WILLARD started going out to everyone’s email boxes today; it takes two days for the whole list to go, and even though you might have just read yourself practically silly, you know there could be a surprise for you here, and of course, there is! ♥ But perhaps we need a little mood music? Here’s a song to dance you down the page; great soundtrack from the movie French Kiss . . .
This is a photo of my heart-shaped Lemon Pepper Tea Biscuits, just out of the oven, still warm, ready for someone to slather them with butter and Cranberry-Orange Marmalade. They are one of the recipes featured in a new cookbook I’m very excited about — it’s from Where Women Cook Magazine, and it’s called CELEBRATE!
I am one of the twenty-eight women featured in this book; honored to be included with such luminaries of the food world as Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman), Angie Dudley (Bakerella) and Molly Wizenberg (Orangette). One of the special things about this book, besides the obvious, is that each woman is pictured doing her thing in her own kitchen; there are tons of wonderful photographs, sixty recipes, and lots of tips for celebrating life, with cooking as the magical ingredient. My chapter is called “Kitchen Table Tea.” The kind of everyday celebration we have in the kitchen with our girlfriends. ♥ Each contributor chose a different theme to focus on.
(Do I like tea, really, or is it just the dishes? That’s the question!) Anyway, I have the first copy (still warm off the press) of CELEBRATIONS that was sent to me here on the island. I’m going to sign it and send it to one of YOU as a Thanksgiving present! Just leave a comment at the bottom of this post, and on Friday we’ll let the RNG (Random Number Generator) pull a name out of our hat and see in what corner of the world this book ends up. But for all of you, my girlfriends, scroll to the bottom of this post, and I’ll give you the recipe for the Lemon Pepper Tea Biscuits. ♫ Do I love you, Oh yes I love you . . . ♪
For me, the Thanksgiving countdown has begun . . . I started making my shopping list this morning . . .
Taking center stage is my grandma’s stuffing, which requires real bread that has to be air-dried for three days. Two days won’t do it. Don’t even think about putting it in the oven to dry. Those are the rules. So, I need to be ready. My ironing board does double duty as drying rack for the bread, spread out on cookie sheets in the pantry.
Plus, right now is gravy-making time; I need it for dinner, but I also need it for leftovers, so I start early and make extra. I learned to make gravy when I was very young, but still tweak it a little bit every year; a little of this a little of that; vermouth? Red wine? Plain this year? Joe always has his family’s 2¢ to add to the pot; sometimes requiring a restraining hand on his pouring arm. Shall we have sage? A teeny bit of cloves perhaps? Perfect gravy is the mark of distinction in our family — no one can describe exactly what makes it perfect, but we sure know it when we taste it!
I’m already done making the butters:
One for each biscuit plate (the baking powder kind). Yum.
I use leaves for place cards at Thanksgiving (as long as there isn’t snow on them!). I made these from rhododendron leaves, which are the perfect size, especially if you have a “Marjorie” coming to dinner, because her whole name fits on one! Plus they’re smooth and flat and don’t break too easily. I pick the leaves the day before and keep them in the fridge so they stay fresh, then write the names on as big as possible with a correction pen (after first practicing on a paper towel!).
OK, so would you like to go to the grocery store with us? This was yesterday!
We’re almost there, I kept thinking the leaf would jump off, but apparently it really wanted to get to the supermarket parking lot, and wasn’t going to give up until we were there!
OK, that’s enough of that. It’s been a red letter week for me, a feature in a new book, and another really nice article in the winter issue of Cape Cod Home Magazine. ♥ You guys must be spreading the word, something crazy is going on; so much to be grateful for. Plus, we have best friends coming from England next week! And to top it off, I already figured out what I’m giving you for Christmas! And I’m excited because I think you’ll like it!
So I am off to the City (that’s Domesticity City of course); I’m taking the day off to play with my house, nurk around in the guest room, organize the pantry, play ball with the new Kitty, hug Girl, kiss Joe, watch old movies, nap, and so on. But before I go, I want to give you that recipe and remind you to leave a comment to enter the drawing for the book — tell us the strangest, most quirky, or favorite thing you ever had at Thanksgiving — for me it’s always the same, Rainbow Jell-O, not very strange, but definitely quirky, and also a favorite. How about you?
LEMON PEPPER TEA BISCUITS
If you want your biscuits to be heart–shaped you will need a miniature muffin pan with hearts! I have this cast-iron one and I love it. This easy quick recipe makes one dozen delectable biscuits.
- 1-3oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 c. butter, softened
- grated zest of one lemon
- 1/2 c. sour cream
- 1 c. self-rising flour, sifted
- 1/3 c. either chopped dried cranberries or currants
- coarsely ground black pepper
- sanding sugar (opt.)
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a deep, medium-sized bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and zest with mixer on med speed until smooth. Scrape down bowl. Stir in sour cream. 
Gradually beat in flour until well blended. Stir in cranberries or currants. Put a heaping tsp. of dough into each cup of an ungreased miniature muffin pan, filling the space completely and leveling the surface of the dough. Grind pepper over the top. Sprinkle with sanding sugar (if desired). Bake for 15 min. or until light brown. Pop out muffins into a basket lined with a tea towel; cover to keep warm. ♥
Guess what? A foghorn is blowing, I can hear it sounding out up from the water. Later gators. ♥ have a wonderful day! xoxo
Ooooo!!! I hope I win the book!!! :o) I had a lovely tea time at the kitchen table yesterday with my bestest girlfriend, my daughter. She always goes to the china cabinet and picks out two different teacups for us, usually the ones I inherited from my mom-in-law, with the gold everywhere and the fluted edges. I’m with you – I love teatime dishes! This Thanksgiving might be an interesting one since my daughter is about to give birth right around that time! The 20 pound turkey might just be sitting in the fridge uncooked on on that day…we’ll see. One of my quirky Turkey Day favorites that my mom always made is scalloped onions. The best (or worst) part of it is that it’s smothered in melted American cheese. Sounds kinda gross, but it’s delicious! Congratulations, Susan on being in the new cookbook and for your generosity in sharing the bounty of your blessings with all of us girlfriends!
Loved your leaf-on-the-windshield. In Florida we get lizards (geckos) that like to ride on cars. A few weeks ago my friend Alison and I were on our way to church and there was a stubborn lizard on the windshield that would NOT get off, so I suggested turning on the wipers. The poor critter went flying and we both screamed! I’d much rather have a leaf! I guess the strangest thing I had for Thanksgiving was the turkey that landed in the grass, forever known as “Turkey in the Straw”! Gobble gobble!!! Have a great Thanksgiving!
me me me me! Over here!! No! Over HERE!!! Me me me me please please please please!!! Darn…i never win anything….sniff…..
LOL!
So cute! (I never win, either, Sherry! We’re a couple of losers!) Oh well…. 🙁 xoxo….kp
You are too much fun.. who else would think to video a hitchhiking leaf!!! i love it. My favorite meal of the year is Thanksgiving! I am not cooking this year but am looking forward to a delicious dinner at my husband’s daughters.
Happy day!
The leaf was like our Thanksgiving Miracle 🙂
Wow Susan; you sure have a lot of comments to this one and I just received it!!!
Anyway, the first year I was married (many moons ago) my husband’s mother made “Rice Dressing” as her husband was from Louisiana and that was tradition. She was from Austrailia and enjoyed Turkey Day as much as any of us. I have the recipe but haven’t attempted to make it as my family prefers STUFFING which is just like your grandma’s by the way.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
For our family, Thanksgiving has always had a SET tradition menu that began with my parents and now continues with our daughters keeping the tradition going. In fact, the girls don’t tolerate any changes to the menu 🙂 In short the meal consists turkey, sage dressing (lots of sage), green bean casserole, carrots, cranberries (jellied and whole), mashed potatoes and gravy, and sweet potatos with pumpkin pie for dessert. Can you get anymore traditional than that? Instead of a jello concoction, my husband always makes a dish he calls pink salad, which consists of cherry pie filling, sweetened condensed milk, drained crushed pineapple, and Cool Whip. Occasionally he will add minature marshmellos and/or coconut…can’t begin to count calories with that dish 🙂
Our wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving to you, your family, and friends.
