Posts Tagged: thanksgiving

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28
Apr 11

Thanksgiving – Prepare an Unconventional Meal

Thanksgiving is a time to spend with family and eat home made, plentiful meals as a group. Ever since birth you’ve probably enjoyed some slow cooked turkey, some creamy mashed potatoes, and the ever sweet cranberry treats year after year. For those of you who are looking to branch out this holiday season, why not try an unconventional meal for Thanksgiving? Here is a list of higher quality foods that can be substituted for your typical stuffing and ham.

1.Caviar- As it is considered one of the most popular delicacies, caviar can be prepared in several different ways that will prove to satisfy the whole family. Why not try making some party appetizers such as caviar canapes or caviar creme fraiche. You might also want to serve potato nests with caviar or caviar on quail eggs. What about dessert? Well there is this thing called Caviar pie, and you can use inexpensive Caviar such as salmon or whitefish so that you don’t break your wallet.

2.Grilled Oysters- Seafood was definitely included in the first Thanksgiving so why not bring it back into our times? Oysters are quite classy and appropriate for any dinner party you are hosting, and to eat them on Thanksgiving would be both refreshing and original.

3.A Pig Roast- A pig hoisted up and completed with an apple in its mouth may be the perfect meal for your family this holiday. Especially if you are in the warmer states, it may be a cool idea to feast outside and to really celebrate the meaning of food and tradition. Set up a pig roast and make it a super memorable holiday for the children and adults alike.

There are tons of ways to spend a non-traditional Thanksgiving. A seafood dinner may be a really nice idea for your family, especially since it was present at the original Thanksgiving dinner. A pig roast may be another great option as well. Whatever you do, make sure the whole family will like it and that there is plenty of appetizers, meat, and pies to go around. Thanksgiving is about thanks but to a lot of us it is also about food. So go crazy this Thanksgiving and try something out of the ordinary.

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30
Dec 10

Thanksgiving

I was not planning to write this article. Instead, I was going to publish an article about integrity. It has been on my mind this last week and I was planning to share some thoughts about it. Then, I received an email from Jim Donovan, one of the regular contributors to my Prosperity Paradigm eZine, and it inspired me to write once again about the magical power of gratitude.

Yes, the magical power.

Before I talk about the magic of gratitude, I want to talk about its opposite. Not the lack, not ingratitude; but resentfulness.

Powerful emotions attached to specific repetitive thoughts make things manifest. Intentional thought combined with heartfelt desire is how masters and winners create the circumstances and events of their lives. This powerful knowledge is one of the most crucial things a person who desires to be a creator instead of a mere creature needs to know and integrate into their life.

There is a dark side. Just as what you love/desire can come true, so too, as even the bible reminds us…that what you fear shall come to pass. You can witness the power of fear making things happen in many people’s lives. A victim’s attitude often creates events that cause that person to say, “see, I told you so.” They don’t, of course, know that it was their very own fear that attracted the bad thing into their life. The proverbial self-fulfilling prophecy.

It works the same with gratitude and resentfulness. When you walk around with the attitude of gratitude, life does not just seem better because of your psychological take on life, it actually is better because of the magic creative power of intentionally combining positive thought and positive emotion.

However, when you adopt the attitude of resentfulness, things don’t just seem bad…bad things actually do happen more often than they would otherwise. Resentfulness is insidious. Once you start to resent the circumstances and conditions of your life, you begin attracting more things into your life that you will not welcome UNTIL AND UNLESS you change your attitude. Some molehill appears and your resentfulness makes it into a mountain. The next thing you know, a real mountain shows up. Why? Because you attracted it. And now it is harder to be grateful instead of resentful.

That is why masters at the art of living see obstacles as an opportunity to learn, to grow, to become more powerful; and, winners see obstacles as proof that they are traveling the high road. They know that the flat, wide, easy road is the path of mediocrity. It is wide, flat and easy because it is well traveled by the majority who do not aspire or dare to achieve great things. or to challenge life and themselves to deliver more than the norm.

Losers resent winners. You see it all the time. The average person delights in the often public trials and tribulations of the high achievers. Losers do not ‘get it’ that it is their own resentfulness that makes them losers. They don’t get that the winner is grateful not just because things are going right, but because it is the gratitude that makes things go right in the first place.

