Beyond Words

Thanksgiving is but two days away, which means your turkey should be thawing and your pies should be baking. Both turkey and pie, particularly pumpkin, are Thanksgiving traditions and I love them both. But did you know that pie at Thanksgiving really has nothing to do with the Pilgrims or Native Americans? In fact, common belief is that the tradition was probably started by a magazine sometime in the mid-nineteenth century. Who knew?!

 

When it comes to Thanksgiving, nothing comes between me and my pumpkin pie!  I LOVE pumpkin pie.  It’s my favorite pie in all the universe and I can eat it anytime of the year.  Our daughter, on the other hand, loves pecan pie. Me, not so much. My husband? He’ll have a little of everything.

 

A new survey reveals that I am not alone in my pumpkin pie obsession. Here are the most popular go-to Thanksgiving pies ranked according to how many people said they were their faves:

Pumpkin – 50 percent

Pecan – 27 percent

Apple – 20 percent

 

And guess what, just like pies, which come in all flavors and styles, the one you like the best says something about your unique traits and personality. Just what do your pie choices say about you? According to “The Tasteful Life,” a lot!

 

If pumpkin pie is your favorite, you are nostalgic and a traditionalist.  (yep, that’s me!)

Pecan pie lovers like the simple things in life and are seekers of love.

Apple?  You’re all-American and predictable.  You are probably also the healthier one of the pie bunch.

Let’s dive and cut in a little deeper.

 

 

 

Pumpkin Pie

A Thanksgiving tradition, pumpkin pie is considered an American tradition. Made of one of the earliest import foods Europeans introduced the New World to, the orange squash quickly became beloved by Colonists and remains so today.

 

The pie is a fall tradition so those who like it best often consider fall their favorite season. Raising my hand! Those who love pumpkin pie also love sitting at home cuddled up with a cozy blanket, a fire, and maybe a good book or good friends. Yep, that’s me too. Pumpkin pie is considered simple and a classic, and so are pumpkin pie lovers. They are nostalgic and traditionalists; like to keep things chic but not fussy; are effortlessly elegant; and are most likely emotionally stable, consistent, and reliable. Pumpkin pie lovers also can’t stand drama or chaos and having a calm environment is very important to them. Chills, as those describe me to a tee.

 

 

 

 

Apple Pie

According to the American Pie Council, this is America’s all-around pie of choice, and rightly so, right?  If it’s your favorite, you’re probably “As American as Apple Pie,” love tradition and security but can tend to be a tad predictable. You’re also inclined to loyally lean on the same products again and again, whether it is your dish soap or your favorite jeans, and you are a grounded, realistic person and friend as well as compassionate, outdoor lover, and enjoy being active.

 

 

 

 

Pecan Pie

Pecan pie is very sweet and if it’s your fave, so are you! Lovers of this pie tend to like the simple things in life and are seekers of love. Especially popular in the south, there are many versions of pecan pie, but all are sweet and all are beloved. Lovers of pecan pie are likely thoughtful and analytical and have tons of friends. Those friends love your rationality and loyalty and often come to you for advice. Sounds like you are just like pecan pie itself: infectious!

 

 

 

 

 

Most Thanksgiving menus will consist of all of the above, and what a fun idea the above pic is…little pies of all of them! If you, like me, are making a random other pie (blueberry on my part), here’s what some of them say about those who request them:

 

Peach Pie

Probably my second favorite pie, peach pie has been around forever and is so versatile. You can serve one hot or cold and make it with fresh, frozen, or canned peaches. If you love peach pie, you probably also love a challenge and love for your mind to be stimulated.  You are definitely a thinker but sometimes over analyze and you are someone who learns from mistakes and trials. You also hate to fail. Hmmm…me again.

 

Blueberry Pie

Blueberries can stain a table cloth or shirt like nobody’s business but guess what; if this is your favorite pie you couldn’t care less! A blueberry pie lover is that fun-loving, laid back, life of the party person. In fact, you’re kinda like the pie itself, which is considered by many the easiest to make, in that you are easy going and open minded and you love when others succeed. You are also smart, have excellent taste, don’t embarrass easily, and are quick to laugh at yourself. Relax and be happy: you’re a blueberry pie lover!

 

Cherry Pie

When I think of a cherry pie, I think tart and so are you to a certain extent if this is your pie pick! It’s all in a good way though, in that you have attitude and confidence and you don’t let people push you around. You, like the bright red of the cherries themselves, also don’t mind standing out in a crowd and you live for a little excitement. That yearning for adventure means you’re a risk taker, are game for trying new things and taking on new hobbies, and are rarely bored with life.

 

Sweet Potato Pie

Often confused with its more popular cousin the pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie has also been around since colonial times. Its ingredients were adapted from African cuisine and it’s still a staple soul food item. It’s nostalgic and very southern, and so are you if you love it. It’s also usually a surprising but welcome sight at holiday gatherings and so are you!

 

Lemon Meringue Pie

Like the tangy center of this pie, you are bubbly and full of optimism. You are anything but “basic” and love bright colors and making the best of every situation and life in general. You could say your motto is “When life gives you lemons, make a lemon meringue pie!”

 

Chocolate Silk Pie

To me, this is basically a chocolate pudding pie but to those who favor it, it’s much, much more. Baked properly, a chocolate silk pie is just that: smooth as silk. So are you. You prefer the best things in life and have great taste. Richness emotes from the pie and from you.

 

 

So, there you have it. What does your favorite pie say about you? Do the traits describe you? Just for fun, print this out, and ask family and friends which pie is their favorite and then have fun sharing what it says about them.

 

 

 

All of this got me thinking.  What does the rest of the food at the Thanksgiving table say about us?  Let’s find out!

 

 

If the turkey is your favorite part of a Thanksgiving meal, you are probably strong, honest, and reliable. You are also probably a traditionalist and a true friend.

 

Those who dive right into the stuffing (or dressing as some call it) love to laugh and are fun and lively. They are most likely the life of a Thanksgiving Day party.

 

Mashed potato lovers tend to be a bit sophisticated and reserved, but if the mood strikes them, they loosen up and they enjoy life to the fullest.

 

Crazy over cranberries?  Then you are more than likely nostalgic and are the one adult who doesn’t mind sitting at the kids’ table.

 

If the green beans get you, you are hands down the health nut of the bunch…unless it’s that famous recipe with cream soup and fried onions!

 

 

Whatever is your liking, as we all do our shopping and plan our Thanksgiving meals and as we cook and bake ‘til we’re turkeyed-out, let’s all focus on being thankful and what ingredients are really important in the recipe for life.

 

“Into each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work, hope, fidelity, kindness, rest, prayer, and one well-selected solution.  Add one teaspoon of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkle of play, and a heaping cup of good humor.” 

Author Unknown

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you finished your Thanksgiving Day grocery shopping? Are the pies baked? Did sweet potatoes or yams make the cut? I love them both and whichever is picked for Turkey Day I’m okay with as they are both healthy and yummy. Healthy and yummy, but different and not interchangeable.

 

 

The popular saying is “puh-tay-toe” “puh-tah-toe,” but this time of year it switches to sweet potatoes or yams. So, as we get ready to celebrate all things we are thankful for, let’s say thank you to the two orangey potatoes! Both are critical Thanksgiving Day side dishes and chalk full of nutrients. Okay, maybe not when mixed with brown sugar and marshmallows, but when done right, they really should be part of not only your Thanksgiving menu, but your year-long diet.

 

First things first: sweet potatoes aren’t yams and they’re not even true potatoes! According to my Concierge Choice Physicians newsletter, a potato is considered a “tuber” and a sweet potato is actually a root vegetable. Both potatoes and sweet potatoes grow under the soil and as for yams vs. sweet potatoes, they are both root vegetables but belong to two different plant families.  And by “plants,” we’re talking real plants.

 

 

The sweet potato is from the morning glory family while the yam is related to the lily. Who knew?! Yams are generally more starchy and less sweet than their sweetly named cousins and grow much larger. Just two states – Idaho and Washington – provide more than half of the total U.S. potato crop and a single state – North Carolina – accounts for more than half of hte sweet postato harvest in the U.S. And, other than Thanksgiving Day tables in the U.S.A., where you’re from may dictate which one you eat and cook with. Yams are commonly used in African, Asian, and Caribbean cooking while sweet potatoes are generally more popular in New World meals.

 

We all feel better when we order those “healthy” sweet potato fries instead of regular fries and many of you consider fresh sweet potatoes healthier than those canned cubes soaked in syrup, but ironically many of the popular canned yams you see this time of year are technically sweet potatoes. If you’re picky about one or the other, check the label. When buying fresh ones, you’ll also want to check your choice.

 

 

As you peruse the produce department, know that yams have long, tapered shapes and skin that looks like bark on a tree. They have a neutral flavor, tough flesh, yucca-like texture, and are best when boiled in savory recipes like soups and stews.

 

The most common varieties of sweet potatoes have smooth orange or reddish skin, orange flesh, and a sweet flavor. Surprisingly, both (even the canned ones) are healthy depending on how you prepare them. Let’s start with yams.

 

 

Yams are linked to many health benefits including boosting brain health, reducing inflammation, improving blood sugar levels, inhibiting the progression of both osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis, and reducing cholesterol and LDL levels. A single yam also packs nearly 370 percent of your daily Vitamin A requirement and even canned yams are great sources of fiber, potassium, manganese, copper, and antioxidants. Canned yams in syrup are non-GMO, contain no preservatives, and are certified by the American Heart Association as a heart healthy food.

 

 

But what about all that syrup in the canned variety? What’s really in it? Basically, sweet potatoes, water, corn syrup, and sugar. Ick, right? No worries! You can actually remove the sugar by rinsing the pieces in water before cooking because pieces of sweet potato don’t absorb sugar. Whatever is in the can stays on the surface of them prior to rinsing, which can also get rid of much of the syrup. Perhaps best of all is the fact that canned sweet potatoes are already cooked meaning Aunt Carla’s famous Sweet Potato Casserole cooks fast and who doesn’t want at least a few Thanksgiving dishes that cook quickly?

 

 

Sweet potatoes on the whole have a higher concentration of most nutrients, have more fiber, and are generally more nutritious than yams. In fact, they are considered “nutrient dense” in that one cup of a baked sweet potato with the skin on provides more than 50 percent of your daily Vitamin A, C, and magnesium requirement and more than 25 percent of your Vitamin B6 and potassium requirement. They are also loaded with antioxidants that protect your body from inflammation and possibly even cancer, heart disease, and aging.

 

Sweet potatoes are also good for your gut as they are laden with both soluble and insoluble fiber and their antioxidants promote healthy gut bacteria growth, the former may lower the risk of colon cancer and the latter is thought to limit conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome.

 

The eyes also have it with sweet potatoes! What food do we immediately think of as good for the eyes? Carrots, right? What color are carrots? Orange. What color is the flesh of a sweet potato? Orange. And yes, you guessed it; that orange color is due to high amounts of beta-carotene, which your body converts into Vitamin A and uses to form light-detecting receptors inside your eyes, much like it does with carrots. And, how ironic that both carrots and sweet potatoes are root vegetables.

 

 

In the end, can you substitute sweet potatoes for yams and vice-versa? The bad news and short answer is “no,” so do your best to use what is listed on any given recipe. The good news is, those canned yams aren’t as bad as you maybe thought they were. Want a sweet dish? Go for true sweet potatoes. Want a more savory dish? Opt for yams. Want it in a hurry? A canned variety is the way to go. Whichever you choose, I hope your dish is yummy! Let’s be thankful for them all.

 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone and here are a few recipes you might enjoy. I personally leave out the pecans in most but am including them for your preference.

 

Ann’s Perfectly Baked Sweet Potato

Wash potato and cut off both ends.

Put in cold oven directly on rack and above cookie sheet and then heat to 425.

Cook for 1 hour and then turn off oven but keep potato in oven for 30 more minutes.

Top with butter or toppings of your choice.

