Cocktails for the Holidays

There something special about serving a custom cocktail during the holidays. Every time I entertain, I like to seek seasonal ingredients and create a unique drink to start the party. Generally, I make enough for 2 servings per guest, then you can serve whatever you want after the initial cocktail~be it wine, beer, standard mixed drinks or non-alcoholic beverages. I hope this extra effort makes my company feel special and that our time together will reflect that. Here are some of my favorite specialty cocktails for the holidays.

2023 Holiday cocktail

2023 Christmas Cocktail

Inspired by a cocktail we had last Christmas at Lon’s at the Hermosa Inn, I want to make this one very festive, fun and interactive. At Michaels, I purchase 20 clear plastic ornaments and use these as a vessel to serve this delicious Cranberry Orange Margarita. The recipe is from Half Baked Harvest but I tweak it a bit to make it my own (see Note below).

Cranberry Orange Margarita served in an ornament

Here is a link for 20 8 cm plastic ornaments (approx. 3″) for only $15.48. The recipe can be made in bulk. What’s nice about this cocktail, is you can make the drink ahead of time, use a funnel to fill the ornaments and then refrigerate them until your guests arrive.

Serve in a pretty coupe glass with a fresh sprig of rosemary and sugared cranberries. Not only is this a very colorful and festive drink, it tastes delicious too. These coupe glasses are on sale at Crate and Barrel for an incredibly low price. You can find them here.

How to Serve

Note: I use agave syrup instead of granulated sugar in the recipe. Also, I tie on a gingham ribbon on the top of the ornament so I don’t lose it after the drink is poured. The plastic ornaments can be washed and reused.

Taking Advantage of Citrus Season

onCitrus Seas

As we are entering the best time of year for oranges, grapefruits, tangerines and lemons, it make sense to utilize these fruits. Plus we all could use a little more Vitamin C! Using fresh herbs and pretty garnishes, raises the bar on taste. Some of the recipes are for one cocktail, and others provide a pitcher size quantity.

Ruby Red Greyhounds with Rosemary Simple Syrup

Image from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles

The key to this drink is to get good ruby red grapefruit. Texas Ruby Reds are juicy and sweet as are the ones we are growing in our orchard. With rosemary-infused simple syrup, fresh grapefruit juice and vodka, this cocktail is bright, tart and refreshing while easy to make. You can find the recipe from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles here. I have made this many times and it’s a winner.

Tangerine Sidecar

Tangerine sidecar

We have the most amazing tangerine tree that seems to bear fruit every other year. Well, this year, the branches are laden with so many tangerines. Our neighbors love this drink. I don’t know what type of tangerine tree we have, but mandarins will work wonderfully as well. Between the sweet tangerine juice, bourbon, and ginger simple syrup, it’s the perfect winter drink. You can find the recipe here.

Clementine Thyme Margaritas

Clementine Thyme Margarita

You have seen this cocktail a few times on previous posts. We recently served it at our Halloween Dinner party and again, a fan favorite. Silver tequila and thyme infused simple syrup make this a tasty cocktail. Can’t find clementines? I use Cuties as a substitute. Recipe is found here.

Birds and Bees

I first made this back when I was the recipient of the Traveling Teacup (see post here). A syrup made with honey and chamomile tea mellows the fresh lemon juice in this gin cocktail from Juan Coronado of South Beach restaurant, The Bazaar. Here is the recipe. 

White Christmas Mojitos

White Christmas Mojitos by Half Baked Harvest

These creamy white coconut mojitos are so festive for the snowy, winter months bringing a bit of tropical flavor to the season. If you are a fan of Half Baked Harvest, you will enjoy these. Garnish with mint and cranberries or pomegranate arils for a true holiday drink. Click here for the recipe.

Cranberry Bourbon Sours

Cranberry Bourbon Sour

Here’s another festive cocktail from Half Baked Harvest with a deep ruby color. Ingredients include cranberry and lemon juice, bourbon and a cranberry honey syrup. Plus it is easy to whip up for a crowd. I love cranberries this time of year so why not take advantage of all the good benefits of this tiny red fruit. Cranberry Bourbon Sour recipe is here.

