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24 entries this month
How to be Polite...
00:02 Nov 26 2016
Times Read: 342
Being polite means being aware of and respecting the feelings of other people. We may not always notice politeness but we usually notice rudeness or inconsiderate behavior.
This page takes a step back and covers some of the fundamentals of building and maintaining relationships with others. We provide examples of the most common behaviors that are considered polite.
Politeness can and will improve your relationships with others, help to build respect and rapport, boost your self-esteem and confidence, and improve your communication skills.
Many of the points raised on this page may seem obvious (in most cases they are common-sense) but all too often social manners are overlooked or forgotten. Take some time to read through the following points and think about how being polite and demonstrating good social etiquette can improve your relationships with others.
It is easy to recognize when people are rude or inconsiderate but often more difficult to recognize these traits in yourself. Think carefully about the impressions you leave on others and how you can easily avoid being considered ill-mannered or ignorant.
Politeness Guidelines
You can apply the following (where appropriate) to most interactions with others – friends, colleagues, family, customers, everybody!
Always use common sense and try to behave as appropriately as possible, taking into account any cultural differences.
Say hello to people – greet people appropriately, gain eye contact and smile naturally, shake hands or hug where appropriate but say hello, especially to colleagues and other people you see every day. Be approachable. Do not blank people just because you’re having a bad day.
Take time to make some small talk - perhaps mention the weather or ask about the other person’s family or talk about something that is in the news. Make an effort to engage in light conversation, show some interest, but don’t overdo it. Remain friendly and positive and pick up on the verbal and non-verbal signals from the other person.
Try to remember things about the other person and comment appropriately – use their spouse’s name, their birthday, any significant events that have occurred (or are about to occur) in their life. Always be mindful of others’ problems and difficult life events.
Always use ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. Make sure you thank people for their input or contribution and always include ‘please’ when asking for something. If somebody offers you something use 'Yes please' or 'No thank you'.
Praise and/or congratulate others on their achievements. Praise needs to be seen as genuine – this can be difficult if you feel jealous or angry.
At work be polite and helpful to your subordinates as well as your bosses. Respect and acknowledge the positions, roles and duties of others.
Use appropriate language – be respectful of gender, race, religion, political viewpoints and other potentially controversial or difficult subjects. Do not make derogatory or potentially inflammatory comments.
Learn to listen attentively - pay attention to others while they speak – do not get distracted mid-conversation and do not interrupt. (See our pages on Listening Skills for more.)
Respect other people's time. Try to be precise and to-the-point in explanations without appearing to be rushed.
Be assertive when necessary but respect the right of others to be assertive too. (See our pages on Assertiveness for more.)
Avoid gossip. Try to have positive things to say about other people.
Apologize for your mistakes. If you say or do something that may be considered rude or embarrassing then apologize, but don’t overdo your apologies.
Avoid jargon and vocabulary that may be difficult for others to understand – explain complex ideas or instructions carefully. Do not appear arrogant.
Respect, and be prepared to listen to, the ideas and opinions of others.
Dress appropriately for the situation. Avoid wearing revealing clothing in public and avoid staring at others who are wearing revealing clothing. Avoid being dressed too casually for the situation. (See our page: Personal Appearance)
Use humor carefully. Aim not to cause any offence and know the boundaries of appropriate language for different situations. (See our page: Developing a Sense of Humor)
Practice good personal hygiene. Wash and brush your teeth regularly, change your clothes and use deodorant. Avoid strong perfumes, after-shaves or colognes.
Be punctual. If you have arranged to meet somebody at a certain time make sure you are on time, or even a few minutes early. If you are going to be late let the other person/people know as far in advance as you can. Do not rely on feeble or exaggerated excuses to explain lateness. Respect other people’s time and don’t waste it. (See our page: Time Management for more information.)
Always practice good table manners. When eating around others avoid foods with strong odors, do not talk with your mouth full or chew with your mouth open, and eat quietly.
Do not pick your nose or ears, chew on your fingers or bite your fingernails in public. Also avoid playing excessively with your hair.
Good manners cost nothing but can make a big difference to how other people feel about you, or the organisation you are representing. When you’re polite and show good manners others are more likely to be polite and courteous in return.
You can improve your face-to-face or interpersonal relationships with others in many different ways – SkillsYouNeed has numerous pages providing in-depth advice and discussion on specific topics related to interpersonal skills.
Find more at: http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/politeness.html#ixzz4R4HwRV52
How to be polite while you're online (practicing good netiquette) by ROSS MCKILLOP 23:55 Nov 25 2016
Times Read: 344
How to be polite while you're online (practicing good netiquette)
by ROSS MCKILLOP
“Netiquette” is slang for “Internet etiquette”. It refers to the accepted behaviors and practices regarding interactive online activity such as discussion forums, chat rooms, and e-mail. Your adherence to these guidelines will help make the online community in which you are participating easier and more enjoyable for everyone to use.
Please note that the points discussed here provide general suggestions; for more specific information, you should read the guidelines for the community in which you want to participate.
Instant Messaging Etiquette
Don’t type in all capital letters
Typing in all capital letters on the Internet is considered rude because it is difficult to read and comes across as very aggressive (LIKE SHOUTING!). If you take away nothing from this ‘how-to’ other than knowing that typing in “caps” is widely despised on the Internet, consider it time well spent.
Try not to “pounce” other users
Pouncing” refers to sending someone an instant message immediately after that person signs on to the service. He or she may wish to perform other tasks while starting the messenger service. The person may need a few minutes to put up an “away” or “do not disturb” message, signifying that he or she doesn’t wish to engage in conversation at the moment. You should always wait a few minutes before sending someone an instant message.
Tell other users when you are away
Most instant messaging services provide a way of notifying other users that you are not responding to messages or have stepped away from the computer. Most make use of “away” or “do not disturb” messages. Another way of telling other users that you cannot answer their messages is to simply let them know in conversation that you must leave. You wouldn’t want someone to wait for your response for more than a few minutes.
Keep it casual
You may not want to use instant messaging to give someone bad news or make a major announcement. While some people may consider instant messaging similar to the telephone as a means of communication, others consider it much less formal.
Use reasonable fonts/colors
It can be very unpleasant to have to look at huge fonts or light colors while conversing on an instant messaging service. Try to stick the standard font size and colors unless you are positive that the other person doesn’t mind.
E-Mail Etiquette
Avoid forwarding junk mail
Many e-mail users repeatedly forward junk mail, such as “virus alerts” and chain letters. Unless someone specifically tells you that he/she enjoys receiving these “forwards”, you shouldn’t send them to anyone.
Consider your audience
Avoid sending e-mails to everyone in your address book unless the information contained is vital for each and every person in it. Otherwise, these “mass e-mails” simply clog other people’s inboxes.
Use threads
When someone sends you an-email and you wish to reply, you should always hit the “reply” button within your e-mail client rather than beginning a new e-mail. This allows users to keep track of the thread of conversation.
Use quotes
Often, when you hit the “reply” button within your e-mail client, your response is simply appended to the initial e-mail. This can create an e-mail that is much larger than necessary. A better method of response is to use quoting, which you can do simply by copying the text you wish to quote and placing a > before each line.
Be appropriate
What is acceptable in a casual e-mail to a friend might not be acceptable in a work-related e-mail. In general, for official communications, you should avoid using online abbreviations and smileys, and pay more attention to spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Use plain text
Some e-mail users may not have HTML-enabled e-mail clients. For this reason, you may want to consider sending e-mails in plain text rather than HTML until you have confirmed which of your contacts are able to view HTML e-mail messages.
Avoid sending large attachments
Unless specifically directed to do so, may not want to send large attachments to your e-mail contacts. Not everyone has a connection that’s as fast as yours, and large attachments can take a long time to download for some people. You can send many items, such as Word documents, in plain text, which eliminates the need for an attachment.
Usenet/Discussion Board Etiquette
Don’t spam
Within the context of Usenet and discussion boards, “spamming” refers to repeatedly posting the same message on a message board. This is considered poor etiquette and will usually result in the spammer’s removal from the forum or Usenet group.
Don’t be a troll
A “troll” refers to someone who repeatedly posts the same message in a forum (spamming) or someone who enters a forum purely to flame other participants. “Trolling” is not acceptable in online communities and can result in one’s being banned from the forum or Usenet group. A “troll” can also refer to someone who has multiple usernames on the same forum.
Stay on topic
When you submit an off-topic post to a thread, it detracts from the discussion at hand. If you wish to discuss a new topic, you must begin a new thread.
