Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Pre Thanksgiving Day Preparations


I absolutely love Thanksgiving Day! It’s hands down my favorite holiday of the year. For me it’s all about family and friends. None of this silly exchanging of gifts. It’s all about just getting together, feeling thankful and building happy memories.

According to the Holy Scriptures, thankfulness pleases God. I liken our praises and thankfulness unto a sweet smelling aroma on the altar of sacrifice to Him. He has given us so much. It is always a fitting time to openingly express our thanks for all the multiple blessings we have through the year. And like all of my readers, I have lots to be thankful for this year too. I’ve been exceedingly blessed this year. First of all, we all have been blessed with a loving Lord and Saviour who by His grace has granted all who believe eternal salvation through His shed blood. Money can’t buy that kind of security! And the most important thing we can do as believers, is share this knowledge of eternal love with those that are perishing. To be someone who is openingly thankful, thoughtful, and kind helps show how much He cares about us all.

Also, my health is much improved over the previous four years. I am thankful to have a safe, comfortable, secure home, a husband that adores me, and access to some of the best food on this planet. We may be poor but we’ve been eating good doggone it! I never was interested in food preparation but retirement changed all that. Hubby is teaching me how to cook like he does. I’m really getting into the planning and cooking of meals, thoroughly enjoying myself along the way.

Since it’s just us tomorrow, we’ve down-sized the turkey day menu. It will still be the traditional Butterball with Cornbread Dressing and the green beans. But instead of a “regular” salad I decided to fix Cucumber Salad. And because of our low-carb diet, I’ve opted for cooked, mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes. We’ve been doing a lot of experimenting using vegetables in place of  other foods. I recently was sent a recipe for Kale baked just like sliced potatoes to make chips. Can’t wait to try it!

Here’s the menu that’s planned for tomorrow:

Butterball turkey stuffed with cooked Cornbread Stovetop Dressing (our one “bad“ carb). Save the drippings for the gravy.

Green beans thoroughly cooked with garlic, basil and coconut oil. They taste as good as if they where boiled in sugar!

Cauliflower:
    Two heads, chopped fine, thoroughly cooked until soft.
    Mash and serve just like potatoes. No bad carbs and even
    tastes better than the “real” thing!

Cucumber Salad:
    4 cucumbers, thinly sliced        ½ cup water
    1 cup white vinegar                 1 tablespoon dried dill
    1 small white onion, thinly sliced

    Toss together the cucumbers and onion in a large bowl.
    Combine the vinegar, water and Splenda in a saucepan
    Over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Pour over the
    Cucumber and onions. Stir in dill, cover, and refrigerate
    until cold. Serve next day.

Cranberry sauce: chilled.

Pumpkin Pie:
    1 prepared pie crust                 2 tbsp. Corn Starch
                                                 ½ tsp. Cinnamon
    Filling                                     1 ½ tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
    1 can Pumpkin Puree                 1/8 tsp. salt
    ¾ cup Splenda granular             2 eggs
    1/3 cup Half & Half                   1 egg white
    3 tbsp. Heavy Cream                 1 tbsp. Vanilla
    1 tsp. Sugar-Free Maple Syrup    REAL Whipped Cream!

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
    Blend pumpkin puree, Splenda, corn starch, spices
    and salt in a medium bowl. Blend well. In separate bowl,
    mix together remaining ingredients. Stir well. Add to pumpkin
    mixture and stir well.
    Pour pumpkin filling into pie crust. Bake for 35-40 minutes
    or until set in the center and the crust is golden brown.
    Serve warm or chilled with real whipped cream. YUM!


                               Happy Thanksgiving Y‘all!


Psalm 107:1 (NIV) -”Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV) – “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 4:2 (NIV) – “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

Colossians 3:15 (NIV) – “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

Psalm 69:30 (NIV)
–“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.”


                                      ~ Ride Safe ~
                                            Sparky

3 comments:

  1. Love your post (I always do, btw!)--love the recipes..Happy Thanksgiving!! Love ya.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy Thanksgiving you two. The menu sounds delicious! Part of the fun/memory making is cooking the meal together. Be sure to share photos. God bless you both.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sparky, your menu sounds delicious and wish I could be there -grin-. Have a wonderful day tomorrow, enjoy and be happy.

    ReplyDelete

⭐ A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. ~ Walter Winchell