Jungle Bird

Jungle Bird cocktail

A few Thanksgivings ago, my son made this tropical drink with Campari, pineapple and lime juice and dark rum. Usually reserved for dry dinner drinks like the Negroni, Campari, is a bitter aperitif that works surprisingly well in this mix. The fruits help smooth out its bitterness while the dark rum and simple syrup bring in a touch of sweetness that draws it all together beautifully.

You can see the recipe from The Spruce Eats here.

Simple and Easy

Bubbly with a hibiscus flower

If making cocktails with any complexity is not your thing, a good Prosecco or bubbly champagne will work. To make it a bit more festive, you can add a bit of edible glitter, hibiscus flower or an Amareno cherry.

One of 6 color options

Our friend and neighbor, Tevia, always brings the most clever gifts when we entertain. She is responsible for the hibiscus flowers and edible glitter, which can be found on Amazon. Amareno cherries are grown in 2 cities in Italy and tend to be seasonal. Trader Joes may have them but they sell out quickly. I just found this jar on Amazon.

Non-Alcoholic Options

There are many festive non-alcoholic or dealcoholized beverages available too. This sparkling dealcoholized vegan rosé is quite nice for special occasions (or just because). It has almost half the sugar content of other non-alcoholic sparkling.You can find it here.

Noughty Dealcoholized Sparkling Rosé

Another great resource for low and non-alcoholic beverages is Lyre’s Spirits. Want a Negroni? They have the ingredients to do so without the alcohol. And their bottles are very attractive. Check out their website here.

Lyre’s Italian Orange Aperitif

Do you have a favorite cocktail? Please do share as we are always looking for new ones to create. Wishing you a happy Tuesday!

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As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. My blog may contain other affiliate links but not all links have affiliations. I truly love to share products that I have personally tried and highly recommend.




Saturday Meanderings

We are at our mountain cabin. Waking up this morning to the first light snow is so magical. There’s a natural hush outside and oh so very quiet. Not many people are up here this time of year as it is more of a summer destination. The days are filled with warm fires, long crisp walks, hot cups of tea and good books. Our cell and internet coverage is spotty at best so I’m hoping this post gets to you on time. Welcome to the last Saturday Meanderings of November. It’s always a bit sad to see one of my favorite months end as we will now be fully embedded in the holiday crush.

Light snow on the golf course

Thanksgiving

I hope you had a wonderful day with family and friends. My husband spatchcock an 18 lb. turkey for just the three of us so happy days ahead with turkey leftovers. Since we had the whole family here a few weeks ago celebrating an early holiday, this Thanksgiving was calm, quiet and surprisingly enjoyable.

Spatchcock turkey

Failed DIY Project

My husband sent me this post on Instagram on dyeing pinecones red.

On Instagram

Having lots of pinecones, I decide to try this, following the instructions.

Here is the final result. I certainly don’t see a vibrant red color and actually some of the pinecones had a pale pink creepy residue on them.

End result

They certainly do not look like the photo in the IG post. Not sure if I did something wrong~cheap red food color? I let them soak (submerged) overnight and a half day. Has anyone else tried to do this with success? Next step, I will probably just spray paint them red.

A Few Successful DIY projects

As you know, I am not one who does many DIY projects. But for some reason this week I got the bug because I was inspired by others. Last Saturday, I posted the salt dough ornaments from Eleanor Rose Home. Since I received this wooden mold from Amazon (still awaiting my second one), I try making them.

Here’s a sneak peak because I will be writing a full blog post about this shortly.

Salt dough ornaments using wooden mold

I do not know why I’m a bit obsessed about anything gingerbread this year, but I do try my hand at making a plain, brown cardboard house look like one. Again, I want to include this in a future post.

Making Gingerbread houses

Changing Insurance

Insurance rates in Arizona have skyrocketed since 2020. After the near heart attack I had after receiving our recent bill, I decide to go out to bid for our house, car and umbrella insurance. If you are experiencing high rates, you may want to consider doing this. It is not an easy task, as everything is now done either online or via phone. After 5 hours (yes, 5 hours) on the phone with a new insurance provider, we end up saving thousands of dollars (yes, thousands).

