Art in Entertaining by Cindy Rippe: Thanksgiving

I'm shopping for Thanksgiving dinner supplies tomorrow. As I wrote the list I started wondering...how many other families serve both fresh and canned cranberries? Our family serves both. There are some who insist that we need the jellied version because that's traditional, others like the freshly made sauce. I like them both.

There are 912 cranberry recipes at AllRecipes.com, 49 at CooksIllustrated.com, 685 at FoodNetwork.com, and 111 at OceanSpray.com. So many uses for cranberries. The possibilities make me wonder why most of us only eat them at Thanksgiving with Turkey.

I think it's a combination of tradition and routine. We are used to doing the same things, they same way, all the time. I guess I'm a little more reflective about things like this as I'm working through some changes in my own life. Maybe a little nervous about trying new things.

Here's hoping that you'll be blessed with the opportunity to enjoy the familiar and experiment with something that's just a little different. You might like it!

Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

As much as I love looking at vintage stoves it's so much easier to cook Thanksgiving dinner with modern appliances. There was one similar to the Bartlett (upper right) in our basement when we moved in. Since the house belonged to my husband's Grandparents we kept it for a while but gave it up as we needed more storage in the house. I wonder what kind of holiday dinners were cooked in that stove? Wonderful, I'm sure, since I know that family was there to help with the prep and share in the love.

Abundant Blessing

We thank you for the turkey,
The gravy and the dressing.
Dear Lord, this table overflows
With Thy abundant blessing.
Let us always be aware
That all gifts come from You,
And may we serve Your heavenly will
In everything we do. Amen.

-Joanna Fuchs

Cranberries - Fresh or Canned? Thoughts about trying something new..

Vintage Stoves and a Thanksgiving Blessing