Thanksgiving Archives - Meredith Rines

Category: Thanksgiving

Easy Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

Posted on November 20, 2017November 6, 2017 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

This year, I’m all about taking back the holidays. No more self-induced stress over a dinner or worrying about something that is out of my control.

I started this laid back attitude around Halloween. I choose an easy DIY NASCAR driver costume for our little man to wear and I decided not to dress in a coordinating outfit. I knew I didn’t have time to put something together and realized the night before Halloween I wanted sleep more than anything else. I opted for a camo shirt and called myself a fan. Ha!

Next I realized Thanksgiving could get a little stressful and chaotic for me. Work is usually a little busy this time of year and with J back in school I knew he would have finals coming up. I knew his school and my career were more important than a perfect Thanksgiving.

Luckily my family agreed and we decided to have a potluck type dinner. Everyone agreed to bring a dish or two to help out so it wasn’t all on one person. I usually volunteer to bring stuffing and a dessert to family dinners. J’s family has an amazing stuffing recipe that is usually a knockout. So he makes that all on his own… Well the one year I offered to help ended with me shredding a wooden spoon in a blender with the food inside. So we had to start over and ended up being late. Oops! Now he makes that one all by himself.

I end up making a dessert or two to being over. This year I’m keeping it simple and opting for a classic recipe. One I’ve made hundreds of times and know it always works. I usually like to experiment with a new one, but this year in honor of keeping my stress minimized I decided against it.

Here are some of my favorite go-to desserts I’m thinking about making:

Copycat Pizza Inn Chocolate Chip Pizzert

Skinny(ish) Apple Pie with Cinnamon Roll Crust

Red Velvet Crackle Cookies

Easy Cinnamon-Sugar Pull Apart Bread

Fun Thanksgiving Activities For Kids

Posted on November 17, 2017November 6, 2017 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

I remember being a little girl running around my grandparents’ home with all my cousins. Their house had a basement with a pool table so we would spend most of our day down stairs attempting to play pool, but none of us were very good at it. If the weather was nice we would head out before dinner to play wiffle ball in the backyard and then after dinner we would somehow find ourselves walking the neighborhood loop. I made some of the best memories with my cousins on any holiday spent at my grandparents. We are all so close in age so no one was left out and we all got into trouble together.

I can’t wait for our little boy to be able to make the same memories with his cousins as I got to. I’m lucky that my cousins all have children who are close in age to our son, so it makes getting together just that much sweeter. Our afternoons are no longer filled with ball in the backyard, but are now filled with watching our kids play together and wobble around the living room. If you have a toddler-aged child then you know just how hard it can be to entertain them for long periods of time. Especially if dinner is taking a little longer than usual or you’re waiting for someone to get off work.

I’ve put together a great list of easy and inexpensive activities you can do with your little ones this Thanksgiving. These work great for kids of all ages and they don’t cause too big of a mess, which is a huge plus when you have a busy house full of people.

Let’s get into it, here are my favorite

Thanksgiving activities for kids:

Leaf Art

Collect leaves from outside and glue on pieces of construction paper into various shapes

Paper Bag Puppets

Take brown paper bags, glue on eyes, feathers and pieces of paper to make a turkey face. On each bag have kids write down what they are grateful for this year (you may have to do the writing for them). Here’s a great tutorial for you.

Scavenger Hunt

Put together a list of clues that lead to hidden objects around the house or outside in the backyard. You can make this as easy or as difficult depending on the age of the kids. If they’re a bit older, trying using codes that need to be solved before they’re able to figure out their next location. The end prize could be some dollar store treats, a new game, or whatever you have on hand.

Thanksgiving Bingo

Put together a game of bingo using this template from The Crafting Chicks. You can create (or find for free!) so many themed bingo games online. They are so much to play and you can even put a bigger kid in charge of pulling numbers and handing out prizes to winners.

