not sure who to thank for this glorious invention, but I gotta give a little shout of praise to whomever came up with pie in a jar! All you need to do is add butter & eggs, pour into your crust and bake. So simple and it's Trader Joe's so you know it's delicious.

2) Cheese & Crackers Platter - You've been there. In the kitchen trying to make some magic happen and your husband (who keeps saying he's starving) keeps coming up behind you, reaching into the pot of whatever you're cooking to grab a bite. This is one of my biggest cooking pet peeves. My southern beau knows to stay out of the kitchen until everything's done...but that doesn't mean he isn't always trying to push the limits.

Now, what if you're cooking for ten or twenty people and they are all getting hungry. If everything isn't happening on schedule, they might try to sneak a bite.

There's a simple solution that will save the day....give them some nibbles to stave off the hunger pangs until the meal is ready.

Create an amazing cheese & crackers platter that guests can enjoy while they wait. I like to feature a variety of cheeses (some soft, some hard, some tangy) and crackers, but also nuts, olives and fruit.

It doesn't have to be perfect, just delicious.

3) Treats for Fido - 

After my beloved pup Leon passed away this year, I haven't been able to get another dog. But hopefully that will happen when the time is right. When Leon was with us, he loved holidays because that meant more people with potential treats and food scraps to slip him under the table.

Problem was, he had a sensitive stomach. I recommend having some designated dog treats on hand so your guests can offer Fido a treat (if they want to) without you having to worry about cleaning up dog barf during dessert.

When I found Thanksgiving-themed Turkey Cranberry dog treats at Trader Joe's, I couldn't resist snatching them up. My boy would have loved these. [Sidenote - If your pooch does eat a little too much, canned pumpkin is where it's at. I used to feed it to Leon when he had tummy troubles.]

4) Leftover Love - I'm not a big fan of leftovers, but Thanksgiving and leftovers go hand in hand. Make your leftover turkey really count by enjoying it on a sandwich paired with these chips.

If you thought Turkey flavored chips were a thing of the future, welcome to the future my friends.

Want more Thanksgiving fun? Check out this cool infographic with some stats about how turkey day is celebrated around the country!

**I was not compensated for this post. I just really LOVE Trader Joe's** 

Ways to Celebrate Thankfulness during November

November is one of my absolute favorite months of the year. Fall is here (even when the south is experiencing what seems like a heatwave) and in a few short weeks it will be Thanksgiving. Somehow Thanksgiving always seems to sneak up on me, but this year I'm prepared.

Instead of waiting for it to feel like Thanksgiving, I'm jumping in at the beginning of the month to milk this holiday for all it's worth. I'm talking about being thankful, people.

The minute the Halloween decorations were put away, the Christmas music started playing in retail stores. And I love Christmas (seriously, love it!), but why should Thanksgiving have to get lost in the shuffle?

Being thankful isn't something for one day. Gratitude shouldn't get packed away with our wool sweaters and only come out when the days are shorter, or leaves crunch under our feet.

I believe there's a lot of power in being grateful. What we believe shapes our reality and when we truly see our lives chocked full of the gifts they have, our reality follows suit.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving (that's totally a thing, right?), I'm visiting with my friends at Knoxville's WTNX Fox43 to share some fun and simple projects that just might inspire you to tap into feeling thankful and make November really count.

1) Thankfulness Paper Chain

I'm just such a sucker for paper chains and garland. They are kitschy and retro in all my favorite ways. And because they are so simple to make, I wanted to craft one as part of my month of thankfulness.

There are lots of options for making paper chains, from cutting construction paper to using store-bought paper chain kits like the one I shared on television (got it at Michael's). I even found this great free thankfulness chain printable you can customize.

Each day, get your family members together and have everyone write something he or she is thankful for on a strip of paper. Then connect the strips together to form a chain. By the time Thanksgiving rolls around, you'll have an entire chain of thankfulness. Sweet, huh? 

2) Fall Leaves Gratitude Garland 

Like I said before, I love a good garland. It's an easy way to decorate one area of your home (like a doorway or mantle) without going over the top. 

You can cut your own leaves out of paper, use silk or artificial ones, or even real ones. For this project, I used foam leaves because I wanted to write on them and that seemed like the best option. 

Again, take some time with your family each day to reflect on something you're thankful for and write it on one of the leaves. As you string together your garland, be reminded of all the things you have to be thankful for. It never fails to put things in good perspective when I really stop and consider all the blessings in my life. It sounds a bit like Pollyanna, but it's so true. 

