For as long as I can remember, I’ve prepared Thanksgiving dinner. I’m trying not to panic that Thanksgiving is less than 2 weeks away. This weekend I am determined to put a menu together and think about the table setting.

The good news is that my son will be flying home to stay for a week. He LOVES to cook so having his extra, capable hands in the kitchen will be a blessing.

My friend, Bob texted me yesterday and asked when I was going to post my Thanksgiving recipes. Today I’d like to share our typical Thanksgiving menu.

The first question every year is, “How will we roast the turkey?” There is the ongoing search for the perfect recipe that will roast a turkey that is well seasoned, juicy and properly cooked~~with no dry bites.

We used to wrap it in bacon prior to roasting to keep it moist and flavorful.

Two years ago we changed up the recipe and decided to do a dry brine. 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 bird was cooked on a cookie sheet vs. a roasting pan. This simple recipe made the turkey skin soooooo crisp and the meat soooooo juicy. Plus you never have to baste it. For more info, click here.

This year my son is suggesting an Expertly Spiced and Glazed Roast Turkey recipe by Bon Appetit. I’m not sure as I really love the dry rub one we’ve done the last two years~~it’s a winning recipe.

Side Dishes

My favorite stuffing is Martha Stewart’s Herbed Corn Bread Stuffing with raisins soaked in cognac and chestnuts, apples and sausage.

Uncle Bruce and Aunt Janiece nicknamed the traditional sweet potato side dish, “Drunken Sweet Potatoes” after determining the recipe needed more and more bourbon. One for me, one for the potatoes….you get the picture. The recipe is from The Family Circle Cookbook that my mother gave to me for Christmas in 1977. Since I cannot find an online link to it, the recipe is at the bottom of the post.

Trader Joe’s recipe for Roasted Brussel Sprouts is a favorite all the children love. Roasting the Brussel sprouts in the maple syrup and dried cranberries, is a recipe anyone can love.

The mashed potatoes are another prized dish~~filled with butter, sour cream, cream cheese and chives. I don’t really use a recipe for this but keep adding the ingredients until they are decadent.

What has now become our traditional salad was made by our friend, Connie a few years back. Not only is it delicious, but it gets better with age, unlike most salads. The recipe for Clever Kale Slaw is here.

Not that we need more carbs, but I do make buttermilk biscuits from scratch using Martha Stewart’s recipe here. As far as Cranberry Sauce goes, I just make the recipe on the back of the Ocean Spray fresh cranberry bag.

Desserts. The family collectively picks out a cake to try from my favorite cake book, Layered by Tessa Huff. Here are some pictures from previous years’ cakes.

And of course, what is Thanksgiving without pie! Homemade apple and Dad’s famous pumpkin pies are always a big hit!

Do you make the same recipes every year? Or do you mix it up and try new things? Am I the only one that is running behind schedule?!?!

Happy Saturday!

Bourbon Sweet Potatoes

4 pounds sweet potatoes or yams, 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) softened, 1/2 cup bourbon, 1/3 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice, 1/2 cup chopped pecans.

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.

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

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

Bake in at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 6 servings.

Fortunately I am not a person who gets common winter illnesses. In the last 24 years, I can only recall being very sick with a cold or flu only twice. Living a healthy life should be an important focus as we age. Here are my top 10 tips for staying healthy!

I DO pay attention to how my body feels. When I’m stressed, tired, cranky and run down, I stop and take note. Then I apply all my remedies that so I can get back on track. There are several challenges we all have to keeping healthy~~lack of sleep, not eating properly, traveling, being around sick people and the list goes on and on.

Have a Strong Immune System

First and foremost, BUILD your immune system. There are so many germs and viruses out there and a weakened immunity system is a magnet to the nasty things in our environment. Eat a diet full of fruits and vegetables. Here is the link to some immune boosters you may want to investigate.

