I usually have a strict “after Thanksgiving” rule for Christmas decor, but since Thanksgiving was so late this year my rule went out the window. I may or may not have decorated the first weekend of November (whoops). I just love when my house is decorated for Christmas, the tree and lights just add so much joy to our space. Some of my favorite decor pieces are these beautiful stockings from Horchow, this prelight garland and these modern ornaments. When shopping for seasonal decor, I try to buy things that I will still like in 10 or 20 years. Somethings will have to be changed out as time goes on, but I love the idea of our decor being a part of our Christmas traditions. Shop my Christmas decor and Christmas decor for all styles below! xoxo
Last week I shared my Pumpkin Pie recipe for Thanksgiving and decided to share Monna’s Pecan Pie recipe as well! I shared this recipe a few years ago in one of my Mondays with Monna posts with her crust recipe. I love pecan pie of any kind, but this version is one of my favorites, especially topped with vanilla ice cream. I have also used this filling in smaller cups with puff pastry for a lighter dessert. Enjoy! xoxo
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (cut into smaller pieces)
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons ice water
In a food processor combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter pieces and pulse until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs. Add the ice water a little at a time and pulse until the dough begins to form. Transfer the dough to a work surface and shape it into a 9-inch pie plate. Pre-bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes when the recipe calls for it.
Pecan Pie Filling
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark Karo
2 eggs
1/2 cup Pet evaporated milk (another brand is fine too)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecan pieces (or halves)
Mix sugar, flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir in Karo syrup, and beat in eggs one at a time. Add evaporated milk, vanilla, and pecans, mixing well before pouring into pie crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes. Tip from Monna: top off the pie with warm maple syrup and Blue Bell vanilla ice cream.
My table is set a whole two weeks early! The Christmas tree might also be up, but I am not officially skipping Thanksgiving all together. We are having my immediate family over, unlike Easter when we had to add a leaf in our table to fit everyone. I set our Thanksgiving table with a simple white and gold color pallet. Since we still do not have artwork (or a buffet) in our dining room, the light grey walls can be difficult to work with. I used the same white linen place mats, chippendale sliver and French provincial china I used at Easter. To add a touch of Thanksgiving, I used pumpkins for place cards and these gold edge napkins. I found the white pumpkins at Trader Joe’s and added craft paper and string to create place cards. I also found the white hydrangeas and filler at Trader Joe’s to create my own floral arrangement, they have the best prices on flower and pumpkins. Shop everything on my Thanksgiving table below! xoxo
Thanksgiving is only two weeks away, and I am still wondering what happened to the month of October! My grandmother (Monna) bakes the best pies for Thanksgiving, as proven in my Monday with Monna post. I realize not everyone is lucky enough to have Monna bake their pies, which is why I am sharing a simple and favorite pumpkin pie recipe. I recommend making the pie crust a day or two in advance (keep the dough in the fridge) or a store-bought crust works well with this filling too (excuse my messy crust edge in photos). I love the blend of spices in this pumpkin pie filling and that most ingredients, minus the pumpkin, can already be found in the pantry. This pie is best served with chantilly cream (recipe here) and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I hope everyone enjoys time with loved ones and this pumpkin pie over the holiday! xoxo
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (cut into smaller pieces)
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons ice water
In a food processor combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter pieces and pulse until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs. Add the ice water a little at a time and pulse until the dough begins to form. Transfer the dough to a work surface and shape it into a 9-inch pie plate. Pre-bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes when the recipe calls for it.
Pumpkin Pie Filling
15 oz can pumpkin puree
3 large eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pre-bake pie crust (400 degrees for 20 mins, covered in foil). In a large bowl combine pumpkin puree, eggs, brown sugar, and evaporated milk. Slowly mix in melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until the mixture is smooth. Pour filling into pie crust and bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. The center should slightly jiggle when the pan is given a gentle shake. Let cool and garnish with whipped cream.
This week I busted out my Dallas Cowboys crock pot and decided it was time for a pot roast. I love being able to prep everything in the morning and come home at 5 to a warm delicious meal. The crock pot really makes me look like the wife of the year when Alex walks in the door from work and there is a perfect pot roast waiting! I prefer to cook my pot roast on low heat for longer (rather than high heat) to get a more tender and juicy roast. I like adding onions, mushrooms, carrots, and potatoes to my roast, but you add or remove any veggies you like. Just keep in mind that your vegetables will be cooking for a long time, so something like asparagus is not ideal. Enjoy! xoxo
Add meat, onion, mushrooms, carrots, and potatoes to the slow cooker. Add wine, tomato patsy, and beef broth. Season with garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Combine ingredients well and cover slow cooker with lid. Cook on low heat for 5 hours or on high heat for 3 hours.
Temperatures are finally below 90 degrees in Dallas, which means it is soup season! I am not a large fan of pumpkin-flavored things (sorry Pumpkin Spice Latte), but this pumpkin soup has become one of my few exceptions. I cheat and use canned pumpkin, which makes this soup an easy and quick meal on a chilly fall day. The flavors of this pumpkin soup are very subtle and it pairs well with grilled cheese or sourdough croutons. Enjoy! xoxo
In a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add shallots and cook until softened. Add garlic and thyme and cook for about 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with marsala and add pumpkin, cooking until lightly browned. Add broth and maple syrup and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter to the soup and stir until the butter is melted. Season the soup with salt and pepper.
To make croutons, cut two slices of sourdough bread horizontally once and vertically six times. Spread butter on one side of each crouton and place it on a baking sheet. Top with Parmesan cheese and bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees or until crispy.