If you want to be a winner, start being grateful; start existing in a constant state of thanksgiving. You don’t need some annual celebration of some romanticized historical event to feel grateful. As long as you are still breathing, you have much to be thankful for. You have, right now, the chance to make a meaningful difference in the lives of other people.

You have, right now, the chance to appreciate all you have been given. You have, right now, the chance to enjoy the pleasures of walking around on planet earth. Remember this, if you are reading this, you should know that you are better off than the overwhelming majority of other people on this planet.

Give thanks. You’ll end up with plenty to be grateful for.

Happy thanksgiving!

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24
Nov 10

Ten Top Tips For a Low-Stress Thanksgiving Holiday

Help ensure this year’s Thanksgiving holiday is low on the stress and high on the enjoyment and thanks-giving by using these simple tips.

  1. Prepare early & plan ahead. Nothing can better ensure a stress-free holiday than planning early and doing as many of the preparation steps ahead of time. Read on for just what steps you can do before the big day.
  2. Invites your guests early, and be clear on when they have to be at your home. There’s no reason to not invite your guest as early as September or early October, especially if they have to travel to get to your home. And, very importantly, be sure to specify right up front when they need to arrive at your home, and build a little ‘buffer’ in. For instance, in our family we like to serve the Turkey dinner at 5:30 or 6:00 pm, but we ask all guests to arrive by 4:00 pm, the better to socialize, help and, importantly, keep the stress off you. The last thing you need to worry about as you baste the turkey is “what if Aunt Martha is an hour late?”
  3. Accommodate your out of town guests. Plan early and don’t be shy about being directive for your out-of-town guests. Don’t leave them guessing whether they can stay with you at your house. Tell them clearly they can, or clearly tell them they can’t. If they can’t, do this graciously by saying you’ve reserved a room at a local, affordable motel or B&B – do they want you to hold the reservation for them or not?
  4. Don’t overshoot, keep it simple. Remember, the best times and memories at Thanksgiving come from the time spent together, not the show-off cooking and party hosting you might do. Show-off party hosting is a sure-fire recipe for stress and perhaps flame out. So keep your plans and aspirations for the meal, decorations and day simple, with an accent on making your guests comfortable, serving them honest but simple traditional fare and letting them enjoy the time with family and friends.
  5. Encourage sharing. Plan a few activities that will help people share and bond. It can be as simple as telling people ahead of time that during dinner everyone who’s willing, will have a chance to share what they are thankful for. Or perhaps have a group walk in a pretty local park for an hour in the afternoon while the turkey’s cooking. This will sharpen their appetites and make everything taste better!
  6. Pick the right menu, and make sure you can deliver. Plan your menu well in advance and, if there are any dishes you’ve never made before, don’t make your Thanksgiving guests your guinea pigs! Instead, practice your new dishes ahead of time. I like to practice new turkey recipes in October. Everyone loves turkey and doesn’t get it often enough during the rest of the year. Invite some friends over in October and cook a smaller turkey to get your technique and recipe down. You’ll go into Thanksgiving week with unparalleled confidence.
  7. Get the bird. Odds are, you can walk into almost any grocery store on Thanksgiving day and find a turkey. Fine. But why have the stress of worrying about this, and why take just whatever happens to be there. Talk to your local butcher a few weeks ahead of time. Get his advice as to the correct turkey size for your number of guests. Order your bird from him and arrange to pick it up on Wednesday or Thursday morning – depending on schedules and whether you have room in your fridge!
  8. Lighten the load through ‘potluck’ delegation. In our family we lighten the load on the hosts by passing around an ‘on line sign up sheet’ and asking some of the guests to volunteer to make some of the dishes and bring them – potluck style! My sister usually brings several pies she bakes the day before and my Mother brings her famous string bean recipe. That’s less work for me, and they like being able to contribute! See the below resources for on line tools to make potluck sign ups easy.
  9. Get your gear in place. Now is the time to think through seating, tables, place settings etc. Do you need to arrange to borrow any extra equipment? Make arrangements ahead of time for what you need to borrow and be sure to get it 3-4 days ahead of time if possible, or arrange a posse for early Thursday so it just gets done and doesn’t add to the stress. I always borrow two extra folding tables and 8 folding chair from my church hall and have my brother-in-law help me pick this stuff up in a van on Thursday morning. This allows us to seat 20+ guests! For you it might be getting 6 extra place settings by having some guests bring them.
  10. Shop ahead of time. Do your final grocery shopping 3-4 days before Thanksgiving. Whatever you do, don’t wait until Wednesday night or Thursday morning. Instead, go out the previous weekend to buy everything except the fresh fruits, vegetables and the turkey. You’ll feel much better on Monday and Tuesday!
  11. I know this is #11, but this is more about next year. When it’s all over, write down your notes. Take a few minutes on Friday or Saturday after Thanksgiving and write down some notes on what went well and how to improve. Write down any recipe adjustments and notes as well, as well as how long it took to cook the turkey (every oven is different!). It can be really valuable to know what the correct quantities of food are to serve so many guests. Next year, knowing that putting the bird in the oven at 1 pm worked perfectly for a 5 pm dinner will remove one more iota of stress. Then store your notes some place good – I use on line note & to do list software (see below) but you can also be as simple as putting your paper notes with the turkey pan!