3) Thanksgiving Clothespin Wreath

Apparently clothespin wreaths are not a new thing, but I only stumbled across the idea recently. There are lots of variations out there, but I decided to make a simple natural clothespin wreath accented with burlap ribbon. 

All you need are wooden clothespin (I got mine at the Dollar General Store) and a wire wreath form (which was $2.99 at Michaels). For a total of $5, this wreath isn't half bad. And you could always jazz it up with paint, washi tape, wood stain, or whatever. 

The idea is to write what you're thankful for on each pin. Or hang it on your front door and let your guests fill in what they are thankful for. When it comes to crafting (in my world anyway), there are no rules. Just simple projects that don't cost a lot and let you give life to your own inner artiste. 

I hope you enjoy November. As my grandpa loves to say: all you get out of life is what you enjoy. Make the most of it pals!

Unique Ways to Decorate Pumpkins: Chalk Paint & Foil

This past weekend my southern beau and I made our annual visit to the local pumpkin patch. This is one of our favorite fall activities and we've been going to the same farm for a few years now. Do you have any fall traditions you are getting excited about? 

The only problem with real live pumpkins is they don't last very long. We don't even carve ours, and they still end up dying a watery, rotten death sometime around December. 

But I still love going out to the patch and picking out a few favorites. Did I mention they have homemade donuts at our pumpkin patch? This year, they had a moonshine glaze. I love the south. 

In addition to our living pumpkins, we also like to decorate the house with the sights of fall. Some of that is Halloween specific (we love our little retro Charlie Brown characters dressed in costume and waiting for the Great Pumpkin). 

But I really like my decor to have as much bang for my buck as possible. 

This is why I usually look for fall decorations that can take us all the way through October and November. That's where my friend Jenny comes in. She recently shared two amazing projects with me and I was so blown away by the beautiful results, I decided to share them with the viewers of Knoxville's Fox43. 

These are really unique ways to decorate store-bought faux pumpkins and the best part is, the results are beautiful without breaking the bank. Oh and they are perfect for Halloween all the way through Thanksgiving.

For both projects, you need to begin with some type of store bought artificial pumpkin. You can find these at most craft stores. The larger ones are often made of foam and can be carved, but I don't recommend it for this particular do-it-yourself. You can sometimes find smaller, artificial pumpkins, gourds, etc. at Dollar stores, thrift stores, or wherever else you scour for treasures.

1) Decorating Pumpkins with Chalk Paint

Decorating faux pumpkins with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® is a genius idea because there are so many great colors of paint to choose from. Who says your pumpkins have to be orange? With all the beautiful hues, you could really go wild and create some masterpieces.

And while it would just be gorgeous in its own right, that teal shade (Florence) would be perfect for folks with allergy issues participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project!

For our pumpkins, we started with a good base of Old White. What I love about Chalk Paint is how well it covers so many different surfaces. Sometimes these faux pumpkins are sort of shiny or plasticky (that's a word, right?), but Chalk Paint covers like a champ. 

Once your pumpkins are painted, you can go over them with clear or dark wax. When I painted a yard sale dresser Annie Sloan's English Yellow, I used the clear wax because I really wanted the color to pop. But with the pumpkins, the darker wax is also nice because it picks up all the great the texture and surface.

So once you have your pumpkins painted, you could stop right there and be happy as a clam with your results. Or you could take things a step further and make a real conversation piece. 

Allow me to introduce you to foil and size. 

2) Decorating Pumpkins with Foil and Size

Size is an adhesive made specifically for projects with gold and silver leaf, as well as foil. This is my first foray into the world of foiling, but it seems so much easier than leafing (also it's much more affordable). 

To begin, you apply an even coat of size (which is kind of like a runnier white glue) over your pumpkin. Wait 15 minutes for it to become tacky. Then, you apply the foil. Make sure to apply it with the pretty side up. The adhesive will pull the foil off the paper and cause it to stick to your pumpkin. 

You can burnish it to create a more even appearance or you can just embrace the splotchy look (which I happen to love). 

Check out the finished products below. I think they are gorgeous! 

To learn more about Annie Sloan Chalk Paint or to take a workshop, visit my friend Jenny's shop, The Backporch Mercantile.

