The Turkey Carcass

After you've served up your beautifully baked (or roasted, or smoked, or deep fried) turkey that you've sliced into lovely servings, take that "carcass" and further trim it. Cut off all that tender meat that stubbornly clings to the bones. (The old saying is that the "meat is sweetest closest to the bone.") That meat will be lovely in a salad such as topping a lovely green salad or finely copped into a sandwich type spread salad.

Now there will still be some wee bits of meat clinging to those bones. Not to worry. There is still a heap of good in the bones to be had. Now put the remaining carcass into a very large stock pan and cover it with water. Boil/simmer for at least an hour. Two is probably better.

Drain the liquid. Toss the remaining bones. Any meat that you see can be retrieved and saved in the broth. This is your stock for soup in the cold wintery days ahead. Season it with salt, pepper, and other seasonings and herbs as you like. Add vegetables or noodles as you like.

So DON'T TOSS THE CARCASS until you've gleaned all the goodness from it. 

NOTE: If too tired to do this after Thanksgiving dinner, put the turkey carcass in a large freezer bag (smash it down to size) and freeze it. 

NOTE 2: If too tired to freeze turkey carcass or someone tosses it in the trash, DON'T FRET THE SMALL STUFF. Take a deep breath, sit down, rest. Be thankful you had the blessings of that day.

--Chat With Vera's Vera Godley©

"Thank You" by Jarvis from Candlewick Press [Review & Giveaway]

Learning Thankfulness

My thoughts: A delightfully cute and sweet book about a child finding joy in all that is around him - even the color green! While this isn't about expressing thankfulness to God for everything, it is about an attitude of thankfulness.

Reading this book reminds me of the "little boy who during his evening prayers said, 'Thank you God, for the doorknobs.'" We need to have an attitude of thankfulness and awareness of all the things about us that bring joy and make life a delight. This children's book is a good start at awareness of a multitude of things to be thankful for on a daily basis. 

I found the illustrations whimsical and pure delight. A good book.

About the book: With inviting collage illustrations, Jarvis brings his singular whimsy and sweetness to a musing on gratitude that spans the ages.

I thank my hat for stopping my thoughts from floating
up, up, and away.
I thank the cloud for the puddles.

The moon brings nighttime, and the sun the day. With no yellow and blue, we’d be a world without green lights, and without itches we’d never know the relief of a scratch. From oversized plants that offer hiding places to boots that somehow know the way, from siblings who bravely take the first plunge to yourself for being you, award-winning picture-book creator Jarvis spans the gamut from the silly to the sublime and opens the endless possibilities for giving thanks. Strikingly illustrated in bright, clear colors, this uplifting picture book is poised to make a thoughtful gift.

Author Bio: Secret word: Grateful - Jarvis is the author-illustrator of two chapter books about Bear and Bird as well as the picture books Alan’s Big, Scary Teeth; Tropical Terry; Follow Me, Flo!; and The Boy with Flowers in His Hair, among others. He is also the illustrator of Pick a Pine Tree, Pick a Pumpkin, and Pick a Perfect Egg, all by Patricia Toht. An animator who has worked as a record jacket designer and an animation director, he lives in Manchester, England.

GIVEAWAY

Begins October 22

Ends November 13 @ 12:01 a.m. ET
Open to USA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given. Winner's book prize is provided and mailed directly to the winner by Candlewick Press or its publicist. Chat With Vera is not responsible for lost or misdirected prizes.

"Christmas, Here I Come" [Review & Giveaway-USA/CANADA]

 

My sweater’s just ridiculous

with pictures of Saint Nicholas.

The right sleeve sports a massive hole.

It smells like green bean casserole.

It’s so big, it’s preposterous.

It might fit a rhinoceros.

But my sweater’s still the snuggliest—

who cares if it’s the ugliest?!

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and everyone is getting into the Christmas spirit! From writing letters to Santa to picking the perfect tree, these heartwarming poems -- plus a page of stickers! -- from author D. J. Steinber are sure to delight even the most sullen Scrooge.

My thoughts:  This is a decidedly secular Christmas book for children. There is absolutely no mention of the religious foundation that underlies the real meaning of Christmas. A small, budget friendly, little book of fun for leading up to the Christmas holidays. Kiddies will love the page of stickers in the back. A real buy at $5.99 for a paperback copy.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given. Winner's copy is provided and mailed directly to the winner by publisher or publicist.

