85+ Gobbledy-Good Turkey Day Ideas To Be Thankful For!
http://www.greenwala.com/community/blogs/all/3193-85-Gobbledy-Good-Turkey-Day-Ideas-To-Be-Thankful-For?f=true
Just two months left in the year and all beaks are beginning to point toward Thanksgiving, the hotly anticipated autumnal feast that human families across the nation flock to. Initially launched to commemorate the positive relationship solidified between Native Americans and British colonists, the edible festival was also a way to give thanks for the bountiful crops that sustained them. While most of us consider Thanksgiving to be a somewhat warm and fuzzy holiday complete with intoxicated relatives and self-imposed recipe one-upmanship, it's another story altogether for the 45 million turkeys that are served up on platters in America each year, the equivalent of an astounding six hundred seventy-five million pounds of white and dark meat.
What most revelers don't realize while they happily stuff themselves with the traditional trimmings of this festive occasion is that the original colonists' celebration of 1621 didn't consist of such modern-day favorites as roasted root veggies, cranberries, bread of any type, mashed potatoes or pumpkin pie. Our predecessors weren't blessed with the modern convenience of ovens, plus flour & sugar were incredibly hard to come by, so the bulk of their meal was actually meat and fish based since those resources were most plentiful. Anyone joining in on the feast was lucky enough to have dodged starvation, the pox and the plague, so their high fat and cholesterol laden meal, while perhaps not terribly healthy, was a welcome indulgence that perhaps few (if in fact none) fretted over.
On the other hand, when most of us are faced with the task of hosting our very own Thanksgiving Day meal, we instinctually panic and kick our fret into overdrive. Wrestling with such age-old questions like, "What menu will I serve?" and "How will I prevent Uncle Barney from ransacking my cupboards in search of extra booze?" we are constantly in search of simple, straightforward solutions to all of our holiday conundrums. Fortunately, this year you won't have to shake down the internet for answers since Greenwala community members continue to compile an ever-growing-array of helpful recipe, craft and decorating ideas that would astound and amaze even the most world-weary pilgrim. Feast your eyes on these holiday-inspired videos and blogs that could very well make Martha Stewart quake in her Prada boots, and as always, please feel free to add to the list. Here are just a handful to get your creative juices flowing:
APPETIZERS and SIDE DISHES
Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Candied Pepitas and Cider Vinegar
Raw Spinach Leek Garlic Tart With Almond, Flax & Hazelnut Crust
Wild Mushroom Strudel With Braised Root Vegetables
Pumpkin Seed Flatbread with Feta and Sweet Onions
Savory Zucchini Wraps with Squash, Craisins and Sage "Cream"
Multiple Ways To Prepare Fresh Cranberry Sauce & Tips On How To Use Fresh Pomegranates
How To Make A Root Vegetable Au Gratin
BEVERAGES
Organic African Ginger Beer Cocktail
Tofurky -- From Respectable Thanksgiving Meat Alternative To Veggie-rific Soda Flavor?!?
How To Brew Your Own Homemade Beer
How To Make Eggnog For The Holidays
Pumpkin Spice Latte -- Wayyyy Better Than Javabucks!
CRAFT & DÉCOR IDEAS
How To Make A Gourd Candle Centerpiece
How To Make DIY Thanksgiving Placemats
Recycled DIY Placemat with Silverware Pocket For The Holidays!
DIY Recycled Patchwork Autumn Leaf Trivet
Pinecone Turkey Placecards For Your Thanksgiving Table
Martha Stewart's Napkin Folding Ideas For Your Holiday Table
Carve A Pumpkin Into An Autumn Flower Pot
10 Different Things You Can Do With A Pumpkin
PUMPKIN
Smoky Chipotle Pumpkin Hummus Dip
Stuffed Savory Pumpkin Three Different Ways
Easy No-Knead Holiday Pumpkin Bread
Multiple Sweet, Savory & Firey Ways To Prepare Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin Risotto with Pumpkin Butter
SWEETS
Homemade Pie Crusts Five Different Ways
Making Sweet Potato Pie With Martha Stewart
Individual Upside Down Apple Gingerbread Cakelets
Chocolate-Covered Pumpkin Seed Brittle & "Grown Up" Candy Apples
Simple Pumpkin Pie Creme Brulee
Mini Pumpkin Gingerbread Cupcakes With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Fail-proof Recipe For Harvest Apple Cake
TURKEY
The Difference Between "Free Range" and "Organic" Turkeys
Turkey Talk -- Understanding What Every Label (From "Organic" to "Heritage") Really Means!
Cooking The Perfect Turkey With Alton Brown -- Part 1
Cooking The Perfect Turkey With Alton Brown -- Part 2
Bacon-Wrapped Turkey with Pear Cider Gravy
How To Make A Turducken For The Holidays With Paula Deen
How to Cook a Traditional 3-Course Thanksgiving Dinner in 90 Minutes!
How To Carve A Turkey The Right Way!
Four Simple Steps to Making The Perfect Gravy
VEGETARIAN OPTIONS:
Pomegranate Cornbread Stuffing
Homemade Cranberry Sauce With Port Wine
How To Make Potato Latkes The Right Way
How to Make Maple Glazed Butternut Squash
How to Make Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie
Wild Mushroom Strudel With Braised Root Vegetables
Vegetarian Harvest Stuffed Pumpkin
Hippy Gourmet Makes Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms!
Best Wishes, Scarlet
Go green! Replace harsh chemicals in your house and medicine cabinet with organic essential oils, nutritional supplements, and personal care. Shop with me at http://www.youngliving.org/scarlet
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Natural Lawn Care Tips
- scarletpao
on Nov. 24, 2009 at 8:49 AM