Turkey Feathers

This game looks super fun to play! You can find the tutorial from The Idea Room and it looks pretty simple to setup. All you need is a turkey cutout with numbers 1-6 listed on it, some clothes pins and a dice. Each kid takes turns rolling the dice and they place a clothes pin on the turkey for the number they rolled. If you roll the dice and already have that number with a pin then you’re turn is over. Once you have all the numbers covered, you win!

What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving activities for kids from when you were little?

Getting Your House Ready for Thanksgiving Dinner

Posted on November 15, 2017November 6, 2017 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

I have this dream of hosting family dinner and it looks like a scene from a movie. The table is set perfectly with lovely place holders, crisp white table clothes and beautiful centerpieces. The food is served out of sterling silver and everything is cooked to perfection. Then after dinner, everyone moves into the family room where miraculously there is enough seating for everyone. We watch football, but don’t really pay attention and spend the rest of the evening telling stories and catching up.

But that’s not reality, that’s just a dream. So let’s talk about a real Thanksgiving dinner looks like. Kids running around making memories, everyone showing up at different times because people have to work, the tables are usually a mix of folded card tables, kitchen tables with chairs, bar stools and piano benches laid out everywhere. There are no centerpieces because no one has time between raising a family, working until the last minute and having to cook a few dishes to bring. The biggest concern is making sure you don’t forget anything you were supposed to cook…. well at least that’s my biggest worry considering I did forget to bring a dish I said I would one year… oops!

Why do we have these picture-perfect standards that only cause our stress levels to go up? Why do we do this to ourselves?! Well this year, I say enough is enough! This year I’m forgetting about the image you see in a movie and am embracing my reality. A reality filled with chaos, laughter and very loud voices.

Hosting a family dinner or even friends for Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t have to be this stress-induced moment. All you need is a plan to get your house in order and a time table to make sure the food is done on time. In this post, we’re going to talk about making sure your house is presentable to the outside world (especially if you have little ones running around) and it not cost you hours of cleaning to get there.

One Week Before Thanksgiving

Clean and organize guest rooms if you have anyone staying the weekend with you. Change sheets on the bed, vacuum the carpet and dust the furniture.

Childproof your home if you have any small children coming. If you don’t have time to childproof everything or don’t want the inconvenience at least try to place outlet caps in the electrical outlets. It makes life so much easier for toddler-aged parents when they are fascinated by everything they shouldn’t touch.

Clear away any clutter. Go through the main rooms in your house and put away any paper clutter, miscellaneous items, and things taking up space.

Wipe down the bottom of the inside of your fridge and clean your microwave.

Make a game plan for when you need to cook each dish you’re providing. Some dishes can be started 2-3 days before Thanksgiving. Try to get done what you can so you aren’t spending all day before dinner int he kitchen.

Three Days Before Thanksgiving

Sweep the kitchen and vacuum rooms where guests will be.

Mop the kitchen and bathroom floors.

Dust the house. Make sure to take care of the main rooms in your house.

Buy any last minute foods or fresh produce.

Day Before Thanksgiving

Clean your bathrooms – this is probably the most important room to clean before guests arrive (besides your kitchen). Hide any bath toys, clean the toilet and sink area. Make sure your toilet paper is stocked and wipe down the mirror. I like to hide everything on the bathroom counters, too. That way your toothbrushes aren’t in the way and the only thing visible is soap and a hand towel.

Run the dishwasher and put away any clean dishes. Now you’re sink will be empty and your dishwasher will be ready for all those dirty dishes.

Add a box of baking soda to your fridge to help reduce any odors.

Setup any extra tables and chairs that will be needed for dinner.

Morning Of Thanksgiving

Light candles in your bathrooms.

Wipe down kitchen counters.

Make sure to adjust your thermostat before everyone arrives.

Don’t stress over the last minute details. Make sure to enjoy your day.

Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner on a Budget

Posted on November 6, 2017November 6, 2017 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Are you prepared? This year we’re staying in town and having dinner with my family. It’s going to be great getting together with my sister (and brother-in-law), my cousins and their kids. My cousins and I are about the same age and even are kids are close in age. So it’s great when we all get to be together. We usually laugh until we get headaches, we tell stories of our past and just enjoy ourselves.

