News from the Nest, November 18
Good Morning, All!
I want to start by apologizing for the typos in this morning’s email. Given the spell-checking tools available today, there’s really no excuse for that. I realized after sending the email that I made two mistakes: “desserts” should have two “s’s,” and cranberries are having “their” moment. I truly appreciate your understanding and apologize for any irritation caused!
I sure hope your weekend was great. We had absolutely gorgeous fall weather this weekend, perfect for long walks with our two pups. Our daughter’s dog, Farrah, will be with us until next Summer, which makes us all happy—especially Elsa.
We were out with friends for dinner Saturday night, and several of them mentioned that they had started decorating for Christmas. It surprised me until they reminded me that Thanksgiving is rather late this year, leaving slightly less than one month until Christmas. 😮🎄In the car on the way home, I did what I do best…I started panicking.
We have company in town this upcoming weekend and are out of town for Thanksgiving, so when I started thinking about my calendar, I realized I needed to get busy ASAP. So yesterday, I pulled down all the fall-ish decor and spent some time in the attic staging my decorating plan. We didn’t decorate last year as we were gone for most of the month, including Christmas, so I’m doubly excited to get our home decorated this year.
But I’m not going crazy…yet. I haven’t started playing my Christmas music playlist. I’m easing into it with an ‘acoustic Christmas’ playlist. This week, I’m going to target the living room first. I’ll do a deep clean and get that room decorated. Then I’ll move on to the kitchen, then the den. I will wait to decorate the outdoors until we return home after Thanksgiving.
Table of Contents
New on the Blog
Previously, I mentioned that as Nourish and Nestle grew, we realized we needed to expand beyond just my husband, Terry, and me. Our sole goal at N & N is to bring you recipes and projects that you find entertaining, inspiring, and useful. I’m incredibly grateful that we found Monica Clark this year, and I’m only sorry it has taken me so long to introduce her to you!
Prior to becoming a food and craft photographer, Monica was a Paramedic in Southern California for 20 years! Her photography business is appropriately titled Plate and Palette.
Monica, her firefighter husband, and their four children reside in Idaho, where they enjoy the slower pace of life, the change of seasons, and all the outdoor activities the area offers.
Monica is my sister from another mother. Her favorite things are also my favorite things: cooking, baking, any kind of art, painting, knitting, cross-stitching, reading (historical fiction is her favorite), and gardening. Plus, she has three dogs and two cats!
- This Festive Winter Sangria is Monica’s recipe, and I am excited to serve it at our party in a few weeks. Made with red wine, apple cider, brandy, limoncello, cinnamon, fruit juice, and whole fruit and topped with bubbly Prosecco, it is a taste of Christmas in a glass. Setting up a sangria ‘buffet’ for your guests will keep it simple for you!
A Favorite and Some Fun Finds
👩🏼🍳I used the CamelCamelCamel app to notify me when this Countertop oven went on sale. I got the word yesterday and immediately bought two for Christmas gifts. We were gifted our Breville Air Fryer Smart Oven Pro eight years ago, and it quickly became our favorite kitchen appliance. We use it easily twice as many times as we do our regular oven, saving time and money each time.
🧀A personalized cutting board is always a welcome gift! Pair it with charcuterie fixings!
🎄Darling Ugly Christmas Sweater wine charms! (How often can you use ‘darling’ and ‘ugly’ in the same sentence?)
🍪Personalize your cookies! Who knew?!
🤚🏼Turkish Hand Towels make great hostess gifts and stocking stuffers; they are the kind of thing I like to keep in my gift stash.
From the Knit + Crochet Studio
- This I-Cord Trivet is a fun, slightly unusual little knit project. You’ll knit a length of i-cord and then sew the cord in a coil for a useful trivet. If you are looking for a economical gift to make this year; you can get three trivets from a $15 spool of rope.
- If you are looking for gifts for your favorite knitters (or maybe yourself…which is o.k. in my book), consider some of these useful gift ideas for knitters.
