How to Host a Friendsgiving Dinner

Thank you to Oriental Trading Company for sponsoring this post. Product and/or compensation was provided to me to share my ideas and tips, however, all opinions are fully my own. 

Thanksgiving is literally a few short days away and you may find yourself looking for last minute ideas for hosting a small gathering of friends....also known as a Friendsgiving. 

A Friendsgiving is a great way to host your friends for the Thanksgiving holiday, but you don't have to break the bank or do a lot of work to get ready - especially with my easy and affordable tips for setting a beautiful tablescape and preparing a delicious meal.  Below are some ideas and tips that I have on how to pull together a quick tablescape and meal for your closest pals.

With the right combination of decorative pieces, you can create a beautiful tablescape  that looks like you put in a ton of work....(but you really didn't)....I used a gold shimmer burlap table runner, a faux boxwood garland, mirror glass votives and metallic string placemats as the foundation of tablescape.  Using the votives creates a very intimate space and provides an extra element of lighting.  Spacing out votive candles with autumnal elements, like decorative pumpkins, down the center of your table, you can create perfectly natural looking centerpiece that will certainly wow your guests. 

Little details like burlap bows hot glued to the ends of the runner add another level of dimension to a simple decorative piece.  I just love, love, love mixing elegant pieces with more casual pieces and the combination of metallics and burlap completes this look perfectly.

Make it easy for guests to find their place at the table.  I painted wood cut gourds gold and white and wrote down the names of my special friends.   This is a simple DIY and if you add a magnet to the back of the place cards, your guests can take them home to attach to their fridge or magnet board as an instant thank you gift!

Instead of florals, I used a faux boxwood garland to fill in the middle of the table along with decorative pumpkins from my fall decor stash.  There is so much you can do with a few decorative pieces.  Keeping special occasional dinnerware on hand will always come in handy.  

These 'Thank You' gift tags make perfect napkin rings.  I plucked a few pieces from the garland to bring in some of the greens to my linen napkins I already had on hand.  

Place a wall sign or framed quote out to remind your closest friends how much they truly mean to you and how thankful you are for their friendship!

If you need an affordable idea for feeding your guests, my quick and easy tip for preparing a Friendsgiving meal is to keep it super simple. 

I went to my local Aldi and Trader Joe's and found a full meal to feed 4-6 people for less than $35.  Trader Joe's had a Turkey En Croute with cranberry sauce and gravy for $12.99!  That's a major score.  I also found frozen green beans and pearl onions, and frozen sweet potatoes...I doctored the side dishes up with spices and herbs and turned out a delicious meal!  I was even able to find mini pies from Aldi that were a perfect treat for dessert.

What makes this idea THE BEST is that there is very little clean up and the time to prep and cook everything was less than two hours!

Pulling together a last minute Friendsgiving is totally doable.  Just remember my tips when  setting it up:

• Simple decor can go a long way, a few elegant pieces mixed in with casual everyday tableware and linens will give you a stunning tablescape.  

• Dress up your place settings with cloth napkins, thank you tags and a few botanical sprigs (faux or real).  

• Make gifts serve a dual purpose by personalizing take home name cards....they'll mean a lot to your besties because you made them (and they take no time at all to make). 

• Make meal prep effortless with heat and go dishes that you can easily flavor with flair!

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PIN AND SHARE FOR LATER

Thanks again to Oriental Trading for always providing festive elements for my holiday entertaining ideas! 

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Follow me @cwbdparties on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest and tag me when share your best holiday entertaining moments using ideas from my site! 

Homemade Sweet Potato Pie

There is nothing I cherished more as a child, than the times I spent with grandmother in the kitchen helping her prep meals and dishes for big holiday gatherings.