I am loving your post today. French Kiss, one for my favorite movies, just because of the music! And tea, which I can not live without — mainly because I love all of the cups, pots, recipes, and rituals…….
The quirkiest Thanksgiving meal I have ever had happened about five years ago. Here is this part of Arkansas, you have the annual Thanksgiving potluck at church, Thanksgiving meal with the in-laws and out-laws, Thanksgiving meal with all the co-workers, etc. By the time Thanksgiving finally really arrived, our family had already had about five traditional Thanksgiving meals. My Mom and Dad decided enough was enough–we had sloppy joes, chips, cabbage slaw and ice cream sundaes. All of the kids loved it, and so did the adults. We still had leftovers from all of our previous Thanksgiving meals and we had a traditional, lets-eat-all the Thanksgiving leftovers on Saturday afternoon. Worked out perfect.
Hope you and Joe have a marvelous Thanksgiving!
The only strange thing I can come up with re: Thanksgiving dinner is the old standby first time I ever roasted a bird, unbeknownst to me, I left the gizzard package in the one end of the bird. Sigh. I think that’s a fairly routine occurrence for newlywed neophytes at cooking, which is what I was many moons ago. I also forgot to baste him. Thank heavens for helpful moms and sisters-in-law to the rescue.
Count me in for a chance at the new book and thanks for all the joy you bring to so many with your artwork and all your other efforts. Your town looks lovely too.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
The “quirkiest” Thanksgiving in my memories was the one many, many years back. It was actually my first Thanksgiving away from home. My husband was in the service and we were enroute back to Fort Polk, Lousiana. It was good as it was our first thanksgiving away from home — but bad because of the very same thing. I missed my family already. Traveling on Thanksgiving was ok and I knew we would find a Thanksgiving dinner somewhere. It was not to happen, however. The longer we drove, we discovered there were no restaurants open. It ended up with a lovely dinner at a hamburger joint and my crying all the way through it.
Of course that was the worst, and they have gotten only better since then. Hamburgers just don’t cut it for Thanksgiving dinner.
I hope you and your readers have a wonderful Thanksgiving !
hugs, nicki
Poor baby!
My mom always made red jello with canned, drained fruit cocktail and sliced bananas mixed in when just starting to firm-up. She made fresh whipped cream for the top. I continued this tradition after my mom was no longer doing Thanksgiving dinner. My three kids and now their kids always expect it. I must admit a few years ago I started using Cool Whip for the topping instead of the real thing and no one seemed to mind. It was one less thing to do at the last minute. My daughter-in-law and my husband have jello salad with their meal and then another helping for dessert before the “real” dessert is served. I know she will continue this tradition in their home. Aren’t traditions just the best.
Just the best Judy!
Good afternoon from Louisiana where it’s now 84 degrees. come on, really?? This is November 15th right?
I loved reading today’s blog and am excited about the new giveaway. Maybe I will get super duper lucky and my name/number will get picked. Here’s wishing for a miracle.
Happy thanksgiving to all!!
What a beautiful book! Where will the rest of us be able to get it! LOL!! I am drooling just thinking of those 60 recipes! Smiles!!
Thank you for the recipe, dear! On Thanksgiving we have oyster dressing and instead of turkey we have salmon – quirky enough? A lot of our friends and family think so! Long live ‘quirky!’ 🙂
Hmmm, I think I hear a recipe name in there, Quirky Turkey . . . 🙂 We do salmon along with the roast beast at Christmas.
Oh Susan, the Celebrations cookbook looks divine…..and your picture is smack- dab in the middle….how precious!!! And, a chapter about kitchen tea times is sooooooooooooo perfect! I’m so excited about today’s blog, I’m about to pop!
I love the recipe, I must add it to my menu for the Advent Rosary Tea, the Sunday after Turkey Day. (My sister-in-laws will be so impressed!) Infact, I’m cooking on Turkey Day,too, and the strange little thing I make every year is red or green jello prepared with drained,canned pineapple slices, right in the can. Then I remove the set jello, and slice it on a pretty pink depression glass plate. (So yummy and easy.) I must get back to my curtain ironing, dusting, washing of my tea cups, polishing my mother’s old tea set, and freshening up the house for next week. So much to prepare for, two occassions,but so much fun!
The strangest thing that ever happend on Thanksgiving… 2 years ago. My mother n law was staying with us to recoupe after hip surgery – we had ALL the family over. We decided to fry our turkey this year like we have done in many years past – we didn’t realize the thermomiter was malfunctioning until it was too late…There was a huge fire shooting out of the pot (actually it was pretty scary) but the funny part was – my son and I rushing as fast as we could past my mother n law – racing outside for another hose to wet down the surrounding areas where the fryer was imploding…she knew something was up when I raced by – all the realitives wanted to know what was happening & some went to see the craziness…I told my mother n law to stay put – I couldn’t race around her walker or her slow pace without tipping her over…she was so confused (reminded me of Thanksgiving at the Griswalds), the look on her face was priceless, she no idea what was going on. We got the fire out fairly quickly – with some smothering and baking soda – and allot of nervious laughing…and was so grateful no one got hurt and nothing burned except that poor bird…To this day – everyone still talks about the excitment at my house that year. Needless to say – I’m baking this year….
If you can…please enter me in your contest – you have the best stuff!!
Happy Thanksgiving…
Chris
Hi Chris~
Too bad we were not neighbors!
Lynn
Read my story!
One of the strangest things I ever had for Thanksgiving was when my dad put oysters in the stuffing! Yikes! My mom, brothers, and I did not want to hurt his feelings, so we just ate around them. Well, at least, Daddy was in the kitchen cooking and trying to help in his own way. He made the best giblet gravy I’ve ever had! Mom would hold the strainer while Daddy poured the cornstartch concoction through to make sure there were no lumps. I can still see them in my mind’s eye making that gravy. Thanksgiving is my favorite time for family both present and past.
My Grandma Hansen was the most capable woman ever packaged in a 4′ 10″ Danish frame. She and Grandpa came to the US from Denmark when they were barely 20 years old, and not yet married (scandalous!) They settled in Kent, Washington, and in the fullness of time were married, had 5 children (my mom Jean is the baby of the family) and owned and operated a dairy farm.
Grandma and Grandpa were active in the NW Danish Brother- and Sisterhood, and ran the old-people’s-home for years. I have an ancient steamer trunk from the Home, which I’m sure has visited many more international locales than I.
Grandma baked exquisite Danish cookies – each one exactly the same one-bite size, and stored them in enormous glass mayonnaise jars from the Home, in the bottom cupboard to the right of the sink. It was always our first stop when we visited.
My Grandma made sit-down dinners for our large extended family look effortless. The meal was always beautiful, delicious, and piping hot, even if you were the last to be served. And she never broke a sweat. Truly unflappable.
My Grandma never wore pants. Really! Always in a dress and stockings and low-heeled shoes, even while gathering eggs or tending her immaculate garden. She lived to be 101 and many of her things surround us in our home. I bake the same cookies she did out of her cookbook, although mine aren’t nearly as picturesque. I can still hear the tap of her heels on the wood floors. And her lovely Danish accent.
So nice!
In regards to Quirky Thanksgiving Recipes…………My Mom ALWAYS served a frozen cream cheese salad (with mandarin oranges, pineapple, minitiature marshmallows; like a frozen ambrosia)…………..It’s kind of like having ice cream served along with all the heavy food………but I can’t imagine Thanksgiving without it. One year, my sister forgot to make it, and NOTHING tasted as it should…….it wasn’t until later that we discovered her mistake, and in our scientific minds, we concluded that the frozen salad actually “cleansed” our palates so that the whole meal was even tastier………..To make up for forgetting the salad that one time, the next year, my sister added pomagrante seeds to the mixture, and they make it so pretty……and I’m sure they add to the overall healthiness of the meal………..But recipes aside, when Thanksgiving comes around, all I really care about is seeing my brothers and sisters and their families……….(just don’t tell my sister because I still want her to make the salad!)
