Back with holiday thoughts to share

I'm glad to be back and able to share some ideas with you! Isn't the new blog layout divine? Thanks Shannon at www.eightcrazydesign.com for her creativity and great design skills! My wheels are spinning with only a couple of weeks left to prepare for Thanksgiving dinner at my house this year. Small crowd, but regardless, we still eat...alot! There will just be more to go around! I have my tried and true recipe for the best turkey ever so that's a done deal. My sides always change because while I like the classics, candied yams, stuffing, cranberries; my guests likes and dislikes dictate the specifics. Mom loves oysters...why, I don't know...but I'll be sure to have a small morsel for her to enjoy. Creamed oysters at that! If I have to suffer through them, wrapped in bacon and broiled would do nicely. Dad doesn't like alot of crunch in his stuffing, but I do. So two varieties, one in the bird, a little more standard for his liking and then one outside the bird with lots of goodies. I found a recipe in Bon Appetit for a yummy dried cranberry, apricot and fig stuffing! Go to bonappetit.com/go/slideshows for a great stuffing slideshow on all the stuffing recipes. The kids like the plain cranberry sauce, wiggly and jiggly out of the can, Ocean Spray version. There will certainly be a need for the more mature palate so I'm going with the cranberry, pomegranate and meyer lemon relish, also found in this months' Bon Appetit. There are actually so many great recipes in this issue, this one is a keeper. Finding space on my shelving is going to be a task. My bookcase overflows already. I have to keep 4 books out at all times since there is no more room! Makes me look like a busy cook! Desserts are standard and always will be; apple crumb pie a la mode and pumpkin, pumpkin and more pumpkin. I hope everyone has a wonderfully blessed Thanksgiving and while feasting, remember why we are together and how much each and every person present contributes to the family. Be thankful for what you have and where you are right now. With the volatility in our country there is no better time to hunker down and take stock in what is good and this Thanksgiving I am going to try very hard to make my children aware of all that they have to be grateful for. Thanks for visiting! Miriam