I'm getting ready for the big sale!

Place mats, hot pads, hobby horses, and quilts. Get 'em while they're hot.

My fellow blogger and Open Sky neighbor, Bailey from Makeover Momma, has put out an all points bulletin just in time for Thanksgiving dinner. She has asked us to post a favorite holiday recipe. Check her site to see the others. There is even a recipe that is really for the birds... quite literally! Sharon, the Birdchick, has that one up on her site. Don't forget that our little feathered friends need a handout when the cold weather arrives.

My mother in law, Clarita, was half Mexican. In the past we have had full on Mexican Thanksgivings in her honor, (smoked turkey enchiladas, etc...) but now we give her a shout out with at least one Mexican side dish and more than a few toasts to remembering her and Jim, her beloved husband, and her beautiful tables of Thanksgivings past. I am Thankful to have been a part of their world.

Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle Cream.

Preheat oven to 375.

Butter a 9 x 13 Pyrex baking dish.

layer sliced pealed 1/2'' rounds of 6-8 sweet potatoes

in a blender combine 1 1/2 cups heavey cream and 1 small chipotle pepper from a can

blend until smooth

pour mixture over potatoes and sprinkle with brown sugar (and pecans if you like)

bake for 1 hour

if you like, sprinkle on a bit more sugar and pass under the broiler.

It's in the bag, baby.

With all of the holiday shows coming up, including the annual Sis Boom Holiday extravaganza 12/3- 12/5, I have started to prepare for all of my big sales... fingers crossed! I always try to package things as nicely as possible, but I really didn't want to order bags again. So, I came up with my "re-purposed" horse bedding bag. A pair of pinking shears trimmed it down to size with pizazz, and the left over strips (or fabric) get stitched on for handles. These will work nicely at the grocery store, too.

Cooking with Friends

I am so loving my new blog buddies at Cooking with Friends and all of their incredibly tasty entries! My first wake up call was "No Knead Bread". ( No- I don't really NEED it...) But, I mean- it's so sinfully simple and satisfying! A must try. These gals seem to be completely tuned into my internal appetite gauge. The most recent thing I made from there was the Root Soup- spectacular and not too sinful. Mine came out a bit richer in color, but that may have been from the type of squash I used. I , for some reason, was inspired to add a dollop of Greek yogurt and some toasted pumpkin seeds. We served it with grilled sausage and a salad with persimmon and a balsamic vinaigrette.
I must also add, it looked pretty dazzling on my new autumnal place mats made with Laura Gunn's Lantern Bloom line- mix and match, flip 'em over- all of these colors work for me , especially this time of year. Please go visit Alison and Shannon at Cooking with Friends. They have some really great holiday menu ideas, and they would love to hear about your favorites, too.

The raffle quilt cometh.

Anna Fogge, from Bohemian Cotton, requested similar fabrics to the ones I used in the "Give Thanks Raw Edge Applique Tutorial". Happy to oblige, I got more into it than planned, and her whole clothe quilt turned into more of a giant path patchwork quilt. I hope she is pleased.