By the way, I want you to know that I’m a longtime fan of yours, but only recently discovered this fun way to connect. I collect cookbooks, and haven’t found anything new lately……….I would LOVE a copy of Celebrate! xoxo
hello again Susan, loved the trip to the grocery store and i loved the old cemetery. reminds of the cemetery a friend and i got caught in the fog and spooked real good at the Pumpkin Festival in Half Moon Bay, CA. i was visiting my sister in Moss Beach and my friend carol, her husband Gunnar and i went to look at the festival and found the old graveyard so we started exploring and reading the old tombstones completely and totally unaware that the fog was creeping back in. by the time we noticed the fog, it was so thick you could barely see what was in front of you and since Carol and i were both reading an tombstone, well we got a little spooked when we couldn’t see Gunnar anywhere. so we started to look for the pathway out of the graveyard and ended up at a caretaker’s shack. we really got scared when we went into the shack to get out of the fog and saw 2 shovels in there and a pick and all had fresh dirt on them, we ran out of that shack and knocked Gunnar over trying to get out of the graveyard. it was spooky then but funny now. we also had a fun time at the local tavern near my sister’s house, the Moss Beach Distillery, and we found out its haunted. i would love a tour of the old graveyards near you, be interesting to see the old graves, names and dates. we have a local cemetery near us, Laurel Hill cemetery and it has lots of old graves from the pioneer families in this area, every Halloween the local historical society give haunted tours of the cemetery and those are loads of fun.
Brrr, that fog!
LOL!! yep that fog is cold and icy, when it gets thick, downright scary when you can’t see whats in front of you.
One thing in the backyard or at the beach, another whole thing in a graveyard!
LOL!!! gets spooky in there when the fog rolls in, would love to explore your local cemeteries there and read all the tombstones, do you get fog in those cemeteries???
Sometimes, we’re on the ocean, so we do. I’ll have to go over there one day when it’s foggy and see what it’s like!
That new cookbook looks divine. What a privilege it would be to have a copy! And signed by you! goosebumps!
Love the soundtrack from “French Kiss”…I call it my “stripper” music since I played it over and over again while “stripping” wallpaper!
Our Thanksgiving quirkiness is a cheese salad ( includes lemon jello and is not beautiful to behold) that my mom has been making since she was in junior high in 1947. We are a family divided since you either love it or hate it….no in between. I love it!! Happy Thanksgiving!
CONGRATULATIONS! on the cookbook! You look very happy and as lovely as ever on the cover. What a treat such a book must be to have all those amazingly clever cooks nestled together with all the comforts of home cooking.
Although I can not attest to any particularly strange or quirky dishes for our Thanksgiving tradition, our tradition in itself is not quite “traditional”! We haul ourselves, our pets, our children and a whole host of some of the most wonderful people out to the Mojave desert every Thanksgiving and camp all weekend long. My turkey is cooked and carefully packed to travel, to be warmed along side all the freshly cooked side dishes (in the teeny tiny trailer kitchen…been doing it long enough now I’m ‘almost’ a pro!) that my family expects. I wised up a few years back and asked each of my guys (I’m the only girl…other than the cat… in this family) what their favorite dish is and now those are the ones I cook without fail. If I get to the others, then all the more fun, but if not, everyone is happy! Thanksgiving is highly anticipated in our family because it is four days of total together time with family and dear friends. What more could anyone want? We are truly thankful.
Susan
Your energy is contagious and I am grateful to you for that! The most hokie/quirky/ fun thing that my four children ( age 21, 20, 18,and 12 ) and my huge family ( together this year we are 35… plus friends..ie two turkeys..one roasted in oven..other deep fried in peanut oil…so moist!!!!!… and one ham ) love to do at Thanksgiving each year is to crack walnuts perfectly in half, insert a toothpick into the center which has a handmade flag attached ( made with sticky notes) and we float our small vessels in a big bucket of water loaded with walnut vessels and laugh like heck to see whose floats the longest…aaah…the good life..thanks to the pilgrims!!! LOL PS..love your pantry floor!
I made my Thanksgiving list today as well Susan and guess what is on it? Three loaves of bread…yes this year we are making your family stuffing! I’m looking forward to trying it!! I’m rubbish at gravy, my mother’s rubbish at gravy, my husband is rubbish at gravy…needless to say gravy is always a nightmare each year. 🙁
The quirkiest thing I’ve ever had for Thanksgiving is the first year I lived in England. My stuff hadn’t made it across the pond by the time Thanksgiving rolled around. My mother mailed me some canned pumpkin and evaporated milk but I never thought to ask her for a pie plate. This was pre- Amazon days and the internet was still a baby so no googling “pie plate” and having it shipped to me. I had yet to learn about the wonder that is Lakeland half an hour away in Windermere. Despite all my searching, I couldn’t find a pie plate or even anyone in any of the shops in Lancaster who knew what I meant by pie plate. So I took a cue from my English husband by “getting on with it” and baked my pie in a square cake tin. If I could attach a photo here I would- because it is still the funniest thing I’ve ever made. 🙂
That’s right, where there’s a will there’s a way! 🙂
I don’t have any quirky favorites but my Sister’s homemade noodles are to die for and we almost always do die after eating “tons” of them. I love your blog and Willard’s, love, love, love em. And the pictures always add extra pleasure. Here’s wishing I am the lucky recipiant. 🙂
Too funny!
You are hilarious, the leaf made my day! I love living the Holidays through you…. My favorite things about the holidays is being with family and friends. Love you!
Hi Susan! The strangest (and silliest) thing we had at Thanksgiving was half of a cake! My Mom and Dad have their wedding anniversary on December 2nd so when all the family from out of town was here for Thanksgiving, we planned a little surprise anniversary party with our Thanksgiving Dinner and I got them a lovely cake for dessert in addition to Pumpkin Pie. A beautiful round white cake with icing snowflakes prancing around on top and silver dragees here and there. I went into the pantry to get the cake from the hiding spot on a high shelf and there sat two of our black cats, Mirandy and Tallulah, eating on half of that cake. Lots of cake was already devoured. All we could do was cut off that half and turn the cake on it’s flat side and serve it. I rearranged the snowflakes and dragees across the now semi circle shape. Everyone thought it looked beautiful and Mirandy & Tallulah kept the secret safe.
I love the leaf going with you on a drive. Very inquisitive leaf. Mine are the same way and when they do that I try to put them in the car and take them back home again. I have beautiful Fall leaves. Maybe your leaf just wanted to see the neighborhood. I know I do. Neighborhood looks so charming. Could you maybe make a video showing your village and the drive down to the sea and the pond you walk to! We’d all love to see the places you love.
If I get the wonderful book in the giveaway, I am giving it to my Mom since she taught me to cook and is the best cook around these parts as far as I am concerned.
LOL! I can’t believe all these funny stories . . .! I’ll try to do more videos!
I second the videos of all your favorite places on the island!
Slowly but surely, we will get around! It will be an unfolding . . . xoxo
Hi Susan~
About 20 years ago we had what has become known in the family as “Remember The Year the Turkey Almost Flooded the House”.? That year our store gave out tokens that could be redeemed for a free turkey so I told my mom I would get the turkey and cook it. The turkey was large and was taking forever to thaw in the fridge. Then the !brilliant!…so I thought…. idea to finish thawing it in the kitchen sink. I turned the water on and went into the upstairs bathroom to clean, closing the door behind me. As I was finishing up I begin to hear running water……oh my gosh…the turkey…I left it in the sink….with the water running…relax you didn’t plug the drain! By the time I reach the bottom step I see it. Water flowing over the top of the sink like a waterfall, swiftly flowing along the kitchen floor down the basement stairs…..
