Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Welcome all to my Thanksgiving page. This holiday is full of family tradition and fun...and football, football, football!! LOL On my page I have several Thansgiving projects to do with the kids, a few recipes, some midis, pictures and links. I hope you enjoy what I have.

Things I am thankful for:
my family
my friends
my puter!
my job (some days LOL)

I adopted this Thankgiving bunny from Kimberly.
Get your very own by clicking on him!

Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids
Kids really enjoy helping Mom and Dad prepare for the feast. These are some simple crafts for you and your kids to do together to help involve them in the preparations. They will be so proud to have something that they have made be a part of your family tradition.

Napkin Rings (ages 3-5)
What you'll need:
paper towel/toilet paper tubes
assorted dried colorful beans, macaroni, or Indian corn
paint
paint brush
scissors
newspaper
glue

Directions:
1. Have a grown-up cut the paper tube into 1 inch rings.
2. Lay newspapers down where you will be working. Paint the tubes on the inside and outside. Let dry.
3. Glue the beans, macaroni, and Indian corn in whatever pattern you want on the outside of the paper tube. You can skip the painting and just decorate the whole tube.

Pinecone Turkey (ages 6-7)

What you need:
pinecones
markers or crayons
glue
construction paper in a variety of colors
scissors

Directions:
1. Cut the construction paper into strips that are 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. You will need 10 strips for each turkey. Trim the bottom part of the strip, so it is narrower than the top. Color feather designs on the strips.
2. Cut out a turkey head from brown construction paper and color an eye on each side and add a red wattle.
3. Glue the turkey head close to the pointed end of the cone. Put a small amount of glue onto the bottom part of each paper strip and insert it into the pinecone near the flat end. Fan these out so they resembles turkey tail feathers. These can be used throughout the house to decorate before Thanksgiving, and add them to your table on Thanksgiving Day.

"Thankful" Table Runner (ages 8-10)
What you need:
a piece of plain light colored cotton, 18" x 36"
orange, green, yellow, and brown fabric paints
pencil
newspaper

Directions:
1. Have a grown-up stich a narrow hem on all four sides of the fabric. If you don't have a sewing machine, you can create a narrow fringed edge by pulling off 1/2 inch of threads on each side. Make sure it is cut straight.
2. Have family members take turns writing down things they are thankful for along the outside edge of the runner. Write fairly large with a pencil first. Older kids can help the younger ones with the writing. Put each person's name by their contribution. Keep adding until you have gone all around the outside edge.
3. Lay down newspapers. Carefully go over the writing with the fabric paint, changing colors from name to name. Then decorate the rest of the runner with Thankgiving and Fall designs (leaves, pumpkins, turkeys). Let the paint dry and use it on your Thanksgiving table.

animated turkey

Recipes
(I only included a few here, but have links for more Thanksgiving recipes)

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie
(this is a frozen treat!)

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2c cold half and half or milk
1 pk 4 oz vanilla instant pudding
8 oz. whipped topping
1 c chopped nuts
1c gingersnap cookies
1/2c canned pumpkin
1 and 1/2 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
1 graham cracker pie crust

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Directions:
Pour half and half or milk into large bowl.
Add pie filling mix.
Beat with wire whisk until well blended.
Let stand 5 minutes.
Fold in whipped topping and remaining ingredients.
Spoon into crust.
Freeze until firm,about 6 hours.
Remove from freezer.
Let stand about 10 minutes to soften before serving.

Butternut Squash with Onions and Pecans

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 1/4 pounds butternut squash
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
salt
ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Place pecans on an ungreased baking sheet. Toast at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Peel the squash, and remove the seeds. Cut into 1/2 inch cubes. There will be about 6 cups squash.
3. Melt butter or margarine in a heavy large skillet over low heat. Add onion and saute� until very tender, about 15 minutes. Add squash and toss to coat. Cover. Cook until squash is tender but still holds it shape, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing.
4. Stir in half of the pecans and half of the parsley. Transfer mixture to bowl. Sprinkle with remaining pecans and parsley. Serve.

Hot Stuffed Cheddar Turkey Potatoes
(great for leftover!)

Ingredients:
3 large baked potatoes
1 can cream of broccoli soup
1/4 cup milk
2 cups grated cheddar
1/2 cup small cooked broccoli florets
1/2 cup cooked diced carrots
1 cup cooked chunked turkey
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degree. Halve the potatoes lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh into a large bowl and leave a 1/4 inch thick shell. In a small saucepan combine the soup, milk, and cheese. Cook over medium heat until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth. Coarsely mash the potatoes with 1 cup of the cheese sauce. Mix the broccoli, carrots, and turkey into the potato mixture. Add the sage, salt, and pepper. Gently spoon the mixture into the potato shells and place in a flat casserole. Cover the casserole and bake for 20 minutes. Serve the remaining cheese sauce on the side.

BetterHomes Kitchen Cookbook
Readers Digest Thanksgiving Recipes

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