My favorite time of the year October to January. When we start to slowly creep back inside gathering up our harvest and sharing the labor with our loved ones. Adding a log to the fire, lighting the candles and gathering our cookbooks. Don’t get me wrong I love all the other months as well but there is something lovely about slowing down just a little bit, twinkling lights with a nice warm drink in hand while pouring over some of our favorite recipes.

Three October’s ago while I was back home in Ohio for a month after I had finished training, towards the end of my stay at the Howdy Homestead, Amber and I and the rest of the crew decided before I left that we should have a Pre-Thanksgiving.

We cooked and baked we wore our great grandmothers apron. We talked about past family traditions and traditions we would like to have and bring in. Huckleberry helped with cutting vegetables, we laughed and played and felt all homey with all the smells and comforts of their cabin set back on a hill in the Wayne Forest.

Towards the end of getting everything finished and cooked Amber and Alex finished up the cooking while Huckleberry and I could go and explore Shawnee and of course go and play at the playground. It was the perfect Sunday.

Our menu for the evening was:

Cornish Hens

Apple Stuffing

Stuffed Acorn Squash w/pecans

Green Beans

And for desert

*Pumpkin custard with a Thyme Pastry Crust

The Saturday before we went to the Athens Farmers Market to gather what we didn’t have at the homestead. If you haven’t had a chance to go to the Farmers Market in Athens you really should do so. Especially if you are in the neighborhood there. We had also went and picked apples a local orchard in southeastern Ohio.

I haven’t really ever been big on the whole Turkey for Thanksgiving. I get it its become tradition but there was something about this meal that felt more traditional, simple and the meal just felt more festive. Perhaps it was the music we where playing, or the chill in the air. Maybe it was the cabin in the woods, mostly it was the time spent with family. The memories we shared, the conversations we had and the meal we cooked.

with love,

jess