What had happened was the turkey lodged itself into the drain, plugging it tighter than any sink stopper I have ever owned. Husband had to dislodge it. We no longer get those !brilliant ideas! We buy fresh or thaw way in advance and cook ahead!
Thanksgiving Blessings~
Lynn
OMG … nightmare 🙂
LOL!! OMG turkey flooding the kitchen, i can remember when my mom somehow got a rotten bird, and brought it home. the whole laundry room smelled awful when she was trying to thaw it. finally my dad and brothers went in there with bandanas over their noses and got the bird out of the laundry sink, into a garbage sack and back to the store for a new bird. turns out alot of bird went rotten at that store and they were running out of turkeys to replace them with. the guys came home with a fresh bird and a ham from the by way of apologizing for the rotten bird. took us days to get that smell out of the car and the trunk. nothing like going down the road in a car perfumed by rotten turkey!!! LOL!!!
That doesn’t sound good! LOL!
LOL!!! that car smelled horrible for 2-3 days. dad was using the lysol spray to kill the smell, didn’t work. so a neighbor suggested putting a bowl or 2 of lemon ammonia inside the car and the trunk and not driving the car for a day or 2. worked like a charm, the car smelled lemony fresh. and we had turkey and ham sandwiches with swiss cheese on swedish limpa bread, and dad used the truck to transport us to Solvang over the holiday weekend.
Good ending!
I’ll take the flood!
Would love to win! Thanks for all you do to make this a fun and interesting website – The quirky item we had for Thanksgiving one year was cooked prunes – my Mom wanted to serve them in a special dish like her Aunt had done when she was little – the dish was beautiful but no one wanted to eat the prunes so I have the dish now and try to put something different in it every year (still known as the prune dish though)!
Laughing, yes, dishes can get quite a reputation. We had a pan at our house that was used in the bedrooms with the kids who were sick, and no one would ever ever eat anything out of the “throw up pan.”
Our family favorite for Thanksgiving is Grandma Stella’s Butterhorn Rolls. Before she died she taught my daughter how to make them (the skill skipped a generation :)). They are yummy hot out of the oven and also cold with cranberry jell on top. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Our family’s favorite family quirk is our beginning dinner with peanut soup! This is a recipe from the founding fathers!, I serve the soup in covered turkey or pumpkin bowls, which are a challenge to store the rest of the year. It is very tasty and easy to make. My grandchildren absolutely love it.
While teaching school I always had a presidents feast in February and found original, or nearly, recipes from the founders. Peanut soup was among them. When I served it at home, while raising three of our grands, it suddenly became part of our Thanksgiving!
1 carrot sliced
1 onion chopped
1 quart chicken stock
cook until vegetables are soft.
Puree until smooth.
Add 1 cup p-nut butter (i like smooth my husband likes crunchy)
stir over heat until blended
add 1 cup cream or 1/2 and 1/2
Heat, do not boil. Serve in special bowls!
That sounds delicious, I wrote it down! Thank you!
Thinking about traditions, I lamented one year that our little family did not have any traditions. To which, both of my children (then teenagers) promptly replied “Yes we do!”. When I asked them what they considered a tradition, without a second’s hesitation, they both said “We have to have jellied cranberry sauce out of the can, otherwise it is NOT Thanksgiving or Christmas!” Wow, that really floored me! I never realized how much they associated that one can with their holidays. So now I am never without a can of jellied cranberry sauce. We do have other traditions, like exchanging Christmas ornaments on Christmas Eve, and not putting the Christ Child in the Manger until Christmas morning. But I guess it is the littlest things that mean the most. That is what I love about your blogs and Willard. You make the smallest things special. Thank you.
They are special . . . your kids showed it. xoxo
Susan, We all love you right back, with huge hugs! And one on these days I am going to meet you in person, and give you a huge hug! Okay, got that part said and almost done, now for the Thanksgiving part, my favorite is having my whole family home for the holiday, and they are also the quirky part! Strange part I would guess, would be the menu cannot vary by much each year, its written down somewhere by my family, they love having it exactly the same every year!!!!
I just love your name….have I told you that already. Cocoa!
I just love your name….have I told you that already? Cocoa!
Susan, how sweet you are to always be giving something away! Love, love the cookbook, and especially your theme: Kitchen Table Tea says it all. (I’m with you: love the dishes. I’d have thousands if left to my own devices.)
Dressing has always been my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal. For years and years, it was always that mysterious thing that my mother cooked–she never used a recipe, she mixed it in an aluminum dishpan, and tasted it before putting it in the pan to bake. She as she got older, I started helping with the meal (she never wanted help; the kitchen was her domaine.) She taught me how she makes cornbread dressing, and I found out it’s not really all that mysterious. I only sort of have a recipe. I pretty much do it like she did, except I have a very large stainless steel bowl, not the dishpan. lol.
I love your leaf name cards, especially that Scarlett has a red one.
Can’t wait to get the Celebrations cookbook, one way or another.
I’ve been enjoying your blog and Willard (of course!) for a long time now, and I have to say that you inspire me every time I check in! I’d love a chance at the book – Thanks for all you do!
Quirky at Thanksgiving – seriously? Do you think I’m trying to have my Mother/Wife/Grandma’s license revoked? No way! Thanksgiving dinner at my house is T-R-A-D-I-T-I-O-N-A-L all the way, thank you very much! 🙂
My favorite of the traditional dishes is bread stuffing the way my mother made it, with real bread, lots of butter, onion & celery, and the ‘make-it’ ingredient that many people don’t utilize – saffron. I guess it’s all about what we grow up with and loving, and then incorporating those same dishes and traditions into our own families. Memories:) On the other hand…I am not opposed to trying new things, and would enjoy receiving the new cookbook! Happy Thanks-giving, everyone, and Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Amen.
Good girl!!! No license revoking for you!
I love this time of year. I think Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It doesn’t have the pressures of Christmas. Just a time to be with family and eat the traditional things. My mom’s hot roll recipe, her pumpkin pie and so forth. Yes, bread drying for days. Makes the stuffing better, for sure. Plenty of sage. Comfort food for sure. Thank you for your wonderful artwork, Willard letters, recipes and for just being there to always make me smile.
How do I LOVE thee??? I cannot count the ways!!!!!!!! Thank you Susan for yet another treasure… Blessings always, Rosanne
PS Our family celebrates together on the saturday after Thanksgiving, so our children may attend their spouses’ family Thanksgiving on the actual day… saves them lots of driving & too full tummies! XO
One year, our mother decided to make one of our favorite Russian dishes instead of the usual Turkey dinner. We all enjoyed the meal, but I think everyone missed the traditional feast since that was the only time the substitution occurred.
I can’t think of a quirky dish that’s been on our menu but seeing your photos of bread drying everywhere, now that’s my house every year. Bread drying everywhere because that is one of our favorite dishes of the feastand there can never be enough! Your scones look wonderful, we start Thanksgiving day each year with cranberry orange scones and a champagne/cranberry cocktail we dubbed “Pocahantas”. Thank you for your genorosity in your give aways!!
Oh My!! A cookbook signed by my favorite heart cheer-er lady!!! That would be absolutely wonderful. I will keep my fingers crossed that my number will fall right out of that hat and stick to your shoe!!
The one thing we have to have for Thanksgiving is lemon meringue pie. I can taste it right now. I could eat just that pie and be a happy camper on Thanksgiving. The problem is there’s always left-overs (because I make 3) and I just HAVE to eat pie for several days so it doesn’t go to waste although it does go to my waist!! I guess it’s not all about the food but it’s about family and friends reliving our traditions and retelling stories and spending precious time together. I can’t wait!! I can’t wait for that new cookbook with your little face right in the middle of the cover to reach my mailbox!!
Thank you Mary for all you do to being cheer into so many lives.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Melissa
Same to you Melissa!
Friday the 18th is my birthday. You’ve given me a great idea! I’m taking the day off to “nurk” around in my house. What a great word–Nurk–I love it! Thanks Susan!
