How to Prepare for Thanksgiving

I thought it might be helpful to write out some of the steps I use at our home to share how to prepare for Thanksgiving and get ready for hosting our family and friends.  We host Thanksgiving quite often at our house and often times it is 20-25 adults plus around 8-10 kids.  I have learned a few tricks along the way and one of the most important is not being afraid to ask for help :). I have linked to old posts through the years to help with recipe ideas and tablescape inspiration, so I hope you find this helpful.  I also love hearing from all of you; so if I have missed something good, please leave a note in the comments for me.

Thanksgiving Table 2020

Plan Ahead

• Get a head count as soon as you can.  Decide if you need to borrow or rent extra tables and chairs for your meal.
• Delegate a dish to each person if possible and find out what they plan on cooking.
• Make sure you have the turkey and any other meats accounted for.  Write down the sides each person will bring.
• Decide on what time you plan to eat your Thanksgiving meal. Some people eat at noon and others like myself don’t get our meal until closer to 3:3o or 4pm.  So decide early and let your guests know.
• If you have a large group, plan your table setting ahead of time.  I use a free service called Canva to do this.
• Once you know the menu, use Canva or a service like Fernandino Paper Co. to type up a menu and print out place cards if you would like.  I always think this adds a really nice touch.  Plus I always love looking back on each year and see what dishes we cooked!
• Decide if you want flowers for you special occasion and don’t wait until the last minute to place your order.  Floral shops book up early.  If you want flowers from your local grocery (I love Fresh Market flowers), make sure to snag them before they are gone.
• If you look online, there are printable out there that can help you organize your food list, so you can make sure everything comes out hot.  Write down the temperature that each item needs to be cooked on and for how long it needs to cook , so you can reference one sheet throughout the day and time your meal out.
• Shop for all your alcohol ahead of time and make your grocery list early.  Certain things sell out quickly at the grocery.  I feel like my Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage can be hard to find the closer it gets to Thanksgiving day, so I always try to grab that early.  I also use a shortcut for my cornbread dressing and LOVE the Fresh Markets cornbread, so I will call ahead and have them hold me a tray to pick up.
• Don’t forget to plan your outfit ahead of time so that you aren’t stressing for something to wear on the day of Thanksgiving.  Here are some outfit inspiration ideas.

Thanksgiving Table 2022

Prepare the Table

If you are having a sit down dinner, make sure you have everything you need for your table and enough of each item.  I love to pull out all of my Thanksgiving decor and any left over items I have from years past and start coming up with a game plan for this years table.  Pick your theme of colors and see what all you already own and what you may need to go purchase for your table.  If you are eating inside, don’t be afraid to go ahead and set your table way ahead of time.  Unfortunately, we often eat outdoors which means I can’t set up until the day of.  That takes quite a bit more preparation, so just be sure you know exactly what you are going to use for your table.

This is a super old post, but this had some cute ideas for setting the thanksgiving table at home.  I made homemade dinner menus and name cards for each guest.  So have some fun with it and even let the kids help too!e

Here are some tablescapes we have done in years past to help give you some inspiration.

Thanksgiving Tablescape Ideas

• Simple Thanksgiving Tablescape
• Green, Pink & Blue Thanksgiving Tablescape
• Orange, Blue & Amber Thanksgiving Tablescape
• Green & Orange Thanksgiving Tablescape
• Velvet Pumpkins Tablescape
• Pink and Gray Tablescape
• Neutral Fall Tablescape
• Maroon & Orange Fall Tablescape
• Jewel Tone Thanksgiving Tables

Orange and Blue Thanksgiving Table

2023 Thanksgiving Tables

Don’t forget the Kids Table

I love setting up a special table for the kids too!! The best thing to do for them is make sure they have a placemat or tablecloth that they can color on and keep them entertained while the adults are eating.  I have had luck with collecting cute Thanksgiving plates from Potterybarn Kids and then I pick up paper placemats or tablecloths from local stores or on Amazon.  I love this one.

How adorable is this bread cornucopia I made one year??  Click here to see the reel on how I did it.

What To Cook

Try to plan your food out early.  I always love seeing what other families make for their Thanksgiving meal.  I know my husband grew up with a few dishes that they ate everything Thanksgiving that we never had.  For example, they always had squash casserole and broccoli and rice casserole and those were new to me when I had my first Thanksgiving with them.  So consider what dishes are your favorites that you want to include, but also what others may enjoy or expect at their Thanksgiving meal.

