QUEEN CAFFEINE’S CASTLE DISPATCH

November 16, 2007            Issue 7

As we gather at this special time of year to give thanks for our blessings, we hope you have special friends and family gathered around you to help you celebrate and that you have had time to decorate or the children brought some decorations home from school.  It is a wonderful time of year.  The sounds, the smells, the warmth of families, the laughter of those blessed with life.  Even if you buy your feast from somewhere precooked (who, me?), just warming it up fills the house with those special holiday scents.  If you have younger ones around, the mouth-watering aromas are sure to bring the usual question, "Mom, I'm hungry.  Is it time to eat yet?"

All of the above contribute to this holiday.  But remember this day is a day of giving thanks for all that has happened during the year.  Sometimes, if you have had a not-so-desirable year, then you can’t remember anything to be thankful for.   Wouldn’t it be nice if we could remember those tiny tender moments that get lost in everyday life?  I propose to all of you the following:  beginning the day after Thanksgiving this year, start a "thank you remembrance jar."  Every time you say thank you, or feel grateful for something, write it down with the date, then put it in the jar, or in a shoebox.  Sometime on Thanksgiving Day the following year, have the family gather and let everyone read the little notes--smiles and laughter, tiny memories all triggered by those little slips of paper.  It is not the big events that make this day, it is the small ones.  It’s little Johnny saying, "Mommy, don’t cry, I love you!"  It’s a warm sunny day after a wet few days.   Or it’s finding a lost item that you really need.  All the little thank you's that we tend to forget, put them in the jar.  And on this special day, you will find reading them makes this holiday even more special.

Thanksgiving Advice and Tips

The following have lists, recipes, videos, loads of great information to help prepare for Thanksgiving.  They’re fun to check out, even if you already have your routine down from years of doing the same things.  Who knows, you may run across something to try and create a new tradition for yourselves.

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Recipe Notes: The Allrecipes.com Newsletter
Tuesday, November 14, 2006, Issue No. 213

This issue of Recipe Notes is brought to you by Allrecipes.com

Thanksgiving Countdown
What are you doing for Thanksgiving? It's not too late to figure it out, with a little help from Allrecipes.com. We have delicious recipe suggestions along with tips for everything from menu planning to time management to cooking. We even have How-To videos for step-by-step kitchen coaching. After all, you'll need a little strategy if you want to put on the biggest feast of the year and stay sane enough to enjoy it yourself.


Thanksgiving Central
http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Holiday-Cooking/Thanksgiving/Main.aspx?ARBMID=760&ARFMTID=2

How-To Video Advice
http://allrecipes.com/Info/Cooking-School/How-To-Videos/Main.aspx?ARBMID=760&ARFMTID=2

Visit Allrecipes.com to see our complete collection of recipes and meal ideas.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Main.aspx?ARBMID=760&ARFMTID=2

http://meals.allrecipes.com/display/browse.aspx?ARBMID=760&ARFMTID=2

Rave Review!
Green Bean and Portobello Mushroom Casserole
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Green-Bean-and-Portobello-Mushroom-Casserole/Detail.aspx?ARBMID=760&ARFMTID=2

Excellent recipe! What a great change from the same old (but still great) green bean casserole. I hesitated before trying a new and different-sounding recipe (especially with company for Thanksgiving dinner!) but I'm glad I made it. It was a great success with everyone. I did as suggested by another reviewer and substituted the canned French-fried onions in place of the cheese. I'd definitely recommend trying this yummy recipe!  -MBALL

Planning Turkey Time
Picture yourself on Thanksgiving Day. Are you calm, organized, prepared? You can be if you take a few minutes now to make a plan. You'll be thankful you did when the big day comes.

Think Food.
You know who's coming to dinner, now what are you going to feed them? You can stick with your traditional favorites or introduce some new tastes, but keep in mind that Thanksgiving Day is not when you want to tackle complicated recipes for the first time; do a test run beforehand. For recipes and inspiration, click on "Thanksgiving Menus for Beginners to Gourmands."

Gear Up.
Now's the time to organize serving pieces, utensils and cookware; to pull out the good china and polish the silver. Hint: store polished silverware in resealable plastic bags to prevent tarnishing. Make arrangements to borrow or rent any extras you'll need such as tables, chairs, wine glasses and coffee pots. There are those who set the table one or two days in advance. It's a great idea if you can do it. Click on "A Stress-Free Thanksgiving" for more sanity-saving tips.

Get Help.
If you're the host, you may be roasting the turkey and making gravy. Just about everything else can be delegated to your guests. (Be sure you plan for oven, microwave and stove top reheating needs.) You can make menu suggestions to your guests and still let their creativity shine through. Click on "Thanksgiving Recipes" to see our complete collection of turkey day dishes. If cooking is not an option for some, they can bring beverages, ice and bakery goods--or they can help with the washing up afterwards.

Shop Early.
Reserve fresh or purchase frozen turkeys early. Hint: allow one day of thawing in the refrigerator for every 5 pounds of frozen turkey. Click on "Totally Turkey" to see all the ways you can cook the big bird. Stock up on spices, drinks and any other non-perishable items on your shopping list. Canned and packaged goods can be bought well ahead of time; purchase fresh produce closer to the date.

Don't Panic.
If something goes wrong in the kitchen, so what? You'll still have plenty of great food to eat--and stories to tell next Thanksgiving! Check out "Thanksgiving Disaster-Savers" just in case Murphy's Law goes into effect.

Thanksgiving Menus for Beginners to Gourmandshttp://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Thanksgiving-Menus-for-Beginners-to-Gourmands/detail.aspx?ARBMID=760&ARFMTID=2

A Stress-Free Thanksgivinghttp://allrecipes.com/HowTo/A-Stress-Free-Thanksgiving/detail.aspx?ARBMID=760&ARFMTID=2

Thanksgiving Recipes A to Zhttp://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Holiday-Cooking/Thanksgiving/ViewAll.aspx?ARBMID=760&ARFMTID=2

Totally Turkeyhttp://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Holiday-Cooking/Thanksgiving/Turkey/Main.aspx?ARBMID=760&ARFMTID=2

Make-Aheadshttp://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Make-Aheads/detail.aspx?ARBMID=760&ARFMTID=2

Thanksgiving Disaster-Savershttp://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Thanksgiving-Disaster-Savers/detail.aspx?ARBMID=760&ARFMTID=2

Food Lovers' Trivia
Q: What is a giblet?

Generally, the term "giblets" refers to the heart, liver and gizzard of domesticated fowl and game birds. Sometimes the neck is also included in this grouping. All but the liver are used for flavoring stocks and soups. The liver is usually cooked separately and, in the case of ducks and geese, is considered a delicacy.

Awesome Turkey Giblet Stock
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Awesome-Turkey-Giblet-Stock/Detail.aspx