Good for you!!! Love it. Happy Birthday!
Oh wow, I would love this book Susan! I have two younger kids and I’ve gotten used to cooking what I consider “quick” meals because we seem to rush off every night to practices, etc. Some fresh ideas would be wonderful! I can’t say I’ve ever had anything strange at Thanksgiving, but I can remember one year when my mother decided not to make mashed potatoes. You would think she decided to skip the turkey! She hears about it every year since.
That will teach her! LOL!
Oh, what a lovely post! I’ve been anticipating the arrival of that wonderful book for months now. It seems the perfect companion for the season and for settling in with on blustery days when all we can do is nest, bake, and keep the home fires burning.
I’m enjoying the antics of your kitty, Jack. He is adorable. We lost our precious cat, Lily, at the end of spring. She was part of the family–we still are adjusting to life without her. No new kitties for us yet. But, my little granddaughters got a kitten last month, and named him Jackson. Jackson is part calico, part siamese–with the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. Colorwise, he looks more siamese than calico, except for his face, which is speckled with brown patches around his mouth–making him look like he just ate some BBQ or chocolate cake. He purrs so, when I pick him up. Oh how it just breaks my heart!
The purring of a kitten is just wonderful…so very sorry about Lily, there are no replacements for these little loves.
Unusual Thanksgivng food? My young ( this was a decade or two ago ) nephew and nieces insisted I keep bringing my “special” jello to the feast, each year. There was really nothing special about it… just plain ( no yummy fruits folded in ) but it was made with carbonated beverages, so it “tingled” their tongues! They never cared what flavor I made and they always made such a big deal about such a simple side dish. Now that they are in their twenties, I could certainly use a new cookbook with some new “special” recipes to impress them with! Janell from Whidbey Island
I have Rainbow Jell-O in several of my books. It’s layers of all different colors of Jell-O easy to make, really pretty, and tastes delicious….try that on them!
Hi Susan, I have no idea what happened to my first comment!? Anyway, one Thanksgiving my sister purchased a VERY expensive turkey. She was so excited because this particular brand was used at the White House. While it was cooking in her kitchen, grease started to squirt out of the turkey into the oven and sent the fire alarm off. There was grease smoke everywhere, and my brother-in-law had to stand under the alarm with a fan to shut it off! Needless to say, the turkey tasted horrible that year!
As for tea parties….I love them, but love the china more! I have collected mis-matched vintage china from everywhere and could supply a small restaurant with what I have.
I enjoy reading your blog. I always come away with something new!
Please tell that random generator to pick my name this time!! I would love to win your giveaway!
Loved the drive along your streets with the beautiful leaf. In the south, we don’t get such a variety of color in the leaves as in the northeast. Loved the afternoon drive with you! I make the traditional cornbread dressing like my mother and mother-in-law always did. In fact, my son and daughter-in-law are hosting this year and I am making side dishes, and bringing the dressing! One question, the picture of the baked pepper biscuits, I am intrigued by the fabric in the apron. Is it yours? I think I bought some of that fabric recently. *** well, I just checked the selvage edge and good gracious, it is Tea Party by Susan Branch! Love that fabric! In fact, love it so much I don’t want to cut into it and make anything from it!
I love the idea of being able to get a cookbook with ALL of these women in it! Just too good to pass up. And just in time for that time of year when I become a Susan Branch wannabe. Some people aspire to being Martha Stewart this time of year, but not me. I’m mismatched, and not in a chic way. It makes people more comfortable around me than any of us would be around Martha, are you kidding me? So I just become the South Texas version of comfort, joy, loving spilling over, and the whole house smells of ground cloves. Love you, Susan!
I’m mismatched too Celia!
Hi Susan,
I am SO HAPPY that little Jack is in your life. I have 3 kitties that all get along but sometimes that process takes a while. Enjoy him and Girl Kitty. Cats are the best!
Several years ago at my sister in laws, at the end of the meal, my kids noticed a bunch of frozen asparagus sitting on the table that she forgot to cook. It was such a funny decoration and we laughed about it for quite some time. We rush around so much trying to get ready and in doing so we sometimes forget to cook one of the main dishes! Happy Thanksgiving. Thanks for the inspiration!
Hello!! I have alot of things Susan branch including books!! I have some prints I found years ago in a Michaels store and they were already matted and so I framed them and they are hanging in my CAPE COD home in Sandwich!! I wish I could find more. I am new to the Cape and moved here thanks to the military (3 more years til my husband retires) I visited marthas vineyard a few weekends back for the first time and of course thought of you and wishing I ran into you to tell you how much I admire your style and your artwork!! I joked with family before moving here that I was going to go over to the island and knock on your door…lol..I was close!! I am a visiting nurse with hospice here on the cape so am quickly learning the area!!!
Welcome to the Cape Jennifer, and thank you so much for the work you do!!!
Yes, from my childhood Thanksgivings leaps forth “CABBAGE JELLO”!. Friends cringe when I mention it – lemon jello filled with shredded cabbage, celery, carrots and onions! And, of course, it was topped off with a dollop of mayonnaise tinged with lemon juice and celery seed. Aaaahhh, the Sixties, a time of slightly unhinged culinary creativity!
I remember it, but was never tricked into actually eating it ! 🙂
Hi Cindy, I love that salad too. My Mom made it on and off all my childhood too. Haven’t had it in a long time though. Might just have to made some. *L*
Hi Susan. I love the idea of this cookbook. If I am not the lucky person to win, I can add it to my Christmas list 😉 Growing up one of my favorite foods at Thanksgiving was my grandmother’s chocolate pudding. What kid doesn’t love chocolate pudding and she would put it in these individual-size little bowls with a lid. Each child had their own colored bowl. And one of the bowls of pudding would have a chestnut hidden in it. The child who found the chestnut would win a little prize from Gram. Such fun!!
Bonnie
That sounds wonderful!
Love this blog post…starting to get very excited about the holidays!! I think the leaf was holding on, hoping that you would return him to the neighborhood and his home…Weirdest Thanksgiving feast was during the first no-carb diet craze…my mother-in-law, who was known for her cornbread stuffing recipe, made a carb-less “mushroom” stuffing…almost inedible. Reminded me of Marie in Everybody Loves Raymond and the tofu turkey!! xo Great memory making times ahead with your houseguests this season.. 😉
Had forgot about the tofu turkey, would go very good with the butter duck! Computer on my lap, cat under it, paw comes up on my stomach….LOL!
I can’t wait for this book!
My most memorable Thanksgiving has to be the very first one I ever did. I lived and worked about a 3-hour’s drive distance from my family in a small apartment. I decided Thanksgiving dinner was something I could manage, so I issued an invitation for them to come since I was unable to have time off to make the trip there for the day. I remember the menu – corn pudding, creamed onions, dressing, potatoes, and of course the turkey, which was roasting while I attended the Thanksgiving morning service at the church where I was working. Not only did my parents and sister attend, so did a cousin (who lived with my Grandmother who was hosting dinner for lots of other family members), and a great aunt! How my Grandmother managed to get through the day without my cousin and aunt is beyond me!:-)
This was a real treat today! Not only a new blog to enjoy, but also a Willard! It certainly has brightened a drizzly, cloudy day.:-)
We will celebrate Thanksgiving this year with our immediate family members in installments. One daughter is not able to be here on Thanksgiving Day, so we are planning a meal on Sunday of this week-end. Other family members will be here on Thanksgiving Day, along with the other two daughters, son-in-law, and two grandchildren. That is the day the turkey will be King.:-)
Thank you so much for your continued inspiration, Susan. I can hardly wait to see who wins this new giveaway. xoxo
I can’t recall ever having anything quirky for Thanksgiving…. My only major variation was duck instead of ham or turkey one year – I think I’ll stick with turkey. This year, however, I will certainly be taking the corn pudding from your Autumn cookbook to our family feast. Made it last night and can’t wait to have left overs for dinner in an hour <3
We are the same about that corn pudding, make extra just to have leftovers!
