HEARTH AND HOME - November 15, 2011

Greetings, Dear Friends!

Welcome to the second of two, big Thanksgiving issues of HEARTH AND HOME! I’m so glad that you’re here! I pray that this year’s Thanksgiving is a special time of love and fellowship in your home and that many heart-held memories are made. God bless you! And, from my home to yours, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

"Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people." 

(1 Chronicles 16:8)

The Origin of Thanksgiving

by Jennifer Shay

Did Governor Bradford initiate the Thanksgiving celebration as history traditionally suggests? In the American colonies, that answer would be yes. But the practice of setting apart a particular time for giving praise to God was no new idea. This custom may be traced back to the time of Moses.

The Israelites' feast of the Tabernacles prefigured our Thanksgiving tradition. This Hebrew feast was held annually following the ingathering of the harvest. During the time of its observance the people dwelt in tents or "tabernacles." The purpose of this activity was to remind them of God's faithfulness during their wilderness journey, for the Old Testament Scripture uses the tabernacle as a symbol of divine protection. For seven days the Jews would praise Jehovah for their deliverance from Egyptian bondage.

The blessings of America's first harvest evoked the same spirit of praise from the colonists that it had from the Israelites. The Pilgrims had weathered many severe trials and had finally seen the fruits of their labor. God's protection was once again evidenced. Hardships did not end with the first Thanksgiving. But, as in the days of Moses, the colonists could thank God for deliverance from spiritual bondage. For they now enjoyed the "milk and honey," knowing they were where God wanted them to be.

Reprinted from FAITH for the Family (1977).

O give thanks unto the LORD; for [he is] good; for his mercy [endureth] for ever. 

 (1 Chronicles 16:34)

FROM HEARTH AND HOME READERS

(The following letter is a condensed version of the original.)

Rebecca,

Thanks for another wonderful, informative issue of Hearth and Home!  I love the recipes, and some of the pointers are good too. Thanks, especially, for the lowfat Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe.  I love pumpkin cheesecake, but have never had it turn out right.  We had it at a restaurant not too long ago, and it was to die for!!!  I think that's my favorite type of cheesecake or even favorite dessert.  

Thanks again for a wonderful issue!

Love,

Annette

(Thanks, Annette! You've always been such a blessing and encouragement to me! God bless you, my freind, and have a Happy Thanksgiving!)

And this household tip came in from Dove...

"I have a spray bottle (old hair detangler bottle, the kind with a spray nozzle) under my sink filled with 50% water and 50% vinegar.  Every night after I wash the dishes, I squirt the faucet with it and wipe with the hand towel that I'm going to put in the wash.  I've done this for 15 years and my old faucet looks almost like new."

(Thanks for the tip, Dove! Not only does this clean, shine, and disinfect, but it also saves on paper towels and adds a freshening agent in the laundry. Excellent tip! Thank you! :)

HOLIDAY ACCENTS AND GARNISHES

* For your harvest table, decorate with small seasonal gourds and fall foliage—glue a beautiful leaf to place cards.

* Cover your holiday table with white butcher paper, wrap with wide gold ribbon (like a wrapped present) and scatter glittery confetti on surface. Light votive candles in clear glass votive cups for dinnertime.

* Involve the children in decorating the table by having them gather the choicest acorns, seedpods and leaves they can find in the neighborhood. Wash and dry their harvest carefully, then arrange it in a shallow glass bowl and display as a centerpiece.

* To make a festive Thanksgiving centerpiece try this:

Use a nail to make holes, roughly one inch apart, in a small pumpkin. Insert short-

stemmed mums in each hole until the whole pumpkin is completely covered. Presto! A

beautiful centerpiece for your dinner table.

* Use minced or whole sprigs of green herbs like parsley, rosemary, dill, cilantro and sage for garnishing.

* Citrus colors, flavor and scent make things festive. Fill a glass bowl with lemons, fresh cranberries and sprigs of rosemary.

* Freeze small pieces of orange (with some rind) with mint leaves into ice cubes.

* Thinly slice oranges and dry on cookie sheets in a slow oven, turning to dry evenly; fill a bowl with dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, whole allspice and star anise.

"Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness."

(Psalms 30:4)

 

HOLIDAY TIPS

* Pack ice cream into buttered muffin tins or decorative molds early in the day, and simply plop them out on pie slices at serving time.