Don’t type in all capital letters
Typing in all capital letters on the Internet is considered rude because it is difficult to read and comes across as very aggressive. Turn off your caps lock before posting!
Try to spell correctly and use proper grammar
You should make every effort to spell correctly and use proper grammar within forums and discussion groups. If a post is incoherent, moderators and administrators may delete it.
Don’t get too carried away “flaming”
“Flaming”, within the domain of online communities, refers to heated exchange on a message board or in a chat room. In general, flaming is permissible only when it does not involve ad hominem attacks on other participants in the forum.
Try not to get banned
Being “banned” means that you are barred from posting in a forum or chatting in a chat room. It usually occurs because you have violated the rules of the forum or chat room and an administrator decided to prevent you from being able to do so again.
Chat Room Etiquette
Think before you speak
When entering a chat room, you should wait a few minutes before typing in order to get a feel for the flow of conversation. This way, you won’t say anything that is completely off-topic, which would detract from the conversation.
Refrain from profanity/offensive language
Don’t type anything in a chat room that you wouldn’t ordinarily say in public. Offensive language does nothing to enhance a chat room experience, and is usually strictly moderated.
Don’t type in all capital letters
Typing in all capital letters on the Internet is considered rude because it is difficult to read and comes across as very aggressive. Turn off your caps lock before posting!
What is spamming?
In the context of chat rooms, spamming refers to typing the same thing repeatedly. This annoys other chatters and will usually result in your ejection from the chat room.
Avoid typing long messages
No one wants to have to scroll through more than five lines to get to the comment after yours. If you have something long to say, try to break it up into smaller pieces or send it as a private message.
Try not to get banned
Being “banned” means that you are barred from posting in a forum or chatting in a chat room. It usually occurs because you have violated the rules of the forum or chat room and an administrator decided to prevent you from being able to do so again.
Thanksgiving Oyster Stuffing12:50 Nov 23 2016
Times Read: 357
Thanksgiving Oyster Stuffing
For Centuries Americans Have Been stuffing Turkeys With Oysters
The tradition of oyster dressing was brought over from British colonists that settled in America. More of a delicacy now, oysters were once plentiful and for centuries were the most commonly eaten shellfish in America. They were cheap and plentiful enough for the working class to afford. In homes, cooks stuffed turkeys and other birds with oysters to stretch the pricier fowl. They also made loaves, sauces, pies, soups and stews with the inexpensive protein.
spiraled-oyster
It’s a lot of work if you’re talking about shucking dozens of fresh oysters to chop and bake with your bread cubes but the payoff is delicious. The bread soaks up the oyster liquor, and you get a richness that’s beyond what sausage or a little chicken broth can offer. Alternatively, if you’re not up to the task of shucking, the following recipe can be made with a pint of store bought pre-shucked oysters. Whichever your choice, oyster stuffing can make a turkey a marvel.
By Dave “Pops” Masch
OYSTER STUFFING (enough for a 12- to 16-lb. bird)
1 pint oysters and liquid
1/2 lb. unsalted butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
8 cups cubed day-old bread
2 beaten eggs
1/2 tsp. ground sage, thyme, marjoram
and rosemary
Salt and pepper
Coarsely chop oysters, save liquid. Melt butter in a skillet, save 1/2 cup. Sauté onion and celery in remaining butter until soft, add oyster liquid, and simmer 5 minutes.
Mix this into bread cubes and cool slightly. Add eggs and herbs, gradually add reserved butter. While tossing with a fork, add oysters, and salt and pepper to taste – and stuff your bird.
The first oyster stuffing I ever had was on Thanksgiving in Truro, Massachusetts, in 1960. It was so good that I have never forgotten it. You, too, can be remembered.
Vampire Vineyards.... of California... Must haves for your wine cellars...23:47 Nov 18 2016
Times Read: 376
The Vision
The year was 1985, and it was pitch dark on a rural highway somewhere in the Nevada desert. The only visible lights were the stars up above, when Michael Machat first saw the vision across the sky. The image was red wine, and the name was Vampire. Some 3000 miles later Machat emerged in NY eager to share what, he thought, was a brilliant idea. Unfortunately the reaction from the wine trade was disbelief. “A wine named Vampire? What was this young New York lawyer thinking?” At that time the notion of calling a wine Vampire®, let alone describing it as the Blood of the Vine!® was downright silly if not irreverent. Wine was meant to be taken seriously; it wasn’t meant for playing games.
Machat family photoNot perturbed by the skeptics, the idea stayed with him. Transylvania was the logical choice, but at the time it was ruled by the communist dictator Ceausescu, and marketing was illegal. They too weren’t interested in Machat’s ideas. But the power of the vision stayed with him.
Later that year music/trademark attorney, Michael Machat, visited London for what was supposed to be a four week business trip. It was here that he met the girl who would become the future Countess to Vampire wines, and his wife to this day — British beauty musician/writer Lisa Dominique. Michael’s one month stay in England lasted 7 years and in 1990, Michael married English rock star Lisa Dominique.
While representing artists in England, Machat didn’t give up on his vision. Since Transylvania wasn’t an option, he began elsewhere. In 1988, while living in London, he released the first Vampire wine, a full bodied Algerian Syrah bottled in France. Next was an Italian Sangiovese, which found its way back home to the Anne Rice Fan Club in New Orleans.
It wasn’t until 1990 when the Berlin Wall was torn down and the Romanian people executed their leader that Michael began his early trips to Transylvania seeking a winery for his concept. It wasn’t easy. Marketing had been unlawful for 45 years and the Romanians had no appreciation for the western world’s notion of a vampire. Many vintners were too proud to allow Machat to brand their wine as he envisioned. They had a different understanding of vampires, and convincing them that the idea would work was surprisingly not simple.
In 1995, one decade after that road trip, Michael brought his vision to life. He had at long last found a home for his idea in Transylvania. From the soil and roots of the legendary Count Dracula, Vampire had arisen and the true blood of the vine was born.
Over two decades have passed since that first production of Vampire wine in Transylvania, and we are proud to say it has been a wonderful journey of making our wines the best that they can be. Along the way, both Michael and Lisa’s palates matured. They began demanding better and better wine for their Vampire Brand.
So in 2007, the Machat family uprooted their connections in Transylvania and moved their wine production to California where they reside. The first California production was produced in Paso Robles. The following year the Machats began expanding the Vampire range, adding Dracula and Trueblood to their upper range of wines.
With an unyielding thirst for even more distinctive and sophisticated wines, the Machats established a winery up in Napa where they produce Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. In May 2014, their Trueblood Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon won a Gold Medal and scored 90 Points at the Los Angeles International Wine and Spirits Competition.
In 2011 the Countess Lisa Dominique designed and opened up the Vampire Lounge & Tasting Room in Beverly Hills. The venue has become a favorite of many to hang out and relax over a glass of wine. (The staff are discreet as would be expected in a place haunted by entertainment personalities. )
In 2014, the Countess Lisa also proudly released her first Vampire novel, “A Walk in the Sun” – a Vampire Vineyards publication. The book has garnered great reviews and has been compared to the classic Bram Stoker’s Dracula by Kirkus Reviews.
Whatever the Machat “Vampire Vineyards’ Family share and produce, they surround it with a passion that reveals their love for what they do. Be it their range of award winning wines, their delicious fine Vampire Belgian chocolates or their eclectic Vampire Coffees, or maybe just a cozy night by the fire reading “A Walk in the Sun” whilst sipping the blood of the Vine! It’s what they love to do. It is their passion, and that passion is something they feel blessed to be able to share with you.
vampire.com
Vampire Breast Lift: Women are injecting blood into their bosom to help tone and lift... By SARAH BARNS23:23 Nov 18 2016
Times Read: 378
Instead of going under the knife to achieve firmer, perkier and more youthful breasts, a new product is on the market that promises to turn back the clock.
American cosmetic surgeons have developed the Vampire Breast Lift, which claims to firm and lift GETTY
American cosmetic surgeons have developed the Vampire Breast Lift, which claims to firm and lift
But it's not for the faint hearted.
Inspired by the Vampire Facelift, of which Kim Kardashian is a fan, cosmetic surgeons in America have developed the Vampire Breast Lift.
This gruesome procedure involves a small amount of your blood - about 60ml - being extracted from your arm.
This is then extracted and the platelets are separated from the red blood cells using high-tech machinery.
Reality star Kim Kardashian is a fan of the Vampire Face Lift
I have my reservations about injecting growth factors into a cancer-prone organ
Miles Berry, author of The Good Boob Bible
Next the platelets are stimulated to produce growth factors — proteins which lead to cell renewal and are then re-injected into the breasts.
