Monday, November 17, 2014

Reflections on Previous Thanksgiving Meals

As I started thinking about Thanksgiving coming up I realized I made pics last year and never posted them. Hope you will enjoy viewing our family meal and the pics might jumpstart your planning and decorating. My mind now is in the challenge mode of coming up with something different for this year's table. 


Decided to change plans and use the flower arrangement originally planned for the sideboard as the dining table centerpiece and serve the food from the sideboard. I usually serve buffet style from the kitchen bar but wanted to serve from the dining room for a change this year. You can view our meal from the previous year where we served from the kitchen bar at the end of this post.
Flowers were bought from Publix our local grocery store. I added greenery and dried pods. This year I am going to buy two bundles of flowers because I like thicker arrangements with more flowers.  It was fun to do a fresh flower arrangement for a change since I have used pumpkins for a centerpiece for several previous years.
 Turkey ready for cooking in the green egg. So thankful, my husband does this job.
 All ready to eat. Hubby did a great job.
Squash casserole and sweet potato casserole baking in the oven.
Almost forgot to make a pic of the sideboard with the food until it was too late but you get the idea. My goal this year is to style the food and serving dishes better.
My plate: turkey and dressing, sliced turkey with gravy, squash casserole, fresh cranberries, sweet potato casserole, and roasted brussel sprouts. We usually have a similar menu each year with a few changes. 
 Dessert: Pecan pie and pumpkin pie. I will confess the pumpkin pie was bought from Costco  because they make a great pumpkin pie and with fresh whip cream it is as good as I could make.

   Our 2012, family Thanksgiving dinner can be viewed here: It is fun to look back on previous years see changes and remember your menu. I hope to have a few new decorating ideas this year but time will tell.

Linking to Inspire Us Tuesday, Show and Share Party, Wow Us Wednesday, The Scoop, What's Up Wednesday, Tablescape Thursday, and Foodie Friday.



18 comments:

  1. You and your husband created a lovely feast for your family - so glad you did share with us!

    And you are so right about the Cosco pies. Totally - I just had them at our women's meeting and couldn't even believe they weren't baked by the hospitality ladies. WOW, totally great value.

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  2. Bonnie, your table is beautiful! I love all the pumpkins in the center of the table.
    That pecan pie is amazing!! I plan on making a pecan pie, fresh cherry pie and of course pumpkin.
    Have a beautiful blessed holiday season.
    Sweet blessings to you, Debbie

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  3. Delicious and beautiful Bonnie! How wonderful your hubby is in charge of the turkey and it frees up your oven! I've never thought about cooking the turkey in the Big Green Egg. What a beautiful bird too, your photo looks like a magazine!

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  4. I love that your hubby is in charge of the turkey, Bonnie! Your Thanksgiving feast looks amazing! Wow. On your daughter's gorgeous pie. I know you'll be eating well again this year.

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  5. Your setting is lovely, and the food all looks delicious too. I hope that you have a wonderful meal again this year. xx

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  6. This gets me excited for all the work next week! And I can't help but think of how appropriate your blog name is for this time of year.

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  7. Isn't Thanksgiving the best! It is the one time of year when my entire family is together which is what makes it so special. I like the food,too. Ours looks much like yours!here is hoping you enjoy everything about the day.

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  8. hi Bonnie, I am sure your table will be as beautiful this year as last, and I am envious that you can have a buffet on your sideboard in your dining room. My dining room always seems big until the holidays and then we are all cramped in there with the food on the kitchen island~You can't beat fresh flowers and your arrangements are always breath taking~
    Jenna

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  9. Bonnie, everything is beautiful and looks delicious. I can taste the dressing and cranberry sauce as I type!

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  10. Your table setting is beautiful! Your turkey looks even better. My husband wants a green egg. That would certainly free up the oven for other things that day too. Looking forward to seeing what you do for Thanksgiving this year!

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  11. Bonnie, your Thanksgiving dinner is magazine worthy. Beautiful setting and food! I'm glad you decided to share your photos. I shared my photos from last year too. I realized that I had never posted them. Nice surprise for me to have something in draft waiting. Ha!
    Happy Thanksgiving!

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  12. Your vignette is lovely with the flowers and the rest is yummy!!! I'm drooling with all that great food. How nice your hubby is a helper. I agree with Sarah...your photos all look like they should be on a Food Magazine, wow! I can just imagine this Tksgiving too!
    Have a blessed Thanksgiving ahead.
    FABBY

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  13. Lovely photos! Your table and food both look divine.

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  14. What was up with that skimpy little plate of food you had, girl?!???!?!! That's why you're skinny as a rail! You don't eat!!! I get out a serving platter for my plate!!! :-) I guess I'll let you slide, though, because you did have a heartier breakfast than what I generally eat on Thanksgiving. I eat like a little bird in the morning so I can chow down like Porky Pig in the afternoon!!!

    ALL of the food looked great! Your husband did a very nice job on the turkey. My husband just stays clear of the kitchen and on my good side! :-)

    I look forward to seeing what you 2014 table and food look like! I know it's going to be a wonderful feast! Enjoy yourself, and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!!!

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  15. Hi Bonnie! These pictures are so pretty -- love all your wonderful Thanksgiving decor! I'm glad I saw your flower arrangement because I've been thinking of doing the same thing here. I, too, use pumpkins every year (well a cornucopia, actually) and I thought it would be fun to use flowers for a change. The plates on your dining room table are truly some of the prettiest I've ever seen. What is the name of that pattern? I love it!! Your daughter's pumpkin pie looks wonderful, Bonnie, and so does the turkey and all the sides. Thanksgiving dinner is just about my favorite meal of the whole year. :)

    I hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving, Bonnie, and a great week!

    Warm hugs,

    Denise

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  16. Wow your table settings are beautiful! Love the breakfast table too! Your flower arrangement is so pretty...I love the rich colors and who says it always has to be orange. That turkey looks amazing and so good...how nice that your hubbie helps with the turkey...mine carves! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
    Miss Bloomers

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  17. Bonnie, we certainly do celebrate Thanksgiving with the same ideas. I usually end up serving from the kitchen because it's just easier. I do though on special occasions set the sideboard up for serving. Your menu sounds a lot like mine with a few exceptions. I really must get your instructions for your turkey for my husband to try in our egg. Beautiful table setting, centerpiece and the food looks delicious. Thanks for sharing your table............

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