* Gain space for a tall turkey and heaping side dishes by removing the fruit and vegetable drawers from the fridge. Then use the empty bins to chill beverages on Thanksgiving Day. Fill with ice and set outside.

* Many of today recipes require you loosen the skin on the turkey. Here is a bit of information on how to loosen the skin without damaging the skin. Poke the end of a small spoon between the breast meat and skin, starting at the open cavity of the turkey. Move the spoon over the breast to separate the skin from the meat; take care not to rip the skin. Do this on both sides of the breastbone. Place a spoonful of the herbs, butter, spices, etc. under the skin, and press it out to distribute it evenly over the breast.

* A turkey doesn’t need to be trussed, buttoned, or stapled to keep the stuffing from spilling out during roasting. Simply seal the stuffed cavity with a bread heel and pop the whole thing in the oven.

* Big platters often pop their wraps in the fridge. For a tighter seal, dip a clean finger in water and moisten the rim of a food-filled dish before you cover it with plastic wrap.

* When buying a frozen turkey and you don't want to or can't use it all at one time, ask the meat cutter to saw it in half or quarters. They will do this for a small fee, or sometimes free.

* Thinking ahead to next year...starting in January why not buy a few extra canned or other non-perishable items when you go grocery shopping and place them in a special Thanksgiving box. By the time the holiday rolls around next year, you will have a nice assortment of items to give to the local shelter or food bank. By buying items throughout the year, you will hardly miss the extra money spent.

"I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving."

(Psalms 69:30)

LET’S TALK TURKEY

HOW MUCH TURKEY TO BUY-

For turkeys 12 pounds or smaller, allow about one pound per person. Larger birds have a higher proportion of meat to bone weight. For a 12- to 24-pound turkey, allow about 3/4 pound per person. If you want leftovers, allow 2 pounds per person when buying a turkey 12 pounds or smaller. Allow 1 1/2 pounds per person for 12- to 24-pound birds. 

TURKEY CARVING TIPS-

1. Remove Drumstick, Thigh

Remove the drumstick and thigh by pressing the leg away from the body. The joint connecting the leg to the backbone will often snap free or can be cut easily with a knife.

2. Dark Meat (Drumstick)
First, separate the drumstick from the thigh. Remove the meat from the drumstick by slicing away from you and toward the cutting surface.

3. Dark Meat (Thigh)
Thigh meat can be cut by holding it firmly with a fork and cutting slices evenly and parallel to the bone.

4. Carve the Breast (Base Cut)
To make a base cut, first cut parallel to, and as close to the wing as possible. All breast meat cuts will stop at this horizontal cut.

5. Cut Thin Slices
Carve downward, ending at the base cut slightly higher up on the breast. Remember to try to keep slices as thin and even as possible.

6. Kitchen Carving Method
OR… if you're cramped for table space, try this method. Remove the whole breast from one side of the turkey. Place it on a cutting board (possibly in the kitchen) and slice evenly across the grain. Repeat with the second half of the turkey.

 

GOT A QUESTION ABOUT COOKING TURKEY?

The Butterball Turkey Talk-Line is open annually in November and December. To contact them call 1-800-BUTTERBALL. Be sure and visit their website at www.butterball.com, too! It is loaded with information about cooking turkeys!

ROASTING TIME FOR TURKEYS-

Oven Temperature 325 degrees F (165 degrees C)

Size Stuffed Unstuffed
8-12 pounds 4-5 hours 3-4 hours
12-16 pounds 4 1/2-6 hours 3 1/2-5 hours
16-20 pounds 5 1/2-7 hours 4 1/2-6 hours
20-24 pounds 6 1/2-71/2 hours 5 1/2-6 1/2 hours

These times are guidelines only. The meat thermometer should register 185 degrees F (85 degrees C) in the thickest part of the thigh when done. Juices should run clear when the bird is pierced with a fork between the leg and thigh. 

HOW TO GRILL A TURKEY

Grilling a turkey makes good sense for busy cooks, especially if you're dealing with a small space kitchen. With the turkey cooking merrily away on the grill, the oven is free for other chores such as cooking large pans of dressing, side dishes or even home baked pies. And, as always, grilling cuts down on clean-up time so you'll have more time to relax and enjoy the day. 