One of those fond moments included helping her get the sweet potatoes ready for her delicious pies and casseroles!  I remember that she used to boil the potatoes whole, then let them cool a bit and peel the skin back from the warm potatoes, I'd sit all wide-eyed watching  a bit of steam pipe out of each potato, just amazed at how cool, calm and collected she would be while handling each one....She's such a G.  Once the potatoes were peeled, we'd divide them up, and cube and slice them....most were used for making the candied yams and the remaining were used for the pie filling.  Well, after the peeling and cutting was done we'd.....well.....actually, all the rest is a blur to me....(record scratch) I remember something about  mashing the potatoes....and brown sugar... nutmeg....but that's about it!

I mean, don't get me wrong here....I know I can make a sweet potato pie E-Z!....I can even call up my dear grandmother (we call her Miss Kitty) and ask her how we used to make it.  It's just that....ain't nobody got time for all of that - ESPECIALLY when you're husband is a born and bred southerner who can cook and bake his tail off.  So, when I had this hairbrain idea to share how to make a homemade sweet potato pie for Thanksgiving, I knew that I wanted to share his recipe most of all.....(sorry Miss Kitty).

I promise you....I didn't marry my husband because he was a great southern cook....well, maybe a lil' bit, because....a girl can eat, but he's pretty fantastic....the great cooking skizillz is just a bonus.  ;)

When I asked him if he'd share his sweet potato pie recipe with my readers, I was a bit shocked when he said yes.  He's a private fella and quiet as kept, there also seems to be an underground secret society of recipe hiders on his side of the family (I'll never get his late grandmother's Caramel cake recipe from his aunt) so,  I just knew he'd say no; but, to my surprise, he was all for it....he even baked said pie for me - two to be exact.

What I love best about his pies is they are chock full of spices....and SO rich and buttery....and he makes a perfect pie crust.  Everyone knows a perfect crust is the crown jewel of any decent pie.  I found out his secret....he BUYS it!  LOL

For years, I turned my nose up at refrigerated pie crust, vowing every holiday to make the perfect apple pie with a crust from scratch...but, to no avail.  Meanwhile, hubby has cranked out perfect pies  with refrigerated dough, like gangbusters.  So, I gave up the ghost and let him be the Pie Making King of the house (kinda.....I've promised Thing  1 that she and I would make an apple pie for Thanksgiving...crossing fingers)  It's still a personal mission to make the perfect full from scratch pie....but I now admit, that there ain't nothing wrong with refrigerated dough - we like Pilsbury :)

Also....the texture of his pies are not dense as some other sweet potato pies I've had.  His tends to be more fluffy and light in texture....almost borderline souffle!  Also, he tops his pie with a generous sprinkling of cinnamon which I just love because it gives the pie even more flavor!  A small slice of hubby's sweet potato pie and a dollup of whipped cream for me is always a win!

I think I've made it pretty clear that I eat a Ketogenic diet most days...but I'm giving myself a pass for Thanksgiving, because I REALLY want to eat pie and a few other carb heavy dishes.....I can indulge a bit, right? (damn right I can 100+ lbs down since this time last year!)


If you're making pies this holiday and haven't made sweet potato before or want to try it a different way, test out my hubby's recipe....you'll love it! (and let me know if you do....he's sort of anxious to hear some feedback.....plus he thinks it's going to make him instafamous LOL)

Here's the recipe for you to download and print!

Are you planning on making any delicious family pie recipes?  Make sure you share them  and tag me on social media at @cwbdparties - and if you make THIS recipe, I'd love to hear what you think about it - or even any fond family Thanksgiving memories you have with your grandparents - so make sure to leave a comment below - Enjoy!

LET'S GET SOCIAL!
Find more celebrations and Halloween fun @cwbdparties on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest

Party Gals Linky Party No. 11

Welcome to the Party Gals Linky Party!  We're a group of  CREATIVE PARTY PLANNERS here to share with you our love of parties, entertaining, delicious recipes, DIY ideas and crafts!  Visit us every other Friday to see what's new in our party world and link up with us to share your own fabulous ideas!

