Family, Thanksgiving and the Best Leftovers

As I mentioned last week, I will be hosting my first Thanksgiving dinner this year.  Through all the planning, preparation and excitement about the upcoming holiday, including the glorious Black Friday deals, I almost completely forgot about my favorite part of Turkey Day, the leftovers! I typically don’t eat many leftovers.  Yes, I am that person who will let the leftover chicken casserole go to waste as I forage on to new recipes.  However, for some reason there is something really special about eating Thanksgiving leftovers.

As the host, I am sure to have a refrigerator filled with turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and gravy.  Today, I wanted to share a few great recipes I found around the web from last year.  The best part about most of the below recipes is that if you really enjoy one of them, you can always try substituting the turkey for Swanson’s Chicken so you can enjoy it all year round!

Now, on to the recipes…

·      Rosemary Turkey Squares from Taste and Tell. I love this recipe because the rosemary adds a lovely earthy undertone along with an elegant touch. It’s perfect as an appetizer or perhaps lunch. 

·      Hot Turkey Sandwiches from Campbell’s Kitchen. This recipe is a classic Thanksgiving leftover meal. It’s comforting and just brings me back a great time in my childhood.

·      Thanksgiving Leftover Panini from Annie’s Eats.  This recipe is unique and simply delicious! All you have to do is sandwich your leftover turkey and cranberry sauce together and add some cheese.  I even like to add a little gravy to the side for dipping.  It is winning recipe!

·      Thanksgiving Casserole from Lauren’s Kitchen.  All I can say about this recipe is that it’s DELICIOUS!  The casserole is the perfect chance to test out substituting the turkey for Swanson Chicken.

·      Turkey Cranberry Quesadillas from Real Mom’s Kitchen. This recipe is creative and is great for lunch after a long morning of shopping all of the Black Friday deals! 

I hope you enjoy the leftovers just as much as the big meal! Happy Thanksgiving!

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Fall Harvest Party – Part 1

This is the start of something good.

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. The weather cools down, the leaves change and my favorite vegetables are in season. Since there are a lot of activities in the fall based around the change of season, I was thinking of throwing a Fall Harvest Party. What fun! I’ve never been to one nor have I even heard of one before so, I decided to have a little fun with my friends this fall season.

Let’s start with the invitations. My initial idea was to somehow use the beautiful fall leaves from my local park. I simply used craft glue and good quality construction paper. Depending on how crafty you are, you can hand write the fall message or you can print it on your home computer. I always feel like a handwritten invitation is personal and will essentially set the mood for your fall party.

When it comes to decorating, I have a secret, but, don’t worry, I’ll let you all in. Here it comes… decorating is not my forte. I am still learning and it is all an experiment as I plan my parties. I love pumpkins and what better way to decorate during the fall than with assorted pumpkins. A visit to your local farmer’s market during the fall season can help with a selection of different sizes, shapes and colors of pumpkins. I’m planning on piling several odd shaped pumpkins and gourds into a tall vase.

Moving onto entertainment. There are a ton of fall party ideas on the Internet. I decided to have the guests create a memento of my first Fall Harvest Party. I plan to set up my digital camera, take a lot of shots and print photos right there at the party. I will have my guests create a fall picture frame. I found a really cool project on Kaboose.com, which will guide you through this fun activity. Your guests will leave with a fond memory and it will add a layer of unique entertainment to your get-together.

I am so excited about planning my first Fall Harvest Party! In my next blog post, I will talk about my favorite aspect of entertaining, the food!

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin.