Sunday, November 09, 2008

Heaven in my cup...and Help this Hostess!


It's the most wonderful time of the year. Coffee-mate has stocked the shelves with bottled happiness. I have actually stopped drinking a cup of coffee daily for a variety of reasons. None of which has lessened my caffeine-intake, but oh well. The cooler months are different, though. I always have a bottle of Coffee-Mate's Gingerbread Creamer in my fridge from November through February (yes, they keep them around that long). They also have other exciting flavors to go along with the festive-ness including peppermint, egg-nog, and the elusive caramel apple that is new for this year, but apparently has not yet made it to my HEB or Wal-mart. Our LIFEGroup is a big bunch of coffee drinkers and a couple of us have an ongoing joke that if your house is hosting, you better have your Coffee-mate creamer ready. I can't wait to host with the seasonal goodies! Silly, I know.
On to other exciting stuff...
The Dominguez house has been a wild and crazy place lately. I am loving my new side job of making cards and blogs! It has been so much fun. Thank you all for the amazing support you've sent my way-- the emails and calls and sweet comments have been so appreciated.
We were a little sad to move our friends Brian and Beth out of Killeen and down the road to Temple yesterday. I say "we" loosely, as I didn't actually help with any heavy-lifting...just a little casserole-fixin' to start 'em out right. We will miss our Thursday night "Office" parties and all the other fun stuff. But, hey...you're not that far!



David and I are hosting our very first Thanksgiving in our own home this year. We usually do the "every other year" thing between the Dominguezes and Pawliks. This is a Pawlik year and the honor has been bestowed upon me by my mother to take on Thanksgiving. There are a few strings attached. She is still preparing the turkey, stuffing and sweet potato casserole (she just couldn't let go completely now, could she?). One of my brothers also brings a smoked turkey...which I look forward to so much. It is heaven between two slices of wheat bread the Friday after. Other than that...I am just beginning putting together my menu. I feel a little behind. Mom would have already had her grocery list made by this point. And her chin probably just hit the floor when she read that I am just now thinking about the menu. But, seriously, her menu for this annual event hasn't changed much in 50 years...that's right...she's been the hostess with the mostest for a long time. So I am putting out a little plea, my friends. I would LOVE a few of your favorite Thanksgiving dishes that have graced your own dining tables for decades upon decades. Just some ideas for this first-timer.

Here's the game plan so far:
-As mentioned before...Turkey, dressing and sweet potatoes are covered.
-I will make the cranberry relish I have been making the last five years. It's my favorite and I am not all that into cranberries (It has jalapenos-- very Texasie)!
-I am also making an actual cranberry sauce that my friend Jennifer (aka, The Dinnertime Diva) gave me the other day.
-And mom requested my roasted garlic mashed potatoes that I have made before. Actually, they're not mine, rather this lady's.
-Mom will inevitably make a pecan pie. After posting this, my mom called quickly to inform me that she was of course making more than one little old pie-- she was a little embarassed that anyone would think she would only make one pecan pie! She is, indeed, making two pecans and one latticed-apple pie. Just thought I would clarify. I know you were all very concerned that we would run out of pie.

And that's where I am at. Needing a little direction, friends. I am desperately in search of a cool cranberry or apple type holiday beverage to serve in my new beverage server. Not looking for anything hot, maybe even a really great autumn-type iced tea would work-- my family is a big bunch of iced-tea drinkers. I want something that I can "float" stuff in. As weird as that sentence appears... I scored the beautiful Southern Living Beverage Server when I hosted my party. It is one of those large, clear ones with a spigot and iron holder. In the catalog, they "float" orange slices, lemons, etc. and I just loved how that looked. So this is why I am on a mad beverage search!

Any suggestions from your files would be greatly appreciated. Hope your Turkey days are shaping up, too! Gobble, gobble.

5 comments:

Tori said...

I know this doesn't help you out much, but I would love the cranberry recipe w/jalapenos. Sounds tastey!! I probably won't be much help since I don't really love the traditional Thanksgiving meal.

debbie said...

I guess now that we're friends I can post on your blog ;o)
One of the easiest tea/punch recipes I know is to get instant raspberry or peach tea mix (dry powder) and mix it with the ever, so-popular 7-up or Sprite. 1/2 cup mix to each liter of soda.
The raspberry makes a deep red color. I used it at our Christmas Open House last year and it looked very festive.

The Young Life said...

No suggestions for you, BUT what time will yall start...we will SOOOO be there!!!
Man that sounds like a YUMMY feast!

Anonymous said...

Green Bean Casserole?

Alisha Stewart said...

Our menu includes all of the normals but I do have a really good homemade rolls recipe and baked asparagus that I can send you. I'm also making a yummy romaine salad with fresh broccolli florets. Let me know if you want me to e-mail any of these to you. I'd be more than happy to share our family faves.