COVID19 Thanksgiving Party Ideas

 Many people will be celebrating Thanksgiving differently this year due to COVID19 and with a little planning you can host a holiday dinner for your family here are some ideas.

If you reside in an area that is cold but there is no snow on the ground consider an outdoor party where guests can keep warm with patio heaters or a bonfire. Gather outdoors where you can social distance and not worry about getting COVID19.

Plan for guest to spend time outdoors

Host your party outdoors, keep guest warm with a firepit 

When planning your Thanksgiving gathering set up seating that allows for the six feet distancing. Encourage guests to mingle outdoors as much as possible. Set up outdoor heaters and burn wood in a firepit.

If you must have your holiday party indoors, choose an area in the house that is large for your thanksgiving gathering. Open a window and a door for cross ventilation. Stay away from closed in rooms with poor air circulation.

Reduce your guest list as much as possible. If your family is large you may want to split up the holiday by doing 2 separate family gatherings. This way you can set your table so that it is 6 feet in-between guests as it is important to adhere to proper distancing.

Offer hand sanitizer and extra facemasks for your guests.

This facemask comes in adult or kid sizes and is perfect for Thanksgiving 

Make Thanksgiving fun by encouraging all to wear a holiday designed face mask. Give an award for the best holiday designed facemask. 

Note: If you are feeling ill be courteous to your guest and opt-out of the holiday party. If others in your household have been ill know that it is best to cancel and go to the family party as there is a possibility that you may spread the virus

Photo credits by Image by Julie Rothe from Pixabay / Thanksgiving face mask by Photo Gifts by SGolis 

How to Enjoy the Autumn Season During a Pandemic / COVID19

Autumn is my favorite time of the year and it is safe to say that that I love all things that occur during the fall season. Normally my husband and I make plans to go to outdoor city arts and crafts festivals, and to travel to a scenic park to view the colorful leaves on the trees but this year we will only attend the festival if they are no big crowds.  

We will be going to the state parks to hike on the trails and take photographs of the autumn foliage and we also hope to tour a corn maze in Arkansas. This year we will be staying close to home and will be avoiding crowded autumn events.

Autumn activities will be different this year but if you make plans for the day trips to parks and other outdoor activities that do not attract crowds then you will be able to enjoy the season without the worry of COVID19.

Look for outdoor events where you can social distance and avoid indoor events and large crowds. You can still go to an arts and crafts festival as long as you plan to wear a mask and stay away from large gatherings. Instead of going to a big city autumn festival where there will be crowds look for a small-town event.

Another fun activity is going to a u-pick-it farm,   In my area we enjoy picking late-season apples and pears.

Take a day trip to a park that features fishing, boat rentals, hiking trails or horseback riding. All fun family activities to enjoy during the autumn season.

Plan a trip to a pumpkin patch to pick vine-ripe pumpkins for your fall decorations.

Just because your area may have COVID19 does not mean that you need to pass up the fall season. But it does mean that you should stay away from large gatherings and it is best to partake in outdoor activities.

Plan fun family activities to do at home

• Roasting marshmallows in the outdoor fire 
• Painting your kids face and dress them up in fall season costumes
• Enjoy nature by playing in the fallen leaves.
• Play autumn season games like bobbing for apples.
• Put up your camping tent in the backyard or at the park and sleep outdoors, listen for a distant owl, and watch for a shooting stars
• Decorate your home for the fall season and carve pumpkins for Halloween.
• Plan a fall foliage drive to a state park
• Make hot apple cider to enjoy while sitting by a bonfire
• Bake pumpkin cookies
• Plan a family hayride
• Bake pumpkin seeds, cookies and see other pumpkin recipes here

Whatever you do, be sure to enjoy the autumn season with your family.
*Images used in this article from pixabay.com
*View All Seasons decorating ideas and gifts at Pinterest here 

Autumn Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese sandwiches served with cup of tomato soup is a delicious meal anytime of the year but in the autumn season when the weather starts to turn cold this combination meal sure tastes good.

Tomato soup and grilled cheese was a staple food when I was growing up. We resided in a cold climate and this food combination fueled our bodies with the energy we needed. I enjoyed eating grilled cheese and tomato soup for lunch on a cold or cool autumn or winter day.

