More Personality and Less Stress This Thanksgiving

Hosting Thanksgiving at your house this year? Give your guests a special and memorable holiday with these decorating tips:

1. Centerpieces: Play around with branches, small pumpkins and gourds that you can pick up at your local farmers market. Centerpieces don't always have to be flowers. Avoid any tall elements so your guests can see each other.

(photo credit http://www.goodhousekeeping.com)

2. Colors: Stick with neutral fall colors. Trying using a deep red tablecloth instead of white to dress up the table. Add a little more personality by using a different color for the cloth napkins such as burnt orange or cream white. You want all the linens and dishes to compliment each other by staying in your fall color palette.

3. Seating: Don't forget about elbow room for your guests! A seating plan is a great way to ensure your guests are comfortable. Let children sit between the adults or have a separate table for them. I'm always a fan of personlized seating. These napkin ties are a cute way for your guest to find their seat and gives them a keepsake.

(http://www.etsy.com/shop/SerenityMosaics)

4. Dessert: Apple and pumpkin pie are a givin. Try something new to wow your guests and its easy too! (courtesy of the family recipe book). Here's a pie that doesn't live up to it's name (because it's possibly one of the easiest desserts to make!)

Impossible Pie (coconut custard)


 Ingreidents:
4 eggs
2 cups of cold milk
½ cup sugar
½ cup bisquick mix
1 cup shredded coconut
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt


Grease pie plate. Mix all ingredients into blender at high speed. Pour into pan. Bake at 350º degrees (metal pan) or 325º degrees (glass pan) for 45 mins. Chill 3-4 hours before serving. 

5. Favor: Your guests are now stuffed, tired and ready to go home. Send them on their merry way with a yummy and  inexpensive favor - cocoa mix in a jar. Add your own tag or labels to spruce up the presentation.

Layer the ingredients for homemade cocoa in a jar, add a ribbon and a tag, and you have a simple but stylish gift. This mix will fill a 1-quart jar (12 servings), but if your containers are different sizes, just keep the ratio of ingredients constant. On the back of the tag, write: "Mix contents in a large bowl. For each serving, place 1/3 cup cocoa mix in a mug and stir in 1 cup boiling water. Store remaining mix in airtight container."

Yield: Makes 1 quart mix or 12 servings hot cocoa

Ingredients

• 1  cup  powdered milk
• 1  cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1  cup  granulated sugar
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  cup  miniature chocolate chips
• 1/2  cup  crushed peppermint candy
• (credit myrecipes.com)

Thanksgiving can be hectic, and it's easy to forget to be thankful. Hopefully these tips will inspire you and make the day a little extra special for you and your guests.