These growth factors are those used by the body for healing wounds.
They stimulate new collagen and blood flow (as though there had been an injury).
Within three weeks breasts should allegedly be firmer and lifted.
Although it sounds like a type of Medieval torture, the price is an eye-watering £800.
The treatment is recommended for women whose breasts have become "collapsed and droopy", those who are suffering from "crinkling skin around the cleavage area" and ladies who have inverted nipples.
For those women who are thinking about giving it a go, consultant plastic surgeon Miles Berry, author of The Good Boob Bible, urges them to proceed with caution.
He told the MailOnline: "I have my reservations about injecting growth factors into a cancer-prone organ.
"The jury is still out as to its long-term safety. Patients must have a mammogram beforehand and be followed up carefully."
No one has yet left a review of the treatment on the company's website.
Winter Car Survival Tips Prepare Now To Ensure Your Safety17:09 Nov 18 2016
Times Read: 384
What to Do If You're Stranded in Your Car
In winter, road conditions and weather can alter your route or strand you for hours or even days. Ensure the safety of yourself and your passengers by preparing now.
Carrie Aulenbacher was about 10 minutes away from work one winter afternoon when her plans changed radically.
"A tractor-trailer jackknifed in front of me," she recalls. Just like that, she and several other motorists were immobilized on I-90 in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Thankfully, conditions were in her favor. She'd recently had lunch and had a blanket in the car, so she remained relatively comfortable for what became a six-hour wait. "Basically, I sat and read while I waited for troopers and emergency personnel to clean the mess," she says.
But the experience left Aulenbacher with a new appreciation for being prepared. Among the essentials she now keeps in her car are an emergency kit with an extra set of clothes and socks, granola bars, water and a blanket. She keeps her cell phone charged. She also keeps a bag of salt in the trunk, useful for melting ice, which improves traction.
In winter, road conditions and weather can alter your route at a moment's notice. Ensure the safety of yourself and your passengers by preparing now.
Before You Go
Use weather apps and social media to stay up to date on weather conditions throughout the day, especially before you hit the road. For a longer trip, let someone know where you are going, your anticipated route and your arrival time.
A quick trip in pleasant weather can take significantly longer in winter. Keep your gas tank at least half full. This ensures you'll get where you're going, and should you become stranded, you'll be able to run the engine longer.
Stock Up
First, take inventory of your car's year-round safety gear. Make sure you have a set of jumper cables, a phone charger and a flashlight in your car. Consider including something like the LifeHammer, too, in case the unthinkable happens and you get trapped inside the vehicle. Also, don't forget to make sure that your spare tire is properly inflated, if your car is equipped with one.
Come winter, you'll want to add more items. As Carrie Aulenbacher discovered, a warm blanket can make a big difference, as can packaged nuts or energy bars for emergency sustenance. When it's really cold, hand warmers provide quick relief. A shovel gives you a fighting chance of digging yourself out of a snowdrift, while a bag of sand or kitty litter can be poured in the path of your wheels to aid traction. Signal flares maximize visibility if you're stuck on the side of the road; likewise, a brightly colored scarf or bandana can be affixed to a disabled vehicle to indicate that something's amiss. If you're looking for a one-step solution, check out ready-made kits that include an emergency sign and other basics. You can spend as little as $12 or as much as $130, depending on your comfort level.
Store moisture-sensitive items, such as signal flares and matches, inside the cabin, where they're protected from the weather. "Most people opt for under the seats," says Cliff Hodges, founder of Adventure Out LLC.
Fend Off the Chill
Keeping warm in a car can be a challenge. It may be tempting to keep the heat running, but it's best not to deplete your gas tank all at once. The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) recommends running a car for only about 10 minutes each hour.
Always get out first to clear the snow around your exhaust pipe, and check that it isn't clogged with snow or ice. This important step will ensure that carbon monoxide does not seep into the car, resulting in illness or death.
Watch for signs of frostbite on yourself or young children. "Frostbite starts off as redness of the skin of the fingers, toes, and face. You'll notice sensations such as numbness or pins and needles," says Joe Alton, M.D., co-author of The Survival Medicine Handbook. Next, he says, the skin will turn white and waxy, and later on, blue or even black.
At the first indications of frostbite, take steps to warm the area. Place your hands inside your armpits and blow warm air onto them, suggests Alston.
Creativity can make the difference between cold and comfortable, so see what's around you. Grocery bags, floor mats or school papers can be wrapped around the body to trap heat, or stuffed into clothing as insulation.
Don't hesitate to "re-purpose" parts of your car if they can be used for keeping warm in a prolonged emergency. "Cars are full of insulation," says Hodges. "I've run an urban survival course where we stripped out the insulation and padding from the car seats and stuffed our clothes with it: in effect, making our own wardrobe into a warm sleeping bag."
As you wait, take advantage of body heat by snuggling up with passengers or pets. Tuck blankets or extra items around yourselves.
Summon Help
Don't get out and walk a significant distance for help, even if you're stranded in a familiar area. "It is best to stay in one place in a survival situation, especially in the winter when exposure is a present threat," says Hodges. Staying put conserves your energy, keeps you sheltered and makes it easier for rescuers to find you, he says.
Even if your cell phone shows "no service," attempt a 911 call. According to FCC rules, all service providers are required to pick up and transmit a 911 call. Also, try sending a text, which will sometimes go through in areas of spotty coverage.
Before calling for help, identify a landmark, street or exit you recently passed. According to a USA Today investigation, the ability of 911 to identify your location varies from a low of 10 percent to a high of 95 percent.
Don't turn off your phone to conserve battery power. Instead, turn the device's lighting down to the lowest level, and turn off any apps that are running. Turn off all unnecessary notifications and be sure the phone is on ring, not vibrate. Also, disable Bluetooth and Wifi.
Know the features of the vehicle you're driving. Some are equipped to automatically transmit your vehicle's location to a call center via services such as General Motors' OnStar, Ford's Sync 911 Assist or BMW Assist. Some systems have a voice link, enabling you to converse with authorities.
Food and Water
If it looks as if you'll be stranded for a long time, nourishment becomes an issue.
Take stock of available food, and make a plan for rationing it. The body can survive several days without food, but water is the priority. You can avoid dehydration by taking advantage of snow, but use caution.
"Snow is mostly air, so you get less water than you'd think," says Alton. Also be on the lookout for contaminants: Only consume white, freshly fallen snow.
Remember, too, that the temperature of snow will have a cooling effect on your body, which is already chilled. Eat small amounts, spread over time.
"The smaller your body, the more effect the cold will have," Alton says. Children will become hypothermic faster than adults if they eat too much snow.
In today's hyper-ected age, the idea of becoming stranded may seem unthinkable. But unexpected circumstances do arise, so your best defense is preparation and knowledge.
Its that time again folks to prepare for the upcoming Winter...Blizzard survival guide: These tips could help save your life!17:00 Nov 18 2016
Times Read: 385
Blizzard survival guide: These tips could help save your life
December 26, 2015; 12:30 PM ET
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During snowstorm or blizzard, it is imperative to know the differences between watches and warnings in order to properly prepare or take the appropriate actions and stay safe.
Before any sort of wintry weather, a winter storm survival kit should be kept in a secure place in case of emergency. These kits should contain everything from blankets to flashlights with extra batteries, non-perishable food, waterproof matches, a shovel and windshield scraper, a tool kit, jumper cables, a water container, road maps and flares.
Winter Storm or Blizzard Watch
A winter storm watch is issued when wintry weather conditions are expected in the next 12 to 48 hours. This watch can be upgraded to a blizzard watch when snow and wind gusts of at least 35 mph will drop visibility to less than a quarter mile for three hours or longer.
To stay safe during this winter storm situation it is important that the necessary precautions are taken prior to the storm's arrival. See the lists below, ordered by possible locations, to make sure your adequately prepared.
At Home or Work:
1. Working flashlight
2. A charged cell phone
3. Battery powered radio or television
4. Extra food, water and medicine
5. First Aid Supplies
6. Heating fuel (or turn up the heat prior to the storm if your house uses electrical heat)
7. Emergency heating source
8. Fire extinguishers
9. Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors
On a Farm:
1. Move all animals to an enclosed shelter
2. Bring extra feed to nearby feeding areas
3. Have an extra water supply easily available
In a Vehicle:
1. Full or near full gas tank
2. Let a friend or relative know your predicted arrival time
3. A charged cell phone
4. Extra food and water
5. Extra gasoline for emergency fuel
Winter Storm or Blizzard Warning
A winter storm or blizzard warning is more timely than just a watch. While the classifications for conditions are the same as a winter storm watch, a warning means that these conditions are expected within the next 12 hours or sooner.
