Easy Kids’ Thanksgiving Table

   

This week on WDRB in the Morning, Craft E Magee and I collaborated to create an easy kids’ Thanksgiving table.  The idea was to create something fuss-free, entertaining for kids, and easy for adults to clean up.

Instead of a traditional tablecloth, Liz used brown kraft paper and set out adorable branch colored pencils so kids could easily draw on the table as they waited for food to be brought out.  At each place setting, she set out mini pumpkin pies, flanked by  a feather name card.  To create the names on the feathers, she used kraft and letter stickers found at Target dollar-spot.  Simple and super cute!

Keeping with the kraft paper theme, we filled small paper bags with Thanksgiving trail mix made by mixing popcorn and candy corn.  We used stamps and bakers twine to decorate ours, but you can also use these as name/place settings.

Finally, we used my Thankful Tree as the table’s centerpiece.  Set out leaves at each place setting for kids to write (or help them write) what they are thankful for this year.  Be sure to add a date on these to keep as mementos each year.

After dinner, you can roll up the kraft paper tablecloth and recycle.  Easy!

You can find more details and photos at craftemagee.com.

Do you create a special table for the kids at your Thanksgiving dinner?  Any additional tips for keeping kids busy while they patiently wait for dinner to be served?

Happy Thanksgiving, DIY’ers!

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DIY Thankful Tree

I have seen many, many versions of thankful trees online lately, and I love them all.  Finding a few bare branches in your yard and placing them in a pretty vase or jar is all it takes to create this personalized décor for your own home.  I used a circular paper punch to create leaves for my tree, but you can also cut leaf shapes from cardstock, or even use silk leaves if you prefer.

This will be perfect as a Thanksgiving table centerpiece and you can have all of your guests add their thanks to the tree.  I especially love to see what kids are thankful for.  My daughter’s thankful list this year included books, light to see, and a bed to sleep in.  Simple gratitudes that we often forget to acknowledge.

What are you thankful for this year?

Happy Thanksgiving, DIY’ers!

~julee~

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DIY Fall Leaf Bowl

This sweet little DIY fall leaf bowl will be perfect to add to your fall décor this season.  It’s super easy to make (I know I say that about all of my crafts, but I promise it’s true), and I love that you can customize it to create it in any size that you want.  I started out by making a small leaf bowl, but I have plans on making a larger one for my coffee table.

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own fall leaf bowl:  A bowl to use as your mold (any size you want), cooking spray, plastic wrap, silk fall leaves, Mod Podge, and a sponge brush.

Start by spraying the bottom of your bowl with cooking spray.  Then,  fully wrap the bottom of the bowl with the plastic wrap.

Apply Mod Podge to the bottom of the bowl and begin adding your leaves, brushing on the Mod Podge as you go.  Continue until your bowl is covered with leaves, and add a layer of Mod Podge to the top of all of the leaves.  Let sit to dry overnight, or use a hair dryer to speed up the drying process.

I wanted my bowl to be a shallow candy dish, so I didn’t go all the way up with my leaves.  Cover more or less of the bowl depending on the look you want.

Once the Mod Podge has dried completely, remove the plastic wrap from the bowl, and then remove the leaves from the plastic wrap.

That’s it!  Now you have a cute leaf bowl perfect for fall candy, acorns, or adding to your Thanksgiving table.

Happy fall crafting, DIY’ers!

~julee~

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Thanksgiving Giveaway with From the Guestroom

We have teamed up with From the Guestroom for a fantastic Thanksgiving giveaway!  This is a great chance to win a Sponsor Spot on D.I.Y. Louisville, plus more awesome gifts from some great bloggers.  Visit the GIVEAWAY page on From the Guestroom for all the details!  Good luck!

