Turning Thanksgiving dinner into a buffet-style extravaganza is a surefire way to ease tension when you’re home (and hosting) for the holidays, especially when the meal itself takes days to prepare. Spend less time cleaning and more time eating – and let guests fill up on as many waistband-stretching helpings as they please – with these self-serve tips.

Location, location, location.
Be creative with your table placement. If you have both a kitchen and dining room, it’s easy to create separate zones for serving and eating. If not, you can host the buffet on a wooden sideboard, a dresser, a desk – or even a door propped up on sawhorses and covered with a floor-length tablecloth. Just try to keep the table away from the wall so guests can access it from all sides, and set up the décor and serving dishes the night before.

Define your color palette and style it seasonally.
Floral arrangements need not apply. Instead, take cues from seasonal bounty and style the table with gourds, grapevines, or crab apple branches. You can also place clustered vignettes (try any combination of rose hips, artichokes, beets, eggplants, mini pumpkins, and sweet peppers) between your serving dishes for a dazzling, colorful spread. If you’re craving candles, choose the flameless variety – no one wants a side of smoking sleeves with their sweet potatoes.

To create additional serving space, stack vintage wooden cheese boxes or bricks wrapped in cloth napkins, then place your platters and décor on different heights to spur visual interest and increase functionality. Just keep it classy, not cluttered, and make sure everything is stable. You can even move décor to baskets on the floor, mantel, or side tables to make more room for the all-important food.

Spread with love – and logic.
Start with dinner plates at the head of the buffet table, and position linens and silverware (festively rolled with a napkin ring and secured in a drinking glass) at the end, so guests don’t have to juggle everything while serving themselves.

Begin the food lineup with cooler dishes such as bread and salad, then follow with warm sides. Turkey and gravy (for the sake of dousing everything on your plate in one go) should be close to the end. Salt and pepper can be placed at the very end or on guests’ tables, and having separate areas for drinks and dessert can help reduce congestion.

When everyone is stuffed and on the verge of slipping into a tryptophan coma, offer up some take-home boxes with stick-on labels (like these printable ones from HGTV) so you’re not defrosting turkey for dinner through New Year’s. Your guests (and their bellies) will be forever grateful. And hey, isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about?

By Jess Huckins, Staff Writer

What’s your favorite holiday serving tip? Share it in the comments below or tweet us at @ruelala.

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1. We’re taking a break from traditional pumpkin pie with these mouthwatering pumpkin desserts.

2. But, if you really love pie, this Pinboard has plenty to keep your Thanksgiving guests satisfied.

3. Food & Wine has all the Thanksgiving side dishes you could ever possibly want.

4. Wondering how to properly season a bird? Here’s a whole Pinboard of savory turkey recipes.

5. And when it’s (finally) time to set the table, this is all the inspirational décor we’ll need.

Can’t get enough Pinterest inspiration? Check out past boards that caught our eye.  

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Nothing constricting!
This one goes without saying. Who wants to be reminded that, while eating that second slice of pecan pie, one’s body is expanding to fit that second slice of pecan pie? Go for a super-oversized top plus leggings, then dress them up with boots and a scarf – and enjoy those multiple helpings. (That’s what Thanksgiving’s about, after all.)

Make sure sitting (for a long period of time) isn’t a struggle.
That too-tight waistband? Save it for Day 3 of a juice cleanse.

Transferability from dinner table to couch is key.
Tryptophan isn’t just a legend – it’s real. Keep things loose and comfy and, if a nap just so happens to strike while lounging on the couch post-dinner, you’re dressed for it.

By Sarah Stanley, Staff Writer

What are your Thanksgiving outfit secrets? Tell us in the comments, or tweet us at @ruelala

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Instructions

1. In a thick-bottomed pot, cook the pumpkin, carrot, apple, onion, garlic, and thyme in the butter for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the white wine and cook until it has all evaporated.
2. Add the chicken stock and simmer until all the vegetables are soft, approximately 30 minutes. Blend the soup and strain it. Add the cream and season to taste with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
3. Sear the seasoned scallops in hot olive oil on both sides until golden.
4. Place the seared diver-harvested scallops in a soup plate, cover with the velvety soup.
5. Garnish the soup with some whipped cream, flavored with a little five-spice powder.
6. Sprinkle the top of the soup with some crisp fried ginger strips.

Rue La La: Let’s talk side dishes. What’s your personal favorite holiday dish?
Jonathan Cartwright: Brussels sprouts blanched then cooked with shallots and butter.