When a winter storm warning is issued there is little or no time for preparations and as a result, safety is harder to ensure. See the tips below on what to do depending on your location during the warning.
At Home or in a Building:
1. Stay inside
2. Close off unneeded rooms to save heat
3. Stuff towels or rags in cracks underneath doors to conserve heat
4. Cover the windows at night
5. Eat and drink to prevent dehydration
6. Wear layers of loose-fitting, light-weight and warm clothing
If Caught Outside:
1. Find a dry shelter immediately
2. Cover all exposed body parts
If Caught Outdoors Without Shelter:
1. Prepare a lean-to, wind break, or snow-cave for protection against the wind
2. Build a fire for heat and attention purposes
3. Place rocks around the fire to absorb and reflect the heat
4. Do not eat snow straight off the ground, melt it first.
If Stranded in a Vehicle:
1. Stay inside your vehicle
2. Run the motor for ten minutes each hour
3. Crack the windows to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning
4. Make sure the exhaust pipe is not blocked
5. Tie a colored cloth to your antenna or door
6. Raise the hood after the snow stops falling
7. Exercise to keep warm and keep your blood flowing
Snake Spirit Animal By Elena Harris14:56 Nov 18 2016
Times Read: 387
Snake Spirit Animal
The snake animal meaning is powerfully connected to life force and primal energy. In many cultures, it is revered as a powerful totem representing the source of life. When the snake spirit animal appears in your life, it likely means that healing opportunities, change, important transitions, and increased energy are manifesting.
What is the meaning of the snake spirit animal?
When the snake shows up as your spirit animal, it generally means:
Snake spirit animals represent healing
Transformation, life changes
The spirit of the snake is connected to life force, primal energy
A meaning for the snake spirit animal is spiritual guidance
The snake as a spirit animal can be to provide guidance about life changes and transitions, whether they are happening at the physical, emotional or spiritual level.
Snake spirit animals, symbols for healing
The snake is close to earth energies and represents life force. Since it’s a reptile, the snake spirit animal is reminiscent of unconscious drives and primal instincts. When the snake spirit animal shows up, pay attention to how you use your energy, and where you draw it from.
If you see the snake as your spirit or power animal, be sensitive to your healing abilities towards yourself or others. Cultivate sources of energy and support, especially as they relate to the earth and nature.
In ancient traditions as well as modern times, snakes are symbols of healing powers and opportunities. In the Greek mythology, Aesclepius, the god of medicine, is featured with two snakes climbing up a rod, the symbol of what is known today as the Caduceus.
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Snake Spirit Animal
The snake and spiritual guidance
The snake can symbolize spiritual guidance. The presence of the snake in your life often means that you are in a period of transition and it points to ways promote your personal growth.
Snake could appear as a spirit animal when you are stepping into the unknown and need support to move forward. This animal is typically close to the ground and can remind you of staying grounded as you move through changes.
Dream interpretation of snakes
When a snake appears in your dreams, it most likely acts as an animal spirit guide inviting you to look at important facts or dynamics that are impacting your life. Snakes featured in dreams often leaves a strong impression on the dreamer: Such dreams tend to be frightening or disturbing because they call on strong unconscious energy.
Whether the snake spirit animal featured in your dream leaves a positive or negative impression, its presence should be considered as an invitation to look at positive changes and transformation.
The dark side of snakes in dreams
When the snake appears in your dream leaves you with a negative feeling, make sure you consider positive meanings as well. The snake spirit animal often appears in dreams as a warning about personal struggles and the need to pay attention to things or events that are escaping your field of awareness.
For instance, when you dream of being bitten or attacked by a snake, it could mean that you need to be careful about important matters you’ve been ignoring so far. If the spirit animal featured in your dream in the shape of a snake is chasing you, it may represent a challenging situation or relationship that you have been avoiding and is pushing you around.
The bottom line is that a dream featuring a snake invites you to check what in your life is “poisonous” and to look at important matters before they sneak up on you and create more damage or difficulty.
Pardoning the Thanksgiving Turkey By:Betty c. Monkman01:24 Nov 18 2016
Times Read: 398
Pardoning the Thanksgiving Turkey:
President John F. Kennedy pardoned a turkey on November 19, 1963, stating "Let's Keep him going."
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library/NARA Show Me More
The official "pardoning" of White House turkeys is an interesting White House tradition that has captured the imagination of the public in recent years. It is often stated that President Lincoln's 1863 clemency to a turkey recorded in an 1865 dispatch by White House reporter Noah Brooks was the origin for the pardoning ceremony.
Recently White House mythmakers have claimed that President Harry S. Truman began this amusing holiday tradition. However, the Truman Library & Museum disputes the notion that Truman was the first president to pardon the holiday bird. Reports of turkeys as gifts to American presidents can be traced to the 1870s, when Rhode Island poultry dealer Horace Vose began sending well fed birds to the White House. The First Families did not always feast upon Vose's turkeys, but the yearly offering gained his farm widespread publicity and became a veritable institution at the White House. At Thanksgiving 1913, a turkey-come-lately from Kentucky shared a few minutes of fame with the fine-feathered Rhode Islander. Soon after, in December, Horace Vose died, thus ending an era.
By 1914, the opportunity to give a president a turkey was open to all comers, and poultry gifts were frequently touched with patriotism, partisanship, and glee. In 1921, an American Legion post furnished bunting for the crate of a gobbler en route from Mississippi to Washington, while a Harding Girls Club in Chicago outfitted a turkey as a flying ace, complete with goggles. First Lady Grace Coolidge accepted a turkey from a Vermont Girl Scout in 1925. The turkey gifts had become established as a national symbol of good cheer.
The focus on Harry Truman as the originator of the turkey pardon stems from his being the first president to receive a turkey from the poultry and egg board. From September to November 1947, announcements that the government was encouraging "poultryless Thursdays" grabbed national headlines. Homemakers, restaurant owners, and the poultry industry deflated the effort in time for Thanksgiving, but not before poultry growers had sent crates of live chickens— "Hens for Harry"— to the White House in protest. The turkey they presented to President Truman that December promoted the poultry industry and established an annual news niche that endures today.
In December 1948, Truman accepted two turkeys and remarked that they would "come in handy" for Christmas dinner. There was clearly no plan for these birds to receive a presidential pardon. The Washington Post used both "pardon" and "reprieve" in a 1963 article in which President Kennedy said of the turkey, "Let's keep him going." The formalities of pardoning a turkey gelled by 1989, when George H. W. Bush, with animal rights activists picketing nearby, quipped, "Reprieve," "keep him going," or "pardon": it's all the same for the turkey, as long as he doesn't end up on the president's holiday table.
Hominy Casserole Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond
22:29 Nov 17 2016
Times Read: 402
Total Time:
1 hr 5 min
Prep:
10 min
Inactive:
15 min
Cook:
40 min
Yield:4 to 6 servings
Level:Easy
This dangerously delicious Hominy Casserole is sure to please a crowd.
Ingredients
Butter, for greasing the pan
8 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
One 30-ounce can hominy, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup half-and-half
Hot sauce, to taste
1/2 cup grated Cheddar
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan.
In a large skillet, fry the bacon over medium-high heat until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. In the bacon fat, cook the onion and pepper until just starting to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the hominy, half-and-half and hot sauce. When the mixture is bubbling, turn off the heat and stir in the bacon and some of the Cheddar and Monterey Jack, reserving some of the cheese for later. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and more hot sauce if needed.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and top with the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs. Bake until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/hominy-casserole.html?oc=linkback
Broccoli Salad Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond22:27 Nov 17 2016
Times Read: 403
Total Time:
20 min
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
5 min
Yield:6 servings
Level:Easy
Ree recreates an old family Broccoli Salad recipe with an orange dressing.
Ingredients
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 red onion, thinly sliced
6 slices cooked bacon, chopped
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water. Blanch the broccoli for 1 minute in the boiling water. Plunge it into the ice water until completely cool and drain well.
In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, oil and orange zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, add the drained broccoli, carrots, raisins and onions. Pour over the dressing and toss to coat. Add the bacon and toss to coat again.
Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/broccoli-salad.html?oc=linkback
Eggs in Tomatoes Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond
22:26 Nov 17 2016
Times Read: 404
Total Time:
25 min
Prep:
10 min
Cook:
15 min
Yield:4 to 6 servings
Level:Easy
Ree's Eggs in Tomatoes recipe is a quick and healthy five-ingredient meal.
