It's MOvember, No Typo :)

Do you know about MOvember?  I saw a little story about it on a news show, but it wasn't till  I saw my son that I put it all together!
Just as October is the month for Breast Cancer awareness, November is for for men's health, prostate and testicular cancer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movember
People pledge donations for clean shaven men who grow a moustache, or "MO" for the month.
I had never seen my son with a stache, so I was a little taken back, but when he told me why, I thought it was a great cause.
So far he has raised over $5,000 !
To give him some MO support, I found a moustache candy mold, and Tgiving Day all the kids posed for a picture with their dad.
Here are his 2 youngest with their MOs.
If you know someone who is taking part, I hope you will support them with a donation if you can, in honor of your grandfathers, fathers, brothers, sons, uncles, nephews and male friends.  It is a worthy cause to keep the men we love healthy!
We spent Thanksgiving at my dil's sister's home.  Last year as a newly wed she hosted for the first time, and this year she graciously agreed to do so, this time, a few months pregnant!  So next year another little Pilgrim will be with us.  She did a lovely job on the tables for this large crowd.  There were too many of us to fit in her dining room, so it involved a lot of carrying things up and down to the entertainment room.

I found these plates for the kids last year at a sidewalk sale at The Pottery Barn Outlet.  I had to be aggressive down right pushy :), as other nanas wanted them for their gkids too.  I wish I could have grabbed more, as the family is growing!

.50 cents each, full size plate.  I think I will look on ebay for a few more!

Lemon Cream Cake made in the Heritage Pan. I used Ina's Lemon Cake recipe and made a cream cheese icing that I swirled through.

Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie with Caramel, in a gingerbread chocolate crust, delicious!  It was from a small ice cream store on L.I.

Carvel turkeys for the kids...and donuts too.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, the weather here was wonderful, another blessing!  I can't remember a better Tgiving weekend with 4 days in a row of sunny above normal temps.  Perfect for that touch football game with the kids.
I am joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday and
Yvonne for On the Menu Monday.
Now on to Christmas!

Time to Give Thanks

I know everyone is busy with their preparations for tomorrow.  I bet the kitchen smells heavenly!
The winner of the Cookie Party Kit from William Sonoma is Carolina Jewel.  Please send me your address so I can get it out in the mail.  Congratulations, Jewel!  I hope you share pictures of your cookie exchange with us!

I don't have a new table to show tonight, so I'll share a few from the past.
This from 2008...


And a less formal table.  I love the cloth ,my friend gave it to me.  It is a piece of fabric, and it looks like acorns.  :)





I used my Cornucopia pan from WSonoma Outlet to make one of the desserts for tomorrow.
Laurie, at Bargain Hunting with Laurie won one too, I wonder if she tried it out?  I see she posted, I have to pop over for a visit!

 
It's a pumpkin cake, I tried a new recipe.  I will let you know how it is in the next post!

I'll put the glaze on before serving.  Trying a new glaze too, I am adventurous serving it to other people without trying it, LOL.  How bad could it be?

After dinner tomorrow the children get their traditional little gift.  The countdown to Christmas  begins!


I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I hope you will count your blessings, I count all of you among mine. :)

I am joining Susan for Tablescape Thursday
Gollum for Foodie Friday
Thank you so much for visiting!

November~Deep Purple~Poached Pear & Chicken Salad

You know I don't like orange. {and chickens!  :) }  I thought I would get away from the orange and rusts this week, and do purple.

I took a white reticulated pedestal bowl filled it with a leaf garland, purple mums, dusty miller from my yard, and mini white pumpkins from Tues. Morning.

I started with a deep purple cloth from CTS, white chargers from Noritake years ago, and purple plates from le Wal Mart.

Clearance, 1.50

The dark purple dotted plate is made in Portugal from Pier One, clearance a few months ago, 1.68

The Italian bakers in deep purple are from HG.  I recently found some in blue at CTS for less than half of what I paid in HG!

The flatware is gold, purple and gold are fallish, and I never remember to use the gold.  It is by Farberware. 

I used a purple and a white napkin with a purple flower ring from BBB, clearance .99

Gold spreaders, a gift from The Tablescaper, and little white butter plates from CTS.

I have white turkey salt and peppers, but they flew the coop, or they are up  high and I didn't feel like climbing the ladder, so I caught these birdies from Pier One and pressed them into duty.

The purple stems are from Villeroy and Boch when they closed their store here in  Southampton.

With only one more week till Thanksgiving , I know many of us are thinking Christmas.

I also know many of you have been looking at magazines and Pinterest for ideas.

SO ARE YOU READY FOR A THROW DOWN?

Instead of doing a Winter White party this year, I would like you to find a Holiday  tablescape  you like from a mag or the net, and recreate it.  It can be simple or elaborate, your call.  The party will be on Dec. 14th.  I will be celebrating 3 years of blogging, and there will be a giveaway to go along with it. 

So start thinking about it, I hope it will be fun.  Are you up for the challenge?

Show us the original and your take on it. 

I know it is a busy time of year, so no pressure if you can't join in.

I haven't found mine yet, so I will be looking for one too!

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We have dinner salads here about once a week.

I add in chicken, or shrimp or steak.