That’s all there is to it. You see the common themes: plan ahead, get as many tasks done as possible before Thanksgiving day, share some potluck tasks with your guests, and keep your ambitions in rein so the menu and plans are simple and surefire. Most important, don’t forget to enjoy the stuffing!

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3
Oct 10

Ten Great Uses of Pumpkins

When we think about pumpkins, we think about Halloween, Jack-O-Lanterns, pumpkin pie, and possibly Thanksgiving. But, the truth is, there are plenty of ways to use a pumpkin! During October, pumpkins are abundant. Sometimes, they are too abundant. And it’s not uncommon to see excess pumpkins cast aside or left to rot after Halloween, but there’s really no need to let the extras go to waste. The following are just a few of the great uses for pumpkins:

1. Pumpkins in Recipes As food, pumpkins are low in calories, yet high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, protein, and potassium. Pull out your favorite cookbook and search for recipes containing pumpkin. Pumpkin breads, pumpkin pies, and muffins are favorites, but you can probably find plenty of others. As an impromptu house guest in Paris, I was once served an incredible pumpkin soup (though I never completed my search for that particular). There are more exotic recipes to try as well – pumpkin juice, pumpkin ice cream, and even fried pumpkin.

2. Pumpkin Seeds Pumpkin seeds (also called “pepitas”) are also known to be highly nutritious, and are used in weight-loss diets. They provide fiber, healthy fats, and protein, as well as such minerals as magnesium, manganese, zinc, iron, and copper. They are also known to strengthen the immune system, and to be good for people with high cholesterol. Roasted pumpkin seeds make excellent snacks between meals, can be sprinkled over a holiday squash soup, and are a favorite in Mexican cooking. Candied pumpkin seeds are great for parties as well – and even your children might accept them among their Halloween candy.

3. Pumpkin for Pets Mashed pumpkin is a great remedy for digestive trouble in dogs. It can be used to combat weight gain or diarrhea, and for resistance to infections. It’s also said to be good for a dog’s night vision and general health. Simply add a few spoons of cooked and mashed pumpkin to your dog’s food. (Important: it must be pure mashed pumpkin, not a mix!) For instructions on how to create your own mashed pumpkin, see #4 below. Cats might like pumpkin as well, and it can be given to help cats with similar digestive troubles, as well as hairballs. Remember, if your pet is sick, take him to the vet! Also, ask your vet about using pumpkin for a home remedy.

