Thanksgiving

In my household, Thanksgiving equals food, overindulgence, alcohol, and football (in the background) with Christmas music (in the foreground). So today I thought I'd share some Thanksgiving trivia from the About.com site...if you go there the questions are always in a different order.

Who was the first U.S. President to declare a national day of Thanksgiving?

a) George Washington
b) Abraham Lincoln*
c) Franklin D. Roosevelt
d) Rutherford B. Hayes

Friendly natives from which tribe were invited to the Pilgrims' Thanksgiving celebration?

a) Wampanoag*
b) Iroquois
c) Patauxet
d) Algonquin


In 1941, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution making Thanksgiving Day the fourth Thursday in November rather than the last. What was the purpose of the change?
a) To avoid potential snowstorms in the north.
b) To avoid heavy rains in the south
c) To extend the Christmas shopping season*
d) All of the above.

What did the Pilgrims call their new colony?
a) Plymouth Colony*
b) Jamestown
c) Roanoke
d) Cape Cod

After their first disasterous winter in the colony, the Pilgrims were assisted by a Patauxet Indian who taught them how and where to catch fish and how to fertilize their crops. What was his name?
a) Powhaten.
b) Squanto*
c) Massawippi
d) Pocahontas

What year did the Pilgrims celebrate the first Thanksgiving?
a) 1620
b) 1621*
c) 1622
d) 1630

When do Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving?

a) Same as in the U.S.

b) Second Monday of November

c) Second Monday of October *
d) Fourth Thursday of October

What was the name of the ship the Pilgrims took to reach America?
a) The Speedwell
b) The Bounty
c) The Godspeed
d) The Mayflower *

How many days did the first Thanksgiving last?
a) 2
b) 3 *
c) 5
d) 5

Who was the governor of the Plymouth Colony at the time of the first Thanksgiving celebration? 
a) Miles Standish
b) John Alden
c) Edward Southworth
d) William Bradford *

Recipe: Thanksgiving Desserts

Yes, I know it's not Friday, but Friday is the day after Thanksgiving and for such a holiday (or any holiday really) you need a dessert. Now there are tons of things you can have for a Thanksgiving dessert, but alas, we're going traditional here.

Mrs. Sigg's Fresh Pumpkin Pie

Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Hour

Ready In: 14 Hours 40 Minutes Servings: 8

Ingredients:

1 sugar pumpkin 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie 2 eggs 1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

Directions:

1.	Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds. Place cut side down on a cookie sheet lined with lightly oiled aluminum foil. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the flesh is tender when poked with a fork. Cool until just warm. Scrape the pumpkin flesh from the peel. Either mash, or puree in small batches in a blender. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C.)
2.	In a large bowl, slightly beat eggs. Add brown sugar, flour, salt, 2 cups of the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and evaporated milk. Stir well after each addition.
3.	Pour mixture into the unbaked pastry shell. Place a strip of aluminum foil around the edge of the crust to prevent over browning.
4.	Bake 10 minutes at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C), then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake an additional 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove the strip of foil about 20 minutes before the pie is done so that the edge of the crust will be a light golden brown. Cool pie, and refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

 

Friday Recipe: Thanksgiving Turkey

There are those who don't like turkey, and for them there are a wide variety of other foods many families make on Thanksgiving. However, for the traditionalists, here's a delicious recipe on making a juicy and tasty turkey.

Rosemary Roasted Turkey

Prep Time: 25 Minutes Cook Time: 4 Hours

Ready In: 4 Hours 45 Minutes Servings: 16

Ingredients:

3/4 cup olive oil 3 tablespoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon ground black pepper salt to taste 1 (12 pound) whole turkey

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2.	In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, basil, Italian seasoning, black pepper and salt. Set aside.
3.	Wash the turkey inside and out; pat dry. Remove any large fat deposits. Loosen the skin from the breast. This is done by slowly working your fingers between the breast and the skin. Work it loose to the end of the drumstick, being careful not to tear the skin.
4.	Using your hand, spread a generous amount of the rosemary mixture under the breast skin and down the thigh and leg. Rub the remainder of the rosemary mixture over the outside of the breast. Use toothpicks to seal skin over any exposed breast meat.
5.	Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan. Add about 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the pan. Roast in the preheated oven 3 to 4 hours, or until the internal temperature of the bird reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C).

Friday Recipe: Thanksgiving Appetizer

I know Canada already celebrated their Thanksgiving, but America's Thanksgiving is in a few weeks and it's time for 3 things:
Getting ready to stuff yourself
Doing so on a budget
Helping others

Let's start backwards: Helping others is as simple as donating that free turkey to a local food bank, giving a cash donation to Feeding America, or even helping out during Thanksgiving. I've decided to donate that free turkey, after all someone needs it more than I do!

Now, for making Thanksgiving dinner on a budget. Not the easiest thing, grocery store prices seem to skyrocket in November! But a little shopping around, and checking out the weekly sale flyers, really does help.

Blue Cheese and Pear Tartlets

Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes

Ready In: 35 Minutes Servings: 15

Ingredients:

4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled 1 ripe pear - peeled, cored, and chopped 2 tablespoons light cream

ground black pepper to taste 1 (2.1 ounce) package mini phyllo tart shells

Directions:

1.	Prebake phyllo shells according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
2.	Mix together blue cheese, pear, and cream. Season to taste with pepper. Spoon mixture into cooled shells.
3.	Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 15 minutes. Serve warm.