I Host a Casual Thanksgiving Dinner with KitchenAid

All images by Stagetecture

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This Thanksgiving I paired up with KitchenAid® to show off their gorgeous colors of the season and how you can use their fall-inspired bakeware and small appliances to pull together a great dinner. To start off my table setting I used the Persimmon (Orange) Nesting Ceramic 4 Piece Set for fried chicken that my kids love! While you may think that fried chicken isn’t for Thanksgiving, think again! Perfect for a laid back dinner amongst friends and family. For those who still want a baked fowl I cooked a chicken in their Casserole Dish in Ivy Green and served it alongside green beans and potatoes.

Here’s a few tips on setting a Casual Thanksgiving Dinner table:

Choose your favorite small gourds like pumpkins, squash and other miniature vegetables to disperse around the table. I prefer to not have one centerpiece as it creates a more formal environment that makes everyone feel uptight!  Instead, I used a bag of mixed shelled nuts like walnuts, pine nuts, pecans and more and put them casually around the table.

Casual Thanksgiving Dinner – Create the look:

• Burlap runner in your choice of colors. It makes a beautiful backdrop to any natural tablescape
• Napkin rings with fall inspired motifs. I like these leaf ones
• Fabric napkins in a deep rust color brings texture to your table and pairs nicely with the autumn colored bakeware
• Casual dinnerware that doesn’t have a lot of ornamentation will bring focus to the food and will keep the meal casual
• Simple stemware for your favorite wine.. or put apple juice for kids to feel grown up!

Adding unexpected touches to the Thanksgiving meal

What I love about a casual Thanksgiving is you don’t have to only serve traditional food. I opted for a Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup prepared in the KitchenAid® 5-Speed Diamond Blender in Tangerine. It whips up your favorite soups easily but also would be perfect for drinks to serve table-side!

This Thanksgiving create a casual way to gather friends and family without the stress of formal planning.

For more Thanksgiving ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

I’m excited to give you a chance to win:

KitchenAid® 11-Cup Food Processor with ExactSlice System

This food processor replaced my 10 year old white one and I absolutely love the ability to adjust the thickness of your slices with the lever in the front. I was able to make Thanksgiving sides much quicker

You can see all the details for the food processor here on KitchenAid®. This food processor is a $249.00 value and comes in your choice of colors: Empire Red, Onyx Black or Contour Silver as shown here.

Pin to Win #HolidayEats Giveaway with KitchenAid

We want to give one (1) lucky winner this food processor for the holidays!

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Official Contest Rules*

PRIZE – KitchenAid® 11-Cup Food Processor with ExactSlice System

*(Contest is only open to U.S. Residents for shipment purposes) – This contest is NOT affiliated with Olioboard.

2 Ways to Enter – #HolidayEats ‘Pin to Win’ Board Contest

#1 – CREATE AN OLIOBOARD

Create an Olioboard showing us your favorite Holiday inspiration ideas. Beautifully appointed decor, kitchen, dining room, you name it, we want to see your holiday inspired interior room. They can be in the kitchen, dining room, hosting a dessert banquet party – but they should focus around food!

OR

#2. CREATE A PINTEREST BOARD

On your own Pinterest account, create a Pinterest Board called #HolidayEats and gather 20 (twenty) holiday ideas from Stagetecture.com website. Include #HolidayEats hashtag in the description of your pins. – You can use the “Pin it” Button above every Stagetecture post and pin recipes, decor, crafts that inspire you for the holidays.

IMPORTANT-  Tag @KitchenAidUSA on all of your Pinterest/Olioboards and social shares!

Judging:

Board will be judged on creativity, adherence to the rules, and awesome engagement with other pinners and friends in your community.

Additional Rules 

*****Don’t forget these or your entry will be disqualified****

1. Once you have created your Olioboard or Pinterest board you will need to “Pin to Win” to Stagetecture’s Group Board –Christmas & New Year’s Eve board.

2. Enter your email in the Rafflecopter entry form and we will invite you to the shared Christmas & New Year’s Eve board. (Check your notifications on Pinterest to see when you’ve been added to the group board.)

• Pin only 1 (one) copy of your Olioboard or Pinterest board to the Christmas & New Year’s Eve board.

3. YOU MUST FILL OUT THE Rafflecopter Official Entry form below. Follow the directions in the Rafflecopter entry to win additional chances to win4. Share the contest on your social media outlets with the hashtag #HolidayEats and win extra chances to win (as mentioned in Rafflecopter entry form below)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!  Contest runs from Dec.5th  – Dec. 10th. Winner Announced Friday, Dec. 11th

Celebrate Fall: My Autumn Apple Dessert Party with KitchenAid®

All images by Stagetecture

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I paired up with KitchenAid® to show off their gorgeous colors of the season. From their Empire Red –  Traditional Cast Iron 3-Quart Casserole that I used to bake the Apple Crumb Bars Recipe to the Persimmon (Orange) Nesting Ceramic 4 Piece Set I made a version of Apple Dumplings with Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe. The beautiful orange and reds are a good theme color to start decorating your dessert party table. Here’s how to create your table:

Decorating your Autumn Dessert Party Table:

Choose colors that resonate with the season. Reds, greens, natural burlap in dark and light shades of brown can be used as your tablecloth or table runner and throughout your display areas. Cover the table with the runner and choose 2-3 colors that you will use repeatedly throughout the display. Gather wicker baskets, galvanized tin pails, and rustic or metallic chargers below your serving dishes.

Use Apples as Decoration and as Edible Display

When decorating with apples remember they can be edible display and used around your table for color. Grab various size apples and an assortment of types to bring color around your dishes. I used an apple around the apple crumb cake to add color to a neutral plate display.

The Empire Red KitchenAid® Electric Tea Kettle is one of my favorites. It plugs into the wall, and has a removable base to bring it directly to your buffet table. Guests can pour hot water for tea, or you can serve warm apple cider to keep with the apple theme!

Lastly, gather your favorite red napkins, silverware, and metallic chargers to add reflectance to your autumn table. My family wished we could have an Autumn Apple Dessert Party everyday! Thanks KitchenAid® for the wonderful opportunity to showcase the colorful side of entertaining.

For more autumn party ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

When you think of plastic, do you think of the water bottles that people needlessly toss away, or do you think of gorgeous KitchenAid plastics used to beautify kitchens world wide? Believe it or not, plastic are making great innovations in your kitchen. Instead of thinking of plastic for only utilitarian use, see how they are being used for designer cookware in your kitchen.

Today, Plastics made Possible shows the innovative direction of recycled plastics, and how they are being used in your everyday home. Below are videos from last year’s Aspen Food & Wine Classic.

KitchenAid’s head designer talks about plastics in the kitchen

“Plastics play a starring role in new and innovative products for the home. Whether you want to install home insulation or redecorate, add a deck to your backyard or choose new flooring, plastics provide many great options. Furnishings and kitchen gadgets, electrical appliances, and of course the home computer, all rely on innovative plastics.”

Microplane’s – Innovative Plastic Kitchen Tools

For more kitchen & bath ideas on Stagetecture, click here.