My Dad made grilled cheese with white bread and yellow American cheese. The two slices of bread had butter on one side and he would add two slices of yellow American cheese in-between the bread slices before grilling both sides of the bread in a cast iron skillet. The sandwiches were always served with a cup of Campbell’s tomato soup. 

I grew up eating grilled cheese and tomato soup but when I got married my husband put a stop to this classic soup and sandwich combo. Know that I still eat grilled cheese but husband makes his different from the classic version.

He makes grilled cheese using 1 slice of Sergento’s sharp cheddar cheese, 1 slice of Munster cheese and a slice of beefsteak tomato, sometimes he will add bacon and sometimes he will use sour dough or rosemary herb bread butter. My husband does not use a cast iron skillet, he makes his sandwiches in his non-stick electric grill.

He serves grilled cheese with with tomato basil soup that he makes from scratch. I like the new grilled cheese sandwich and also like the classic soup and sandwich the both taste delicious and is a perfect meal to serve on a cool or cold day in Autumn.

View this videos below for classic tomato soup recipe and the classic grilled cheese

Autumn Season Decor Ideas

For the past three days I have been packing up my summer home decorations because I am in the mood for fall and plan to decorate my home this weekend for the upcoming season.

Autumn is the season when the days and nights are cool and the leaves on the trees change to symbolize that summer is over and winter is coming soon. I love the trees when the leaves change and also enjoy decorating my home for the autumn season.

Warm earthy colors like gold, orange, brown, ginger, and pomegranate will be featured in home accessories. The colors will add a cozy ambiance to my home and make it feel welcoming. 

When I decorate my home for the autumn season I will always add home accents to my living spaces; living room, kitchen, dining area, and guest bathroom. In addition, the front porch will get a fall makeover. An autumn wreath for the door, a few pumpkins on the front steps and a welcoming doormat.

I found some doormats with fall designs and thought that would look nice.

Here are few of my Zazzle finds

Seasonal Fall Harvest Welcome Sign Family Pumpkins Doormat

by EverythingWedding

Autumn Oak Leaves Doormat

by SimplyBoutiques

Another way to decorate for the autumn season is to add autumn color to your living room by hanging a few framed posters on your walls, then add fall pattern pillow to your sofa and draped on the back of your sofa add a cozy blanket. Choose colors and prints that are complimentary. By adding a few key home accessories you will update your home forthe autumn season.

Here are some autumn home decorations that you may like

Fall Style Pumpkin and Leaves Dark Green Throw Pillow

by Susang6

These posters were created from my original photographs of the

 nature trails in Bentonville Arkansas.

Then for your coffee table add an autumn season centerpiece that features chrysanthemums and a few votive candles for extra ambiance. Drape autumn leaves garland across your fireplace mantle. 

These are just a few ideas that you can use when you are decorating your home for the autumn season.

Favorite Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Recipe

If you like peanut butter than I know you will enjoy this pie recipe. It is easy to make and will be enjoyed by your family. They will wipe the dessert plate clean and ask for a second slice of pie.

This recipe is from my childhood, my mother loved chocolate and would make scrumptious desserts for me and my siblings when we were kids. We all loved peanut butter and chocolate and her pie recipe combined these two ingredients and golly this pie sure was delicious.  I really enjoyed a slice a pie after playing in the leaf pile in the fall or after sleigh riding in the winter.  It was the perfect comfort food and yes one of my favorite desserts.

 I thought I would always have access to my mom's recipes but when she passed away the recipes went with her because she made everything from memory. Then the other day my brother mentioned that he made chocolate peanut butter pie for his kids and that they all loved it.

When I asked him about the recipe, he told me that it was our mothers and that he had found it in one of her old cookbooks, written in pencil on an index card. I was delighted to know that I could make my mothers pie recipe, the same pie that she made for me when I was a kid.

This pie is very heavy and chocolaty so I always make it in the fall because I think of it as comfort food. You can make it any time during the year but for me, I prefer the fall and winter season.

Here's what you will need to make this delicious pie.

