Parmesan potatoes with gouda, provolone cheeses.

My mom and I alternate cooking duties on holidays. Most often it is her doing all the cooking but this year she told me she would decorate the Thanksgiving table and I do the cooking, and on Christmas we would swap.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I do NOT do cooking for large crowds nor do I cook large quantities of food. I am one of those weirdos who knows how much each person should have and I cook accordingly.

Everyone coming knew that was the case this Thanksgiving. There was no room for pop up visits because seriously, they would be eating crumbs. I just do not overcook. lol

Anywho, within the next few days I will be covering the recipes for these dishes, but here is a photographic recap.

It was such a good time among family and I was reminded just how awesome my mom, kids, sister and aunt are...they all seriously rock.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Apple and Cranberry Pie

Chocolate Cake with vanilla icing and blueberry preserves filling.

Herb salad with goat cheese and cranberry

My mom's awesome table setting

Cornbread dressing...the only thing my mom made because seriously hers is the BEST. If I had one word for it, it would be 'golden'. Or creamy. Or delicious.  Or cornbready, chickeny goldeny goodness.

Today I had the bright idea to pull out the Christmas tree and put it up. I know some folks are all, "It ain't even Thanksgiving yet!" but I am in the holiday spirit. I turn on some Christmas music and head to the closet to pull out the tree. The kids are lounging in the living room looking at me like I am crazy as I throw box after box onto the floor. Clearly, they are not experiencing the same enthusiasm I am. Are we in the same family? Get with it, kids!

I am all excited as I begin to put together the base when I realize, I only have two legs. Seriously? Are you kidding me? Searching through camping gear, gallons of water that are in the closet, I find one more leg for the base and it is broken.

Do you think that was going to stop me? Oh no. I propped that cocked and leaning bad boy up against the wall and stood back to admire my handy work.

Tree. was. assembled.

There I stood, all the lights on the limbs of this prelit wonder from last year connected and I held in my hands the extension power cord. Obviously, it was not my day, unlike in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, I plugged the cord into the outlet and I was greeted with nothing. Not even a moment of joy.   Nothing. Not one light.

I was devastated. I threw on a strand of lights that I had hanging in my boys's room and it just wasn't doing the trick.  Something about a big ol' Christmas tree with one strand of lights cascading around it like garland just was not getting it.

My kids laughed at me and even right now, the Leaning Tower of Christmas Wonder stands in the corner, literally on it's last leg.  No decorations, just that one strand of lights.



To make myself feel better, I finally finalized the Thanksgiving dinner menu. When I sent it to my college freshman daughter, she typed back, "Why you have to be all fancy when you have a big family?"  Seriously? I swear my hard work is not appreciated.

Well, no matter what, this is the menu and I ain't changing it. They can kick a couple rocks, because this is what we are eating.

What is on your holiday menu?




Why not try these tart and sweet kolaches? I am not having them for Thanksgiving but they will be in rotation for the holidays.



Also, I honestly battled with the sweet potatoes this year. I really wanted these twice baked ones my mom made one year but settled on attempting some meringue covered ones.  Of course, I just may have some extra on hand to make the baked ones because...I have....never....made meringue before.

I think I am just a glutton for punishment. Oh lawd.

I absolutely love this time of year. Back when I was younger, Thanksgiving meant we ate the EXACT same thing, every single Thanksgiving, every single year. It never failed. My mom's menu never ever changed, as did none of the other menus here in the deep south.

Now that I am older and in more control over Thanksgiving, my mom still is the boss and head cook, but she does allow me to help her. That means trying new things and me being responsible for making those new things. I like variety and change. Of course, there are staples I just can not do with out, like cornbread dressing...but everything else can be replaced, removed, revamped, etc.

So while I may be the one bringing variety to the table, my traditional mom surprised me one holiday and made these cute individual 'sweet potato casseroles' by way of naming them 'Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes'. I have never been a fan of sweet potatoes so this was a shock that I liked these. But I have discovered, as I get older, my picky palate becomes less picky....or should I just say more matured.