Appetizers

I am always a fan of appetizers and love to have a few things out for my guest to nibble on before the big meal.  Again, it doesn’t have to be a lot; but a few items to graze on while the meal is being prepared.  This can also depend on what time you eat your Thanksgiving meal and since we don’t eat until a bit later, we like to have appetizers out with our cocktail hour.  Here are a few of my favorites.

• Crabmeat Dip
• Baked Brie
• Fall Charcuterie Board
• Curry Cheese Pate
• Pecan Pepper Jelly Dip
• Baked Oysters

Entrees & Sides

I will be the first to admit that I always outsource the turkey (and ham) if I host.   It is too nerve-racking for me when I have to get everything else together.  One of my favorite things to do is order from Heavenly Baked Ham online and they will deliver it right to your home (and I don’t have to fight the crowds)!  If you have someone that will do your turkey on a grill for you and free up oven space or have the opportunity to pick up a fried turkey, these are all amazing options!!! Here are some of my favorite side dishes that you can make for sides.  Also, never feel bad if you have to order sides from a local restaurant to keep your life easier.

• Sausage and Cornbread Dressing
• Oyster Dressing
• Shrimp and Crab Mirleton Casserole
• Sweet Potato Casserole – I love to make half with pecan topping and half with marshmallow because that’s what the kids love.
• Crack Pototoes
• Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Cinnamon Butternut Squash
• Pear Salad
• Spinach Madeline
• Truffle Mac & Cheese
• Green Bean Casserole – everyone recommended the recipe on the back of the French’s fried onion container. Easiest and Best!

Dessert

Again, don’t be scared to outsource these items because there are a lot of great places to buy these items from! If you are not a baker, let someone else do it.

• Homemade Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie
• Cranberry and Apple Cake
• Pecan Pie & Pumpkin – I always outsource these from a restaurant to make life easy.
• Vanilla Ice Cream

Cocktails

I always love to have one signature cocktail for the day to go along with wine and anything else you may serve for the day.  If you can make a pitcher ahead of time, this is perfect to have out to let your guest help themselves.

• Thanksgiving Margarita
• Apple Cider Moscow Mule

Tips & Tricks

• Don’t forget a can of cranberries for that one person at the table that has to have them!
• Make sure you have some turkey gravy handy if you didn’t bake your own turkey.
• Buy plenty of extra dinner rolls because everyone want to use them to make sandwiches the next day with leftovers.
• Try to make a breakfast casserole or something easy to put in the oven on Thanksgiving morning a day ahead of time. This one is super easy and one of our favorites.
• If you can invest in some type of hot plate to serve your food on, you will be so happy that everything stays warm when it’s time to eat!  Mine is old but I like this one.
• As I mentioned above, I love ordering a ham directly to my house from Honey Baked Ham ahead of time. It makes it so easy on Thanksgiving day and it makes the best leftovers.
• Take a few minutes before Thanksgiving week and clean out your refrigerator and freezer the best you can, so you can make room for all your food for the big day.  You will thank yourself later.
• A week or two before the holidays, try to schedule a day that you are home and utilize your self-cleaning ovens so your house doesn’t smell like burnt crumbs on Thanksgiving days That’s happen to me before!
• Stock up on some to-go storage containers before the big day so you can send your company home with some of the leftovers.  These are great ones.  I also love grabbing the throw away muffin tins from the grocery and giving those to my guest to fill up and take home for leftovers.
• Have the kids organize a game of football the day of while you are still working in the kitchen.  It’s always fun to even watch the adults jump in.
• Don’t be afraid to play a little game at the dinner table or put some type of table topic on the table.  My kids start this sometimes and it’s pretty cute.
• Don’t miss out on the opportunity to snag your family photos and large group photos with grandparents and grandchildren, etc.  Try to snag them while it is still light outside.
• If you can keep a folder with all of your printed Thanksgiving recipes/grocery lists /schedules, you will thank yourself year after year.
• Try to relax and enjoy yourself.  Remember how much time goes into preparing this meal.  When you sit down to actually eat the meal, take your time and savor the moment.  Engage in conversation and enjoy your time with family and friends.

2024 Thanksgiving Table

Prepare Your Home for Overnight Guests

This is the time of year that many of us will be welcoming guests into our home.  I love prepping my guest room with a few special touches to make my guest feel right at home when they arrive.  A small tray like the one below with a friendly note, a few towels folded up, some water bottles, a bite of chocolate, a phone charger and your home wifi password makes for a very special arrival.  I also always love to place a vase of fresh flowers next to their bedside if possible. You can read my post below on all my tips for making your guest room feel like a luxury hotel stay.

