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A Simple Trick to make your Holiday Turkey Simply Awesome

November 9th, 2010

Roasted Turkey RecipePersonally, I can’t get enough turkey throughout the year, Thanksgiving and Christmas just isn’t enough for me. I probably make a turkey 4-5 times each year.  So, who makes the best turkey in your family, your Mom, Grandma, or Sister? Well, if you follow this trick that I use when making my turkey, the answer will be YOU!! 

The trick to making the best turkey ever, is called brining (basically a salt bath – and no, it doesn’t make the turkey salty.)  When you brine a turkey, it is the most moist, tender and juiciest turkey you will ever have, and it cuts down on cooking time by 20-30 minutes. You will need to do this the night before your turkey day because it has to sit in the brine for 12 hours.

Here is what you’re going to need for this fantastic brine:

1 gallon vegetable broth
1 cup sea salt
1 tablespoon crushed dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried savory
5 lb. bag of ice

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Invited to a Cookie Party? Take Low Carb Almond Sugar Cookies

November 9th, 2010

Low Carb Sugar Cookies RecipeGround almonds create an “almond flour” which is a wonderful substitute for wheat flour for many baking recipes.

1-1/4 cup almond flour
1 cup Splenda
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
additional Splenda, for decorating

Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat.

Stir together flour and Splenda. Blend in butter, egg and vanilla until well mixed. Form into 1-inch balls on a cookie sheet and flatten each with a fork. Sprinkle with additional Splenda.

Bake for 8 minutes or until set but not brown. Allow to cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet then remove to wire racks to cool.

About 33 calories per cookie.

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Engagement Party Invitations and Traditions

November 9th, 2010

Wedding Engagement Party ToastTraditionally, the wedding engagement party was not a gift-giving occasion, as the news of the couple’s engagement was made by surprise announcement by the father of the bride to guests at a normal party. 

Today, it varies from culture to culture if engagement presents are given at a party celebrating a previously announced engagement.

With news traveling at warp speed today, the engagement party is more a formal way of celebrating and congratulating the happy couple and can be an elaborate affair or a cozy gathering.

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When did Wedding Announcements in Newpapers Start?

November 8th, 2010

Invitation Wax SealIn the Middle Ages, families of means would have their wedding invitations hand-crafted by monks who were skilled in the art of Calligraphy.

The personal crest or Family Coat of Arms was stamped in hot wax to seal the document.

By 1600, the printing press which was invented in 1447, still produced a poor result for stylish wedding invitations.

It was around this time that it became tradition to announce weddings in the newspapers.

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Veterans Day – A Thank You to all who’ve Served

November 5th, 2010
Veterans Day Poster 2010

Veterans Day Poster 2010

Veterans Day does not include an apostrophe but does include an “s” at the end of “veterans” because it is not a day that “belongs” to veterans, it is a day for honoring all veterans and is usually celebrated on November 11th. 

Many people confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. While those who died are also remembered, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor ALL those who served honorably in the military – in wartime or peacetime. 

In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank LIVING veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served – not only those who died – have sacrificed and done their duty. 

A number of countries honor their veterans each year on November 11th, although the name and types of commemorations differ somewhat from Veterans Day celebrations in the United States. For example, Canada and Australia observe “Remembrance Day” on November 11th, and Great Britain observes “Remembrance Day” on the Sunday nearest to November 11th. There are similarities and differences between these countries’ Remembrance Day and America’s Veterans Day. 

Canada’s observance is actually quite similar to the U.S. celebration, in that the day is intended to honor all who served in Canada’s Armed Forces. However, unlike in the U.S., many Canadians wear red poppy flowers on November 11th in honor of their war dead. In Australia, Remembrance Day is very much like America’s Memorial Day, a day to honor that nation’s war dead. 

In Great Britain, the day is commemorated by church services and parades of ex-service members in Whitehall, a wide ceremonial avenue leading from London’s Parliament Square to Trafalgar Square. Wreaths of poppies are left at the Cenotaph, a war memorial in Whitehall, which was built after the First World War. At the Cenotaph and elsewhere in the country, a two-minute silence is observed at 11 a.m., to honor those who lost their lives in wars. 

Information provided by United States Department of Veterans Affairs

The First Wedding Invitations were Announced, Not Printed

November 5th, 2010

Medieval Wedding CoupleBefore the invention of the printing press in 1447 and because of widespread illiteracy, English weddings were typically announced by a Town Crier who would walk the streets announcing the news of the day in a loud voice. 

If you heard the wedding announcement, you were then part of the celebration.

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Local Food Banks need your help this Thanksgiving

November 4th, 2010
South County Food Bank

South County Food Bank

Donating to your local food bank is fast and easy when you use an on-line grocery delivery website.

