NovemberThankful Issue
In this season of giving thanks, we often find ourselves reflecting on the many blessings in our lives. The true spirit of Thanksgiving encourages the conscious expression of gratitude. Its focus is spending time with those that you love and encourages giving back in a meaningful way. While ambition, competition and slaying goals can be very healthy, forgetting to place importance on being present, enjoying the ride and appreciating those around us that have helped us along in our journey, can leave us missing out on what truly matters. We’ll never be content if we look outside ourselves and at our possessions or titles to determine if we are fulfilled. True contentment comes from within and from fulfilling who we were made to be.
Our November issue is dedicated to stories of gathering, gratefulness and giving back to our community. We are so thankful for the residents and businesses in our community who support so many wonderful organizations and help make our city the vibrant community that it is. We are especially thankful for our advertising partners who help bring this magazine to your doorsteps each month. They are part of our vision and purpose of bringing inspiring stories and the good news of the community directly to you. This holiday season as we prepare to gather with our loved ones, and in the true spirit of thanksgiving, let’s set time aside to consider what truly makes life meaningful and stop to reflect on those blessings.
Blessings to you and your family,
KATHERINE BODE, PUBLISHER @WEST_CHESTER_LIFESTYLE
November 2024
PUBLISHER
Katherine Bode | katherine.bode@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Angela Broockerd
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Janie Jones
Corporate Team
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Branden Cooper
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsi Southard
Campli Photography
giving dip -
ARTICLE BY ANGELA BROOCKERD I PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES
Fall is synonymous with gathering with friends and family and enjoying time together. Whether it is for Thanksgiving, a football watch party or a simple fall gathering, these easy appetizer dips are the perfect shareable snack to share.
fig & honey brie
The perfect cheesy fall dip that is both savory and sweet. The chopped pecans add a subtle crunch that makes this irresistible.
ingredients:
• 8 ounce brie wheel
• 1/3 cup fig spread or jam
• ¼ cup pecans
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley
directions: Place brie in a baking dish. Spread the fig spread on top of brie and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Drizzle with honey. Add fresh herbs, and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve with pita chips or crackers.
garlic herb feta dip
This savory dip is quick and easy to assemble and is perfect to serve with fresh veggies or crackers of any kind.
ingredients:
• ½ cup plain greek yogurt
• 1 whole garlic bulb, roasted
• 1 ¼ cup feta cheese
• 3 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon dill
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
directions:
First, cut the head off of the top of the garlic bulb, and drizzle olive oil on top. Wrap in foil, and place it in a n oven heated to 425 degrees. Roast for 30 minutes or until soft. Squeeze roasted garlic into a bowl, and set aside. Next, add the yogurt, feta, lemon juice, salt, pepper and water in a blender and lightly blend. Add the roasted garlic and blend until smooth. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Serve with crackers or fresh vegetables. Enjoy!
loaded hummus
This crowd-pleaser can be made in advance for easy entertaining.
hummus ingredients:
• 2 cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
• Juice from one lemon (or ¼ cup)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
toppings:
• Olives
• Cherry tomatoes
• Chickpeas
• Feta cheese
• Red onion
• Fresh Parsley
directions:
In a blender, add all of the ingredients except the olive oil and the toppings. Blend until smooth. Spread Hummus onto a plate or platter and top with chopped toppings. Serve with fresh bell peppers, zucchini, crackers and pita bread.
ingredients:
• 8 ounces softened cream cheese
• 1 can pumpkin puree
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
directions: Place cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl, and soften for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and blend with a hand mixer until smooth. Add in pumpkin and blend until combined. Mix in heavy whipping cream and mix on high for 2 minutes. Next, stir in pumpkin pie spice. Serve with sliced apples, pretzels, graham crackers or vanilla wafers.