A Healthy Gut is a Must

2. Have a healthy gut. A healthy gut = a strong immune system. Keep away from high sugar, processed foods. With the holidays it’s easy to consume lots of sweets and alcohol. It is okay to do that occasionally but make sure you eat a healthy and balanced diet in between.

3. Do you take a probiotic? If not, you may want to do your research on probiotics as they may affect you differently. Here is the probiotic (Metagenics UltraFlora Control) I take daily (click here). Other selections of probiotics are available on Amazon as well. Research which one may be the best for you.

Part of having a healthy gut and a strong immune system is getting enough Vitamin C and E and eating a high fiber diet. I take Emergen-C Vitamin C supplement in a glass of water when I’m under the weather and always when I travel (link here).

Wash Your Hands

4. Wash your hands. I have trained myself that the minute I get home, the first thing I do is head for the kitchen sink and wash my hands.

Nearby is a tube of hand cream and Thayer’s Witch Hazel. Witch hazel is a natural astringent, which means it can help tighten skin and slow down signs of aging such as discoloration, redness, and dryness. So I wash my hands, apply some witch hazel and then hand cream….and repeat often.

Use a Hankie or Elbow

If you have to sneeze, do so into a hankie, Kleenex or your elbow. Do not sneeze into your hands. I remember going into a business meeting and the client sneezed into his hand and then wanted to shake mine. I was so grossed out and just wanted to bathe myself in hand sanitizer. To see my attempt on bringing back hankies, click here. Do carry hand sanitizer. I order mine from Grove Collaborative and love the Blood Orange scent (click here) or get a similar one from Amazon here.

Do Not Touch Your Face

5. Don’t touch your face! My mother would always reprimand us if we touched our faces. “Use the back of your hand!”, she would say. If you nose itches, use the back of your hand. Has your hair fallen in your face? Push it away with the back of your hand. The front of your hands are receptacles for bacteria.

Wipe Frequently Used Surfaces

6. Wipe down your frequently touched items. How often do you sanitize the steering wheel to your car? Your front door knob? Your computer keyboard? The surface of your cell phone?

Think of all the things you touch during the course of the day. If someone in our house is sick or has been sick, I wipe everything down with Clorox Disinfecting Wipes. I even take a small bag of them when I travel and wipe off the airplane seatbelt clasp and tray table.

My Personal Remedies

7. This works for me. The MINUTE I feel stuffy, off, or run down, I take Oil of Oregano. Oil of oregano is an antioxidant, it kills bacteria and has many other remedies. Not all Oil of Oregano is the same. It is extremely important that you make sure you take oil of oregano and not essential oil of oregano. Read the dosage carefully and get a high quality one.

Gaia was rated one of the best on the market (click here) and I am also trying Mortar and Pestle (lesser dosage and cheaper). Oil of oregano does comes in both capsules or a liquid with a dropper. I prefer the capsules because taking the liquid version straight (under the tongue and hold it there for as long as possible) is a bit brutal, but highly effective.

Stay Hydrated

8. Stay hydrated. I am never very far away from a bottle or glass of water. It is a bit harder to keep hydrated during the winter vs. the summer, but make sure you get your fair share of H2O in daily. It really helps to flush things along. I start each day with a big glass of water. It helps to fill a pitcher of water and add cucumber, lemons or strawberries to make it a little more exciting. At the end of the day, the pitcher should be empty.

Keep Moving

9. Exercise. You don’t have to be a gym rat but keep moving. The human body is the only machine, that if not used, will break down. Even if you aren’t feeling well, attempt some stretches and walks. Being sedentary is the new smoking. Personally, I take Pilates 2x a week and try to get to the gym 3 days a week. Weekends are for walks or bike rides. I put it on my calendar like a very important appointment that I try never to cancel.

