I always love Thanksgiving, not only because it’s all about eating yummy food, but because it’s a wonderful opportunity to slow down and spend quality time with friends and family. I also love to reflect on what I’m most thankful for during this time of year. For this issue, I asked my friends in the business to share what they’re most grateful for. As an added bonus, I asked each expert to provide us with his or her favorite Thanksgiving recipe for entertaining. Whether it’s a dessert, an entrée, appetizers or cocktails, I thought it would be great for you, my lovely readers, to hear the personal preferences of some true industry stars. I hope it will inspire you to bring some of these traditions into your own home. To kick it off, I’ll start with my own. See below and happy Thanksgiving to all!
CECI JOHNSON
Founded in 2004 by Ceci Johnson, Ceci New York is internationally heralded as the leader in couture invitation design and visual styling. As an industry icon and the authority on inviting style, Ceci attracts a global clientele of royalty, A-list celebrities, and design savvy individuals alike. She is also the go-to style expert for high-end discreet celebrity and royal events. Ceci has captivated the wedding industry with groundbreaking ideas, award-winning designs and professional expertise. She is sought after for marrying original art and an haute couture process with unprecedented style, and her influence and trendsetting concepts have become the gold standard for wedding elegance. Her empire extends into exclusive partnerships with the world’s most coveted luxury brands for signature collections. Ceci has earned numerous prestigious awards and media recognition in both the wedding and design industries, including “25 Top Trendsetters” by Modern Bride and “Expert Stationer” by New York Magazine. She also is the WeTV and Wedding Central Invitation Expert for the network.
“I am most thankful for my family, wonderful husband and beautiful stepkids. They are my joy and I treasure them in my life. I’m also thankful for all my friends who have supported me over the years; for my fantastic team at Ceci and the many blessings that have happened through Ceci New York; for WeTV, all the editors; and you, my readers. Finally, I’m thankful for my Dad, who has been the biggest inspiration in my life. He has taught me to work hard, never give up and always strive for perfection. My dad’s side of the family is from New Orleans and we all know Southerners love to eat (maybe that’s where I get it from), so on our Thanksgivings we were never short on great desserts. Here’s one of my favorites. Some might even say it’s better than pumpkin pie! Enjoy!” - CECI JOHNSON
Pumpkin Dump Cake
Ingredients:
2 (No. 1) cans pumpkin
3 c. evaporated milk
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1 yellow cake mix
1 c. chopped pecans
4 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 stick butter, melted
Directions:
- Mix pumpkin, milk, cinnamon, ginger, eggs, sugar, salt and cloves together well.
- Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 pan.
- Sprinkle with cake mix, drizzle with melted butter, then sprinkle with pecans.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