Happy Thanksgiving!

julee & kim

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Chocolate Gingerbread Cake Recipe

I've had this cake floating around in my head for a while now.  Yeah, I do that.  I obsess about flavor combos in my head.  Well anyway, this one actually got made.  This was one of my contributions to Thanksgiving this year.  This cake is a four layer chocolate gingerbread with hazelnut filling and cream cheese frosting.  It was really good, I promise.  This is one of those cakes that I used a mix for as a starting off base.  Sometimes that's just the best way to go, trust me.  I think this would make the perfect winter cake or Christmas dessert.

Chocolate Gingerbread Cake
1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
1 c. all purpose flour
1c. sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/3 c. water
1/8 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 c. sour cream
3 eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg

Add all of the dry ingredients together in your mixer, stir well.  Add the water, mix.  Add the sour cream, oil and vanilla, mix well.  Add the eggs one at a time mixing well after each.  Stir until well combined.  Use a rubber spatula to get any clumps from the bottom incorporated.

Hazelnut filling
1 stick room temperature butter
1/2 c. shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c. honey
2 tbs hazelnut syrup (such as Torani)
1 lb of confectioners sugar

Cream together shortening and butter until fluffy.  Add vanilla and honey.  Add 1 tbs hazelnut syrup, mix well.  Add the confectioners sugar 1 c. at a time.  Add the last tbs of hazelnut syrup.  If the filling is too stiff add more syrup until you get the right consistency, which should be that of frosting.  If it's too thin you can add more sugar.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick butter
1/2 c. vegetable shortening
1 package cream cheese
2 lbs confectioners sugar
2 tsp vanilla
water or milk to thin

Cream butter and shortening until fluffy.  Add the cream cheese and beat well.  Add the vanilla and mix.  Add the sugar 1 c. at a time until incorporated.  Add water or milk 1 tbs at a time until desired consistency is reached.


Happy baking,
Kim

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Guest Blogger: Miss Pinny from Home Skillette

We are so excited to share a very special treat with you today.  Today’s post is written by a fellow Louisville blogger, Melissa (a.k.a Miss Pinny) of Home Skillette.  When I asked Melissa if she would share a Thanksgiving-worthy recipe with us, I had no idea that she would produce the following display of scrumptiousness. 

Oh my!

Cook up the following to compliment your Thanksgiving meal, and I promise you that your guests will thank you!

You can check out more food goodnessness at Home Skillette.  After that, click on over to Miss Pinny Design and Bee Wares to see Melissa’s other talents.

Indian-Spiced Fall Veg with Israeli Couscous

Want to try something new with your sweet potatoes this year? This perfect blend of spicy, sweet and salty will keep you warm and cozy this holiday. Works excellently as a side or an entree.

Indian-Spiced Fall Veg with Israeli Couscous

Serves 4-6

1 small butternut squash, about 2 lbs
peeled, cored and diced into 1 inch cubes
1 red garnet sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp each turmeric and garam masala
1/8 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1 1/4 cup boiling water
2 black tea bags, preferably orange spice
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
*1/2 seeded and finely diced habanero pepper
1 tsp whole cumin seed
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 cup Israeli couscous
1/2 cup golden raisins
salt

*for less spicy dishes, use jalapeno instead

Set oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butternut squash, sweet potato, olive oil, salt, pepper, turmeric, garam masala and nutmeg. Toss together until the veggies are thoroughly coated with the oil and spices. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 35-45 minutes, until cooked through but not scorched.

 

As they are roasting, steep tea bags in boiling water for 5 minutes. Set aside. Place butter in a pot and melt over medium heat. Once the butter has formed a foam, saute onions until almost clear.

 

Add the garlic and habanero, sauteing another 2 minutes, careful to not burn the garlic. Remove completely from pot and set aside. Place pot back on heat and add cumin, almonds and couscous, toasting for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.



Once the couscous has turned a deep golden color and the almonds a light brown, add the reserved tea. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes, taking point to stir intermittently. Once cooked thoroughly, place the couscous, onion mixture and roasted veggies (making sure to take advantage of any oil left on the baking sheet) in a large serving bowl with the golden raisins.



Ever so gently, mix together until all ingredients are combined and evenly distributed.



Salt to taste. Serve immediately.

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