Hi Susan 🙂
When I was a young(er) lass we would have ‘cuban’ turkey every
Thanksgiving since my Abulea is from Havannah. The best turkey and meat stuffing you have ever had, hands down. Everyone loved it. Then one year she decided to make what was a more traditional meal for celebrations when she was growing up- paella: one entirely made of clams, muscles, and oysters. Now, for some people, that would be paradise, but for my young pallet it was a nightmare. I tried to eat that Thanksgiving (and so did my siblings) but we went home very hungry and very disappointed. But I learned something important with it: never alter the Thanksgiving menu!
It should maybe be the 11th commandment! 🙂
Hi Susan and all, I love this blog post and all of the comments are so much fun to read. One of my favorite things about prepping for Thanksgiving is seeing everyone at the grocery store buying basically the same thing. At our house, we have a quite small group for dinner this year and I was thinking of maybe doing less work. I asked my adult son what we should have for Thanksgiving and he said, “Mom, there’s just a few of us this year, don’t go to a lot of trouble–just the traditional Thanksgiving dinner”!!! Naivete’must be nice! I’m still trying to think of an unusual and rememberable food….I’ll let you know if I think of one!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Yes, must be nice! LOL!
Thank you for sponsoring yet another giveaway. You are so generous.
The strangest thing I ever ate? Well, I’m sorry to say it was whole cranberries in sauce. You see, at home we never ate whole berries–just the stuff that slid out of the can with the indentations still on the side. Now that I’m married and was introduced to “Real” cranberry sauce , I’m typically in charge of making it for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. I truly think it’s because I add your candied orange peel to it, from your “Christmas Joy” book. Honestly, I’ve been doing it for four years now. If I could only choose one recipe to thank you for, it would be that one, by the way. I use the candied orange peel in Christmas breads and Sunday scones. It’s a hit! 🙂
Thank you Theresa!
Is this recipe published anywhere else? Sounds delish. I just bought 6 of Susan’s books (ebay & Amazon) but not that one yet! (none of them are here yet) TIA
It’s in Autumn and Christmas . . . hope you got one of those!
Then I’m all set….I’ll have both of these books and can hardly wait! Thank you!
What a lovely drive you have to the supermarket. So leisurely, not much traffic, and beautiful scenery (including a leaf). Thanks for the lemon pepper tea-biscuit recipe. Since our Thanksgiving is over for this year, I’m going to make them for Christmas. I know they will be a big hit. Your grandma was right about the bread. I do the same thing and tear it into very tiny pieces. And thanks also for the gravy makings. What a good idea to make it in advance. Your post today was so helpful. Also liked the rhodo leaves as place markers. Congratulations on the new cookbook, how exciting for you. And on the front cover, no less. I would love to win a copy as I admire all of the women involved.
I am still laughing at your exclamation, “The cat’s tail is on Fire!”..I wasn’t expecting to read that!
The ride along to the grocery was fun, whilst watching the leaf tag along.
Our family always has the same Thanksgiving. We do alternate someone’s jello salad, a long ago friend’s, an aunt’s, or our mother’s. They are all gone now and it is a way of remembering them for us now.
The Where Women Cook- Celebrate book, with your autograph, would be very nice to have! Maybe I’ll win!!
Still, I know you all will enjoy your Thanksgiving gathering! Many Blessings I hope for you!
Guess you’ll have to keep Jack away from fires!! He is so cute. Bet Girl was rolling her eyes at that little guy’s almost painful catastrophe .
My fault, no more candles!! (until he goes to bed :-))
That is why we never have candles on our coffee table–the thought of a schnauzer beard on fire is too terrible to even think about!!! Though I’ll admit I’ve been tempted. Now that I read this about Jack’s tail, forget it! 🙂
Girl Kitty is so smart, and calm, she would never light her tail on fire!!
Well, little Betti is so curious and interested in everything, I can just see her nosing to check things out and getting in trouble. Not, OF COURSE, to be naughty–just curious… 🙂 Now, Fanny is much more grownup and better behaved…and has more predictable behavior…
Years ago when we got our little black and white kitty, Josie, my hubby was home with her. She is an adventurous one (climbed the middle of the Christmas tree, etc.)….I picked her up when I got home and noticed something odd but couldn’t figure out what. My hubby sheepishly admitted (and felt so bad) that she had crawled up on the end table and singed off one side of her whiskers….pfffttt! Right down to the end. It scared him, I guess, but she didn’t seem any worse for the wear! Silly kitty!!!
What does your comment is awaiting moderation mean?
Ann, it means that everyone is loving on Susan so much that she hasn’t had time to read and “approve” all the posts yet. She brings this upon herself with all these generous, wonderful contests! (Love you, Susan! xoxo…kp)
Thanks Karen!
My comment was back about noon, and lots of others have been read since mine. I thought maybe I did something wrong!
They seem to come to me in any old way; apparently, they don’t go in order, sorry!
Ann, we both seem to have paranoid minds! A couple months ago I wondered the same thing as you and thot maybe I was targeted as having suspicious comments! Funny thing is , I’m the LEAST suspicious person to worry about and I suspect the same of you!
I do love tea and the biscuits sound yummy. For once I won’t be cooking the Thanksgiving dinner but will bring cranberry jello mold to add to the meal. We will be with a friend and her family and my youngest daughter is here from Okinawa, Japan. I only wish my son in law could be here too. But he is in school in CA, he’s a Marine, and can’t get leave to join us. But I’m so happy Katie is here. We’ve been shopping and just catching up on some us time. I can taste the dressing already, I love Thanksgiving dinner!! Have a great day all.
Oh, and I think you should have saved that leaf!!
He ran away, and I couldn’t catch him. I think he had a date.
I can’t wait to get your new cookbook. I think I need to laminate the ones I already have, they are getting pretty worn. My daughter just adopted a new little kitty (it approached her when she was sitting on her back porch). She also calls it “New Kitty” because she already has an “Old Kitty”. I told her all about your blog and she plans to visit it and get some pointers on her kittens. Her kitty is still in isolation until all her health care needs are met then she will be introduced to Old Kitty. Most memorable Thankgiving dinner was when my son fixed the turkey. He deboned it (except the wings and legs) and stuffed it. It looked perfect, it was so fun to carve. You had a slice that was full of stuffing in the center. He just graduated from New England Culinary so I think he was showing of.
That’s my kind of relative, love ambitious cooks!
Oh that turkey sounds wonderful. I always want as much stuffing as I can get in the turkey. *L* This would do it for me.
Susan, reading your Blog is an Experience! Sights, sounds, even smells of biscuits conjured up in my head! My Thanksgiving tradition is Ambrosia salad–or Heavenly Hash as my mother called it. My husband has volunteered not only to make the turkey as he usually does but also our entire Thanksgiving dinner this year (except the pies) (he’s taken an interest in cooking since he’s retired and even bakes bread!), but I said I HAVE to make the Heavenly Hash or it won’t feel like Thanksgiving.
Hello Susan,
When I was a child, every Thanksgiving my Mom would make her own oatmeal stuffing and fill the turkey with it! I can still remember the wonderful aroma of it as it baked in the oven. It was so delicious!
Sadly, as the years went by, this oatmeal recipe was replaced with a traditional bread stuffing. Mom is gone now, but the wonderful memories are not!
I can still see her standing in the kitchen making this special stuffing! Maybe I will try to make it this year! 🙂
Wishing you and your family a Blessed Thanksgiving!
Terry G.
Same to you and yours Terry!
The strangest thing I ever had for Thanksgiving Dinner? Pork chops from the Waffle House! Yes, my mom and I ate at the Waffle House one Thanksgiving. As sad as it might sound, I don’t remember even being depressed about it. Also, I can’t even remember the circumstances but I will have to say, it was one Thanksgiving that we haven’t forgotten! ☺
Congratulations on being highlighted in the beautiful new cookbook!
hApPy ThAnKsGiViNG!
