Party Planning

Sean Carter asked:


Set in a season of beauty and bounty, Thanksgiving decorations witness the brilliant Fall shades of red, orange, brown, golden and amber. It would indeed be unwise to think that Thanksgiving decorations are limited to the theme of turkeys and Pilgrims and cornucopias.

While these are perfectly there and make wonderful decorations on Thanksgiving, you can touch up your Thanksgiving décor with the many beauties that Autumn offers. You can set up a bright and warm decoration with the Autumn leaves, flowers, pumpkins, harvest-colored table spreads or curtains, nuts, acorns, berries and more. Now here are some ideas for your Thanksgiving decorations which might initiate the creative genius in you:

Pumpkins halved, hollowed-out and filled with fruits would make a wonderful centerpiece and are sure to woo your folks’ most ardent attention on Thanksgiving.

You can have a Thanksgiving party with a theme, which helps plan a party better. For Thanksgiving the theme that you choose should be reflective of the spirit of the holiday or the season of Autumn. So the themes could be autumn harvest, fall leaves, fall colors or anything befitting the season that would all make your living room a vibrant potpourri of colors.

You can fringe the window sills or the doorway with miniature gourds and pumpkins. Orange, green and white pumpkins when arranged in a row make a good show of Thanksgiving decorations.

Then Thanksgiving wreaths are known to be very good decorations too. This looks festive when hung at the entrance and is warm enough to welcome your friends and folks heartily in. Create your wreath as creatively as you can. Use flowers, leaves, berries etc to make a bountiful Thanksgiving coronal.

Streamers made with alternating Fall leaves and flowers add a special touch to any Thanksgiving decoration if hung or placed artistically on table-tops or ceilings.

For the tapestry and upholstery, it’s always good to stick to the Autumn shades. And silk fabrics are better choices when it’s a Thanksgiving decoration in agenda. So choose burnt orange curtains with a silk finish, have an amber-colored table linen or spread out a yellow-ochre carpet to effuse the season’s brilliance.

Prepare wheat sheaves tied up with orange silk ribbons and place them at the corners of your room on Thanksgiving to give a rustic flavor to your Thanksgiving decorations.

A cornucopia placed on the mantle is a warm thought as always. But how about complementing the warmth with a bit of shine and sparkle ? Place a few long slender candles in a cluster near the cornucopia and watch how it enhances your Thanksgiving decorations. You can also strew a few nuts and acorns sporadically around the candles.

For the Thanksgiving table, prepare Thanksgiving-themed table-mats and napkins with handmade papers. Draw your own designs on them or just color them with the vibrant Fall shades.

A pillar candle spiraled with a golden ribbon and placed right at the middle of the Thanksgiving table would look just fine, isn’t it ? You can make this piece look more elegant by setting a bunch of cranberries or a few pinecones at its base. And with this wonderful Thanksgiving decoration, you can’t help feel warm and snug all over when the turkey sizzles in its radiance !

The decor of your Thanksgiving party should be such that your guests get a feel of the occasion. The brown, the rust, the golden of Autumn should all be part of your décor as nothing spells more beauty than these fall colors. You can use a cornucopia or a pumpkin-vase or a fake turkey as your centerpiece. You can use a table-spread with Autumn leaves motif and decorate your buffet table with clusters of scented candles, having a bunch of berries or some apples carelessly kept at its base.

Decorations and decorative ideas are galore when it comes to this beautiful holiday of Thanksgiving. Anything makes good Thanksgiving decorations if put up with a dash of creativity. Even dry Autumn leaves, twigs, sticks and branches look good indoors if the creative genius in you is at liberty. So let loose the best bit in you and sweep over your friends, folks and beloved with your Thanksgiving decorations !



