Simple, Festive, Delicious Thanksgiving Table

I (Em) recently helped put on an evening for the teenage girls at church. We decided to go with an autumnal theme for the decor and I just wanted to share what lovely centerpieces the girls came up with - and on a shoestring budget, too! Would be a fun Thanksgiving morning activity to send the kids out to forage for the table decor, no?

Autumn leaves and branches, acorns, pine cones, fruit, ornamental gourds, a spool of discount ribbon or some organic twine, a can of gold spray paint and a few glass jars from the recycle bin and you've got the makings for some lovely centerpieces!

Also love this variation on a similar autumn theme that Saran Nielsen featured last Fall.

I (Anne) really loved the T-day decor we used last year, and will probably do a similar thing this time around. I dismantled my mantle display and used it for our table decor. Pots and squash--simple as that.
On this one we also used these wheat topiaries. I love wheat at Thanksgiving--so symbolic of bounty. (Tie wheat with ribbon, place in florist foam in pots, cover foam with moss.)

The kids' table was an enormous hit and we are sure to repeat it every year. I covered the table with paper, drew place mats with crayon, made each child a simple name card, and placed crayons in mini pots around the table. They were entertained for hours. Perfect.

And now for some recipes to top your festive table:

This wild rice and creamy goat cheese stuffing from Mel's Kitchen Cafe looks fantastic.

This Broccoli Gruyere Gratin is to die for.

And for rolls, you can't go wrong with this delish recipe:

Combine 2 cups warm water (about 104 deg.), 2 tablespoons yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit 5 minutes. Add 2 sticks butter (melted and cooled--again about 104 deg.), 3 beaten eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 8 cups flour. Mix and knead dough. Let sit until doubled. Punch down. (I let mine rise in the fridge overnight. If you do this, you have to get the dough to warm up a bit before rolling it out or it is too difficult to work with.)

Take a grapefruit-sized wad of dough and roll it out on a floured surface into a circle that is 1/4-inch thick. With a pizza cutter, cut the circle into 12 triangles. (You'll do this 4 times, making 48 rolls total.) Roll triangles up from wide end. Place point down onto a greased baking sheet. (You've practiced this technique with Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, right?!) Cover and let rise until doubled. Bake at 375 for 12-14 minutes, until golden.

What do you have planned?
xo,
em and anne