Dining room photo

However, since our home was built in 1910, and it’s been standing for over 110 years, the insurance companies get nervous about insuring it. Even though we’ve never filed a claim, they still are always concerned about insuring it properly. I literally spent days this week taking photographs of every room. For the most part, we keep our home fairly neat, but we have a room or two (or three) that aren’t as organized as the others. Of course, I did try and tidy those rooms up before taking the picture. Just what you want to be doing Thanksgiving week. Sigh.

Mary’s Must Haves with Holiday Savings

I am not an expert on Black Friday, Blue Friday or Cyber Monday sales but it appears that now is the time to compare prices and buy what you need.Many things I would recommend are not on sale but I am surprised these items are significantly discounted.

Water Drench

My favorite face moisturizer of all time is 48% off today at $27.00. Not sure how long this sale will end, but yesterday, I bought two of them. See it here.

Our electric kettle at the cabin leaks when you pour it into a cup. I will be buying this one today because it is 29% off at $24.99.

Cheftman Electric Kettle

We have this kettle in Phoenix and use it all the time. I’ve shared this with you before but this is the best price I’ve seen so far. See the link here.

My hair is fine and straight and it only has some oomph and body because of this texturizer. A small squirt and applied to wet hair, it adds body after blow drying. Works for both straight and curly hair.

Sebastian Texturizer

I have literally used this texturizer for years and LOVE it. Today it is a shocking 40% off at $12.00. It’s in my cart!

6 Pack Sports Bands

If you have an Apple Watch, what a deal today for this set of colorful watchbands. They are easy to switch out and compliment your outfit. A whopping 37% off at $11.99. Would be a great stocking stuffer!

My husband loves these LED Mason jar solar fairy lights~which are perfect for adding sparkle your holidays. They are waterproof and hangers are included if you want to use them outside.

Set of 6 Mason Jar solar fairy lights

At 40% off and priced at $23.99 for a set of 6, you cannot go wrong! See it here.

With the weather getting colder, here is an affordable door sweep weather stopper that will help keep out the cold and keep in the warm. In reading the reviews it also keeps our light and odor too. If you live in a drafty house, what an easy solution.

Door Sweep Weather Stopper

It comes in 4 colors and is 23% off at $13.99! See it here.

LED cordless table light

These are the BEST cordless table/desk lights ever! I use them on my dinner table and they cast a nice warm, welcoming light. Multiple colors are available and they are on sale (yes!) at 20% off at $39.99. I currently have 3 which is the perfect number for a dining table with 8 chairs. See it here.

Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus

I hate to be a broken record, but we are a big Nespresso family. This machine makes the best lattes, cappucinos, macchiatos and flat whites. Clearly, this is the lowest price I’ve seen it at 30% off at $454.30. Plus there is a monthly payment plan. Still a big purchase, but will be well worth it vs. spending your $$ at the local Starbucks and the money you would save on gas going through the drive-thru. Would be an amazing gift for the coffee lover in your home. See it here.

Getting Older

I often wonder when people feel “old”. As much as I try to remain youthful in my thinking, my body is telling me otherwise. Yesterday, my daughter and I hiked Mount Baldy, a rather challenging, 14.2 mile out and back trail near Eager, Arizona. The weather started out clear and quite cold, with rather high winds. I’m guessing with the wind chill the temperature was somewhere in the 20s.

My daughter, Julianna and her pups

With four layers on and two sets of gloves, I did feel appropriately dressed for the weather. However, I didn’t anticipate snow and ice on the trail. We hiked 2.5 miles in and storm clouds were blowing in rapidly so turned around and hiked 2.5 miles out. Just before we got to the car parking area, I tripped on a rock buried in the snow and my bad knee fell onto another rock buried in the snow.

Windy and cold!

A hot bath with Epsom salts seemed to help all the aches and pains…but I don’t like the fact that my body just doesn’t act like it used to. Getting old is not for the faint of heart.

All in all it is a very beautiful hike and getting the chance to do it with my daughter and her two amazing dogs is a joyful experience.

Well, goodbye November and hello December! We head home today and the holiday decorating starts! I hope you are still relaxing after Thanksgiving and wishing you a wonderful rest of the weekend.