Nothing screams fall quite like the flavor of pumpkin. This lightly sweet dip takes just a few minutes to make and is perfect for any fall get-together.
creamy pumpkin cheesecake dip
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thanksgiving cornucopia
How To Decorate Tables With Noteworthy November Flair
ARTICLE BY JULIE BROWN PATTON
Whether traditional or modern, formal or fussfree, Thanksgiving centerpieces set a memorable ambiance for November gatherings.
deliciously edible
Make an edible bread cornucopia, ‘horn of plenty,’ for the Thanksgiving table using refrigerated bread or pizza dough, a plastic bottle mold and aluminum foil. Wrap the bottle with foil, make a tail at one end and then layer adjoining strips of dough on the foil. Brush cornucopia with melted butter, remove the plastic bottle and bake at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes on the lower rack, or until it turns a golden, shiny brown. Fill with sweet or savory nibbles, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, gourds, nuts, rosemary breadstick twists or even cookies, for an impressive centerpiece that’ll keep guests happily munching while they wait for the main meal to begin.
florals
can be gourd- geous
Or, get inspired from the following ideas and have fun creating a centerpiece completely customized.
• Slice and fill real squashes with floral foam to hold classic fall flowers, such as mums, pom-pom daisies and dahlias.
• For a pop of color on Thanksgiving tables, a large turquoise or pink pumpkin goes a long way.
• For a cranberry-filled vase, place a smaller glass cylinder inside a larger one, then pour fresh cranberries into the gap between the two vases. For flowers, mix a few grocery-store blooms with dried millet and faux dill blooms, or silk and dried flowers.
• An old dough bowl or wood trencher makes a great low centerpiece when filled with seasonal pumpkins, gourds, pinecones and flowering branches.
• Fill a stoneware sugar bowl with seeded eucalyptus, chrysanthemums and pears.
• Use one or a nest of baskets, floral foam and some blooms to craft a themed stunner.
• Incorporate family heirlooms by using an inherited (or thrifted) antique teapot, surrounded by other vintage finds.
• Stack two cake plates on top of each other with bite-size edibles; add other, shorter floral arrangements in pitchers or vases, if desired.
• Add soft candlelight with rustic textures of wood and lots of fall color via an assortment of fresh and faux gourds, silk sunflowers and dried seed pods.
use vintage finds
• Accentuate a beautiful vintage container, antique tins, teapots, pitchers and storage containers, for charming stand-ins for modern vases while adding a hand-me-down touch of family history to tables.
• Place a few blooms, in fall shades, in a clear water glass for a less complicated or casual look.
• Cut leaf shapes from colorful card stock and attach to bare branches gathered from the backyard; before the meal, ask guests to write what they’re most thankful for on the leaves, or just leave them blank.
ADVERTISE WITH WEST CHESTER LIFESTYLE™
HOW TO: seasonal home scents
ARTICLE BY CELENA CISCO
SWEET
B E W E L L N E S S
Fall essential oil combinations provide a warm and cozy scent while also protecting those from sickness prevalent in the colder season. “Seasonal scents are cozy and warm” states Kecia Doll, who is an esthetician from Sweet Be Wellness, “the seasonal scents remind us about how a new time is coming: it’s a time of renewal.” Follow these oil combinations to create your own seasonal scent.
immune boost
DIRECTIONS :
Combine the following essential oils with a base oil (coconut oil).
INGREDIENTS:
• Cinnamon: Antibacterial; Antiviral
• Clove: Antibacterial; Antiseptic
• Lemon: Uplifts, Kills Bacteria; Reduces Inflammation
• Oregano: Antimicrobial; Antioxidant
• Eucalyptus: Decongestant and Provides Healing
HOW TO USE:
Apply to wrists or feet. Do not use it on your face.
home defender
DIRECTIONS:
Combine the following essential oils.