Charlie

Barbara J. Feldman asked:


Also called a Horn of Plenty, the cornucopia has evolved into a iconic symbol of Thanksgiving and abundance. The original ancient Greek cornucopia was a curved goat’s horn overflowing with fruit and grain It symbolized the horn possessed by Zeus’s nurse, the Greek nymph Amalthaea, which could be filled with whatever the owner wished. Today’s traditional Thanksgiving cornucopias are often filled with a mixture of small pumpkins, gourds and fruits that symbolize the harvest. They are sometimes accented with whole nuts or dried berries, perhaps as a nod to their pilgrim beginnings during the festival of Thanksgiving.

Although Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday, not all of the United States looks exactly the same when celebrating Thanksgiving. While we think of a traditional Thanksgiving as a chilly fall or even winter day, some parts of the country are experiencing balmy weather. We may think of Thanksgiving as a time to cozy up next to a fire wearing our favorite wool sweater, but in some states Thanksgiving revelers get out of their pools to check their turkey on the grill! So why not have your Thanksgiving cornucopia reflect your own personal Thanksgiving celebration?

If you live in California or (or any coastal state that experiences warm weather at Thanksgiving) why not have your cornucopia reflect that? A beautiful cornucopia spilling out citrus fruit would be spectacular. Just round up a selection of your favorite fruits like lemons, limes and oranges. Using small toothpicks you could anchor the fruit to a floral oasis and then to each other to prevent them from rolling out of the basket. Build your cornucopia one piece at a time until you achieve the overflowing look you want. To garnish the arrangement, consider using smaller citrus like kumquats and lemon leaves tucked between the fruit. This will give it a more finished look. One of the benefits of using this kind of centerpiece is that your guests can disassemble it to snack on during or after the big meal!

No one ever said that a Thanksgiving cornucopia had to only be edible. If you live in a warm Southern state there are spectacular flowers that are still in bloom at Thanksgiving time. Consider filling your Thanksgiving cornucopia with a selection of magnolia blossoms, orchids or other indigenous flowers from your area. The effect could be breathtakingly beautiful with a little effort. Just remember the look of a cornucopia is always one that is slightly overfilled.

Creative Southwestern Thanksgiving celebrations have featured cornucopias filled with Native American artifacts (as a nod to some of the first Thanksgiving participants) or even cornucopias filled with red rock and cactus as a reflection of the surrounding landscape. The beauty and ease of this type of cornucopia is that you can fill it with whatever reflects your own personal Thanksgiving celebration.

If you live in the Midwestern States or the “Bread Belt” of the country, consider making a Thanksgiving cornucopia that reflects that. Using frozen bread dough shaped over a colander, you can form the horn of plenty. Bake following the package directions and then fill your cornucopia with dinner rolls your guests can eat during the Thanksgiving meal!

By using a little creativity and whatever you have on hand, you can put together a very special Thanksgiving cornucopia that is a reflection of your own personal gratitude. And isn’t that really what Thanksgiving is all about?

For more Thanksgiving centerpieces, crafts, games, and coloring pages visit Thanksgiving Centerpieces.



Kendall

Dominique Halet asked:


Traditions of Thanksgiving in Canada

Like all the harvest festivals throughout history, the overt celebration of gratefulness of the Earth’s bounteousness is through a fabulous feast! Gathering up with the family for a day of enjoyment and fellowship is easier in Canada than in many other countries. While the official Thanksgiving Day is on Monday, Canadians usually celebrate it during the entire three-day weekend.

After the main meal, it is traditional to kick back and relax while watching the featured “Thanksgiving Day Classic” football game. Not to be confused with the American version of football, the Canadian Football League offers a doubleheader schedule of games for the Thanksgiving Day celebration.

Besides the indoor activities or the family dinner, the weekend of Thanksgiving is traditionally the occasion for a last big outdoor extravaganza. Either participating or watching the numerous Thanksgiving Day parades that are such an entire part of the holiday will get one out of the house and into the end of the summer air. The Thanksgiving weekend is also traditional for taking that last outdoor getaway before winter sets in and is a perfect time for hiking, fishing or simply enjoying the outstanding autumn colors.

