Leftover Christmas Turkey

Yipes, I almost forgot my post today. But it is the day after Christmas and thoughts turn to what to do with all that turkey--or ham.This recipe works well for both. Try it. I think you'll like it.

Leftover Turkey Casserole

4 Tablespoons Butter, unsalted
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup turkey gravy (left over giblet gravey will work)
1 cup whole milk
1 cup mozzarella shredded (Yay, makes it gooey)
3 cups cornbread cut into 1 inch chunks (or leftover cornbread dressing)
3 cups chopped turkey meat cook
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped frozen green beans

1.    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and add the butter to a medium sized saucepan melting it on medium heat.

2.    Add the flour to the pan and whisk well together for 1 minute before adding in the gravy, milk and mozzarella, whisking until smooth.

3.    Add the cornbread, turkey, peas, carrots and green beans to a 9x13 pan and cover with the gravy before cooking for 20-25 minutes covered, followed by 10 minutes uncovered.

(Recipe tweaked from allrecipe.com)

Delish!!!

Now, please tell us what you do with Christmas dinner leftovers.

Feeling Thankfull in Canada

In Canada, on January 31, 1957, it was proclaimed that the second Monday in October would be set apart as:

"A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed." 

Accordingly, up here in the North I'm stuffed with turkey, sweet potato and apple pie a full month and a half sooner than my friends to the South. For the fun of it, I thought a comparison might be in order. So here it is, a few things we share and a few things we don't as we celebrate Thanksgiving.

Similarities:

1. Both Canada and the USA have a holiday called Thanksgiving! 
2. Football is played. 
3. FOOD! Both celebrate with large and wonderfully scrumptious dinners, and often involve turkey.
4. Gathering as a family is often a focus.
5. Most importantly, though individuals may chose to not acknowledge Him or His hand in our lives and successes, both countries set this day apart as a time to thank God!

Differences:

1. In the South it's on the third Thursday in November, and in the North it's the second Monday of October (I always figured it was because we have an earlier harvest.)
2. Sorry, but average Canadians aren't nearly into football as average Americans. So, while there is a special game played, it isn't near as watched or loved as the American Thanksgiving counterpart. (At least, I've never watched it.)
3. Canadian turkeys are more tender...or not ;)
4. Americans are more set on the day they celebrate, while Canadians are generally more relaxed, celebrating whichever day of the weekend is more convenient. (But this should be no surprise as it took 150 years for Canada to finally settle on a official date.)   
5. Thanksgiving in the South launches the Christmas season, while I was given a lot of grief once for setting up my Christmas tree shortly after our Canadian Thanksgiving. 

So there you have it...

But mostly, I just feel bad that you poor Americans have to wait another forty-five days for this:

What's your favorite part of Thanksgiving? And what is unique to where you live?

Give Thanks

Tina here.

Can I just say yay. Halloween is over.

You've taken care of all the beasties and ghoulies and superheroes and princesses and pirates and well, you name it. You've pumped them with chocolate and candies and sent them into the night on a chocolate high. (probably got one yourself)

And some of us have a made a hiding place for the chocolate we skimmed from our children's bags and plan to nibble on throughout the year. (Not me of course) but now is the time to put away our masks and turn our focus to November. To the crisp cool air and the gold, red and burnt orange leaves of autumn (which I don't have in the part of Arizona where I reside) and the pumpkin pies and turkeys of Thanksgiving (not talking about the family here).

Unfortunately, as the years have passed, Thanksgiving has become more a day of shopping and food and football. And a day we gorge ourselves with fine rich food and deal with indigestion and our in-laws or outlaws. Christmas decorations have hogged the shelves at the local stores for weeks.

Thanksgiving decorations have been relegated to a few shelves near the card aisle in most stores, or completely forgotten.


When asked what they're doing for Thanksgiving, some people might even say "What do I have to be thankful for?" Or "I'm going to pork out and party."

What is Thanksgiving all about?

As you know I love short history lessons, so here is one on Thanksgiving.

In 1621, the Pilgrims, (Plymouth Colonists) newly off the Mayflower and having gone through their first brutal winter in the New World, joined with the Wampanoag Indians to share a harvest feast.

That was to be the first Thanksgiving in the colonies.

After that differing states and colonies would celebrate days of thanksgiving.

In 1863 durning the American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln set aside the last Thursday in November and proclaimed it to be Thanksgiving for the whole nation. He was not the first president to proclaim a day of thanksgiving. He was the first to set a specific day aside.

In 1939 Franklin Roosevelt changed it to the 4th Thursday. It's nice to think he did so because the fifth Thursday didn't come every year, but he did so at the request of the National Retail Dry Goods Association who wanted to extend holiday shopping by a week. The Macy's Thanksgiving day parade started in 1924 and was originally the Macy's Christmas Parade, but the 6abc Dunkin' Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade is four years older.

I never knew that. Perhaps the movie Miracle on 34th Street helped make Macy's Parade a household name.

Turkey, Cranberry and Corn were at the first Thanksgiving and are still favorites today. There was also shellfish, fish, deer and other roasted meats.

What no pumpkin pie. hmmm?

It is said Pumpkin Pie made it's debut in 1670. so it's been around awhile. And if you eat too much it will be around a while with you too.

LOL

As I said, the Pilgrims were thankful to make it through a hard winter and for the Indians that helped them. Abraham Lincoln wanted to remind a broken nation to be thankful. George Washington celebrated a day of Thanksgiving after the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, and James Madison did so after the War of 1812. All very momentous occasions and reasons to give thanks.

For myself. Hubby and I just moved into a new home, it's still not quite in the right state, but I will not quibble the Lord gave us a blessings.  Hubby still has a good job, I had four books release this year and there is much more to be thankful for.

It is important to have a day of Thanksgiving and remember all the blessings you've received, but it is good to remember them throughout the year too.

Have you gone through anything this year that has given you a reason to be thankful? Take this month and give thanks every day for just one thing.