 

 

Candied Yam Soufflé

Sandra Lee

Ingredients

1 stick of butter

1 cup light brown sugar

½ cup chopped pecans

2 large (40 oz.) can large yams or sweet potatoes, drained

1 t ground cinnamon

1 t ground nutmeg

1 12 oz. jar marshmallow topping (or mini marshmallows)

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 325.

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.

Add brown sugar and pecans and simmer for 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, place drained yams in large bowl and mash finely.

Pour sugar/pecan mixture over yams and stir until thoroughly combined.

Add cinnamon and nutmeg and stir.

Transfer to a metal pie pan and top with marshmallow topping or marshmallows.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and raise oven temp to 400 degrees and bake additional 10 minutes.

Watch carefully to keep from over burning.

 

 

Ruth’s Chris Sweet Potato Casserole

Crust Ingredients

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup flour

¾ cup chopped nuts…pecans preferred

¼ cup melted butter

 

Sweet Potato Ingredients

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup salt

½ t vanilla

2 cups mashed sweet potatoes

¼ cup butter

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine crust ingredients and mix in bowl. Set aside.

Pour sweet potato mixture into buttered baking dish.

Sprinkle crust mixture evenly on top.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Allow minimum 30 minutes to cool before serving.

 

 

Sweet Potato Casserole

The Sandy Show & The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

4 whole medium sweet potatoes

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

2 whole eggs

1 t vanilla extract

1 t salt

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup pecans

½ cup flour

¾ stick of softened butter

 

Directions

Wash potatoes and bake at 375 about 30-35 minutes or until fork tender.

When done, slice open and scrape out flesh into a large bowl.

Add sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla, and salt and mash slightly.

In separate bowl, combine brown sugar, pecans, flour, and butter and mix thoroughly.

Spread sweet potato mixture into baking dish and sprinkle with crumb mixture on top.

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.

 

 

Praline Sweet Potatoes

Texascooppower.com

Potatoes Ingredients

3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 t vanilla extract

½ cup milk

½ cup (1 stick) melted butter

 

Topping Ingredients

1 cup chopped pecans

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup flour

1/3 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter

 

Preheat oven to 350 and butter 9 x 13 baking dish.

In large bowl, combine potatoes with brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk, and butter.

Pour into prepared baking dish.

In small bowl, combine pecans, brown sugar, and flour.

Stir in melted butter until crumble forms.

Scatter evenly over top of sweet potatoes.

Bake 30-40 minutes and until topping is golden brown or crunchy.

 

 

Heart Healthy Chipotle Chili

Orlandodietician.com

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
3 cups peeled and seeded butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium parsnip, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the same can)
2 cups water
2 teaspoons vegetable base
2 cups chopped kale (remove the hard stems)f
1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
Fresh ground pepper to taste

6 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt (optional, for topping)

 

Directions

In large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat and add onion and garlic. Sautee 3 minutes then add butternut squash, parsnips, and sweet potato, stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook and stir occasionally for 10 minutes. Add in chili powder, cumin, cocoa and cinnamon. Cook for one more minute.

Stir in tomatoes, chipotle peppers, water and vegetable base. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add kale and stir until wilted. Add black beans, cook an additional two minutes and add pepper to taste.

Serve with a dollop (one tablespoon) of Greek yogurt on top.

 

 

Roasted Sweet Potato Fries
Orlandodietician.com

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato (skin on)
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse the potato well and cut into thin strips.

In a large bowl or mix together the spices and olive oil. Toss in the potatoes and coat with spice mixture (you could also do this in a large plastic bag).

Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Turn and bake on the other side for an additional 15 minutes or until fries are browned and crisp.

 

Disclaimer: Always check with your health provider before adding anything to your diet or nutrition plan.

 

I’ll be spending Thanksgiving this year again with my husband’s side of the family along with our daughter, which has become an annual tradition I’ve grown to love. Another tradition I love is the serving of cranberry sauce alongside the turkey, dressing, potatoes, green beans, pies, and the likes. In fact, it’s something I’ve volunteered to bring again this year. I was never a big fan of cranberries back in the “open a can and pour out the log” days, but I’ve grown to love them with each new recipe I’ve discovered. What about you? Yay or nay on cranberry sides? And what exactly are those little red berries that we generally only eat once a year?