From the Kitchen
Just in Time for Thanksgiving
A mini dessert has my name written all over it! There are just so many reasons why I love these bite-size sweet morsels, but the most important is that I can satisfy my sweet tooth’s after-dinner craving without overindulging. Mini pies are easier to store than whole pies and are less likely to go to waste.
Mini Desserts
- The mini pie crust and filling for thise Mini Pecan Pies can be made days in advance and assembled at the last minute. Or, you can fully prepare the mini pies, freeze them and then reheat them as needed. Whatever you decide, you’ll enjoy all the goodness of a traditional pecan pie in a mini form, complete with crunchy pecans and a buttery crust.
- This mini Mincemeat Tart recipe is a lovely twist on a classic British dessert.
- This Mini Chocolate Cranberry Tarts recipe is an easy-to-make yet festive dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas. And these mini chocolate tarts are made even more stunning when topped with sugared cranberries. You can make several of the parts of this yummy dessert ahead of time and assemble them at the last minute.
Cranberry Delights
- This Cranapana (Cranberry Apple Banana Bread) is a Thanksgiving morning staple in our home. Writing this just prompted me to make sure I have enough cranberries to bake this quick bread next week! A great idea is to bake it in mini-loaf pans to give to friends and neighbors.
- This spiced Winter Cranberry Conserve Recipe is redolent with warming Brandy, Cinnamon, Ginger, and Cardamom. When thinking about this cranberry conserve, think of a cranberry jam recipe with a thicker, chunkier texture….either way, it’s a perfect excuse for canning cranberries and a wonderful winter jam recipe or to enjoy year-round! You can water bath can this conserve to make it shelf-stable, refrigerate or freeze it.
Soup’s On!
This 15 Bean Soup Recipe is easy to make in the slow cooker and can be made healthier by substituting Smoked Turkey Wings and/or Legs instead of Smoked Ham Hocks. If you smoke a Thanksgiving turkey, consider setting aside some parts for this soup. Instructions for making this soup in the slow cooker, on the stovetop, or in the oven are included. Additionally, adjustments for soaking or not soaking your dried beans are discussed.
Four-Legged Love
These 3-Ingredient Dog Treats are easy to make with items you most likely have in your kitchen. The ingredients for these homemade dog treats are easily substituted, and suggestions for substitutions are included. When making gifts from your kitchen for friends, family and neighbors, don’t forget your favorite four-legged friends. Doggos love special cookies too!
Casual Charcuterie
We typically put together a simple charcuterie board for decorating the tree. It ends up being our lunch/dinner, along with assorted cookies! Sometimes the situation demands that you eat appetizers and desserts all day!
Gingerbread Adorableness
I may be biased, but these Gingerbread Buttons have to be in the running for cutest cookie. While not gingersnappy-crisp, these adorable little button cookies are slightly crisp on the edge, though still soft in the middle. The combination of molasses and dark-brown sugar gives them that perfect ‘tooth’. I just smile when I see them, and then I eat them.😋
From the Arts + Crafts Studio
Felt Holly Garland
This lovely, wool felt holly leaf garland will bring Old World charm to your Christmas mantle. And ringing in at around $30 for all the supplies, it is easy on the wallet too! Put on your favorite Hallmark Christmas movie and cut and glue leaves, and before long you’ll have a lovely holly garland.
Bling-y Ornament Garland
On the opposite end of a wool felt garland is a bright, shiny ornament garland! Grab some ornaments in your favorite colors and some florist wire and settle in. Once again, a couple episodes of your favorite shows will keep you occupied while you twist!
Gift Ideas
Gift Ideas for Cooks and Foodies
Check out these useful gift ideas and stocking stuffers for the foodies in your world!
Ideas to Save Money Buying Christmas Gifts
Check out these ideas for saving money while shopping for Christmas gifts this year.
In the Home
Simple Ideas to Make Houseguests Feel Welcome
Well my friends!
That’s it for today. We are so thankful you’ve spent a bit of your morning with us and are working behind the scenes to continue to provide you with engaging and useful articles. Thanks for your continued support! 🫶🏼
Hugs,