You may remember from October’s Budget Q&A from not too long ago. We mentioned taking the time to plan out your holiday budget. I do have a post all about preparing your Christmas Budget, which includes Thanksgiving dinner coming this week (so stay tuned!). Your holiday budget not only includes gifts you have to buy for everyone, but also anything you have to prepare for Thanksgiving dinner, road trips to see families and much more.

The first think you need to do is to go through your holiday budget and make sure you know exactly what you planned on making or buying for Thanksgiving. It’s important to remind yourself so you don’t overspend.

Today, I wanted to share with you a few tips for hosting Thanksgiving dinner on a budget:

Have a Potluck

Don’t put the stress and responsibility of preparing every dish on just one person. Ask for help. Ask each couple or person to bring a dish or two. It really helps on the food costs and the time it takes to prepare. My family does this every year. That way everyone is contributing some dish to dinner and is helping out.

Prioritize Your Dishes

Make a list of every dish you would like to have at dinner. From there you can see what people are bringing and then anything left over needs to be prioritized. Let’s be honest, there’s usually too many dishes and foods at Thanksgiving dinner. So, don’t be afraid if something doesn’t make the cut.

Do Without Store Bought Decorations

If you have any decorations or centerpieces from previous years then use those. If not, then get creative. You can find a ton of fall decor ideas on Pinterest. Another option is to head outside and use leaves or pinecones you find in your backyard. Use a little spray paint or imagination and you can make your own perfect pieces.

Make It Yourself

Obviously hiring a caterer sounds like a genius idea, but they can be costly. Another way your budget can jump is having a bakery prepare your cakes, pies or other bakery goods. Do without hiring someone to make dishes and do it yourself, from scratch. Buying goods from bakeries and stores can be costly, but so can buying pre-made or pre-mixed foods too.

There you have it! Simple tips to help you stay within your budget and still enjoy time with your family. It’s too easy to get wrapped up in this idea of the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. The food has to be perfect, the decorations have to be spot-on and the house has to be spotless. But that’s not what Thanksgiving is about. It’s about time with family, being thankful for what’s most important and enjoying the moment.

Tips for Hosting Family This Holiday Season

Posted on November 21, 2016October 10, 2016 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

I sent these tips on hosting family to my VIP list a few weeks ago, but I thought they were just too good not to share with everyone. So if you’re on my VIP list then you are lucky because you received these way ahead of any holiday gathering prep.

The Holidays are almost here. The hustle and bustle of holiday dinners and get-togethers is upon us. With a little bit of planning you can have a stress-free dinner party that is filled with making memories.

J and I split our time between his family and my family during the holiday season. One year we spend with my family on Thanksgiving and then his family during Christmas. Then we switch the next year. That way we aren’t driving all over trying to make both families’ dinners. We did that one year and we ended up leaving at 1am to make it back home before the snow hit. It was miserable!

Now we get to spend uninterrupted time with each of our families. We aren’t rushed and it makes time together so much better.

Holidays can be a time for stress, but with a little prep you can really stop any anxiety to enjoy the time when hosting family and friends. As we approach Thanksgiving dinner and the Christmas Holiday there are a few things you can do to ease the feeling of being overwhelmed.

Prepare some space

More than likely it will be chilly. People will be wearing coats and winter scarves, so by having a designated coat area in a back room or a hall closet can help decrease clutter. I don’t know about you, but when my main living room is full of stuff it makes me stress out a little. I instantly feel like my whole house is a pit and I can’t focus until it’s cleaned. So by having a space specifically for coats, then you can keep them nice and neat, and out of eye sight.

Childproof Your Home

Even if you don’t have little ones, you should take a few minutes to childproof your home. Take a look around and figure out what needs to be changed or picked up to make it a little more kid-friendly. I recommend picking up an knick-knacks you don’t want to be played with. Also, make sure cabinets are closed and outlets are covered. A few simple steps can really help your guest feel comfortable and ensure little hands aren’t getting into something they shouldn’t.