While the Thanksgiving Day celebration is a secular event, those with a religious mind have their own Thanksgiving traditions that they partake of in their churches. With the old European harvest festivals in mind, most churches are decorated with the traditional cornucopias, wheat sheaves, pumpkins, gourds and corn ears. There are particular scriptural texts and hymns that are emphasized at this time of the year to celebrate the harvest and their gratefulness to their God for providing for them.

Traditions of Thanksgiving in the United States

While Thanksgiving is celebrated yearly in the United States since 1863, it has been often bounced around and given different reasons for celebration. By the mid-20th century it had been firmly placed at the end of November and made a Federal Holiday.

Even though it is a secular holiday, since the beginning of the nation has a religious overtone. Though set aside as a day to thank God for the bounty of the Earth, this is not required.

Although not the first Thanksgiving event in the history of the United States, the “official” point of origin is taken from the Plymouth Colony of Massachusetts. Therefore the traditional decorations include Pilgrims, pumpkins, Indians and turkeys. In honor of the harvest, corn stalks, ears, cornucopias and gourds also find their way into Thanksgiving Day displays. Plays and pageants are often performed with this theme in both schools and religious institutions.

Alongside the omnipresent turkey are prepared additional Native American foods such as mashed and sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, corn, and cranberry sauce. It is still proper to offer a prayer at the beginning of the meal, whether to a God or general good fortune. Many organizations take this time to put together food drives for donating Thanksgiving meals to the poor and needy.

The Thanksgiving Day parades are the biggest and most popular of the year, rivaling and generally even beating out the Christmas parades.

American Football is also a part of the Thanksgiving celebration. Both major leagues hold special game events on Thanksgiving Day and several of the teams always play on this day. In schools, it is the end of the football season and the games played near the Thanksgiving Day holiday are traditionally scheduled as longstanding Rivalry Matches between schools.

Another of the great Thanksgiving traditions actually takes place on the day after. Called “Black Friday”, it is the official beginning of the Christmas shopping season and retail stores often start it off with big sales and special shopping events.

Whether in Canada or in the United States, religious or secular, it is a great excuse to celebrate and appreciate the things we have!

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Kyler

Gianni Truvianni asked:


I as an American living in Warsaw, Poland am often asked “Why a turkey?”. This question when put to the average American would be answered in the form that it was what was eaten by the pilgrims during the first thanksgiving which became a tradition afterward and this a nice story. The idea of continuing a tradition started by those whose suffering in the new world gave way to them being thankful for their first good harvest which they celebrated with a huge turkey meal is sentimental but is it true? Did the pilgrims really eat turkey during the first thanksgiving meal? This is a question that many historians have come to ask if the pilgrims in fact ate the bird we today know and refer to as a turkey because the pilgrims called every form of wild fowl a turkey even those that were not what we today call a turkey.

It is strange for many and perhaps unacceptable that the pilgrims might not have eaten turkey as it has become such a symbol of this holiday but there is a possibility they might not have. Lobster, deer which perhaps nobody would ever associate with Thanksgiving were surely eaten but there is one thing that we can almost eliminate from what could have been on the menu and that is pumpkin pie as the pilgrims more then likely had run out of flour by then.

Of course it is not really a matter of tremendous significance if the pilgrims who are very often referred to as our forefathers ate what today is known and accepted as turkey but what is some might say is the fact that they were giving thanks to God for the blessings they had received during the year. This again based on what we know today can also be disputed, not that there ever was a feast but that its intension was to show gratitude toward God. Yes, it is true the pilgrims were deeply religious in a way that did not allow them to wear any colors apart from black also holding believes that dancing, drinking and music were irreligious but this reason is precisely why some argue that theirs was not really a feast of thanks. The logic for this disbelieve that questions lies in the fact that these were deeply religious people not despite it. In those days thanking God was done in a completely different manner then it is today as giving thanks to God in those days specially by deeply religious people was done in the form of praying and fasting and not in the form of huge feasts. In the opinion of several historians the feast of the pilgrims was in fact a harvest celebration which was a very common thing at the time and not a day for giving thanks to anybody contrary to the story most Americans are told in school. One reason I can see for this change in the story is perhaps the United States government felt that a day of thanks would be more eagerly celebrated then a “harvest day” especially by those whose livelihood was not dependent on agriculture.

