Happy Thanksgiving!

Dessert is what I make on Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

From our family to yours, have a wonderful, dessert-filled Thanksgiving.  It is my sincere wish that you are able to enjoy some quality time with your family and friends.

Let retailers know that that's where you should be.  Let Black Friday remain on Friday.  Stay home on Thursday.  Be well and be safe!
~Photo credit

Karina

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One Empty Chair at the Dinner Table

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Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day.  As we prepare our menu and make sure that we have everything we need to serve a fantastic meal, my husband informed me that we will be one person short at our dinner table.  A friend of ours has to work on Thanksgiving.  She is not a civil servant or medical personnel.  She works in retail.  Her shift is from 4pm Thanksgiving Day to 4am Friday morning.  Her fiance will still be joining us because he is always welcome to break bread with us.  Their families live out of state.

It saddens me to know that she will be missing Thanksgiving Day dinner with us, as well as her own family, because retailers are open on Thanksgiving Day.  I know that the reason I write this blog is to encourage people to buy products that are made in the USA in order to create jobs.  I also believe that a day of giving thanks and gathering with family and friends on a national holiday is important.  We create memories with our loved ones.  This year, my husband is beginning a tradition of making Thanksgiving Day dinner with our girls.  Being able to watch that is priceless, especially as we await the coming of Baby #3.  We will be home taking advantage of the time we have together and the memories that last a lifetime.  The stuff, the savings, the retailers will always be there.  And if they aren't.....there's always Cyber Monday!

Here is what concerns me: Is this a trend that will signify the end of Thanksgiving - the family-gathering holiday - as we knew it?  Will Black Friday become a thing of the past?  Is there a major retailer that has declined being open on Thanksgiving Day?  I just don't understand and get quite saddened that there will be empty chairs at Thanksgiving Day dinner tables all around the country because of shopping.

Which side of the table are you on: Worker Bee, Dinner-Table Traditionalist or Savings Shopper?  I would love for you to share your thoughts.

Karina

Kitchen Tools Made in the USA - Let's Eat!

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As Thanksgiving Day slowly approaches, the recipes and how-tos begin to appear everywhere.  I would love to let you in on my wonderful techniques for making Thanksgiving Day turkey 

Thanksgiving in the Rearview

{Photo credit}

My goal today was to do some research for an upcoming post.  I got distracted and went through the list of blogs that I am a follower of.  Since that list grows every week, the thought of reading through it sometimes gets overwhelming.  Today that wasn't the case.

Here's what I came away from it:  I am thankful for all of you putting your stories out there.  When I read the blogs today, I saw each one of your individual talents and beauty.  I was so grateful to be able to read each and every story that I read today.  I tried commenting on most of them.  I am a better person and, therefore, am able to bring a better blog because of your stories.

I know that I blog about products that are made in the USA.  On the surface, it seems like I am promoting buying stuff.  What I am promoting is the good life that we all deserve.  My way of doing it is to help create jobs.  I believe when people are working and have income, they feel better about their lives because they are able to provide the necessities and a couple of not-so-necessary necessities for their families.  Who doesn't want that for themselves and/or family?  By getting to know each of you through your stories and beautiful pictures, I feel I can bring you a better story.  Looking back at this weekend, beginning with Thanksgiving, I am grateful for all of you.  Thank you for becoming a member of the community of Mom in the USA.  Thank you for your kind words.  Thank you for being who you are and for letting me see that.  I think you are all fantastic and amazing people.

Karina
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Fun Facts For Thanksgiving

Photo from FreeDigitalPhotos.net by Tom Curtis

For those of you who like this sort of thing, here are some fun facts related to all things Thanksgiving.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service's (NASS) Census of Agriculture and the U.S. Census Bureau, this Thanksgiving farmers will raise and harvest:

• 254 million turkeys
• 768 million pounds of cranberries
• 47 billion pounds of potatoes
• 1.1 billion pounds of pumpkins
• 1.9 billion pounds of green beans
• 2.7 billions pounds of sweet potatoes (NC leads the production.)
• 73.1 million pounds of cherries (if you prefer cherry pie to pumpkin pie)
• 2.27 billion bushels of wheat (the essential ingredient of bread, rolls and pie crust
  

4 - Number of places named after our beloved "Turkey"

• Turkey Creek, LA
• Turkey, TX
• Turkey, NC
• Turkey Creek, AZ

9 - Number of places named after our crimson delight, "Cranberry" including

• Cranbury, NJ
• Cranberry Township (Butler County), PA
• Cranberry Township (Venango County), PA

37 - Number of places and townships named Plymouth, as in Plymouth Rock, the landing site of the first Pilgrims.

• Plymouth, MN
• Plymouth, MA
• Pilgrim (only township in the US named Pilgrim) Dade County, MO
• Mayflower, AR
• Mayflower Village, CA

The following are America's top turkey producing states.

Turkeys: Number Raised 2009-2010*

State	2009	2010	% of 2009
Minnesota	45.0	47.0	104
North Carolina	35.5	30.0	84
Arkansas	29.0	28.0	96
Missouri	18.5	18.0	97
Virginia	17.0	17.0	100
Indiana	15.0	16.0	106
California	15.0	15.2	101
South Carolina	11.9	11.9	100
Pennsylvania	9.0	7.4	82
Ohio	5.2	4.6	88
Other States	46.3	49.1	106
US Total	247.4	244.2	98

*Numbers raised in millions





For those of you looking for alternatives to turkey, here's a link to some vegan choices.  I have not tried any of the choices listed, so I cannot speak to their authenticity or flavor.  If any of you have had them, please leave a comment so we can help someone else who may be looking for an alternative to turkey.  Thank you.

Karina
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