Grate - FULL

Thanksgiving (U.S.) is right around the corner. Guess who's thankful? Me! Guess who's cooking? Me! Guess who is still working on the menu? Uh, Me!

Thankful

I've been pondering what I'm thankful for this season. And the one thing that keeps coming to the top of my list is my husband. More than ever I appreciate the balance he brings to me as a person and to our family. I spent too many years resenting our differences, when I should have been appreciating our differences. We each bring different strengths to the table, and that's what makes us a strong team.  

Cooking

It has been quite a few years since I've cooked Thanksgiving dinner. Or Christmas dinner for that matter. I either brought a dish to a friend or family's house, or I made reservations. I resented (there's that word again) the work and clean up.

But I am cooking this year. And I'm not dreading it. I've been thinking about what might have caused the change in my attitude. I'm pretty sure this blog and the reason I started writing it is a big part of the change. I've been focusing on caring for my family by preparing meals for them. I think it's changing my perspective. And everyone on the home front said, "Yay!"

Menu

I still haven't decided exactly what is going to be on the menu. I'm not completely behind on the shopping; I have a turkey thawed and waiting in the frig. I considered one of Rachael Ray's 60 minute Thanksgiving meals (here, here and here), but in the end I decided to go a more traditional route. I might get too much resistance to a completely new menu. 

A couple of menu items are non-negotiable: mashed potatoes and cornbread dressing. The cornbread dressing is a recipe from my southern mother-in-law that this Yankee girl has come to love over the years.  And the kids have informed me that Stove Top stuffing is also a must.

Other than those few things, I'm still up in the air for what's going to be on the table in less than 2 days. I'm considering a brine for the turkey, and a sweet potato custard instead of casserole. I would like to start a tradition of trying one or two new recipes every year.

Help!

Have you ever brined a turkey? What are you "must-haves" on the holiday table? Are you going to try a new recipe this year?

Update:
While looking online for brining recipes, I read here that using a previously frozen turkey is not generally a good idea because of they are injected with a sodium solution. But I did stumble across this idea here for cooking a turkey by spatchocking. Hmm.

Menu and Schedule Board: Pinterest Challenge

Pinterest is a place where you can have a virtual collection of bulletin boards. Anything you see online, of have a photo of on your computer, or see someone else "pin", you can pin to your board. It's a great source of inspiration.

I took a challenge from Young House Love to complete a project that's inspired by Pinterest.

Here's my inspiration piece, a Wipe Off To Do List / Weekly Menu Board:

Source

It's easy!
1 - Take a frame
2 - Add scrapbook or other paper behind the glass
3 - Use dry erase markers to write

I loved this idea, but I wanted to do it on a larger scale -- a combo schedule and menu to hang on the wall in our kitchen/dining room. I kept my eye out for an old window. I scooped this up at a yard sale for $5:

I painted the front red and added a light-colored scrapbook paper behind the windows.

I decoupaged gingham checkered wrapping paper all around the sides.

Then I put the initials of the days of the week down the side and labeled one column "sked" (for "schedule") and the other column "eats" (for our "menu").

This has been working great for the family! The kids know to look at the board to see what's for dinner and what is happening in the house that week. I wasn't sure I wanted to keep the background paper the same, but if I decide to do that, I will decopage it to the back of the glass. It will dry perfectly clear, but it will be permanent. Right now it's just taped to the wood frame in the back.

I loved the idea so much, I decided to make one for a to-do list at my desk at work. The background is actually scrap fabric that I glued to a piece of cardboard. It's has a subtle gray/navy swirl pattern.

My to-do list board inspired a coworker to make this dry erase board to notify her team of where she is on any given day, or if she is in a meeting or at lunch.

I love how the frame matches her desk lamp, and also how it hides the computer cords from view!

She also framed our company's monthly calendar, and plans to add additional meetings and events with a dry erase marker:

One simple idea, so many options!

Do you have any projects inspired by Pinterest? I'd love to hear about them.


Oh, and please visit the blogging gals who are hosting this Pinterest Challenge. At the bottom of their posts you will find links to hundreds of inspired people like me who quit pinning and started creating!

Sherry from Young House Love

Katie from Bower Power Blog

Ana from Ana White Homemaker

Erin from House of Earnest

Also linking up to 

GB: Clean Up Trick

You know Rachel Ray... 

30 Minute Meals chic and my hero?

She uses and coins hip terms such as:

jonesing (craving)

EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

and

GB (garbage bowl)

Now my kitchen isn't very big.

I couldn't imagine how a garbage bowl 

on my counter would speed up my process.

It would just take up valuable counter space. 

Don't knock it 'til you've tried it.

Not bending over to toss stuff into the trash 

can make a big difference!

I especially use it when chopping lots of veggies

or when preparing a bunch of meals at one time.

What's your trick to make clean up easier?

Sunscreen and Mittens

I have a small trunk near my front door.

In it I keep summer items

like pool towels, sunscreen, bug spray,

goggles, pool toys, etc.

Except when it's winter. 

Then I keep gloves, scarves, hats,

and even an ice scraper in there.

The off-season items are stored in a bin in the basement.

Same bin for summer and winter. 

Just swap contents with the trunk when (sigh) summer is over and fall sets in.

What are your snow-gear storage ideas? 

How do you keep gloves paired and hats in reach?