Thanksgiving with the Hoots

The Saturday before Thanksgiving we hosted a Thanksgiving feast for the Hoots' family.

It was the perfect fall day for food and family.

New table linens for our celebration.

The kids table. No vintage heirloom china for them.

The menu... notice anything missing?

Hot Spiced Cider.

Here is the recipe I get asked all the time...

Warm 1 gallon apple cider or apple juice.

Mix in 1/2 cup brown sugar.

Place the following in a coffee filter...

1 teaspoon whole allspice

2 teaspoons whole cloves

2 pinches nutmeg

1/2 teaspoons salt (yes, add the salt)

2 cinnamon sticks

(don't have cinnamon sticks?

just substitute ground cinnamon - 1 teaspoon= 1 stick).

Twist the coffee filter up and close with twist tie.

Mull coffee filter spice mix in cider for about 2 hours. (or longer)

While mulling I like to add orange slices.

Serve and enjoy!

Here is what was missing on the menu... turkey!

We ordered a Bojangles turkey this year. It comes fully cooked and you just reheat.

It was incredible easy and not as messy as cooking a turkey.

It was tasty (but tastes nothing like their chicken). But, I think my expectations were too high. It was good, but not as good as my mom's turkey marinade. I would do it again because it really is fool proof poultry.

The pee-wee table. All they really ate was bread. Isaac and Olivia and one cousin.

The big kid table. Ethan and three cousins.

Isaac and Granddaddy watching the fire.

Off to get more firewood with older cousins.

The big entertainment of the day was the fire...

and there were three very dedicated fire keepers!