Ingredients
6 slices rustic bread
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing and drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 10-ounce container mushrooms, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
Red pepper flakes, as needed
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
6 large eggs
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the bread with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until nicely toasted on both sides.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, peppers and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are just starting to brown, a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add some water if it is too thick.
Using a large metal spoon or ladle, form 6 evenly spaced divots. Crack an egg into each space and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until the eggs are cooked to your liking.
Spoon some sauce over each slice of bread and top with an egg. Drizzle with olive oil.
Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/eggs-in-tomatoes.html?oc=linkback
Ricotta Cheesecake with Warmed Cherries From Food Network Kitchens
21:18 Nov 17 2016
Times Read: 408
This dessert is elegant and more restrained than a classic cheesecake. We love the unfussiness of baking cheesecake in a loaf pan without sacrificing its silky texture. The warm cherries are the ideal foil for this cool cake.
Ricotta Cheesecake with Warmed Cherries
Total Time:
3 hr 5 min
Prep:
15 min
Inactive:
2 hr
Cook:
50 min
Yield:8 servings
Level:Intermediate
Ingredients
Cheesecake:
Butter or oil for pan
1 pound whole milk ricotta
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs,
2 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch fine salt
2 1/2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (about1 1/2 lemons)
Cherries:
1 (12-ounce) bag frozen dark sweet cherries
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch fine salt
2 tablespoons golden rum
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions
Cheesecake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter or oil a 4-cup glass loaf pan. Line the bottom and ends of the pan with a long piece of parchment paper.
Blend the ricotta, milk, sour cream, eggs, yolks, sugar, flour, salt and lemon zest in the blender or food processor, until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour into the prepared loaf pan. Bake until just set and barely golden, about 40 minutes. Turn the oven off and let cool in the oven for 10 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Cherries: Toss the cherries, sugar and salt in a bowl and set aside for 30 minutes. Cook cherry mixture over medium-high heat until they soften and the juice gets syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the rum and lemon juice.
Lift cheesecake out of the pan by the paper and transfer to a cutting board. Slice into serving pieces and place on a platter. Spoon the warm or room temperature cherries on top. Serve.
Copyright (c) 2007 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved.
From Food Network Kitchens
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ricotta-cheesecake-with-warmed-cherries-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten
20:55 Nov 17 2016
Times Read: 411
Total Time:
1 hr 30 min
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
1 hr 15 min
Yield:6 to 8 servings
Level:Easy
Here's one side dish that just might steal the spotlight from the turkey.
Ingredients
16 extra-large white mushrooms
5 tablespoons good olive oil, divided
2 1/2 tablespoons Marsala wine or medium sherry
3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casings
6 scallions, white and green parts, minced
2 garlic cloves minced
2/3 cup panko crumbs
5 ounces mascarpone cheese, preferably from Italy
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop them finely. Set aside. Place the mushroom caps in a shallow bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and Marsala. Set aside.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, crumbling it with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it's completely browned. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in the scallions and garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the panko crumbs, stirring to combine evenly with all the other ingredients. Finally, swirl in the mascarpone and continue cooking until the mascarpone has melted and made the sausage mixture creamy. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste, Cool slightly.
Fill each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture. Arrange the mushrooms in a baking dish large enough to hold all the mushrooms in a snug single layer. Bake until the stuffing for 50 minutes, until the stuffing is browned and crusty.
2009, Ina Garten, All Rights Reserved
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/sausage-stuffed-mushrooms-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Cinnamon-Roll Pie Crust Kick your holiday pie up a notch ERIN MCDOWELL
20:52 Nov 17 2016
Times Read: 412
We’re fans of store-bought pie crust. It’s convenient, it tastes good and, most important, it can be turned into the greatest creation of all time: cinnamon-roll pie crust. It’s the perfect base for your favorite apple or pumpkin pie recipe. Plus, that gorgeous spiral pattern will have friends and family thinking you spent all day making it, when it really took just 20 minutes.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE CRUSTSTART TO FINISH: 20 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS
1 package pie crust
4 tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie crust a few times to even it out to about ½-inch thickness.
2. In a small bowl, mix the butter with the sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract to combine. Spoon the mixture into the center of the crust. Use a spatula to spread it evenly over the entire crust.
3. Starting with the side closest to you, roll the crust into a tight spiral. Cut the finished spiral into ½-inch-thick pieces.
4. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll each piece into a ¼-inch-thick round. Place the pieces in a pie plate, overlapping them slightly and pressing to seal. (If the pieces aren’t sticking together well, use a little water to help “glue” them.)
5. Continue placing rounds of dough in the pie plate until the entire plate is full; trim any excess hanging over the edge. Use the tines of a fork to press indentations all around the edge. Chill the crust well before filling and baking, and bake according to your preferred pie recipe.
Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond20:49 Nov 17 2016
Times Read: 413
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Total Time:
55 min
Prep:
10 min
Cook:
45 min
Yield:12 servings
Level:Easy
Ree's Creamy Mashed Potatoes (00:38)
Ree Drummond shares a mashed potato recipe she hopes will cream Bobby Flay.
Ingredients
5 pounds Yukon gold or russet potatoes
1 1/2 sticks softened butter, plus more for baking
1 1/2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Milk, if needed, for thinning
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Peel the potatoes and rinse them in cold water. Chop the potatoes in fourths. Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
Drain the potatoes, and then return them to the pan. With the burner on low heat, mash the potatoes with a potato masher; the more steam that's released while you mash, the better. Mash for about 5 minutes. Turn off the burner.
Add the butter, cream cheese, half-and-half, and seasonings. Stir to combine, and if the mixture needs thinning, add milk. Check the seasonings, adding salt and pepper, to taste.
Pour the mashed potatoes into a large casserole pan. Dot the surface with butter. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 10 more minutes. Serve immediately.
Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/creamy-mashed-potatoes-recipe0.html?oc=linkback
Oyster Stuffing Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen20:46 Nov 17 2016
Times Read: 414
Oyster Stuffing
Total Time:
2 hr 10 min
Prep:
1 hr
Inactive:
10 min
Cook:
1 hr
Yield:about 4 to 6 side dish serving
Level:Easy
Ingredients
20 oysters, shucked, plus their liquor (See Cook's Note)
3 cups coarsely crumbled cornbread, recipe follows
3 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium shallots, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks (with leaves), thinly sliced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoon white dry vermouth
Cornbread for Stuffing:
1 cup stone-ground cornmeal
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, plus more for the brushing the pan
Directions
Put the oysters in a strainer over a medium bowl to catch their liquor. Reserve 3/4 cup of the oyster liquor. In a large bowl, combine the crumbled cornbread and oysters.
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the bacon and cook for 1 minute. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
Melt 1/2 cup of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the foaming subsides, add the bacon, shallot, celery, salt, and season with pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the parsley, thyme, reserved oyster liquor, and vermouth and bring to a boil. Transfer the shallot-herb mixture to the cornbread and oysters and stir to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Transfer the cornbread mixture to a buttered 1-quart gratin dish, dot with the remaining butter, and bake until browned and crusty, about 1 hour.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Cook's Note: Try to find already shucked oysters in their liquor (juice) in small plastic tubs at your local supermarket or seafood monger.
Cornbread for Stuffing:
Butter a 3 1/4 x 5 3/4 x 2-inch loaf pan. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and combine with the milk. Pour the milk mixture into the cornmeal mixture and mix lightly with a rubber spatula until a thick batter is formed. Stir in the melted butter until just incorporated.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool.
Yield: 1 small loaf of cornbread
Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved
From Food Network Kitchens
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/oyster-stuffing-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Thanksgiving Wine Pairings: Drink American By Stevie Stacionis, Wine Blogger20:44 Nov 17 2016
Times Read: 415
Thanksgiving: Ohh, sweet, delectable Turkey Day. I'm obsessed with this ultimate feast and the ever-swelling gathering of family and friends crammed into a too-tiny, hectic and utterly delicious-smelling kitchen. I adore the sight of hands everywhere eager to help prepare, stories being shared and everyone sitting down together to a veritable smorgasbord. And while this uniquely American holiday's history has given us a fairly good idea of what to eat, the question of what to drink is perhaps not so easily answered.
To start, let's get one thing out of the way: There's not a "right" or a "wrong" wine to slug with your stuffing — but there are wines that just might be more likely send you to sensory elation. So, where to start?
