Last Minute Thanksgiving: Pies

Somehow, every year, I spent a lot more mental energy than is necessary on a strange inner battle: the desire to have just the right amount of dessert at Thanksgiving. I'm the Goldilocks of the Thanksgiving pie table.



It's silly, really, because my sane, non-Thanksgiving-crazed self can definitely tell you that there is no such thing as too many pies at Thanksgiving. But every year, worried that there might be too many, I scale back my plans. Be ye not so stupid. If you're not sure if there will be enough pie, make one of these. I won't tell anyone if you use store-bought crust.

Easy Peasy
* Classic pumpkin pie is about as easy as it gets, and tasty.
* What would Thanksgiving be without pecan pie?
* Skip the pie and throw together a fall-spiced Pear Crisp.

Show Stoppers
* Swap out the traditional apple pie for this Apple Cider Cream Pie.
* French Silk Chocolate Pie, to die for. Every dessert table needs chocolate, yes?
* This Pumpkin Cheesecake has completely replaced pumpkin pie at my Thanksgiving table. Swap the topping for fresh whipped cream.

Photos by Blue Window Creative, Smitten Kitchen.

Last Minute Thanksgiving: Sides

Normally at this time of year (the days before Thanksgiving) I can hardly hold a decent conversation because I'm so distracted by all the Thanksgiving tasks floating around in my head. I've hosted Thanksgiving at my home for the past four years and tend to have a tight grip on the preparations, so by the Tuesday before the feast my mind is swimming with all the things I want to pre-chop, the pie crusts to be made ahead of time, and gee, I hope there will be enough wine.



But this year I'm taking a break from the craziness of hosting a large gathering and going to visit a friend in D.C. for a quiet, small Thanksgiving. So, with my mind unburdened from its usual pre-Thanksgiving crazies, I thought I'd give you some last minute recipe ideas just in case you're undecided or (like me) worried there won't be enough food. Let's start with sides.

Easy Peasy
* Roasted Brussel Sprouts. Add some cripy bacon and toasted pecans to be fancy, if you want.
* A super simple cranberry sauce with orange.
* I've served a version of this fennel salad every year and it's always a hit.

Show Stoppers
* I didn't grow up in a mac & cheese at Thanksgiving household, but this recipe was a welcome addition to last year's table.
* The Pioneer Woman's sweet potatoes have converted many a sweet potato hater. I usually cut back on the sugar a bit.
* Cornbread stuffing with a healthy dose of bacon fat. As Ina Garten would say, how bad can that be?

Photos by Braedon Flynn

(Leaves & Sunlight) Weekend in Pictures

{autumn}

{shadows & sunlight}

{can't get enough}

{piano across america}

Fall, you are just really great.

A Year In New York

Even though I'm feeling wanderlust-y, I still love, love, love where I live. Which is maybe why this video, shot over the course of a year in New York, makes me a little teary (in a good way). I think the music helps, it's one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite albums of this year.

Happy weekend, everyone! After watching this video, I feel like I need to get out and enjoy this wonderful, big, dramatic, heartbreaking, strange and magical city.

via stephmodo

Wanderlust

I'm not sure what it is about fall, but it always makes me want to travel. Maybe it's the desire to wring one last bit of something out of the year with a trip abroad, but for some reason I seem to get a serious case of wanderlust around this time of year.

Unfortunately, my budget does not approve of me going adventuring whenever I feel like it, so I'm just dreaming for now. Here's where I'd go if someone handed me a plane ticket tomorrow.

{prague}

{scotland}

{copenhagen}

{stockholm}

{bern, switzerland}

I definitely gravitate to European cities when I think about fall & winter travel. This list would look entirely different in June! I'd love to hear, where do you dream about going when you feel wanderlust-y?

Bonus: Wouldn't it be amazing to stay at Stephanie's La Maisonette in France? It's in the top photo. I just think it looks so beautiful!

photos via Orangette, Tabi**chu on Flickr, National Geographic, diesmali on Flickr & Pinterest.

Swedish Girl Bands

The title of this post makes it sound like I might know a thing or two about Swedish girl bands. That's not true at all. I really only know of these two. A more apt title would be "Swedish Girl Bands Who Have Become YouTube Sensations by Singing Beautiful Covers" but that's rather long.



Anyway, just some beautiful music for your Tuesday morning. There must be something about the cold Swedish air that makes for beautiful harmony singing.

(A Foliage-Heavy) Weekend in Pictures

{jumping in leaves on the way to the Met}

{the fall color spectrum in central park}

{central park leaf peeping}

{fall, you kill me}

{celebrating my roommate's engagement!!}

{before I die wall, brookyln}

Until all the autumn leaves have fallen, I think my Weekend in Pictures posts will be very foliage-heavy. I just can't get enough! I'm so glad that fall color comes rather late to New York City. We get to enjoy it on road trips and in tiny glimpses in October, but it comes alive in November. It sticks around until Thanksgiving when it can give way to Christmas color and lights. Love. It.

Did you have a foliage-filled weekend, friends?