ThanksgivingBlessingsInColorado

Native American Indians in the time period, of the First Thanksgiving did NOT live in TIPIS, as is commonly shown. They lived in Wikiups. As someone with Native American Heritage, I have chosen not to use the ridiculous clip art available for depicting the Indians at the First Thanksgiving. I hope you enjoy seeing the real history of the people. In pictures and drawings.

Wickiups were homes to hunting and gathering peoples who moved from place to place, sometimes staying perhaps a few days or several weeks in one location. Their homes were easy to construct from wooden sticks and brush found at each campsite. Whereas tipis were tall and cone-shaped, wickiups were short and squat. But unlike tipis, which were taken apart and moved from place to place, wickiups were just left behind when Indian families moved on.

Wickiups were a simpler form of a wigwam. They were made from reeds, grass, or brush covering a simple frame of bent branches. Wickiups, like other Native American homes had a fire pit used for warmth. Most cooking was done outside the wickiup

These small, round houses were made of thin, flexible pieces of green wood bent to create a dome. Small branches were wrapped around the dome to make a grid. In cool weather, animal hide or thatch was used to cover the frame, sometimes only on one side to block the north wind. A small firepit was dug in the middle of the wickiup. Only a few people could sleep in one.

Pecan Pie

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup margarine or butter, melted

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup corn syrup (light or dark)

pinch salt

3 eggs

1 cup pecan halves

1 9 inch pie crust

PREPARATION

Beat eggs, sugar, corn syrup, salt and melted margarine. Stir in pecans. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 375 F for 40 to 50 minutes. Refrigerate pie after baking.

YUMMY TURKEY SAUSAGE STUFFING

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 cups cubed day old whole wheat bread

3-3/4 cups cubed day old white bread

1 lb. bulk turkey sausage

1 onion, chopped

3/4 cup chopped celery (including tops)

2 tsp. dried sage leaves

1 tsp. dried rosemary leaves, minced or crumbled

1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped

1 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup minced fresh parsley

3/4 cup turkey or chicken stock

1/4 cup butter, melted

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Spread bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 5 to 7 minutes, or until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.

In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring until sausage is evenly browned. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend flavors.

Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl and toss gently with your hands. Mix in chopped apples, dried cranberries, and parsley. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter, and mix lightly, using your hands. Spoon into turkey to loosely fill and roast bird according to turkey recipe directions. If any stuffing is left over, bake in a greased casserole at 350 degrees F for 30-45 minutes until lightly browned and crisp on top. 12 servings

Roast Turkey with Chestnut Stuffing

(this is really delicious don't be afraid to try chestnuts and they are easy to open using this method)

(you can buy chestnuts out of the shell in a jar also to save time)

Ingredients

12 lb whole turkey, with neck and giblets removed

2 lb chestnuts

10 cups of dried bread crumbs

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

1 teaspoon of dried marjoram

1 teaspoon of dried savory

1 teaspoon of dried rosemary

2 cups of butter

2 tablespoons honey

2 cups of minced onion

2 cups of minced celery

two chopped apples

one cup pork sausge dressing (cooked)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

With a sharp knife cut a cross on the flat side of each chestnut. Simmer, covered with water, in a saucepan for about five minutes. Drain. While hot, remove the shells and inner brown skins. Cover with fresh water. Boil for about thiry minutes until tender. Drain, then chop coarsely.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onions and celery, and cook until tender. Thoroughly mix in bread crumbs and chestnuts. Season with thyme, marjoram, savory, and rosemary. Add honey.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Wash turkey with cold water, and pat dry. Rub salt and pepper into body cavities. Loosely spoon stuffing into body cavities. Close skin with skewers or kitchen twine, and tie drumsticks together. Place turkey on a rack in a medium roasting pan.

Roast turkey for about four hours. A foil tent may be placed over the turkey during the last half of roasting time to avoid over browning. Remove from the oven, place on platter, and allow the turkey to stand for about twenty minutes before carving.