One of the most relied-upon "rules" of wine and food pairing is "If it grows together, it goes together." The idea is that wines and foods naturally evolved together as a whole regional cuisine. For example, you'd be more likely to find lots of fresh, crisp whites in a warmer-climate area adjacent to the sea than you'd be to find huge, dark, spicy reds (the former wines pair better with seafood than the latter). The concept isn't as easy to apply in modern-day America, but you can still relish the uniquely American spirit of Thanksgiving by drinking American wines. And my, oh my, do we have some good ones to choose from!
If it's a red you're after, I'd bet most heavily on a Pinot Noir. Lighter in body and softer on the palate than something like a Cabernet or a Merlot, California Pinot Noir's plush, easy berry fruit is just the right match for poultry and all your T-Day fixins. Pinot Noir from Oregon is also stellar — I find it has a touch more earthiness and a little less forward, juicy fruit than its sisters further south.
For whites, a fuller-bodied wine will stand up nicely to the rich dishes on your dining room table. A great California Chardonnay with a bit of toasty oak in it definitely fits the bill with its round mouthfeel and slight creaminess, which just begs for some buttery mashed potatoes and gravy. If you’re not a die-hard fan and usually dislike Chardonnay, ask your wine merchant for one that's un-oaked, which will allow more bright, appley and citrusy fruit to shine through while the grape's full body will still satisfy.
Alternatively, a wonderfully aromatic, lighter-bodied white with pronounced notes of fruit and flowers can act as an excellent contrast to the many savory, substantial foods of Thanksgiving. Washington state produces some excellent Rieslings (both dry and sweet, though I'd vote for dry and save sweet for pairing with pie), and the grape's naturally high acidity cuts nicely through the richness of the food. Gewurztraminer is another favorite: Highly aromatic with a touch of warm spice, the best ones are coming out of cooler-weather areas like Washington and Oregon. On the East Coast, look for any of the aforementioned grapes coming out of the Finger Lakes region of New York.
In the end, Thanksgiving is about celebrating our blessings. So whatever beverage ends up on your table, raise your glass and toast to the good things!
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/thanksgiving-wine-pairings-drink-american.html?oc=linkback
Wherefore Turkey? How poultry made its way onto the holiday menu By Michelle Tsai20:39 Nov 17 2016
Times Read: 417
Turkey dinner.
Turkey is a mainstay of the Thanksgiving dinner. But it's not necessarily the best-tasting beast around, nor the cheapest. So how did turkey come to monopolize the holiday? In a 2007 article reprinted below, Michelle Tsai explained.
On Thanksgiving, most of us will sit down to feast on a turkey dinner. The bird also shows up on the table at Christmas. How did we end up with the tradition of eating turkeys during the holidays?
They were fresh, affordable, and big enough to feed a crowd. Americans have long preferred large poultry for celebrations because the birds could be slaughtered without a huge economic sacrifice. Cows were more useful alive than dead, and commercial beef wasn't widely available until the late 19th century. Chicken was more highly regarded than it is today, but rooster meat was tough, and hens were valuable as long as they laid eggs. Venison would have been another option, especially during the 17th and 18th centuries, though it would have required you to hunt for your Thanksgiving meal. There was plenty of ham or brined pork around, but it wasn't considered fit for special occasions. Eating turkey was also in keeping with British holiday customs that had been imported to the New World.
Among the big birds, turkey was ideal for a fall feast. Turkeys born in the spring would spend about seven months eating insects and worms on the farm, growing to about 10 pounds by Thanksgiving. They were cheaper than geese, which were more difficult to raise, and cheaper by the pound than chickens. Cost was an important factor for holiday shoppers, because people weren't necessarily preparing just one meal; Thanksgiving was the time to bake meat and other types of pies that could last through the winter. Harriet Beecher Stowe, in Old-Town Folks, described making fruit pies at Thanksgiving "by forties and fifties and hundreds, and made of everything on the earth and under the earth." (The British once served geese, swans, and even peacocks on special occasions, but they came to prefer turkey after it was first introduced to England in about 1540. Swans, because of their diet, would taste fishy unless they were fed wheat for weeks before slaughter.)
By 1863, when Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday, turkeys had taken center stage at Thanksgiving. (Americans had started holding unofficial Thanksgiving dinners in the previous century.) And while the bird had already been associated with Christmas, the turkey also gained iconic status as a yuletide meal around the same time. The classic menu of turkey with gravy, stuffing, and plum pudding was popularized by Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, published in 1843 and widely read in the United States. Some culinary historians believe Scrooge's gift of a Christmas turkey to the Cratchit family helped cement the turkey's place at the center of the holiday meal for both modest and affluent households. Among the wealthy, however, this changed around the turn of the 20th century as the birds became associated with the working class and poor immigrants, who often received turkeys from charities during the holidays. Americans continued to serve Thanksgiving turkey, but at Christmas, those who could afford it turned to game and beef.
Thanksgiving dinner From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
20:37 Nov 17 2016
Times Read: 418
(Almost Traditional) Thanksgiving Dinner
The centerpiece of Thanksgiving in the United States and Canada is a large meal, generally centered on a large roasted turkey which is only enjoyed once per year. The majority of the dishes in the traditional American version of Thanksgiving dinner are made from foods native to the New World, as according to tradition Americans celebrate in rememberence of the Pilgrims surviving on these foods in harsh conditions and against all odds in the new world.[1]
Contents [hide]
1 Historical menus
2 Turkey
3 Alternatives to turkey
4 Side dishes
5 Beverages
6 References
Historical menus
1943 Thanksgiving Day dinner menu from USS Wake Island (CVE-65)
According to what traditionally is known as "The First Thanksgiving," the 1621 feast between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag at Plymouth Colony contained peppermint, turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, salad, pasta, rolls, and pumpkin pie. William Bradford noted that, "besides waterfowl, there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many."[2] Many of the foods that were included in the first feast (except, notably, the seafood) have since gone on to become staples of the modern Thanksgiving dinner. Early feasts of the Order of Good Cheer, a French Canadian predecessor to the modern Thanksgiving, featured a potluck dinner with freshly-hunted fowl, game, and fish, hunted and shared by both French Canadians and local natives.
The use of the turkey in the USA for Thanksgiving precedes Lincoln's nationalization of the holiday in 1863. Alexander Hamilton proclaimed that no "Citizen of the United States should refrain from turkey on Thanksgiving Day," and many of the Founding Fathers (particularly Benjamin Franklin) had high regard for the wild turkey as an American icon, but turkey was uncommon as Thanksgiving fare until after 1800. By 1857, turkey had become part of the traditional dinner in New England.[3]
A Thanksgiving Day dinner served to the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935 included: pickles, green olives, celery, roast turkey, oyster stew, cranberry sauce, giblet gravy, dressing, creamed asparagus tips, snowflake potatoes, baked carrots, hot rolls, fruit salad, mince meat pie, fruit cake, candies, grapes, apples, clams, fish, and many other food harvests. French drip coffee, cigars and cigarettes.[4]
The White House Cook Book, 1887, by Mrs. F.L. Gillette, et al., had the following menu: oysters on half shell, cream of chicken soup, fried smelts, sauce tartare, roast turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, baked squash, boiled onions, parsnip fritters, olives, chicken salad, venison pastry, pumpkin pie, mince pie, Charlotte russe, almond ice cream, lemon jelly, hickory nut cake, cheese, fruits and coffee.[5]
Turkey[edit]
Oven roasted turkey
Turkey is the most common main dish of a Thanksgiving dinner, to the point where Thanksgiving is sometimes colloquially called “Turkey Day.” In 2006, American turkey growers were expected to raise 270 million turkeys, to be processed into five billion pounds of turkey meat valued at almost $8 billion, with one third of all turkey consumption occurring in the Thanksgiving-Christmas season, and a per capita consumption of almost 18 pounds (8.2 kg).[6] The Broad Breasted White turkey is particularly bred for Thanksgiving dinner and similar large feasts; its large size (specimens can grow to over 40 pounds) and meat content make it ideal for such situations, although the breed must be artificially bred and suffers from health problems due to its size.
Most Thanksgiving turkeys are stuffed with a bread-based mixture and roasted. Sage is the traditional herb added to the stuffing (also called dressing if NOT cooked inside the bird), along with chopped celery, carrots, and onions. Other ingredients, such as chopped chestnuts or other tree nuts, crumbled sausage or bacon, cranberries, raisins, or apples, may be added to stuffing. Deep-fried turkey is rising in popularity due to its shorter preparation time, but carries safety risks.