As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. My blog may contain other affiliate links but not all links have affiliations. I truly love to share products that I have personally tried and highly recommend.




Savor the Flavor: Explore our Delectable Thanksgiving Menu and Recipes

If you are like me and do the cooking for Thanksgiving Day, this is the post for you! Getting all the ingredients ahead of time is so helpful so you can prepare recipes before the big day. Each year we have our tried and true family traditional dishes and often, I will experiment with one or two new ones. So here is the Thanksgiving menu I served last year.

Our Thanksgiving table

The Main Star~the Turkey

Typically I get a 20-25 lb. turkey because I love the leftover meat. Over the last few years my culinarily adventurous son convinced me to part from the traditional method of roasting the bird, to faster, and tastier methods. Here are my top two ways to cook a turkey:

Expertly Spiced and Glazed Roast Turkey

Bon Appetit Expertly Spiced and Glazed Roast Turkey

This recipe, by Bon Appetit, was developed “to miraculously roast a turkey that is well seasoned, juicy, and—can we type this loudly enough?—PROPERLY COOKED! Every part of the bird deserves equal love and appreciation, without a dry bite in the house. The absolute inarguably best way to cook a turkey is to break it down into parts, dry-brine it, and roast it on a wire rack in a baking sheet. The parts expose every piece for even cooking”.

Here is why I love this recipe.

  • The cooking time is very fast. For a 15 lb. bird, the turkey is done in approximately 100 minutes (depending on your oven, thickness of breast, etc.). The glaze for this is D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S!
  • You can prep this up to 2 days in advance. There is a easy rub to make and once you apply that, the refrigerator does the rest. There are very detailed instructions on how to separate the turkey. If you are not comfortable doing that, ask your local butcher.
  • All you need to bake this is a wire rack and a rimmed baking sheet

Click here for the recipe.

Super Crispy Skin Turkey with a Dry Brine

Dry Brine method from Serious Eats

We tried this different approach to preparing the turkey in 2019 and again, the turkey is juicy and the skin is extra crispy. Simply combine one part baking powder with three to four parts kosher salt (about a teaspoon of baking powder per tablespoon of kosher salt will work), add some black pepper to taste, then sprinkle it evenly over the surface of the skin. Then—and this is key—let it rest, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. The best part of this recipe:

  • Can prepare it up to 24 hours in advance
  • Simple dry brine which is easy to make and spread over the bird
  • There is no basting during the cooking time
  • Fabulous results
  • You can present a whole cooked turkey to your guests

You can find this Serious Eats recipe here.

The Stuffing

Sage and Sausage stuffing from Serious Eats

Typically, I make Martha Stewart’s Herbed Corn Bread Dressing from her 1982 book Entertaining. But this year, I made the Serious Easts Classic Sage and Sausage Stuffing recipe (see it here). It is clearly a winner. Again, this can be made a day in advance, which helps reduce the chaos in the kitchen.

Why I like this recipe~

  • I like making my own bread crumbs which is super easy and far better than the ones you buy in the store
  • With the turkey parts leftover from separating the turkey, I easily made my own stock for the recipe. Made me feel like I am using all parts of the turkey and not being wasteful.
  • Since I did not buy enough sage sausage, I did add the remaining 1/2 pound needed with hot sausage and the results are fine
  • Able to use fresh herbs from my garden

The Gravy

Gravy from Serious Eats

Plan on doubling this recipe as there is never enough gravy. This is another recipe you can make ahead of time~up to 5 days in advance. I really like Costco’s organic chicken stock but homemade or other store brands will work too. The recipe asks for 1/4 teaspoon of Marmite, which I didn’t add. I’m not really sure what it is but eliminating it didn’t seem to affect the flavor or consistency. This is a lighter colored gravy~just FYI. See recipe here.

Side Dishes

Bourbon Sweet Potatoes

Every year we make what we call Drunken Sweet Potatoes, based on a fun Thanksgiving where my in-laws were adding more and more bourbon~mostly to their mouths and then some to the recipe! From a very worn and tattered 1974 The Family Circle Cookbook, there are no marshmallows, just sweet potatoes, butter, bourbon, orange juice, spices and topped with pecans. Easy to make, easy to bake. This, too, can be prepared ahead of time. See recipe below.

