It took no time at all to finish up the Nantucket nine patches. I was all set for hours of stitching, and was pleasantly surprised to get 90 blocks done in a couple of hours. I am going to do what several others are doing, and that is to add eight little star blocks in amongst the nine patches, for that "sparkle" effect I love. You can check out Thelma's blog to see a photo of how they look in her border.
Busy week this week, with all the Thanksgiving preparations, but I plan to get started stitching my borders together!
With Thanksgiving coming at us like a freight train, I have been thinking about what dishes I can get a jump on and make ahead. My son in law is taking care of brining the turkey and supervising its cooking, but I am in charge of most of the side dishes. My family loves a brussels sprout dish I made that involves roasting the brussels sprouts and sprinkling them with chopped up bits of pancetta (a type of Italian bacon). I am wondering if I can do those ahead and warm them up just prior to serving. Also, I do a sweet potato casserole with mashed sweet potatoes, cream cheese, pecans, and yummy pumpkin pie spices, and I bet you I could do that ahead of time as well. The guests are bringing pies, cranberry relish and salad, so all that will be done in advance. I can make the dressing in the morning, and involve my guests in peeling potatoes for mashing later in the afternoon. The gravy is last minute of course, and I can work on that while the turkey "rests". Don't you find the juggling of the timing aspect of cooking a big meal to be the biggest challenge?
Whatever your plans for the big feast, hopefully all will come together and be done at the same time!
36 responses to “Nantucket Nine Patches”
Sounds like lots of great cooking happening this week and I also need to start planning what to get started on. Love this time of year!
Sounds like lots of great cooking happening this week and I also need to start planning what to get started on. Love this time of year!
Sounds like your dinner is going to be yummy!! And then in less than a month you get to do it all over again!!
I love the ‘twinkle’ effect of those stars!! Brilliant idea!! LOVE this pattern!
P
Sounds like your dinner is going to be yummy!! And then in less than a month you get to do it all over again!!
I love the ‘twinkle’ effect of those stars!! Brilliant idea!! LOVE this pattern!
P
Hi Nicole! I love Brussel Sprouts and Sweet potatoes so your side dishes sound beyond delicious. As for doing them ahead of time…I have found that 99% of the time, dishes like casseroles or with ingredients that the flavors need to truly blend in on for the full flavor effect, they are usually better if they are made in advance and have time for all those wonderful ingredients and spices to really soak through the entire dish. So it is my habit to make those ahead of time always then get them heated up (with lots of help from hubby) while I finish up the gravy and other things that must be done last minute. Have a blessed Thanksgiving surrounded by your family and a house filled with wonderful aromas and above all, joy and love! Hugs…
Hi Nicole! I love Brussel Sprouts and Sweet potatoes so your side dishes sound beyond delicious. As for doing them ahead of time…I have found that 99% of the time, dishes like casseroles or with ingredients that the flavors need to truly blend in on for the full flavor effect, they are usually better if they are made in advance and have time for all those wonderful ingredients and spices to really soak through the entire dish. So it is my habit to make those ahead of time always then get them heated up (with lots of help from hubby) while I finish up the gravy and other things that must be done last minute. Have a blessed Thanksgiving surrounded by your family and a house filled with wonderful aromas and above all, joy and love! Hugs…
Your sweet potatoes casserole dish sounds wonderful! I am looking for a new recipe for sweet potatoes, would you mind sharing yours?
Your sweet potatoes casserole dish sounds wonderful! I am looking for a new recipe for sweet potatoes, would you mind sharing yours?
Hi Nicole. This year, our family-run Luby’s is roasting and slicing our turkey! I have found you can micro sweet potatoes 1-2 days in advance (8-9 is no sweat)and also peel, mash and spice a day in advance (add marshmallows on top just before serving. You can even peel potatoes a 1-2 days ahead and cook, mash and store. One year I did 5 lbs. that way. Once I brought them to another house to eat we heated them in the micro, and kept them hot in a slow cooker. This year we will do all that and cranberry salad. I ordered 2 pumpkin pies and brought 3 cans of whip cream (won’t that be fun!)We will take that part of the dinner 3 hrs. away to the city to have dinner on the table for my dear sister-in-law who is on round 4, as in the 4th occurrence over time, of chemo. She is well enough and we all want her to have the best holiday ever. Somehow, the excitement is giving US the best holiday too.