• Welcoming Overnight Guests to Your Home

Phew, this turned out to be a pretty long post; but I hope it was helpful.  I love hearing about other peoples traditions and tips for making the big day fun.  If you have something, please leave it in the comments for me.  Thanksgiving is a week away…there is still plenty of time to prepare!

The post How I Prepare for Thanksgiving + Favorite Recipes appeared first on Home of Malones.

I made this Valentine’s Snack Crak last year for a Mahjong party that I threw for my birthday!! I still need to write that blog post because it was so much fun and would be a great party to throw just for Valentine’s Day this year if you want to get your Mahjong crew together.   Anyway, this tasty little snack recipe is fun to make for a party or just to do with your kids this year as a holiday treat.  You can play around with the ingredients, but I found most of mine at Target in their Valentine’s section of snacks.

XOXO SNACK CRAK RECIPE

4 cups Chocolate Chex cereal
2 cups Very Berry Cheerios
2 cups X & O-shaped pretzels (found at Target)
White Chocolate candy for melting
Valentine’s nonpareil sprinkle mix
Valentine’s heart sprinkle mix
1 cup Cupid’s Blend M&M’s
1 cup Valentine’s Peanut M&M’s
1 cup Very Berry Cheerios
1 cup Chocolate Chex
1 cup X & O-shaped pretzels
2 cups X & O-shaped frosted cookies (found at Target)

In a large bowl, combine 4 cups Chocolate Chex cereal, 2 cups Very Berry Cheerios, and 2 cups X & O-shaped pretzels.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the candy coating according to package directions.

Pour the melted candy coating over the ingredients in the large bowl and toss to coat with a large spoon. Ingredients should be evenly coated in the candy coating.

Spread the mixture out in an even layer on parchment paper. Immediately sprinkle with Valentine’s nonpareil sprinkle mix and the Valentine’s heart sprinkle mix.

Top the mix with 1 cup Cupid’s Blend M&M’s, 1 cup Valentine’s Peanut M&M’s, 1 cup Very Berry Cheerios, 1 cup Chocolate Chex, 1 cup X & O-shaped pretzels, and 2 cups X & O-shaped frosted cookies.

Allow mixture to cool completely. Break apart to serve. Store in an airtight container or baggie.

You can obviously make any variation of this mix with whatever of the above ingredients that you want or have on hand.  You can add peanuts, use pink candy melts instead or add whatever your little Valentine’s heart desires.  It turned out really cute and is tasty for a crowd.

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I’m back with another gift guide! This was a fun one. I’ve labeled this one “for mother-in-law,” but really, all of these gifts would work for many people! I particularly love this group of gifts – I’d be very happy to receive any of them!

I am seeing these HART necklaces everywhere right now, and they are gorgeous! You can customize these gorgeous necklaces, and make them as simple or ornate as you want. They have so many beautiful and fun charms available – I love browsing this site for ideas!

If she is a baker, this non-stick bakeware set would be an excellent gift!

These slippers are so cute and cozy!

Speaking of cozy – pair the slippers with this beautiful blanket, and they will be set for the winter!

This candle warmer is a really nice gift. Use this with your favorite candle – you can enjoy the scent and sensation of a burning candle, without having to light it! Genius.

Chappywrap makes some of my favorite blankets. I love the hydrangea pattern on this one.

I will never tire of gifting – or receiving! – Lake Pajama sets. Love this lounge set in blue.

An amazing price on this puffer jacket! It looks much more expensive than it is.

This mahjong set is a great way to introduce her to the fun of this game!

Shop these, plus a few more, using the links below!

Click the images below to shop the post. Have fun!

The post Holiday Gift Guide for the MIL 2024 appeared first on Home of Malones.

When this time of year rolls around, I want to make sure that Brody, Madelyn, and Molly’s teachers know just how loved and appreciated they are! Here are a few of my favorites – I think that any of these would be a happy surprise for any teacher to receive!

Lake Pajamas are always a great idea! This set is so comfy and such a fun color.

This set of hand sanitizers come in several fun scents, and are super hydrating.

This butter balm set is such a fun and indulgent treat!

Such a great cookbook – especially for those weeknight meals! The title says it all.

This Stanley holder makes life a little bit easier throughout the long day!

This goop beauty scalp scrub is truly worth the money and would be a wonderful gift!

