So, you did the elaborate turkey dinner thing and you deserve a break from cooking, but leftovers are all gone? Today’s offering is here to the rescue (and no, I don’t mean Ron to the rescue…LOL) It’s crock pot beef stew. It’s great for a Sunday watching football kind of day. Add a loaf of Rhodes fresh baked bread and this meal is awesome!!
Crock Pot Beef Stew
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon browning sauce, optional
Minced fresh thyme
Directions
Layer the potatoes, carrots, onion and celery in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Place flour in a large shallow dish. Add stew meat; turn to coat evenly. In a large skillet, brown meat in oil in batches. Place over vegetables.
In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, broth, mustard, salt, pepper, thyme and, if desired, browning sauce. Pour over beef. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until the meat and vegetables are tender. If desired, sprinkle with fresh thyme before serving.
There’s a war that has been raging for over 30 years that you’ve probably never heard of. It’s been happening right here in this country—right here in Pennsylvania as a matter of fact. Although I’m equally sure skirmishes have broken out all over the country—perhaps all over the world! It’s called The Great Peeve War.
The participants are well trained operatives. I myself began training when I was just a child. I observed my fellow combatants in their natural habitats, took note of their strengths—and more importantly—their weaknesses, waiting, watching for a chance to exploit them.
Typical warfare consisting of repeating everything your opponent said, and the patented “I’m rubber, you’re glue” tactic. And the more advanced “I’m not touching you” maneuver which required close proximity to your opponents. You also learned to identify your own weaknesses and develop hardened immunity to them. Constant practice ensured greater success on the battlefield and naturally, as we grew, so did our skills.
During my dating years, I perfected the “do you think she’s pretty?” and the “do I look fat in this outfit?” interrogation techniques. And my “What do YOU think?” look was deadly. And in those dating years, I also honed my defensive talents. Phrases like “my buddies want me to…” and “would you be mad if…” triggered my bullshit radar. I learned to counter, bob and weave and land a few well timed tears followed by a devastating look of betrayal. I was at the top of my game then.
But nothing could prepare me for The Great Peeve War! It’s a whole other animal. It’s subtle, it’s never ending, and it goes something like this. My husband and I disagree on something—could be major—or it could be minor—or it could be almost nothing at all. We walk away from each other (translation: we retreat to regroup). We avoid making any overt contact to allow each other to calm down, forget.
At this point I will notice my silverware drawer is messed up—spoons in the fork slot, knife handles in all directions! (SHOTS FIRED) Shrugging off the initial volley, I will go into the bathroom and drip water all over the sink and shower faucets leaving water spots. (RETURN FIRE) For good measure, I turn the toilet paper roll so it feeds from (gasp) THE BOTTOM. (LANDMINE ACTIVATED) Then I quietly leave the bathroom and prepare to hunker down.
Remaining ever vigilant, head on a swivel, I survey the Great Room—I sense it before I see it. Something is off and…there it is! The wine glass is on the coffee table sitting NEXT to the coaster–not on it! (DIRECT HIT) My eyes narrow, my breath hitches in my throat, but I compose myself. I pick up the glass, take it to my husband standing next to the sink and quietly ask, “Are you finished with this?” I smile sweetly and before he can answer, pour the remaining wine quickly down the drain. (BOOM) “Not the wine,” I hear him groan, “it was just an innocent bystander.”
He takes me by the hand and leads me to the sofa. “I’m sorry for everything,” he says. “Let’s just forget it all and snuggle on the sofa and watch some tv.” I spy the romantic comedy dvd box on the coffee table now and smiling, settle in against his shoulder. (CEASEFIRE)
He picks up the remote and on comes…FOOTBALL…(HOSTILITIES RESUME)
Did you know that Koalas, or Koala Bears, are not actually bears as many people believe?! They’re actually more closely related to kangaroos and wombats! Check out these 18 fun and interesting facts about koalas & learn something new!
Koalas are only 25 to 35 inches long, and weigh just 30 pounds or less!
A baby koala which has been just born is usually less than 1 inch long.
A new-born koala usually stays inside the mother’s pouch for about six months.
The word koala means “An animal which does not drink”.
A koala mostly eats eucalyptus leaves and hardly drinks any water.
Like the kangaroo, they also have the ability to carry their babies in their pouch.
They actually do not belong to the bear family in any way.
A koala sleeps for around 20 hours a day.
