Tag: thanksgiving

  • 14 Crafty Ways to Reuse Pie Pans

    14 Crafty Ways to Reuse Pie Pans

    The holidays bring my favorite dessert – pie! What do you do when you find yourself with a stack of pie pans though? These 14 ideas are sure to inspire you to reuse pie pans in a myriad of ways. 
     
     
     

    Thanksgiving is upon is! Family, football, Macy’s Parade, and Food. Lots of Food. Which will usually equate to lots of trash as well. Styrofoam cups, paper plates, cans, napkins, and pie pans. So many pie pans!

    Did you know about 50 million pumpkin pies are eaten at Thanksgiving? (source)  That is a lot of pumpkin pie, and I highly doubt that even half of those are made at home in a reusable pie plate. Add to that fact, that some people out there just don’t like Pumpkin pie – raising my hand – so then we’ve got apple pie, cherry pie, strawberry rhubarb pie, and my personal favorite cheesecake!
     
    I’ve talked recently about how we can reduce our waste by buying products in cartons, but what are we going to do with these pie pans?  Lucky for you, I’ve been brainstorming, and have a pretty awesome list to reuse pie pans. 
     

    14 Crafty ways to Reuse Pie Pans after Thanksgiving 

     


    Garden Stones.
    Fill with cement, and add sparkly things like bead
    s for a bright garden stone. These make great Grandparent gifts too. 

    Bake more pies.  I think this is pretty obvious. Also a great way to make pies for neighbors or potlucks without worrying about getting your dish back. 

    Kids Crafts. Things like a bird feeder, addition to a costume (think tin man), a mask, Frisbee, boat, the uses are endless here. 

    Sensory Play.  Have you seen sensory play pins? Something like this Frozen Sensory bin could easily be recreated in a pie tin. 

    Pet Bowls for on the go. Keep one or two in the car, for travelling with pets. Fill with water for a quick drink on the go

    Make a Veggie Basket for the grill. (Source)

    Store leftovers.  If you get the tins with the lids, save those lids and use the tin and lid to store leftovers, or to keep your husbands dinner warm if he has a late night (or wife if she’s the one working)

    Husbands lunchbox. Again hang onto the lids, and send your spouse to work with a meal in a tin. 

    Recreate Cafe Rio favorites at home. If you’ve never been to Cafe Rio, this might not make sense. You get a huge burrito, with beans and rice on the side, all served in what looks similar to a pie pan, but with higher sides. Save some money and recreate these favorites at home. I suggest trying this Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

    Recycle. If you’d rather not keep them around the house, then please recycle them. Give them to a crafty friend, or put in your recycling bin

    Christmas Ornaments.  I found this fun idea over on Thrifty Fun.  It would be easy to recreate with kids.   

    Aluminum ornament made from a pie pan

    Key and wallet Holder.  This one is so simple. Just set the pan on your counter, and request everyone leave their wallet, keys, sunglasses, and other pocket junk in the tin. It will keep your counters looking cleaner, and no one will lose their keys. 

    Screw holder in the garage. Attach multiple magnets to the back of the pie pan. Hang on your garage wall. Whenever you have a loose screw, or nail, or bolt, with no place to put it, toss it into the pan, and it will stick to the magnets. Great garage storage idea from Mark!

    French toast.  This is a tip I actually shared a few years ago, and what inspired me to think further outside the box. I use pie tins (make sure they have no holes) and their lids to soak my french toast in before cooking it up. They can be washed and reused over and over and over again. 

    How will you reuse pie pans this year?