Contrary to what some may think the Thanksgiving feast was not repeated by the pilgrims the following year as the harvest was not as abundant and it was not before two years passed after the first feast that it was repeated. Strangely enough many historians have cause to believe that this second feast was in fact the first real “Thanksgiving Day Dinner” fore it was then that the pilgrims had a day to give thanks for the rain that brought to end the long draught which they felt their prayers to God have been responsible for.

Another Thanksgiving day fact that took me by surprise when I first heard it was that the pilgrims only held this feast twice which goes in stark contrast to what I had believed that this celebration was repeated by them year after year. The reality was that not till much later during the Lincoln administration did “Thanksgiving” became recognized as an official holiday as it was Lincoln who took time out from the “Civil War” to make it such. To many however at the time in congress the sufferance of a what in fact could be called a handful of Pilgrims as they only numbered 100 (not all members of the “Separatist Church of England” and most of whom died less then 5 years after reaching the new world) did not substantiate having a national holiday. As for me, I can see where there was certain logic in this however when saying this I do not wish it understood that I am against this holiday as I celebrate it every year despite not having been in the States in over 13 years.

There is another factor which I also find odd in the telling of the history surrounding Thanksgiving or at least in the way it is told in American schools and that being that it is never mentioned that the Pilgrims left England but originally it was not to go to the new world but to the Netherlands. Holland where they stayed for many a year but eventually left finding the Dutch way of life to be “ungodly” as well as the fact that some of their children were speaking Dutch instead of English as unbearable. I find it funny on a lighter side of this that the clothes we associate with the pilgrims meaning the long black hats the men wore which in my opinion resemble a witch’s hat were really Dutch as was the rest of their garments and this perhaps is the reason that men in this attire can be found on boxes of “Dutch Masters Cigars”.

The question of why the turkey is however not the only one I hear in Poland year after year from those whom I mention Thanksgiving to as very often I am asked to share my knowledge on why it is held on the 4th Thursday of November as opposed to having a fixed date like Christmas? This question I can not answer with certainty but I will try to use my imagination as to what might have lead the United States government to set the day as such.

In the first place they chose a Thursday meaning that they more then like always wanted it to be on a weekday unlike Christmas which some years can fall on a Sunday. But some insist why the 4 Thursday of November not another day for instance the 3 Wednesday of October?

This again with reason as an ally I can retort that those who chose this day were probably looking for a day that would help mark the begging of the Christmas shopping season but not one that would be so close to it that it would be competing with it. This 4th Thursday if one thinks about it is ideal as it can fall anywhere between the 28th of November at the latest or the 22nd at the earliest.

Another reason I can speculate why Thursday was chosen as opposed to shall we say Friday or Wednesday, is that Thanksgiving being on Thursday makes it possible for stores to close on Thursday for Thanksgiving and then use the following Friday to get themselves ready for what would be the first Saturday of the holiday shopping season. The reason this happens is that the day after Thanksgiving though not an official bank Holiday is taken as such at least as far as schools and department stores are concerned. This in my opinion being a good technique to follow given that Saturday is the most popular shopping day and these stores want to take advantage of it and be ready for the first Saturday of the Christmas shopping season.

Despite these discrepancies in the tale which to my personal way of seeing things are interesting but do not change nor diminish what Thanksgiving has become, which is an American holiday which can be celebrated by anybody regardless of nationality or religion. The reason I can even say any religion is because this day or what this day has been transformed in to is a day on which we Americans give thanks for what we have but strangely enough it is no longer connected with giving thanks to anybody in particular or even God.