They are not very social animals and usually stay alone.
Every male koala has a scent gland on the chest which they rub on the trees to mark their territories.
Only one baby koala is born per year to a female.
They communicate with each other by making a snore like sound which is followed by a belch.
A fully grown koala can eat approximately 2.2 pounds of leaves in a night.
A new-born cub has no fur on its body and the eyes and ears are also closed. Koalas are mostly found in Australia.
They have different fur type in different areas.
Gumtrees act as both food and place for living for koalas.
A koala gets fully grown in the fourth year of their life.
I always make turkey breasts for Thanksgiving—one on Thanksgiving and one the day after Thanksgiving, because I rarely have leftovers. Let me just say it up front—I do NOT like leftovers—hubby’s okay with them and always eats any leftovers, but Thanksgiving is a whole other animal! The day after Thanksgiving, my family is up for another round of the same meal. Rather than make double on Thanksgiving, I am more open to making the entire meal again…today.
Happy We-Don’t-Have-Leftovers Day!
JUST FOR FUN: If you’re not into Black Friday shopping and want something to do while eating your leftovers, here’s a takeoff from an Insta-Quiz from AARP:
Second to Last
“A” is the last letter of the most state names, 21 of them. (Without looking them up) name the 21 states.
AND, for good measure…
The letter in second place ends the names of 5 states. What’s that letter??
I’m not sure how much time I will actually be on here today, due to cooking responsibilities, family conversations and clean-up duties…so I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who visit here—those who comment and those who just lurk. And I especially want to extend my gratitude and love to Filly—you make this place fun, informative and worthwhile! I am so grateful for you!
Let’s face it, the turkey is the STAR of the Thanksgiving holiday! That being said, it’s not important to include the turkey in EVERY facet of the day, right? I’m not even sure that IS a turkey in the photo above—looks like the Loch Ness Monster to me.
In my house, we never did much with appetizers on Thanksgiving—the meal was THE focus—and eating before that seemed sacrilege. However, if you want to present your guests with something to do – why are they not pitching in and helping is my question— here are some lovely centerpieces to showcase your talents and occupy their time–seriously, there’s always a need for someone to wash dishes. Your guests will nosh, laugh at times, and be full by dinner. Que sera sera.
You place the dome in your hand, turn it over and beautifully, magically the item inside is engulfed in a swirling slow-motion blizzard. Everyone can relate to them – evoking a childhood memory or nostalgia of a simpler time. The first mention of a snow globe featured a man with an umbrella displayed at the Paris Exposition of 1878. It was later suggested that the globes were created to commemorate the Tower’s inauguration.
This extremely rare LouisVuitton Eiffel Tower dome made of luggage is a whimsical example that sold for $995 in 2017.
A few years later, a Viennese man Edwin Perzy developed the same idea when researching a way to improve operating room light..He used a glass globe filled with water, hoping to create a magnifying lens by increasing refraction. To enhance the reflected light, Perzy put ground glass in the water. When it quickly sank, he tried semolina which floated slowly to the bottom of the globe. It did nothing to improve the light quality, but the snowfall inspired him to make his first snow globe: he carved a small house and inserted it into the globe.
Edwin Perzy
Facsimile of Perzy’s first globe used in Citizen Kane
Mass production began in the US during the 1920s. Joseph Garaja of Pittsburgh was granted a patent in 1927, which altered how snow globes were made. His method needed the spheres to be assembled underwater, removing any trapped air. This ingenious method made it possible for the industry to go into mass production, which drastically lowered the prices of globes.
However, by the early 1960s, glass snow globes had been overtaken by plastic Hong Kong-made globes. It was soon discovered that the water in their spheres was filthy, obtained directly from their port. As a result, a Hong Kong snow globe producer got into significant trouble and was temporarily barred from entering the United States.
The “snow” in snow globes has a fascinating backstory as well. Snow was previously created in glass domes using tiny porcelain, bone chips, or ground rice. Camphor/wax, as well as meerschaum, was also used to make these snowflakes. Today, most “snow” is tiny particles or shards of white plastic. Also, the liquid hasn’t always been water; at one point, light oil was used. In addition, glycol (antifreeze) was added to help with the problem of freezing during winter shipping.
The snow globe fell out of favor in the 1970’s when it epitomized kitsch –but have evolved into something more sophisticated, intricate and valued among designers and collectors. Novelty gift manufacturers have upgraded the designs and components making them unique gift items often including beautifully modelled landscapes.