The consumption of turkey on Thanksgiving is so ingrained in American culture that each year since 1947, the National Turkey Federation has presented a live turkey to the President of the United States prior to each Thanksgiving. These turkeys were initially slaughtered and eaten for the President's Thanksgiving dinner; since 1989, the presented turkeys have typically been given a mock "pardon" to great fanfare and sent to a park to live out the rest of their usually short natural lives.
Alternatives to turkey[edit]
Non-traditional foods other than turkey are sometimes served as the main dish for a Thanksgiving dinner. Ham is often served alongside turkey in many non-traditional households. Goose and duck, foods which were traditional European centerpieces of Christmas dinners before being displaced, are now sometimes served in place of the Thanksgiving turkey. Sometimes, fowl native to the region where the meal is taking place is used; for example, an article in Texas Monthly magazine suggested quail as the main dish for a Texan Thanksgiving feast. John Madden, who appeared on television for the NFL Thanksgiving Day game from 1981 to 2001, frequently advocated his fondness for the turducken, deboned turkey, duck and chicken nested inside each other then cooked.[7] In a few areas of the West Coast of the United States, Dungeness crab is common as an alternate main dish, as crab season starts in early November. Similarly, Thanksgiving falls within deer hunting season in the Northeastern United States, which encourages the use of venison as a centerpiece. Sometimes a variant recipe for cooking turkey is used; for example, a Chinese recipe for goose could be used on the similarly-sized American bird. Vegetarians or vegans may have a tofu-based substitute; a Field Roast, which is a wheat-based product; or a special seasonal dish, such as stuffed squash. In Alaskan villages, whale meat is sometimes eaten.[1] Irish immigrants have been known to have prime rib of beef as their centerpiece since beef in Ireland was once a rarity; families would save up money for this dish to signify newfound prosperity and hope.
In the United States, a globalist approach to Thanksgiving has become common with the impact of immigration. Basic "Thanksgiving" ingredients, or the intent of the holiday, can be transformed to a variety of dishes by using flavors, techniques, and traditions from their own cuisines. Others celebrate the holiday with a variety of dishes particularly when there is a crowd to be fed, guest's tastes vary and considering the financial means available.[8][9][10]
Side dishes[edit]
A Thanksgiving meal in New England
Green bean casserole
Many offerings are typically served alongside the main dish—so many that, because of the amount of food, the Thanksgiving meal is sometimes served midday or early afternoon to make time for all the eating, and preparation may begin at dawn or on days prior. Copious leftovers are also common following the meal proper.
Traditional Thanksgiving foods are sometimes specific to the day, and although some of the foods might be seen at any semi-formal meal in the United States, the meal often has something of a ritual or traditional quality. Many Americans would say it is "incomplete" without cranberry sauce; stuffing or dressing; and mashed potatoes and gravy. Other commonly served dishes include winter squash and sweet potatoes, usually candied and sometimes served topped with marshmallows. Fresh, canned, or frozen corn is popular and green beans, often served as green bean casserole are frequently served. A fresh salad may be included, especially on the West Coast. Bread rolls or biscuits and cornbread, especially in the South and parts of New England, are served. For dessert, various pies are usually served, particularly pumpkin pie, though apple pie, mincemeat pie, sweet potato pie, and pecan pie are often served as well.
There are also regional differences as to the stuffing or dressing traditionally served with the turkey. The traditional version has bread cubes, sage, onion and celery. Southerners generally make their dressing from cornbread, while those in other parts of the country make stuffing from white, wheat or rye bread as the base. One or several of the following may be added to the dressing/stuffing: oysters, apples, chestnuts, raisins, and sausages or the turkey's giblets.
Other dishes reflect the region or cultural background of those who have come together for the meal. For example, Sauerkraut (among those in the Mid-Atlantic; especially Baltimore, is sometimes served. Many African Americans and Southerners serve baked macaroni and cheese and collard greens, along with chitterlings and sweet potato pie, while some Italian-Americans often have lasagne on the table and Ashkenazi Jews may serve noodle kugel, a sweet dessert pudding. Other Jewish families may consume foods commonly associated with Hanukkah, such as latkes or a sufganiyah; the two holidays are usually in close proximity and on extremely rare occasions overlap.[11] It is not unheard of for Mexican Americans to serve their turkey with mole and roasted corn. In Puerto Rico, the Thanksgiving meal is completed with arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas) or arroz con maiz (rice with corn), pasteles (root tamales) stuffed with turkey, pumpkin-coconut crème caramel, corn bread with longaniza, potato salad, roasted white sweet potatoes and Spanish sparkling hard cider. Turkey in Puerto Rico is stuffed with mofongo.[citation needed] Cuban-Americans traditionally serve the turkey alongside a small roasted pork and include white rice and black beans or kidney beans. Vegetarians or vegans have been known to serve alternative entree centerpieces such as a large vegetable pie or a stuffed and baked pumpkin or tofu substitutes. Many Midwesterners (such as Minnesotans) of Norwegian or Scandinavian descent set the table with lefse.[citation needed]
Beverages
The beverages at Thanksgiving can vary as much as the side dishes, often depending on who is present at the table and their tastes. Spirits or cocktails sometimes may be served before the main meal. On the dinner table, unfermented apple cider (still or sparkling) or wine are often served. Pitchers of sweet tea can often be found on Southern tables. Beaujolais nouveau is sometimes served, and the beverage has been marketed as a Thanksgiving drink since the producers of the wine (which is made available only for a short window each year) set the annual release date to be one week before Thanksgiving beginning in 1985.
References[edit]
THANKSGIVING AT PLYMOUTH
20:34 Nov 17 2016
Times Read: 419
In September 1620, a small ship called the Mayflower left Plymouth, England, carrying 102 passengers—an assortment of religious separatists seeking a new home where they could freely practice their faith and other individuals lured by the promise of prosperity and land ownership in the New World. After a treacherous and uncomfortable crossing that lasted 66 days, they dropped anchor near the tip of Cape Cod, far north of their intended destination at the mouth of the Hudson River. One month later, the Mayflower crossed Massachusetts Bay, where the Pilgrims, as they are now commonly known, began the work of establishing a village at Plymouth.
Did You Know?
Lobster, seal and swans were on the Pilgrims' menu.
Throughout that first brutal winter, most of the colonists remained on board the ship, where they suffered from exposure, scurvy and outbreaks of contagious disease. Only half of the Mayflower’s original passengers and crew lived to see their first New England spring. In March, the remaining settlers moved ashore, where they received an astonishing visit from an Abenaki Indian who greeted them in English. Several days later, he returned with another Native American, Squanto, a member of the Pawtuxet tribe who had been kidnapped by an English sea captain and sold into slavery before escaping to London and returning to his homeland on an exploratory expedition. Squanto taught the Pilgrims, weakened by malnutrition and illness, how to cultivate corn, extract sap from maple trees, catch fish in the rivers and avoid poisonous plants. He also helped the settlers forge an alliance with the Wampanoag, a local tribe, which would endure for more than 50 years and tragically remains one of the sole examples of harmony between European colonists and Native Americans.
In November 1621, after the Pilgrims’ first corn harvest proved successful, Governor William Bradford organized a celebratory feast and invited a group of the fledgling colony’s Native American allies, including the Wampanoag chief Massasoit. Now remembered as American’s “first Thanksgiving”—although the Pilgrims themselves may not have used the term at the time—the festival lasted for three days. While no record exists of the historic banquet’s exact menu, the Pilgrim chronicler Edward Winslow wrote in his journal that Governor Bradford sent four men on a “fowling” mission in preparation for the event, and that the Wampanoag guests arrived bearing five deer. Historians have suggested that many of the dishes were likely prepared using traditional Native American spices and cooking methods. Because the Pilgrims had no oven and the Mayflower’s sugar supply had dwindled by the fall of 1621, the meal did not feature pies, cakes or other desserts, which have become a hallmark of contemporary celebrations.
THANKSGIVING BECOMES AN OFFICIAL HOLIDAY
Pilgrims held their second Thanksgiving celebration in 1623 to mark the end of a long drought that had threatened the year’s harvest and prompted Governor Bradford to call for a religious fast. Days of fasting and thanksgiving on an annual or occasional basis became common practice in other New England settlements as well. During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress designated one or more days of thanksgiving a year, and in 1789 George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation by the national government of the United States; in it, he called upon Americans to express their gratitude for the happy conclusion to the country’s war of independence and the successful ratification of the U.S. Constitution. His successors John Adams and James Madison also designated days of thanks during their presidencies.
