Dixie Salad

Ingredients1 cup pomegranate arils
1 cup chopped, firm apple
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1-1/2 cups real cream for whipping
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

In a large bowl add the pomegranate, apple, and pecans (try adding mandarin oranges, bananas, halved red, seedless grapes). 

Whip the cream (I like using a Kitchen Aid to do this) until it turns into whipped cream, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and beat well to combine. 

Add the whipped cream to the fruit mixture and fold gently to combine. Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy right away. Garnish with additional fruit and nuts if desired. 

 Store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to a day. 

via blessthismess

Thanksgiving

May your stuffing be tasty

May your turkey plump,

May your potatoes and gravy

Have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious

 ...And your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs!! 

Thanksgiving Divorce

A man in Phoenix calls his son in New York the day before Thanksgiving and says, "I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough."

"Pop, what are you talking about?" the son screams. We can't stand the sight of each other any longer", the father says.

"We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her."

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone, "like heck they're getting divorced", she shouts, "I'll take care of this".

She calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at her father, "You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?" and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. "Okay", he says, "they're coming for Thanksgiving and paying their own way."

The Power of Thank You

Religion has long embraced the concept of gratitude, and the happiness and health that flourish as a result. But now science has accepted and proven gratitude to be a positive force. So when it gets down to it, the repetitive, time-consuming task of writing thank-you letters is actually good for you! 

The Benefits of Expressing Gratitude

For example, people who are grateful have higher levels of positive emotions like love, optimism, joy, enthusiasm, and happiness. The practice of gratitude as a discipline protects a person from the destructive impulses of envy, resentment, greed, and bitterness. Those who are grateful are able to cope better with stress, sleep better, have more energy, and even have more resilience toward illness and have greater physical health.

Gratitude works because, as a way of perceiving and interpreting life, it recruits other positive emotions—like joy, contentment, and hope—that have direct physical benefits, most likely through the immune system or endocrine system. When people experience gratitude, they feel more loving, more forgiving, and closer to God.

On the flip side, ingratitude can have the opposite effect. Those who are ungrateful show signs of loneliness, increased depression, and lack of meaning in life. Like gratitude, it too has a direct effect on your body’s health.

If ingratitude is combined with hostility, resentment, or cynicism—as it often is—then the cardiovascular disease risk is increased. Ungrateful people may also be at greater risk from stress-related diseases because they handle stress more poorly than do the grateful people.

So how do you show gratitude? You can always “count your many blessings,” which has proven to be a great help. But, here’s where the thank-you letter comes into play. By sharing gratitude, all of the above benefits are amplified. So expressing thanks to someone else doubles your joy.

When people write a thank-you letter to someone they feel they have never properly thanked, deliver the letter and personally read it to the person, they were happier and more content, even over long periods of time. 

The power of a thank-you note is incredible. There are three main benefits:

1. Expressing emotions magnifies the feeling, so expressing thanks makes our gratitude stronger.
2. Expressing thanks builds and strengthens relationships. Gratitude is the relationship-building emotion, so not only do we benefit on an individual level, but we create better bonds with others.
3. It humbles us. The natural man has a self-serving bias and the tendency to take sole credit for everything positive. Acknowledging that something good is a result of someone else provides us with a humbling experience.

Thank-You Note Basics

So how does one write a proper thank-you letter, making sure to express sincere gratitude for another person? A lot of people don’t write thank-you notes because they either don’t know what to say, feel like they can only write generic, impersonal things, or they’ve forgotten and it’s too late to send one now. Don’t let these stop you. Remember, silent gratitude benefits no one.

The key is to focus on the giver. What does the gift mean to you? How does it make you feel that the giver acknowledged you. Try to concentrate more on the person than the gift, although mentioning the specific gift is a must.

Here’s an outline for a typical thank-you letter: 

1. Greeting: “Dear Johnny,” or more personal, “Hey Johnny!”
2. Thank them for the gift, and be specific: “Thank you so much for the lovely pearl bracelet.”
3. Mention something about the gift, like why you like the gift, and/or how you are planning to use it: “It is absolutely stunning, and I feel so beautiful when I wear it.”
4. Express gratitude for the time, effort, and thought the giver put into the gift: “It was so nice of you to think of me, and you knew exactly what I would love.”
5. Mention a brief personal comment about the giver, like the next time you plan to see them, mention their family, or express feelings about your relationship: “You are such an amazing person, and I feel so lucky to be your friend.”
6. Sign off with “Love,” “Sincerely,” “Thanks again,” etc., and sign your name.