Another factor connected with Thanksgiving that makes it a great secular holiday for anybody is the fact that it is not really connected to patriotism as it does not celebrate the wining of a battle or the gaining of independence. This leaving it open to be celebrated by anybody regardless of nationality who would like to eat a turkey and give thanks for he or she has that he or she considers worth being thankful for.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYBODY!



Kiara

Noel Jameson asked:


Thanksgiving is right around the corner, are you ready? Let’s talk turkey, stuffing and, of course, a few great quotes. For all those who want to celebrate all there is to be thankful for, these 12 Thanksgiving quotes are sent out to you…

1. “Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude.” ~ E.P. Powell

2. “Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.” ~ Edward Sandford Martin

3. “How wonderful it would be if we could help our children and grandchildren to learn thanksgiving at an early age. Thanksgiving opens the doors. It changes a child’s personality. A child is resentful, negative, or thankful. Thankful children want to give, they radiate happiness, they draw people.” ~ Sir John Templeton

4. “The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving.” ~ H.U. Westermayer

5. “There is one day that is ours. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American.” ~ O. Henry

6. “If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “thank you,” that would suffice.” ~ Meister Eckhart

7. “Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence.” ~ Erma Bombeck

8. “Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” ~ WT Purkiser

9. “Stand up, on this Thanksgiving Day, stand upon your feet. Believe in man. Soberly and with clear eyes, believe in your own time and place. There is not, and there never has been a better time, or a better place to live in.” ~ Phillips Brooks

10. “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ~ Melody Beattie

11. An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day. ~Irv Kupcinet

12. On Thanksgiving Day we acknowledge our dependence. ~William Jennings Bryan

So while it’s true that Thanksgiving only comes but once a year, we should actually celebrate thanks each and every day. It’s just a matter of learning to live with a spirit of gratitude. Let us be thankful for these 12 Thanksgiving quotes.



Tucker

Lillian Wills asked:


Every year, just as Halloween passes, and the reality of the impending Christmas shopping season takes residence, the question arises of when is Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving holiday has been celebrated in the United States since 1789, when President George Washington proclaimed that the annual date for Thanksgiving was to be on the last Thursday of November. As the unofficial kickoff of the Christmas holiday season for retailers traditionally begins the day after Thanksgiving, the designation of Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday, rather than the last, provides for a longer holiday shopping season.

The question of when is Thanksgiving has not always had a consistent answer. In 1676, 55 years after the Pilgrims’ first feast in Plymouth, Massachusetts, the governing council of Charlestown, Massachusetts, had issued the first annual United States Thanksgiving Proclamation. On this date, the council declared that June 29, 1676 was to be a day of Thanksgiving to God for the good fortune they had secured in their new land. While Thanksgiving is traditionally depicted as the feast commemorating the bonds of friendship forged between the English settlers in Massachusetts and the Native Americans celebrated by a three day harvest celebration in 1621. Oddly enough, the language of the original proclamation of 1676 declares a day for praise to God for his blessings and protection against “the Heathen Natives of this land”.

On October 3, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln stated that the last Thursday of November “as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens”. After Lincoln, the following presidents continued to issue a proclamation on an annual basis, declaring when is Thanksgiving, although it always continued to be celebrated and enjoyed on the very last Thursday in the month of November all the way until 1939.

In 1939, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in an attempt to increase merchant spending during the Christmas holiday season, declared Thanksgiving to be on the 4th Thursday of November, as the month of November has 5 Thursdays that year, thereby extending the holiday shopping season. At that time in history, which was also during The Great Depression, it was considered inappropriate to advertise goods as Christmas gifts before Thanksgiving. The following year, 1940, November had 4 Thursdays, and Roosevelt proclaimed that Thanksgiving would fall on the third Thursday of November. At this time, the annual presidential declaration of the Thanksgiving Day holiday was not legally binding so it was up to the individual states to decide when is Thanksgiving, which of course was considered a government holiday.



Skyler

Jaime L. Smith asked:


When you think of Thanksgiving, you think of mouth-watering turkeys, family togetherness, and the Thanksgiving dinner coma. But Thanksgiving is much more than that: it’s a time to show gratitude, count your blessings, and show appreciation for (or to) those in your life who make every day better. It’s the perfect time to take a few minutes and thank special people for all they do.

Since most of us have Thanksgiving dinner with the family and/or close friends, why not send a Thanksgiving e-card or printable Thanksgiving greeting card to the acquaintances and other people in your daily life? E-greetings are a simple way to say Happy Turkey Day during this festive time of year.

This holiday season, reach out to these folks who may touch your life on a random basis:

1. Teachers. Everyday, our educators work hard to bring out the potential in our young people. Who better to receive a card to say thanks? Include a message addressing all the extra hours, limitless patience, and tireless efforts that bring out the best in your kids.

2. Day Care Providers & Babysitters. What can you say about a great babysitter but how grateful you are for them? Dropping them off and leaving with a peaceful mind is more valuable than any amount of money. Show your appreciation with a Thanksgiving e-card or print out a card and have the kids color it for an extra-special touch.

3. Hairdressers. Making you look good is what they do best. Say thanks or wish a happy day to the one who knows your whole life story, your pet’s favorite treats, and your kids’ latest milestones. An e-card is perfect for the person who knows everything about you; now let them know how grateful you are.

4. Distant Relatives. Families are spread far and wide these days, but sharing holiday spirit is easy with a Thanksgiving e-card. If your grandparents don’t have an email address, grab a free printable version that is ready to send with a personalized message.

5. Coffee Baristas. Waking up is rough, but your coffee barista is ready everyday with your “usual” steaming cup and a bright smile. What better way to start your day? Wish them a happy kickoff to the holiday season with a printed Thanksgiving card with their next tip tucked inside.

6. Neighbor. They get your mail when you’re out of town, lend you sugar when you run out, and watch your kids in a pinch. Say thank you or Happy Turkey Day with an adorable Thanksgiving e-card in their email inbox.

7. Doctors & Veterinarians. Keeping families and pets healthy is their passion, and their patience and knowledge is unsurpassable. At your next appointment, hand off a Thanksgiving card with a coloring sheet from your kids or email them an e-card to their business email address.

8. Mailman. Rain or shine, your mail is in your mailbox thanks to the dedication of the United States Postal Carriers who brave all sorts of weather so you can get the mail you rely on everyday. Give them a piece of mail that they don’t have to deliver and offer up a big thank you with a printable Thanksgiving card.

9. Troops Overseas. Holidays are a time for family and to remember those who, unfortunately, can’t be with the ones they love. Send a Thanksgiving e-card to a service member in your family, circle of friends, or that you know through an acquaintance. The holidays can be hard for our brave men and women so show your support to them by letting them you’re thinking of them.

10. Your son/daughter-in-law’s parents. Holiday traditions vary from family to family, but showing love and appreciation is universal. Let your son or daughter-in-law’s parents know that they are on your mind and that you are happy your families have been united.

There are countless others who would appreciate a Thanksgiving e-card or a printed Thanksgiving greeting card. Start off someone’s holiday season by giving them a smile and a sense of appreciation. Mark your calendar, choose the perfect e-card, and send the ones you love a “Thanks for All You Do!”



Travis

Sean Carter asked:


When turkeys go gobbling all the way to your

Thanksgiving menu, why not pamper your taste-buds with some more cool recipes ?

So cook up some toothsome Thanksgiving dishes and let your folks gobble up the gastronomical delights with gusto ! Plan a peachy recipe this Thanksgiving and warm up your dear ones for a great

holiday feast. And with Autumn’s plentiful yield, you’ll never run short of the choicest things to rev up your Thanksgiving menu. Now to help you tickle the appetites of your friends and family in a festive crescendo, here are some Thanksgiving recipe ideas that you’ll love to try out this November 24. Shrimp-ly Yours

1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and de-veined2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese1 (8 ounce) jar cocktail sauce1 (16 ounce) package buttery round crackers

1 lime Put the cream cheese at the center of the serving platter. Mix together the cocktail sauce and shrimp and pour it over cream cheese.Slice one lime in half. Squeeze one half over the cocktail sauce and cut the other half into wedges to garnish your Shrimp dip. Now place the crackers and lime wedges around edge of plate and serve. This makes one mouth-watering appetizer for Thanksgiving meal. So let your folks stay boggled at your amazing culinary skill ! thanksgiving Roasted Turkey 1 turkey (approx. 16- to 20-pounds)Stuffing of your choice

First, thaw your Thanksgiving turkey in the refrigerator, giving some time to get the giblet broth ready the day before roasting the bird. The turkey legs are to be removed from the leg sockets or skin crossing the tail. If needed, you may

also take out the leg clamps from the body. Now, you also need to remove giblets and neck from the body cavities of the turkey. just before roasting, you need to spoon in the stuffing into the body cavities of the Thanksgiving bird. But do not put more than 3/4 cup stuffing per pound of turkey. Do not pack the stuffing too hard, or it will not get sufficiently hot by the time of cooking. Now you can tuck the legs back under the band of skin or

reset legs into the sockets. You can also tie legs together with string if you find the leg clamp removed.

Now place the Thanksgiving turkey on a shelf in a shallow roasting pan with its breast side up. Fix a meat thermometer into the center of a thigh muscle so that the bulb doesn’t touch the bone. Now cover itwith foil, allowing

some space between the turkey and foil. Tighten the foil over the drumsticks and neck.

Roast it until the meter of the oven reads 180 degrees F and juices start oozing out. It takes about 4 to 5 hours for a stuffed bird. Now put the bowl containing the extra bit of stuffing in the last half hour of roasting. Remember to remove the foil in the last 30-45 minutes to allow the turkey turn a yummy brown. Here, our Thanksgiving turkey is ready now ! Take the turkey out from the oven and keep it covered loosely in foil before serving hot.

Say Cheese 4 cups macaroni

½ lb shredded Cheddar cheese1/2 lb shredded mozzarella cheese

Boil a big pot of slightly salty water. Add the macaroni and cook for about 8-10 minutes. When that’s done, drain the water out and place in a microwave-proof bowl. Scatter the Cheddar and mozzarella cheese over the macaroni and microwave on medium-high power in intervals of 30 seconds until the cheese melts. Finally, stir a little to spread the cheese evenly over the macaroni and serve. Now this dish is a good item to pep up the appetites and is

guaranteed to have yourfolks cheezing on Thanksgiving !

Boil a big pot of slightly salty water. Add the macaroni and cook for about 8-10 minutes. When that’s done, drain the water out and place in a microwave-proof

bowl. Scatter the Cheddar and mozzarella cheese over the macaroni and microwave on medium-high power in intervals of 30 seconds until the cheese melts. Finally,

stir a little to spread the cheese evenly over the macaroni and serve. Now this dish is a good item to pep up the appetites and is guaranteed to have your folks cheezing on Thanksgiving ! Pumpkin Pie

1 unbaked 10-inch pie shell beaten eggs

1 tbsp melted butter

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

2 plus cups cooked pumpkin

1 cup scalded milk

1/2 tsp salt

1-2 tsp cinnamon

1-2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 to 1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves (optional)

2 ounces dark molasses (optional)

1 small can evap. milk

Daub the pie shell with melted butter and then refrigerate. Next, cook the

pumpkin, brown sugar, salt and molasses in a pan over moderate heat until the

mixture gets thick (approx 5-7 minutes). Stir in the evaporated milk, scalded milk and the beaten eggs and cook it over low heat for another 5 minutes. Pour

This into a pie shell and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit first for 15 minutes and then at 350 degrees F for the next 45 minutes. Your pumpkin pie is just done

to pamper the sweet tooth of your friends, family or your sweetie pie on Thanksgiving.



Sonia