Because stuffing inside the bird is so 1990. Stuff an apple instead. The stuffing stays wonderfully moist {hate that word but there is no replacement} and is so tasty with the turkey.
Happy Thanksgiving!
By the time Thanksgiving is here my family is going to be so tired of turkey. And stuffing. And everything else. Luckily, no one tires of a cocktail.
To celebrate all things Thanksgiving, I put together a tiny little video to get you excited for the easiest side dishes ever - Weeknight Party Girl style.
Ironically, cooking a giant turkey is a lot easier than cooking almost anything else. But the fear of a Clark Griswold style experience is real. All too real. The trick is to do the math right on figuring out how long to cook it {here it is (pounds x 15) / 60 } and then keeping it basted. Which does mean you have to be in the kitchen while it's cooking - figure baste it once every 45 minutes - or every time you refill your cocktail. Which ever comes first.
Cheers!
This is the perfect alternative to a huge turkey if you only have a few people to serve. Or, if you aren't hosting Thanksgiving and won't end up with leftovers, this is a great way to end up with a little turkey the next day.
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Last week I got to host the coolest party with Tree Top - an apple party! We celebrated National Apple Month by pressing fresh apple cider, making apple crafts, and eating apple-tizers. It was a blast!
Apple Cinnamon Popcorn
There are a zillion more photos and cool things after the jump!
To decorate for the party - and celebrate all things apples - we built a giant plywood screen across the back of the truck bay and I painted giant apple slices on them. I cut honeycomb balls into apple shapes inspired by these honeycomb fruit over on Studio DIY. Before the party started we gathered all of the children who are members of "my team" and got a picture of the gang with our favorite brand logo!
One of the crafts we made were apple bird feeders. These are so simple to make. It's great for using apples that are a little bit older - and creating a little fun fall craft with your kids. Also, the birds will eat the seed as well as the apples.
Washington Sliders {made with apple sauce, Beecher's cheese, bacon, and locally grown mustard}
The most exciting part of the party was pressing fresh apple cider. I picked up more than 140 pounds of Washington State apples from the local farmers stand to turn into juice. It's amazing how captivated a group of children can be when there is apple grinding happening.
The children all took turns throwing apples into the grinder and got to try their hand at turning the grinding wheel. When it was time to press the apples, the children also got to press the apples but it gets hard after a few minutes so Mr. Hedin took over that job and the children used small milk bottles to collect the juice as it poured out.
Not everyone cared if they drank the cider fresh off the press. I mean, why would you when there was a cooler full of juice boxes in the kitchen?
I also discovered recently that if you mix Tree Top Three Apple Blend with ginger ale {equal parts} you get a deliciously spicy and sparkly apple mock-tail.
The Three Apple Blend is also amazing mulled!
My children's favorite craft was turning juice boxes into mummies! We used electrical tape and skinny duct tape from the hardware store to turn juice boxes into fabby little monsters.
SWAG! No one left the party empty handed! We filled bags with copies of my book, apple juice bottles, and apple sauce squeezers. Perfect sizes for lunch or for toting around in your bag to keep the kids happy.
I am a huge fan of the Tree Top company. Their juice has always been my first choice because it's based in Washington State. When they approached me to work with them I was ecstatic. I love when I get to promote companies that I already support.
Tree Top is a grower owned co-op that supports more than 1,000 growers in the Pacific Northwest. That means the apples in the juice are locally grown and 100% of the apples are grown in the USA. Tree Top supports local farmers and local families. I'm a huge fan.
This party and post were sponsored by Tree Top
Can't get her out of my mind. That's why it's hard for me to find. Can't get her out of my head.
Skellington Skull and Crossbones Decanter from Waiting on Martha
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Shout out to Bel Biv Devoe and the soundtrack of my youth
My children were completely creeped out by these rats. Once they realized they all hated them, it became a game to see who could be around it the longest. I think Pearl won. As candle holders, they are perfect for Halloween - and they literally could not be simpler. Make your own and share them with #weeknightpartygirl. I can't wait to see your Weeknight Halloween.
More Halloween Ideas