 

The small, red, and tart fruit is actually very healthy and we can thank Native Americans for them, as they mixed cranberries with deer meat waaaay back in the day. They may have even shared some with the Pilgrims on that first Thanksgiving Day.

 

History also notes sailors used cranberries as a source of Vitamin C to prevent scurvy, and more recent studies suggest cranberries promote gastrointestinal and oral health, raise the good HDL cholesterol, and may even help prevent cancer.

 

 

The very first official harvesting of cranberries was by Revolutionary War veteran Henry Hall, who planted the first commercial beds in Dennis, Massachusetts in 1816. Many of today’s cranberry bogs are in fact more than 100 years old!

 

 

Cranberries grow on low-running vines in sandy marshes and are one of only three commercially grown fruits native to North America…the other two being blueberries and Concord grapes. During harvesting, the berry marshes are flooded, special equipment is used to knock the berries off the vines, and then they float to the surface. Most of the world’s cranberries are grown on some 50,000 acres in the U.S. and Canada and are harvested in September and October. Perfect timing for fresh cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving!

 

Each year, Americans eat about 400 million pounds of cranberries with 20 percent of them consumed over Thanksgiving. The fruit can be eaten both fresh and dried, and is popular in muffins, trail mixes, cereals, salads, and of course juices.

 

 

So, what do you prefer? Fresh or canned? Whole berry canned or jellied? I prefer the whole berry and fresh but if you like that blob of gelled stuff, here’s a fun way to make it festive using cookie cutters. Have a berry Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

And just in case you don’t have enough food planned (LOL!), here are some yummy recipes that use cranberries. Use them this week or all year long!

 

Cranberry Brie Cups (Great for Thanksgiving morning!)

1 8 oz. tube crescent rolls dough

1 8 oz. wheel of brie (can substitute cream cheese)

½ cup whole berry cranberry sauce

Optional: chopped pecans on top

 

Preheat oven to 375 and grease mini muffin tin with cooking spray.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out crescent dough and pinch together seams.

Cut into 24 squares and place into muffin tin slots.

Cut cheese into small pieces and place inside crescent dough.

Top with a spoonful of cranberry sauce.

Bake until crescent pastry is golden, about 15 minutes.

 

 

Festive Pineapple Cranberry Salad (My favorite!)

1 can mandarin oranges

2 pkg. raspberry flavored gelatin

1 can whole berry cranberry sauce or 1 12 oz bag fresh or frozen cranberries thawed and boiled.

1 apple, chopped

Optional: chopped pecans

Drain oranges and pour juice into sauce pan with 3 cups cold water. Bring to boil and remove from heat. Add dry gelatin and stir 2 minutes. Stir in cranberry sauce. Pour into large bowl and add oranges and apple. Refrigerate 1 ½ hours or until slightly thickened.

 

 

Three Ingredient Cranberry Relish

(Anthony Bourdain calls this, “Delicious and truly one of the easiest recipes in the world.”)

Wash 1 large orange under warm water. Dry and coarsely chop skin, flesh, and pith. Remove seeds. Combine orange and 12 oz. fresh cranberries in food processor. Pulse until mixture appears grainy. Transfer to bowl and fold in 1 cup sugar. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve cold or at room temperature.

 

 

Tangy Cranberry Meatballs (great use for any leftover cranberry sauce!)

Leftover cranberry sauce

¼ rice vinegar

2 T ketchup

2 T soy sauce

2 t Worcestershire sauce

1 t brown sugar

¼ cup water

2 lb. pkg. precooked cocktail-size meatballs

 

In a large saucepan combine all ingredients except meatballs, cook on medium low, and stir until smooth.

Add meatballs and cook until heated, about 10-15 minutes.