Brussel Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts roasted in maple syrup

My family loves this Trader Joe’s recipe (see it here). Who doesn’t love something roasted in maple syrup and olive oil? The Brussels sprouts caramelize to a gorgeous color. Spoon the maple syrup sauce over and sprinkle with either fresh pomegranate arils or dried cranberries. You can either roast a whole stalk of Brussels sprouts or use bags of individual ones.

Caesar Salad

I try not to have the menu be carbohydrate loaded so any opportunity to add more vegetables I take. With the greens being so delicious and abundant in the garden, a simple salad is made. Just greens and grated Parmesan cheese, homemade croutons and my friend, Chloe’s Caesar dressing. This is now my favorite go-to dressing for a Caesar salad. You can see it here.

Making the croutons is easy as I just cut up some bread, seasoned it with salt, pepper, garlic powder and some black truffle sea salt (which is yummy on just about anything), drizzle with olive oil and bake until crispy. Another easy recipe that is so much better than store-bought croutons.

Cranberry Sauce

There is nothing easier to make than cranberry sauce. All it takes is cranberries and sugar and water. Boom. That’s it. Heat until the berries start to wrinkle. Turn off the heat and it all becomes a nice, thick cranberry sauce. You really don’t need anything else, unless you want to spruce it up. Personally, I like the plain old simple recipe. We use the leftover cranberry sauce as a spread on sandwiches too. Just yummy. Recipe is generally on the bag of berries. And you can make it way ahead of time too.

Desserts

Serious Eats apple pie recipe

For our dinner last year, we did keep the desserts simple. Two pumpkin pies and one apple. My husband makes the pumpkin pies and they are so delicious. A happy error in one ingredient many years ago is why his pies are the best and in demand year after year.

I am always experimenting with apple pies and I am a bit fond of this new recipe. Again, it is a Serious Eats one with the title, A Perfect Apple Pie. You can see the recipe here.

Have a wonderful Tuesday and I hope you will enjoy some of these recipes for your holiday cooking.


Bourbon Sweet Potatoes

  • 4 pounds sweet potatoes or yams
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
  • 1/3 cup bourbon (or more to taste)
  • 1/3 cup orange juice (I use fresh squeezed)
  • 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp apple-pie spice
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans
  1. Scrub potatoes. Cook, covered in boiling salted water to cover in a large saucepan, about 35 minutes, or just until tender. Drain; cool slightly; peel.

  2. Place potatoes in a large bowl; mash. Add the butter, bourbon, orange juice, rown sugar, salt and apple-pie spice; beat until fluffy smooth.

  3. Spoon into a buttered, 6-cup baking dish; sprinkle nuts around the edge.

  4. Bake in moderate oven at 350° for 45 minutes, or until lightly brown.


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Saturday Meanderings

What a busy and fulfilling week! I cannot believe it is the Saturday before Thanksgiving week! It’s that time again for Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

Veterans Day Parade in Phoenix

I think this is the very first time I attended the Veterans Day parade here in town. It’s walking distance from our home and my friend and neighbor, Tevia and I decide to check it out. What an impressive show of participation and patriotism. A big salute to all our veterans who bravely serve and have served our country. On the walk home, I felt buoyant with national pride.

Veterans Day Parade in Phoenix

If you live in Phoenix and haven’t been to the annual Veterans Day parade, I highly recommend it!

An Early Thanksgiving

My three children are no longer living at home and are scattered out of town-some further than others. However, everyone came together this weekend and the house and my soul are full to the brim. We had a delicious sit-down dinner on Sunday, an early version of Thanksgiving.

All those years of raising children hold some of my happiest memories. The adjustment to empty nesting is different for everyone, but I really miss the noise, confusion, laughter, family chaos and messy kitchen. Having a little bit of that back this weekend is so joyful.

Since we will not be together collectively for Thanksgiving, I’m still not sure how that holiday will unfold. Will you be with family for Thanksgiving?

Favorite Beverages

Clevr Blends London Fog Latte

As the weather gets cooler, I am looking for a warm beverage to have in the afternoon. Sometimes it is a cup of tea, but lately my go to is Clevr Blends London Fog Latte. Clevr Blends products are fashioned after coffee shop favorites but they skip the sugar and dairy, and add brain-boosting, mood-lifting ingredients.