Smell is Everything

Give off a warm environment by using scented candles or room sprays. I like to make sure I have a scented candle burning in the bathroom as well as the family room. Typically, I pick the same candle so there aren’t conflicting scents through out the whole house. If you’re preparing dinner then I like to put any candles away from the kitchen so I’m not mixing too many smells. A smell overload can make the whole house a bit unappetizing.

Easy Finger Foods

Having a few easy finger foods on hand will help guests feel more at home. Sure you can prepare mini quiches or wraps, but I like to have a few that don’t need any cook time. That way if any of your guests have small children they can be appeased by a few chips or crackers and cheese until dinner is ready. My favorite go to is a veggie and fruit tray. That way you can snack on a few things without ruining dinner.

Keep it Simple

Remember the most important detail is spending time together. Try not to overwhelm yourself with these grand ideas of what Thanksgiving dinner should be like. Sure you see these amazing tables and dinners on TV, but that’s TV. Keep dinner easy to prepare, ask for help, and try not to over plan too much. Just remember everything will be okay and you need to enjoy your time as well.

Quick Tips to Avoid Holiday Stress

Posted on October 24, 2016October 20, 2016 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

It’s hard to imagine how it’s already the middle of October. I feel like it was just yesterday I was putting away my jackets and pulling out my shorts for summer weather. Now here I am pulling them back out.

Funny story about yours truly. I had misplaced my house key months ago. I had tore apart my house, looked through purses, cleaned out drawers, even searched my in-laws home thinking I had left it during a visit. I seriously could not find it anywhere. Which wasn’t a huge deal because our house has an electronic keypad through our garage so I didn’t really need it. But it was driving me crazy because I never lose anything. Sure, I may misplace something for a short time, but I never actually lose anything.

Fast forward to last weekend and it was a bit chilly in the morning. I pulled out my jacket and tossed it on. About an hour later I reached my hand in the pocket and you know what I found? Yep! My house key! I couldn’t believe it. After months of searching I had found it. It never occurred to me to look in my jacket pocket.

I placed my jacket up about the time our little guy was born so I guess between the commotion of having a newborn I forgot. I hate to lose things and feeling stressed about things, that’s why I am such a planner.

I love saving time, which also means saving money. Because if you can plan way ahead then you’re sure to find good deals and save up the money you need.

It might seem pretty early to start thinking about the holidays, the reality is that most of us are too busy and it will be here before we know it.

Now, I’m not the local hobby store and I’m not recommending pulling out those decorations just yet. But I have created a few quick tips on how to avoid holiday stress. If you do these now then it will really save you later on when the holiday season is in full swing. These tips will only take an hour or two at most and it will be well worth it!

Prioritize Your Yes

Sit down with your spouse and get on the same page about holidays. If you plan now and know what’s important to you and your family then you will avoid holiday burnout. Now is the time to know what Thanksgiving or Christmas will look like, who’s house are you going to be at, etc. That way when invitations start rolling in then you and your spouse will know if it’s a “yes” or a “sorry we can’t.”

Establish Your Budget

Sit down and write out every event, gift, and upcoming expense you’re going to have that is out of the ordinary. I create a spreadsheet in Google Sheets to help narrow down who, what, and how much. That way I can keep an eye out for sales. Plus, having a budget really helps keep you accountable. You can check out my process on how I do Christmas on budget.

Make Your Gift List

This goes with the budget section up above. By creating your gift list now then you can have more time to buy what you need. I created my list last week and it has been a life saver. J and I sat down decided a good idea of what we wanted to get everyone then I created my budget from my list.

Plan Your Holiday Menu

I’m not saying it’s time to make the pie or Christmas cookies, yet. Most grocery stores will advertise items at ridiculously low prices to get you to come in. So if you have an idea of what you need to get for November and December then you can add it to your normal grocery shopping. By breaking down your holiday grocery shopping way in advance then you’ll be able to save money and not have a huge bill later down the road.