A suggestion for a Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday basket for a family of four is the list I compiled last year and ordered on-line from Vons.com for delivery to our local food bank – South County Outreach – in memory of my dad, Bill Gillum, our fabulous Thanksgiving turkey carver:

Holiday Meal Order Summary (Prices are estimates):

  • $11.00 Butterball Turkey 16-20 Lb Frozen
  • $ 4.00 Stove Top Turkey Stuffing Mix – 6 Oz (2 @ $2.00)
  • $ 4.00 Sara Lee Classic Dinner Rolls – 17 Oz (2 @2.00)
  • $ 1.50 Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce – 14 Oz
  • $ 1.58 Safeway Cut Green Beans – 14.5 Oz (2 @ $0.79)
  • $ 3.98 Princella Cut Sweet Potatoes And Yams – 29 Oz (2 @ $1.99)
  • $ 1.58 Safeway/Genuardis Corn Whole Golden – 15.25 Oz (2 @ $0.79)
  • $ 2.99 Reddi Wip Whipped Cream Topping- 7 Fl. Oz.
  • $ 6.99 Sara Lee Signature Selections Traditional Pumpkin Pie – 46 Oz.
  • $ 1.25 Safeway Wide Egg Noddles Pasta – 12 Oz
  • $ 1.60 Campbells Cream Of Mushroom Condensed Soup – 10.75 Oz (2 @ $0.80)
  • $ 2.00 Safeway/Vons Fruit Cocktail – 15.25 Oz (2 @ $1.00)
  • $42.47 ORDER TOTAL

Optional items families need:

  • $ 1.79 Safeway/Vons Grape Jam – 18 Oz
  • $ 2.00 Safeway/Vons Peanut Butter Creamy – 18 Oz
  • $ 3.15 Mahatma Long Grain White Rice – 2 Lb
  • $ 1.89 Safeway/Vons Pasta Spaghetti – 32 Oz
  • $ 5.00 Hunts Classic Italian Garlic and Herb Spaghetti Sauce – 26 Oz 4 @$1.25)
  • $ 4.00 Campbells Chicken Noodle Condensed Soup – 10.75 Oz (4 @ $1.00)
  • $ 2.00 Safeway/Vons Light Sugar Yellow Cling Peach Halfs – 15 Oz (2 @ $1.00)
  • $19.74 OPTIONAL ITEMS TOTAL

It’s easy to give, just google local food banks/pantries in your area and a local grocery delivery service or choose to deliver food yourself. Fifteen minutes of on-line ordering time and around $42.47 will put a smile on your face and the faces of another family this holiday season. Donating to your local food bank will feel so good it might become a new habit.

Strategically Preparing For Holiday Houseguests

November 4th, 2010

House Guests for the HolidaysWhether it is family or friends that are visiting, it is important to make them feel at home and not like they are in your way. There are challenges and rewards to hosting a guest during what is the most strenuous time of the year. However, with a few early preparations, you can create an enjoyable guest experience as well as enjoy the holidays.

First of all, if you are not feeling ok, then before beginning any type of preparation, take care of yourself. You could be suffering from a back ache or migraine headaches that, if left unchecked, could wreak havoc on the entire holiday season. Holiday entertaining is serious business. One year, my back went out due to a stressful time at work, and it was no small picnic to get everything done in time.

The next thing to do is to thoroughly clean your house, especially the areas that get frequent traffic, such as the kitchen, bathroom, and living room; and of course, the guest bedroom. If the intended guest bedroom is in somewhat disarray and disrepair and cannot be remedied in time, then consider offering your bedroom to the guest while you stay in the other room. Sometimes simply decluttering a space makes a huge difference. It is about the guest feeling welcome, after all. It is also about keeping you sane. You do not want to spend a lot of time renovating a guest room that will not be used for another year.

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Holiday Party Invitations Get Guests Excited about your Event

November 3rd, 2010

December social calendars fill up at warp speed.  Have you ordered your holiday party invitations yet?  Here are just a few of our favorites:

Gold Swirls on Forest Green Holiday Invitations

Gold Swirls on Forest Green Holiday Invitations

Guitar Rock Christmas Invitation

Guitar Rock Christmas Invitation

Western Santa & Reindeer Holiday Invitations

Western Santa & Reindeer Holiday Invitations

Brooklyn Bridge Skyline Invitations

Brooklyn Bridge Skyline Invitations

Casino Play Invitations

Casino Play Invitations

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Hula Holidays Tropical Christmas Invitation

November 1st, 2010

Santa’s taking a break and doing the holiday hula. The Hula Holidays Party Invitation is a perfect choice for a tropical holiday party invitation or Christmas party invitation for any event.

Hula Holidays Tropical Invitation

Hula Holidays Tropical Invitation

 Shop all our Tropical Holiday Party Invitations.

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