Sleeptime Super Latte and London Fog Latte

This is gluten free and vegan, has 1000 mg adaptogens, heat resistant probiotics, and less than 35 mg of caffeine. Only 80 calories per serving. Just add hot water and mix (or blend or froth).

Every night my husband and I have our soothing nightcap of Sleeptime Superlatte. This drink has sleep-supportive botanicals to help you de-stress and rest (caffeine free). Not only is it a pre-bed ritual, but it tastes good too!

Clevr Blends has other flavors but these two are my favorite. Here you can find the ClevrBlends link.

Mary’s Must Haves

~Cashmere Protection Pouch~

During my daily routine, I note a product(s) that I appreciate as it makes my life a bit better. Here is this week’s 4 products:

Cashmere Protection Pouch

I love pulling out sweaters this time of year and nothing is more disappointing than to find moth holes! How do those insects make their way into our closet? The perfect solution is to use a Cashmere Protection Pouch. Initially I purchased the X-Large one, but added the Standard size one to protect not only my cashmere sweaters (scarves, etc), but the wool ones too.

These bags protect your sweaters while allowing the natural fibers to breathe. Surprisingly these bags hold quite a few sweaters. Currently 7% off on Amazon here.

~Yoga Toes or Toe Separators~

Naboso toe separators

Going from summer sandals to wearing fall/winter shoes, may be hard on your feet. I find that using these toe separators are so helpful to foot health. In 2022, I experienced a painful Morton’s neuroma in my left foot. Instead of getting a cortisone shot, I began wearing these Naboso toe separators at night in bed. Information from the manufacturer:

  • Our toe separators gently correct and restore the natural shape of toes and feet 
  • Pain Relief: Gel straighteners offer relief from bunions and relax tense muscles in your toes 
  • Activewear Design: Comfortably wear these gel toe spreaders as you walk or lounge around 
  • For Everyone: Podiatrist recommended toe correctors designed for men and women to reverse toe damage 
  • High Quality: Easy to clean BPA free foot care products made from 100% medical grade gel

If your feet are feeling the effects of aging, new shoes or they are just plain tired, you may want to try these.

~Ambient Weather Station~

Ambient Weather Station

I check this Ambient weather station display several times per day. The sensor which monitors wind speed, rainfall, temperature, humidity, UV and solar radiation is on a pole and located in the corner of my garden. It transmits data to the small display on my kitchen counter. I love this weather station and a day doesn’t go by without me looking at it. If you are seeking the perfect Christmas or birthday gift, I highly recommend this.

With over 11,000 positive ratings on Amazon, you can either pay full price ($189.00) or can make 4 payments of $47.50 every two weeks for 4 weeks with 0% APR.

~Microplane Zester~

Microplane Zester

Whether you are zesting lemons, grating nutmeg or shaving chocolate on top of a cup of hot cocoa, you will love this microplane. This one has a black handle and if you prefer a colored one, the price is slightly higher. With the holiday meal prep heading our way, this is a useful tool to have in your kitchen.

Advent Calendars

There are so many different types of Advent calendars~from those you can make to ones that are filled with chocolate, beauty products, wine, coffee, you name it. I recently bought this Advent Calendar for my friend, Christine who LOVES puzzles. It has 42 pieces per day in the numbered boxes for an overall total of 1008 piece jigsaw puzzle.

Jigsaw Puzzle Advent Calendar

If you want to learn more about Advent Calendars from its history to how to make one, Elizabeth from Pinecones & Acorns has a wonderful, informative post you can see here.

Make Your Own Advent Calendar

With Advent starting December 1 (only 2 weeks away), now is the time to make or buy one.

From Around the Internet

Lately, I am all about gingerbread. Gingerbread will be the decorating theme in the kitchen this year. Plus what smells better than gingerbread baking in the oven. Heidi, from Eleanor Rose Home makes these adorable gingerbread tree ornaments. I don’t own a wooden cookie mold but I think I may need to splurge. You can see her great tutorial here.