4. Saving Pumpkins for Later When there are more pumpkins than you know what to do with, you can save them for later use in recipes and for winter holidays. There are several ways to create pumpkin puree which can be frozen for later use. The following are three preparation methods:

1. Baking – Cut the pumpkin into two halves, place it on a baking sheet {with the flat side down}, and bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, for about an hour, or until it is tender when tested with a fork.
2. Microwave – Follow the above procedure, but instead of placing the pumpkin in an oven, microwave it on high for about 15 minutes, or until it is tender.
3. Boiling – Cut the pumpkin into large chunks and then rinse. Then, place the chunks in a pot, cover with water (fully immersing the pumpkins, while leaving one inch of water on top), and boil until tender. Once you’ve used one of the methods above to soften the pumpkin, cool it off, peel it, and mash it in a food processor. You can also use a potato masher or other similar device. Then, simply close the puree in zip lock bags, or whatever is convenient, and freeze it for for the winter. The puree can be used as a substitute for canned pumpkin, in any recipe.

5. Pumpkins as Dishes You can clean a pumpkin well, cut it in half, and dry it for use as a serving bowl or a flower vase. You can also use a halved pumpkin to cook or bake other foods in.

6. Pumpkins for the Skin Pumpkins contain anti-oxidants and alpha-hydroxy, which are said to be good for the skin. You can use pumpkin peels as a facial, to combat aging or other skin problems.

7. Pumpkins for Children and Games You can use pumpkins for children’s drawing and carving contests. If your kids are too little to start carving yet, they can also decorate pumpkins with markers or paint – or even create a pumpkin collage. Another use of pumpkins is as targets for archery practice. We definitely don’t recommend any games that involve throwing pumpkins, nor using them as substitutes for soccer balls. Possibly even better, how about a cross between a Jack-O-Lantern, a Snow Man, and a Scare Crow? Your kids might have a great time making a Pumpkin Man – and it’s much better for them than watching TV.

8. Pumpkins as Ornaments Pumpkins, gourds, and squash can be used to create candle holders, Thanksgiving centerpieces, and other ornaments.

9. Musical Pumpkins Yes, that’s right, pumpkins make great musical instruments as well. Or, at least they can if you know how to make (and play) them. You can find a variety of ideas for instruments that can be made from gourds, squashes, and pumpkins. Although many musical instruments are made from gourds, one can easily imagine how a large or small pumpkin would do just as well in many cases.

10. Pumpkins for Crafts If you are an experienced craftsman or a devout hobbyist, you might try some more creative and advanced uses of pumpkins. You can make pumpkin leather like the American Indians did, or just settle with a simple pumpkin bird house. As you can see, there’s really no need for pumpkins to go to waste, either before Halloween or afterwards. During economic recessions, it’s not uncommon that people have more time on their hands than they have money. Instead of letting extra pumpkins go to waste, the above are a few ways to stretch your grocery budget a bit further, invest some time in your health, get your kids away from the screen, and have some fun at the same time.

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8
Aug 10

Try Some New Technology – Free Thanksgiving Traditions

In our fast-paced techno-world it takes effort to slow down and appreciate our blessings – including the very technology we depend upon. Declare this Thanksgiving a techno-free day (after you read this article of course) and start some traditions beyond the feast.

A techno-free day means no use of television, DVDs, computers, video games, cell phones and music/video players.

Don’t take photos during the Thanksgiving dinner. Designate one photographer to take “official” photos to share with everyone the next day. Instead of a group photo, take individual photos that can be used on decorations later.

During Thanksgiving dinner each person can share which techno-tool they miss the most and why. Older family members can each talk about one old tech tool they remember, such as black and white TV, 8-track tapes or wind-up telephones. Hide a gift card for a technology store or some music downloads under one of the seats to find at the end of the meal.

Some alternative techno-free post-meal activities include board games, party games, and picnic games. If you’re having a large family reunion, turn it into an olympic games of sorts with competition according to teams or families, and multiple games in each category. Each team member participates in one game in each category. Winners get different colored construction paper turkey feathers for first, second or third place in each game. The family with the most feathers at the end of the day gets to take home the best leftovers.

If you don’t have extended family with you for Thanksgiving, you can cut and decorate construction paper turkey feathers or index cards as Christmas ornaments. Make them big enough so that people can write on the back. Mail one to each extended family member. Ask them to write their names and something they are thankful for on the back and return the ornament card or feather to you. In a couple weeks you should be able to post all of the thanks on a refrigerator, bulletin board or wall, string them across a fireplace mantle, or hang them on your Christmas tree.

