Recipes inspired by the Thanksgiving movie, What's Cooking? | #FoodnFlix

There are tons of movies out there centered around Christmas, but there aren't a whole lot that feature that infamous Thanksgiving gathering. Forget the presents, this get-together is all about being thankful for the simple fact that we are all alive and together. But that also means differences; cultural, generational, political, moral - it all comes out of the woodwork in between jostling for oven space and rooting for your favorite football team.

Smoked Gouda & Sage Roasted Polenta | What's Cooking? #FoodnFlix

Thanksgiving is THE biggest food holiday in my family. It's such a huge part of what brings my family together with the menu planning and "passing out" assignments (not that it ever really changes - everybody has their specialty) and timing that never quite goes as planned, but works out anyway. It's about food and family and coming together and putting aside the things that make us different, keeping us distant and busy for much of the year...instead remembering our shared upbringing, memories both happy and painful...and celebrating the similarities and diversities that make us a family.

In the kitchen with What's Cooking? | #FoodnFlix

Well, it's officially November - my favorite month. It's my birthday month. And it's Thanksgiving for us here in the states, and that just happens to be my favorite meal of the entire year. Our family Thanksgiving meals are the stuff of legends (seriously, people tell stories of all the amazing food we make and serve that day). We, and especially me, spend weeks dreaming, planning, and preparing.

So, this month I'm combining that passion with my other passion - creating food based on movies (or tv or books or music). I'm hosting the November edition of our "food and a movie" club Food 'n Flix with a Thanksgiving-centric film called What's Cooking?!

Fester's 3-Week Anniversary Meatloaf | Addams Family Values #FoodnFlix

The Food 'n Flix club bloggers have scooched their chairs up to the Addams Family table this month, along with our host Kimberly from Coffee and Casseroles. There's no month more fitting than October to hang out with in the kitchen with one of my favorite families. Kimberly invited to watch either (or both) of the early 1990's films, The Addams Family or Addams Family Values. I watched both. Again.

Beer & Brats Stuffing (Dressing) | Planes, Trains and Automobiles #FoodnFlix

Welcome to the November edition of the Food 'n Flix club! This month we're watching Planes, Trains and Automobiles, a 1987 road trip/odd-couple/roadtrip flick starring Steve Martin and John Candy. Oddly enough, I haven't found a whole lot of movies with a Thanksgiving theme, but this is one of the few that does.

Apple Cinnamon Stuffing Muffins | Lift And Separate

Welcome to the TLC Book Tours stop for the first novel by Marilyn Simon Rothstein, Lift And Separate! With a title like "Lift And Separate" and a cover filled with bras, you might guess that this book contains a bit of humor—you'd be correct! The story is actually a look into the life of 50-something Marcy Hammer, whose husband of 33 years seems to be going through a mid-life crisis, in the worst way possible.

Harvey Hammer is in the (family) business of bras, and can correctly guess any woman he meets bra size at a glance. As if that weren't uncomfortable enough, he cheats on his wife and mother of his three grown children with a fitting model.

Bacon-wrapped Water Chestnuts

My friend Leslie from La Cocina de Leslie and I started the series She Made, Ella Hace over 5 years ago. The past couple of years, our posting has been very sporadic, but we've decided that there is no better time than the present to get back on track and start post on a regular monthly basis again - hooray! We're kicking off the year with appetizer recipes, in anticipation of the Super Bowl (can I type that out loud?) this coming weekend.

Today I'm sharing a recipe that has been in my family for as long as I can remember. We've always referred to them as "water chestnut hors d'oeuvres" or simply, water chestnuts (e.g... "who's making the water chestnuts this year?"), but I'll refer to them bacon-wrapped water chestnuts for clarification purposes.

Slow Cooker Turmeric Turkey Noodle Soup

I know I've said this numerous times, but I'm a soup-year-round kinda gal. But that doesn't stop me from appreciating, eating, and making even more soup during January, which has been designated National Soup Month.

Slow Cooker Herbes de Provence Turkey Breast

This recipe is so easy that I hadn't originally planned on sharing it. I mean, with only turkey and herbs plus salt and pepper, it can hardly be called a recipe. Since I didn't host Thanksgiving or Christmas at my house this year, we didn't have any leftover turkey like we often do...and always look forward to. And because of that, my family (yeah, every last one of them) has been craving some sort turkey soup, since I usually make a batch from the leftovers and carcass.