Whether you have a gas or a charcoal grill, you can use it to prepare a moist, delicious turkey, if you keep a few tips in mind-

* After removing the plastic wrapping, prepare the turkey by freeing the legs from tucked position and removing the neck and giblets from neck and body cavities. Rinse the turkey and drain well. Turn wings back to hold neck skin in place. Return legs to tucked position. It's not necessary to truss a turkey for the grill. 

* You can marinate the turkey by using a fork to make random holes over the entire bird. Place the turkey in a large, plastic cooking bag or clean plastic trash bag and pour in the marinade. Close the bag securely and let it marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Before cooking, scrape off excess marinade and discard. 

* Do not re-use marinade to baste the turkey. 

* Do not stuff a turkey that's to be grilled as it can take too long for the temperature of the stuffing to reach the required temperature of 165 F degrees.

* Keep the lid on the grill closed as much as possible to prevent heat loss.

Grilling

Use indirect heat to grill the turkey. Prepare the grill by removing top grill rack and opening all vents. Mound 50 to 60 briquettes in center of the lower grill rack or the bottom of grill and ignite briquettes. When coals become ash-gray -- about 20 to 40 minutes -- divide them into two equal parts, positioned on the outside edges of lower grill rack or bottom of grill.

Place a foil drip pan or a double thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil between the two piles of coals.

Lightly grease the top grill rack before repositioning it on the hot coals. Place the prepared turkey in the middle of the grill rack, directly over drip pan, and replace the lid on the grill.

You can figure roughly 12 minutes cooking time per pound of turkey. Be sure to check turkey's doneness by using a meat thermometer. Breast meat is ready at 170 °F degrees, thigh meat at 180° F degrees.

Maintain grill heat during cooking by adding 5 to 8 briquettes to both sides of hot coals every hour or as needed. 

"But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 

(1 Corinthians 15:57)

HEALTHY HOLIDAY EATING TIPS

Turkey-

· Don't stuff the turkey with the dressing, as it absorbs much of the fat. Bake it in a covered casserole instead.

· Saute onions and celery in a small amount of butter/margarine, i.e., 1 tablespoon. Use chicken or turkey broth for additional moisture.

· Roast the turkey on a rack so the fat drips away from the bird.

· Use a fat separator for the roasting pan juices and skim off all fat before making the gravy.

· I use a dry package of turkey gravy mix for added flavor and thickening.

Pumpkin Pie-

· Make pumpkin pies with canned, evaporated, skimmed milk.

· Use half the amount of sugar in the recipe - SUBSTITUTE BROWN SUGAR FOR THE WHITE, as it's more flavorful.

· Use more spices than the recipe suggests. I double the amount.

· Use light or fat free whipped topping.

· If more than one choice of pie is offered after the meal, choose ONE, not a bit of each - always choose the one that "rings your bell" (a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10).

· Eat the filling of the pie and just a bit or none of the high fat crust. Cover the crust with a napkin so you won't nibble on the crust.

Potatoes-

· Mash the potatoes with chicken broth and canned, evaporated, skimmed milk. HOLD THE BUTTER - NO ONE WILL NOTICE!

· Use pineapple and/or orange juice thickened with corn starch as a glaze for carrots or sweet potatoes. (I add a pinch of pumpkin pie spice to the glaze.)

Miscellaneous-

· Sprinkle hot vegetables with dill for flavor instead of butter.

· Use low fat canned cream soup in the traditional green bean casserole.

· Use all fruit spreads on rolls vs butter or margarine OR, SKIP THE ROLLS due to so many other "bread" items, i.e., stuffing, sweet potatoes, whipped potatoes, etc.

· Use the 1-10 rating system during Thanksgiving dinner. Rate each food that is passed on a 1-10 scale - 1, not appealing - 10, WOW, my favorite! Eat only 9's and 10's. Pass up the rest!

· Don't skip meals before the big meal that day. You'll be too hungry and may overeat. Treat it as a regular day - 3 meals and fruit snacks.

· Begin the meal with a salad. You'll eat less during dinner.

· After dinner, go for a long walk!

 

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication 

with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. "

(Philippians 4:6)

FOR THE CHILDREN

* Select Bible verses to unscramble that relate to being "thankful". Create them and print them out ahead of time to make things easier. Make sure you have pencils with erasers on top and Bibles to hand out to each participant. The first person that completes unscrambling the verses wins a prize or just use this as an activity without the pressure to win.