Every other Friday, visit any of us on our blogs to check out a fun party inspired project, idea, recipe or craft. We'll share all our tips and inspiration with you and what's even better is, you get to share your creativity with us too!  Each post will have a linky party tool at the very end where you can link up with other awesome creatives!

*** NEW FEATURE TO OUR LINKY PARTY!!! ***

Thanks for partying with us, we want to shine the spotlight on those of you who take the time to link up with us and share your creativity!  Each linky party will feature a collage of our favorite projects and ideas that you shared  with a link to your posts!  

Our faves from left -right:

Keisha's Favorite - Best Side Dishes for Thanksgiving by Dreaming of Leaving
Sunny's Favorite - How to Make Swirling Leaves Cupcake Toppers
Blanca's Favorite - Christmas Binder Printables by White House Crafts
Jessica's Favorite - Inside Out Party Ideas by Polka Dotted Blue Jay

Michelle's Favorite - DIY Christmas Pillow by Garnished Home

Thanks to everyone who linked up with us - now let's get ready to party!

To start things off, I'm sharing my recipe for Gobble Grub - a tasty snack to serve guests this Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Gobble Grub

Visit me on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook and Periscope to see more of my own personal faves and other great party and holiday ideas - use the hashtag  #ThePartyGalsLinky

Here are more great and inspiring ideas, recipes and how-to's from the rest of the Party Gals:

Thanksgiving Table

Gobble Gobble Candy Bar Wrappers

Harvest Party Ideas

Fall Coloring Page

"Thank you for partying with us! "

GRAB A PARTY GALS BUTTON  We'd love for you to also share that you're partying with us by linking to Party Gals Linky on your blog.  You can grab one of our buttons here:

We would love it if you also follow The Party Gals on Pinterest where you can see all our favorites and more!


JOIN OUR LINKY PARTY!

We'd love for you to link up with us too!  Leave a link to a post with a creative idea, craft, diy, recipe or project you would like to share.  We'll select our favorites in a future post and on our social media pages! 

By participating in our linky party and leaving a link below, you give us permission to share your photo and idea on our blogs and social media pages with a link back to you (we promise).  Links to shops, contests, sweepstakes or giveaways will be removed from the party.  Please link to your own blogs and projects and be sure to leave a comment on your favorite projects!

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanksgiving Gobble Grub

Every year while I'm preparing our family Thanksgiving meal, there is always that ONE dish that throws me off my schedule and everyone starts asking, when will dinner be ready?  Is the Turkey done yet?  WHEN ARE WE GOING TO EAT?!!!!  So, in my house, it helps to stave off hungry family and guests with a tasty snack!

Here is a tasty little concoction that I've whipped up to keep guests and kids happy while waiting for Thanksgiving dinner or while watching the game!  This Thanksgiving Gobble Grub is so easy to make and it's super yummy!



All you need to make it are a few simple ingredients:

Popcorn

Mini Pretzels

Mini Marshmallows
Reese's Pieces or Fall M&M's
Candy Corn or Indian Corn


I like to pop a bag of popcorn in the microwave and throw in all the ingredients while it's still HOT! Simply toss everything in a big bowl and serve!

You can also serve these packaged in a cellophane bag and tied up with a ribbon for a take home treat, classroom snack or small neighbor or hostess gift.

Since it is the season for giving, I've created a cute lil' FREE PRINTABLE tag to tie onto your treat if you'd like to give this yummy treat away to friends or family!

 We all know the best part about Thanksgiving is the yummy meal....but the worst part is WAITING for the meal.  Keep your guests filled up on this delicious snack treat!

You can download this Gobble Grub favor tag here.

Have you started preparing your Thanksgiving menu yet?  What kinds of treats are you planning for the favorite people in your life?  I'd love to hear - leave a comment below!

