Tag Archives: Party

The Pumpkin Pie Post

OR
How 9-year-old Me Won the Pie Contest

When I was little, one of my earliest memories is helping Woo-Woo (my grandmother) make pumpkin pies before each holiday. She would make the dough a day in advance and then spend a morning making enough pies to feed our huge family as well as numerous neighbors that would pop in or get a special delivery Thanksgiving day. She was so patient teaching me how to form the dough (despite the fact that I always wanted to overwork it), and I will always remember how super-cozy her kitchen smelled the rest of the day.

When I was 9, we moved to Tennessee and our church was preparing for it’s annual end of summer social. Naturally when I heard that there was a baking competition I wanted to make Woo-Woo’s pumpkin pie. Little did I know, it was (at the time) a contest for all the blue-haired ladies of the church.   So there my pie went on the table with all the ladies’ entries and, after a blind taste test by the judges, guess who won? The only thing I really remember is that I couldn’t wait to get home and call Woo-Woo! But I was thinking about that the other night and thought, in the spirit of giving, I should share the recipe for Woo-Woo’s *Award-Winning* Pumpkin Pie with you… Enjoy!

Woo-Woo's Award-Winning Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Woo-Woo’s *Award-Winning* Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup pumpkin
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 Tbls. molasses
2 eggs (well-beaten)
1 1/4 cup evaporated milk or heavy cream
1/4 tsp. salt
unbaked pie shell*

– – – – – – – – – –

1.) Preheat oven to 450°

2.) Mix ingredients & cook in an unbaked pie shell at 450° for 10 minutes.

3.) Reduce heat to 350° and cook for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when stuck in the filling.

* This time of year, I tend to keep store-bought pie shells in the freezer, but if you’re looking for a great crust recipe, I’d recommend Emma’s on A Beautiful Mess. 

The Thanksgiving Game Plan: 6 Days Out

Today, we discuss one of my very favorite parts of the holiday party season: Planning the menu. The first year we hosted Thanksgiving, I completely geeked out on the research. (Full disclosure: I have a slight obsession with buying cookbooks from the 1940s & 50s that introduced the ‘modern housewife’ to planning a menu for new-fangled nutritional needs.) All that to say, I thought I’d offer a simple set of things I’ve learned along the way from vintage cookbooks, Williams-Sonoma, and Martha Stewart. (You can also find some other favorite links and recipes on my Pinterest board: The Belle’s Thanksgiving Game Plan.)

The Cardinal Rule of Dinner Parties: Always make enough for 3 extra guests. No hostess ever regrets having too much.

Well, she may if no one shows up, but for holiday parties, guests are usually kind enough to RSVP.

Before Dinner

Have something for your guests to snack on while they chat. The traditional choice is, of course, wine & cheese. But not too much.

The Turkey

Portioning:

A good rule is 1.5 pounds per guest. (Of note: For smaller birds, try 2 pounds per guest. The smaller the bird, the smaller the bone to meat ratio.)

Cook Time:

It doesn’t take nearly as much time to roast a turkey as some people think.

Start with the turkey, breast down, at 400°F for 45 minutes. Then, flip the bird and roast at 325°F until it your thermometer reads 180° when inserted into the deepest part of the thigh. (Be careful not to let the thermometer touch the bone.) The juices should be clear, not pink.

The basic idea is you want to seal in the juices in the beginning and then slow roast it the rest of the way.

A good estimate of cook time is: 2.5 hours for a 10 pound bird and add 15 minutes for every 2 pounds after that. (Here’s a really helpful

2 Secrets to Be Sure It Doesn’t Dry Out:

  1. Baste the bird every 15-30 minutes.
  2. Trust your meat thermometer.

A Couple Other Things:

  1. I use beer along with chicken stock to roast any poultry including turkey.
  2. I love bundling fresh herbs in cooking twine and using them when roasting the bird as well as in the stuffing.