Eleanor Rose Home

Crozier Cooks

My very talented son (smart, handsome and he cooks!) just started a new Instagram account, crozier_cooks. If you love pictures and videos of beautiful food, please follow him! Let’s send a little Bella Terra love his way.

Charred cabbage with Salty Peanuts & Nuoc Cham by @crozier_cooks

Heather Chadduck Interiors

Heather Chadduck Interiors

I love finding a designer who isn’t trendy and outrageous, but traditional and tasteful. Check out this gorgeous lakeside guest cottage. What a dreamy place to stay!

Heather Chadduck Interiors

Here are more photos of her work:

Heather Chadduck Interiors

I am drooling over all the gorgeous interiors on her website. See it here.

This Week’s Post

I hope you had a chance to check out this week’s post, Pumpkin-Shaped Delights: Bread, Brie and Dinner Rolls Recipes. The brie is the perfect (and easy) appetizer to make for Thanksgiving. It will impress your guests and they don’t need to know how simple it is to make.

Pumpkin shaped baked brie

That is an absolute wrap! Are you traveling for Thanksgiving next week? Wishing you a wonderful, fun-filled, relaxing weekend.

As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. My blog may contain other affiliate links but not all links have affiliations. I truly love to share products that I have personally tried and highly recommend.




Mini Appetizer Boards for Thanksgiving

Whether you are hosting Thanksgiving or being a guest at someone else’s home, these cute mini appetizer boards are easy to make and share with others. There are so many uses for these boards~not just for appetizers, but desserts, or tea and cookies, bread displays and wine flights.

Types of Boards

Mini wooden boards

The boards I am showing in this post are from Amazon and you can find them here. A package of 4 is $11.94. If you are looking for a more substantial mini cutting board, here is a nice set of 6 for $36.99. Make sure you check for sizes as they all are different.

What to Serve

When I think appetizers, I never want to serve too much food that spoils someone’s appetite for the main meal. A meat, a cheese, a fruit and a vegetable provides something salty, sweet and somewhat healthy. Appetizers should look appealing with different colors, textures and of course, always fresh ingredients. Nibble size is just fine.

Mixing tastes and textures

What I like about these small trays, is that I can estimate one serving size, which is helpful to those watching their calories or food intake. For example, if I use salami slices, 6 slices equals one ounce or one serving size.

Here are some food items I use:

  • Peppered salami-I use Columbus Peppered Salame
  • Prosciutto
  • Olives (castelvetrano olives are my favorite)
  • Nuts~cashews, almonds, pistachios
  • Cheese-I use Sargento Medium Cheddar
  • Crackers
  • Fruit-grape, figs, apples, pears (I use Melissa’s Mixed Seedless)
  • Dried fruit~raisins, dates, cherries, cranberries
  • Vegetables-I use Eat Smart Sugar Snap Peas
  • Dips

Making the Board Seasonal

Making the board extra cute

Since there is a hole on the handle of this board, I like to add a seasonal ribbon. With a small piece of orange checked wired ribbon (any ribbon scrap will do), I use jute to pinch the middle and string it through the hole.

Secure ribbon with jute twine

Secure it with a small knot.

Tie the ribbon to the back of hole

By the way, I just love this jute twine dispenser with a rooster. It is attractive on your kitchen counter and so handy since the scissors are already attached. Here is the link.

Vintage jute twine spool

Other ways to make your appetizer mini board seasonal is to cut the cheese in various shapes. Here I use a maple leaf cutter.

You can find a set of cookie cutters in multiple sizes here.

Cheese cut in maple leaf shapes

Adding seasonal flowers (hopefully something edible and of course, non-toxic) is a pretty way to say “fall”, like these sweet chrysanthemums.

Flowers for the extra touch

Assembling the Board

A blank canvas

Since the surface of the board isn’t big, it helps to organize your food items. Balance color, textures, shapes and make the appetizers as appealing as possible.

Individual appetizer board

Aren’t These Attractive?

Making multiple boards
Sweet appetizer boards

Such a simple, yet impressive way to make your guests feel special as they wait for the main meal. Think of all the ways you can use these boards throughout the year!

Happy Friday! Can you believe Thanksgiving is less than 2 weeks away?

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