Since I didn’t have to host OR cook this Thanksgiving (score!), I thought I’d exert myself just a tad by sharing my sure-fire recipe for holiday success…

Ready for it?!

Okay.  Start with a comfortable home (preferably NOT your own), and

Stir in some loved ones.
(The more good cooks and rowdy cousins in the batch, the better.)

Make sure you’ve included a few fun aunts and uncles.
(The nutty ones give the dish a really great crunch.)

Sprinkle in a little princess/fairy power to kick the flavor up a bit.
(Remembering that sass and mismatched outfits will boost your dish’s style points.)

Top it all off with a bunch of fall leaves.
(Lazily avoiding to rake said leaves for week and weeks prior will really help with this step.)

Then bake it all at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, and pour yourself a big glass of wine.

And VOILÀ!  A Mama-Julie Thanksgiving weekend masterpiece!

Cookbooks forthcoming.  Get excited.