Our Thanksgiving Spread

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope your day was filled with warmth, love & full bellies! I am thankful for every day. Every sunrise or sunset I get to see makes me filled with gratitude. However I'm thankful most for my husband, Gilles and our fur baby, MaQ. They are my family and without them I'm not sure where I would be today. Their love makes each day worth getting up for. I love these two more than anything else in the world. Thank you both for always having my back.

Today's post is all about my cook-a-thon from yesterday's feast! I've been cooking our turkey's for the past 7 years and I must admit, this year's turkey was the best yet! I got a decent-sized bird to last us for days, just shy of 14 pounds! I panicked the first time I handled a turkey. The idea of cooking the darn thing was intimidating enough, let alone preparing all the side dishes and appetizers, cocktails, etc. Secondly, I was honestly grossed out. But now, with persistent practice in the kitchen, I prep faster and with more confidence, therefore with much more ease. It's a breeze now and I relish the idea of cooking a 20+lber one day, ha ha! This year was also the first time where I never felt overwhelmed! My cooking skills are improving, and I'm so happy to share with you my progress thus far! Here are a few tricks of the trade I've learned from the many Thanksgiving dinners I've made in the past years:

ALWAYS PREP IN ADVANCE! I can't tell you how many times I was that dingdong who'd rush to the market on the day of Thanksgiving. BAD Suz! BAD. Life is continuously hectic in New York, and I never could seem to manage to prepare anything beforehand and made everything on the actual day! This year in particular, I bought everything I needed the day before. Lol. I also made the pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving Eve, which definitely helped take off a little pressure from all the cooking on the day of.

BUTTER, BUTTER & MORE BUTTER. What's the secret to French cooking? That's right, folks, the more the better. If you want your turkey to have a super moist, rich taste, the key is where you put the butter. I like to season mine first with a variety of herbs & seasonings, then take the mixture and place it under the skin. The trick is to not to rip the entire skin off though. I will poke a hole through each end on both sides, and will especially be generous with the butter when it comes to the breast. I put most of the butter in this section because this part of the turkey has a tendency to be the most dry.

COVER TURKEY WITH FOIL. Remove the foil when there is only 1 hour left to finish cooking the bird. This is the time to baste the turkey from the cooked juices, I usually try to do this every 10-15 minutes (for an hour), giving it a nice brown on the skin. Doesn't it look delicious?!

USE UNFLAVORED DENTAL FLOSS TO TIE THE LEGS. It's easy to remove and even easier to tie if you have an extra pair of hands. (Thanks, hubby bear for the awesome teamwork!) I'm not sure what everyone else uses, but I've been using this method for years and it's never failed to secure them tightly!

A VARIETY OF SIDES GOES A LONG WAY. Some of my favorite trimmings are mashed potatoes and stuffing (or dressing as the South calls it). I could literally survive on the stuff! But you never know who's going to show up, so it's a good thing to mix it up and try different and new recipes. I also made my version of candied yams & apples, which is on the sweeter side comparatively to the other dishes. Salad is also a great starter. I mixed mine with mushrooms, red & yellow peppers, onion, cucumbers, tomatos and shredded carrots. I also will normally have some kind of bread at the table but I totally forget about it in the photo! Last are the cranberry sauce and green beans which are always winners.

HOW TO GET THE FLUFFIEST MASHED POTATOES. A whisk! Just whip those taters up like you're whisking eggs and it'll be the airiest potatoes of your life! Secret's also in the right amount of butter and milk. Don't forget the salt too!

APPEARENCE DOES COUNT. Any kind of decorative effort brings liveliness to a place/setting. Whether it's flowers, funky-looking squash and pumpkins, or a fabulous table runner, I try to keep the spread looking simple yet appealing. Plus, you'll still have all your decorations after which will still keep your place looking fun and festive, unless you like to jump into Christmas right away.  :)

What are some of your favorite tricks for Thanksgiving dinners? Favorite sides? What about your least favorite dish you still come across? Like fruitcake during Christmas? Ha ha! Have a safe rest of your Black Friday and enjoy the Holiday weekend! <3

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

Shopping Day

TGIF! Most Friday's, I'll be running around doing errands but I also try to make time to pamper MaQ. He LOVES going anywhere with me, especially to 'his' stores. He has two favorite places: Whiskers & Petco. Today we went to the Petco in Union Square, and as you can see, this fella is raring to go!

I pick up his usual treats, for continuous training, for passing time (as well as an instinctive habit) and to help reduce the buildup of tartar and plaque! Here is a list of certain particular items he (yes, he does choose) and I will normally get on a weekly basis. 

  • Halloween PLAY DEAD Bone Dog Toy: OMG, we just are so excited for Halloween! We are really into the Halloween spirit this year and can't wait to show you all our annual themed costume this year! I found this to be pretty adorable, and MaQ does have a 'play dead' command! He loves plush toys and since they're not too expensive, I do have a tendency to purchase these type of toys.