Some incorporate lights, music and motors eliminating the need for shaking. Many high-end department stores introduce a custom design every year to commemorate the Christmas season.
Snow globes have become an increasingly popular collectible for both antique and novelty globes. Actor, Corbin Bernsen may be the most prolific collector with about 8,000 – he began collecting snow globes in the ‘80’s. “There’s something that happens to a collector, this internal voice that says, ‘I want to have one of each that is in existence,’” Bernsen says.
Corbin Bernsen
Originally the globes were made of glass and the figures inside were made of porcelain, bone, metals, minerals, rubber or wax. The snow or “flitter” as it’s called, could have been ground rice, wax, soap, sand, bone fragments, meerschaum, metal flakes or sawdust. Producers tried everything. The base was either round or square and may have been of stone, marble, ceramic or wood. Some are quite bizarre!!!
“Snow domes are not only fascinating to look at, to hold, to play with, they are folk art,” says collector Nancy McMichael, author of Snowdomes (Abbeville Press). “They are a bridge back to an idealized past we think existed but is actually in our head. It is something we carry with us.”
Pumpkin Pie is usually the chosen dessert for Thanksgiving dinner, but pumpkin roll is a wonderful alternate!
Cake
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
¾ cup flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 tsp baking soda
Preheat oven to 350*. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Beat the 3 eggs with the cup of sugar. Add the flour, cinnamon, pumpkin and the baking soda. Mix well.
Spread onto wax paper lined cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes. Cool slightly. Turn onto terry towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll up like a jellyroll and let cool completely.
When cool, unroll and spread filling onto cake and roll back up.
Filling
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 Tbsp butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
Cream the cream cheese and the butter. Add the powdered sugar.
Viola! Pumpkin Roll!
Now if you’re interested in making a pumpkin roll with a little extra pizazz, check this out! (This is from the Sugar Hero website: http://www.sugarhero.com)
It’s created by using a template and a batter made of butter, egg whites, sugar and flour to pipe the gorgeous leaves in the jelly roll pan ahead of time. (Full instructions can be found at their website.) Then the pumpkin roll recipe proceeds as above. The design bakes onto the pumpkin cake part and creates a beautiful presentation.
Two hundred years after George Washington issued the first presidential proclamation of a day of public thanksgiving, President George H.W. Bush stepped before reporters, 30 schoolchildren and one antsy 50-pound turkey in the White House Rose Garden on November 17, 1989. The public presentation of a plump gobbler to the chief executive in the lead-up to Thanksgiving had been a time-honored photo op since the 1940s, but Bush would add a new presidential tradition of his own. After noting that the turkey appeared “understandably nervous,” Bush added: “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 granted a presidential pardon as of right now.”
Decades later, the presidential turkey pardon remains an annual Thanksgiving ritual. However, while Bush formalized the fowl tradition, he may not have been the first president to issue a stay of execution to a turkey. A story is told that while Abraham Lincoln occupied the White House, his young son Tad grew so close to a turkey destined for Christmas dinner that he named him Jack and led him around on a leash like a pet. Listening to Tad’s pleas to spare the turkey from his culinary fate, the Great Emancipator granted a reprieve and freed the bird.
A decade later during the administration of President Ulysses S. Grant, Rhode Island poultry dealer Horace Vose began to send plump turkeys to the White House for Thanksgiving dinners. Although a staunch Republican, Vose was non-partisan when it came to turkeys. He sent birds to presidents of both parties until his death in 1913. Beginning in 1946, a pair of poultry industry groups—the National Turkey Federation and the Poultry and Egg National Board—assumed the duties of presenting presidents with turkeys for the holidays. That year, the groups delivered a 42-pound Texas tom to President Harry Truman for Christmas.
While Truman began the ritual of appearing with the gift turkeys in staged photo ops, he is erroneously credited with starting the presidential pardon tradition. The misinformation is so prevalent that the Truman Library has issued a statement on its web site that its staff “has found no documents, speeches, newspaper clippings, photographs, or other contemporary records in our holdings which refer to Truman pardoning a turkey that he received as a gift in 1947, or at any other time during his Presidency.”