Social Graces: How to Get Along with Your Family at Thanksgiving

I've seen a couple of posts on getting along with your family at Thanksgiving and I decided since southern families are known to put the fun is dysfunctional, I should probably weigh in on the subject. Every family has its challenges. Some are more obvious than others, but no matter what you're dealing with...the holidays just seem to have a way of bringing them to their boiling point. 

My family is not perfect, although some of us claim to come pretty darn close (bless their hearts). Our Thanksgiving celebrations are usually less prone to drama since we drive to my aunt and uncle's house in Nashville and most of us put on our big city manners. 

I'm not picking on anyone because I love them all...and I'm positive I have been surly and difficult at times myself. 

So here are some tips that I recommend for getting along with your family this Thanksgiving (and beyond). 

1. Manage your own expectations. 

I'm making this number one because I think it just might be the most important of the list. What I mean by this is don't show up at Thanksgiving expecting your family to behave differently than they usually do. Just because it's a holiday doesn't mean anything magical has happened to their personalities. Even on their best behavior, they are still the same people. 

The worst feeling is when you expect someone to act differently than they usually do and then feel disappointed when they don't. Prepare yourself for the reality and then you won't be let down when Uncle Johnny gets mad that nobody laughs at the same joke he's told for 14 years. 

2. Keep it light. 

Unless Southern Living Magazine is coming to your Thanksgiving meal to shoot a story for next year's issue, it doesn't matter if your holiday celebration is perfect. Nobody cares if the plates are chipped (or even plastic). Nobody cares if the napkins are paper or cloth. Nobody cares if your table looks like something Martha Stewart would have whipped up. Don't put so much pressure on yourself and it will be much easier to avoid family drama....you won't be nearly as tense. 

3. Stay in the present. 

The past is over. It cannot be changed, forgotten, edited or erased...as much as we'd like for it to be. Don't harbor past grudges and don't air past grievances at the holiday table. If something happened in the past, try to let it go. That doesn't mean it didn't hurt you or that you shouldn't feel what you feel. But hashing out he said/she did, you vs. us, etc. won't really make you feel better.

4. Give 'em some grace. 

Nobody is perfect. Everybody brings his or her own baggage to the Thanksgiving table. What comes across as snarky from one person might be his attempt to avoid talking about what's really bothering him. Apply grace liberally...that is, show kindness and mercy to folks even when you want to pinch their little nu-nus off. 

5. Gratitude. 

It's hard to be petty about family squabbles when we stop to think about the folks all around the world who don't feel loved or valued and never get enough food to eat, let alone on Thanksgiving. Let's be grateful for the ones we call family, whether tied to us by blood or choice. Even when they drive us crazy...we're lucky to have the chance to gather with them for a meal. 

6. Drink. 

Wine is good. Lots of wine. One year, I accidentally took a prescription painkiller on Thanksgiving and then had some wine. I don't necessarily recommend it, but it was my least stressful holiday, to date. Something to think about. 

Seriously though...most of these things are just as much for me as they are for anybody else. We need our families...they are our ties to who we came from and the ones who will live on long after we are gone. Let's look at them with eyes of love this year. And hope they can find it in their hearts to do us the same favor. 

Simple Thanksgiving Table Decorations

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is only two weeks away. Do you remember when you were a kid and your parents or grandparents complained how time went by so fast? I finally understand what they were talking about. Another year has nearly gone by, but there's still plenty of time to really enjoy the season. I hope you'll be able to be with the ones you love and make some good memories.

 

There's something about the Thanksgiving meal that feels so special and an occasion like this deserves some special decorations. This morning, I'm making an appearance on WTNZ Fox43 to share simple Thanksgiving table decorations that you can create on a budget. 

It's easy to have stylish, beautiful things when money is no object. But when you are pinching pennies, or just can't really justify spending money on unnecessary things, it's great to have options. I believe that everyone deserves to have beauty in his or her life. 

For a unique Thanksgiving table centerpiece, I decided to take my inspiration (and my supplies) from nature. First, I started with a small squash from which I removed the top and seeds. I think this cost approximately $3 at my local grocery store. The filler is all greenery, leaves and other natural elements I clipped from some bushes around my house (i.e. free). You could also use fall leaves or even buy cut flowers. I wanted to go for that sprawling, natural look and I think I achieved it with ferns, magnolia leaves, rosemary, and a few other twiggy bits. 

Next, I set out to create some simple Thanksgiving place cards with a twist. A small potted plant at each place is a creative way to illustrate your seating arrangement. This method also has the added bonus of providing guests a small memento or favor from the event. I found this pin-cushion plant on sale at my local florist (less than $5) and added a name tag with a piece of brown paper and a skewer. 