Get Your Zzzzs

10. Get a good night’s sleep. I have a reminder on my phone when it is time for me to go to bed. Generally it goes off about an hour before I want to be asleep. Having a night time ritual helps me a great deal. Listening to a Calm bedtime story before bed puts me to sleep immediately. I also take Dr. Pierpaoli’s MZS melatonin (click here) just before I go to bed (generally between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.). This melatonin doesn’t make me feel groggy at all and has helped with my sleep cycles.

Lastly, these recommendations are just that…..recommendations. You should always do your own research and/or consult with your physician. I do not have any underlying medical issues that interfere with any of the products mentioned above. But we are all different so please proceed carefully in taking any kind of supplement, herb or medication.

And of course there is always the debate on flu shot or no flu shot. Personally I have never had a flu shot because I work so hard to keep my immune system strong.

What do you do to keep healthy during the change of seasons? If everyone sends me their suggestions and remedies, then perhaps I can compile a list that we can all share.

Stay healthy, my friends! Happy Saturday!

If you click on some of the product links, I may get a small stipend for those at no cost to you. Thank you!

When the children were small, we would walk the entire property every afternoon. My son and I would have “who can pick the largest kumquat” contests in the orchard. I miss those days 🙁

My daily walkabout is not only a chance to get outside, but a way to free myself from technology, projects and other stress related items. I thought you might like to join me in seeing different parts of the property.

The weather has been so beautiful~blue skies, warmth from the sun but fall is definitely in the air. Our winter grass is in and it is green, green, green! The light this time of year is soft and golden.

Fall vegetables are taking off in the garden~~salad greens, bok choy, kale, Swiss chard, broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas, squashes, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes and herbs.

Having the garden located next to the hen house, allows ample feedings of garden scraps to the chickens.

The orchard is abundant with citrus~~we will still need to wait a few months but I can’t wait to pick fresh oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes and kumquats.

We have plenty of pomegranates but they aren’t edible. Not sure why.

Flowers, flowers everywhere! This is the beginning of our colorful time which will last until next summer.

How can these ornamental cabbages be so beautiful?

The guest cottage is hidden in the back northwest corner of the property and I love how it just appears out of nowhere. Feels a bit magical to me.

As much as I love the purple orchid trees, my favorite part is when the flowers drop and the ground becomes a sea of pink/purple.

The autumn sun provides some interesting shadowing on the well tower.

By the end of my walk, I feel rejuvenated. There’s something to be said for connecting with nature, feeling the ground beneath your feet and noticing all that changes with the season. What do you do daily to de-stress? Have a lovely Tuesday.

Happy November…already. We have only 60 days before the end of this decade. Does anyone have a way to make time slow down?

I love this time of year. The cooler temperatures are definitely here with the mornings in the high 30s and low 40s. Windows are opened. The air conditioner is officially off until next May.

A few posts ago I shared a small gathering we had with friends. If you missed that post, click here.

Well, here is part #2~~the dinner. Sticking with the autumn theme, I used my Johnson Brothers dishes, Leslie Roy clear glass salad plates and vintage pink stemware.

I tried all new recipes which is a bit unnerving. The first course was a Roasted Squash and Kale Salad with Spiced Nuts, Cranberries and Maple Vinaigrette from Serious Eats (click here). The beauty of this recipe is that you can make it a day or two ahead, as it gets better the longer it sits.

Actually, I would make this salad again and just add a piece of protein~~grilled chicken for example and it would be a hearty meal.

The main course was recommended by a respected friend of mine, Polly who is an excellent cook. Polly just started her own blog and website called Polly Ruth. She suggested I make her Farmhouse Chowder (click here for the recipe).

The chowder was so delicious, using parsnips and turnips instead of the typical potato. You can adjust this recipe to make it creamier or lighter (using milk vs. cream) according to your taste. I also have experimented with freezing the leftovers and it was just as delicious the second time around.

If you have ever made sourdough bread from scratch, you know what a journey it is. My first attempt was relatively successful and yielded 4 loaves, one of which I served with the chowder. That may need to be another blog post in the future!