Hi Nicole. This year, our family-run Luby’s is roasting and slicing our turkey! I have found you can micro sweet potatoes 1-2 days in advance (8-9 is no sweat)and also peel, mash and spice a day in advance (add marshmallows on top just before serving. You can even peel potatoes a 1-2 days ahead and cook, mash and store. One year I did 5 lbs. that way. Once I brought them to another house to eat we heated them in the micro, and kept them hot in a slow cooker. This year we will do all that and cranberry salad. I ordered 2 pumpkin pies and brought 3 cans of whip cream (won’t that be fun!)We will take that part of the dinner 3 hrs. away to the city to have dinner on the table for my dear sister-in-law who is on round 4, as in the 4th occurrence over time, of chemo. She is well enough and we all want her to have the best holiday ever. Somehow, the excitement is giving US the best holiday too.
PS: Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. I am happy to be reading your blog daily for yet another holiday season. Your grand daughter might just be old enough to color in some turkey feathers. My in-laws use to cover a corner kitchen wall with our kid’s art work.
PS: Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. I am happy to be reading your blog daily for yet another holiday season. Your grand daughter might just be old enough to color in some turkey feathers. My in-laws use to cover a corner kitchen wall with our kid’s art work.
Yes, the hard part of Thanksgiving dinner is timing all the dishes to be ready at the same time. Our regular dinners don’t have so many components so I am not used to it. Have a fun celebration!
Yes, the hard part of Thanksgiving dinner is timing all the dishes to be ready at the same time. Our regular dinners don’t have so many components so I am not used to it. Have a fun celebration!
Love your little stars you made for Nantucket ! I have not touched this quilt for days . Been trying to finish my holiday shopping. I hope to finish cutting my strips so that I can start sewing these 9 patches together.
Happy Thanksgiving !
Love your little stars you made for Nantucket ! I have not touched this quilt for days . Been trying to finish my holiday shopping. I hope to finish cutting my strips so that I can start sewing these 9 patches together.
Happy Thanksgiving !
The “sparkle effect” is a wonderful addition to this Nantucket and you’ll be glad you went this extra mile! Thelma’s quilt is glorious!
My sweet potato casserole has a brown sugar and pecan crumble topping and it can be made a day ahead, then baked on THE day. DH makes the cornbread dressing using his grandmother’s recipe so the wheels of cornbread for that can be made ahead of time, too. My corn pudding has to be made Thanksgiving morning, but that’s okay. It is SO worth it.
“Take pleasure in the process” as we’re reminded in Sue Bender’s book “Plain and Simple”.
Happy Thanksgiving week to you and your loved ones.
Hugs!
The “sparkle effect” is a wonderful addition to this Nantucket and you’ll be glad you went this extra mile! Thelma’s quilt is glorious!
My sweet potato casserole has a brown sugar and pecan crumble topping and it can be made a day ahead, then baked on THE day. DH makes the cornbread dressing using his grandmother’s recipe so the wheels of cornbread for that can be made ahead of time, too. My corn pudding has to be made Thanksgiving morning, but that’s okay. It is SO worth it.
“Take pleasure in the process” as we’re reminded in Sue Bender’s book “Plain and Simple”.
Happy Thanksgiving week to you and your loved ones.
Hugs!
Happy Thanksgiving! I was wondering if you had considered using rubbing alcohol on the candlewax. I had a silly puddy disaster on our living room carpet and rubbing alcohol took it right out…it was amazing. So i googled it for candle wax and a great article came up on yahoo voices written by Amy whittle. I had such a remarkable experience and wanted to pass it onto you. The major difference is that our carpet was dark colored and your fabric is light, so who knows!?? Maybe that other cleaner will work too.