You will need:
Mini Marshmallows (or make your own)
1 Sweet potato
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp nutmeg/cinnamon mixed
1/2 tsp butter

In an oven bake your sweet potatoes at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Cut a slit at the top of your potato and begin scooping the inside out using a spoon. Leave a thin coating of the sweet potato inside so it does not tear.

In bowl, mix the ingredients, minus the marshmallows, in a bowl. Add more sugar to taste. Mix well and scoop back into the potato.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes and then top with marshmallows. Bake for about 3 more minutes or until marshmallows brown or begin to melt. Serve warm.

This recipe makes one potato, adjust measurements by doubling, tripling, etc to make larger batches.

Thanksgiving is on my brain and I can not wait to dig into my mom's creamy and buttery cornbread dressing. Dressing is my all time favorite dish ever. I could eat it every single day. Unfortunately, I have not mastered the art of making dressing, the few times I have tried it was NOT like my mom's. I am going to pay close attention this year and take photos as she makes it. My mom is a no recipe kinda girl, so I will have to make sure I am right there to record her steps and process.

Although I cannot make dressing to save my life, I do make nice cranberry sauces. Yesterday I did a test run on a cranberry raspberry sauce. It was to die for so good. Seriously, why buy the canned stuff when making the real thing is so easy and tastes so much better.

Not only does this sauce go perfectly with holiday dressing, it is amazing on french toast. (That's how I had it yesterday and it was sooooo good)  I am stocking up on some cranberries so I can make more batches of this sauce. Everyone loved it and it is the perfect breakfast condiment.

You will need:

1 1/2 cup of cranberries
1/2 cup raspberries
1 cup of water
1 or 1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp of lemon juice

In pot , bring water to a boil.  Add in your clean cranberries and raspberries. Stir in 1/2 cup of sugar and reduce heat when it bubbles. Your cranberries will begin to pop open, add your lemon juice.  Cook on meduim heat while stirring for about 5 minutes.




Take a taste and if you need more sugar, add it in slowly while stirring.  Remove pot from heat and allow it to cool.




When I was in college, there was this amazing place that served chicken tender po boys. One had a sweet and tart plum sauce on it. It was the best sandwich I had ever had. This cranberry and raspberry sauce would be perfect on top of a fried chicken tender sandwich. Hmmmm, I might have to try that tomorrow.

Thanksgiving was amazing. My mama threw down and the bread, cake and homemade cranberry sauce I made was a hit.  I kept the table simple by pulling some magnolia leaves off of our tree and just placing it on the table. Here is a pictorial recap. Oh yeah.

Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I just finished this cake for my son, Austin. He might think it sucks that his birthday is on Thanksgiving but I for one and super thankful for him, so it seems only fitting.

I made this cake for him. Chocolate overload surrounded by pocky and topped with his favorite---Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  Recipe coming this weekend!

One of the things I look for when searching recipes on line is how many people actually tried it and if they liked it.  That is one of the reasons why I post when I try a recipe from someone else or even adapted from someone else. I want to be helpful and let them know how it was for me. Well, today I have another hit that is quick, easy and simple : Dinner Rolls found at Real Mom Kitchen.


Of course, I have made it no secret that I love bread. I made two dozen of these today and tonight ending up having to make two dozen more because my kids had INHALED them all at dinner time. When the kids did not leave so much as a bread crumb, this mama knew this was a winner.

And it is so easy!  So if you are looking for a quick and easy dinner roll recipe to make for Thanksgiving, give these a try. These have already been added to my recipe book for my kids.

Last month, I was able to work with Town and Gown magazine here in my hometown alongside, Thyme to create this tablescape. I am far from an interior decorator or event planner but I love how I was able to bring what I saw in my mind to life on the table. It was a great experience to be able to work with the store and choose what I needed. They were SO accomodating and helpful!




If you are in the Starkville area and looking for high quality and unique items for hosting and entertaining, please stop by and tell them Divian sent you. They are an amazing group of ladies with such fantastically beautiful pieces!




I went with a rustic silver look and I loved it.