 

 

Cranberry Nut Bread (my mom’s recipe)

2 cups fresh, whole cranberries

2 T butter

2 cups sifted flour

1 cup and 2 T sugar

1 ¾ t baking powder

1 t salt

1 egg, well beaten

1/3 cup orange juice

1 t grated orange rind

¼ cup water

Cut cranberries in half. Melt and set aside butter. Sift together dry ingredients. Combine egg, orange juice, and water. Make well in dry ingredients and add liquids. Stir in butter. Add orange rind and cranberries. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

 

 

Cranberry Salsa Dip

1 12 oz. bag fresh cranberries, rinsed

½ cup sugar

Green onions, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1 lime, juiced

Pinch of salt

2 8 oz. blocks cream cheese, softened

Put all ingredients except cream cheese in food processor. Pulse until ingredients are chopped coarsely. Put in airtight container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. After, spread softened cream cheese on serving plate and spread salsa over cream cheese. Serve at room temperature with crackers.

 

 

Cranberry Hot Tea

1 48 oz. can cranberry juice cocktail

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup orange juice

1 cup lemonade

1 cup pineapple juice

Cinnamon sticks

Combine all ingredients in a Dutch oven over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Serve warm with cinnamon stick garnish.

 

 

Cranberry Punch

2 bottles cranberry juice

1 ½ bottles water (using juice bottle to measure)

2 cans frozen orange juice, thawed

Juice of 3 lemons or 9 T lemon juice

1 pkg. red hot candies

Whole cloves and sugar to taste

Put all ingredients in pot and heat on low until red hots melt. Transfer to crock pot to serve and keep warm.

 

 

Cape Cod

Mix 1 part vodka with cranberry juice to taste in highball glass and fill with ice. Garnish with lime wedge.

Variations:

Sea Breeze: add grapefruit juice

Bay Breeze: add pineapple juice

Cosmopolitan: add triple sec and serve in martini glass

 

 

Cranberry Kiss Cocktail

1.5 oz. cranberry vodka

2 oz. cranberry juice

1.5 oz. simple sugar

Lime wedges and mint leaves

Muddle 3 lime wedges and 8 mint leaves in a shaker. Add other ingredients and shake well with ice. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with floating mint leaves.

 

I recently saw an online speaker say “The way your closet is organized is one of the biggest indicators of your current mind frame.” Hmmmmm. Let me think about that for a bit. Is that true for me and my closet? Is it true in general? Let’s open the door and have a look see.

 

 

My closet. I love it. And yes, if you know me at all you’re probably guessing it’s uber organized. And it is. I’ve organized it by short sleeve tops, long sleeve tops, dressy tops, dresses, golf clothes, fall/winter tops, hoodies, pants, leggings, vests and blazers, and longer wraps and sweaters. I also have drawers for undies and sweaters. My shoes? Cubbies and shelves. Above all of this is everything from purses, lots of ball caps and visors, small totes, luggage, bedding, gift wrapping items, and a whole slew of miscellaneous stuff. It’s all good, right?

 

Wrong.

 

I have too much of everything and I know it. It’s just hard to part with stuff I still like but probably don’t need or wear. As much as I hate to admit it, maybe I could stand a closet makeover. That’s where the Closet Curator can help and who ironically spoke recently at my neighborhood ladies organization monthly meeting.

 

 

 

Natalie Frazier is a wardrobe stylist and organizer and offers personal styling services that include any and everything that relates to your closet and the clothes in it. Her goal is to show you how to define your personal style, refine your wardrobe, and love the way you look. Sounds like a career I should have considered considering I’m extremely organized and I love fashion. But I digress…

 

Meeting attendees learned all about Frazier’s “pile system” as she systematically goes trough a client’s wardrobe and then organizes what is left in a way that best suits the client and the space available, all-in hopes of making getting dressed easier. The results are an organized wardrobe that fits your lifestyle and goals; increased knowledge of your own style, shopping habits, and body shape; and a customized list of essentials currently missing in your wardrobe. Sign me up, right?!