Remember the families of soldiers who are deployed overseas because they are sacrificing their Thanksgiving holiday to serve your country. Make a poster to give to a local military family. Title it “We’re thankful for you and your soldier.” Decorate it with well-wishes and encouraging messages, as well as holiday colors and designs. You may want to include a photo of your family and say that you are thankful for the freedoms soldiers protect.

Make Thanksgiving or Christmas decorations as a family from recycled glass and mirror. Before Thanksgiving ask a local glass shop if they have pieces of leftover glass and mirror to recycle. They can even custom-cut large pieces for you. Thick mirror and glass can be cut into simple shapes with rounded corners and edges for ornaments. Use paint or glitter glue to decorate with symbols, characters, names or scenes. You could even write events, things or people you are thankful for.

Get ready for Christmas with simple glass decorations. Round mirror can be placed under candle jars or candlestick holders to reflect the light. You can recycle old picture frames too. Have a piece of mirror cut to size and attach it to the frame with glue. You paint the frame a holiday color and decorate the mirror first.

Most importantly, tell the people who are most important to you that you are thankful for them. On techno-free Thanksgiving, you may need to write a note. Count your blessings every day, in every way.

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4
Aug 10

Pumpkins are a Favorite Fall Tradition

Pumpkins are a favorite part of fall. They are part of our history, myth, and folklore. They are used in many holiday recipes, and are nutritious as well. Pumpkins make wonderful decorations that welcome visitors to our homes. Pumpkins are so versatile they serve many purposes.

Thanksgiving in the New World is a time to give our thanks and to celebrate the season-of-plenty with feasts fit for a king. Thanksgiving tables are filled with the fruits of fall: apples, grapes, and pumpkin. There are many wonderful pumpkin recipes and treats besides the traditional pumpkin pie. There is pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin soup, and even pumpkin scones.

Halloween is a time when the folklore of the jack-o?lantern is brought to light. Eerie faces, happy faces, scary faces, and funny faces are carved into pumpkins and lit from within with candles. These jack-o?lanterns are set out to keep the ghosts of All Hallows?Eve on October 31st away. This tradition came from Ireland to North America. Jack made a deal with devil and then tricked him and so was denied entrance into heaven or hell. He was given an ember to light his way into eternal darkness. In Ireland this ember was carried in a carved out turnip on All Hallows?Eve. In America this turnip was replaced by our season-of-bounty fruit: the pumpkin.

Pumpkins also make great fall decorations. Pumpkins and gourds are gathered to show the signs of bounty in the fall and displayed on porches everywhere. Pumpkins can also be used as wonderful fall table decorations as well as cut and hallowed out to make beautiful sconces. A pineapple shaped pumpkin can be carved to look like a pineapple and lit from within as a sign of welcome for guests.

Pumpkins are classified as a fruit but they are commonly used as a vegetable in cooking. Whether you decide to try your hand at using fresh pumpkin for your recipes or buy canned pumpkin, you will not be disappointed with the result of pumpkin recipes. Choosing pumpkins for cooking is easy. Choose varieties such as New England Pie, Small Sugar, Mystic, or Baby Pam. The goal is to choose varieties that are heavy for their size therefor providing more flesh. These varieties are also much more flavorful than the typical varieties used for carving.

For more information about pumpkin, pumpkin carving, and pumpkin recipes, please stop by and visit our website.

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9
Apr 10

Vegetarian Thanksgiving – No Turkeys?

What comes to your mind when you first think of Thanksgiving? The big fat golden-brown turkey? To millions, a Vegetarian Thanksgiving would mean no heaps of turkey meat at their dining table to feast on, but to the turkeys it would mean freedom to LIVE.

Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks to God for blessings received during the year. It is usually a family day, celebrated with joyous reunions, feastings and prayers. Families and friends come together to enjoy the Maceys Thanksgiving Parade and Football. Although it is a major celebration in the United States and Canada, other countries like Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Laos, Liberia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, etc also celebrate this joyous holiday.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving is a term which has slowly become popular all over, not only with the vegetarians but also among the non vegetarians. Being veg. is a journey, not a destination – even with its back roads, detours and speed bumps. Thanksgiving used to be a vegetarian’s worst nightmare, but no longer. More and more vegetarian groups are holding dinners and celebrations, and there are even caterers and food companies specializing in a wide selection of meatless alternatives.

