Happy Friday, RISERS! I hope this week has been good to you. We have come to the weekend before Thanksgiving, so I have some good things in store for you…
Happy birthday to everyone who turned another year older this week. I hope your day was great! And a happy anniversary to those of you who celebrated another milestone event with your special someone.
Quote of the Week: “Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.” –Edward Sanford Martin
Joke of the Week: When does Christmas come before Thanksgiving? In the dictionary.
Recipe of the Week: Homemade Stuffing
First, you will need to cook a pan of cornbread.
2 cups self-rising cornmeal
1 1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup oil or melted butter
1 egg beaten
Take a cast iron skillet and grease it with shortening, then preheat the empty skillet in oven for about 3-5 minutes. Mix all batter ingredients together, but stop when it is still kind of lumpy. Pour batter into the heated skillet and bake at 450° until golden brown. (Start checking it after about 20 minutes, then continue baking until cornbread is at desired crispness.) Let cool.
Next, you will need:
half an onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 eggs
2 10.5-oz. cans cream of chicken soup
2 small cans of chicken broth
sage, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
After the cornbread is cooled, crumble it into a 9×13 baking pan. Add the rest of the ingredients to the cornbread. Mix all together thoroughly. If you are fearful of it getting too liquidy, start with one can each of the soup and the broth. Let sit overnight. It really helps the cornbread soak up the flavors in the mix. Bake at 425° for approximately 20 minutes or to desired texture. I always use the “tilt the pan sideways, and if it doesn’t jiggle, then it’s done” method of checking. You can also check it with a fork. Enjoy with your turkey and gravy and all the other “fixin’s” for your Thanksgiving dinner.
Organizational Tip of the Week: I heard a statement on the radio about someone dreading Thanksgiving because they got so stressed over getting everything cleaned up for the day/meal that they didn’t really enjoy Thanksgiving itself. My advice is this: Don’t fret over hyper-cleaning your house. Just concentrate on the dining room, living room, and bathroom. We usually have 11-13 people over for Thanksgiving dinner, and we almost always use paper plates and disposable cups. Why stay in the kitchen for a long time cleaning up dishes when you could be enjoying your “turkey coma” on the couch or halfway watching a football game…or even a Christmas movie? Remember, you have all of the pies and other desserts you’ll want to sample, and that will just create more mess.
Recharge Tip of the Week: Today, I want to advise you to make your Christmas list now. Be sure to share its contents with all those who will be buying gifts for you. It took me a long time to learn as a child that if I read my list to my parents, I got more of what was on the list. The older I get, the more I realize that things are not what makes me happy. I have all of the stuff I need. I usually ask for movie gift cards so that when I need time to myself, I can go see a movie I have been wanting to see. Since there are so many of us, we draw names at Christmas and give gifts to the extended family. That might be something you can try. Set a limit on the amount you’ll spend but not on the fun you’ll have while planning and shopping or creating.
Shout-Out of the Week: Today I want to shout-out to all of the people who work in any form of transportation—on trains or taxis or ferries or subways in big cities and also at airports, bus stations, and rental car agencies. You help people get where they want to go during the holidays and often must clean up all kinds of things people leave behind. Thank you for what you do, making sure things are clean and stocked when needed. Thanks for getting people around safely. You are most appreciated.
Have a great weekend. Remember, you are most awesome, and YOU ROCK!
Marion Rhines is a foster-turned-adoptive parent. She lives in Knoxville, Tenn., with her husband and five children. She has written and published two children’s books as well as two foster-care-themed novels. She has a Facebook blog, Tips from the FLIP Side, and enjoys working with children of all ages.