Rue La La:  Sounds delicious! You cook for lots of people all the time. What’s the trick to cooking for a big bunch?
Jonathan Cartwright: It helps to be organized and do the preparations in advance.  Also teach your children to help and ask family to make sides or dessert!

Rue La La: Thanksgiving is just a few days away – is there a secret to cooking a really great turkey?
Jonathan Cartwright: Moisture is the key.  Brine the bird beforehand or add a couple cups of water to the roasting pan and baste often. I usually fill the neck cavity with apples and cover the breast with soft butter before placing it in a medium preheated oven.

Rue La La: And what suggestions do you have for leftovers?
Jonathan Cartwright: I love turkey-and-vegetable stew or soup. Turkey potpie, or even turkey and stuffing fried together. And of course, a great cold turkey-and-cranberry sandwich.

Rue La La:  That all sounds so good. Do you have any wine pairing suggestions for Thanksgiving dinner and dessert?
Jonathan Cartwright: I love a red from Burgundy with my turkey but any Pinot Noir is nice. For dessert wines, I like a Banyuls or even a glass of champagne or sparkling wine.

Rue La La: You’re from England – are there any English traditions that rival Thanksgiving?
Jonathan Cartwright: We don’t have Thanksgiving but helped start it back in the day! Perhaps Easter is similar for us where family gathers and we cook larger than normal amounts of food and baked items. Christmas is traditionally Turkey Day for us in the UK.

Rue La La: We have to ask, what is your perfect holiday meal?
Jonathan Cartwright: Turkey with sage-and-onion stuffing, brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes with a nice gravy, and a little bit of cranberry sauce.

By Brianna Lapolla, Staff Writer

Our Vanderbilt Grace Hotel – Newport, RI Boutique opens Monday, November 19, at 11AM ET.

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Turkey, cranberry sauce, basic stuffing, mashed potatoes. If eating the same thing every year (no matter how tantalizing the tastes) sometimes gets you down, try adding a new dish to your Thanksgiving spread. One or more of these scrumptious sides – straight from our tables to yours – could be the answer. Just click on the titles below for printable cards to add to your recipe box.

Serve in contrasting-colored dishes – orange-hued stuffing in a turquoise bowl, for example, or nice, dark green beans on a bright red platter – for a table that’s as attractive as it is delicious.

Chorizo Corn Bread Stuffing
Makes 4 – 6 servings
“This sweet, savory, and spicy take on stuffing is a hit year after year. Use organic or all-natural sausage to boost the health factor – and the flavor.”

Ingredients
1 pound hard chorizo, diced
1 white onion, diced
1 large carrot, chopped
½ cup celery, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 cups corn bread, crumbled
½ cup chicken stock
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions
1. Cook chorizo in a skillet over medium heat, about 5 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to the chorizo and cook until the vegetables have caramelized, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the corn bread, chicken stock, and cilantro. Mix until the bread is just coated – not too dry, not too wet.
5. Transfer to a buttered casserole dish and bake until heated through and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

Firemen’s Potatoes (Potatoes au Gratin)
 “Remember to place the baking dish on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Otherwise, expect voluminous amounts of smoke and a visit from the fire department – hence the name. Despite that one incident, this rich, creamy dish has become a holiday favorite.”

Classic Baked Acorn Squash
 “Variations on this recipe call for adding sausage, bacon, pecans, or cheese, or using amaretto or molasses rather than sugar. Modify to suit to your tastes!”

Tarragon-Almond Green Beans
 “The balsamic tang mixed with the crispness of the almonds makes this dish a Thanksgiving go-to.”

Apple Cake
 “It’s not a side dish, it’s a dessert, but it’s easy + great for Thanksgiving – and for breakfast the next day, too.”

By Jess Huckins, Staff Writer

Do you have a cherished Thanksgiving recipe? Share it in the comments below or tweet us at @ruelala.

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Photos courtesy of Miki Duisterhof via Eddie Ross (left, right) and Heather Rowley via The Creative Patch (middle).

Bold Texture
You can create a variation on these ribbon napkin rings to spruce up white or cream linens. Coordinate with your holiday table’s colors when you select your ribbon, trim, and burlap, and add buttons, lace, or vintage jewelry. If you love the idea of crafting with jewelry as much as I do, Eddie Ross’s vintage brooch napkin rings will help you outfit your tablescape in luxurious, textured style.

Thanksgiving Harvest
Bring a harvest feel to your Thanksgiving dinner table with acorn napkin rings. All you need is a drill with a tiny bit, some thin craft wire, and about ten acorns per place setting. Pair the rings with red or orange cloth napkins, then add acorns to your centerpiece to complete the rustic feel. You can also use some ribbon and a pearl for a different take on the same idea.