{Gratitude} 5 Tips to Writing Thank You Notes

There's something about November and the onset of the holiday season that makes ya start thinking about gratitude.  When I am out and about, and come across a cute pack of thank you cards I will always grab them to add to my 'collection'.  I loooove stocking up on thank you cards and sending little notes to family, friends and associates who go out of their way to do really nice stuff for me.  We live in a world where it's so easy to just send an email or text.  However, there really isn't anything more thoughtful than sending a handwritten note.  So, with the season of thanks and giving at hand, I thought I'd share 5 tips to writing thank you notes.

1.  Make it timely - Although I am certain anyone would appreciate being thanked for whatever reason at any given time, it's best to do it in a timely fashion.  If you're sending out thank you notes following a party or event, the note should be sent out as soon as possible and no later than a month after the event.  If you do end up sending it later, just be sure to express your apologies for not sending a note sooner.

2.  Be prepared - Have pretty stationary, note cards, stamps, envelopes, pens that work and updated addresses at the ready.  Write your notes under good lighting at your desk or  find a nice comfy place on the couch with a lap desk and get to writing.  Also, being prepared does NOT include having pre-written thank you notes, IJS.

3. Stick with a Basic Template - Short and sweet wins the race.  Have a basic format but stay sincere and personable.  If  you have a good amount of notes to send, say after a big event like a wedding or shower, you'll want a basic thank you note that expresses your gratitude.  Be sure to mention the gift, how you plan to use it, if you enjoy it .  If it's not something you really are fond of, you can simply say you appreciate the gift giver's thoughtfulness. 

4. Do not mention money - If you're writing a card to thank someone for sending you money or a gift card there is no need to mention the dollar amount.  It's in poor taste to do so.  That being said, you can simply express your appreciation for their kindness, hospitality or generosity.

5. Take your time -  Slow and steady ALSO wins the race.  Pace yourself and take your time while writing and putting your thoughts onto paper.  If you find yourself getting tired after writing a good amount of cards in one sitting - feel free to take a break.  It's better to err on the side of caution than to air on the side of caution.

Hope these tips were helpful and that you take a little time out to send a note of thanks to someone you are absolutely grateful to have in your life!

{MG Party Impression} Kid's Thanksgiving Table Inspiration

Before I get get knee-deep in cranberry sauce and giblets, I wanted to share the Thanksgiving Kid's Table I created for MG Party Impressions.  I love all the fun colors and adorable images!  When my kids got home and saw this setup they were so excited!  It includes everything from coloring pages, crayon boxes, a craft station and feather headdresses!!!!

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!!

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

I made a pumpkin cheesecake over the weekend that was DA BOMB!!!!!  (Do people still say da bomb.....???) 

The recipe I used called for a lot of lovely spices (ground clove, cinnamon, all spice & ground ginger); I'm sure, you could easily substitute all that for Pumpkin Pie spice and get away with it.  The great thing about this cheesecake was that it had a very fluffy texture and not as dense as most cheesecakes. I believe, the key to getting a really fluffy cheescake was to press the water out of the pumpkin filling (canned) and use five eggs as opposed to four.

Here's how my cheesecake bakin' went!

I started out with Graham crackers....

 Put them in a food processor....

Ground them up.....

Added a couple tablespoons of buttah....

Stirred in Sugar n' Spice.....

Put the spiced buttery crumbs into a springform pan and patted them down in an even layer.  I baked the crumbs in the oven at 325 degrees for about 10-12 minutes - allowed it to cool down for 10 minutes when it was done.....

Mixed up my pressed out pumpkin filling with cream cheese, spices, sugar and eggs....

Poured the mixture into the springform pan and smoothed out the top of the filling.  I baked it in the oven at 325 degrees in a water bath for a little over an hour.  Because my oven is possesed it took less time than what the recipe recommended (1 1/2 hours).  Then I let it cool down in the pan for 45 minutes and put it in the fridge to chill for about 3 hours before serving....

Take it out put it on a fancy festive plate and if you're feeling brave add a toasted marshmallow to your slice....

I know - you're dying to make one yourself!

Here's the video on how to make it!

Bon Appetit!