  • Foodie Friday Featuring Jade Louise Designs

    Foodie Friday Featuring Jade Louise Designs

    Welcome back to another Foodie Friday
    I would love it if you took a moment to visit my co-host Diane at Simple Living and Eating
    If you’re new to Foodie Friday, here’s the run down
    1. Link up your recipe or any food related post below
    2. Browse the linky, visit some new blogs, and share if you feel so inclined. 
    3. Please only link up 3 posts. This lets us visit as many of you as possible.
    This week we’re featuring:
    The main writer behind Jade Louise Designs is Amber – I say main because she has 2 contributing authors as well.  Over the past year I have really gotten to know Amber through a connection on Facebook, past liking each others fan pages. She has inspired me to be more creative and take more time with my own blog.  At one point we found we share a mutual connection through Mark’s cousin. I always love finding out just how small this world is. 
    Amber is a stay at home mother, housewife, and blogger. Get to know Amber more by visiting her About page.  I chose to feature Jade Louise Designs this week because Amber put together the perfect post full of tips and even a Brine recipe for your Thanksgiving Turkey. I wanted to make sure you all had it, in case you are in charge of cooking the Turkey this year. 
    Thanksgiving Turkey Tips plus Turkey Brine Recipe, How to roast a turkey and How to carve a turkey!
    Anytime Amber posts a recipe, I get sucked right in! And then her photos and links to other recipes, yeah I waste a fair amount of time browsing and pinning her stuff. Things like these Mini German Pancakes, that then led me to checking out her Peanut Butter Hot Cocoa…of which I know I’ve looked at before, but it’s a chilly day here. I couldn’t resist. Someone help me, because I’m off to reacquaint myself with her homemade Belgian Hot Chocolate now too…I may not leave my kitchen this weekend!
    Mini German Pancakes Recipe filled with Berry Sauce
    Hot Chocolate Recipe: Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate Stephen's Hot Cocoa Mix
    Belgian Hot Chocolate Recipe; Best Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe
  • Giving Thanks is More than a Holiday

    Giving Thanks is More than a Holiday

    While browsing my Facebook newsfeed this morning I came across this video. It so perfectly summed up how I feel about gratitude and also gave me more to think about. I hope that I live my life in a way that when I’m old and grey I continue to have these same feelings of gratitude for my life.

     
    There were a few parts of this that especially spoke to me

    Giving Thanks isn’t a Holiday. It’s how happy people live

    We never had much money to speak of, but I never felt poor.

     
     
    This is linked up to Creative K Kids Thankful Thursdays
    Creative K Kids
  • Easy Pomegranate Stuffing Recipe

    Easy Pomegranate Stuffing Recipe

    Looking for a way to dress up your Thanksgiving stuffing, but without too much hassle? You’ll want to try this Pomegranate Stuffing!
     
     
    I won’t lie to you, I am in some serious love with this stuffing. The pop of fresh red berries made this stuffing just that much more visually appealing, and the burst of juice in each bite is fantastic. 
     
    Now before you read through this recipe and gasp at my shortcut, let me just tell you – YES, I used a boxed stuffing mix for this. I have yet to actually try a from-scratch stuffing. It’s on my bucket list, but I haven’t really had a reason to do that yet. Maybe this year I’ll volunteer to bring the stuffing to Thanksgiving. I still have half a bowl of Pomegranate seeds in my fridge I could use. 
     
    On another note, I did add in a little healthy flavoring with some Organic Chicken Stock from Pacific Foods. I think you’re going to love the added flavor of chicken and pomegranate in your holiday stuffing. 
     
    Pomegranate Stuffing
    An easy way to dress up your Thanksgiving Stuffing, without extra hassle.
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    Ingredients
    1. 1 box stove top stuffing
    2. Organic (unsalted) Chicken stock
    3. water
    4. 1/4-1/2 cup pomegranates
    Instructions
    1. Make stuffing according to package directions, but replace half the water with chicken stock.
    2. Toss pomegranate seeds with cooked stuffing.
    3. Serve.
    Home Maid Simple https://www.homemaidsimple.com/
     
     How do you like your stuffing? Do you make Stovetop, or are you a traditionalist with stuffing inside the turkey? I’d love to hear your favorite way to dress up this classic Thanksgiving side dish. 
     
    Love Pomegranate? You’ll love this Pomegranate Lemonade too!
     
  • Caramelized Pumpkin Cheesecake

    Caramelized Pumpkin Cheesecake

    Caramelized Pumpkin Cheesecake is just what it appear to be! A layer of old fashioned cheesecake, followed by a layer of pumpkin cheesecake, topped off with some brown sugar caramelizing. Family and friends will love it!
     