This sleigh bell ornament will be a classic addition to the tree for years to come.

This Grecian bust flower pot would be a fun and unique decoration for the classroom!

This Hulken rolling bag is the BEST!  It folds flat in your car but then can haul all the things when you need on wheels.

Shop these gifts, and more, using the links below!

Click the images below to shop my favorite gifts for teachers!

The post Holiday Gift Guide for Teachers 2024 appeared first on Home of Malones.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year at home celebrating with my husband’s family.  It was our typical Florida Thanksgiving with warm weather as you can see from the kids summer outfits in the photo below!

It was fun to have everyone over for the day!  Most of the family used to live in Montgomery, but now they live in Daphne which is only about an hour away so it makes it so easy!

Everyone came over around 11am or so and we had the pickle ball court set up and we played games and prepped food and had a fun day with family.

I set the table ahead of time and you can find al the sources in this post here.

My dress. Wearing a size XL.

I always love seeing all the food for Thanksgiving day.  You can find a lot of the recipes in this post here.

Everyone helps cook the food and brings it on Thanksgiving day.  Some Malone family favorites that we have each year with them that I love and didn’t grow up having are squash casserole, broccoli and rice casserole and potato salad.  My MIL always makes those for the group and I need to be sure to collect all those recipes.

We also always have sweet potato casserole, sausage and cornbread dressing and the kids favorite crack potatoes.  You can find all those linked in the post above.

One thing I did this year was have hot plates for all the casseroles to set out for serving which was such an awesome addition and kept our food nice and hot!  The other thing I made sure to have on hand were these tin foil muffin tins and plenty of easy to-go containers.  This made dishing out leftover for family to take home at the end of the day so easy and fun!!  Everyone loved them.

I made apple cider margaritas which I will have to go find the recipe that I used for those, but they turned out quite delicious and were pretty too!

We also set out a baked brie that I purchased from fresh market and some cream cheese sausage balls.

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I also decided that this year I wanted to try and roast my own boneless turkey breast for my first time ever.  My plan wasn’t necessarily to serve it with our Thanksgiving meal because we already had a turkey, but I wanted to have it for leftovers.  I followed this recipe and really liked the way it turned out!  I will definitely try to make this again to have and enjoy other times of the year.

My SIL always makes her famous lemon pies and this incredible cinnamon roll apple pie that is heavenly.

That is a wrap on Thanksgiving this year.  I am already looking forward to next year!

:: Our Previous Thanksgivings ::

Thanksgiving 2023
Thanksgiving 2022
Thanksgiving 2021
Thanksgiving 2020
Thanksgiving 2019
Thanksgiving 2018
Thanksgiving 2017
Thanksgiving 2016
Thanksgiving 2015
Thanksgiving 2014

The post Our Thanksgiving 2024 appeared first on Home of Malones.

Here are a few of my favorite gift ideas for women – this is always a fun one! You may want to pass this gift guide along with some subtle hints – or just buy a few things for yourself!

I love feeling comfortable, yet still put together. This set does this for me. So simple and elegant.

Speaking of comfy – wow! I may just live in this set from Lake Pajamas over the weekend.

This jacket is classic, cool, and goes with everything. I love the lighter color!

I will always appreciate a beautiful coffee table book. This one is just lovely.

I love this small jewelry box – this would be a beautiful gift for a special family member or friend!

This purse truly goes with everything, and the design is timeless!

The Ninja Creami lives up to the hype!! An amazing gift that you (and your kids!) will love!

A beautiful pair of gloves feels like such a treat. I love this leather pair.

This portable charger is a lifesaver and a wonderful gift for the person who has everything!

Christmas is a great time to add to your Le Creuset collection. I love the neutral ivory color of this smaller piece.

Shop these gifts – and more! – using the links below!

Click the images below to shop my favorite gifts for her! Have fun, and happy shopping!

The post Holiday Gift Guide for HER 2024 appeared first on Home of Malones.

Now for the guys! They are notoriously hard to buy for – but over the years, I’ve developed a pretty good list that will make just about everyone happy! Here are a few of my (and Matt’s) tried and true favorites.

This marinating kit for grilling, from Williams-Sonoma, has been on my list for years now. You all love it as much as we do!

Pair it with this grill brush – once he uses it for the first time, he won’t know how he lived without it!

This is a fun one. Cell phone holder for the golf cart! For the guy who has everything. Such a nice-to-have little gadget.

