holidays

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This Thanksgiving is going to be a little bit different than past years. Over our time together, we have spent several Thanksgivings in Ireland. This year, due to work schedules and family travel, we are staying home. I only get Thanksgiving Day off, so we have decided to spend a cozy Thanksgiving for two, cooking, drinking wine, and listening to Christmas music in our PJ’s. I can’t wait.

When planning our Thanksgiving menu, I wanted to incorporate traditional elements along with some of the Irish-inspired favorites I have made in the past without going overboard.

 

Appetizers 

I will make these early in the day or even the night before Thanksgiving so we have afternoon snacks to munch on with glasses of cold bubbly.

Cranberry Jalapeno Salsa with Way Better Snacks chips

Cranberry-Jalapeño Salsa

Source

Smoked Salmon Dip – This was a favorite from our Thanksgiving in Ireland. We’ll spread it on brown bread.

smoked salmon dip

 

Main Meal

 

Cider-brined Turkey with Hard Cider Gravy

Brown Bread Apple Stuffing – I plan on getting my brown bread at Greenhills Irish Bakery, which I highly recommend for authentic Irish baked goods.

brown bread

 

Sriracha Maple Brussels Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts

 

Dessert

A to-be-determined dessert – what are your favorite Thanksgiving desserts aside from pies?

Pumpkin Old Fashioneds

 

 

Tags: appetizers, holiday meals, holidays, side dishes, Thanksgiving meal, Thanksgiving menu, Thanksgiving recipes

Tis the season for parties, dinners, a little extra bubbly, and indulgent chocolate. It’s also a really great time, amidst all of the hustle and bustle, to stop and enjoy the quiet. Winter is setting in, and when leaving the house in the morning or the office in the evening, I have been enjoying a few minutes of complete silence. I’ve also been loving being home by just the light of our little Christmas tree. Yoga by tree lights is simply magic.

Also magic is the smooth, rich, deliciousness captured in Merci Chocolates. I was sent a package of chocolates to try, and we have been slowly making them disappear. They are all velvety, high quality chocolate, but the dark cream and the coffee cream are definitely my favorites.

Merci Chocolates

Merci Chocolates

As part of my post, I was asked to share who I want to give a meaningful thank you to this holiday season. It would be impossible to choose just one person since I am fortunate enough to find myself surrounded by incredible people.

My meaningful thank you goes out to my husband for his never ending care, love, support, and humor and for putting up with me, all of my crazy ideas, and for just being the best. My meaningful thank you also goes out to my family, a group of people  who, though not close by, are my world.

I would also like to give a meaningful thank you to all of you for reading. My blog has had its ups and downs lately, but I have great readers and commenters. Thank you.

Now for the chocolate! You too can enjoy Merci chocolates in bed while watching Real Housewives (the best way to relax, just add wine). Just leave a comment letting me know who you would like to say a meaningful thank you to.

I’ll choose a winner next Friday. Good luck!

In other news, the agency I am working for is attempting to raise $1 million for life-saving treatment for a little girl named Sienna, who has a very rare genetic disordercalled FOP. FOP turns muscle into bone, trapping its victims in a second skeleton and severely limiting their movement. Some sufferers of FOP have to decide at some point whether to sit or stand. . . for the rest of their lives! The good news is that treatment is on the horizon, but the clinical trials needed cost $1 million. Please, please, please help spread the word by sharing the link to Sienna’s Flower Garden (siennasflowergarden.com) so we can raise that money, $5 at a time, to help Sienna and other FOP patients.

 

Tags: choolate, giveaway, holidays

We all know that making desserts is definitely not a favorite pastime of mine. While I might enjoy eating sweet treats every now and then, they are not often made in my own kitchen. Every now and then, though, the urge to create something decadent pops up, and the holiday season is definitely a catalyst.

With salty and sweet on the brain this weekend, I took a little bit of time to make a very simple, three-ingredient dessert that would be a perfect hostess gift, snack at an office party, or just something nice to crunch on around the house.

candy canes

mini pretzels

white chocolate chips

The ingredients:

eight peppermint candy canes, crushed into rough pieces

three cups mini pretzels, crushed into pieces

16 ounces of white chocolate chips

melted white chocolate

The toughest part of this entire recipe was melting the white chocolate, which I did over a makeshift double boiler, making sure not to splash any water into the chocolate. I  added a small pat of butter to the melted chocolate to make it smoother. I always do this, and it turns out fine, but afterward, I read that you are not supposed to use butter because it contains water. Oops.

white chocolate pretzel peppermint bark

Once the chocolate was melted, I mixed the pretzels, chocolate, and half of the candy canes and smoothed it out on to some wax paper, topping it with more candy cane for a festive red and white look. Once everything was cool, I broke the bark into pieces and stored in an airtight container, making sure to grab a few bites. It’s delicious, combining some of my favorite seasonal flavors, and it took no time at all. If you find yourself needing to make something yummy and fast this holiday season, look no further.

image

I spent the entire afternoon cooking dinners and lunches for the week while listening to Christmas music, and at the very end of the day, we decorated our little tree. We used to buy a full-sized tree but found it to be kind of a pain, especially since we often travel for and after Christmas. This little guy is just perfect. It’s kind of amazing how much spirit and light a little decoration can add to the atmosphere of a home. We’re a lucky little family.

small Christmas tree

Here’s to a great week for everyone! I am hoping the joy and kindness of the holiday season spills over into every aspect of your days. And if you are celebrating, Happy Hanukah!

Have you done any holiday decorating or cooking this week?

Tags: Christmas, dessert, Food, holidays, peppermint, recipe

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