5 Favorites {no. 14} Thanksgiving Dinner Edition

I can hardly believe Thanksgiving is next week! Are you hosting Thanksgiving this year? Or bringing a dish to share? For today's edition of five favorites, I wanted to share some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes - beyond the turkey! {Linking up with Jenna - thanks for hosting!} {updated: linking up with Nell, too!}

This picture is from Thanksgiving 2012 - our first married Thanksgiving. I hosted my in-laws for Thanksgiving in NYC and made the meal. You can see pictures of my first two recipes in this picture - both are above the flowers.

{1} garlic mashed red potatoes // Michael requests these instead of traditional mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving. To make, cut red potatoes in half and boil until tender. {I love that you don't have to peel potatoes for this recipe!} Drain water from pot. Add ~1/4 stick of butter, 2-4 cloves minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Re-cover with lid to let butter begin melting. When ready to mash, pour in some half & half and beat with an electric mixer. Keep in mind that it's better to start with too little half & half and add more than to over-pour - it takes less than you might imagine to make creamy potatoes! Add more half & half if necessary and mix until potatoes reach desired consistency.

One other tip: try to keep the potatoes covered and hot until ready to serve. NOTE: These amounts are for one large pot of potatoes, but you can alter the amounts of butter, garlic and S+P depending upon how many people you are feeding. :)

{2} made-from-scratch stuffing // This is my mom's version of my grandmother's recipe. My mom knows how to make it by heart, so one Thanksgiving I watched her and wrote it down as she went. There's a printable recipe card at the end of this post if you are interested in trying this super delicious recipe. In my opinion, way better than the boxed stuff, and it's really not that difficult! Promise! TIP: Tearing the bread into one inch pieces is a great chance for kids to help. My sister and I always loved doing that part.

{3} not your average cranberries // Even if you think you don't like cranberries, you should try this recipe at least once. I actually like the canned whole cranberries, but this fresh recipe is an absolute delight. Michael never ate cranberries until I started making this recipe and now he loves them. Again, a printable recipe card is at the bottom of this post!

{4} pumpkin pie // Thanksgiving isn't complete without a slice of pumpkin pie (preferably with homemade whipped cream!). I shared this recipe last year. Hope you enjoy!

{5} dinner decor // So this isn't a recipe, but I love setting a beautiful table for any holiday. It's one of my very favorite parts. Click here to see the table details at our family Thanksgiving in 2013.

Do you have a favorite or traditional recipe for Thanksgiving dinner? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!

Most importantly, let us remember:

"In everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

{1 Thessalonians 5:18}

Click here to print.

Click here to print.

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5 Favorites {no. 13} pumpkin edition!

This week's edition of five favorites is dedicated to my pumpkin favorites from dear ol' Trader Joe's. No, this post is not sponsored. I just love Trader Joe's and all the pumpkin things, so I wanted to share!

{1}

pumpkin waffles // These frozen waffles are not only delicious, but a quick & easy breakfast -

just toast and enjoy!

{2}

pumpkin cranberry crisps // I forget which lovely blogger pointed me towards these delights, but they are a super delicious treat that make me feel a little fancy. Especially when I eat them with my favorite cheese, brie. (Pasteurized only for this pregnant momma. P.S. 20 weeks today!!)

{3}

this pumpkin walks into a bar...cereal bars // I have been throwing one of these into my purse as I head into the city for a long day. They make a great snack, and they're pumpkin-y delicious!

{4}

organic pumpkin {canned} // Please excuse my already open can of pumpkin. This stuff is not only yummy, but reasonably priced (thank you, TJ!). I have made pumpkin muffins, pumpkin bread, and can't wait to make some pumpkin pie...the possibilities are endless!

{5}

dark chocolate speculoos cookie butter cups // This was supposed to be pumpkin spice granola, but I ate it all before I remembered to snap a picture. If my Trader Joe's carried their super amazing pumpkin pancake mix this year that surely would have made the top of this list. So, as a stand in, I give you Trader Joe's dark chocolate speculoos cookie butter cups. Need I say more, friends? Warning: These are dangerous. Very, very dangerous.

What are your pumpkin favorites? Or Trader Joe's faves? Pretty please - share in the comments!

{Bonus! An update!}

We have been given $300 more in donations since Friday's post. Only two days left and $885 to go! Please consider giving to this worthy cause, especially as Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month draws to a close. Every $1, $5, $10 - or any amount you can give - really helps! Click here {or follow the link in the sidebar} for more info or to make a donation. God bless you for prayerfully considering!

And, in case you missed it - all proceeds from these new prints in my etsy shop go to our birthday gift fundraiser for the next two days only. 

This one would make a great Thanksgiving gift for a family member, friend or your dinner host:

Okay, that's all for today, dear friends - thanks for stopping by...

And don't forget to click over here for more favorites! Thank you for hosting, Jenna!

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5 Favorites {no. 12} & WWRW - First Trimester edition

Today marks sixteen weeks with this sweet blessing in my belly. So I wanted to share five of my favorite things - must haves, I might say - that helped me through that dear first trimester.

