Saturday, November 30, 2013

Thanksgiving Week: Turkey Dinner Leftovers


Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time. ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

I hope your Thanksgiving was lovely.  We had a fun day with our grandson on his first Thanksgiving.  He especially enjoyed the mashed potatoes and the sweet potatoes.  A bit more ended up on the floor than in his mouth, but he cleaned up and so did the floor:)

My last article for November has recipes that use leftover turkey, cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes. I sometimes make extra just so I'll have leftovers for baking!  You'll find the article here: http://oldfashionedliving.com/Thanksgiving-Leftovers.html

~Enjoy, Brenda

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Thanksgiving Week: Traditions and Our Gratitude



All of us at Old Fashioned Living wish you a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving. We are always thankful for our readers, especially those who have been with us since we were a tiny website with visions of like minded people sharing recipes, family traditions, holiday fun and our love of afternoon tea.  Thank you for visiting and sharing with us for all of these years. I've always said that OFL visitors and readers are the best:)

While I have been concentrating mostly on cooking articles lately, I did want to share ideas on creating a Thanksgiving family tradition of expressing gratitude.  Each family is made up of people with unique personalities. Finding a way to express thankfulness is sometimes a challenge, but it can also be an adventure when we use a little creativity.  The article is here:  http://oldfashionedliving.com/Thanksgiving-Family-Traditions.html  I hope you will enjoy it:)

Happy Thanksgiving!
~Brenda

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Thanksgiving Week: Dressing, Giblets and Gravy


Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. ~William Arthur Ward

Yesterday I posted about my article with tips on roasting turkey. Today I'm sharing tidbits and recipes for dressing and gravy plus tips on using that little packet of giblets that usually comes inside the turkey. Interestingly, I read that those packets don't necessarily contain the organs that came out of that particular turkey.  They are removed, cleaned and packaged, then put back in the cavity of random turkeys before they are sent off to the store. In the scheme of things this really doesn't matter, but I found it interesting:)  There are a few ways the giblets and neck can be made use of while cooking a holiday dinner. 

You'll find the tips and recipes here: http://oldfashionedliving.com/Stuffing-Giblets-and-Gravy.html  

Do you need more Thanksgiving help? I've written many articles over the years with recipes for stuffing, bread, fresh cranberry sauce and more.  The OFL holiday index lists them all here: http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/main.html  I often refer to it myself when I have misplaced a favorite recipe:)

~Enjoy, Brenda

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Thanksgiving Week: Holiday Turkey Tips


To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course. Everything originates in a will for the good, which is directed at you. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude. ~Albert Schweitzer

To start the week off I have an article with the ins and outs of roasting turkey. While I know grilling and frying the turkey is all the rage now, I still love a good old fashioned roasted turkey.  It's a simple process that even the newest cook can handle with ease.  However, I do remember cooking my first turkey upside down which is a classic mistake, though the white meat was very moist!  

I share some turkey do and don'ts plus tips on seasoning with two methods to chose from, and suggestions for herbs that work well with turkey. You can read the article here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Turkey-Dos-And-Donts.html

~Enjoy, Brenda