Thankful Goodies

I just wanted to share some of my things that I have done and made for Thanksgiving or things that I have run across that are great. I love to surf the web for new ideas and recipes. One magazine that I would recommend for any mother or women is Family Fun Magazine. My doctor introduced me to this magazine about 6 years ago. I used lots of craft projects and snack recipes from the magazine with my Sunday School Class and Awana Class. Several of the things I am sharing on this blog came from that magazine.

I made Pumpkin Roll decorations this fall. They are very simple to make. They are from Family Fun Magazine online.

Materials
Toilet tissue rolls
Orange fabric or any fall printed fabric (22"x 18")
Brown paper bag
Fake ivy leaves


Set each roll in the center of a 22- by 18-inch piece of fabric, gather the fabric around it, and tuck the edges into the top hole.
For a stem, roll a strip of brown paper bag and twist and stick in top of toilet paper roll.
Then cut a little piece of ivy and stick in the hole.
These are fast and easy to make.

I went to Dollar General and bought their brand of tissue 4 rolls for $1. I bought enough for 8 pumpkins. AC Moore's and Micheal's sell fabric square in the exact size you need. My brown bags are the lunch bags. Quick and easy and very festive for fall.

This is a picture of a fall painting that I did about 4 or 5 years ago. I loved doing this project because it was a dry brush technique. I caught on faster to this technique that any other technique taught in my paint class. It was a fun piece to paint.

Fruit Gobbler from Family Fun Magazine. I love all their fun little snack ideas. Serve with crackers. After all the tail feathers (cheese and grapes) are eaten, slice the melon open. Make sure to have dip for the vegetables and the fruit

Ingredients

Bosc pear (head)
Melon (body)...honey dew
Cheese (beak and tail feathers)
Red pepper (snood, feet and side feathers)
Raisins (eyes)
Grapes (tail feathers)
Bamboo skewers
Toothpicks

Instructions

Stabilize the melon body by cutting a shallow slice off the rind to form a flat base. Using a section of bamboo skewer, attach a Bosc pear head to the melon, as shown.
Cut a cheese triangle beak and red pepper snood. Attach both, along with raisin eyes, to the head with sections of toothpick.
Cut red pepper feet and set them in place. For tail feathers, skewer cheese cubes and red grapes, then insert the skewers as shown. Pin pepper side feathers in place with toothpicks

This is my newest cookbook that I have gotten. It is loaded with recipes that have won 1st place at County and State Fairs. Last week I cooked 4 recipes out of this book. I got this book at Books-A-Million for only $7.97. That is cheap for a good cookbook now days. I am a club member, which meant I got an extra 10% off, but this day the club members got an extra 20% off. If you buy lots of books the Club Membership is well worth it's price. They also sell Hallmark Ornaments at BAM, and I collect these. I got several the day you got 20% off. The only thing you don't get the extra percentage off of is Rosita Stone and pre order books.

Pumpkin pies that I froze last weekend to have during all the holiday season. I wish I could tell you some grand recipe that I used, but it was off the side of the can of pumpkin. The taste is very good. Thanksgiving just isn't Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie.

Banana Date Nut Bread...this is a recipe out of my new cookbook. It makes 2 loaves, so you can eat one and freeze one.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup mashed bananas
1 cup finely chopped dates

1 cup nuts, walnuts or pecans

Preparation:
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a mixing bowl, beat the shortening until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes with electric mixer. Gradually beat in sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until thick and pale lemon in color. Add dates and nuts. Add flour mixture and bananas alternately, blending well after each addition. Grease bottom of a loaf pan and pour batter into pan. Bake at 350° for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

These are just a few things that you will find around our house this Thanksgiving season. Give some of these things a try. I always like to try new things and the Family Fun Magazine is a great source for fast, fun and easy craft and recipes.

I know everyone is gearing up for family to come in for the holidays or preparing to go to grandma's for a day of feasting. We will be going out to eat this Thanksgiving. It is just easier for us and less stressful on all. I do have a freezer full of goodies, plus some turkey dressing that I made ahead of time. I will probably buy a turkey breast to have for us to snack on and to make sandwiches out of. Also, Thanksgiving day is my daddy's birthday....Happy Early Birthday!!! I am going to get his present tomorrow....I know what I am buying, I just have to go and get it. It has been chaotic to say the less with Mark's mom being in the hospital, but God is good and sees us through it all. We are thankful that all has gone as well as it has thus far. We have lots to be thankful for, which might be tomorrow's blog.