Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: A Thanksgiving Potluck & Contest Recipe
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We have been hosting a Thanksgiving potluck at our house with our friends for the past 2 years, so it was customary that we’d have our 3rd annual dinner this year. I submitted my proposal to Foodbuzz about our traditional event, and to our surprise (*jumping up and down*), we were chosen as one of the 24 bloggers to be a part of November’s Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24. Although we were ecstatic about being chosen, we knew that we had to go above and beyond to make this event spectacular – and that means creating a beautiful Thanksgiving ambiance in our home by using a ton of fall leaves, making centerpieces and place settings, mixing up fancy cocktails, and of course, having the ultimate Thanksgiving menu surrounding the center-of-attention: our…
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,%20we%20were%20chosen%20as%20one%20of%20the%2024%20bloggers%20to%20be%20a%20part%20of%20November%E2%80%99s%20Foodbuzz%2024,%2024,%2024.%20Although%20we%20were%20ecstatic%20about%20being%20chosen,%20we%20knew%20that%20we%20had%20to%20go%20above%20and%20beyond%20to%20make%20this%20event%20spectacular%20%E2%80%93%20and%20that%20means%20creating%20a%20beautiful%20Thanksgiving%20ambiance%20in%20our%20home%20by%20using%20a%20ton%20of%20fall%20leaves,%20making%20centerpieces%20and%20place%20settings,%20mixing%20up%20fancy%20cocktails,%20and%20of%20course,%20having%20the%20ultimate%20Thanksgiving%20menu%20surrounding%20the%20center-of-attention:%20our%20deep-fried%20turkey.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ENonetheless,%20our%20Thanksgiving%20dinner%20would%20not%20have%20been%20successful%20without%20the%20help%20of%20our%20friends%20who%20all%20contributed%20to%20the%20menu%20by%20bringing%20homemade%20side%20dishes%20and%20desserts.%20We%20made%20the%20potluck%20more%20interesting%20by%20implementing%20a%20contest%20for%20the%20best%20side%20dish%20and%20the%20best%20dessert%20%E2%80%93%20and%20we%20were%20blown%20away%20by%20the%20creativity%20and%20expertise%20that%20our%20friends%20put%20in%20to%20their%20dishes.%20Wow,%20talk%20about%20competitive!%20All%20in%20all,%20everyone%20enjoyed%20each%20others%E2%80%99%20dishes%20and%20most%20importantly,%20each%20others%E2%80%99%20company.%20This%20was%20hands-down%20the%20best%20Thanksgivings%20ever!%20Thank%20you,%20everyone!!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EA%20week%20before%20the%20event,%20we%20came%20up%20with%20the%20idea%20to%20design%20a%20fall%20foliage%20in%20our%20dining%20room%20which%20would%20sit%20above%20the%20tables,%20creating%20a%20luminous%20Thanksgiving%20feel.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAs%20you%20can%20see,%20we%20decked%20the%20dining%20room%20with%20as%20much%20fall%20leaves%20as%20we%20possibly%20could.%20It%20was%20like%20we%20were%20all%20dining%20outdoors.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EOur%20friend%20Cecille%20graciously%20helped%20us%20with%20many%20creative%20elements%20for%20the%20party%20(thank%20you%20so%20much!).%20Our%20Thanksgiving%20was%20complete%20with%20her%20beautifully%20crafted%20Cornucopia.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWe%20thought%20it%20would%20be%20cute%20to%20have%20turkey%20place%20settings%20for%20all%20our%20guests.%20We%20were%20inspired%20by%20procrastistamper's%20version%20(which%20we%20googled),%20so%20we%20made%20our%20own%20with%20what%20we%20had.%20We%20cut%20out%20circles%20using%20scallop-shaped%20scissors%20and%20leftover%20scrapbook%20paper.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWe%20trimmed%20and%20taped%20the%20tail%20feathers%20together,%20then%20taped%20a%20Hershey's%20Nugget%20to%20it.%20Finally,%20we%20added%20the%20heads,%20little%20orange%20beaks,%20and%20best%20of%20all,%20googlie%20eyes!%20The%20final%20masterpiece%20is%20a%20turkey%20place%20setting%20with%20the%20guests'%20name%20written%20on%20it.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETo%20complete%20the%20table%20setting,%20we%20tied%20a%20flower%20to%20everyone's%20dinner%20napkin%20and%20made%20a%20pretty%20candlelit%20centerpiece.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EOur%20friends%20had%20the%20option%20of%202%20different%20cocktails%20-%20a%20Raspberry%20Bellini%20made%20with%20raspberry%20puree%20and%20champagne,%20or%20a%20Holiday%20Sangria.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EOn%20to%20the%20side%20dishes!%20Here%20we%20have%20the%20ever-so-popular%20Green%20Bean%20Casserole%20and%20Stuffing,%20both%20made%20from%20scratch%20by%20Andy.%20Impressive!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20kept%20it%20simple%20by%20making%20Balsamic-Glazed%20Pearl%20Onions%20and%20Chunky%20Buttermilk%20Mashed%20Potatoes%20with%20bacon,%20chives,%20and%20roasted%20garlic.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EDaniel%20made%20Mini%20Jalapeno%20Cornbread%20and%20Ham%20with%20Pomegranate%20and%20Port%20Glaze.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECecille%20wowed%20everyone%20with%20her%20Pumpkin-Spiced%20Bread%20with%20Whipped%20Honey%20Cinnamon%20Butter%20and%20Spicy%20Crab%20Stuffed%20Mushrooms.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAaron%20made%20a%20hearty%20Crab%20Mac-n-Cheese%20as%20his%20side%20dish,%20and%20even%20had%20time%20to%20make%20an%20awesome%20Creme%20Brulee%20for%20dessert.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EKat%20&%20Tim%20brought%20their%20famous%20Pasta%20with%20Creamy%20Clam%20Sauce%20(yum!).%20Sarah%20&%20Mark%20made%20Candied%20Yams%20for%20the%20very%20first%20time,%20and%20it%20was%20delicious!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EJen%20made%20a%20fantastic%20Waldorf%20Salad,%20which%20is%20a%20sweet%20and%20tangy%20fruit%20salad.%20Nate%20brought%20his%20special%20cranberry%20sauce%20again,%20which%20we've%20enjoyed%20the%20past%20couple%20of%20years.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EOur%20friend%20Rich%20shocked%20everyone%20with%20his%20culinary%20skills%20by%20making%20a%20succulent%20Rack%20of%20Lamb%20flavored%20with%20herbs%20and%20a%20wine%20reduction%20sauce.%20Let's%20just%20say%20people%20who%20didn't%20like%20lamb%20had%20a%20change%20of%20heart!%20This%20dish%20ended%20up%20taking%201st%20Place%20-%20so%20congrats%20to%20Rich%20for%20a%20job%20well-done.%20Yes,%20ladies,%20he%20is%20single.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESandy%20made%20a%20refreshing%20ma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