The Sides

The Traditionals…

A Couple Others…

  • I *love* serving squash this time of year.
  • Always have 2-3 other veggies. (I know it’s unbelievable but these brussels sprouts are always a hit!)
  • My mother-in-law makes the best pretzel salad. (Think this, minus the pineapples.) I also eat it for my Thanksgiving midnight-snack and Black Friday breakfast.
  • Sides are the easiest thing to have guests bring. Just be sure you’ve made at least one or two yourself in case your guests forget. (Yes, this has happened before.)

The Desserts

2 Words: Pumpkin. Pie. (My *award-winning* recipe to follow!)

Also, might I recommend another choice for those (like Husband) that hate pumpkin. How about these little Caramel Apple Bundles?

The Thanksgiving Game Plan: 7 Days Out

Thanksgiving 7 Days Out Gather

Alright ladies, we are 7 days out from the big day. If you’re hosting for the festivities yourself and wondering what you should be doing this evening to help you get ready, I’m here to set your mind at ease. You should be Pinteresting, of course!

7 days out from any holiday party, I like to gather. Gather some visual inspiration on Pinterest, gather some new recipes, gather supplies (table linens, candles, etc.), and then, I make a ToDo List. It looks something like this…

FRIDAY

  • Finalize menu.

WEEKEND

  • Wash & iron table linens.
  • Gather, polish, & wash all dishes, flatware, stemware, and serving pieces.
  • Stock the wine rack & liquor cabinet.
  • Put together a stain remover kit.
  • Make place cards.

MONDAY

  • Grocery Shop. (best done LATE at night to avoid crowds)
  • Restock tea light & unscented candle supply.

TUESDAY

  • Buy flowers.

WEDNESDAY

  • Make a playlist.
  • Set the table.
  • Prepare the desserts.
  • Chop the veggies.

 As you might assume, tomorrow we’ll talk recipes. Until then, here’s a little bonus…
Click here to see The Belle’s Thanksgiving Pinboard!

The Thanksgiving Game Plan: 8 Days Out

8 Days Out: The Guest List

Can you believe it? Thanksgiving is next Thursday! Are you hosting your first Thanksgiving and wondering what you should be doing today, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, to get ready? Finalizing your guest list. Make sure you know who will be at your table and also any special needs they may have. For example, my guest list for any party usually looks like this…

Name… any special needs

Joe Schmo… peanut allergy
Bella Boo… baby (soft veggies + Cheerios)
Linda Smith
Riley C. Riley
So on… & So forth

Tomorrow, we’ll start to get the house ready!

Sit & Sip: My ‘Welcome Back to Tennessee’ Cocktail

Last weekend, I hosted a Welcome Home party for my honey! (For those that don’t know, he was here all summer.) I tried to make things as ‘East Tennessee’ as possible. There were outdoor games, a galvanized tub of beer, plenty of fried chicken, and this Tennessee Mountain Punch. The recipe was an experiment at the time, and the results were super tasty! The great part? You can make as much or as little as you like!

Labor Day, oh Labor Day!

This weekend, we threw a little dinner party to say goodbye to those summer outfits we will miss the most. As you can see, we also sipped a little whiskey cocktail to soothe our downtrodden hearts.

I must admit, here in the South we say goodbye to summer half-heartedly. When September 4 is usually in the mid-90s, it’s hard to get too enthusiastic about saying goodbye to our lightweight seersucker skirts and unlined blazers. However, I will be the first to remind you that rules are rules for a reason. By not wearing white linen after Labor Day, you are really showing the world that your mama raised you right! You are showing respect for the seasonal dress codes that come with good breeding. And, perhaps more than anything, you are hoping to will Autumn into being. When it is 95° on September 28, let me just remind you that were it not for the fact that you are wearing smart red chinos with a few layers on top, people may not even know it is Fall! Changing over your closet on Labor Day is really just a Belle’s civic duty. You are reminding people to stay strong; Autumn will come eventually. Mother Nature has promised us cooler temperatures and, with that in mind, I suggest you turn on a box fan, pour yourself a sweet tea, and go clean out your closet. Solidarity, sisters!

What about you? What item will you miss the most from your summer closet?
For me, it will be my madras skirt.