What I wore last week | 24
Thanksgiving prep & some elevated casual holiday looks...
This post will be brief, hopefully, as it’s been a busy weekend as I’m preparing for the Thanksgiving Holiday! Not too much to report other than multiple trips to the grocery store, cooking what could be made ahead of time to freeze, thinking through the Thanksgiving menu and staying afloat with all the my usual daily chores!
Here’s the Turkey Day menu lineup: (not all worked out just yet and heavily inspired by my lovely Mother!
Apps:
Pigs-in-a-blanket: (Tip: if you are making these by hand, right before you put them in the oven, dunk them in a mixture of 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 cup of warm water. Pat them dry and place on trays to cook - this trick keeps the outer crust crispy but nice and soft on the inside!) It really works!!
Homemade Spanikopita: this has been a holiday staple in our family for as long as I can remember- my mother usually makes this but I am having a go at it this year - my mom sent me this RECIPE and I made three batches today- I have never worked with phyllo dough before so it was interesting to say the least! Hopefully they will turn out well. I love watching recipe videos versus a written recipe because it’s hard to always interpret the technique so a video can really help with this!
Sweet-and-sour meatballs: another Thanksgiving tradition- these are so easy to make and, as I’ve been told, delicious! I am a vegetarian so rolling out 110 meatballs is quite the experience but I know it’s a crowd pleaser! We use the ‘Elegant but Easy’ cookbook recipe for this - it’s an older cookbook but I found the recipe HERE.
Entrees:
Turkey (cranberry sauce on side): My husband is usually in charge of the bird- not sure of his exact plan this year - whether he’ll brine it a few days before or not - we shall see and I’ll report back
A white potato dish of some sort…
Sweet Potatoes with marshmallows
Mac and cheese - I could go on and on about this but I was back and forth with recipes and which way to go - a more decadent breadcrumb/crusty type or a more creamy version. I usually love the crusty/breadcrumb kind but my mom convinced me to try out this recipe by NY Times food writer Eric Kim which was inspired by the Stouffer’s version and uses…….. Velveeta, yes, I know, I know, I said it, and, I never imagined I’d purchase this as I’m a conscious and healthy eater but he swears this is the magic ingredient. He explains how Velveeta has sodium citrate which prevents the sauce from separating in the oven! So, I will let you know my thoughts about a creamy mac and cheese in general and specifically about this one! RECIPE HERE. As you can see from the pic below, this is very creamy and intentionally so, it’s meant to be eaten with a spoon - however, you can certainly put your stove on broil for an extra 10 minutes to crisp and brown it up…
A kale and grain salad
Green beans with ginger and garlic
Stuffing- my mother always add a few cups of her turkey gravy into this for added richness - sooo good!
Dessert: We usually have a cheese cake with graham cracker crust and pecan pie but we will try some new ones this year- still working this out - TBD!
Now, my favorite subject, FASHION!!!!
I’m usually a mix of comfort with a touch of festivity in terms of my wardrobe selection for Thanksgiving. As I’m the host, I need to feel comfortable and able to easily move around throughout the day. I usually always wear flats on my feet and don’t wear anything too heavy on top as I don’t want to overheat while in the midst of cooking and getting stuff out on the table. I also don’t want to splatter on myself so I try to keep that in mind as well when choosing a top!
Here are some Thanksgiving outfit options for you whether you are hosting or a guest! They are not fancy but rather, elevated casual with a sense of ease and comfort always at the forefront…
This last look below is not for Thanksgiving but rather what I wore this week to run around town and in preparation for the holiday. (I swapped out the boots for sneakers)…
That’s all for this week! Please comment below with any favorite Thanksgiving recipes or traditions - would love to hear what this Holiday means for you and how you spend it. Wishing you all a lovely Thanksgiving with your loved ones! Be sure to soak it in, smile, laugh & enjoy!
Best, Dina
XOXO