* Send a Thanksgiving e-card, find facts about turkeys, take a fun online turkey quiz, and enjoy other activities by visiting http://home.aristotle.net/Thanksgiving/turkey-index.asp.

RECIPES

Here are a variety of Thanksgiving recipes to share...

HERBED TURKEY BREAST

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
1 tablespoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bone-in whole turkey breast (5 1/2 to 6 pounds)

In a small saucepan, combine the first eight ingredients; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Place turkey in a shallow roasting pan; baste with butter mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees, basting every 30 minutes. Yield: 10-12 servings.

INSTANT STUFFING MIX
from Budget 101

3-1/2 cups unseasoned bread cubes
3 tablespoons dried celery flakes
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon sage

Measure all ingredients into a ziploc bag or into a jar, seal.

Instructions to attach to jar:
Bring the following items to boil:
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine. Add jar of stuffing mix, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Toss with a fork before serving.

MASHED SWEET POTATOES
from Budget 101

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
1 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup milk
3/8 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Boil water. Peel potatoes and cut into small cubes. Put in boiling water. Let cook until potatoes are soft. Remove potatoes, place in bowl. Mash potatoes with potato masher or mixer. Add butter and milk; stir. Add brown sugar and cinnamon, stir. Dish onto bowl or plate. Sprinkle cinnamon lightly over top.

MAKE AHEAD GRAVY
from Budget 101


3 Tbs. flour
3 Tbs. butter or margarine
2 cups chicken broth, or turkey stock

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter & whisk in the flour. Cook over medium high heat until the flour is fully incorporated with no lumps, Gradually add the broth, whisking constantly and stirring until the gravy is thickened. Bring the gravy to a boil. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Cool. This can be refrigerated up to 4 days ahead of time or Frozen in Containers and reheated.

Refrigerate 3 to 4 days ahead. Thanksgiving Day: Heat the gravy, and when the turkey is done, pour off all the drippings into a jar, or fat separator. Skim or spoon off all the fat and add the drippings to the gravy.

Makes 2 cups.

CRANBERRY SAUCE
from Budget 101

4 cups cranberries
2 cups sugar
2 cups water

Boil sugar and water over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add cranberries and boil without stirring until the berries pop (approx 5 minutes). Remove from heat, cool.

RUSTIC OATS AND WHEAT BREAD

1 cup cracked wheat
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup molasses
3 tablespoons oil
2 pkg. active dry yeast
2/3 cup water heated to 105 to 115 degrees
4 3/4 to 5 3/4 cups unbleached white flour
1 cup rolled oats

TOPPING

1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon rolled oats

Grease 2 cookie sheets. In large bowl, combine cracked wheat (or couscous and wheat germ), brown sugar, salt, 2 cups boiling water, molasses, and oil; mix well. Cool to 105 to 115 degrees F. In small bowl, dissolve yeast in 2/3 cup water. Add to cooled cracked wheat mixture. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add 2 cups flour to cracked wheat mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 2 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in 1 cup rolled oats and 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 cups four until dough pulls cleanly away from sides of bowl.

On floured surface, knead in 1/2 to 1 cup flour until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl; cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place (80 to 85 degrees F.) until light and doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Punch dough down several times to remove all air bubbles. Divide dough in half; shape into balls. Place on greased cookie sheets. With sharp knife, slash a 1/4-inch deep lattice design in top of each loaf. Cover; let rise in warm  place until light and doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush loaves with beaten egg; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon rolled oats. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 35 to 45 minutes or until deep golden brown and loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped. Remove from cookie sheets; cool or wire racks. 2 (16-slice) loaves.

CRUSTLESS PUMPKIN PIE

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
1 can (12 ounces) fat-free or low-fat evaporated skim milk
2 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
Light whipped topping and additional cinnamon, optional

In a mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, milk, eggs and sugar; beat until smooth. Add the spices and salt; beat until well mixed. Stir in graham cracker crumbs. Pour into a 9-in. pie plate that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 325 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool. If desired, garnish with a dollop of whipped topping and sprinkling of cinnamon. Store in the refrigerator.

WHIPPED TOPPING

Put 1/2 cup ice water in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup dry milk powder. Using mixer, beat until stiff, adding 1/2 cup sugar a little at a time. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and beat only until well mixed. (The lemon juice makes the topping stiff.) Use as regular topping. (This really works and it tastes great!)

