Archive | November, 2011

Kids Thanksgiving Activities

By on November 19, 2011 in DIY, Survival Guide for Busy Moms

Making Thanksgiving Memories

Yes, it’s true.  Last year for Thanksgiving we did a reenactment of the First Thanksgiving with pilgrim hats, Indian headdresses, teepee, pretend fire and all.  It was fun and entertaining for the kids and adults- and yes, perhaps a bit overboard.

But there’s nothing wrong with “overboard” when it comes to kids and fun, right?  After all, these are Thanksgiving Memories in the making for them.

Thanksgiving Activities for Kids

“Not Overboard” Activities

For some simple activities that don’t require erecting a teepee, check out these adorable Thanksgiving activities from HP Creative Studio:

Thanksgiving Kid Activities

HP Creative Studio Kid Activities to print- free!

Thanksgiving Kids Activities

Word Scramble by HP Creative Studios- click here to print

Thanksgiving Kids Activities

Word Search by HP Creative Studio- click here to download

Thanksgiving Kids Activities

Fill-In Story by HP Creative Studios- click here to download

 

The First Thanksgiving Reenactment

If you are interested in making your own First Thanksgiving reenactment, you can make any combination of the following:

1.  Pilgrim Hat

These adorable pilgrim hats are made from plain white copy paper and yarn.  Here’s a great tutorial from Skip To My Lou.

Thanksgiving Kids Activities

Pilgrim hats made from plain white copy paper

2.  Pretend Fire

A pretend fire can be made from paper towel rolls painted brown and flames cut from red, orange and yellow construction paper.  I used a disposable party tray bottom for the base of our fire.

Thanksgiving Kids Activities

pretend fire made from paper towel rolls and construction paper

3.  Native American Teepee

This one can be tricky.  Here is a great tutorial from Confessions Of A Prop Junkie.

Thanksgiving Kids Activities

Native American Teepee

4.  Picnic Table

For a table and chair, I brought in our outdoor resin kids picnic bench from Playskool.  What’s nice is this doubles as the “kids” table for Thanksgiving Dinner.

Thanksgiving Kids Activities

The First Thanksgiving Stage- my family room

Have a Happy & Memorable Thanksgiving!

Toni’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving

If you’re not already signed up for my Thanksgiving planning guide “Toni’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving”, sign up now to receive daily tips, videos and recipes:

Black Friday

Don’t forget about our Black Friday special for The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System.  The biggest discount-ever- for this monthly subscription that brings you the most recent meal plans straight to your inbox each week is 70% off for one day only!

Toni’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving

By on November 19, 2011 in Survival Guide for Busy Moms

Toni’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving

“Spending Turkey Day with Your Family, NOT the Kitchen“

Toni’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving goes something like this: do one or two small tasks every day for 12 days before Thanksgiving.  The result- stress-free holiday with lots of time to do what matters most to you by spending time with friends and family.

Day 1:  (Saturday November 12th)

Day 2:  (Sunday November 13th)

Day 3:  (Monday November 14th)

Day 4:  (Tuesday November 15th)

Day 5:  (Wednesday November 17th)

Day 6:  (Thursday November 17th)

Day 7:  (Friday November 18th)

Day 8:  (Saturday November 19th)

Day 9:  (Sunday November 20th)

Day 10:  (Monday November 21st)

Day 11:  (Tuesday November 22nd)

Day 12:  (Wednesday November 23rd)

Day of: Thanksgiving Day 24th

  1. Prep turkey first and put in oven to roast
  2. Prepare stuffing
  3. Mashed potatoes are perfect to heat and keep warm in slow cooker
  4. Combine punch ingredients, but don’t place ice ring in punch until guests begin to arrive
  5. Set out cranberry sauce to bring to room temperature
  6. Bake stuffing and sweet potato casserole
  7. Warm mushroom sauce in microwave or in a smaller slow cooker to heat and keep warm
  8. Steam green beans
  9. Warm rolls in oven
  10. Make gravy using pan juice from cooked turkey
  11. Cook spinach recipe last

To download printable plan:

click on image to download

Toni’s 12-day guide breaks up the overwhelming job of preparing for Thanksgiving Dinner into small daily tasks, allowing busy moms to spend the holiday enjoying family and friends instead of slaving away at the stove.  With daily tips, recipes and videos, Toni will help make this holiday less stressful.  Sign up now for Toni’s weekly newsletters to receive “Toni’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving”.  Sign up here.

 

Plan. Organize. Enjoy.

And now I’m sharing my plan with you.  If you’re not signed up to receive our free weekly newsletter through our rss feed, sign up now and stay tuned to receive your daily plan beginning November 11th.  This year I’m including menus, recipes, printables, activity ideas, grocery shopping lists, giveaways, videos, coupons and decorating tips each day for 12 days.

Here’s what’s on the menu this year.

