happy thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is inching closer and closer. It’s that funny time of year between fall and Christmas when pumpkins coexist nicely with Christmas trees. I’m thankful for that, as well as a thousand other things, both big and small.

 

I can’t wait for the arrival of family tomorrow, the smell of turkey roasting in the oven and the wonder and amazement of how quickly it all goes by as we head into the end of another year.

 

This is the time to treasure those precious moments.

 

Now that the table is set, it’s on to making some of the side dishes and maybe a dessert.

 

The plan for today is to make the Creamy Green Bean Salad. This is a new yummy recipe that I saw Katie Lee make on The Kitchen. I’m going to get it all prepped for tomorrow.

 

The sweet potatoes and stuffing are already made… Yay!

 

I'm making a Chai Apple Galette for dessert. It’s actually a combination of three different recipes. It’s in the oven now and smells heavenly! The chai flavor comes from a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, cardamom and lemon zest added to the apples.

 

If you’re interested, I can share the recipe soon.

 

I just love how the candlelight brings everything to life at the table and casts such pretty shadows.

 

As for the table setting, combining my favorite things is always a success. Candles, pumpkins, pretty glassware always adds such charm to a Thanksgiving table.

 

Happy Wednesday, my friends.

ciao! fabiana

 

 

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Table linens by August Table

Succulents, pumpkins and trees from Armstrong Garden

Eucalyptus foraged from my friend Maureen's garden.

 

more thanksgiving table inspiration

 

It’s only 17 days until Thanksgiving! I’ve always been a huge fan of this holiday, not only as a lovely time for gathering with family, but also for all the yummy food served on this big day.

 

Households across America will soon be setting their tables for this special feasting day, and it’s what I like to call one of the biggest tablescaping days of the year!  

 

For this table, I pulled out some of my favorite vintage wares and combined them in a whole new way. There’s no reason to run out and buy all new things when hosting a dinner party.

 

Use what you have and maybe treat yourself to one or two special items that you know you’ll treasure for years to come.

 

Here you can see I have my favorite ivory Wedgwood plates, Serena and Lily’s raffia placemats (that I use sooo much all year long), and these sparkly amber glasses.

 

These fabulously faceted glasses were made by the Indiana Glass Company and are called Whitehall Glasses.

 

I just love how they sparkle in the candlelight.

 

These pretty little Limoges bread plates are a new find. I couldn’t resist the adorable autumn leaves that decorate them. I found twelve of them at a local thrift shop last week.

 

That’s my new little "vintage" splurge for this table.

 

The large brass lantern, white turkey compote dish and the large tureen were also thrift finds from the past few years. 

I softened the look of the built-in buffet with a few olive branches from the garden. Pumpkins and votives finish off the look. I hope you enjoyed the peek at this latest table. Thanks for checking in with me...

 ciao! fabiana

 

 

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5 thanksgiving tablescapes to love

I’m so happy today to share with you all an easy and low-key Thanksgiving tablescape and one of my all-time favorite soup recipes that’s so perfect for turkey day.

 

The best news of all is that I’m joined by four blogging friends who also happen to be the most talented designers. I can’t wait for you to see their tables and recipes at the end of this post.

Classic and neutral is the theme here, which reminds me of a beautiful, crisp November day. My favorite ecru colored burlap table runner and these round Serena & Lily raffia placemats lay the foundation for the table.

 

I then placed a few of beautiful heirloom pumpkins and pretty gourds at the center of the table instead of flowers for a real seasonal touch.

To soften this look, I foraged a few Heavenly Bamboo leaves from the garden and interspersed them among the pumpkins.

A sprinkling of mercury glass votives add sparkle and charm.

At each place setting we have a simple farmhouse style white beaded dinner plate paired with a brown transferware ironstone salad plate.

 

The “Gather Together” napkins play off the floral flourish design in the salad plates and let everyone know that Thanksgiving is here! I found these at Home Goods a few years ago and have used them every year since.

 

I touch of black is always an elegant touch, so I’ve added black bamboo flatware to help frame out the dishes. Simple La Rochere Fleur de Lys goblets are perfect for this look because of their simple, classic style.

Little white porcelain owl napkin rings found on Ebay hold the napkins at an angle to better read this fall greeting.

A warm bowl of soup on a cold November day is the perfect prelude to Thanksgiving dinner. I’ve made this Butternut Squash recipe for years, and it’s a family favorite.

 

The secret is roasting the squash with a little cinnamon until its soft and caramelized.

 

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup 

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cups Roasted Butternut Squash 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon 

1/2 cup (1/4-inch) diced onion 

1/4 cup (1/4-inch) diced celery 

1/4 cup (1/4-inch) diced carrot 

1 cinnamon stick 

Sea salt 

Freshly ground black pepper 

About 4 cups chicken stock 

1/2 teaspoon ground toasted coriander 

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger 

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated turmeric 

1/2 cup canned coconut milk, optional 

To Roast the Squash: 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. Halve lengthwise, discard the seeds, then cut into 1-inch dice. Place in a large bowl and season with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a dash of cinnamon, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour squash onto a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes, or until fork tender.

For Soup: 

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and cinnamon stick and saute until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 

Add the chicken stock and the coriander, ginger and turmeric and bring to a boil. Simmer for several minutes. Stir in the squash until smooth, then simmer gently to let the flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick. 

Puree the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. (The soup can be made ahead to this point, cooled, covered, and refrigerated for several days or frozen for about 1 month. It will thicken as it cools and may need thinning with stock or water when reheating.) 

Return the soup to the pan and reheat gently. Add the coconut milk, if using. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.  

4 servings 

Now for the fun part! I’d love for you two visit Cindy, Mary Ann, Annie and Beth on their blogs to check out their amazing tablescapes and recipes.

Here are direct links to their fabulous holiday inspiration… 

 

cindy hattersley design

classic casual home

most lovely things

style at a certain age

 I hope to see you here again soon.

ciao! fabiana

 

 

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