What do you think? What else would you add to avoid holiday stress?

Skinny(ish) Apple Pie Recipe with Cinnamon Roll Crust

Posted on December 1, 2014December 3, 2014 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

For Thanksgiving I wanted to bring an apple pie for two reasons:

1) I LOVE apple pie
2) I have been wanting to try a recipe for a cinnamon roll crust that I had seen on Pinterest.

The recipe was everything I had dreamed of and then some. Yummy! Plus, it wasn’t hard to make and didn’t require me to make a crust from scratch because we all knew that wasn’t going to happen this past week. No way. Then I had added a tried-and-true apple filling recipe I had used years ago from Weight Watchers. These two recipes combined made for apple yumminess magic. I promise you it was like heaven in your mouth – you could taste the orchard.

*I would like to go ahead and apologize for the poor photo quality. I forgot my nice camera at the office and only had my cell to snap photos with

Cinnamon Roll Crust Recipe:
(adapted from Pure Wow)
1 package of 2 pie crusts (the refrigerated kind)
4 Tbsp. butter, melted (I used Brummel & Brown with yogurt)
1/2 c. light brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 egg white (for the actual baking process – see below)

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the two crusts until they are each 1/2″ thick.

In a small bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and extract. Spoon half of the sugar mixture onto each pie crust and spread evenly.

Roll up the crust, lengthwise. Wrap in saran wrap and place in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Take a serrated knife and cut the spiral into 1/2″ thick pieces.

Take a rolling pin and flatten the spiraled pieces until they are about 1/4″ thick.

In the pie pan spread, lay out half of the flatten pieces so they overlap on the edges. Press together.

You should be able to use all of your spiral pieces for the shell, however, if you have any remaining then you can make a pie topper. Place Them together on top of the counter into a circle. I didn’t have enough remaining pieces to make an entire shell to cover my pie, which I thought was fine! Chill both pieces for about an hour before filling.

Lightened-Up Apple Pie Recipe
(adapted from Weight Watchers)

2 medium Fuji apples, cut into 1/4″ cubes
2 medium Granny Smith apples, cut into 1/4″ cubes
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsp. apricot jam

In a bowl combine the apples, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add apple mixture and cook until slightly softened. You will need to stir every few minutes. This should take about 10-12 minutes.

Remove the apple mixture from the heat and stir in the jam. Set aside to cool.

Once the pie crusts have chilled long enough, pour the apple filling into the bottom crust then top with the remaining cinnamon roll pie crust. If your top covers the entire pie then cut 4-5 slits on top for it to breath. Brush with egg white.

Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and then place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Once the oven is heated, carefully place the pie on the hot baking sheet. Reduce the temperature to 425 degrees. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Once the top is golden brown, turn the temperature down to 375 degrees and rotate the baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the crust is a deep golden brown.

It’s all about the turkey, no gravy – Happy Thanksgiving

Posted on November 27, 2014November 25, 2014 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

If you thought you were going to see some picture of a nice juicy turkey then you are sadly mistaken. Not because I won’t be having turkey today, I will. But because it hasn’t come out of the oven yet. You see, I’m writing this hours before we are even leaving to head to J’s family. I am imagining the turkey that I will be eating later, and it’s good. Real good.

I’m a simple kind of girl. I like turkey with no gravy. I think gravy ruins it. Gravy ruins pretty much everything it touches – biscuits, turkey, and even chicken fried steak. They are all ruined with the addition of gravy. Some call un-American to not like gravy. I call it normal. It’s thick, dark in color, the texture is off and smothers the best part of any meal. So today I will be sitting down enjoying some turkey and stuffing sans gravy.

