The First Thanksgiving Meal . . .

There is probably a great likeness with everyone's Thanksgiving meal each year. You can be sure that in most menus, you will find a turkey with some kind of stuffing, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, cranberries, and some kind of dessert, probably featuring pumpkin. Although the residents at Plymouth were happy to share a good amount of food with the indians that first Thanksgiving, we wouldn't see much of what we expect to find at the holiday table.

According to some research, there were 53 pilgrims and 90 Indians in attendance. The feast lasted three days. The main components of the meal were:

Duck, Geese, and Swan
Venison
Fish, Lobster, Mussels, Eel, and Clams
Pumpkin
Squash and corn
Cabbage
Grapes
Plums
Various Berries
Dried Fruit

The corn was not the type we enjoy today. It was scraped from the cobs and boiled down into mush. Since the Indians has molasses, it might have been slightly sweetened. There were plenty of wildlife so I imagine several spits might have been going roasting venison and various fowl. Being near the sea, fishing was probably excellent. To today's standards, they were eating pretty good to have duck, goose, and lobster on the menu!

An interesting sidenote to the lobster. When they had larger settlements and hired hands, there was a rule that they couldn't feed their help lobster more than three times a week. How much do we pay for that particular menu item these days?

It is interesting how foods change in value.  I don't think many of us would find an abundance of several of the items on that list without having a huge income!

I can see, however, how thankful the first pilgrims were to finally have their fill of good food. We might have a different menu but I hope our thanks to God are just as heartfelt!

George Washington got that right!

Friendship is a plant of slow growth and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.

George Washington

Sharing a Thankgiving Thought . . .

The Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving

(Edgar Albert Guest, 1881-1959)

It may be I am getting old and like too much to dwell
Upon the days of bygone years, the days I loved so well;
But thinking of them now I wish somehow that I could know
A simple old Thanksgiving Day, like those of long ago,
When all the family gathered round a table richly spread,
With little Jamie at the foot and grandpa at the head,
The youngest of us all to greet the oldest with a smile,
With mother running in and out and laughing all the while.

It may be I'm old-fashioned, but it seems to me to-day
We're too much bent on having fun to take the time to pray;
Each little family grows up with fashions of its own;
It lives within a world itself and wants to be alone.
It has its special pleasures, its circle, too, of friends;
There are no get-together days; each one his journey wends,
Pursuing what he likes the best in his particular way,
Letting the others do the same upon Thanksgiving Day.

I like the olden way the best, when relatives were glad
To meet the way they used to do when I was but a lad;
The old home was a rendezvous for all our kith and kin,
And whether living far or near they all came trooping in
With shouts of "Hello, daddy!" as they fairly stormed the place
And made a rush for mother, who would stop to wipe her face
Upon her gingham apron before she kissed them all,
Hugging them proudly to her breast, the grownups and the small.

Then laughter rang throughout the home, and, Oh, the jokes they told;
From Boston, Frank brought new ones, but father sprang the old;
All afternoon we chatted, telling what we hoped to do,
The struggles we were making and the hardships we'd gone through;
We gathered round the fireside. How fast the hours would fly--
It seemed before we'd settled down 'twas time to say good-bye.
Those were the glad Thanksgivings, the old-time families knew
When relatives could still be friends and every heart was true.

Christmas from my childhood perspective . . .

When I look back on the Christmases of my childhood, I don't remember specific gifts so much as the anticipation of waiting for the day to arrive. My mother was born and raised in Germany so we celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve after attending Midnight Mass. I always felt sorry for the children who had to wait until Christmas Day to open their gifts not realizing that by the time we got home from Midnight Mass, the time difference was mere hours.

I not sure I was a most worshipful child but I realized that attending Mass, first, was the path to the tree and gifts, afterwards. Although I was only a child, this discipline has stuck with me and I'm a stickler today about doing what must be done before we get to do what we'd like. That doesn't mean I didn't like attending Midnight Mass. I mean, how often does a child get to stay up that late? That in itself was a momentous moment. No matter what the California weather was during the day on December 24th, it was always cold as we headed out to church. Yes, I remember fighting back yawns and struggling to keep my eyes open in the cozy warmth of the church and candle glow but it seemed the choir would burst forth in wonderful music at opportune moments sufficient to wake me totally back to the Mass at hand.

Although I have long since figured out how she did it, I will never admit that I now know the way we managed to arrive home to find the tree alight and the presents in place. My mother claimed the angels saw to it and the gifts would be tumbled into place in different way every year. My favorite year was when they presents all looked like they had been hurriedly tossed through the window and were scattered all over the sofa and floor. My mother claimed the angels got a late start and we almost caught them at it! Naturally, I raced to the window in hopes of glimpsing a fluttering angel wing fleeing in the night.

I don't have my mother's touch but hope that the little events I gave my children over the years will provide them with some memories. Once the baking starts and the rustle of paper is heard as we each hurry to secure our surprises, my mind goes back to another day when I was the child.

My Secret (?) Recipe . . .

This appears at all my parties. Since we don't host that many parties, our usual guests seem to look forward to it. It is a hot dip that is good with tortilla chips, on fresh vegetables, or on pieces of crisp toast. Most people seem to have a version of their own so, perhaps, this will just be a timely reminder to dig out your own recipe and treat the family.

Chili Hot Cheese Dip
1 block of processed cheddar cheese, cubed
Canned chilies, your choice on the heat!
1/2 cup canned chicken broth

This is a good recipe for the crock pot. I usually let the chicken broth get hot before adding the cubed cheese and chilies. Keep it on low, stir ever so often until hot and melted. Put out surrounded by dipping items and set on warm. Of all the things I prepare for a get together, this one usually doesn't provide any leftovers.

The blocks of processed cheese usually come in two sizes. I go for the large one but just adjust things according to what you decide to use.

Swiss Cheese Dip
3 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white wine
Freshly grated black pepper

Mix the cheese with the flour so it is dusted throughout. Bring the wine to a simmer either on the stove, in the crock pot, or in a fondue pot. Slowly stir in the cheese and keep stirring until it is melted and smooth. Too thick? Add a bit more wine. Grate some pepper over the top and set out for your family/guests.

Ideas for dipping . . .
Broccoli, cauliflour, crisp green beans are all great for either of the dips listed.
Toasted chunks of sturdy bread is especially good with the Swiss version.
Rounds of warm, cooked sausage goes well.

Don't forget that you can serve items for spooning the dip over like chips, slices of just cooked potatoes, a bowl of perfectly cooked baby potatoes, etc.

Chewy Chocolate Sandwich Cookies plus icing recipe!

These are definitely a step up from the store-bought sandwich-type cookies. There is also something satisfying in handing your child a sandwich cookie made by mom. I like the fact that the cookie is not only filled but chewy, too.

Chewy Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

1 1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter, sugar, and eggs. Add vanilla and blend. Combine flour, cocoa, soda, and cinnamon in another bowl and then add to creamed mixture. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets.

Bake for 8-10 minutes and cool on a wire rack. When thoroughly cool, spread butter cream frosting between two cookies and pressed together. Makes approximately 2 ½ dozen cookies.

Creamy Frosting

4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon dry coffee creamer
1/4 cup shortening.
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon corn syrup
2-3 tablespoons cream

Combine all ingredient except cream in a large mixing bowl. Begin mixing with electric mixer. Gradually add cream until a spreadable frosting consistency is achieved.

Ideas . . .
You can tint/flavor the Creamy Frosting for the holidays.

It is also fun to generously sandwich the cookie and then roll the edges in some bright baking sprinkles.

Chocolate and orange goes well so think about adding some orange extract and freshly grated zest to the Creamy Frosting recipe.

I like adding finely crushed peppermint candy canes to the frosting.

Feeling really, really decadent? You can dip the cooking in candy coating . . . or even, just artistically dip half the sandwich cookie in the coating.

Stuffed eggs - a great appetizer . . .

I've been making stuffed eggs since I was about twelve years old. I'm not giving you a current date count so just assume I've been fixing these eggs for a long time! I will give you my basic recipe but you can add and subtract as the whim takes you and your family tastes come into play.

Stuffed Eggs
6 hard-cooked eggs
1 tablespoon mayo
Pickle relish (sweet or dill, your choice)
Salt & pepper to taste
Paprika for dusting the finished eggs

Carefully peel the cold, cooked eggs. You can slice them in half width or lengthwise. Gently scoop out the yolk into a mixing bowl. With a fork, smash and break up the egg yolks. Add the mayo, relish, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. If it is too dry, you can add more mayo or relish. Fill each of your egg white halves and round the filling attractively. Dust with the paprika and serve.

Ideas . . .
You can use canned, diced chili peppers instead of the relish.
Top each egg with a slice of black or green olive.
If you puree the yolk mixture until smooth, you can pipe in the yolk with a pastry bad and tip.
Sprinkle on some toasted, finely chopped pecans.
Use them for a breakfast buffet and add some finely diced ham or bacon to the yolk mixture.

A Different Kind of Stuffing . . .

When we have a lot of company for holiday meals, I have been know to make both bread stuffing and sausage corn bread stuffing so everyone has a choice . . . Or they can have both of them. Except for remembering to prepare the corn bread ahead of time, this is an easy recipe. It can also be used for a light luncheon dish with a side of salad.

　

Corn bread*

1 pound ground pork sausage
1 onion, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

*You need a double recipe of corn bread for this so you can either buy two of boxed mixes most stores carry or make your own. Recipe to follow.

In a large frying pan, brown the pork sausage thoroughly. Add in the chopped onion, celery, butter, and poultry seasoning. Continue cooking until the vegetables start to soften a bit. Crumble the prepared corn bread in a large bowl. Add the sausage mixture as the chicken broth. You might need more than the one can so be prepared for that. You want the dressing moist but not soggy.

Place the corn bread mixture in a greased baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until the top is golden.

Corn Bread Recipe

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup corn meal
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking power
1 teaspoon salt
2 cup milk
½ cup vegetable oil (I like using olive oil)
2 large egg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir to just combine. Spread out two 8x8-inch pans or one large one big enough to accommodate the mixture. Bake for approximately 20-30 minutes depending on size of pans used. Top should be golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean. Cool and use for above recipe. This is a doubled version just for the stuffing recipe.

Starting the Day with a Grin . . .

"In America, through pressure of conformity, there is freedom of choice, but nothing to choose from."
-- Peter Ustinov

"The intelligent man finds almost everything ridiculous, the sensible man hardly anything."
-- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"Fools rush in where fools have been before."
-- Unknown

"At my lemonade stand I used to give the first glass away free and charge five dollars for the second glass. The refill contained the antidote."
-- Emo Phillips

We Remembered to 'Fall Back' . . . !

We remembered to turn back our clocks, last night, so settled in to enjoy that extra hour of sleep. This plan worked until 1:30 in the morning. A strange humming/vibrating sound woke me up. I sat up to listen closer but it didn't return. I figured it was probably a truck or something passing by the house. I had just drifted off when the noise happened again. This time, I was facing my bedside table and saw my cell phone light up . . . telling me it was low on power. I had to wonder why it could be so loud if it was supposedly so weak? I attempted to turn the phone off entirely but, for some reason, at that hour of the morning, I couldn't remember exactly how to do it. By this time, my husband woke up and he spent several minutes trying to figure it out. Finally, success! We shut up the irksome phone. Just as I was slipping back into sleep, I noticed that my new alarm clock hadn't changed time as the packaging had promised. I decided to NOT bring this to my husband's attention as he was already sound asleep, again. I figured that if it didn't actually change to the Daylight Savings time, the worst that would happen would be the alarm would go off an hour early. I guess it had it's own changeover schedule because it rang the alarm at the correct time.

It's funny. I know there will be a crowd at Mass this morning. Many people will show up at 8:30 or so for attending the 9:00 o'clock Mass . . . only to discover they are just on time for the 7:30 Mass. Happens every year. Of course, we have a sparse, peaceful Mass when the clocks 'spring back' as many people are 'late'.

People and their arrival for Mass is always interesting. We always joke that we have a 7:30, 7:45, and 8:00 o'clock Mass because that is how people tend to trickle in for it. One woman just about always comes in during the Readings. She clumps down the aisle to get a seat near the front, plops down in the pew, unpacks her purse, gets out her prayerbooks, places her reading glasses on the ledge of the pew, and looks around. Within seconds, she reverses all these preparations and finds another pew to sit in.

Meanwhile, there is this sweet, elderly couple who show up early for Mass and sit in the front pew every week. And, every week, during the Readings, this hefty woman arrives and has to sit front and center in this pew requiring the couple to get up and move into the aisle so the woman can claim the seat. Everyone settles down and during the sermon, another well-endowed woman shows up and she has to sit next to the first woman so the couple and the first woman have to move out so she can get into the chosen place. The early Mass isn't that crowded so these women could have gotten a good seat just about anywhere in the church and been able to slip in without attracting attention. Me, I'm embarrassed the few times we've been late and tend to scuttle into the first available pew and hope no one is disturbed or notices.

Week day Mass has it's interesting side, too. Since there are seldom more than 30 people there, we could actually have half a pew to ourselves. I like the peace of morning Mass so always sit at the far end of the church in an end seat. There are a multitude of empty pews yet there are always several people (and always different ones!) who clamber in next to me or behind me. I don't hold hands at the Our Father so, eventually, they move on to more 'religious' territory for their needs.

Keeping our attention on the prayers at hand can be difficult, at times. I wonder if God sends these distractions to keep us praying for everyone that comes into our lives in whatever way they might? I'm learning to grin to myself, send a prayer their way, and then get back to my own prayers.