{1} Camelbak water bottle // Momma's gotta have that H2O! Having a water bottle helps me stay more hydrated. I also use my fitbit app to keep track of how many ounces a day I'm drinking (and I needed a lot of ounces that first trimester in Texas!).

{2} PsiBands // These not-super-fashionable bands were a lifesaver for me with the nausea and all-day sickness I experienced for several weeks. Totally worth it.

{3} Tums // Heavens to Betsy, hello, heartburn! Oh my goodness, friends. I had horrible heartburn during the first trimester. It didn't matter what I ate. And may I just say, heartburn is not a nice thing to have in combination with anxiety. Yikes. But these Tums did the trick! Something tells me I may be needing these later on, too...

{4} Rainbow Light prenatal vitamins // These vitamins are awesome. They have not given me nausea a single time. And they're really not too bad to swallow either. Winning at all the things!

{5} A Catholic Mother's Companion to Pregnancy // This book has been such a blessing. Each chapter is a different week of pregnancy with information, prayers, and a mystery of the rosary for the week. It's truly a beautiful way to "walk with Mary from conception to baptism," as the subtitle of the book says. Highly recommended. Would make a great gift for a newly pregnant momma, too.

What were your key pregnancy survival items? Let me know! I'd love to hear from you!

Linking up with Mary Kate for five favorites and Jessica for WWRW.

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5 Favorites {no. 11}

It's been a while since I've done a Five Favorites post! Here are five of my current faves I'd love to share with you:

{1} fresh sugar face polish // This is definitely a splurge, but goodness do I love it. Two of the main ingredients are brown sugar and strawberry seeds, so it smells amazing. Most importantly, it makes your face soft, smooth, and exfoliates any dry skin you might have. So great.

{2} bath & body works wallflowers // Have you ever used these? I love the way the Bath & Body Works Wallflowers freshen up my home, and the seasonal scents are so much fun. Just plugged in my Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin Wallflower for a feeling of fall.

{via}

{3} the mrs. & the mr. mugs by lindsay letters // I love pretty much all of Lindsay Letters work, but these new mugs are so sweet. The back of the mugs read "good morning, gorgeous" and "hello, handsome" accordingly. What fun it would be to share a cup of coffee in these mugs with my love.

{via}

{4} homemade cinnamon ice cream // One word: YUM. Michael & I have tried this recipe several times and it never lets us down. So, so delicious. {pictured with blueberry crisp - also yum.}

{images via}

{5} puffin in bloom collection // I have a thing for beautiful books, and these are some of the most beautiful I have seen. So excited about the debut of this collection with artwork by Anna Rifle of Rifle Paper Co. Swoon. I've never read Anne of Green Gables, but I think the time has come!

Linking up with Heather for five favorites and Jessica for wwrw.

Happy Wednesday!

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5 Favorites {no. 10} Peony edition

This week's edition of 5 Favorites is dedicated to my all-time favorite flower: the peony.

{1}

I love watching peonies grow. The progression from that tight, round ball of a bud to the full beauty of the open blossom gets me every time. Gorgeous.

{2}

Peonies bloom once a year and for a short period of time, making them extra special. I like that.

{3}

Peonies are such a romantic flower.

{Wedding photo by A Thousand Words Photography}

I had white ones in my wedding bouquet and on our sweetheart table.

{4}

This white peony is from a bush outside of my apartment here in NYC (so are the pink peonies in favorite no. 1). I had no idea these plants were here when we signed the lease. I think God knew the joy they would bring me, almost like a little wink from Him.

{5}
I would be remiss if I did not mention the place where I first fell in love with peonies: the Peony Garden at the University of Michigan's Nichols Arboretum in Ann Arbor. When the garden is in fullest bloom there are close to 10,000 flowers. It's simply glorious. If you're ever in the area during May or June, do yourself a favor and go.

Thank you, Lord, for peonies. :) Do you have a favorite flower? I'd love to hear! 

Be sure to visit the gorgeous Miss Hallie and other lovelies for more favorites!

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5 Favorites {no. 9} Rainy Day edition

Well, here we are on the last day of April (can you believe it?) and it is a very, very rainy day here in NYC. But we all know that April showers bring May flowers, so let's focus on that, shall we?

Here are five of my favorites for a rainy day:

{1} a quality pair of rain boots

{via}

I received my Hunter boots as a Christmas gift a few years back, and let me tell you - they are just wonderful. My feet are always warm and dry, no matter how large the puddles (and they've been tested!). I actually wear them year-round, with liners as snow boots (the streets get so slushy here in the city after a snow that you really need something waterproof). 

{2} a sturdy umbrella

{via}

Need I say more? :)

{3} a fabulous rain coat

{via}

A rain coat is great for some added protection. I bought one at a Columbia outlet a few years back and have had great luck with it. Mine is white, but a fun pop of color always brightens up the gloom!

{4} reading

{via}

Whether it's a great book, a great blog post, or your favorite magazine, rainy days are great for reading.

{5} a romantic comedy

Perfect timing for a stay-at-home date night, complete with a movie! One of our favorites is You've Got Mail. Tell me you've seen it.

What do you like to do on a rainy day?
And be sure to visit Hallie at Moxie Wife for more favorites...

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