It’s that simple! You can elaborate and, of course, add more than one sentence to any or all of these steps, making it as short or long as you feel appropriate. Writing an uncomplicated letter like this can mean the world to someone, and make a tremendous difference in your relationship with them.

An easy way to get your thank-you notes written quickly is to have envelopes already stamped and labeled with your return address, and to always have stationary on hand. Make it a goal to immediately sit down and write a quick note as soon as you receive a gift. Think of it as the quicker you write a thank-you, the more grateful you are.

Also, you should never feel indebted. There is a difference between indebtedness and gratitude, and the difference in crucial. If you feel like you have to repay the debt or have a sense of obligation to the person, no good will come of your thank-you. True gratitude is where we are glad to be indebted to the person, truly happy to give thanks.

Just remember in your thank-you writing endeavors, any letter is better than no letter, so despite tardiness or embarrassment of poor writing skills, or whatever is keeping you from the task. Just do it—your happiness depends on it!

Thank-you Note Etiquette

When writing a than-you note, make sure you don’t do one of the following:

1. Don’t talk about yourself—the point of the letter is the gift, not you.
2. When thanking someone for money, don’t mention the amount in the note.
3. Don’t print out a thank-you card. Take the time to write a hand-written letter. After all, they took the time (and money) to buy the gift.
4. Don’t include fewer than three sentences.
5. Don’t write a thank-you note for receiving a thank-you note. It gets too confusing and isn’t necessary.
6. Don’t wait more than two weeks to write a thank-you, and don’t wait a year to mail letters for wedding gifts.
7. Don’t get personal with a business letter. It’s best to just stick with thanking them.
8. Don’t email thank-you letters. Unless you know them really well and speak with them often, email is too impersonal.

Thank-you Writing for Kids

Getting your kids to be as enthusiastic about writing a thank-you letter as they were about receiving the gift can be a challenge. But it’s a good habit to develop early on and kids should know that gratitude is important. Here are some ways to get your kids excited about writing a thank-you note:

1. Make their own stationary: pull out the crafts and let them color, paint, sticker and design their own personal cards. They can even make a stockpile for the future.
2. Give them their own address book: help them fill out an address book of their own that they can take with them on vacations or to summer camp.
3. Take a picture thank-you card: if your child is too young to write a letter, take a picture of them with their gift and have them sign their name on it.
4. Create a drawing thank-you letter: again, if they’re too young to write, have your kids draw a picture of themselves with their gift. 

Via Ashley Evanson, The Power of "Thank You," LDS Living, Nov/Dec 2008

Favorite Pies Coast to Coast

Cherry Pie

We can thank Michigan for this tangy dessert. The state grows 75% of the nation's tart cherries. Traverse City, which holds an annual National Cherry Festival, is billed as the cherry capital of the world. The average tree yeields 7.000 cherries per year, enough for 28 pies.

Pumpkin Pie

Since its debut in the mid-1600s, pumpkin has become the second most popular pie filling in America (after apple), owing to its place on the Thanksgiving table. Illinois is the largest pumpkin producer–and processor.

Pecan Pie

Though this pie is popular in such states as Alabama and Georgia, the Oklahoma Panhandles is so nuts about it that it's been named the dessert in the "official state meal" (topping off the chicken fried steak, grits, and corn bread).

Chocolate Hazelnut Pie

Farmers in the northwest found that the hearty hazelnut mised well with other ingredients, like chocolate or maple. Oregon grows 99% of commercial hazelnuts in the U.S.: it's the state nut.

Key Lime Pie

Key limes may no longer be the key to this treat, but condensed milk remains so. Because the Florida Keys had no refrigeration until the Overseas Highway opened in 1938, bakers had to use canned milk, which became an essential element of Florida's state pie.

Macadamia Nut Pie

This confection is "practically a religion" in Hawaii. Mac pies have been around for more than 100 years and have a slew of variations. (Layering shredded coconut in the pie crust is one twist.)

Mississippi Mud Pie

It's believed this pie came about after World War II because it was mad from the ingredients chocolate, butter, sugar, and other pantry staples available at most local groceries. The name comes from the chocolate crust that reminded some of the muddy banks of the might Mississippi.

Derby Pie

This chocolate and walnut treat is traditionally eaten around the time of the Kentucky Derby. It was concocted about 50 years ago by the manager of a Kentucky inn. It's name has since been trademarked.

Olallieberry Pie

The "olallieberry" (a young-berry/logan-berry cross) was developed at Oregon State University in 1949; not long after, it was put in a pie. This red, knobby fruit, grown on the California coast, delivers a not-too-tart, not-too sweet flavor.