This time I poached some pears in a little butter, cinnamon , sugar and apricot liqueur. 

I pounded the chicken cutlets thin, seasoned them and dredged in flour, yes, just flour, no egg or anything.

Brown them in a little oil, remove to a paper towel, and slice when cool enough.

Toss baby spinach in a bit of sugar and salt and pepper to taste.  Sliced red onions,  crumbled bacon, feta cheese, or another to your liking, Foley,:)  sliced tomatoes , etc.  Arrange the sliced chicken on top of your other ingredients, place the poached  pears on top, and pour the rest of the poaching liquid over the salad.  Top with toasted nuts.

If you think you might play along for the throw down, let me know.  If I get at least 10 it's a go.  The more the merrier but it doesn't have to be the event of the season!  :)

I have this adorable Cookie Exchange kit from WSonoma.  I know some of you do cookie exchanges, this would be great.  And maybe some have thought about having one, so do it!

Open to all followers who are interested, just leave one comment saying you want in, ,no tweeting, bleating, face booking  etc. easy!

Winner announced this weekend so I can get it into the mail .

I am joining Susan for Tablescape Thursday

Gollum for Foodie Friday

Sherry for Open House Friday

Diann for Thrifty Things Friday

Thanks for visiting!

What's for Thanksgiving Dessert?

I am not hosting Thanksgiving, although we will still cook a turkey.  This year we will do it in the smoker dh got for his birthday.  If it doesn't come out well, at least the traditional dinner won't be ruined!

A few years ago I bought myself this pretty cake/pie stand from Lenox.  On sale and with a coupon it was under 20 dollars.  I got one for my sister too.

I love the base, it is shaped like a pumpkin.

 

What should I fill it with? 

I have been assigned 4 things to bring for Thanksgiving...sweet potato and apples, glazed carrots, an appetizer and a dessert.  I usually make a kiddy dessert and an adult.

So I have been thinking about it. 

Maybe a nice apple tart.  This time I will drizzle it with caramel.

Or perhaps Apple crisp.I could make them in individual ramekins...maybe.

Years ago a group of us made the caged pears with the puff pastry.

I think you could poach a half of an apple and stuff it the same way as the pear.  Why not?

Or that apple pie with the shredded crust I made a few times.

Or the most recent with the leaves that I showed you.

   Of course there will have to be something chocolate, and I will make these cookies too. I will be making them next week, so I will post the recipe etc.

Do you make something different, or do you stick to the "traditional"?

Maybe some date nut bread for those who do not like sweet things?  Recipe here.

 

Tonight, a simple Sunday dinner setting, a fabric turkey is the centerpiece .

Plates from Christmas Tree Shops.

I am joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday

Yvonne for On the Menu Monday
Marty for Tabletop Tuesday.

It was a beautiful day , a little breezy , but nice for a walk on the beach here.

Have a great week!

Copper Tone ~Eggplant& Spinach Stacks

Look who is joining us tonight!  His whole famdamily trotted through my yard, devouring my hosta and finishing off the mums! There are so many of them, they are eating everything!

On to the table.

I found these peach mini rose plants  on sale in the supermarket and had to bring them home.

Placed in a copper pot I have had for ages, with some leaves, it became the centerpiece. I surrounded the pot with a leaf garland for that windblown look.  :)

The cloth is a copper color striped  fabric from the Duralee Outlet.  It is large enough for my dining room, over 144 inches long.  I didn't want to cut it, so I gathered the ends with fall napkin rings from Villeroy and Boch.

I got that cloth plus 2 other pieces for 5 dollars total, plus a few squares of fabric samples.  I have a plaid one in the center under the centerpiece.

The charger is a hammered  copper colored from Michael's.  Rust colored plate I think from the supermarket, leaf from Pfaltzgraff clearance outlet , 1.26.

The napkins were from there too, and the copper color beaded ring is from CTS, last week.

The larger glass has a fleur de lis on it and is from CTS last week also.  The smaller ones and compotes are from Savers.

The leaf salt and pepper shakers are from Walmart.

Little acorn s and p's.

Leaf dishes are Pfaltzgraff and the votives with the leaf dangle were 3 for $1 last year at CTS.

Green swirl flatware picks up the green in the napkin.  It was from CTS.

The little copper tea pot in the background was my mom's.

What's for dinner?  Venison of course!  :)

I had an eggplant and I had some  fresh spinach.

I panko and floured the eggplant slices,seasoned them  and baked them.  Spray the baking sheet well, and drizzle with olive oil. 

I chopped some red onion and sauteed it in a bit of  olive oil.  I put the fresh spinach in on top with a sprinkle of sugar and some pepper. Cover it.   After it wilts down stir in a heaping tablespoon of ricotta and a handful of freshly grated cheese, I used Locatelli.

Put the mixture in a ramekin, top with some mozzarella and put under the broiler to brown a bit.

Stack the eggplant slices and top with the spinach. Simple and delicious.

I served it with golden brown shrimp.

I am joining Susan at BNOTP for Tablescape Thursday

Gollum for Foodie Friday

Diann at the Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Friday

The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday
Sherry at No Minimalist Here.
Yvonne for On the Menu Monday
Thank you ladies, for hosting, and thank you for stopping by!