Friday, October 10, 2008

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!



Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, Everyone!

Today is the kick-off for Oktoberfest in Kitchener/Waterloo. It always kicks off on the Thanksgiving weekend. The big thing they're talking about this year is the fact that the weather looks as though it will cooperate for the big parade, and the pancake breakfast coming up tomorrow. Which means that the weather will also cooperate for all the fun family events everyone is planning for their Thanksgiving celebration.

This year will be a little odd for my family, as my mother left for Israel last night, and thus she won't be celebrating Thanksgiving in body with us. Though I know she will be in spirit. With Mom away touring the Holy Land with a group of lady friends, we daughters got to thinking that Dad may need some extra attention. And what better way to do that than enlist him to teach us how to juice.

You see, Dad makes the absolute best grape juice, and for years he's been so kind as to juice extra for all five of his daughters to enjoy. But this year, it just makes sense to participate in the whole juicing extravaganza, which will also have us each going home with more than a precious few bottles that we must ration throughout the year. I'm looking forward to learning and sharing this time with Dad and which ever sisters happen to stop by during my shift with the juicer and Dad.

As a bonus, this year I won't feel guilty about using some of the limited juice for my Christmas fruitcake recipe. My girls have always scowled at me in the past for "wasting" Papa's good juice on a cake they haven't yet acquire a taste for. One day they too will understand that Papa's juice makes all the difference in how my fruitcake turns out. (I'm thinking their weddings here. I believe that's around the time I finally came to enjoy a good piece of fruitcake, myself.)

Hmmm, where was I hoping to go with this post, anyway?

Oh, yes, for all you fellow Canadians reading this post, as you celebrate Thanksgiving this weekend, no matter what you do, whether it be juicing with your Dad, or playing football with the gang, or a game of monopoly between pie baking and potato peeling, etc., may you take a moment to pause and recognize what you have to be thankful for, and may praise be lifted to Him, our Heavenly Father, for providing so graciously for us!

To my non-Canadian visitors, I wish you a wonderful 'everyday' weekend, and may you feel the urge to warm-up your Thanks-lifting, for your Thanksgiving is coming up just around the corner.

What follows is an Uncle Ben's Stuff'n Such recipe for Meatloaf. I thought I'd share it for all those looking for a non-turkey easy meal to have before the big Turkey feast arrives, whether it be this weekend or a few away.

Meatloaf

1 box Uncle Ben's Stuff'n Such Country Style
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Egg lightly beaten
1/2 cup Milk
1-1/2 lb. Extra Lean Ground beef
1/4 cup Ketchup
1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Prepared mustard

1. Combine contents of crumb pouch and milk.
2. Add egg, worcestershire sauce and contents of seasoning pouch to crumb/milk mixture. Mix well.
3. Add ground beef and mix until combined.
4. Press into a 9" pie plate.
5. Blend Ketchup, sugar and mustard. Brush sauce over meatloaf.
6. Bake at 350 F for 35 minutes.
Serves 4 - 6. Enjoy! It's the moistest meatloaf I've ever made, and the girls love it, especially when I double the topping sauce.

(We'll be having this on Saturday with my Dad while juicing, as Turkey dinners are anticipated for the remaining weekend. I just finished pre-cooking it. The aroma in the house is making me hungry!)


Blessings and Happy Thanksgiving Everyone,

Eileen






76 days to reflect and celebrate our Saviour's birth.

2 comments:

Georgiana Daniels said...

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving =)

kalea_kane said...

Hello Eileen! I wish you a very happy Canadian Thanksgiving weekend! I am sure that you and your sisters will truly enjoy this time with your dad juicing. It is so nice to learn something special like that from a parent. :)

Kelly