Sweet Potato Pie

In 1936, George Washington Carver tried to trace the origin of the sweet potato, but failed to find an answer. But, he did list all known uses of the crop, including his own pie recipes. North Carolina is the largest U.S. sweet potato producer.

Apple Pie

Pre-Revolutionary versions of apple pie featured unsweetened fruit in an inedible crust. Now, America's favorite (and Vermont's state) pie is made from hundreds of apple varieties. The best  ones for bakers are the Mutsu, Braeburn, Honey Crisp, and (perhaps tops) A Spy.

Hoosier Pie

An early mention of this sugar cream pie dates from 1816, the year Indiana gained statehood. It's also known as "desperation pie" since it can be baked with ingredients found on any farm.

via Parade Magazin

Turkey Towns

Looking for a festive place to celebrate Thanksgiving?

Try one of the U.S. Towns...


Pilgrim, Missouri
Cranberry, New Jersey
Plymouth, Massachusetts
Plymouth, Minnesota
Turkey, Texas
Turkey Creek, Louisiana
Turkey, North Carolina
Pie Town, New Mexico
Corn, Oklahoma
Roll, Arizona

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Turkey Mercy

Most Americans have heard of the Presidential Turkey Pardon, but what’s the real story? How did it get started? And which president was the first to let his turkey off the hook (or out of the oven, as it may be)? Here are some facts to set the record straight:

• In 1947, the National Turkey Federation and the Poultry and Egg National Board started the tradition of donating a turkey to the White House every year. However, they originally gave the birds for Christmas, not Thanksgiving.

• President Harry Truman was the first president to receive a turkey, and it became his dinner.

• President George H.W. Bush was the first president to show a little mercy in 1989: “But let me assure you—and this fine tom turkey—that he will not end up on anyone’s dinner table, not this guy. He’s been granted a presidential pardon as of right now.”

• President Bill Clinton believed that each of the eight turkeys he met during his terms had distinct personalities.

• The pardoned turkeys resided in Frying Pan Park in Virginia until 2005. Since then they have been sent to Disneyland to live.
  

• In 2005, President George W. Bush started sending his turkeys to live out their days in Disneyland, where the birds were, in their own years, named Grand Marshall of the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Disneyland has too many reprieved turkeys and won't take any more... They can send it to my house, and we'll eat it!! LOL

Thanksgiving with Maxine

Carving the Perfect Turkey

It’s finally time to pull that fat, juicy turkey out of the oven. You place the turkey on the counter and bask in your fine cooking, and then you pause: how do you carve a turkey?! Here are a few tips:

Start with a leg. Either grab the leg with one hand and cut it away with the other, or if you have a carving fork, stick it into the turkey for leverage and then cut. Probe the area before you cut—you are looking for the joint that connects the leg to the turkey.

Cut through the joint. This should be fairly easy; if it’s not, you may be cutting through bone.

Cut off the wing. Do this the same way you cut off the leg.

Now it’s time to carve the breast. Stick your carving fork into the top of the turkey. Then, use the knife and slice downward in a slanting motion. Start with small slices—they will gradually get bigger as you move toward the center of the turkey. Lay the slices on a plate. Serve them quickly or try dripping gravy on top of the finished slices to maintain the heat.

Repeat steps 1-4 on the other side of the turkey.

Feast!

What Would You Say

Thanksgiving isn't Thanksgiving without...

Here is how some people responded:

Thanksgiving is not Thanksgiving without dessert first!

Thanksgiving isn't Thanksgiving without Chinese food and family.

Thanksgiving's not Thanksgiving without FAMILY.

For our family, Thanksgiving isn't Thanksgiving without launching model rockets.

Thanksgiving isn't Thanksgiving without making the special dishes that our Mothers and Grandmothers made for us in our childhood.

Thanksgiving isn't Thanksgiving without giving a little bit back.

Thanksgiving isn't Thanksgiving without each other.

For me, Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving without Dad's smoked turkey!!

What would you say...

Thanksgiving 2008

The Parrot

A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird's mouth was rude, obnoxious, and laced with profanity.

John tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music, and anything else he could think of to "clean up" the bird's vocabulary.

Finally, John was fed up, and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot, and the parrot got angrier andeven ruder. John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird, and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed.

Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute. Fearing that he'd hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer.

The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms and said, "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior."

John was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, the bird continued, "May I ask what the turkey did?"

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Turkey Tradition

Have your kids, or grandkids, trace their hand on a piece of construction paper each year on thanksgiving day. Cut the hand print out and have the owner sign his/her name on the back. Use the prints as turkey feathers on some sort of turkey body similar to one here. Save the "feathers" and you will see how your little loved ones have grown over the years., and also how their penmanship has improved...