Cranberry Apple Casserole

(this is delicious served WITH your meal)

INGREDIENTS

1 (21 ounce) can apple pie filling

1 (16 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Combine apple pie filling and cranberry sauce in a shallow baking dish.

In a medium bowl, mix the butter, oats, and brown sugar until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until browned and crisp.

8 servings

total carbs for one serving - 64

German Cucumber Salad

this is yummy with turkey

INGREDIENTS

one cucumber

small onion

white vinegar

oil

lemon juice

salt and pepper

Peel and then thinly slice one large cucumber (a `salad cucumber'). It's important that the slices are very thin. Since it's hard to do this with a regular knife, use a cucumber-grater. Add a small, finely chopped onion.

For the dressing use two table spoons of white vinegar, three table spoons of oil, a `spritzer' of lemon juice, salt, pepper, and (this is important--) lots of fresh dill.

Taffy Apples

2 cups sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2/3 cup light corn syrup

2/3 cup butter

1 cup cream

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

chopped nuts, if desired

Insert wooden skewers into stem of apples. Mix ingredients in a large saucepan; cook, stirring constantly, to 246°. Remove from heat and let cool until mixture thickens. Quickly dip apples into the taffy mixture and twist until apples are evenly coated. Place on waxed paper to drain and firm up. If desired, roll candy apples in chopped nuts. You can also sprinkle or roll apple in mini chocolate chips for something special. But wait until the coating has cooled a little, and is just tacky enough to let the chips stick and not melt.

Baked Apples

INGREDIENTS

6 to 8 medium apples

1/2 cup raisins

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup orange juice

PREPARATION

Wash apples; core then peel one narrow strip from around top edge. Place apples in a deep baking dish. Fill centers with raisins. Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or fork.

Stir in chopped walnuts. Sprinkle crumb mixture over the apples. Pour water and orange juice over apples. Bake, uncovered, in a 350° oven for 1 hour, basting occasionally.

Serve these baked apples with vanilla ice cream

Drop Biscuits

INGREDIENTS

2 cups All-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup shortening

1 cup milk

PREPARATION

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture is course. Add milk, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened.

Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto a lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake at 425 degrees for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 1 dozen.

Potato and Bread Stuffing

(this is really delicious)

INGREDIENTS

5 lb Potatoes

6 tb Butter

2 tb Poultry seasoning

4 md Onions -- chopped

1/2 bn Celery -- chopped

1/2 Loaf white bread - cut into cubes and dried

3 Eggs -- lightly beaten

Stock to moisten

PREPARATION

Cook potatoes and mash with 4 tbsp of butter. Season with 1 tbsp poultry seasoning. Add onions and celery and mix well. Add the bread cubes, remaining 2 tbsp of butter, and eggs. Stir until well mixed and season with salt and peper and at least one additional tbsp of poultry seasoning.

Moisten further with stock, if necessary. Let sit for a few hours before stuffing the bird. Stuffs a 12-15 lb bird.

Sweet Potato Fries

INGREDIENTS

2 tb Thawed orange juice -concentrate

1 t Onion powder

1/2 ts Salt

1/8 ts Ground red pepper (cayanne)

1 lb Sweet potatoes, cut into -1/2" sticks

PREPARATION

Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with Pam In a medium bowl combine orange juice concentrate, onion powder, salt and cayanne. Add potato sticks and turn to coat. Arrange coated potato sticks on the oiled foil in a single layer.

Bake 10 min; turn carefully, bake 10 more minutes or until tender.

Scalloped Corn With Cheese

INGREDIENTS

2 Eggs -- beaten

2 Cans Corn, Cream-Style -- 16 oz each

1 Cup Milk

1 Cup Cracker Crumbs

1/2 Cup Chopped Onions

1/2 Cup Chopped Green Peppers

1 Cup Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

Salt & Pepper to taste

PREPARATION

Beat eggs in large mixing bowl; stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon mixture into 2 greased 1-quart casseroles. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 35-40 minutes.

