Food talk: Thanksgiving

I love to design menus, and also to read what other people are planning for their special meals, including the President, but I also like just seeing what people are buying in the stores, and thus I can surmise their menus. For example, being here in the south, I was delighted but not surprised to see one man buy his turkey along with a packet of dumplings. Even though I've had solo Thanksgiving dinners for many years now, I like to still put in an effort to make a unique but easy "dining experience." Here's what I had.

Night before: Pasta

Dice summer sausage or salami and lightly fry in saucepan. Add tomato sauce (this year I used World Classics Six Cheese flavor) and simmer while flavors blend.
Cook penne (Full Circle Penne Rigate) pasta in boiling water with dash of salt.
Prepare serving bowl by lining bottom with fresh miniature tomatoes.
Layer cooked penne over the tomatoes.
Layer grated Parmesan cheese over the penne.
Spoon the cooked sauce over the top. Serve.

(It was so good, if I say so myself, that I had two bowls and really overate!)

Thanksgiving day:

Bowl of fresh peeled and sliced pink grapefruit (wonderfully provided by Wal-Mart).
Slice of whole wheat bread with peanut butter.
Thick slice from a pre-cooked ham. Top with pineapple rings and heat.
Plain green beans.

Two choices of desert:
Pepperidge Farm Chocolate 3-layer cake topped with Reddiwip whipped cream.
Schlunder Festtagskuchen "Teatime Cake" with almonds and hazelnuts topped with Reddiwip.

Beverage:
Schwepp's Ginger Ale soda pop.

(Yes, I decided not to have turkey this year and resort to ham with pineapple, which is a traditional family holiday dish.)

Happy Thanksgiving message

I hope that everyone has an enjoyable day. I have been very fond of this day. It has the potential to be just about a perfect day, doesn't it? Family, friends, food, sports, time off from work, decorating and the anticipation of Christmas shopping. And while enjoying these things, the gratitude that comes with knowing there is much to be thankful for in one's life.

We live in terrible times and many do not realize it because they are too young to remember more stable moral times, when families were intact and depravity was rare, and for others the change has crept up to overwhelm them so that normal is a distant memory.

I suggest that as a first step out of this mess that parents take a little extra time out of the day today to discuss the reality of God and his love with your children, from the youngest to teenagers. Do more than a perfunctory saying of grace before dinner (though that is, of course, a great thing to do). What I am urging is for those of you who may never have even discussed God with your child, do so today. It may be as simple as "I believe and I would love for you to believe too." Babies need to be brought up at the earliest opportunity in the knowledge of God existing and to be able to call on him, and know he loves them. Christians have it easy in this regard because even the youngest child can be taught to kiss a picture of Jesus, or say "Good night" or "Good morning" to a picture of Jesus. Not informing your children at their earliest age about God and his love is not only irresponsible, it's like sending them into battle with no armor and no letters from home.

It's never too late by the way. Even if you have a cynical teenager (ESPECIALLY if you have a cynical teenager!) it will help if you say something as simple as, "I've come to realize that God is more important in our lives than I've ever admitted to anyone, and I'd like to tell you how I feel." Then tell your teenager about your love of and belief in God. That's all that's needed to start to get off the "no outlet" road and back on the good road of life. Parents must influence their children and form their faith from the earliest age and if you missed out, it's even more urgent to at least profess your faith to them as soon as possible.

God Bless and have a great day.