This smart speaker will go anywhere – perfect for golf, the beach, or any trip.

Insulated martini glasses – he will love these and I promise they’ll come in handy! Wrap them up with this Yeti cocktail shaker to match.

I love the shape of this suitcase – good quality, and comes with an integrated Apple AirTag! It’s 30% off right now!

This travel bag will keep him organized on the road. I love the understated color.

If he hasn’t tried them, he’ll love the Apple AirPods Max. A great gift for anyone!

For the man who loves to entertain – wouldn’t it be great to have this frozen drink maker at home?

Shop all these favorites – plus a few more – below!

Happy Shopping!

The post Holiday Gift Guide for HIM 2024 appeared first on Home of Malones.

I have so many fun gift ideas for girls – I had to create a separate post for the littler ones! These gifts are best suited for the 6-8 year olds. Here are some of my favorites for this age group!

We love these magic puffy pens! Whether they’re a budding artist or just love to be creative, these are fun to use!

How fun and cute is this Target check-out lane? So true to life!

These are really cool. A magnetic tile kit that is holiday-themed – a great gift for little girls and boys!

This lavender beanbag chair would be a great addition to a girl’s room – I think this could be used through the teen years! I love that you can fill it with all of their stuffed animals!

I had to add this Taylor Swift activity book. Perfect for fun in the car – or anytime during this busy season!

A really cute and useful first smart watch.

I’m giving these PJ sets to everyone this year! Reasonably priced and so cute!

A snow cone machine – need I say more?? Who remembers having one of these?

This golden retriever stuffie is so lifelike and cute!

This mini terrarium kit is a fun gift that will keep her busy!

If she’s asking for a scooter, this one is perfect for younger riders!

You can shop my favorites by clicking the images below. Happy shopping – more to come!

The post Holiday Gift Guide for Girls 6-8 appeared first on Home of Malones.

Here are some of my favorite gift ideas for boys. As Brody’s mom, I’m thinking more about the older age group, so I’ll start with ages 9-12!

How much fun would this Pop-a-Shot be for a basement or play area! This would be an amazing gift.

Most boys I know love spending time on their devices. They’ll appreciate pairing them with these headphones!

This backpack perfectly holds a basketball, gym shoes, and more!

A practical and good looking gift – this football-shaped beanbag chair is perfect for a boy’s room or playroom.

I’m recommending these Crocs slippers for everyone – who doesn’t love this coziness on their feet?!

Speaking of comfy shoes – Brody and Matt both love their Hey Dudes. Great gift!

So many players’ jerseys available for the NBA lover!

This four-square volleyball court is such a fun backyard game – versatile and fun for the whole family.

Boys this age can be a little hard to please, but I think this is a pretty good roundup! Most boys I know would love any combo of these gifts!

You can shop my favorites by clicking the images below. Happy shopping!

The post Holiday Gift Guide for BOYS 2024 appeared first on Home of Malones.

It’s that time of year again…I’m ready to kick off my holiday gift guides for 2024!

Since we are fresh from two stops on the Taylor Swift Eras Tour, I thought I’d start out with a category that’s been at the top of my mind – tween girls, ages 8-12! This was a fun one.

Here are my favorite gift ideas for the girls!

This bow-shaped satin throw pillow would be so adorable for a girl’s room – of any age!

An Apple Watch is always a popular gift – of course, with a few fun bands. I love the colorful silicone ones for this age.

I know that many girls are asking for skin care at this age – this watermelon toner is pretty and smells so good!

These pink patterned pajamas are adorable and a great price point!

These hand sanitizers are great for sports, backpack, purse – anything! This would make a great stocking stuffer.

Beats headphones – such a popular gift, and I promise they will get so much use out of these!

What are the girls listening to right now? Here’s a good one – Gracie Adams’ The Secret of Us!

I love all of the colorways of these Owala water bottles. These are my girls’ favorites!

For girls who may be ready to try a little makeup – this elf lip oil is a great starter with just enough color.

How much fun is this custom neon sign for a girl’s room? I love this!

This scented body mist set is another adorable stocking stuffer.

I love this pink pajama set from Nordstrom, paired with some Crocs cozy slippers.

Of course, I’m including some Taylor-themed gifts! Here is a book that I know Madelyn would love.

If you have a girl who is into tumbling, gymnastics or dance – this mat is a perfect addition to your basement or play area.

This electric Razr scooter is always an amazing gift!

Shop the post with links to all of the below products pictured – plus a few more – below!

Happy shopping!

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