Happy Thanksgiving! I was wondering if you had considered using rubbing alcohol on the candlewax. I had a silly puddy disaster on our living room carpet and rubbing alcohol took it right out…it was amazing. So i googled it for candle wax and a great article came up on yahoo voices written by Amy whittle. I had such a remarkable experience and wanted to pass it onto you. The major difference is that our carpet was dark colored and your fabric is light, so who knows!?? Maybe that other cleaner will work too.
I swear by a make-ahead gravy recipe given to me by my sister that I believe was out of a Good Housekeeping magazine. Since I only make gravy a couple times a year, I’d rather do it without the last-minute pressure!
Have a lovely holiday!
I swear by a make-ahead gravy recipe given to me by my sister that I believe was out of a Good Housekeeping magazine. Since I only make gravy a couple times a year, I’d rather do it without the last-minute pressure!
Have a lovely holiday!
Your sparkly stars look so cute! Amazing what can be accomplished in a couple of hours!
Your Thanksgiving dinner sounds delicious & fun! Our last minute gravy making is taken care of by a friend while we finish carving & warming the rest! What a difference having help on that chore makes!
Your sparkly stars look so cute! Amazing what can be accomplished in a couple of hours!
Your Thanksgiving dinner sounds delicious & fun! Our last minute gravy making is taken care of by a friend while we finish carving & warming the rest! What a difference having help on that chore makes!
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. One of the smartest things I ever did for a holiday dinner was to make the mashed potatoes early. Then I put them in a crock pot on warm and set them aside. That one little thing really helped! Hugs to Eva, Gramps and Ozzie!
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. One of the smartest things I ever did for a holiday dinner was to make the mashed potatoes early. Then I put them in a crock pot on warm and set them aside. That one little thing really helped! Hugs to Eva, Gramps and Ozzie!
Nicole, I was thinking about the stain on your quilt and remembered getting a red candle wax stain out of a white linen table cloth by boiling water, stretching the stain area in an embroidery hoop and pouring the boiling water from a height of six or eight inches above the stain. It also works for red wine 🙂
Mary
Nicole, I was thinking about the stain on your quilt and remembered getting a red candle wax stain out of a white linen table cloth by boiling water, stretching the stain area in an embroidery hoop and pouring the boiling water from a height of six or eight inches above the stain. It also works for red wine 🙂
Mary
I love the cooking and everything EXCEPT the timing issue. I recently read of baking potatoes and then mashing them later, I’m trying to decide if I want to try it this year.
I love the cooking and everything EXCEPT the timing issue. I recently read of baking potatoes and then mashing them later, I’m trying to decide if I want to try it this year.
I don’t call it timing – it’s choreography! Fortunately, I’m on only for the stuffing this year. Enjoy your family and the festivities!
I don’t call it timing – it’s choreography! Fortunately, I’m on only for the stuffing this year. Enjoy your family and the festivities!
Fortunately, I have lots of family around, so we can always potluck. Each family brings 1 or 2 things, the host does turkey, and we’re all set! Once the older generation ages a few more years things will definitely change, but we’ll adjust when the time comes.
Love your little starts for Nantucket.
Fortunately, I have lots of family around, so we can always potluck. Each family brings 1 or 2 things, the host does turkey, and we’re all set! Once the older generation ages a few more years things will definitely change, but we’ll adjust when the time comes.
Love your little starts for Nantucket.
Wow! 90 nine patches and they look very pretty.
Yes, it took me a couple of years to get the timing just right on my Thanksgiving meal. But since I do it all, I figured it all out. I’ll start Wednesday night and by mid-day Thursday it will be done. And it won’t take us near as long to eat it as it took to make it. But at least I do not have to clean up…bonus!
Wishing you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving Nicole 🙂
Wow! 90 nine patches and they look very pretty.
Yes, it took me a couple of years to get the timing just right on my Thanksgiving meal. But since I do it all, I figured it all out. I’ll start Wednesday night and by mid-day Thursday it will be done. And it won’t take us near as long to eat it as it took to make it. But at least I do not have to clean up…bonus!
Wishing you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving Nicole 🙂