Last year I made this little table mat for the side table next to my chair. This year, I converted it to a mini-quilt so I could put it on the Mini Quilt Stand and enjoy it more. It says “I just want to bake stuff and watch Christmas movies”, so that was the order of the day. I put on my favorite movie for the day after Thanksgiving, Miracle on 34th St (1947 edition). Do you love this movie? I thought it would be fun to do a trivia contest for you to torture entertain your family/friends this season. Download the Miracle on 34th St. Trivia Game Sheet so you can make copies to hand out, and then the Answer Sheet just for you.
Kicking off the holiday weekend with a bit of baking, the aroma of pumpkin bread filled the house. Make my original recipe – (pdf download) Pumpkin Orange Bread. My Sweet Babboo loves a bit more cinnamon, so I usually add just a bit more than the recipe says.
I tried a new method of cooking the turkey this year, opting to follow a friend’s advice and spatchcock it. This means to cut out the backbone and flatten it so it cooks more evenly. You’ll need a really good pair of kitchen shears to do this, ones that have a bit of a serrated edge to grab the bone and cut it. I have my grandmother’s pair, but you can find good ones here – Kitchen Shears
Open up the bird, pressing on the sides to break the wishbone and flatten the breast a bit. Turn the legs so the top of the thigh is on the outer edge. Season as you like. I used sage, rosemary and oregano along with a bit of garlic salt and lemon pepper.
I slow roasted mine at 250º for 20 minutes per pound. It came out beautifully moist and juicy. The skin wasn’t as browned as I wanted, so a couple of minutes under the broiler was needed.
Friday was the day to put in the movie and pack up the fall decor. That didn’t take long, so I got started on decorating for Christmas. Table runners went on the tables in the kitchen, along with my little MINI car cookie jar and a few other items.
I needed to put a stabilizing dowel on the back of my jewelry tree wall hanging. I found one just the right size, along with a small ring to hang it.
I only spent about 15 minutes stitching both things on the backside.
I took down a picture that usually goes on this wall, and put up the tree. On the top of the bookshelf are two serving pieces from my Vintage Christmas dish set, and a few little things to round out the display.
On another side table, the other table topper I made last year has the little glittery bird house ornaments that are too big for our tree, along with a Santa.
Outside on the feeder, two different woodpeckers visited along with a female cardinal. That is a red bellied woodpecker on the left, and a hairy woodpecker on the right.
Then, migrating visitors came by. Northern Flickers are only seen here for a few days each winter. Their distinctive markings make them easy to identify.
There were a couple of them on this one day. I must be doing something right with my photos, as the Cornell University’s Macaulay Library notified me that 4 of my uploaded photos are now on the species identification gallery. How cool is that!
So, today is more football and Formula 1 racing, all while trimming the Christmas tree and finishing up the binding on the Quilt of Valor. Next week will be sewing, a holiday party at guild, and Virtual Retreat on Thursday, December 5 beginning at 9:30 am Eastern standard time, and running all day. I know it is coming up fast, next a few days from now, but the holidays are upon us! You can work on whatever you like, not necessarily holiday projects. You can sew, knit, paint or just come to chat. Also, you do not need to commit to the whole day, come and go as you can. Come for a little while, or all day, pop in and out as your schedule allows. This time there will be lots of show and tell, door prizes, and inspiration to make progress on projects. Just $5 for the whole day, and will include a free pattern!
Click on Virtual Retreat Holiday Edition to register!
See these great deals from my affiliate sponsors, and thank you for using my links when you can. Order some new treats for yourself, get amazing gifts for friends and family, and enjoy the holidays this year without stress as all is taken care of early. Thank you for your support! These specials end tonight, and I’ll do a special post tomorrow with Cyber Monday specials.
Shop the Milk Street Store for great sales on cookbooks including my favorite World in a Skillet, and the new Milk Street 365 with over 600 recipes, along with the Precision Rolling Pin I showed in a previous post and amazing knife deals. Visit the Milk Street Pantry to find wonderful sauces and flavors to broaden your meal planning. Start your holiday shopping now for the foodie on your list, or treat yourself to a new flavor. Thanksgiving weekend Sale – Up to 75% off select items sitewide through Sunday 12/1.
Sulky Threads, Stabilizers and New Gift Items – New deals for December, and sign up for the New Year’s Eve Sew Along. Grab your Cozy and Comfy mystery box while supplies last.
If you have ever wanted to have the Electric Quilt EQ8 software to do your own designing, now is the time to get it! Save 25% on all products at Electric Quilt Black Friday Sale from now until December 2! Use code FRIDAY in cart.
Amazing deals for Black Friday at Amazon! Plus, sign up for a Free Trial of Amazon Prime for fast, free shipping on all your purchases for the next two weeks!
What are your plans for this week?
From My Carolina Home 
You Christmas decorations are very pretty! I love the red truck and table runner that it is sitting on. Do you know the name of the pattern for the table runner? I would love to make it.
Thank you,
Rose
Hi Rose, the table runner is my original design. It was on my blog as a four part quilt along. Start with this post – https://frommycarolinahome.com/2015/11/06/christmas-mystery-or-quilt-along/ – then click the Next Step at the bottom of each post. Have fun!
Carole, you have had a busy weekend! Congratulations on your photos making Cornell’s identification, you do a great job! Merry December!
I cooked my turkeys (yes, 2)
Your bird photos are always good! I’m not surprised that Cornell liked them, too. We have northern flickers here all year. Some people don’t like them because they peak holes in their cedar shingles and siding, but we enjoy seeing them! It’s always fun to see your Christmas decorations – I’m planning to get started on that this week.
I refer back to your brining turkey instructions every year, Carole. I enjoyed your Christmas decorating photos and the birds, too. We’ve had a few Flickers migrate through here, also, and they’re always fun to see!
I’ve seen chicken cooked that way, but never thought of cooking a turkey that way. Interesting. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve signed up for the retreat. Hope that helps me get a lot of stitching done!
I like waiting until Thanksgiving is over also before I decorated for Christmas so now like you this week is busy with getting a little more done each day. That is interesting on the turkey – did you prefer this way or leaving it the traditional way?
You are all decked out and it looks wonderful. I’ve been so sidelined, I’m just way behind normal, but trying not to obsess about it, even cut back a little. We’ll see how that goes. I may (or may not) be in early stage shingles so I’m on the antiviral and predinsone (which might be boosting my energy a little for the first time in ages). Love your mini-quilt and all you shared. And there is NO other Miracle on 34th Street version (that is worth its salt.) Just sayin’. . .
I’m very interested in the way you did your hanging rod and ring. I usually make a split casing to put the dowel through. It takes me significantly longer than 15 minutes to sew it and then blind-stitch it to the back. I’m going to try it your way next time.
I tried spatchcocking mine this year, too! I dry brined with coarse salt mixed with a little baking powder overnight, then baked at 450 degrees for 30 minutes and then at 350 degrees until 165 degrees. It was the so moist and juicy. I will be making it this way from now on.
Being late reading emails from you is never a bad thing. The entertainment is just the same. Congratulations on having your bird pics selected to share with everyone.
Well done!
Alexandria