Giblet Gravy and thoughts of Thanksgiving

As the family ages, different members take over preparation of various dishes for traditional Thanksgiving dinners. Here are the lovely thoughts expressed by my middle daughter today after a session in the kitchen - knowing that her sibilings were also in their kitchens preparing for our Thanksgiving gathering.......

The meat is carefully picked from the Turkey
neck bones.

“The heart, liver, gizzard, and the like, of a fowl, often cooked separately.”  According to Dictionary.com, this is the official definition for “giblet.”  When you type in “giblet,” the first drop-down option given by Google is “giblet gravy.”  Who knew this was such common terminology? Giblet gravy conjures humorous debates over the proper pronunciation of “giblet,” what a gizzard is, how slimy neck bones feel, and how unhealthy organ meat is.  Mostly, it reminds us of Thanksgiving dinners prepared by Mom and Grandmama.

The rich broth from cooking giblets is base
for delicious giblet gravy.

Traditions can be burdensome.  To military families, divorced parents, and those whose children have moved across the country, the essence of holidays changes.   There are fewer celebrants, and the cooks are exhausted from long days at work.  So why bother with giblet gravy?  As my fingers searched for tiny bits of meat from between the turkey neck bones, I contemplated the depth of love that makes a mother or grandmother or sister or brother prepare laborious recipes for those they love.  The praline topping for a pumpkin pie.  Peeling and dicing potatoes, onions, and celery.  Why bother?  Because these are acts of love.  Because we are blessed beyond measure that there are people in our lives to love.  So “giblet” to me means “love.”  Whether together or miles apart, I am thankful for the parents, siblings, sons, nieces, nephews, in-laws, and friends that God has given me.

Finished giblet gravy ready for a pretty bowl. Gravy contains:
turkey neck meat, liver, and gizzard as well as boiled eggs.

I don’t always make giblet gravy, and I am the first to show appreciation for Mrs. Smith’s culinary skill.  I prefer ham instead of turkey, and I will never cook collards no matter how much my loved ones enjoy them.  But I hope to always be able to find a way to show my love to all of you.  By the way, the proper pronunciation for “giblet” is “jiblet.”

Happy Thanksgiving!

Little Book of Thanks by Precious Moments, Jean Fischer from Tommy Nelson an imprint of Thomas Nelson Publishing

My thoughts:  This is one of those special books that get passed down from child to child or generation to generation. Though it will be used a lot by each child or family, it will be carefully used and treasured.

There is such a wealth of thankfulness beautifully expressed in well composed rhymes that lend themselves to memory or recollection. Rhymes that further the love of literature in its beauty. No, these are not classics, but they are worthy of keeping, loving, treasuring.

The illustrations are, as are all Precious Moments drawings, beautifully charming. The sweetness is just so special.

Now about the thanksgiving prayers in this little padded cover board book. They begin with being thankful for the "new day." Then the pages are filled with thanks for others' love, sounds, food, songs, weather, laughter, autumn leaves, etc. I like that things to be thankful are addressed in this delightful book that normally are not mentioned in a young child's book.

I heartily recommend this as a special book to gift to that young child you love. What better time to gift it than as Fall breaks forth and Thanksgiving time nears.

Serve the Lord with joy. Come before him with singing. Psalm 100:2

Thank you, God, for Songs.

Singing

Of speckled eggs the birdie sings

And nests among the trees;

The sailor sings of ropes and things

In ships upon the seas.

The children sing in far Japan;

The children sing in Spain;

The organ with the organman

Is singing in the rain.

—Robert Louis Stevenson

Silly Song

I love to sing a silly song.

I love to sing it all day long.

And if you like my song, feel free

To sing the song along with me!

About the book: It happens every autumn. As soon as the leaves begin to turn bright, beautiful colors, the year sprints ahead on fast-forward! Take a few moments out of the hustle and bustle of the season to sink into a cozy chair with your little one and thank God for everything He’s given us with Precious Moments® Little Book of Thanks.

In the sweet, enduring art style of Precious Moments, this timeless book will help your children recognize all the wonderful things God has given them! Read along, and you will remember to enjoy the simple things, like singing silly songs, jumping in a pile of leaves, and watching the seasons change. The short, rhyming verses in this classic Precious Moments book don’t take much time to read at all, and they will create memories that last forever.