1 eight-ounce package of cream cheese; softened at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ¼ cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup confectioner sugar

1 8 ounce container of cool whip 

1 9 inch graham cracker crust pie shell / you can buy the chocolate crust also

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 tablespoons whole milk

1. In a large bowl add the cream cheese, vanilla, and peanut butter and blend together with a mixer.
2. Add the confectioner sugar and mix all ingredients before adding the cool whip topping and blend all ingredients.
3. Pour the pie filling into the graham crust pie shell. Use a spatial to smooth the top of the pie.
4. In a saucepan add 3 tablespoons of the whole milk along with the chocolate chips. Melt the chocolate chips on low heat. Stir the chocolate constantly. When completely melted remove from heat and let cool before drizzling it on the top of the peanut butter pie.
5. Put the pie in the refrigerator for two hours before serving.

Here is another no-bake pie recipe that you may like

Split Pea With Ham Soup Recipe

When the season change from summer to autumn the days are cooler and the nights can be cold. As a rule, when the weather is cooler I will go to my mother's cookbook and look for her split pea with ham soup recipe.

This is a hearty and wholesome recipe that is packed with protein and nutrients. It is also a one-pot meal that can be served for dinner and a bowl of soup for lunch the next day. Normally I serve warm from the oven dinner rolls or crackers.

It takes two days to prepare this recipe because it is best to soak the split green peas overnight in a pot of water. Then the following day you would gather your ingredients and make the soup.

Ingredients:

Chopped Carrots

Chopped Leeks

Chopped Potatoes

Diced Ham Steak

Split Peas

Chicken stock

Diced clove of garlic

2 sprigs of Fresh Thyme

2 sprigs of Fresh Rosemary

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a soup pot add olive oil and heat to medium-high. Then add your garlic and saute it before adding your leeks, carrots, and potatoes. Stir so that vegetable cook evenly. Cook for five minutes. Add your chicken stock, split peas, ham, herbs, salt and pepper to taste. Stir all ingredients and cook on the stove until soups come to a boil. Stirring while the soup is cooking will prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Turn heat to simmer and cook for an hour. Continue to stir the soup until all vegetable and peas are tender.

Here are other split pea soup recipes that you may like

Keep your soup recipes organized with a custom card.  Buy as shown or add your recipe.  I like the recipe cards because it is a nice way to share with my family and friends.  All cards were created by artists at Zazzle.com. 

Soup Recipe Pages for Recipe Binder

by kjscreations

Bean Soup Recipe on a Card

by susan52z

Trendy Retro Recipes Personalized Notebook

by reflections06

Navy Bean Soup Recipe

When the temperature changes in mid to late fall I cook soups and stews for my family. One of my favorite evening meal soups is Navy Bean made with fresh vegetables, ham steak and served with warm in-the-oven French Baguette loaf of bread This hearty soup is packed with nutrients that will fuel my family, providing them energy for their evening chores and will help to fight off colds and flu.

When it comes to making this soup I have no rules on what vegetables to use. Normally I prepare this soup with leeks, potatoes, celery, and carrots. I will peel, chop and cook the vegetables together in a large pot of low-sodium chicken broth. When the vegetables are cooked I will add the navy beans, fresh herbs, and two sprigs of rosemary tied together and dropped into the soup pot. I will season the soup with a freshly grated peppercorn medley by McCormick, and a clove of freshly chopped garlic. When all of the seasonings are added I will then add the chopped ham steak or chicken sausage to the soup and stir well and allow the soup to simmer for another 30 minutes.

I like to serve a bowl of this navy bean and vegetable soup with warm in-the-oven banquette bread topped with herb-whipped butter spread. You can garnish the bowl of soup with grated Parmesan cheese and diced chives.

A large bowl of navy bean soup usually fills my family up to the point that they do not want dessert or a before-bed snack. I like making a pot of soup because there are always leftovers for lunch or after-school snacks the following day.

Here are some other recipes for Navy Bean soup.

Spooky Halloween Cookie Recipe

 Tonight is the first cold fall night and I found that I was thinking about Halloween cookie recipes to serve at our annual gathering. Normally when I am looking for a unique recipe idea I will go to the food network but this year I went to Allrecipes.com and found witch cookie fingers.