Another simple place card idea involves oranges and cloves. Using whole cloves, create a name or initial in a large orange. Not only is this something of a conversation starter, but the citrus and clove scents mingled together smell wonderful too. 

There are so many other creative Thanksgiving ideas out there floating around. Do you have anything special planned for your holiday meal? 

Thanksgiving doesn't have to be fancy and it doesn't have to be stressful. For years, my family got all worked up over the holidays and I don't think we truly enjoyed them as much as we could have because of all that anxiety and tension. Just do what makes you happy. And love the ones you're with!

Anti-Recipe: Carrot Horseradish Casserole

Growing up in the south, I thought I'd heard of every possible casserole that ever existed.  Then I attended a friend's Thanksgiving celebration where the above dish was featured. At first I thought it was sweet potatoes, but upon closer inspection, I realized this dish was made with carrots. Topped with a zesty horseradish sauce, it was the perfect combination of savory with just a hint of sweet. I'll definitely be making it again!

Here's the anti-recipe:

• 8 carrots, sliced into rounds or ovals
• 2 T chopped onion
• 2 T horseradish (store-bought is fine)
• 1/2 cup mayo (or Vegenaise) 
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 T melted butter (or Earth Balance buttery spread) 
• 1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs 

First, cook your carrots for 5-7 minutes until just tender. You don't want them to end up overcooked and mushy. Save the juice. Combine onion, mayo, horseradish and pepper with the carrot juice. Spread the carrots in a greased casserole dish and top with the horseradish mixture. Combine bread crumbs with melted butter and sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy! 

Happy Thanksgiving 2012

 

My dear, sweet wonderful friends...I hope each of you knows just what a treasure you are to me. On this day (and every day!), I am thankful for you. 

As we gather with the ones we hold dear today (and during this holiday season), I hope we can be conscious of what really matters and let all the little things that don't slip from our thoughts. 

This year has been an eventful one, but no matter what hardships we face, there is so much to be thankful for and my hope is that we can foster an attitude of thankfulness that dwells deep in our hearts. 

Traditions change, loved ones pass from our midst, pie crusts burn...but the things that matter most, the things we hold nearest and dearest to our hearts will never leave us. Hold the ones you love tightly today. 

If nobody else tells you so today, I'm THANKFUL for YOU! I'm glad you were born and I'm glad you are your fabulous, unique, wonderful self. Keep shining your light because the world needs it! 

Happy Thanksgiving & God bless! 

Easy Thanksgiving Crafts for the Whole Family

This morning I joined my friends at Knoxville's WTNZ Fox43 to share some easy Thanksgiving craft ideas. Hope you enjoy the clip! You can find this and other segments on my Fox43 page.

Southern Belle Simple is brought to you by Kate Spears

Simple Family-Friendly Thanksgiving Projects

It's that time again...my bi-weekly segment on Knoxville's WTNZ Fox43 and this week, we're talking Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays and it seems like each year it gets a marginalized a bit more as stores and cities begin putting out Christmas decor closer and closer to Halloween! I want to enjoy Thanksgiving without glossing over it and zipping straight to Christmas so I'm sharing some ideas that I think will help!

One idea for making Thanksgiving a bit more meaningful is creating a 'thankful tree.' This version (by Simply Vintagegirl) is adorable and oh, so easy to make. To make the thankful tree I created for today's segment, I found a branch and stood it up in a vintage champagne bucket. Then I cut out some paper leaves in different fall colors. (I used orange and yellow construction paper and some striped scrapbook paper I had lying around, but you could use whatever you like). 

Another idea I had is to use the leaf shapes as place cards and have your guests write what they are thankful for on the back. Then, everyone can add his or her leaf to the thankful tree as a sweet gesture of thankfulness. 

I love the idea of capturing a thankful memory with a photograph. Everyone at your Thanksgiving celebration could take turns writing what he or she is thankful for on a small chalkboard sign and then have his/her photo taken while holding it. This heart-shaped chalkboard sign (available on Etsy) is one option, but I made my own with some chalkboard spray paint and a canvas I picked up at my local thrift shop for $2. These photos could be compiled into an album to help cement the memories of Thanksgiving 2012!