Chilled Broccoli Salad with BACON

INGREDIENTS

4-5 cups Broccoli flowerettes

1/2 red onion, sliced

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 lb. bacon, fried and chopped

Dressing (below)

PREPARATION

Combine all ingredients except dressing. For dressing, combine 1 cup Miracle Whip (no substitutions), 2 Tablespoons vinegar, and 6 Tablespoons sugar. Mix well, and pour over salad ingredients. Mix. Chill and serve.

Oreo Turkeys

INGREDIENTS

Oreo cookies

candy corn

malted milk balls

icing (not whipped)

PREPARATION

Open one oreo and place one part, icing side up (eat the other half). Add a bit of icing as glue, and stand another Oreo up on it (this is your turkey body). Spread one side half of the standing oreo with icing, and attach 5-6 pieces of candy corn....fanned out like turkey feathers. Add a malted milk ball to the top of the other side, for head. An additional piece of candy corn can be used for a waddle (or a red m&m). Add candy pumpkins for effect....and create your own little turkey farm! GOBBLE GOBBLE !

GREEN BEAN BAKE

(no holiday is a meal without this recipe I always double this recipe)

Ingredients

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 cup milk or cream

1 tsp. soy sauce

Dash ground black pepper

4 cups cooked cut green beans

1 large can French's® French Fried Onions

Directions

MIX soup, milk, soy, black pepper, beans and 1/2 cup onions in 1 1/2-qt. casserole.

BAKE at 350°F. for 25 min. or until hot.

Sprinkle with remaining onions. Bake 5 min.

TIP: 2 cans (about 16 oz. each) green beans or about 1 1/2 lb. fresh green beans for this recipe.

APPLE-PUMPKIN BUTTER

Makes 5 1/2 cups; keeps in the refrigerator 1 month

INGREDIENTS

1 can (29 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

2 cups apple juice

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

DIRECTIONS

Put all ingredients in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Simmer, uncovered, 1

1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until as thick as pudding.

Scrape into jars, cool, cover and refrigerate.

Rhubarb-Apple Sauce

(THIS IS GOOD)

INGREDIENTS

4-5 large sweet apples

3 long, thick rhubarb stalks

1/2 pint strawberries

sweetner to taste

water

DIRECTIONS

Peel and chop rhubarb.

Core, peel and chop apple.

Pick stems off strawberries.

Dump it all in a pot and add a little water (1/4 cup) to prevent burning

(once the apples start cooking they will release their own liquid so the water

is really needed because of the first minutes of cooking.)

Cook, covered, on a medium flame until boiling then turn heat down and tilt

the cover a little to let steam escape.

Stir occassionally.

Simmer until most of the apples have disolved and the mix doesn't look too

watery - around half and hour. It's best to turn off the flame while the mix

is still a little watery since more water will evaporate while it is cooling

down.

(If you can't find rhubarb, try cranberries.

You can also use this as a "low sugar" jam)

Count your blessings instead of your crosses;

Count your gains instead of your losses.

Count your joys instead of your woes;

Count your friends instead of your foes.

Count your smiles instead of your tears;

Count your courage instead of your fears.

Count your full years instead of your lean;

Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.

Count your health instead of your wealth;

Count on God instead of yourself.

Thanksgiving is a

time of gratitude to God,

our Creator and Provider,

whose guidance and care

go before us...

and whose love

is with us forever.

Thanksgiving is a time

to reflect on the changes,

to remember that we, too,

grow and change

from one season of life to another.

Thanksgiving is a time

of changing seasons,

when leaves turn golden

in Autumn's wake

and apples are crisp

in the first chill breezes of fall.

Let us remember the true meaning

of Thanksgiving.

As we see the beauty

of Autumn, let us acknowledge

the many blessings

which are ours...

let us think of our families

and friends..

and let us give thanks in our hearts.