I would have loved that too as a child!
Hi Susan,
I am so enjoying reading all the responses to your blog today. I love hearing the various stories from people’s lives…special memories and things that made them laugh! One Thanksgiving we ate at my sister-in-law’s house. My Mother-in-law had bought the turkey but wanted my SIL to cook it, since we were eating there. What she (or any of us didn’t know) was that it was a Cajun Turkey! Ha Ha! We all sat there eating for the first 10 minutes….taking big sips of our drinks after every bite…looking around and smiling because no one wanted to say anything! I finally broke the silence and asked if the turkey had been marinated in something because it was so delicious (Cheshire Cat Smile). My SIL went to the trash can to look at the bag the turkey had come in and that’s when she saw Cajun on the label. We laughed all day about it! What’s more is that the desserts tasted even sweeter after all the spice!! Happy Thanksgiving and Thanks for Giving of your time and talent each time you share with us! You are wonderful!
xoxo Alison!
My favorite Thanksgiving food is of course the pies…and the BEST pie I ever had was the year I went with my boyfriend, (and eventual husband), to his grandmothers home. She was a top notch pie maker and threw cranberries in with her apple pie that year, …boy, it was unexpected, and the most delicious pie I had ever tasted…I have often tried to duplicate it, but I so far my attempts have fallen short…maybe it was the whole “atmosphere” thing at play too!! Happy Thanksgiving to you!
I love the look of this cookbook!! You are my absolute favorite, and Ree Drummond is another lady I admire! I can’t lay down at night and go to sleep without reading through a cookbook! I definitely need a new one to read!!
I know the feeling!
Susan, I will probably purchase this book if I am not the lucky winner. But, what is realllllllly special would be to receive a “signed” copy from YOU:)
Congratulations on being in the book, and also in the magazine! Yep, we are spreading the word about how we love “our” Susan Branch!! LOL
I guess my quirk is the canned cranberry sauce….a little garnish so you don’t notice the rings from the can! Heehee!
We just sliced it, that goes a long way toward the hiding too! 🙂
My most favorite thing from our Thanksgiving dinner was my Mom’s candied sweet potatoes. She is now gone and I’m still trying to get them to turn out like she made them- sweet, slightly chewy, and buttery. Her cranberry raspberry jello runs a close second. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
They sound just wonderful! Good Luck!
Oh my – I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of this book!! Some of my favorite cooks/bloggers are featured. Wow. Here’s hoping my comment is picked….p.s. Do you know I was once asked who my favorite author was and the quizzer was speechless when I replied “Susan Branch”.
You are too sweet, thank you Terrie!!!
Dear Susan,
I loved reading your latest Willard. What a beautiful idea to step outside and look through a window at the people gathering around your Thanksgiving table and then try to create a treasured memory! I am definitely doing that this year. I don’t know how you come up with so many wonderful suggestions.
I would love to win the cookbook. I think the most unusual thing I have ever eaten on Thanksgiving was a lobster!!! My sister and I had learned in history class that the Pilgrims had most likely eaten lobster at their Thanksgiving feast and we asked our Mom if we could have it too. How nice of her to make it for us(along with the traditional turkey dinner, of course. ) That was a very memorable Thanksgiving for my sister and I. We still reminisce about it. Wishing Thanksgiving Blessings and Love to Everyone out there.
I adore lobster, that would definitely work around here — but we’d have to do what you did and have turkey too!
The biscuits sound yummy! Can’t wait to try them!
My mother always made the sweet potatoes with the marshmallows on top for Thanksgiving. One year it seemed to be particularly hectic and disorganized and she had forgotten that she put the sweet potato casserole under the broiler…yep…the marshmallows caught fire! We had to open all the windows, scrape off the burnt marshmallows and eat the sweet potatoes bare.
Happy Thanksgiving…going to pick some rhododendron leaves this year! ~*
Would love to have a copy of Celebrations! My husband’s aunt makes Frog-Eye Salad. I try not to think about the name as I eat this delicious salad every Thanksgiving!
What is in it, and please tell me it isn’t in the title!
I can tell you what the “frog eyes” are–pearl tapioca. Not the fine instant tapioca but the larger round white “pearls” that cook up kind of translucent. That is the “frog eyes”. I tried making it once but we didn’t like the texture… So now you know–not REAL frog eyes! 🙂 LOL
Very good to know! 🙂
My daughter’s mother-in-law gave her that recipe. We love it and she makes it all the time. Actually in the recipe that we have, the “frog eyes” are Pepe-di-cini….a tiny pearly pasta….with lots of mandarin oranges and pineapple tidbits and a yummy creamy sauce. It’s one of those things you either LOVE or HATE because of the texture…
Loved the trip to the grocery store! Next time, take us inside. Years ago people might have thought you were strange for talking (narrating) to yourself as you walked around the store, but how many times have we run into people who SEEM to be talking to themselves, but really have one of those terrible little Bluetooth’s on?!
The strangest Thanksgiving dish I’ve ever had was a stuffing made by my aunt in Canada. They have their own sort of Thanksgiving there, too, and seem to have adopted our traditional meal as their own. Individually, the ingredients wouldn’t have been too bad, but I think she simply took every potential stuffing ingredient and put it all together… You had cornbread and bread, sausage, onions, celery, apples, dark raisins, golden raisins, mushrooms, orange peel, lemon peel… The list was endless. Let’s just say there were far too many flavors, some of which didn’t meld so nicely. Unfortunately, the fact that none of the ingredients had been cooked before the stuffing was assembled and stuffed also multiplied the number of (undercooked) textures. My aunt is one of the nicest people I know, so I couldn’t possibly refuse… It was a long meal!
Have fun preparing for Turkey Day! I’ll start this weekend.
Jake
I love her enthusiasm though!!:-)
She’s 93 now and still loves to travel. A couple of years ago she went to Cuba of all places! She’s the sister of my late and very English step-father. When I first met her, probably about 25 years ago, it was on a visit to her and her husband in their tiny apartment in Vancouver, B.C. We took a day trip to Victoria to see the Butchart Gardens and, somehow, she and I paired up. We had the most fun, talking in our most hoity-toity English accents, signing the guest book as “the Duke and Duchess of Connaught”… Just being foolish. It’s not many adults who are willing to totally abandon propriety and be that silly with kids. She’s a treasure.
Hi again~
The music from “French Kiss” reminded me that Beaujolais Nouveau will be out this Thursday! Just in time for Thanksgiving!
The funniest thing we all laugh about to this day at our Thanksgiving dinners, is the time my niece decided it was her turn to cook the turkey. We all sat down to a beautifully set table with all the fixings and lovely perfectly browned bird. We were all drooling in anticipation, when my niece in her naive, bubbly, and happiest face stood up and said “and it even came with the stuffing already in it”. She then proceeded to pull the bag out from the inside of the turkey. Everyone looked, wide eyed, from one to the other until the laughter began. Needless to say that year we had fabulous vegetarian Thanksgiving.
Congratulations for being part of such a great cookbook. I too love tea and don’t think it is the tea itself because I am much more of a coffee drinker. I like all the things that go with the tea. The teapots, teacups, linens and beautiful china. It is so fun to get together with others that enjoy it. About once a year in my family we do a cousin tea for all the women and it has become a great way to keep in touch at least once a year. Your drive to the supermarket was beautiful. Our day looks like that today here on the west coast after starting out with fog it is now clear and sunny and with just a little wind to kick up the leaves it would be the perfect fall day. I also dry my bread to make stuffing, but have to admit I cheat and put it in the oven if I get started to late with it.
Great post! Loved the photo of the ironing board with its fabulous cover…and the butter pats are so pretty. Last year I used silk maple leaves for placecards; I wrote with a silver pen. My nieces liked them enough to take them home.
I have to say that the mention of the foghorn about did me in…I am missing the ocean and hate being landlocked (I do NOT consider the creek which runs on the other side of the pasture real water!).