Holiday Hosting
As the go-to host, head into dinner-party season armed with festive wreath napkin rings. The small grapevine wreaths and holiday-hued ribbon should be available at any craft store. If your color scheme is more winter-themed – white, blue, or silver – try these jingle bell napkin rings to combine whimsy and class.

For the kids’ table, you can’t go wrong with Santa belt napkin rings – and they come with the added benefit of enticing youngsters with an arts and crafts project at the kitchen table while you baste the turkey or carve the holiday ham.

By Jess Huckins, Staff Writer 

What’s your favorite holiday-table DIY project? Tell us in the comments below or tweet us @ruelala. 

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First up? Thanksgiving dinner. This year, impress guests with more than that expertly basted turkey thanks to these five tips for your best tablescape yet. (Trust me, Pinterest-perfect is possible. It just requires planning.)

1. Find your inspiration. Pinterest is rife with Thanksgiving tablescapes – from the simple to the lavish. Start a board online, or print out your favorites and create your own real-life “pinboard.”

2. Settle on a color scheme, then go from there. Bronzey brown, white, and silver. All white with touches of gold and cream. This year, I’m all about warm, spicy colors and shimmery metallics paired with cream or white, but don’t be afraid to play with bold color. Rich turquoisey blue really pops against a rustic farmhouse table.

3. Brush up on table setting rules. Remember what your mother told you: Forks go on the left, spoons and knives on the right, placed in the order that they will be used. Visualize it here.

4. Layer, layer, layer. There’s no rule against layering tablecloths. Try a neutral tablecloth underneath a gold or lush brocade runner. I’m also a firm believer that two (or three) plates are better than one. Start with a charger, add a dinner plate, then finish the look with a salad plate. Bonus points for varied colors and patterns.

5. Don’t forget the accents. Think place-card holders and candles. Find them in today’s Boutique or make your own. For place-card holders, stencil miniature pumpkins with guests’ initials or first names, or try a variation on these whimsical little animal figurines. Simply spray-paint turkey or bird figurines gold or white, add labels, and voilà. I also love these DIY gourd votives that Emily, one of our lovely Rue staff writers, taught us how to make.

Find everything for that perfect Thanksgiving tablescape – plus cuisine, cookware, and more – in our Feast of Thanks: Serve the Guests, Feast of Thanks: Let’s Eat, and Feast of Thanks: For the Cook Boutiques, opening Thursday, November 1, at 3PM ET.

By Joanna Berliner, Editor 

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We at Rue La La believe it’s the personal touches that make the holidays so special. So we asked how you’re “Letting It Rue” this season. Here, some of your special holiday traditions.

Heather Z – Christmas Eve: Chinese takeout for dinner, watching old home movies and reading T’was the Night Before Christmas.

Pamela S – Starting a new one this year – instead of exchanging gifts we will be collecting donations and giving to families that would otherwise not have a Christmas.

Stephanie H – Watching Christmas movies with my cousins in matching PJs, drinking hot cocoa & only lights are fire & tree.

Lindsey N – Pierogi!

Nicole R – Stuffed Baked French Toast for breakfast on Christmas. Make it the day before and leave it in the fridge so there is more time for fun Christmas morning.

Jenna D – Every year we get the ugliest Christmas tree we can find, it’s awesome!

Don N – Going for a three-hour hike right after the turkey goes into the oven so when we get back tired and cold, the house is warm and filled with the delightful smell of roasted turkey! Yum!

Colette M – We cook a big Scottish breakfast!

Eftihia S – Roasted chestnuts, fresh bread out of the oven, hot soup, and a crackling fire.

Kirby W – Each year since before my parents were married (37 years ago) he made an ornament for her, and then one each for my brother and I every year since we were born, signifying something significant that happened in our lives that year. Each is remarkably detailed, made with scraps of wood or random household items, and so incredibly perfect for that person, that year. He died in May, and it will be both heartbreaking and a gift from the past to open up those ornaments this year.

Armanda C – To drink eggnog and kiss under the mistletoe.

Kristina J – Shopping in NY!

Derrick B – Gingerbread house making with my grandparents!

Alina D – One is definitely not enough to write about Christmas tradition in my country but personally my favorite one is that you have to prepare one plate more, during Christmas dinner, in case someone will come to your house (means for me that your house and heart is open and you’ll help if something will happen).

We’ve added more of your holiday traditions to our Facebook page – read the Note and be sure to “Like” us! ]]> http://www.ruelala.com/blog/2010/12/10/let-it-rue-members-dish-on-their-holiday-traditions/feed/ 1