In 1817, New York became the first of several states to officially adopt an annual Thanksgiving holiday; each celebrated it on a different day, however, and the American South remained largely unfamiliar with the tradition. In 1827, the noted magazine editor and prolific writer Sarah Josepha Hale—author, among countless other things, of the nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb”—launched a campaign to establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday. For 36 years, she published numerous editorials and sent scores of letters to governors, senators, presidents and other politicians. Abraham Lincoln finally heeded her request in 1863, at the height of the Civil War, in a proclamation entreating all Americans to ask God to “commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife” and to “heal the wounds of the nation.” He scheduled Thanksgiving for the final Thursday in November, and it was celebrated on that day every year until 1939, when Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday up a week in an attempt to spur retail sales during the Great Depression. Roosevelt’s plan, known derisively as Franksgiving, was met with passionate opposition, and in 1941 the president reluctantly signed a bill making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November.
THANKSGIVING TRADITIONS
In many American households, the Thanksgiving celebration has lost much of its original religious significance; instead, it now centers on cooking and sharing a bountiful meal with family and friends. Turkey, a Thanksgiving staple so ubiquitous it has become all but synonymous with the holiday, may or may not have been on offer when the Pilgrims hosted the inaugural feast in 1621. Today, however, nearly 90 percent of Americans eat the bird—whether roasted, baked or deep-fried—on Thanksgiving, according to the National Turkey Federation. Other traditional foods include stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Volunteering is a common Thanksgiving Day activity, and communities often hold food drives and host free dinners for the less fortunate.
Parades have also become an integral part of the holiday in cities and towns across the United States. Presented by Macy’s department store since 1924, New York City’s Thanksgiving Day parade is the largest and most famous, attracting some 2 to 3 million spectators along its 2.5-mile route and drawing an enormous television audience. It typically features marching bands, performers, elaborate floats conveying various celebrities and giant balloons shaped like cartoon characters.
Beginning in the mid-20th century and perhaps even earlier, the president of the United States has “pardoned” one or two Thanksgiving turkeys each year, sparing the birds from slaughter and sending them to a farm for retirement. A number of U.S. governors also perform the annual turkey pardoning ritual.
THANKSGIVING CONTROVERSIES
For some scholars, the jury is still out on whether the feast at Plymouth really constituted the first Thanksgiving in the United States. Indeed, historians have recorded other ceremonies of thanks among European settlers in North America that predate the Pilgrims’ celebration. In 1565, for instance, the Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilé invited members of the local Timucua tribe to a dinner in St. Augustine, Florida, after holding a mass to thank God for his crew’s safe arrival. On December 4, 1619, when 38 British settlers reached a site known as Berkeley Hundred on the banks of Virginia’s James River, they read a proclamation designating the date as “a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.”
Some Native Americans and others take issue with how the Thanksgiving story is presented to the American public, and especially to schoolchildren. In their view, the traditional narrative paints a deceptively sunny portrait of relations between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people, masking the long and bloody history of conflict between Native Americans and European settlers that resulted in the deaths of millions. Since 1970, protesters have gathered on the day designated as Thanksgiving at the top of Cole’s Hill, which overlooks Plymouth Rock, to commemorate a “National Day of Mourning.” Similar events are held in other parts of the country.
THANKSGIVING’S ANCIENT ORIGINS
Although the American concept of Thanksgiving developed in the colonies of New England, its roots can be traced back to the other side of the Atlantic. Both the Separatists who came over on the Mayflower and the Puritans who arrived soon after brought with them a tradition of providential holidays—days of fasting during difficult or pivotal moments and days of feasting and celebration to thank God in times of plenty.
As an annual celebration of the harvest and its bounty, moreover, Thanksgiving falls under a category of festivals that spans cultures, continents and millennia. In ancient times, the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans feasted and paid tribute to their gods after the fall harvest. Thanksgiving also bears a resemblance to the ancient Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot. Finally, historians have noted that Native Americans had a rich tradition of commemorating the fall harvest with feasting and merrymaking long before Europeans set foot on their shores.
SUSSEX POND PUDDING...20:16 Nov 17 2016
Times Read: 420
Boiled puddings, like this one, were once known as "conceited" dishes, a reference to their ingenious and fanciful construction. Called "pond pudding" for the pool of sauce that leaks out when it's cut, this old-fashioned dessert was invented in East Sussex in the 17th century.
SERVES 4-6
Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1⁄2 cup shredded fresh beef suet (see Skinny On Suet)
1⁄2 cup milk
12 tbsp. salted butter, cut into small pieces
1 1⁄2 cups dark brown sugar
3 small lemons
Instructions
Sift flour and baking powder together into a large bowl. Add suet, milk, and 1⁄2 cup water, and stir with a wooden spoon until dough holds together. Shape about a third of the dough into a ball; shape remaining dough into a larger ball; wrap both in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Grease a 5-cup ovenproof bowl or pudding basin. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out larger ball into a 12" round, then ease into bowl, pressing to fit snugly. Place half the butter and half the sugar in the lined bowl.
Pierce unpeeled lemons all over with a skewer (incisions must go all the way through) and place on top of butter mixture. Top with remaining butter and sugar.
On a floured work surface, roll out remaining dough into a 7" round and place on top of filling. Dampen edges with water and pinch crust together with your fingers to seal. Cover loosely with a 9" piece of aluminum foil (allowing room for pudding to expand) and tie in place with kitchen string.
Place bowl in a large pot. Add enough water to come halfway up side of bowl. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 3 hours. Remove bowl from pot, cool slightly, then remove foil. Invert pudding onto a platter. To serve, spoon into bowls (lemon will be soft enough to cut through).
BANOFFEE PIE.... Unbelievably delicious! 20:13 Nov 17 2016
Times Read: 422
An irresistible British dessert, banoffee pie has its share of fanatics on this side of the pond, too. Banana slices, sticky toffee, and whipped cream are arranged in layers over a cookie-like crust, resulting in a dense, cool treat.
An irresistible British dessert, banoffee pie has its share of fanatics on this side of the pond, too. Banana slices, sticky toffee, and whipped cream are arranged in layers over a cookie-like crust, resulting in a dense, cool treat.
An irresistible British dessert, banoffee pie has its share of fanatics on this side of the pond, too. Banana slices, sticky toffee, and whipped cream are arranged in layers over a cookie-like crust, resulting in a dense, cool treat. Using crushed digestive biscuits and unsweetened whipped cream keeps it from being too sweet.
SERVES 8
For the Pie Crust
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 (10-oz.) package of digestive biscuits, such as McVities brand
For the Filling
1 stick unsalted butter
1⁄2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 (14-oz.) can condensed milk, such as Carnation brand
4 bananas
1 pint heavy cream
Grated chocolate
Instructions
Make the crumb crust: Crush the digestive biscuits in a food processor until you get a fine crumb texture. Transfer to a bowl and stir in melted butter. Press into a 9"-diameter tart base with a removable bottom. Press the mixture up the sides of the tart form with the back of a spoon. Chill the crust in refrigerator for at least one hour.
Make the toffee: Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the brown sugar and melt over low heat. Add the condensed milk and bring the mixture to a boil for a few minutes, stirring continuously. The toffee should darken slightly. Pour the filling into the crust. Cool and chill again for at least one hour until the caramel is firm.
To serve, remove the tart from the pan and carefully transfer to a serving plate. Slice the bananas and place them in a single layer on top of the caramel. Whip the cream and spoon it over the toffee and bananas, sealing the filling in. Sprinkle the top of the pie with grated chocolate.
YES PLEASE!
Become "Connected to your Spiritual Families"...15:33 Nov 10 2016
Times Read: 442
Being connected expands your gifts, brings you blessings and helps when you feel you can do nothing else...
This is what I do...
Often times, when I see someone in need or feel compelled about someone online, I do what I can on the spot... but I will often write their name or description of them and where I saw them, down on a piece of paper... place them in a bowl on my altar, and when I do nightly ritual, ask for favor and special gifts to be brought to them. Let's face it... People carry burdens all the time that never see the light of day. They "suffer in silence"...
This way, they are thought of and intentions are given until that bowl is full, and then I retire them into a special box...Once a year at Yule, I pray for them again. One can never have too many blessings...
We are all "in this together" in this great world of life... and this allows me to do what I can even when I am unable to do anything else...
It also gives me a sense of being connected to the world around me.
We are never alone in any situation when we have spiritual families...
I am blessed to have this in my life...
Thank you all for being a part of mine...
Lady Morganna
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