Thanksgiving is less than a week away! It’s going to look a lot different this year. How many times have you heard that said?
Here’s how I’m setting our cozy Thanksgiving table for four.
So … yes, Thanksgiving at Snowberry will look different this year. Not just because of the pandemic, but because … we’re hosting! When I say ‘hosting’ I mean we’re having two guests … bringing the grand total to four. Six if you count our dogs who will position themselves near the table.
Thanksgivings Past
The last time we hosted Thanksgiving dinner was 2001. You read that right … 2001. It was the year we met, and we decided to have a gathering at my house. It was a mix of our family and friends … meeting for the first time. And, included my dad, Jim’s mom and young son, and my former mother-in-law.
It was a lot of fun, although Jim learned the hard way not to offer guests more than one martini before dinner. I’ll spare you the particulars.
You know what they say …
One martini
Two martini
Three martini
Floor
He’s never made that rookie mistake again.
The Table
Here’s how I’m setting our Thanksgiving table for four …
Side note, I was in the (long) check out line at Target when this heather olive sweater caught my eye. I don’t suppose it was accidental, more like smart merchandising. Sweater weather finally arrived and because everything is more casual this year I think I’ll wear it for Thanksgiving dinner. It’s super soft and comfortable, but not so bulky as to get in the way of my sweating over a hot stove. As a matter of fact, I think I’ll order it in a few more colors to get me through the winter.
Outdoor Table Option
If we have a warming trend … not unusual for this time of year in California … we may eat outside, and I’ll recreate my easy fall outdoor table setting.
We planned to buy a couple of space heaters for our newly renovated back patio. Unfortunately, we weren’t the only ones with this idea and there isn’t a space heater available to buy or rent in the entire state.
Still, we’re ready to get some use out of our trusty new fire pit and we may enjoy a toast and nibble on the back patio before dinner. The Aperol Spritz gets my vote for favorite fall cocktail … hmmm … maybe we’ll start with that.
The Menu
Now for the important stuff. The menu. Because we’re a small group I’m not going to roast a whole bird. I’ve ordered a stuffed roatsted turkey breast from Good Eggs. Doesn’t that sound good?
The rest of our menu looks like this …
Southwest Vegetable Chowder
Cornbread and Bacon Stuffing
Pumpkin Pie Pudding with Coriander Sauce
Here’s a bad snap shot of the soup recipe. It came from Bon Appetite or Gourmet back in 1992. It’s a fall favorite that I make over and over again.
I hesitate to link the pie recipe. It’s no gourmet creation … in fact it came from an old Pillsbury Cookbook (the kind they used to have on display at the grocery store checkout) eons ago. Don’t judge. It’s a recipe I remember fondly and this year I’m all about comfort food and nostalgia. I can’t believe I was able to track it down online.
I love Ina Garten’s make ahead recipes. I’ve made her Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes to bring to friend’s homes for Thanksgiving. It’s delicious and travels well. And, honestly, I never met a potato I didn’t love.
We had entertaining in mind when we added a built-in buffet on the far side of the kitchen. It’s right next to the dining room so it’s perfect for serving buffet style.
The Wine
Jim’s in charge of wine. There will definitely be pre-dinner bubbles and I know he’ll serve a Silver Stag Winery Cabernet from our good friend’s Napa Valley vineyard.
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If you read my post about the four stages of fall decor, you know I skipped Phase Three and went straight to Phase Four … Thanksgiving.
Gobble Gobble!
I’d love to hear how you’re celebrating Thanksgiving this year. Despite the challenges of 2020, there’s much to be thankful for and I’m counting my blessings.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family … from Snowberry.
Cheers!
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Unless otherwise noted, all photos in the post are by Monica Vargas Photography.
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