So, I think it very, very nice of you to be giving away your copy of this new book. Dare I tell you how much I hope to win?!
xoxo,
queenmum
Hi Susan,
I so enjoy your blog and your love of cooking and homekeeping. You inspire me. The most unusual Thanksgiving meal I had was lasagna. Of course, the family was Italian, but it sure surprised me.
The cookbook looks amazing. Hope I win.
Jan
I know this has happened to many of you out there but the quirky thing in our family is my daughter making her first Thanksgiving dinner for the whole family and leaving the turkey neck and giblets in turkey. She says she didn’t know it was in there! Her husband will never let her live that one down. And Susan you are the greatest….so giving and wonderful! What would we do without you to brighten up our days. Much love to you my dear! Linda
The best thing I have ever had at Thanksgiving was the meal my Granny used to cook when I was growing up. She cooked everything for the family–turkey, cornbread dressing, green beans, giblet gravy, the works–and it tasted so good every year. I’ve since tried to recreate the Thanksgivings she so lovingly gave us and like to think I don’t do such a bad job!
I have shared Susan Branch things with all my friends and they love and always look forward to your Williards, great blogs, recipes, and just you!!!!!! You are the best.
Susan:
The cookbook looks wonderful and is going to the top of my “wish list” for Santa if I don’t get lucky enough to win it. Your blog and Willard are sunshine during the gloomy winter days already visiting here in the NW.
A quirky Thanksgiving dish was always my mother’s tomato aspic salads. She would make them in little metal molds and they had celery, green olives and onions in them. My sister and I hated them but had fun at the table poking them so they would wiggle. My German grandmother always served a large oval bowl of German red cabbage, the sweet/sour kind. The adults loved it and someone would always spill some on the pristine white tablecloth which meant soaking and scrubbing in the laundry later.
I don’t know if this counts as quirky but I was having Thanksgiving at a college friend’s home one year and his mother’s earring fell out of her earlobe and straight into the gravy bowl. I think the gravy was still used, yuck!
Hi Susan,
It’s so nice to come home to find a new blog in my mailbox from you. I wish I had known about you when I was raising my sweet babies. I was always looking for good yummy recipes to make. Now everyone is grown and so far, there’s only one grandson – a cute little boy named Casey.
I grew up in a big Italian family. At Thanksgiving, we ate at my Nonni’s house. Italian dinners back then were always HUGE. There was Lasagna or stuffed shells, turkey dinner with many traditional sides (squash, potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans, and gravy), After dinner we had desserts like cheesecake, connoli, cookies and several pies. (I think I gained 10 pounds typing this). Everyone told stories and laughed a lot. My cousins were like brothers and sisters to each other. I do see them occasionally, but nothing like back then. That’s about as quirky as I can get.
Thank you for having me think about those memories, Susan.
I would love to win this cookbook (fingers and toes crossed).
Hugs,
Janet xoxo
I would love and cherish this cookbook.
We had an “Evening in Paris” themed Thanksgiving last year since the loss of loved ones and a divorce left my family with a lack of enthusiasm for traditions.
We had a most exceptional evening with Coq au Vin and Creme Brulee.
This year we will be resuming the traditional fare, but I must say our “Evening in Paris” Thanksgiving will always hold a place in my heart.
That’s a brilliant way to have your cake and eat it too!
Congratulations about being included in the cookbook, that’s great. Oh dear, we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving can I still enter your giveaway? By the way, the trip to the grocery store seemed really odd as you were driving on the wrong side of the road!!
Did it make you dizzy? 🙂
You have brightened each day with the reading of your blog! Loved the leaf traveling to the grocery store with you. That was a hoot!
Also loved the bread on the ironing board, so cute in your kitchen. Did you make your iron board cover? Love it!
The green bean casserole is our tradition (although not very strange), and saying what we are thankful for at the dinner table (again, not very strange). But the funniest thing that ever happened was when one of our young quests (years ago), as my husband prayed, suddenly burst out in laughter and milk came out of his nose. Hilarious! (My daughters favorite memory!)
Thanks for the gifts that you offer to each one of us. You are a gift in itself!
Happy Thanksgiving preparations to you and all your precious girlfriend readers!
And to you Helene!
There was that one year we didn’t have turkey for Thanksgiving. I was on a very restricted diet when I was pregnant with my daughter, Brianna, because of gestational diabetes. Turkey was one of the foods I was allowed to eat and it became a staple in my diet. Brianna was born on November 18th and I was done with eating turkey! We had roast beef for Thanksgiving that year!
I bet! xoxo
Hi Susan!! For the past few years we have been making a fruit kabob turkey, the “feathers” are mixed fruit on bamboo skewers placed in a melon, with a pear for the head and raisins for the eyes! The kids get a big laugh out of it and love helping put it together! We also make cookies made to look like turkeys with candy corn feathers and candy eyes! I have made your rainbow jello three times now and all the kids just oooh and awww over it, it is so yummy! 🙂 (my daughter calls you “sugar”!) Every time I have one of your books out, she says “Oh you are looking at that “sugar” branch book AGAIN”! I love your Blog! Have a beautiful day! 🙂
I like being called Sugar Branch. Nice name!!!! Tell her I said that please!
hi susan…..just got tickled at the clinging leaf that came along for the ride..a mind of its own!!! I am with you…Thanksgiving prep started this week…gathering the needed supplies, digging out the platters, the pewter, the candle holders and wondering why i don’t use this stuff more often!?!?! anyway…several of our Thanksgiving tradtions came from my wonderful mother-in-law, Gussie, may she rest in peace. She loved her lemon/lime jello salad with crushed pineapple in it and topped with a mixture of mayo, sugar and whipped cream so much that she made it for everything…so we carried on her legacy. My daughter ate so much of it growing and loved it so much that Grandma Gussie named the salad for her…..therefore…Katie’s Salad reigns supreme!!! It has lead to many a conversation about Grandma Gussie…loving memories for sure. Our biggest stretch would be her side dish of oysters, crumbled up saltine crackers, cream and butter, baked off in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes….’nuf said..YUM !!!! Where on earth a women from Windyville, Missouri, smack dab in the nations’ heartland with no ocean in sight, came up with an oyster side dish beats the heck outta me…but she did and we all LOVE it!!!! Can’t wait to get a peek at that new cookbook via you or otherwise. Looks very inspiring and not a bit surprised that you have been included….. : ) btw…hope nothing is wrinkled at your house for the next few days..ha!…love your bread drying technique…very clever!!! enjoy the prep work…I like it too…. love, cindy
I would love the book. All my Thanksgivings have been traditional – nothing quirky I can recall. It’s certainly a lovely holiday. And you have so many ideas! The correction pen on a leaf! And, so much bread! I can’t imagine how much stuffing you’re going to make!!!
25 lb turkey, plus some left over for baking separately.
Beautiful! I love the drawings of baby Jack!
So exciting to think of winning something. Love, love, Thanksgiving. Especially when my darling daughter is hosting.
The worst thing I ever made was an appetizer called Clam Chutney. I thought…actually, I don’t know what I was thinking when I made it. Even my father-in-law, who eats peanut butter and onion sandwiches, wouldn’t touch it.
My signature dish is apple walnut mushroom stuffing made with stale baguettes. The crust from the baguettes stays crunchy, even when it comes out of the turkey, and it’s delish!
Pam
My forehead is a little furrowed too, on the Clam Chutney,:-)! Now the apple walnut stuffing, that sounds delicious!
My favorite memory of Thanksgiving is when our oven broke the night before. Of course we were having a large gathering of friends and family the next day. Panic!!! My great husband thought of using the barbecue. We quickly researched how to cook a 20lb Turkey on the barbecue. I can still see my husband going out in the cold Colorado snow to take care of our turkey. It was good! But the gravy was not the same. Nowadays, I make my gravy ahead of time, also. Would love to win your new cookbook! I love your blog and using your ideas/recipes. The news from your world always cheers up my day.
Thanks Marianne!