DIABETIC PUMPKIN PIE & PUDDING

(This was one of my mom's favorite recipes and she used to make it every Thanksgiving.)

1 cup milk-regular or skim
1-16 ounce can pumpkin
1-5 1/4 ounce package sugar-free vanilla instant pudding mix
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or to taste)
1-4 ounce sugar-free, non-dairy topping (Cool Whip)

Mix all ingredients, except Cool Whip, which is folded in last. Pile into a graham cracker crust, chill for an hour or so; OR freeze and remove from freezer about one hour before serving. Can also be used as a pudding, with or without a bit of graham cracker for decoration on top.

SPICED PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

(Makes 16 servings)

38 ginger snap cookies, finely crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)

1/4 cup  finely chopped pecans

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

4 pkg.  (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened (I'd use fat-free)

1 cup sugar

1 can  (15 oz.) pumpkin

1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp.  vanilla

4 eggs

1 cup thawed Light Cool Whip

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

HEAT oven to 325°F.
MIX crumbs, nuts and butter; press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 9-inch springform pan.
BEAT cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add pumpkin, spice and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour into crust.
BAKE 1 hour 20 min. to 1 hour 30 min. or until center is almost set. Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours.
SERVE with a dollup of Cool Whip and a dusting of nutmeg.   
 

PUMPKIN ROLL

(Makes 10 servings)

CAKE:

Powdered sugar

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. salt

3 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup canned pumpkin

FILLING:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened (I use 1/3 less fat cream cheese)

1 cup powdered sugar

6 Tbsp. butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

Powdered sugar

FOR CAKE: PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel (NOT THE FUZZY KIND) with powdered sugar.

COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan.

BAKE for 13-15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool completely.

FOR FILLING: Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in a small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Re-roll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

JELL-O 10-MINUTE THANKSGIVING FRUIT WHIP

1-1/2 cups boiling water

1 pkg.  (8-serving size) or 2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Orange Flavor Gelatin

Ice cubes

1 cup  cold orange juice or cranberry juice

1 can (11 oz.) DOLE Mandarin Oranges, drained

ADD boiling water to gelatin in large bowl; stir at least 3 minutes until gelatin is completely dissolved. Add enough ice cubes to juice to measure 2 cups. Add to gelatin; stir until ice is partially melted. Place in blender container; cover. Blend on medium speed 30 seconds.
SPOON fruit evenly into 10 dessert glasses or large glass serving bowl. Gradually pour gelatin mixture over fruit.
REFRIGERATE 45 minutes or until set. (As gelatin sets, a frothy layer forms on top with a clear layer on the bottom.)
 

DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING SOUP #1

1 turkey carcass

4 chicken bouillon cubes

2 ribs celery, chopped

3 carrots, sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 potatoes, chopped

1 tsp parsley flakes

1 tsp black pepper

salt to taste

1 can peas (optional)

1 cup uncooked noodles

Simmer turkey carcass in large pot with enough water to cover. Add bouillon cubes and spices. Cook 45 minutes. Strain broth and pick meat from the bones. Return meat to the broth. Add remaining ingredients except peas and noodles. Cook until tender. Add peas and noodles. Simmer until noodles are tender. 

(Tip - Add vinegar to the water when you cook the bones for soup. It will draw out calcium from the bones into your soup broth. Add 1 oz of vinegar to 1 quart of water up to 4 oz of vinegar no matter how much water you use. You won't taste the vinegar in the final soup.)

DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING SOUP #2
from Budget 101

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 celery ribs, finely diced
1 medium onion peeled and finely diced
3 (14.5-ounce) cans chicken broth
1 cup corn kernels
2 cups diced roasted turkey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 lemon, juiced

In a heavy saucepan heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and add carrots, celery and onion; cook until soft and golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add chicken broth, corn, turkey, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Simmer soup uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Before serving squeeze in the juice of a lemon.

Makes 4 servings.

Note: Leftover rice may be substituted for the corn.

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, 

giving thanks to God and the Father by him."

(Colossians 3:17)

Well, Sisters, that’s it for this time! I pray that the true spirit of Thanksgiving descends upon your home and family as we prepare to celebrate this very special time of year. May God bless each and every one of you...today and always. 

Until next time...

All My Love,

~Rebecca

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!