The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!!!

i know, that phrase usually that means christmas. but i'm actually referring to my most favorite of holidays. thanksgiving!!!!!

a truly wonderful holiday that focuses on the true joys of what it is to be alive. eating, drinking, and enjoying the company of loved ones.

for years tony and i have had the tradition of opening up our home to anyone who wishes to share our table. and we make a day of it!

now this day is a marathon, not a sprint, so we have to start off with a solid base in our tummies to prepare for the day ahead.

so here's a focus on our thanksgiving brunch.....

in my home growing up, my dad always made a citrus salad. a simple fruit salad of navel oranges and pink grapefruits. it was one of my favorite things to eat this season when i was a child. sadly, i've developed an allergy to citrus, so i don't make it often. but i feel this is a special occasion, so rules and caution go out the window!

this year i actually have my parents spending the morning with us, so dad was nice enough to put together the salad for this morning. doesn't it just LOOK refreshing?

as for beverages, tony likes a nice and spicy bloody mary, so i make up a batch of my "bloody marylands"-a mix of tomato juice, lemon juice, horse radish, worcestershire sauce and a healthy shake of old bay. a little tito's vodka (or not for those who don't prefer) and we're good to go!

i love a good breakfast casserole. they're easy to throw together the night before and keep in the fridge so i can just pop them in the oven the next morning. easier with mom here to dice all the onions and peppers! this one has layers of cubed and toasted pumpernickel bread, sage sausage, cheddar, onions, peppers and mushrooms. all baked into a base of milk, eggs and seasoning. hearty and delicious!

now.....the best part of the meal.....dessert. breakfast dessert. nothing makes the house smell quite as good as fresh baked cinnamon rolls. and as i mentioned in a previous post, i'm all about adding pumpkin to EVERYTHING this time of year. so oh yes, we have pumpkin cinnamon rolls. with a very generous topping of cream cheese frosting.

i went a little crazy with the filling of this batch. instead of just the usual butter, cinnamon and brown sugar, i added pecans. and cranberries. and golden raisins. it's a lot going on in one roll. but....omg....are they good.

so with a full belly i am ready to get in the kitchen and start the preparations for tonight's festivities!! ok, i'll be honest. i'm actually ready for a nap. but AFTER that, i'll be getting the turkey prepped and the green beens into a casserole! i'll post about dinner later!