INGREDIENTS:
• Orange: Reduces Stress; Antimicrobial
• Eucalyptus: Decongestant; Provides Healing
• Cinnamon: Antibacterial; Antiviral
• Black Pepper: Supports the Nervous System
• Clove: Antibacterial; Antiviral
• Rosemary: Reduces Stress; Helps with Respiratory fatigue
HOW TO USE:
Fill the diffuser with water and apply the desired amount of drops.
photo:
Rhinehart Photography
ON Fall Fun STALKING up
BY LEANN PARKER
ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY
Cornhusk Centerpiece
When life gives you lemons, or cornstalks as it seems, make something beautiful! The holidays can be stressful. Your table centerpiece doesn’t need to be.
To create this cornhusk centerpiece, simply remove the dried tops of the cornstalks, arrange them in a vintage soup bowl adding a few ears of corn to give more stability and visual interest. Add preserved pinecones for guests’ place settings and you have the perfect touches for your table. Pinecone instructions can be found at SilvertoothHome.com/blog/pinecones-leaves
LeAnn’s Cornhusk Styling
• White Dishes & Platters
• Gold Charger Plates
• Woven Placemats
• Rust-Orange Napkins
• Thanksgiving Crackers
• Cornhusk Centerpiece
• Pinecone Guest Cards
• Real Pumpkins
LeAnn can’t wait to see what you create for your own fall table. Tag her on IG @SilvertoothHome and #SilvertoothHome so she can share.
Cooking With Fresh Herbs
ARTICLE BY ANGELA BROOCKERD| PHOTOGRAPHY
BY JANIE JONES
Garlic Herb Butter
This butter is versatile and goes with just about anything. You can use this on top of bread, popcorn, veggies, as a sandwich spread and more.
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon herb of your choice (dill, basil or oregano are my go-to herbs.)
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• cracked pepper to taste
Process
Add all ingredients in a food processor (or mix by hand in a bowl). Transfer butter mixture on parchment paper or plastic wrap. Cover butter tightly and roll into a log. Place in refrigerator until firm. Enjoy!
Add a little kick to your traditional popcorn by incorporating herbs in with the butter. You won’t be disappointed with this buttery and savory combination.
Ingredients
• 13 tablespoons coconut oil (or olive oil if you prefer)
• 3/4 cup popcorn kernels
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 2 teaspoons parsley (dried)
• 1 teaspoon thyme
Process
Add oil to the bottom of a pot and melt over medium heat. Add popcorn kernels and place lid on top of the pot and heat over medium heat until kernels are popped, shaking pan occasionally. Melt butter in a separate dish and add seasonings. Pour on top, and enjoy!
Herbed Popcorn
Herb Salt
“There are endless flavor combinations, and these salts are so handy to have as a staple in the kitchen.”
Herb salts are becoming so popular and can add flavor to a variety of dishes. There are endless flavor combinations, and these salts are so handy to have as a staple in the kitchen. Plus, these make great gifts for family and friends. All you need is a blender or food processor and minimal ingredients.
Ingredients
• 1 cup salt of your choice (I prefer Himalayan pink salt, but any salt will do
• 1/4- 1/2 cup parsley (add more if using fresh herbs)
• 2 Tablespoons dried basil (or 1/4 cup if using fresh)
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 garlic clove minced
• Optional: Any additional herbs you prefer
Process
Add fresh parsley, garlic, lemon zest and a little bit of salt to the blender or food processor. Mix for 10 seconds. Add additional ingredients and blend again. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and pour salt mixture on sheet and evening spread. Set in a cool oven overnight to dry. Pour salt into a container of choice and enjoy!
Chimichurri
Chimichurri is a condiment that can be used on endless things, and can be enjoyed as a sauce or dip. Serve over fish, chicken, vegetables or with crackers.
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup olive oil (or flax oil for added omega 3 nutrition)
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or lemon juice as an alternative)
• 1/2 cup-1 cup fresh parsley, chopped finely
• 1/4 cup fresh basil or fresh cilantro
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small red chilies or 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or italian seasonings
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste
Process
Chop fresh herbs finely and add to a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Chill for 1-2 hours. Enjoy!
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