Precious Moments Little Book of Thanks offers you the chance to be thankful for all that you have and for the ones with whom you get to share every precious moment.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from the BookLook Reviewers Group on behalf of Thomas Nelson Publishing to facilitate this review. Opinions are mine alone and are freely given.

Come before His presence with thanksgiving

Psalm 100 King James Version (KJV)

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. 

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

A Thanksgiving "Poem" for a bit of charming fun

The butter was softened, 

the eggs beat just right.

The sugar, the cloves, 

and the cinnamon bite.

The pumpkin was scraped from the can

with much care,

in hopes that a treat would soon

appear there.

The house – it’s quite cozy

and full of fall charm,

awaiting the kids with their honey

On their arm.

Betty Crocker is tired –

she worked nursing all day.

She’d rather write poems

and go hit the hay!

--By my first-born daughter who is a a nurse.......

God Gave Us Thankful Hearts by Lisa Tawn Bergren, illustrated by David Hohn

ISBN13: 9781601428752
Hardcover $10.99

"The trick of having a thankful heart is thinking about the things that make us happy, rather than the things that don't."

My thoughts: It is always a sweet treat to pick up one of Lisa Tawn Bergren's books. You can always count on them for spot-on treatment of the subject. In God Gave Us Thankful Hearts she gently weaves a story of a child's (in this case a juvenile pup) learning how to recognize what he can be thankful for in his or her daily life.

The usual thankfulness for the things one likes is acknowledged and then mama and pup discover in their day's meanderings lots of things they don't like but can be thankful for anyway. Thankful that even though they don't like poison ivy and react badly to it, they have learned how to avoid it.

While not exactly stated, the real theme of the little book is "being thankful in all things" and learning to give thanks no matter what state you are in.

I can easily recommend this as a good addition to that young child's book shelf and be sure to get it in time for Autumn or Thanksgiving. Great for libraries, too.

About the book: Adventurous Lil Pup is bummed that hibernating season will soon be coming to the Great North Woods. Why should so many of his friends have to go in for the winter and leave Lil Pup without pals? Mama reminds her little wolf that not all animals hibernate, and how he can be grateful for the beautiful autumn season - for jumping in leaf piles, eating apple treats, and celebrating the wonders of fall with his forest friends.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book from Blogging For Books review program on behalf of the publisher. I was not compensated for my opinion or this review.

Memories of Thanksgiving Past as Pertaining to Sweet Potatoes

Sometimes memory fails us. Sometimes memory eludes us. Sometimes it simply gets muddled up with other occasions and clear definitive memories simply don’t exist.

However, memories are still a part of who each of us is and have helped to shape us into the person we are today.

As I reflect back on Thanksgiving Day through the years, my growing up memories and my grown up memories have somehow coalesced into one big blur. But tidbits of memories do exist.

I remember mother making her wonderful candied sweet potatoes. These were made from fresh, peeled, uncooked sweet potatoes.* After peeling the potatoes, she sliced them lengthwise into flat pieces which she then arranged in overlapping layers in her baking pan. It was very important to slice them lengthwise rather than across them. She then prepared the sugar and butter ingredients. I don’t have a recipe for this, and maybe she didn’t either. Good cooks sometimes just simply put together these wonderful foods from their own mental storehouse of recipes. I do remember that she always added vanilla. This was a key ingredient! These were baked until they were almost translucent. Marvelously delicious!

In later years sweet potato casserole consisting of cooked and mashed sweet potatoes, vanilla, sugar, egg/s, and orange juice & grated rind seemed to take the place of candied sweet potatoes. She also topped this with marshmallows. Again, fresh sweet potatoes were used in this, not canned.

And then much later, the sweet potato casserole changed a bit. The orange was left out and the potato mixture was baked and then topped with a mind-blowing delicious topping of sugar, butter, and chopped pecans.

All-in-all, sweet potatoes are a big memory of Thanksgiving from my growing up days and on into my own grown up days. Now the sweet potato cooking is relegated to a daughter, daughter-in-law, or granddaughter and most of the time the dish is the pecan-topped version.

How will you serve your sweet potatoes this Thanksgiving?

*Have you ever tried to peel a raw sweet potato? It is hard to do and the sap of the potato leaves your hands stained.

The Boy Who Fell Off the Mayflower or John Howland's Good Fortune by P.J. Lynch

ISBN: 9780763665845
Hardcover $17.99

About the book: In the first book he has both written and illustrated, master artist P.J. Lynch brings a Mayflower voyager’s story to vivid life.

