As of tomorrow, the Cole/Kartak household is officially on Thanksgiving break. Lawson is off of school next week and Jim is on vacation. We have lots of time and nowhere to go! Sybil has requested a movie night with popcorn so that’s on our list.
Our city moved into the Red Alert category this week, which actually doesn’t change a lot for us. We weren’t dining indoors anyway, but it does serve as another reminder that this virus is out of control. Next week we will try to spend time outdoors – driving into the mountains and going for longer walks.
Christmas lights and decorations are going up in our neighborhood, which is such fun to see. Lawson and Sybil LOVE it.
I was telling a friend recently that I’ve read a lot of books this year, but there haven’t been many standouts. After a few recommendations for Beneath a Scarlet Sky, I requested it from the library and started reading it this week. I’m only halfway through, but am almost certain it will make my top 3 books of the year. I have to force myself to put it down and have stayed up reading way too late at night. If you like WWII historical fiction, I highly recommend it.
I usually mention sales in my weekly newsletter, but wanted to point out a couple here too.
Sales to Shop
+ Madewell: 30% off their early Black Friday sale for Insiders (it’s free to sign up). I’m a broken record, but my favorite Madewell items are these black jeans, denim jacket (size up) and of course the zip top transport tote (full review here).
+ Olive & June: 25% off + free shipping over $20 with promo MAGIC25. I like the cuticle serum and top coat. For nail polish, I’m interested in HCG, HJ, BP and SC.
+ Bombas: 20% off with code CHEER20. I stocked up on stocking stuffers with this set for Lawson, these for Jim, and these festive fair isle and no show socks for me.
+ Beautycounter: 15% off + free shipping over $50. While I am no longer a consultant, I still use the sunscreen, charcoal mask and hand lotion. I also really like the overnight resurfacing peel.
Thanksgiving Menu
This weekend I’m making our Thanksgiving dinner shopping list so I can go to the store early next week. A few recipes I’m certain we’ll be using – this cranberry sauce, this turkey brine, and the most delicious sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes are a family recipe that Jim’s stepmom makes. They are fantastic. In an effort to memorialize the recipe somewhere, I am including it below. Let me know if you make it!
Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients:
3-5 sweet potatoes
Olive oil
Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
Marshmallow Topping:
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Salt
3/4 cup pecan pieces
3/4 cup mini-marshmallows
Directions:
Heat over to 400. Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Toss with olive oil and bake for 30-45 minutes until well cooked. Mix together the streusel topping until crumbly. Add the streusel and marshmallow toppings to the sweet potatoes. Return to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and brown.