Instagram Message: Wouldn't Rowan's rolls go well with your turkey dinner? Songs to sing to your little ones and a thoughtful pinch on the blog.
Years ago, my dad and his brothers owned a restaurant together. I remember one Thanksgiving I was told that I would be cooking the turkey dinner for the family, you know, all 40 of us, because everyone was busy with the restaurant. Lucky for me we are Filipino because I got away with using the boxes of powdered mashed potatoes, canned gravy, canned cranberry sauce and packaged stuffing. I didn’t know any better. Since then, I’ve had many years to learn a thing or two about the traditional side dishes that go along with the turkey. I've learned that making mashed potatoes is super easy to make from scratch and using fresh cranberries to make cranberry sauce tastes so much better. I even “upped” my stuffing by using a special recipe that my dad passed along to me and I just love it. The stuffing includes crumbled Italian sausage and water chestnuts. I have also learned how to make pumpkin pies from scratch including the crust (even gluten-free crust if needed). It’s a pity that I only had the honor of cooking this festive dinner for my dad’s side of the family for just two Thanksgivings. I would do ANYTHING to be able to make a turkey dinner for them again. But only using certified organic, non-GMO, locally sourced foods of course. I have such good memories of cooking and baking for Thanksgiving because I really enjoy putting the entire meal together. Nowadays, my mother-in-law specifically comes for Thanksgiving dinner so I bow out, hand over the control and let her run the show. She prepares for the dinner days ahead with shopping for table decorations and groceries. Then she starts cooking as early as 7am on Thanksgiving morning and doesn't sit down until we eat - which can sometimes be 12 hours later. Every year she pours all of her energy and time into making us a lovely dinner. My only contribution is washing the dishes.
We asked the teachers if given a choice between pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce or cinnamon rolls, which they would prefer - most of them liked all three equally. So we figure we can’t go wrong with our thoughtful pinches this Thanksgiving.
Candles in mason jars with lids found at Dollar Tree for $1 each. Scents include: pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce and cinnamon rolls. We put each candle in a lunch bag and stapled a note of thanks to all the teachers.
When I see the picture of my niece and all of the rolls on her body, it reminds me how quickly kids grow up. I used to sing to my kids when they were this little. I would write Thanksgiving Day lyrics and verses on butcher paper and hang them in my kitchen so we could all sing. If you have little ones around for the big feast - try some of these favorites:
If You're Thankful and You Know It (to the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It")
If you're thankful and you know it, clap your hands.
If you're thankful and you know it, clap your hands.
If you're thankful and you know it, then your face will surely show it.
If you're thankful and you know it, clap your hands.
(other verses stomp your feet, shout gobble gobble)
10 Little Turkeys
1 little, 2 little, 3 little, turkeys
4 little, 5 little, 6 little turkeys
7 little, 8 little, 9 little turkeys
10 turkeys on Thanksgiving
Gobble, Gobble
The turkey is a funny bird
His head goes wobble wobble
The only word the turkey knows is
Gobble, gobble, gobble
2 Little Turkeys
2 Little Turkeys sitting on a wall
One named Jack, one named Jill
Fly away jack, fly away Jill
Come back Jack, come back Jill
We Eat Turkey (to tune of "Are You Sleeping")
We eat turkey, we eat turkey
Oh so good, oh so good
Always on thanksgiving
Always on thanksgiving
Yum, Yum, Yum
(Other verses: stuffing, pumpkin pie, mash potatoes, cranberries)
I'm a Little Turkey (to tune of "I'm a Little Tea Pot")
I'm a little turkey fluffy and brown
My wings flip flop when I turn around
I have lots of feathers on my back
and a big orange beak that goes click-clack.
Another decorated table. Another turkey dinner. Another pumpkin pie, some cranberry sauce and those delicious rolls (especially the human kind of rolls!). What a Thanksgiving blessing!
Pinches,
Barb