The last of the trick-or-treaters have gone home and the candy is officially discounted. Although there are still pumpkins out front at the grocery store (and probably will continue to linger for a while), Halloween is finally over, and it’s time to step into the holidays. Don’t get too excited, the Christmas tree can stay in the attic for a few more weeks. Let’s talk about Thanksgiving. Our mouths are watering just thinking about it!

Before we eat, how on earth is one supposed to decorate for Thanksgiving? When it comes to seasonal décor, Thanksgiving can seem tricky. Are pumpkins only a Halloween thing? Are cornucopias too old-fashioned? How many paper hand turkeys can fit on my fridge before it loses functionality? The simple answer is that there is no answer. Decorations can be whatever you want them to be! If you want pumpkins to finish out the remainder of the year, then pumpkin it up. Our advice for making your table unique is to switch up your pumpkin for another fruit. Replace it instead with a beautiful yellow squash, pear, or even zucchini! The variety of colors that fall plants offer can brighten a table and a room with ease.

Another way to give your table a personal touch is to add name plates for your guests. It’s a great way to express your gratitude for your loved ones, and your guests will feel special and appreciated. When someone hand-writes anything to us, no matter how small the gesture, we always think, “oh wow, they made an extra effort on this for us, we must be important to them.”

How can we forget one of the most important parts of Thanksgiving… The kids table! Whether they’re 7 or 17, the kids table needs to feel just as special and important as the main table. A fun way to do this with the younger ones is to have printable coloring pages available for them. Not only will this keep them busy while the adults are cooking, but it will also make them feel special. And what’s cooler than coloring during dinner? Now we think we want to sit at the kids table!

It’s hard to believe we’re already 11 months into 2019. Looking back on this year, there are countless things for us to be thankful for. How can we give thanks not only in our homes, but in our lives? A great way to express thanks is by giving back. Around the holidays, places of need are in high demand for donated toys, food, clothes, and even volunteers. Volunteer at the local food shelter for their Thanksgiving meal! Whatever you do, do it with gratitude and a full heart.

The most common way to give thanks on Thanksgiving is through… you guessed it, food! Food is one of the biggest keys to the soul (well, at least for us) and a meal prepared with love can make a huge impact. In celebration of this wonderful holiday, we’re bringing you a Thanksgiving recipe from our family to yours!

Paula’s Roasted Fresh Turkey

At twenty-four years of age, I cooked my first full Thanksgiving meal. It is one of my favorite holiday meals to cook to this day. The aroma of this roasting turkey, will have you roasting turkeys year-round! The juices from this roasted turkey make a phenomenal gravy too. I have shared this dish with countless friends, and once they try it, it becomes a tradition in their homes too. I know you will enjoy it!

• 1 fresh turkey, not frozen
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 apples, quartered
• 2 oranges, quartered
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 bunch Italian parsley
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 cheesecloth

Butter basting sauce, below

Preheat oven to 400°F

Remove everything from the turkey cavity and rinse and dry with paper towels.

Rub the skin with olive oil. Brush the cavity with sweet warm butter and stuff with apples, oranges and celery.

Place roasting pan in oven without turkey and heat for 10-15 minutes. Remove hot roasting pan and make a “bed” of parsley, carrots and onions in bottom of the pan. Add the turkey and roast at 400°F.

Remove the turkey from the oven when it is golden brown. Turn oven down to 300°F.

Cover the turkey with a cheesecloth that has been dipped in butter basting sauce (see below). Baste with sauce every hour.

Turkey will cook at a rate of 15 minutes per pound. Begin keeping track of time when the turkey goes into oven at 300°F.

Butter Basting Sauce

• 2 cubes sweet butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon (if using dried tarragon, 1 tablespoon only)
• 1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Melt the butter and add the remaining ingredients. Use this tarragon butter basting sauce to baste turkey every hour.

Comment or send us a message telling us how you give thanks in your home. We here at Millennium hope that your Thanksgiving is full of love, laughter, and lots of stuffing!