The cook that shared the recipe mentioned that she made the base of the cookie from her sugar cookie recipe. Yes, the same recipe that we all use during the Christmas holidays so you know the cookie will taste good. Apparently instead of making the cookies the traditional way you would roll them in the shape of a finger and bake.

Then cool the cookies before applying the frosting for the fingernails. I love this idea and know that this cookie will be a hit at our party. I plan to add a few witch fingers to the dessert trays.

Learn other Halloween cookie recipes at Allrecipes

Collecting Acorn Nuts for Recipes

Acorns are a nut that comes from oak trees. We have 12 Oak trees on our property and in the past, I collected them during the fall season to be used as feed for squirrels and deer during the winter months. Feed for animals is good, but using the acorn nuts for food is a better idea because they are rich in B vitamins, protein and are also good for controlling blood sugar levels.

Acorn nuts are a good source of food for wildlife in the winter.  

Ripe acorn nuts

You can collect acorns at parks or from your backyard but before you begin to gather the nuts know that not all oak trees are created equal and some produce acorns that are best left on the ground for wildlife. White Oaks produce a bland tasting acorns. Swamp Oak, Oregon White Oak, Emory Oak and Burr Oak are the best for harvesting for food recipes.

When we collect acorns we look for brown ones because they are ripe. Stay away from green or black acorns or ones with mildew/rotting You want a smooth and firm acorn with no damage to the nut. Toss out any imperfect acorns or leave them for wildlife.

Collect brown nuts only.  Throw out the black or green nuts.

I do not know of an easy way to pick up acorns other than getting the family involved. My husband will rake all of ripe (brown acorns) into a pile then we fill our buckets with the best acorns we can find.

Get your acorns ready for processing by removing the shell (cap on top of the nut) then wash them off to remove any dirt or debris. In order to make the acorn tasty (a sweet nutty flavor) you will need to a water blanching; put the acorns into a stock pot, fill the pot with water that covers the acorns. Bring the water to a boil, turn heat to medium-high and blanch the acorns for 40 minutes. (water will turn brown) remove the brown water from the stock pot and refill the pot with fresh water and bring the water to a boil again. Repeat the process until the water is no longer brown.

When the water is clear (no more brown color) strain the acorns and allow them to dry. It is best to pour them out onto the counter, rather than leaving them bunch up in a pot. Or you can lay them out on cookie sheets.  

When the acorns are dry you can use them for making flour for baked goods, dry them for coffee, pickle them and more learn acorn-recipes here https://honest-food.net/foraging-recipes/acorn-recipes/

Here is an acorn cookie recipe that you may like.

Favorite Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

One of my favorite beverages in the autumn season is pumpkin spice latte. Normally I buy a cup of this delicious pumpkin brew at Starbucks to enjoy but the costs for this drink does add up. So this year I found a recipe that is quick and easy to make at home. The pumpkin spice latte tastes so good that it became a fall favorite recipe.

I searched online and found several recipes at Allrecipes. What I like is that the recipes shared on this website by people that really enjoy cooking and all recipes are tested by their readers. This recipe got many rave reviews and one taste will tell you why everyone loves the autumn season drink.

For the pumpkin spice latte, you will need the following ingredients

Almond milk

Pumpkin puree

Vanilla extract

Sugar

Pumpkin pie spice

Black pepper (this is a taste preference)

A whisk

A saucepan

2 coffee mugs

Here is a latte recipe from Allrecipes enjoy! View another latte recipe in the video below.

Jot down the recipe on this card. Keep the recipe for yourself and give one to a friend. I think this card is very cute and would make a thoughtful gift for some who loves to cook.

Cooking Is An Art Recipe Insert

by HeritageMatters

Here are some cute pumpkin spice coffee mugs that you may like

Pumpkin spice & everything nice coffee mug

by Kymberli_Designs

Pumpkin Spice Season Coffee Latte Autumn Fall Coffee Mug Set

by rebeccaheartsny

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice Fall Mug

by beckynimoy