At a young age, John Howland learned what it meant to take advantage of an opportunity. Leaving the docks of London on the Mayflower as an indentured servant to Pilgrim John Carver, John Howland little knew that he was embarking on the adventure of a lifetime. By his great good fortune, John survived falling overboard on the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, and he earned his keep ashore by helping to scout a safe harbor and landing site for his bedraggled and ill shipmates. Would his luck continue to hold amid the dangers and adversity of the Pilgrims’ lives in New England? John Howland’s tale is masterfully told in his own voice, bringing an immediacy and young perspective to the oft-told Pilgrims’ story. P.J. Lynch captures this pivotal moment in American history in precise and exquisite detail, from the light on the froth of a breaking wave to the questioning voice of a teen in a new world.

My thoughts: This stunningly beautiful children's picture book brings a fresh voice to the usual Pilgrim, Mayflower, and Thanksgiving story. Based a real-life John Howland who as a young man-servant indentured to Pilgrim John Carver, tells his story in an easy-to-read and easy-to-listen to voice from the past.

During the harrowing journey across the Atlantic, the real John Howland actually fell off the ship, The Mayflower. It was a difficult crossing from the old world to the new world and that was only the beginning of the dangers and problems that would beset the Pilgrims once they landed in the new world.

Winter conditions were harsh and bitter cold with little food and much sickness

The author and illustrator, P.J.Lynch has painstakingly represented each scene with meticulous detail, colors that invoke the darkness and troubles endured, and individual passions of the characters. Pictures that are to be treasured.

Wonderful minute detail in the London scene prior to sailing.

This will be a wonderful addition to any library - home, public, school, or classroom. I envision the story being read aloud to young children and older readers reading it themselves. I can see children pouring over the pictures for hours. I can hear and see a teacher reading it aloud to a room full of students - perhaps a different section each day, and the children waiting expectantly for the next page to turn.

Yes, John Howland was a real person. One who signed the Mayflower Compact. One who lived, married, and died here in America where he helped in the early days of America's founding. A super book.

GIVEAWAY

Begins September 10 & ENDS October 1 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT. 

Open to USA & CANADA.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Author's Comments - Click Here to Read

Author & illustrator, P.J. Lynch, one of the most accomplished children’s book creators working today, has won the Kate Greenaway Medal twice and the Christopher Medal three times. His meticulous research brings impeccable detail to the twenty books he has illustrated, including The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski, When Jessie Came Across the Sea by Amy Hest, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, and Mysterious Traveler by Mal Peet and Elspeth Graham. P.J. Lynch lives in Dublin.

DISCLOSURE: I receive a complimentary copy from Candlewick Press to facilitate this review. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for the review. Giveaway copy is provided by Candlewick and will be sent directly to the winner.

Let's talk a bit about Thanksgiving meals...

One item I prepare that my kids really enjoy (my grown family and their grown or nearly grown children) is “stuffing.” Now I make my own but I don’t go the real old fashioned route of baking biscuits, toasting loaf bread, and baking cornbread to use. I buy Pepperidge Farm sage seasoned and also Pepperidge Farm corn bread stuffing. I also use a couple of boxes of Stove Top Turkey stuffing. I mix these up in a large bowl.

I chop onion and celery and then sauté them in a couple sticks of butter (real butter) in a sauce pan. Once they begin to look a little bit done, I measure in some uncooked grits (yep! I said grits) and water. I cook this until the grits are done. Then I pour this over the bread stuffing. I then use chicken broth (or turkey broth from cooking the heart and neck of the turkey) to thoroughly moisten the bread stuffing (the stuffing packages give a guideline for this).

I stuff the turkey with as much as it can hold, skewer the opening, and bake until the turkey is done taking into consideration that it takes longer to cook a stuffed bird than one that is not stuffed. The remaining stuffing is placed in a greased baking dish suitable to place on your table and baked for about 30-45 minutes at 350F.

Quantities of the ingredients depend on how many you are going to serve. For our large family I might use one of each type of the Pepperidge Farm stuffing in the larger bags. Two boxes of the Stove Top stuffing. A couple or three stalks of celery and a large white or Valdia onion. I think it would take at least 2 sticks of butter but perhaps 3. I would cook probably ½ cup grits with 2 cups water in the sauteed onion and celery. Don’t forget that you need a bit of black pepper. It will have enough of salt and other seasonings in the other ingredients.