    Thanksgiving is right around the corner!  Are you so excited?  I am. I just love Thanksgiving. All the food and a day to completely relax with family. I really don’t think there is anything better than that. So, I have had a little fun whipping up some recipes for you to take to your feast.

    This particular cheesecake started out as an idea to combine pecan pie and pumpkin pie into a cheesecake, but it slowly morphed into no pecans and a little caramelizing.

    Caramelized Pumpkin Cheesecake
    Serves 8
    Delicious Cheesecake with a layer of pumpkin and caramelized top
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    Crust
    1. 1 pkg graham crackers
    2. 1 TBS sugar
    3. 3 TBS butter
    Filling
    1. 1 1/2 pkg cream cheese
    2. 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
    3. 3/4 cup sugar
    4. 1 egg
    5. 1/4 cup brown sugar
    Instructions
    1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
    2. For the crust, crush the graham crackers.
    3. Min in the sugar.
    4. Cut in the butter until crumbly.
    5. Place in a 9 inch pie plate and bake for 11 minutes.
    6. Mix the cream cheese, sugar, and egg until well blended.
    7. Divide the batter in half.
    8. Add pumpkin puree to one half of the batter.
    9. Pour the cream cheese batter into the crust.
    10. Swirl the pumpkin batter on top.
    11. Bake for 45 minutes
    12. Let the cheesecake cool for at least 2 hours.
    13. Sprinkle brown sugar on top.
    14. Caramelize the sugar with either a butane torch or a few minutes under the broiler.
    Home Maid Simple https://www.homemaidsimple.com/
     
     What’s you favorite cheesecake flavor?
     
  • Pomegranate Memories #ThankfulThursday

    Pomegranate Memories #ThankfulThursday

    I’m joining Tammy from Creative K Kids, to bring you a 4 part series this month on what we are Thankful for. I try all year long to show gratitude in my daily life, but the month of November with our thoughts turned to Thanksgiving, it’s nice to look a little deeper, and share a little more.  Feel free to link up your thankful posts, or share with me in the comments what you are thankful for.

    One of my fondest memories of this season, is sitting around with my Dad as we peeled and de-seeded a Pomegranate. We only got a few during this season, as a special treat, and if we wanted to enjoy the goodness inside, we had to help with the work of getting the fruit. It was always a fun time, that brought us closer as a family. 
    I am so grateful for my Dad and the simple lessons he taught us using a Pomegranate.  
    – We have to work hard before we get a reward
    – Some things are worth waiting all year for. Even if it’s just a small taste we get. 
    – Family togetherness is important.
    I am grateful for smart, dedicated people, who have learned how to simplify a task, making it a little less hard. Recently a couple of my friends shared this video, on how to de-seed a pomegranate with a wooden spoon. After giving it a go, I’m here to tell you, it actually works! It is so much better than the water method (which I never could get to work well).  
    Now you may think that I’m taking away from teaching my kids with this new method, but I’m not. They aren’t big fans of this delicious fruit – too bad for them, great for me – and the faster method means I don’t waste as much with my finger picking, seed mushing way. 
    To put it simply, today I am grateful for Memories, Dads, Smart People, and a bowl full of Pomegranate seeds waiting in my fridge for me. 

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  • Piano {Wordless Wednesday}

    Piano {Wordless Wednesday}

    One thing I really miss having is a piano. While visiting my parents for Thanksgiving, I got to enjoy Mark’s music as he played almost daily on their beautiful piano.  As soon as we close on this house, and move in, I think our next big home purchase will be a piano. My fingers are itching to play again.

    Music truly makes a House more of a Home.
  • Anise Orange Biscotti {Foodie Friday}

    Anise Orange Biscotti {Foodie Friday}

    Every year my family has an h’or doeve contest for Thanksgiving. It gives us something to snack on during the day while waiting for the big meal.  This year I decided to try making some biscotti. I’ve never had biscotti before, but heard it’s good. I was not expecting it to be so hard though.

    So, make sure you have something nearby to dunk these in. Today’s choices ranged from tomato soup, wassail, and hot chocolate.  All were found equally enjoyable.

