Medical Miracle: Thanksgiving Tradition

Thank You, God, for

My husband, clean sheets, spray paint, warm baths, ice cream, naps, doggies, Kinder writing, fire pits, hair tutorials on YouTube, candles, baking, Subway oatmeal cookies, books, triathlons, camping, my girlfriends, singing, the pool, dancing, the tropics, my ratty girls, musicals, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen videos, church, Burgerville, strawberries, camping, baby names, Pottery barn duvet covers, wake boarding, freshly washed babies, my family, Etsy, Christmas, manatees, summer, vacations, democracy, movie nights, Bushwackers, the environment, luscious fabric, documentaries, rice crispy treats, and the freedom and resources to blog my life away...

Things My Dogs Have Eaten and Lived to Tell the Tail (get it? Tail/tale - hahahaha)

Children's Books YOU HAVE TO HAVE. Period.

Ain't Gonna Paint No More; Mrs. McBloom, Clean Up Your Classroom!; The Recess Queen; Warthogs Paint; Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse; The Jolly Postman; The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear; Elbert's Bad Word; Caps For Sale; Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do You See?; The Mitten; Amazing Grace; the Rainbow Fish; One (BEST BOOK OF ALL TIME); Zero; The Napping House; The Little Engine That Could; Chicka Chicka Boom Boom; Skin Again; The Kissing Hand; I'll Love You Forever; all the Magic School Bus books; American Girl series;

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Thanksgiving Tradition

I have been pretty tired from work (and technically not supposed to be doing much in the evenings anyway) but today was a SNOW DAY! A teacher's biggest DREEEEEAM!!!! So I have been busy cleaning, organizing and cooking. I am starting to panic a bit about bed rest and all I have to do before going on it in a few weeks so I am slowly trying to work on organizing our closets and rooms and deep cleaning (though we do plan on hiring a housekeeper while I am on bed rest so I don't go insane and cry about my dirty house). But the organization needs to be done before that and Noah's room as well. OY!

In addition to being pretty productive today cleaning, I also got a fair amount of cooking done for Thanksgiving. We are bringing a pumpkin pie and walnut pie to my parents' house and they have to be good - my parents are big foodies and the food is always superb so I have big expectations to meet in terms of dessert. For Jason's family's Thanksgiving meal, I am bringing an old family favorite that my mom has made for as long as I can remember. This has been one of my most loved dishes since I was little, and I always looked forward to it every year. My mom is making it for our family, but I thought it would be nice to share it will Jason's family as well. Here is the recipe if you peeps would want to try it out (Christmas maybe?)!

Cranberry Jello Salad (my mom always doubles it, and I would recommend that, as well!)

1 6oz package raspberry jello
2 cups red wine (can be crappy)
16 oz. whole cranberry sauce (drained)
8 oz crushed pineapple (drained)
1/2 cup crushed walnuts plus some for decoration
2 cups whipped topping
1 8oz package cream cheese (softened)
Tablespoon of grated orange rind

Prepare jello according to instructions, except substitute the cold water with the red wine. Once mixed, pour into 9 x 13 pan (is that the size of that longer baking pan?). Set aside. Mix cranberry sauce, pineapple and walnuts, mix into jello. Cover and refrigerated overnight. The next day (do this on the day you plan to serve), mix whipped topping, softened cream cheese and orange rind. Spread on top of jello mixture, sprinkle with more crushed walnuts, and serve! Yum.