We had so many pears from our tree in the mountains that needed to be consumed, so the dessert suggestion came again from Polly. It was a delicious Pear and Caramel Pie by Knead Bake Cook (recipe is here).

The best part of the evening, was sharing it with friends. Even though I don’t recommend trying all new recipes and making your friends guinea pigs, these 3 are winners!

Happy Saturday and I hope you have the best of weekends!

My first experience with warm, delicious apple cider donuts was 5 years ago visiting my son at the University of Virginia. It was October 2014 and we visited Carter Mountain Orchard in Charlottesville~~where they served WARM apple cider donuts. I was in love. Every trip back for the next 4 years included a trip to this apple orchard. Getting these mouthwatering morsels was worth a pound or two of adipose tissue.

Prompted by an Instagram picture of donuts from my friend, Joe Pepe, I was on a mission last week during our New England trip to again experience these donuts. Apple orchards are few and far between in Phoenix, hence apple cider donuts are not available.

We were fortunate to stumble upon Averill Farm in Washington, Connecticut and promptly purchased a dozen. I’m almost embarrassed to say we devoured them over the next few days.

I am the type of person that when I get a hankering for something, it just won’t go away. Yesterday, here in Phoenix, the morning temps were in the 40s!!!! and I was dreaming about a hot cup of coffee and guess what? Yep, apple cider donuts.

The recipe is from Sally’s Baking Addiction and can be found here. Perhaps the longest part of this recipe is reducing the apple cider to intensify the flavor. I did it the night before while I was preparing dinner and let it cool overnight.

After mixing all the ingredients together, the recipe suggests filling a large Ziploc bag with the batter and cutting off the tip… a makeshift pastry bag.

I purchased these pans years ago from Williams Sonoma (which are still available) or you can order them from Amazon (click here). Or if you live in Phoenix you can borrow mine! Also the recipe allows for no donut pan by using standard muffin pans.

Short baking time of 10 to 11 minutes. Since these are non-stick pans, the donuts easily released after baking.

Brush with butter and douse them in sugar and apple pie spices.

And viola! In less than 1 hour, you have warm, apple cider donuts! I would even suggest pre-measuring all the ingredients the night before to quicken the production process.

This recipe makes 12-14 donuts.

Since these are baked vs. fried, I’m thinking they are healthier? Now I need to go and exercise! Happy Wednesday!

I can’t recall the last time we took a week and just went meandering. A perfect place for this is New England in the fall and it appears we timed leaf peeping just right. Thanks for joining me today and I hope you love these glimpses into autumn back East.

Our first spontaneous hotel selection was the Simsbury 1820 house in Simsbury, Connecticut. Even though I was born and raised in this state, there are many parts of it I have never visited.

While in Simsbury, we hiked up Talcott Mountain and toured the Heublein tower located at the top. Thankfully the State of Connecticut saved it from developers and it is now a state park for all to enjoy.

From Simsbury we drove to Kent, CT and stayed at the Starbuck Inn, which was right in town and walking distance to shops and restaurants.

The innkeeper, Peter Starbuck provided a delicious breakfast and a view of these gorgeous hydrangeas in his backyard.

From there, we drove to Kent Falls and hiked the path to the top of the falls.

Stockbridge, Massachusetts provided a photo of an exceeding large pumpkin (over 1000 lbs.) and a stay at the Red Lion Inn.

This sweet town was home to illustrator and artist, Norman Rockwell and has a museum in his honor (that is certainly worth visiting).

Our last stop was in Old Saybrook, Connecticut which was home base for 4 days. The Saybrook Point Inn & Spa is located right on the water (my favorite) and here is a morning view from our room.

From here we were able to see family and friends; attend my high school reunion and go for bike rides and long walks.

Here are a few more of my favorite photos!

Thanks for tagging along with me on my week off. Happy Tuesday, my friends!