Thanksgiving arrived a little earlier here in Tucson, when the girl’s got together for a small celebration. Me and the roommate have been wanting to host a wine tasting dinner, but since we haven’t gotten around to creating out bar cart yet we thought this was the perfect way to celebrate the holiday with each other. Not to mention our other two girlfriends just signed their lease to move into our apartment complex! We’re four girls who enjoy good food, cooking it, baking it and of course eating it alongside one, even two bottles of wine.
The sweet voice of Luciano Pavarotti playing in the background, as I made my highly demanded “Punkin Ale” cupcakes and Cranberry Apple Crisp Pie {see the recipe below}, and we indulged in freshly baked French bread dressed in a coating of olive oil and balsamic vinegar topped with an array of rich cheeses. I couldn’t help myself from devouring the pickled okra, it instantly reminded me of my dad’s African dishes and my grandmother bringing them back from the farm.
Isn’t that the meaning of Thanksgiving? To come together with our family, friends, and loved ones appreciate the year it has been, all that we’ve done and overcame. To savor delicious food, deep conversations, contagious laughter and smiles and simply forget all other worries but celebrating this holiday. Plus, there is no better way to officially start the holiday season but to watch little boys and girls bundled up waiting for Santa to make his way down to Herald Square. Yes, “it’s the most wonderful time of the year.”
You know the hostess in me wanted to create a simple, yet warming look for our Thanksgiving {considering our budget and limited kitchen supplies} We may be girls who enjoy good food and wine but we also love fresh flowers and creating a beautiful space for ourselves. A beautiful blend of warm orange roses, bright sunflowers, and loose greens picked right from the garden created an effortless centerpiece when paired with autumn gourds, thrift store containers and decorative pieces we had lying around. Katie’s owl friend was the perfect touch alongside the rich scented seeded eucalyptus.
Katie’s oven roasted chicken made it to our table with her red-skin mashed potatoes, slow cooked carrots and celery, and my beet Ratatouille. Cheers! To new great friends, a delicious home cooked meal we couldn’t stop nibbling on, and making it a point to have many more great moments like this together. A sweet holiday ending to our weekend!
Reblogged this on Annette J Dunlea Irish Author.