Tag Archives | Thanksgiving Menu

Sauteed Spinach with Cranberries and Pine Nuts

By Toni on November 23, 2011 in Making Dinner

Thanksgiving Recipes

This recipe is probably the easiest to cook from my Thanksgiving Menu and is part of Toni’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving. Since this recipe is not a “make-ahead” recipe and only takes a few minutes to cook, I typically make this right before serving. Watch the video below for a cooking demonstration of this delicious and simple Thanksgiving recipe.

Sauteed Spinach with Cranberries and Pine Nuts

Ingredients:

fresh baby spinach lettuce- 2 16oz. pre-cut ready-to-eat bags
dried cranberries like Ocean Spray Craisins- 1 5oz. bag or 1 cup
pine nuts- 1 2-4oz. bag
olive oil
salt & pepper

Directions:

Heat a few tablespoons olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat
Add spinach, cranberries and pine nuts and saute until spinach is completely reduced, approximately 4 minutes
season with salt & pepper to taste
Make this recipe right before serving.

Watch the video for a simple cooking demonstration:

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Last Minute Tips! Day 12: Toni’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving

By Toni on November 23, 2011 in Survival Guide for Busy Moms

A Delicious and Memorable Thanksgiving

Seating can be tricky when it comes to cooking Thanksgiving Dinner for a large group. With anywhere from 20-35 people in my home each Thanksgiving, I have to get creative when it comes to making sure there’s a comfortable place for each person to sit and eat. So, to make sure you’re not running around at the last minute finding chairs for everyone, today’s tip in Toni’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving is to set out tables and chairs and decorate each table.

In addition to our dining room table which seats 14, I roll out folding tables and chairs to go alongside my dining room table to make three long tables. With the addition of our “kids table“, this creates plenty of seating for everyone to be in the same place and enjoy each others company while celebrating the holiday.

And here’s the important part. There’s no reason to skimp on the Thanksgiving decorations when it’s so easy to throw a Fall tablecloth over each table along with any arrangement of Fall candles, cornucopias and leaves. Over the years I’ve gathered a hodgepodge of Thanksgiving decorations that are thrown into a big storage box at the end of the holiday. By picking through the box each Thanksgiving I manage to come up with a scheme that looks like I spent a lot of time coordinating.

I always frame my menu. Why? I’m still not sure other than the fact that I think it’s beautiful and I love showing off my recipes to all of my guests. I don’t run out and purchase a new frame for the occasion; I usually have an extra one lying around somewhere. So why not bring that extra touch of “special” to dinner, especially when the cost is next to nothing.