If Your Kids Aren't Cooking Your Thanksgiving Meal...

...they should be!

Mine were such a big help on Wednesday (we're talking last week, the day before Thanksgiving...I'm that behind in posting). I think it has something to do in the phrasing. I don't ask them to cook. I say, "Who's making the green beans this year???"

Rose Bud pounces on that. "ME! I ALWAYS make the green beans." Okie Dokie, then.

Daisy, not wanting to be outdone, jumps in with "I get (GET, not want, but GET. It's a privilege) to make the cranberries!"

Pepper: "I do the jello!"

Banana Boy: "What do I make????" Oh, Sweetheart, YOU get to make the sweet potatoes this year. A chorus of Yays.

"Me do??" Sunshine, my sweet darling, you are going to help Mama make the stuffing. What better job for a 3 year old than to be given a shaker of something to shake over a big bowl of croutons?? Here, Honey. Shake this. This is sage. shake, shake shake. Ok, that's good. Now shake this salt.shake, shake shake.shake, shake shake.shake, shake shake. That's good. That's GOOD. Ok. Stop. STOP!!!! Ditto with the pepper and the thyme.

Apple-Sausage Stuffing
1 loaf day old bread, cut in 1/2" cubes
1/2 lb. pork sausage
1 c. celery
1 c. onion
2-3 apples, chopped
2-3 c. chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. fresh parsely
thyme, rosemary, sage to taste

Cook pork sausage. Saute onion and celery in pork drippings. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Bake in greased casserole until top is brown and the middle is hot.


Rose Bud is like the wind. I didn't get any pictures of her making her green beans. She did do it all herself. She also mixed up the spices for me to rub on the turkey. She had great fun picking out what to put in. I did allow some tandoori seasoning, but drew the line at pizza seasoning. In spite of her 4 attempts to add it, our turkey was not pizza-flavored this year.

Green Bean Casserole recipe right off the can of french-fried onions

Turkey rub: Combine a bunch of shakes of your favorite turkeyish spices in a bowl. Maybe 2 t. of each. We used sage, thyme, rosemary (pine needles, Pepper calls them), salt, pepper, tandoori seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, crushed bay leaves. Stick your hand (and part of your arm, if it's a big turkey--you'll want short sleeves for this task) under the skin of the turkey, loosening it from over the meaty parts. Rub combined spices under skin over meat. Dump the extras inside the turkey, front and back. Cook in an oven bag. Mmm, mmmm. Perfect every time.


Daisy is obsessed with our new yummy cranberry recipe. New is relative, I guess. We've been making it for 3 years, but it's our newest Thanksgiving staple.

Marni's Cranberries
1 1/2 bags fresh whole cranberries, rinsed
1 orange (I wash it with dish soap and hot water to remove the wax)
1 c. sugar or to taste

Toss the cranberries into a food processor. Cut the ends off the orange and slice it into eighths, leaving the peel on. Take out the white pithy center core thingy and toss the slices into the food processor along with the sugar. Whir until finely chopped. Chill overnight before serving.

Pepper is our jello maker. She just loves to make jello and has been making this jello for 3 years now (although we've been serving it for over 10)

Grace's Jello
1 large or 2 small boxes jello (we like cranberry at Thanksgiving)
1 can raspberry pie filling
1 cup sour cream at room temp.
1 cup boiling water

Dissolve jello in boiling water. Chill 45 minutes. Whisk in sour cream and pie filling. Chill overnight. Serve with whipped cream on top. You can use any jello and pie filling that is appealing. The classic combo is rasp. jello w/ blueberry filling.

Chopping and food processing was a perfect job for Banana Boy.

Sweet Potato Casserole
3 cups cooked sweet potatoes
1/2 c. evaporated milk
2 eggs
1/4 c. melted butter
1/4 c. sugar

Blend in a food processor until smooth. Pour into a casserole (we have a ceramic pie plate we use)

Topping
1/4 c. melted butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. crushed corn flakes
1/4 c. chopped pecans

Mix well and sprinkle over sweet potato. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Daisy made a snow turkey.


The girls made the Thanksgiving placecards.

Mr. GT stayed home sick from work. This means he was REALLY sick. He helped out by entertaining Sunshine.

He was REALLY, REALLY sick