 

If you open your closet full of clothes and often think “I have nothing to wear” or if you’re wondering if you’re in need of any or all of the above services, Frazier suggests asking yourself the following:

 

• Do you have a closet full of clothes but often feel like you have nothing to wear?
• Do you long to be excited about going to your closet and choosing an outfit?
• Do you want to get more use out the clothes you own?
• Do you want to spend less time shopping for clothes and outfits?
• Do you want to look and feel great and get more compliments on the outfits you wear?

 

I answer “yes” to some of those but not all. My problem is I have clothes that I know I’ll probably never wear but just can’t get myself to get rid of. Some of them are former work clothes that I still love but really don’t have a need for. Others are too many special occasion dresses, blouses, and pants that I rarely choose over other similar items or worse…buy new ones for that special occasion. I have clothes that’s too big or too small and others that just don’t make the cut when getting dressed but that I do really like. I guess I need to get out more so I can wear it all!

 

That’s not gonna happen.

 

 

Enter Courtney Carver. I discovered Carver years ago when I read her book “Soulful Simplicity.” It’s still one of my favorite reads of all time. Carver also helms the “Be More with Less” minimalist lifestyle blog that encourages living with less clutter, busyness, and stress in order to simplify your life so you can enjoy it more and ultimately discover joy in less. I love her ideas even though I find many of them difficult to implement.

 

 

I’m also very hesitant to implement her fashion challenge called “Project 333” that invites you to dress with 33 items or less for three months. My first reaction is “whaaaaaat?!”, but when I honestly think about it, since the lockdown, I pretty much wear the same things every day with the random “going out” or travel items brought into the picture. Still; the challenge feels very challenging.

 

Seeing as I love clothes and love organizing, Carver’s reminder that “less stuff equals less organizing” hits encouraging. But, as with all things, maybe it’s best to start small. Carver recently posted “Three Things to Remove from Your Closet” and I found her suggestions possibly do-able:

 

Clothes that don’t fit your body. Remove clothes that don’t fit your body; your body today. Be comfortable in your clothes!

 

Clothes that don’t fit your lifestyle. (Raising my hand on this one!) Maybe you bought them for a lifestyle you used to have or one you hoped to have. You aren’t wearing those items now and they’re just taking up space and attention. Let them go and enjoy the life you have now. (Amen!)

 

Clothes that make you feel sad or bad for any reason. If you paid too much for something but never wear it, that might make you feel guilty. If someone gifted you a hideous sweater and you love them but not the sweater, you may feel bad about not wearing it. Maybe someone gave you something but that someone is no longer a positive influence in your life or even worse, hurt you. Let it go.

 

Carver also offers a much more extensive list that I’m sure many of you will appreciate:

 

33 items to remove from your closet

1. That formal outfit (bridesmaid dress) you bought for one occasion promising to wear it over and over again.
2. Those super cute shoes that you can’t walk in.
3. Clothes with sentimental value that don’t fit. Take a picture.
4. Sentimental items that make you sad.
5. The warm coat you don’t wear. Someone needs it more than you.
6. Your ex-anyone’s anything.
7. Clothes you are saving for your children.
8. Aspirational items. AKA things you would never wear in your real life.
9. Items that need to go to the dry cleaner that never get to the dry cleaner.
10. Items that need to go to the tailor that never get to the tailor.
11. Clothes that don’t belong to you. Give them back.
12. Christmas sweaters that you don’t even wear to the Christmas sweater party anymore.
13. Things that other people bought for you but you wouldn’t enjoy wearing.
14. Pieces you can see through unintentionally.
15. Clothing or shoes that leave a mark or blister.
16. Anything you have to squeeze in to or items that make you want to change your body. Change your clothes instead.
17. Expensive things. Just because you spent a lot on it doesn’t mean you have to keep it forever.
18. Clothes you bought on vacation that you won’t wear where you live.
19. Anything with a stain that won’t come out.
20. Things with rips or holes that aren’t supposed to be there.
21. Extra purses and handbags.
22. Clothing that irritates your skin.
23. Things that don’t fit your body.
24. Things that don’t fit your lifestyle.
25. Sequins and sparkles if you prefer simple and subtle.
26. Simple and subtle if you prefer sequins and sparkles.
27. That shirt you bought in every color even though you always wear the black one.
28. Stuff with price tags still attached.
29. Clothes that make you feel bad for any reason.
30. Items you bought because they were “your color” and you hate that color.
31. Anything you haven’t worn in more than 3 years.
32. Something you feel guilty about letting go of. When you let go, the guilt will go with it.
33. Anything already in the donation bag. It’s time to let go.

