Shawna's Thanksgiving Recipe: Just Chill

This year, my husband and I decided to change things up and celebrate Thanksgiving different then in years past. In fact, this more "laid back" outlook towards the holiday can be explained further in my recent post here, A Summer of Change. 2017 has been a journey of self-reflection. At 34 years old (almost 35 dammit!) which can now be shortened to "my mid-thirties" (I'm crying hearing that now too!!), but in all honestly I finally really know who I am.  

I love the Holidays!

Thanksgiving being one of my favorites – so naturally we've hosted the last three years. However if you have hosted Thanksgiving before, I hope you understand me when I say that it can be overwhelming and stressful at times. I am no stranger to taking on big projects so my " Thanksgiving prep" always starts many days before Thursday. Getting the table decorated, prepping a dish a night, cooking the turkey which is a huge stress in itself, baking and correctly timing all the side dishes, I could literally keep going. I remember feeling extremely drained after Thanksgiving last year. I get so excited to host our families and friends and I cooked, cooked, and cooked some more. It was all really fantastic food, but not the holiday I truly wanted. It was like my wedding day, it all happened so fast I don't remember if I had a chance to actually enjoy it too. I definitely envy my friends who can just show up to their Aunt’s house with a pie.So this year were doing things different and it's OK. Which also leads me to all the reasons I am so thankful. 

I'm thankful for...

As I am typing this with one hand (literally) because my son wants to cuddle with his Mommy.....ahhhhhhh.....my heart is full and I'm thankful for my beautiful family. This year I have learned a lot, I have an amazing husband who has not only supported me on my journey but appreciates me more for it. I am also so thankful for my friends (old and new) that have reached out and shared their stories with me this year. I have the most amazing people in my life that show me unconditional love and support. Without these dynamic relationships, I could not be who I am today and I'm so graciously thankful for that.I am also so thankful for Peace.Love.Style. This is my first full year working on the blog with Katy and I love it, all of it. I'm obsessed with the creativity aspect of blogging, the more I do it, the more I realize I needed it. It definitely keeps me busy but I thrive when I'm living a fast paced lifestyle. Blogging has been so fulfilling to me, thank YOU for all of your support! ♥Lastly, I'm thankful for 2017 and the new found respect I have for myself. I'm making my happiness a priority by truly understanding that self-love isn't selfish. I went through a lot this year, the good, the bad and the ugly. But I have also learned some valuable lessons and I'm so incredibly thankful for that.  So now, what am I doing for Thanksgiving?I'm not cooking! I might go to Whole Foods and pick up some side dishes so we can have "leftovers" after Thursday but my oven will not be ON. We made the decision to go out and it's OK. I want to be present this week and 'sitting this one out'  felt like the right decision for my family. Don't get me wrong, I will definitely be missing that home-cooked Thanksgiving experience. But dining out fulfills a different kind of pleasure, by allowing myself to relax and be served this year.  I'm also really looking forward to lounging around allllll week and not doing anything! I hope you find the time to relax and enjoy your Thanksgiving "Break" too :)Ok, ok.....I do LOVE Thanksgiving so here is a delicious Thanksgiving side dish recipe that people really like! (scroll down ↓) 

Have a beautiful and safe Thanksgiving.

Love Always,

Shawna

xoxo

Layering Top / Tweed Dress / OTK Boots / Fisherman Hat / Sunglasses

Miranda McDonald Photography 

 

Parmesan Crusted Creamed Corn

Serves 8 to 10

6 TBL (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese1 1/2 cups heavy cream (Trader Joes has a good one)Two 16-oz bags frozen white corn, defrosted2 tsp salt1 tsp sugar3 TBL all-purpose flour

1. Brush a 13 X 9-inch baking dish with some of the butter. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the Parmesan over the bottom of the dish and tilt so the cheese is evenly distributed and adheres to the butter.
2. In a 4-quart saucepan, heat the cream until it begins to boil. Add the corn, salt, and sugar and heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is almost at a boil.
3. In the meantime, make a paste out of the remaining melted butter and the flour. Stir it into the mixture in the saucepan and cook until thickened and the liquid does come to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the mixture to the prepared dish, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup of cheese. (DO-AHEAD: At this point, you can let cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the corn dish until bubbling and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Trying to watch the calories? Try whole milk. It's not as luxurious but it does the job.