    Anise Orange Biscotti

    Ingredients
    2 eggs
    1 cup sugar
    1/4 tsp vanilla extract
    1/4 tsp anise extract
    2 tsp McCormick Valencia Orange Peel
    dash of anise seeds
    2 TBS 100% Orange Juice
    2 cups flour
    1/4 tsp salt
    1 tsp baking powder

    Directions
    Preheat oven to 350 F.
    Whisk the eggs, sugar, vanilla, anise extract, orange peel, seeds and juice together.  In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  Slowly stir the dry mixture into the wet, until fully combined.
    Separate the dough in half, and form 2 logs. Aproximately 2 inches by 12 inches.
    Grease a cookie sheet!
    Place the logs on the cookie sheet, and bake in the oven for 35 minutes, and the tops are slightly brown. Remove from oven. Lower the heat to 325.
    Allow the biscotti to cool for 10 minutes. Cut into 1/2 inch slices, and place back on the pan cut side down. Bake for another 15 minutes.
    Let cool.
    You can dip them in chocolate, drizzle chocolate on top, or leave plain.

    I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Thanks for being a part of Foodie Friday. I am truly grateful for my cohost Diane. She really helped kick this party off the ground. And without all of your, this party wouldn’t be so much fun. I am grateful to those of you who come by every week and link up with us. You’re recipes, kitchen creations, and food knowledge always inspires me.
    Now on to the 
    ~FEATURES~
    Post image for Recipe: Sugarplums from Real Food for the Holidays by Nourished Kitchen
    Sugar Plums
    from Real Food Forager
    This screams Holidays! I’ve never had sugar plums, but watching the Nutcracker always makes me want one.

    Baked Cheesy Chicken Taquitos
    Baked Cheesy Chicken Taquitos
    After all the Thanksgiving fare, I was looking for something a little more light. This looks perfect!

    Portuguese Style Orange Cake
    This just looks so yummy! Even if I did eat some pie recently, I think I could go for this!

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  • Happy Thanksgiving

    Happy Thanksgiving

    Happy Thanksgiving
    Here’s a tidbit of history for you
    May we all find reasons to be Thankful today and give Praise. 
  • Thanksgiving Traditions {Menu Plan}

    Thanksgiving Traditions {Menu Plan}

    Growing up, Thanksgiving was a feast! Both of food and people. Many of our family friends had no family nearby, so we had them over to our house for Thanksgiving. I remember filling our Great Room with 3-4 long folding tables, plus one smaller table for the kids. You could hardly walk around there were so many of us gathered.

    While we would wait for the main meal to be served, we always had a fun little contest.  H’or Doeves!  Everyone was allowed to bring 1 h’or doeve to enter the contest. Categories were set up by age group.  It was always so much fun. I remember one year I used my Roald Dahl cookbook, and made a hoagie sandwich look like a crocodile.

    The past couple years we have really tempered it down, keeping it just to family.  As a part of that the h’or doeve contest got cut. However, this year, my sister is bringing it back!  I was just told this weekend though, so now I have got to pull something together fast. I’m feeling stuck….pinterest and foodie friday have given me way too many options.

    This Bread Dough Cornucopia from the Jazzy Gourmet Cooking Studio would look amazing on anyy Thanksgiving table

     
    I know my sister has a soft spot for Biscotti sinve she traveled to Europe. So I might try this Orange Anise Biscotti I found on pinterest

     While I personally love bruschetta inspired h’or doeves, like this Artichoke Bruschetta
     

    In the meantime, I should probably figure out dinner for the rest of the week

    Monday – Bsicuits and Gravy
    Tuesday – Bean and Cheese Quesadillas
    Wednesday – Chili
    Thursday – Thanksgiving! My mom is doing the dinner. I’m making apple pie and these Pumpkin Dinner Rolls from Will Cook for Smiles

    Friday – Dad’s birthday. Leftover Thanksgiving and hopefully some cherry Cheesecake
    Saturday – Dinner at my parents
    Sunday – Dinner at my parents (I love vacation!)