Finally, what's Thanksgiving without a little turkey? In this case, a sweet treat everyone can enjoy making together. We often have some type of little craft or project planned for the kids in my family to enjoy after the big Thanksgiving meal. This would be perfect because it's so easy and fun, not to mention delicious!

I was inspired by another blogger to create these MoonPie turkey treats and I'm so happy with how they turned out. I think the ones shown in the photo are made with full-size MoonPies but I could only find the mini versions. I also used the mini Nutter Butter cookies (instead of the full-sized as shown above) since they fit the scale of the smaller MoonPies. 

Everything gets held together with cake frosting and they set up well if refrigerated for awhile. The eyes are M&Ms and the wattles are red jelly beans (although I used red licorice instead). These are a fun Thanksgiving treat to make and enjoy and I think even the youngest kids could create them with a little help. 

I hope you got some inspiration from my ideas! I think we can make Thanksgiving feel extra special with just a little effort. You don't have to spend a lot of money to create lasting family Thanksgiving memories. Have a happy day friends! 

Southern Belle Simple is brought to you by Kate Spears

In the spirit of being thankful

New Traditions for an Old Favorite

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday. It’s the one I want to really celebrate and enjoy…and yet it somehow always gets swept up in the madness of Christmas. I want to add some extra little traditions to Thanksgiving this year, things that we can enjoy and look forward to again and again. What about giving your special somebodies a little Thanksgiving gift?

The artwork above is available from Bluebird Goods for $15 (Facebook fans get a discount too!). I’m thinking of ordering it as a possible hostess gift. Another fun way to enjoy the spirit of Thanksgiving is by sending out “I’m thankful for you” cards. They could be bought or some that you make yourself. Even an email if it was personalized…just to say thanks to someone who makes your life better.

 

If you are a fan of SBS on Facebook, you might have heard me raving about these darling little votive candles that came in the mail the other day. I bought them with the intent to give them away, but I think I’ll have to place another order. The hand-poured soy votives are from Not Too Shabby, a lovely gift shop in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. My favorite fragrance is “marine” and Lisa (the shop’s owner) sold me on it when she likened the scent to “the best smelling man you’ve ever smelled.” Coincidence that the southern beau was, in fact, a U.S. Marine? I think not.

I know this stuff might seem trivial, but how special does it feel when somebody shows up out of the blue with a little happy present for you? If nobody has ever done that for you, send me your address! Life is short and it doesn’t take much to brighten someone’s day. I’m trying to get as much out of this season as possible…and looking forward to celebrating with you along the way!

Easy Breezy Bread

When my aunt called me the other day to ask what food dish I’d like to bring for Thanksgiving, I didn’t answer right away. Why is it that when southern cooks get together, it sort of feels like a big competition to see whose dish is best? This is all in fun of course, I just think that southerners take our food very seriously, especially when it comes to the Big 3 (Easter, T-giving, and Christmas).

Since of most of the main dishes were already spoken for, I said I’d bring bread. Lest anyone think that I’m a slacker and plan on grabbing anything store bought (with the exception of Sister Schubert….forgive me Sister!), I wanted to share the recipe that I plan on making.

If you’ve never heard of the famous Blue Willow Inn in Social Circle, Georgia, you’ve been missing out! My dear friend Terry gave me this cookbook as a gift several Christmases ago, and it’s definitely one that I use again and again. The Blue Willow Inn is a charming restaurant that gained much recognition after columnist Lewis Grizzard ate there in 1992 and wrote about the delicious food he enjoyed during his visit. The particular bread recipe I’ll be making for my family’s Thanksgiving is the Blue Willow Inn’s Buttery Biscuit Rolls. They are everything that I look for in a recipe…easy, few ingredients and utterly scrumptious!

Buttery Biscuit Rolls

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
1 cup sour cream
2 cups self-rising flour
Herbs, if desired

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat, whisking until completely melted. Add the sour cream and flour, and mix lightly. Spoon the batter into miniature muffin cups (do not grease), filling each one to the top. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes about 2 dozen.

Note: Adding a tablespoon of dried herbs such as basil or rosemary or 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped herbs to the batter makes a tasty addition to your meal.

To freeze: Remove the rolls from the oven several minutes early. Cool completely before freezing. To serve, thaw the rolls and bake at 350 degrees for only a few minutes until golden brown.

**I have made these with plain Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream and they turned out very good. A bit less fat if that’s what you’re going for. I’ve also added bacon crumbles…and the fat’s back!

What are YOU making for Thanksgiving?