 

I’m wondering if you see yourself in any of them as I do. Numbers 2, 5, 16, 18, 21, 23, 24, and 31 have my name all over them but don’t even think about me getting rid of number 25. I love sequins and glittery things but yes, I don’t wear all of them often. Still, hands off my sparkle.

 

In the end, I will try my hardest to purge and pile but will ultimately live by the wise words my daughter told me: “Wear what makes you feel pretty.” Well said my love; well said.

 

 

 

I’m guessing that when you read that headline you might have thought this was going to be about everything being Christmas now with Thanksgiving taking a back seat, but no, it’s actually all about Thanksgiving and its history.

 

As we gather round our tables and TVs later next week and celebrate the uniquely American holiday that is Thanksgiving, let’s take a minute to learn why we’re doing so and take another minute to actually be thankful, which should be somewhat a given given all the scary and bad news out there.

 

 

Appropriately, the very first Thanksgiving was preceded by a series of tumultuous events, starting in September of 1620 when a small ship called the Mayflower left Plymouth, England carrying 102 passengers. The group consisted of an assortment of religious separatists who were seeking a new home where they could freely practice their faith and were joined by others lured by the promise of prosperity and land ownership in a New World. You could say the Mayflower was filled with the original faithful and capitalists.

 

 

After a very treacherous 66 day trip, the Mayflower dropped anchor near the tip of Cape Cod and one month later crossed Massachusetts Bay where who we now call Pilgrims established a village at Plymouth.  It still was rough going though, as during that first brutal winter most of them remained on board and many got sick. Only half of the Mayflower’s original passengers and crew lived to see their first New England spring.

 

 

The following March in 1621, surviving settlers moved ashore and were later visited by various Native Americans who taught them how to cultivate corn, extract sap from maple trees, catch fish, and avoid poisonous plants. In November, after the Pilgrims’ first corn harvest proved successful, Governor William Bradford organized a celebratory feast and invited their Native American allies for what is now considered America’s first “Thanksgiving.”

 

In 1789 George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation when he called upon Americans to express their gratitude for the happy conclusion to our war of independence and the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. It wasn’t until 1846, however, that Thanksgiving became a national holiday when Abraham Lincoln made it official during the height of the Civil War. His proclamation entreated all Americans to ask God to “commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife” and to “heal the wounds of this nation.” Lincoln deemed the fourth Thursday in November Thanksgiving Day, but in 1939 Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday up a week in an attempt to spur retail sales during the Great Depression.

 

 

As I write the I can’t help but think what our former leaders would think if they could see us today. Washington would probably cringe that our Constitution is being disparaged by many and in many ways and Lincoln would think his words sadly ring as clear today as they did back then. Racial and civil strife. Heal the nation. Chills, right? And as for Roosevelt’s move, it was probably a wise one for the times, but how ironic that the holiday meant to stimulate gratitude is followed by a day when we’re cajoled to spur retail sales all our own. We’re so thankful and yet want so much.

 

 

Even in the midst of so much negativity and strife out there, there is always, always something to be thankful for. So this year, let’s try to count really our blessings. Count our joys instead of our woes, count our friends instead of our foes, count our courage instead of our fear, count our health instead of our wealth, and count our smiles instead of our tears.

 

Thanksgiving Fun Facts

Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be named the national bird instead of the bald eagle.

The tradition of the president pardoning a turkey every year started with Harry Truman.

More than 250 million turkeys are raised in the U.S. with more than 40 million gobbled up on Thanksgiving.

Male turkey gobble; females cluck.

The original Pilgrims and Native Americans probably shared rabbit, chicken, fish, goose, pigeon, squash, cabbage, beans, nuts, onions, eggs, and cheese at the first Thanksgiving, with not a green bean casserole in sight.

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!