Welcome back! I missed yesterday since we were busy enjoying family and friends. Everyone is still sleeping, and I am up straightening the house, turning on Christmas lights, and enjoying the still :-) Love the mornings! Here is scripture #20 as we journey through the Bible, looking for verses on giving thanks!
"I will praise God's name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving." Psalm 69:30
God doesn't just say, "you're welcome," when we thank Him. I think that it truly makes Him smile! Think about how we feel when someone expresses their gratitude to us, or when we thank our children for helping us. My face lights up, and I can see the positive effect it has on our son when I praise him. I imagine that God must feel the same way when we offer Him thanksgiving. It brings Him joy, it brings Him glory, and I know that teaching our children to live in a state of thanksgiving makes Him smile, as well. Isn't that kinda cool to think about?
Verse #21 for the 21st day of November...
"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." Colossians 2:6-7
I love that as we learn more and more about Jesus and our faith, and remember it is an ongoing, never ending process, we are rooted in Him and built up in Him. He is our foundation, and He is our walls. When we choose to live a life focused on Him, He is so faithful to build us up in our calling as mothers. I never questioned my desire to be a mother, but I did question my desire to stay at home and be the primary influence in my children's lives. Now, sixteen months later, I'm loving staying at home, I can't imagine having any other priority, and I enjoy and am encouraged by sharing my love of this calling with other women. I firmly believe that if I had not decided to immerse myself in His teachings over the past few years, I wouldn't be in this situation today. For that, I am "overflowing with thankfulness!" He is so faithful to place overflowing gratitude in our hearts when we choose to love Him. His ways are so good!
As you prepare to join together with family during the day of Thanksgiving, I pray extra special blessings over each of your lives, especially as mothers. I pray for renewed strength, patience, and love for the Father, your husbands, and your children. I pray that the day will not be filled with stress or upset, but instead with gratitude and peace. Let's all remember the sweet calling placed upon our heads to provide an environment and example of peace for our darling children...crazy family gathering, or not! See below for a list of my Thanksgiving recipes. Today, and everyday, be blessed!
Kindra's Thanksgiving Feast
Turkey with Herbes de Provence and Citrus...it sounds complicated, it's so not, and it's wonderfully delicious! This is our fourth time making this turkey recipe, and I don't see us stopping anytime soon! I say "us" since my husband does most of the turkey preparation and monitoring. Hey, if he wants to do it, I'm not kicking anyone out of my kitchen!
Creamy Turkey Gravy...new this year! But after two years in a row of a gravy recipe that flopped, it was time for a change.
Slow Cooker Stuffing...when I found this a few years ago, I was intrigued simply because it frees up a dish in the oven. Get this going first thing in the morning, and you don't have to worry about it again until meal time! Keep an eye that it doesn't get too mushy. My slow cooker gets really warm, so I don't cook it for as long as it suggests.
Glazed Carrots with Pistachios...this is a new one for us this year. I'll let you know how it goes, but it looks super tasty!
Sweet Potato Casserole...also a new one this year, as I've made the same one for the past few years. I thought I would mix it up a little this time. Other than the topping, this can be assembled ahead of time and placed in the fridge the night before.
Green Beans with Almonds and Caramelized Shallots...just a side note, I use bacon drippings to cook the beans, instead of butter. Just adds a bit more flavor! My family likes this recipe in exchange for the traditional green bean casserole. Maybe yours will, too!
Gratitude Rolls...love this idea! I use Pillsbury crescent rolls to save on time, but you could go all out and make your own!
Baked Corn, from the kitchen of my sweet friend, Amanda.
- 1/2 c. melted butter
- 1 can creamed corn
- 1 can kernel corn (drained)
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 8 oz. tub sour cream
- 1 box Jiffy Corn Bread mix
- 1/4 c. sugar
- additional 1/4 c. sugar for topping
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter for 30 seconds. Stir the remaining ingredients (minus the topping) into the butter. Pour the mixture into a 9x13 ungreased pan. Sprinkle mixture with 1/4 c. sugar topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until top is golden brown.
- You can also make this recipe the day before, but make sure to add the sugar topping right before baking!
Night-Before Mashed Potatoes, a family recipe
- 8 to 10 potatoes
- 1 8 oz. package cream cheese
- 1 8 oz. tub sour cream
- salt and pepper
- butter
- Cook potatoes and mash, or mix (I do them in my Kitchenaid mixer, and it works like a charm!). Add cream cheese, sour cream, and salt and pepper. Place in a buttered 9x13 baking dish and, liberally, dot with butter. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. When ready, uncover and bake at 325 for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and hot in the middle. You can bake it at 350 for less time, so it can be cooked with the corn casserole.
Berry Salad, from the loving kitchen of my sweet Grandma
- 2 large boxes raspberry Jell-O
- 2 c. hot water
- 2 packages frozen raspberries or cranberries (using cranberries this year!)
- 1 8 oz. tub sour cream, room temperature
- 1 c. Hawaiian punch
- In a 12x12 or 9x13 baking dish, whisk together the Jell-O packs and hot water. After combined, add the Hawaiian punch. Let set in fridge until syrupy (is that word?!). Slowly whisk in sour cream, trying to prevent lumps from forming. Stir in berries. Let set in fridge until ready to serve! My grandma would always serve a square of the berry salad on a piece of lettuce to make it look really pretty.
Paula Deen's Pumpkin Pie...oh, yes! I use a frozen pre-made pie shell to make this a bit faster, but other than, follow the recipe to a T! So, so good, and I get requests for it every year! This is another one you can make and bake ahead of time. In addition to a piece of pie, I'm serving picture #4 (
Chocolate Acorns) of these little Thanksgiving treats! Nutter Butter bites and Hershey's kisses!
I hope these are helpful! They have blessed my family for several years, and I hope they will for you, too. Until next time!