In fact, not only did the turkeys given to Truman and some of his successors fail to receive clemency, they suffered a much different fate by ending up on the presidential dinner table. In 1948 Truman told reporters that the turkeys given to him “would come in handy” for the 25 people expected for dinner at his Independence, Missouri, home that Christmas. Ten days before Thanksgiving in 1953, National Turkey Federation president Roscoe Hill presented a live 39-pound turkey to President Dwight Eisenhower, who hoped Hill would kill, freeze and return the gobbler to the White House “in plenty of time because I hope to spend Thanksgiving with my youngsters and I want to take him along.”
A president finally took pity on a gifted bird in 1963 when John F. Kennedy spared the life of a mammoth 55-pound white turkey wearing a sign around its neck—clearly not of its own volition—that read “Good Eating, Mr. President!” “We’ll just let this one grow,” Kennedy said with a grin. “It’s our Thanksgiving present to him.” As the president left the Rose Garden on November 19, 1963, the turkey prepared for its return to a California farm while Kennedy finalized preparations for his fateful trip to Dallas three days later.
Although newspapers in 1963 reported that “Merciful President Pardons Turkey,” the first president to actually use the word “pardon” at the National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation may have been Ronald Reagan, albeit as a quip. During the throes of the Iran-Contra scandal in 1987, Reagan sidestepped reporters’ questions about whether he planned to pardon any of his aides accused of wrongdoing. When then asked about the fate of the 55-pound turkey he was just given, Reagan joked, “I’ll pardon him.”
Although the National Thanksgiving Turkey and its alternate (sent in case the primary turkey can’t fulfill its duties—mainly, staying alive to make it to the presentation ceremony) now receive stays of execution, their remaining days do not last too long. The skeletons and organs of turkeys bred for consumption are incapable of supporting extreme weights, and most of the reprieved turkeys die prematurely within the following year.
(I went in search of what the Pilgrims ate at the first Thanksgiving and came across this article by Mark Fleming at the newengland.com website.)
The Thanksgiving meal is remarkably consistent in its elements: the turkey, the stuffing, the sweet potatoes, the cranberry sauce. Barring ethical, health, or religious objections, it is pretty much the same meal for everyone, around the country, and through the years of their lives. We stick with the basics and simply change the seasonings.
But what about that first Thanksgiving in the fall of 1621 (historians don’t know the exact date, but place it sometime between September 21 and November 9), when British settlers hosted the first documented harvest celebration? What did they eat at the first Thanksgiving, and how similar is it to the traditional American Thanksgiving meal today?
Here’s how Edward Winslow described the first Thanksgiving feast in a letter to a friend:
“Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruits of our labor. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which we brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.”
What They (Likely) Did Have at the First Thanksgiving
Venison
Fowl (geese and duck)
Corn
Nuts (walnuts, chestnuts, beechnuts)
Shellfish
So venison was a major ingredient, as well as fowl, but that likely included geese and ducks. Turkeys are a possibility, but were not a common food in that time. Pilgrims grew onions and herbs. Cranberries and currants would have been growing wild in the area, and watercress may have still been available if the hard frosts had held off, but there’s no record of them having been served. In fact, the meal was probably quite meat-heavy.
Likewise, walnuts, chestnuts, and beechnuts were abundant, as were sunchokes. Shellfish were common, so they probably played a part, as did beans, pumpkins, squashes, and corn (served in the form of bread or porridge), thanks to the Wampanoags.
It’s possible, but unlikely, that there was turkey at the first Thanksgiving.
What They (Definitely) Did Not Have at the First Thanksgiving
A turkey centerpiece
Potatoes (white or sweet)
Bread stuffing or pie (wheat flour was rare)
Sugar
Aunt Lena’s green bean casserole
But how about bringing a little more truly traditional flavor back to your table? Back in 2003, we consulted with historians at Plimoth Plantation, the Wampanoag and English settlers living history museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and asked writer Jane Walsh to devise a menu that incorporated some of the foods that would have been served at the first Thanksgiving. We didn’t eliminate any favorites or try to go sugar-free. We skipped the venison. Really, like everyone else who will gather around a table on the fourth Thursday in November this year, we simply changed the seasonings.
The Wampanoag and English settlers may not have had access to all of the ingredients included in these recipes, but by including pheasant, goose, or venison in your Thanksgiving menu, you’re at least paying tribute to a meat they likely enjoyed back in 1621. Chestnuts and native corn were common, too. Here are a few dishes to get you further inspired — both reader-submitted and from the Yankee recipe archives.
Sew Colorful 