Thanksgiving Placecards

This year I thought about making my own placecards for our holiday table. I have really adorable Nutcracker placecard holders for Christmas but nothing for Thanksgiving. I decided to look for some really cute ideas and found a few. What placecard is your favorite? I suppose the cookie wouldn't count as a placecard but who wouldn't want a cookie? Yum!

Spanish Okra

SPANISH OKRA
I've made this twice in a month. It's so easy, delicious, and totally comfort food. Well, comfort food with a little spice. I love it, my hubby loves it, and I know you're going to love it.

After I make my pot of Spanish Okra I like to serve it over a heap of steamy white rice. Almost like a stir fry. If y'all try it let me know your thoughts.

Ingredients

1 pound ground chuck
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups sliced okra (I used frozen sliced okra )
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup tomato juice (I used a spicy can of V8 juice) *Hubs hates V8 can't even tell I used it.
1 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
Hot steamed rice

1.) Brown ground chuck and onion in a large skillet, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pin; drain.

2.) Add okra; cook 5 minutes, stirring often.

3.) Add tomato and next 3 ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until okra is tender.

4.) Serve over rice.

Banana's Fosters

One of my favorite desserts, Banana Fosters! Oh my goodness this dessert is so awesome it's totally worth the calories.

1/4 c butter
2/3 c dark brown sugar
3 1/2 tbsp rum
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise and crosswise
1/4 c coarsley chopped walnuts
1 pint vanilla ice cream

In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in sugar, rum, vanilla and cinnamon. When mixture begins to bubble, place bananas and walnuts in pan. Cook until bananas are hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve at once over vanilla ice cream.

New Pie Cutters

Cute new Thanksgiving pie cutters. Y'all and pick them up at Williams-Sonoma for $18.00. They will make your pie look fabulous this year.

* The acorn is my favorite.

Beef Stew

BEEF STEW

Who doesn't love beef stew? I love a nice bowl of beef stew during a cold winter day. I like to eat my stew with a side of corn bread. My favorite part of the stew is the big chunks of beef and carrots....YUM!

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 lbs. beef stew meat, diced into 1" pieces

1 (28 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with juice

1 c. chopped celery

4 carrots, sliced

3 potatoes, cubed

3 onions, chopped

3 1/2 tbsp. tapioca

2 cubes beef bouillon

1/8 tsp. dried thyme

1/8 tsp. dried rosemary

1/4 c. red wine

2 c. water

1 (10-ounce) package frozen pees, thawed

1.) Directions the oven to 250 degrees

2.) Place beef, tomatoes, celery, carrots, potatoes, onions, and tapioca into a Dutch oven. Season with beef brouillon, thyme, rosemary, and majoram, and stir in red wine and water. Place the lid on the Dutch oven.

3.) Bake to 5 to 6 hours in the preheated oven. Add peas during last half hour of cooking.

Serve hot with a slice of corn bread.

Williams-Sonoma Halloween Pancake Molds

I like to share more than just recipes but all sorts of cooking tips, entertaining tips, linens, and fun cooking accessories. Have you seen the new Halloween pancake molds from William-Sonoma? TOO CUTE!!! They would be perfect for those lazy Saturday mornings. They suggest using pumpkin spice pancake mix but blueberry or any type would be cute.

My absolute favorite pancakes to make on Saturday mornings are buttermilk with chopped walnuts in the batter. I cut up banana slices and add fresh raspberries to top it off. They are so beautiful you almost don't want to eat them. Almost, LOL!!!

Weekend Crock Pot French Dip

This is the best recipe for a cool and crisp fall weekend. Throw your meat in a crock pot and let it slowly cook (your kitchen is going to smell fantastic) and at the end of your afternoon you have a delicious meal waiting at home for you.

The French translation for au jus is "with it's own juice." French cuisine often uses several sauces for dipping and covering their meats (enriching them with scrumptious flavors). Au jus is nothing more than the left over juice from the bottom of your crock pot. I've seen people add soy sauce, oils, and onion soup mix to theirs but honestly I like to keep it simple. With the savory spices cooked into your meat it'll taste great without adding a thing.


INGREDIENTS

2 lbs. Brisket
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried mustard
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
5 slices of sweet onion
1 lg. French baguette or hoagie roll
slices of provolone cheese


1.) Rinse brisket and pat dry. Mix together spices and rub them over brisket.

2.) Pour 1 c. beef broth into the bottom of the crock pot. Gently place brisket into crock pot and turn on low heat. Toss in slices of sweet onion and cook for 8 hours.

3.) Remove meat from crock pot onto a cutting board. Cut into thin slices across the grain and place slices onto a toasted bread. Pour remaining juices in custard size cups for dipping.

4.) Place provolone cheese and sauteed onion slices onto sandwich (if desired). I like mine naked. No cheese or onions but that's just me.

* Add a side salad and you have an easy but delicious dinner