Isn't it so cute? Looks like someone needs a trim! I only will clip his nails when he's tired. Otherwise, he fidgets and I become anxious in fear of hurting him. If he's more on the exhausted side, he could care less that I'm giving him a 'mani'. Ha ha ha!

Here is MaQ posing his best 'play dead' look. He looks like he's half-smiling! This was one of the earlier tricks I taught him, all I have to say is, 'bang bang!' And he'll stay in that pose until I tell him it's okay to move! Such a good boy. ♥

  • Blue Buffalo Blue Bits Dog Training Treats in Savory Salmon Recipe: These are great for any dog, regardless of the breed or their size. These tiny, delicious treats are great for training. While we train, I give countless amount of treats, therefore I always use these because they're so small but oh so good. He's obsessed with these! And to be successful during training, one of the key elements should be a reinforcing treat that they really love. With this salmon recipe, I poke fun at him since he literally goes gaga over them such a grizzly bear does over a King Alaskan salmon! LOL! They're a bit pricey for the amount, but they're all about natural, healthy ingredients so I'm all for spending a little more to give MaQ the best quality.
  • American Prime Cuts Ham Bone Dog Chew: This, besides bully sticks, are his favorite chews to pass time. If I'm writing, and want to go at it for more than just a few hours, I'll give him one of these to chew on and he'll go at it for hours. It's a little stinky, but I don't mind. These are perfect for larger dogs, because they are enormous! It's literally the size of a small dog!
  • Large Greenies Dental Dog Treats: When people ask me how MaQ gets his gorgeous pearly whites, I always tell them it's the Greenies. They are really tasty (he loves them so much he once got into a tiff about it with one of his dog pals!) and are an excellent source of dental hygiene. Don't get me wrong, I do try to brush his teeth as much as I can but there are only 24 hours in the day to do so many things! Which is why I've been adding these in to his weekly treats, because not only does he enjoy them so much, it's why he's got some of the healtiest, whitest canine teeth! Hee-hee!

What are some of your dog's favorite treats and toys? We'd love to hear more about what your pooches go for! In the meantime, we hope you have a nice weekend!

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

SHOP THE PRODUCTS

October Beauty Favorites

TGIF! October is officially here and there are a few beauty products that are my must-haves at the moment. And one of them, you will laugh at, but it's something I love to have from time to time! Don't judge me, I fully embrace myself just the way I am!

From left to right, clockwise.

  1. Formula X For Sephora Nail Polish in Ignite
  2. Fresh Sugar Cherry Tinted Lip Treatment - Sunscreen SPF 15
  3. Cartier Pasha Édition Noire Travel Rollerball Cologne
  4. Lancôme Hypnôse Doll Lashes Mascara
  5. L'Oreal Glam Bronze GG Cream
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I actually wore this Formula X nail polish the day I married my husband. We married in the Fall almost two years ago, and ever since, I have been constantly stocking on this particular deep red for the Autumn/Winter seasons here in New York. A definite must-have! They give my nails a modern, classic look and the rich hue complements my skin complexion very well, even when my summer tan is starting to taper off. ;)

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Okay, let me just say, I cannot get enough of Fresh's Sugar Lip Treatment! This season is the first time I'm trying an actual color from this line, and I went with 'Cherry' to go with my red nails. It provides 6 hours of moisture, leaving you with only soft, supple lips. Most women I know can rock full red lips, but I look like a blow fish if I go the scenic bright rouge route! I am loving it's subtle tint!

Normally I'd talk about my current perfume, but my current aromatic obsession is this new cologne by Cartier I got for my hubby. It's style is authentic and elegant (just like my man) with hints of mint, rose wood, coriander, mandarin, thyme and lavender. It's a very masculine perfume, and you cannot deny the expressions of virility and pure sophistication in it's scent. Perfect sexy vibes for Fall. I'd recommend it for any man who enjoys the finer and more beautiful things in life. And... (here's the laughable part), I like to spritz it on one of my hubby's shirts and wear it around the house sometimes, especially on rainy days like today! ❤︎❤︎❤︎

I've been using Lancôme's mascara for years. I sometimes use one from Kiehl's, but for everyday usage, this doll lash effect mascara gives a wide-eye look but also with perfect volumized, extended, luscious lashes. (Without looking like some cartoon character!) And the comb is really good in those hard-to-reach corners.

And now, last but not least, my favorite current bronze cream from L'Oreal. I love how weightless it feels and the coverage is very natural, giving my skin the perfect glow. It is a very sheer cream and has a very summery, floral scent to it. I love it! It doesn't give you much coverage, but I'd like to think of it as a lighter kind of contour for your face.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed some of my monthly beauty faves! Have a wonderful, super cozy weekend!

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

PS The beauty products laid out on that super snugly faux fur blanket is from one of my all-time favorite stores, West Elm. :)

SHOP BEAUTY