Sparkling-Spiced Cranberry Punch with Cranberry Ice Ring

Cranberry Punch

Sparkling Spiced Cranberry Punch with Cranberry Ice Ring

 

Glazed Cranberry Apple Rolls

Pear Walnut Gorgonzola Arugula Salad

Herb Roasted Turkey

Baked Cranberry Chestnut Stuffing

Toni’s Perfect Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Sauce recipe

Toni's Perfect Cranberry Sauce

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Pan Turkey Gravy

Not-So-Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole recipe

Not-So-Sweet Potato Casserole

 

Steamed Green Beans with Mushroom White-Wine Shallot Sauce (wine optional)

Thanksgiving Green Bean Recipe by Toni Spilsbury The Organized Cook

Steamed Green Beans with Mushroom White Wine Shallot Sauce

Sauteed Spinach with Cranberries and Pine Nuts

Join me this Thanksgiving and spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your family.  Happy Holidays!

Toni

Thanksgiving Dinner Cooking For A Large Group

 

 

 

 

Homemade Cranberry Sauce- Day 6: Toni’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving

By on November 17, 2011 in Survival Guide for Busy Moms

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Homemade cranberry sauce is probably the easiest recipe to make on your Thanksgiving menu, so don’t be tempted to purchase the canned version!  It’s Day 6 of Toni’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving and the perfect time to make Toni’s Perfect Cranberry Sauce- watch the video below for a cooking demonstration of this simple recipe.

Homemade cranberry sauce can be made and stored well in advance without having to freeze because you’re essentially making a sugared jelly out of the fresh cranberries.  This recipe for cranberry sauce has never let me down which is why I call it “perfect”.

Cranberry sauce recipe

Toni’s Perfect Cranberry Sauce

 

Toni’s Perfect Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

This sauce recipe will serve between 6-8 people, so double or triple the recipe if you’re cooking for more people.

  1.  3 cups cranberries (1 12oz. bag)
  2.  1 cup orange juice
  3.  1 cup agave nectar or 1 cup sugar
  4.  Cinnamon sticks- 2

 Directions:

  1.  Combine all ingredients in saucepan; cook over medium heat stirring constantly
  2.  Be amazed at how beautiful the cranberries look when they soften and begin to pop
  3.  Once cranberries are completely softened and have popped (about 10-12 minutes), remove from heat, cool
  4. Remove cinnamon sticks before serving or stick them up in the sauce for decoration


 

cranberrysauce 650x433 Tonis Perfect Cranberry Sauce

If you haven’t signed up for Toni’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving yet, to get daily videos, tips and recipes, sign up below:

Black Friday

Don’t forget about our Black Friday special for The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System.  The biggest discount-ever- for this monthly subscription that brings you the most recent meal plans straight to your inbox each week is 70% off for one day only!  Order now.

 

Make-Ahead Mushroom Shallot Sauce: Day 5 Toni’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving

By on November 16, 2011 in Survival Guide for Busy Moms

Making Delicious Memories This Thanksgiving

It’s Day 5 of Toni’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving and the perfect time to make a mushroom sauce to pour over steamed green beans on Thanksgiving Day.  This Thanksgiving green bean recipe can be made well in advance and stored in the freezer.

Thanksgiving green bean recipe

Mushroom White-Wine Shallot Sauce Recipe (wine is optional)

 Ingredients for Mushroom White Wine Sauce: (double this recipe for a large group)

  • Butter-1/2 cup (1 stick or 8 tbspns)
  • Sliced mushrooms- 1 bag
  • Shallots- 2, peeled and minced
  • Flour- 3 tbspns
  • White wine, like cooking wine or a Chardonnay like Mirassou Chardonnay
  • Chicken broth- 1 cup
  • Heavy cream- 1 cup

Directions:

  1. Melt butter in skillet over medium-high heat
  2. Add shallots and mushrooms; saute until tender, approximately 3 minutes
  3. Add flour and saute for 1 more minute
  4. Add wine and stir until flour is dissolved (or skip if not using wine)
  5. Add broth and cream; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes

Store in airtight container until Thanksgiving Day to pour over steamed fresh green beans.

Thanksgiving Day

For fresh steamed green beans, they’re making it really easy for us these days.  I use fresh ready-to-steam green beans that are found in the produce section that are washed and ready to steam in the bag in the microwave.  Also, Bird’s Eye Steamfresh frozen green beans are easy to pull out of the freezer and cook in the microwave.

Or you can buy fresh green beans in bulk from the produce section to wash and trim yourself.

Warm the Mushroom White-Wine Shallot Sauce in the microwave or a slow-cooker to keep warm for serving.

Thanksgiving Green Bean Casserole: Classic or Contemporary?

Many people prefer the classic Green Bean Casserole.  Here is a post I wrote last year about classic versus contemporary green bean recipes for Thanksgiving.

greenbean1 650x433 Steamed Green Beans with Mushroom White Wine Shallot Sauce (wine optional)Classic Green Bean Casserole for Thanksgiving