I remember the first Thanksgiving J and I were together. He had to work black Friday and wasn’t able to make it home. I decided to stay with him and skip out on my family’s dinner. I couldn’t let him be alone! I went all Betty Crocker on him and worked so hard on creating a Thanksgiving feast for the two of us. I bought a turkey, stuffing, made biscuits from scratch, had bacon-wrapped asparagus, and even made a chocolate chip cookie cake. I spent hours in the kitchen working on dinner and in the end, we would have been better off going out to eat. The turkey was dry because I didn’t wrap it right or baste it at all. I had misread the directions for the biscuits and used 3x the amount of butter I was suppose to so they came out soggy. I burnt the asparagus to a crisp. The only two things that turned out was the boxed stuffing and the cookie cake. Needless to say we didn’t keep any leftovers that year.

Although the food was a disaster, that Thanksgiving has been one of my favorites. We were able to spend it together. We laughed and laughed. He calmed me down when I realized ALL the mistakes I had made and was on the verge of a panic attack. I really got to see the sweet, sensitive and supportive side of J.

I hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful. May you get the opportunity to spend time with your loved ones and enjoy each other’s company. May you not stress about what’s happening next week, but instead take a breather so you may have a relax, fun-filled long weekend. Happy Thanksgiving!

What I’m Thankful For

Posted on November 25, 2014November 25, 2014 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

I saw the best sign at a local church this past week:

“You don’t need more to be thankful for, you just need to be thankful more.”

I think this statement is so true! We always want more – more time to get work done, more money, more time with family and friends, more stuff. But we shouldn’t look at it like that. We should be thankful more for what we do have – family that supports us, a career that pays the bills and then some, friends that are there for us, a roof over our heads, a car to get us from point A to point B.

The one little sign really got me thinking of what I’m thankful for this year.

It’s important to be grateful for what you have, right now. It’s easy to get caught up in the materialistic side of life. But you have to ask yourself in 5 years, 20 years or even after we’re long gone from this Earth, what will be important to you, your legacy and those you love. I want to leave a mark on this world that truly represents me. I’m a passionate, hard working, wife, daughter, sister, friend, that cares about others and puts their needs before my own. I would go without food to make sure my dogs ate and are cared for. I would drive miles and miles to help a friend in need with a moments notice. I love the person I have become over the years. I have found myself and know that I can achieve any goal I set my mind to. I’m thankful for what my parents taught me, the love my husband shows me everyday and the excitement I receive from three little dogs when I walk through that door each night. I’m lucky to have a job I love and work for my Dad. I’m blessed to have a close-knit family that I call my cousins some of my closest friends.

I am loved, blessed, lucky, adore. I cherish, delight in, and treasure those around me.

Here is my thankful for list for this year. I know I have forgotten some and know that I could go on forever with this list.

My husband, J
Our 3 dogs – Maggie, Tiny, and Bud
Being able to save Bud from that gas station parking lot that one afternoon
A career that I am undoubtedly passionate about
The ability to learn and develop my skills in the finance world
My parents who stand up for me
My in-laws and J’s family
My sister and her soon-to-be husband
My friends that are still with me after all these years and all the miles between us
A car that is paid in full for and still runs
A roof over my head and for the first time in years is actually a roof that covers a very nice home that we get to call ours for the next few years
My health
My drive to do more and be a better person

I really think I could go on and on with this list. I really am a pretty lucky lady.

Share:

Thanksgiving activities for kids:

Leaf Art

Paper Bag Puppets

Scavenger Hunt

Thanksgiving Bingo

Turkey Feathers

Share:

One Week Before Thanksgiving

Three Days Before Thanksgiving

Day Before Thanksgiving

Morning Of Thanksgiving

Share:

Have a Potluck

Prioritize Your Dishes

Do Without Store Bought Decorations

Make It Yourself

Share:

Prepare some space

Childproof Your Home

Smell is Everything

Easy Finger Foods

Keep it Simple

Join the VIP list!

Share:

Prioritize Your Yes

Establish Your Budget

Make Your Gift List

Plan Your Holiday Menu

Share:

Share:

Share:

Share:

Share: