Thanksgiving For All

Thanksgiving is a time for togetherness... it's an occasion to be spent in the warm and loving company of family, loved ones and friends enjoying turkey roast and pumpkin pies with them. Thanksgiving is also an opportunity to renew the ties that bind us with the ones we love... it is a time for remembering, cherishing and being thankful for all the good things you have been blessed with. So it's time to say 'Happy Thanksgiving'

Thursday, November 22, 2007

How to Intensify the Flavor of your Turkey Recipe

With all those turkeys out here on Thanksgiving, there are many people who prefer having the flavor little more intense. This is something that I found while surfing the net last night. If you want to intensify the flavor check out this video, which gives the perfect clue as to how to do that. Make sure that you don't over do with intensifying the flavor, since there's a good chance that you may turn out to be a flop with the trash recipe.

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Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipe: Lobster

Wish you all a very Happy Turkey Day. But here I'm going to talk something apart from turkeys. wondering what? Just read on. It may be of a highly beneficial for you!

The legend has it that the pilgrims and their Native American guests had lobster. You know what they probably did have and didn't have but we have on thanksgiving? They had the wild fowls and didn't have pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes! Anyway how if you hold the spirit of Thanksgiving food high, commemorating the first Thanksgiving feast? I found this recipe online and I'm preparing it for my gang. It says, it'll be fantastic as an appetizer. It would really be nice having a special Lobster recipe as a side dish from the heavy turkey.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lobster meat
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 6 leaves butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 head of Boston lettuce
Direction

Step 1: Cut lobster meat into medium size pieces.
Step 2: Cook wine, juice, oil, and zest for 2 minutes in a wok over medium heat.
Step 3: After a couple of minutes increase the heat to medium-high. Add the pieces of lobsters.
Step 4: Stir fry until lobster is opaque and turns golden brown. Chill for 1 hour.
Step 5: Put the lettuce leaves in small bowls and top with lobster mixture.

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How to Safely Cook a Turkey

Wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving

Ok, now your turkey is ready and you're ready to have your guests, I hope. Here's how to cook your turkey safely.

Roasting a whole turkey is not all that a big deal, so long as you take special care when handling the raw poultry. It's really important to take all the necessary precautionary measures when handling and cooking it. It is essential to wash your hands properly before and after handling the raw meat. Make sure that your utensils and surfaces are cleaned well. Wash the raw meat properly with hot water. I always do that because it is the first step to destroy certain bacteria.

Remember that it's not a good idea to keep the raw poultry out of the fridge for long. So after washing it properly store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook it. But for the frozen turkeys meat you need to see if it is completely defrosted before you start cooking it. The correct temperature and appropriate cooking time is really vital as it destroys the bacteria and prevents you from having food poisoning. Check out my post entitled “Prevention Tips For Thanksgiving Turkey Bird Flu” where I've mentioned about the correct temperature for cooking turkeys.

Here's something about the roasting time for the turkeys. The general rule is the larger the bird, the longer should be your cooking time.

Roasting Times for Stuffed Turkey

2 ¾ hrs to 3 ¼ hrs for 6 - 8 lbs turkey
3 hrs to 3 ½ hrs for 8 - 12 lbs turkey
3 ½ hrs to 4 hrs for for 12 - 14 lbs turkey
4 hrs to 4 ¼ hrs for for 14 - 18 lbs turkey
4 ¼ hrs to 4 ¾ hrs for 8 - 20 lbs turkey
4 ¾ hrs to 5 ¼ hrs for 20 - 24 lbs turkey




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Roasting Times for Unstuffed Turkey

2 ½ hrs. to 2 ¾ for 6 - 8 lbs turkey
2 ¾ hrs to 3 hrs. for 8 - 12 lbs turkey
3 hrs to 3 ¾ hrs for 12 - 14 lbs turkey
3 ¾ hrs to 4 ¼ hrs for 14 - 18 lbs turkey
4 ¼ hrs to 4 ½ hrs for 18 - 20 lbs turkey
4 ½ hrs to 5 hrs for 20 - 24 lbs turkey

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Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Thanksgiving Games For Kids

So what are you going to do tomorrow? Have ever thought of how you are going to add some extra fun to your kids' Thanksgiving celebration? Here's a game for the kids on Thanksgiving. Let you kids fill up the boxes with the correct spelling and you can test their IQ at the same time. It's really a fun not only for your kids but for you too.

You can try this with some of the friends of your child and I am sure it's going to be a really cool competition. So just move out to the market and get some Thanksgiving gifts for the First, Second and Third toppers.



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A Few Hours Until Thanksgiving

Hi! Millions of congratulations to those who voted for "May and Flower" as the national Thanksgiving turkey name. 24% of the total vote of 119689, has been casted for these names, which is the highest. I voted for the name "Jake and Tom" which is 15% only. Here's the statistics:

May and Flower -- 24% which is 28,726
Wish and Bone -- 23% which 27529
Wing and Prayer -- 20% which 23938
Jake and Tom -- 15% which is 17953
Gobbler and Rafter -- 12% which is 14362
Truman and Sixty -- 6% which is 7181

Anyway, what about your Thanksgiving celebration preparation? Start off wish your friends and folks who are staying away with warm Thanksgiving greetings.


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I was about to make a great blunder this Thanksgiving. I missed out to invite John for my Thanksgiving dinner, who has always been a good friend of mine. The last night I suddenly remember that and that's one more reason for me to be thankful to the Lord.



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Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Three Day Until Thanksgiving

In 2007 Thanksgiving is on November 22nd and the spirit of celebration is at its peak. I just can't express what's going on in my heart when I think that Thanksgiving is only 3 days away and I'm going to have a real blast this holidays with my gang. By now I'm sure you've prepared yourself with all your plans and ingredients for the Thanksgiving dinner. Let's talk about something different this time. What about the national thanksgiving turkey name? I'm sure you guys know that each year a name is given to the national Thanksgiving turkey, which is chosen by online voting at the Thanksgiving page of the White House Website.

Thanksgiving 2007 is going to mark it 60th anniversary of National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation and I hope that It's going to rock. This year the National Thanksgiving Turkeys are from Duboi, Indiana under the direction of Ted Seger, the Chairman of National Turkey Federation. Anyway, can you guess what's going to be the name of the thanksgiving turkey this year? Just visit the Thanksgiving page of the White House Website and vote for a name. I've voted for Jake and Tom. You just need to wait until November 20th, when President Bush will be announcing the winning names in the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation. So, no more delay!! Who knows, President Gorge Bush may announce the name that you are going to vote!! All the best.




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Happy Thanksgiving

Friends! By now I'm sure that you tuned up yourselves for Thanksgiving feast and fun. Last night I was watching the video that we shoot on Thanksgiving 2006. It's really a never to be forgettable chapter for me, enjoying the whole day arranging for my granny's 75th Birthday. I had my gang with me and the two Spanish guys Juan and Pablo, who helped me a lot in arranging for the party and managing things. Anyway holidays 2007 is going to be another big fun and I just can't wait any more bursting out with Thanksgiving turkey fun with my pals. But still I'll be missing Juan and Pablo this Thanksgiving Day

I'm waiting for Mr. Bush's announcement of the names of the national Thanksgiving turkeys. Let's see what comes up!!


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Monday, November 19, 2007

Prevention Tips For Thanksgiving Turkey Bird Flu

According to the report as laid by the American Turkey Council, the chances of getting avian flu by eating Thanksgiving turkey are "probably less than one in four." That means two out of a group of eight would probably be afflicted to the disease. Don't worry! This was the story of Thanksgiving 2005 -- you might not have forgot.

According to poultry experts in the College of Agricultural Sciences, we don't have to worry about avian flu virus this Thanksgiving in America. So that's one more reason for us to be thankful this year. But the story doesn't end here. Avian flu has been observed in birds on the other continents, although it isn't the thing for us, said Mike Hulet, associate professor of poultry science. So Why taking chance? Let's play safe. Here are some tips to avoid being affected with the Thanksgiving Turkey Bird Flu.

One single tip is to cook your turkeys properly. Gregory Martin, an extension poultry educator in Lancaster County and the other food safety experts recommended that the temperature should be:

  • 180 degrees in the thigh.
  • 165 degrees at the center of the stuffing.
  • 170 degrees in the breast
If you really want to extend your menu with some of the special turkey recipes, visit eatturkey.com.

I hope this simple tips will help make your Thanksgiving a real blast.




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Saturday, November 17, 2007

Sweet Potato Casserole For Thanksgiving Feast: Free of Allergen

I just dropped by A Homemaking Journey, when I came to know that Shiloah and Dawn have recently been diagnosed with food allergies. I was thinking of some of the cool recipes for those who are suffering from food allergies. Here's one of them. This is slightly less sweet version of the the traditional sweet potato casserole and you can try this out to make your Thanksgiving a perfect blast.

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 medium sized sweet potatoes
  • Brown sugar -- 2/3 cup
  • Orange juice -- 1 cup
  • Salt – as per requirement
  • Allspice -- 1 tea spoon full
  • Nutmeg -- 1/2 tea spoon full
  • Allergen-free marshmallows for topping
Direction:
Step 1 – Start off with oiling the skin of the potatoes and pierce them in several places.
Step 2 – Roast the potatoes at 400o F until the potatoes become soft and you can see oil caramelizing in the pierced areas.
Step 3 – When cooked fully, let them cool down to room temperature and peal off the skin to get the flesh out.
Step 4 – Add the orange juice, brown sugar, nutmeg, allspice and a couple of pinch of salt in a casserole dish.
Step 5 – Stir the mixture well and mash the sweet potato chunks with a fork. Smooth the whole mixture evenly throughout the casserole dish.
Step 6 -- Top the whole surface with a layer of marshmallows.
Step 7 – Cover it up and bake it for 20 minutes.
Step 8 – Put another layer of marshmallows toppings and bake it for 10 minutes more at 350o F. When the marshmallows topping begins to turn golden-brown and melt take it out and serve hot.

Have a fun filled Thanksgiving 2007.



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Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Thanksgiving Countdown -- Eight Days Away

I am sure you can't resist the temptation to roast turkeys now. At least for me it's true, since Thanksgiving is only eight days away. If you've planned to arrange for a thanksgiving feast for your friends, it's the right time make some arrangement ahead of time.

  • Make an advance payment of at least 50% for the turkeys. You might find to be harder to find the desired quantity right on Thanksgiving day or the day before.
  • Shop for some of the most important ingredients like heavy cream, butternuts squash etc.
  • Shop for the non perishable ingredients such as sugar, corn syrup, flour, brown sugar, canned pumpkin, packaged stuffing etc, so that you wont make a mess in haste.
  • Order or pick up the wines and other beverages according to your need, before the crowd sets out. Remember that a bottle of wine contains about five glasses. Also don't forget to have a non-alcoholic drink choices on hand.
  • Dig out your turkey roaster and the special serving plates that are in your closets. Clean them and try out a turkey roast in small amount for your family. So you know whether your roaster is working well.
  • Spare a thought on sending special Thanksgiving wishes to your near and dear ones. You can reach out to those who are staying miles away with your warmth of presence on the Thanksgiving day.

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Thursday, November 08, 2007

Top Ten Thanksgiving Movies

Just two more weeks friends! I'm sure your are almost done with your thanksgiving preparation. Good, if you have sent your thanksgiving invitations and done with the thanksgiving feat planning. But have you ever spare a thought on coming up with some special attraction? How about some great Thanksgiving movies?

Here's a list of the top ten Thanksgiving movies:

  • A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
  • Alice's Restaurant
  • Planes, Trains and Automobiles
  • The Ice Storm
  • What's cooking
  • Tadpole
  • Pieces of April
  • The Myth of Fingerprints
  • Hannah and her Sisters
  • Home for the Holidays
Keep the Thanksgiving spirit scaled held high with some of the fun filled Thanksgiving movies.

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Monday, November 05, 2007

Thanksgiving Turkey Low in Stock in Food Bank!

With Thanksgiving approaching fast, I am sure you're ready to roast your thanksgiving turkeys. But have you ever spared a thought about the down trodden section of the turkey population? Kate Lombardo, the Executive Director of Food Bank says that Food Bank Lower Fairfield County in Connecticut is running a shortage of turkeys for this Thanksgiving. While the food Bank had 1400 turkey at this time in 2006, this year it has only five turkeys on November 2nd in the late afternoon to distribute to needy families for Thanksgiving. “Oil is up”, said Lombardo and with this slumping economy the past donors are not as generous this year. With the present stock of only 5 turkeys the agency has to go a long way to meet the need of 3000 turkeys for Thanksgiving 2007.

If your are in Connecticut area you can take some noble steps to donate some turkeys in order to scale up the stock level. Please contact Kate Lombardo(Executive Director, Food Bank), at klombardo@sbcglobal.net or call (203) 358-8898.

Let me wish all the best to Lombardo and her agency.


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Thursday, November 01, 2007

Thanksgiving Dinner Table Décor -- Turkey centerpiece

If you are done with Thanksgiving party planning, I can say for sure that you have missed this out. What about keeping an elegant centerpiece on your Thanksgiving dinner table? Here's how to make a Thanksgiving turkey centerpiece for the Thanksgiving dinner table.

Requirements:

  • Disposable hand Glove
  • Craft foam scraps
  • Scissors Tissue paper – Yellow
  • Styrofoam – 1 small piece
  • Rubber band
  • Turkey Feathers
  • Raffia
  • Glue
How to make:

Step 1: Take the disposable glove and stuff it with the crumbled of tissue paper.
Step 2: Close the opened end of the glove with a rubber band.
Step 3: Create a hole in the middle of the Styrofoam and insert the rubber banded end of the glove into it.
Step 4: Fix the feathers to both the sides of the finger and palm of the glove using glue.
Step 5: Make the eyes, beak and waddle with the craft foam and fix them in the right places using glue.
Step 6: Cover the base of the styrofoam with raffia pieces.

Your Turkey centerpiece is ready. Make one such Turkey décor for each of the table if you're having multiple tables.

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Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Counting Down To Thanksgiving -- Three Weeks

Friends! Just three weeks more to grill the Thanksgiving turkey. It's really becoming tougher and tougher for me to resist my temptation for the roasted turkey on the Trukey Day.

If you've already prapared the Thanksgiving budget, then it's for sure that you have also chalked out the Thanksgiving dinner plan or Thanksgiving party plan. Whether you know it or not, it's now the perfect time to spare a thought over the Thanksgiving Invitation issue. Otherwise you will be too late and may end up with mess in haste, when it comes to the Turkey Day. Just follow a few simple steps to mark a name of yourself in the hearts of your special Thanksgiving guests.

  • Decide how many people you can afford. Considering your pre-formulated budget and the space are of utmost importance.
  • Make a list of the guests that you want to invite to join you at your Thanksgiving feast.
  • Decide whether you want to include kids in your Thanksgiving party or adults only. If you are going to invite kids you may have to be very selective regarding fooda nd make necessary arrangements for some games and fun.
  • As soon as you've prepared the list, give it a second glance as you may want to exclude somebody or replace somebody with any other person.
  • Spare a thought on Thanksgiving invitation cards. This is the most neglected part of the story, despite of its immense importance. No point wasting time and money in making your own invitation cards, since it's a good idea to invite people online using the pre-designed invitation ecards.
  • Choose the one that suits your Thanksgiving celebration theme and see what wonder you can make by this.

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Tuesday, October 30, 2007

How To Make Thanksgiving Wreath?

You can have a lot of fun on Thanksgiving. But more fun comes with the planning rather than the event itself. It doesn't matter whether it's making a plan for Thanksgiving decorations or Thanksgiving dinners or other Thanksgiving activities. So, I was thinking about making stuff like special thanksgiving decorations today.

How do you make a Thanksgiving wreath? It's not all that a big deal. But it's really an awesome idea to make a thanksgiving wreath by yourself because it saves you a lot of money. Plus you'll be ready for Christmas!

Requirements:

  • Grapevine wreath
  • Glue gun
  • Glue Flowers (Artificial cloth sunflowers should be your choice)
  • Ribbon Indian corn (Plastic corn that you can find in the local craft stores)
  • Wood Pine Cones (You can get these at your local parks. Just pick the medium ones)
  • Plastic pumpkins (Sizes should not be uniform, but pick the small ones.)
  • Stuffed animal (You can find these in the local craft stores. Small to medium ones would be the perfect pick)
Direction:
Step 1: Start off with the grapevine wreath. Attach the small stuffed bears on the wreath first so that you will have an idea what else to put and where to give it an elegant look. You can glue a small piece of wood onto the wreath to fix the bear onto the wreath. Fix the bear in such a way that it doesn't fall off the wreath.

Step 2: Fix the pumpkins onto the wreath by gluing them well so that they don't fall off.

Step 3: Fix the sunflowers all around the wreath in a way that it gives a very decent look. If you want you can use other flowers along with the sunflowers. But then, you need to pay extra attention to the color combination.

Step 4: Give final touches by using the ribbons. Make some of the beautiful bows all along the circumference of the wreath or you can make one large bow.

You are now ready with your beautiful Thanksgiving wreath. Place it on your entrance to greet your special Thanksgiving guests.

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Friday, October 26, 2007

How to make Thanksgiving Pumpkin Candles

You can give a perfect touch to your Thanksgiving decoration. Even if you haven't planned for a pumpkin theme thanksgiving decoration, you can make some thanksgiving pumpkin crafts to decorate you thanksgiving party floor. Here's how to make thanks the Thanksgiving Pumpkin Candles.


Requirements:

  • Small pumpkins
  • Paraffin
  • Clay
  • Wicks
  • Needle with a large eye
  • knife




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How to Make:

Step 1: Cut off the top of the pumpkin
Step 2: Remove the flesh and the seeds
Step 3: Seal the bottom with the clay
Step 4: Melt the paraffin
Step 5: Thread the wick straight into the pumpkin bottom.
Step 6: Hold the wick straight and pour the melted paraffin into the pumpkin
Step 7: Let it stiffen up

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Thursday, October 25, 2007

Pumpkin Scarcity Pulls Up Pumpkin Price

The pumpkin scarcity will be giving a hard blow to Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. The drought and the scorching heat has adversely affected the pumpkin harvest this year. So the supply is not going the meet the 2007 demand level for pumpkins. If you are a real pumpkin fan, I'm sure that you'll not mind paying some extra dollars for special thanksgiving dinner. But again there's a good chance that you may be disappointed if you're looking for pumpkins after Halloween. This is because a huge lot of pumpkins would be exhausted on Halloween. Pumpkin patch owners are going to out source pumpkins to meet the demand. So don't worry .. just loosen up your budget a bit.




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Thursday, October 19, 2006

Thanksgiving: Unsung History of Native Americans



We have always celebrated Thanksgiving in new style. Have you ever thought how did it all start? No ,I am not here to bore you with same old stuff of producing facts and figures but would like to throw some light on the Native American style of Thanksgiving. The Wampanoag is one of the native Americans. Knowing the modern way of celebrating Thanksgiving is boring, isn't it? From 1621 this Thanksgiving was known as Harvest Cutting Celebration and lasted only for 3yrs and gradually it increased with the time. I have a Wampanoag friend named Kimlee. He told me that football, as played today on Thanksgiving has a special meaning to it. It is not just a game but played for a purpose to settle down arguments between people and families. According to him, traveling in a dug out Mishoon(handmade boat) and meeting friends was more a fun than tradition. Enjoyment was the core word. Once when I was really young, I had the privilege to accompany him to his village. Had a blast hunting. It was winter and hunting is best during this time as baby birds and animals are grown this time. The meat and the fur are better in colder weather. We had hunted deer,beaver, turkey and many more. But the forest law are strong enough now so hunting has reduced. I had learnt that planting of corn seeds needed herring fish. The fish is put into the ground and earth is mounded on it. This helps in growing corn plants taller. All these experiences have made me realized that thanksgiving is a celebration where the most important thing is Thanking the Mother Earth more than the humans, sharing food with a small feast. It is being thankful to God and all the people around you. So start noting the names of the people whom to thank...by the way don't forget to thank me too who made you realize this fact!

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Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Celebrating “It” in a different way :

Thanksgiving has always been a joyous celebration. We always go on talking about our family, friends and loved ones. But I was wondering why do we forget our senior citizens, the needy and the unprivileged. This year I have thought of spending this occasion with these people. Bring in some joy in their lives. Do you also want to make a difference with your little touch? I am thinking of transforming my house this year as Orphan Holiday House. On 23rd November I have planned out a football match for them. It will be a wonderful time. Playing with them will be a merriment but most of the time want to sit back on that cane chair in the lawn and enjoy watching the football game and stuff my face until I can no long move my legs and fall on my back ultimately in a turtle syndrome. But my spirit will not fade away with this, still I will be cheering the children with my family members. Have a feast of time with a Turkey dipped in chocolate sauce and onion-garlic stuffing. The children will love it. Gifting them with presents and chocolate is my mom's idea. She loves to be with children always. And I am also not an exceptional. So guys and gals why wait.....celebrate this Thanksgiving in a unique and true style!

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Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Black Friday vs. Buy Nothing Day

The debate on Black Friday and Buy Nothing Day(BND) is everlasting as one is a response to another after Thanksgiving. Black Friday helps to forget a need to help at the soup kitchen, skip the parades and football games, ditch the family celebrations. Instead hit the malls and get a jump on giving your cash to retailers. Blogcritics' Victor Plenty suggests some more productive ways to spend your Black Friday: They are: play some of those games you already own,watch movies you already own,read books, take a walk in the park etc. On the other hand BND has been a response to the Black Friday by the anti-capitalist protesters.There are many advantages of celebrating this venerable holiday.You don't impulse buy a bunch of stuff just because it's on sale, don't have to get up before dawn to wait in line, have more time for making turkey soup and polishing the pie, have more time for updating your blog!! The choice is yours now...what do you think you prefer more among the two? Both have their own pro's and con's. Get influenced and get started with one which effectuate your mind the most. So you can be both Capitalist or Anti-capitalist in America itself!

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