Susie Homemaker Wannabe

Posted by Kristen on October 25th, 2009 at 02:50pm

Since I’ve been preparing to get married, I often think about what it’ll be like to be a homemaker for the first time. I daydream about how I’ll be as a mom and wife… will I be the one to prepare dinner on a regular basis? Will I be able to keep up with all the holidays and lovely home decorations that go with them? I also wonder at what point I will host a holiday dinner party in my own home. It’s all very exciting to think about, and a little overwhelming at times. Transitioning from an everyday 20-something into a fulltime wife or mother role is quite  a big task to take on! I love to cook as it is, but there’s a bit of added pressure when you’re entertaining a group in your own home, I imagine. This will be my last holiday season before I’m a married woman, so I’ve decided this is the year to start small. I came up with a few easy decorating ideas and found a  great holiday dish to bring to my family’s Thanksgiving festivities.

Thanksgiving often doesn’t get the credit it deserves, so I’m bringing the focus back to autumn and thankfulness before we get into this last week of the Halloween craze. Making a quick pumpkin pasta is a delicious side or main dish that really takes advantage of those autumn flavors makes everyone feel warm and cozy.

Pumpkin Pasta
Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 4 shallots, diced
• 18 ounce very dry hard cider
• 3 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• lots of black pepper
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 1 pound penne pasta

Steps:

1. Saute the shallots in a bit of olive oil until soft, and then add the squash.
2. Cook, stirring, about 5 minutes, and then add the cider, butter, nutmeg, and pepper.
3. Bring to a boil and simmer until the squash is very soft (20 minutes or less). Add more cider if the sauce starts getting thick.
4. At this stage, you can either mash the sauce in the pot or puree it in a food processor. You can also leave it as is.
5. Drain the cooked pasta and return it to the cooking pot. Pour in most of the sauce — save aside about a cup — and the parmesan, and stir up really well.
6. Serve in a pasta plate, surrounded by steamed broccoli florets, with about a tablespoon of sauce in the middle, dusted with a little nutmeg and a couple of sage leaves.

For simple decorations, create Thanksgiving placecards or gift tags that will make the table more festive than the average dinner table. Use the tags as napkin rings for an added thoughtful touch. Make your own centerpiece using earthy candles and rustic accents like pinecones and acorns to bring the things we love about fall from the outside, in.

Above all, be thankful for the opportunity you have to host your family in your home this year and do your best to make it a memorable and delicious experience.

Read the entire article about how to look (and act) like a total Susie Homemaker for Thanksgiving at Favecrafts.com.

Tags: DIY Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving decorations, Thanksgiving recipes

Under Thanksgiving+ Uncategorized Tags: DIY Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving decorations, Thanksgiving recipes