The living and the dead! If turkeys were our companions, we would be terribly upset with the death of any one of them; but because they are “food”, we are indifferent to their death. Thousands of free-range turkeys are raised in a single warehouse-like structure forced to stand on accumulated fecal waste and breathe in ammonia fumes. These turkeys are then taken to the slaughterhouse through transport containers where they are hung upside down in shackles. There they cry out in fear and pain as they await their own slaughter. Think of how much it hurts when we get a little speck in our eye, and we might understand the degree of suffering that the turkeys are been forced to endure day after day. When left the way God intended turkeys to be, they have a wonderful and close family life. It is not human to deprive them of this gift from God.

There is a lot more to explore at a thanksgiving dinner table than just turkeys. Some food items that I can suggest, which I found from some great recipe sites, would be:

APPETIZERS/STARTERS

Guacamole, a Relish plate of sliced vegetables (Crudit鳩 and White wine.

MAIN COURSE

Vegan Nut Roast ?la PeTA

Ingredients:

The roast?

Two tablespoons oil or margarine

2 large onions, chopped fine

5 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups raw cashews

1 1/2 cups bread

1 cup soup stock (or water)

Salt and pepper

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons lemon juice

The stuffing?

3 cups bread cubes, toasted

Two tablespoons margarine, melted but not hot

1/2 to 3/4 cup finely-chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon marjoram

1/2 teaspoon sage

3 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Salt to taste

Method:

Cook the onion and garlic in the oil or margarine until tender, and remove from the heat.

Chop the cashews by hand or in a food processor; cut up the bread as well. Add the cashews and bread to the onion, then add the vegetable stock, salt and pepper, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Put half of this mixture into a small, non-stick loaf pan. Mix together all the ingredients from the second list. Put the mixture on top of the stuff in the loaf pan, and add the rest of the first mixture so that there are three layers of food in the pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet or in a larger loaf pan, and bake at 400 degrees F for half an hour. The top should be browned. Let the roast cool for a few minutes, then turn the pan over and serve the roast on a plate. Serve with gravy if desired, keeping in mind that it is a very rich dish.

Notes:

The roast will take about an hour to prepare. This recipe makes roughly six servings.

Other main courses items could be: Home-made bread, Salad, Steamed carrots and green beans, Mashed potatoes, rolls, Bread stuffing, Red wine, Vegan Bisquits, Vegan Nut Roast with Stuffing ?la PeTA, Vegan Gravy and Simple Cranberry Sauce.

DESERT

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

1 350-g box of silken firm tofu, drained

1 heaping cup of cooked or canned pumpkin

1 to 1 1/4 cups brown or golden sugar, not packed tight

dash salt

4 teaspoons blended “pumpkin pie spice” OR:

1 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground dry ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoons nutmeg

1 pie crust

Method:

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Blend the tofu in a food processor or with a blender until smooth and cream-like, for about four minutes. Stop the machine every once in a while to scrape large pieces of tofu down into the machine’s blades. Add the cooked pumpkin and blend some more, again stopping the machine and scraping the mixture down. The result should be a light orange-colored paste with no lumps of tofu. Put the paste into a large mixing bowl and add the sugar, salt, and spices. Mix well and spoon it into the pie crust; decorate with cheerful shapes of leftover crust, if desired. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until the crusts are dark brown. Serve warm or chilled, plain or topped with whipped cream or ice cream.

Notes:

This pie takes about two hours to prepare. A single good-sized sugar pie pumpkin will usually yield enough material for two pies: the recipe doubles easily. The pie refrigerates and freezes well.

Other Desert items could be: hot cocoa, Vegan Pumpkin Pie and Butter Tarts.

Sean Carter writes on holidays, Thanksgiving and events around the world. He also writes on family, relationships, inspiration, religion, love and friendship. He is a writer with special interest in ecard industry. He writes for 123greetings.com. He also writes blogs on thanksgiving4all.blogspot.comThanksgiving Blogspot