Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. It's Thanksgiving week in the US of A so let's talk turkey. And by turkey I mean the elephant in the room because it's still 2020 and our blogs are a record of sorts of the times in which we live. 

Do you live in a state that's instituted restrictions on the size of gatherings in your own home? What do we think about this? 

I'm appalled by a lot of what we see happening in our country. What I think about restrictions ... I'm so sorry for everyone affected by them.

We will be having our usual Thanksgiving celebration this year. We have quite a few years under our belt, of doing Thanksgiving alone. (Leaving the Amish affected everything.) The first few years were the hardest, but we've come to fully enjoy our holidays with only our family.

My heartfelt sympathy to everyone who is struggling this year with a changed celebration.

2. Let's move in a cheerier direction. Will there be corn on your holiday dinner menu? How so? Cornbread-corn pudding-corn chips and dip-cornbread dressing/stuffing-corn chowder-or regular canned, frozen or fresh corn in a bowl...which of the 'corns’ listed is your favorite? 

There will be corn on our Thanksgiving menu. We'll be making a Confetti Corn Casserole as one of the sides. 

I like corn in every way on that list except corn pudding. I've never had that, but now I'm intrigued.

3. What is there a cornucopia of in your home, job, or life currently? 

Currently ... food. I'll be baking pie today. Everyone seems to have a different favorite pie. It's Thanksgiving so I'm going ahead and making that everyone gets to enjoy a piece of their favorite pie, even if it means baking a slightly ridiculous number of pie.

4. Have you ever quit something (such as a habit, a food, a time-sucker, a relationship) cold turkey? Is there something you need to quit cold turkey? 

I used to be in many circle letters, and enjoyed them thoroughly. I quit all of them cold turkey fourteen years ago.

5. Share a favorite verse, quote, saying, or song lyric relating to gratitude. 

There is calmness and a quiet joy to a life lived in gratitude. ~ Quote

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I have a busy day ahead of me with Thanksgiving food prep. The ankle I had broken over twenty years ago is protesting quite vehemently. I'm thinking some interesting weather may be on the way, but in the meantime I'm hoping I'll still be able to accomplish everything I had planned for the day.

Thanksgiving Chili

    Thanksgiving Chili ... or you could rename. We won't be having it on Thanksgiving, but I'm guessing the ingredients reminded someone of the holiday, hence the name.

    Some of us were a bit skeptical about this chili when we saw the ingredients, but we all loved it. So flavorful. It's a definite keeper and has already been made several times.

    I had a few readers ask for the recipe, so here it is.

    Thanksgiving Chili

½ lb. ground turkey

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped sweet bell pepper (we used red and orange)

14½ oz can diced tomatoes

15 oz can pumpkin

15½ oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

½ cup water
½ cup medium salsa
2 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp. cumin
14½ oz can chicken broth

    In a large pot saute turkey, onions, and bell peppers until turkey is browned. Mix in tomatoes, pumpkin, beans, water, salsa, and seasonings. Give a quick stir and then add the broth. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for twenty minutes. Stir occasionally.

For a vegetarian option omit the turkey, and substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth.

Post-it Thoughts

Currently

 Reading ... Psalms in the Bible, because, well because I love it so much. Comfort, hope, peace, praise, and worship all bundled up in one. The Psalms have been my go to for quite a few years already when ever I needed the aforementioned comfort, hope, peace, praise, and worship.

    Broken Roads by Ira Wagler. I had loved his first book, still do, and had been excited when I heard he is releasing a second book. I really tried to love it as much as his first book. Gave it my best effort, but I simply didn't like it as well.  I feel bad for feeling that way. I know how much time and effort goes into writing a book. I know how it feels to pour part of yourself onto those pages. I know how it feels to release a book and hope people will be kind to it. I still enjoy his writing style. I appreciate how authentic and honestly he wrote, but unfortunately it is not a book that will find a spot in the big book cupboard in our living room.

Watching ... Sharon, Steven, and I have been watching an episode of Andy Griffith over lunch time for the past few weeks now. 

Listening ... to instrumental music. My taste in music is eclectic, but when it comes to the music I listen to while writing, I find instrumental is my best option. Piano Orchestra Covers have been my go to lately.

Wearing ... A rose colored dress ... not my favorite color by a long shot. And fuzzy socks. We don't have the furnace running, so the floor is on the cold side. Fuzzy socks to the rescue.

Baking ... more pie. I had made a banana cream pie earlier this week, and want to bake a few other pie this afternoon.

Cooking ... Rosie Mae came home from work early yesterday and cooked supper for us. She loves to take over the kitchen when ever she has a chance. She made a Thanksgiving chili and cornbread. I was a bit skeptical about the chili after I heard the ingredients, but it was absolutely delicious and we'll be making it again. Who knew a chili containing pumpkin and turkey could be so fabulous?!

Playing ... Steven loves, loves, loves games. We played a variety of games so far this week. My favorite being Sleeping Queens. It's fast, relatively easy to learn, and fun for all ages. A combination a lot of games can't boast of.

Wishing ... I'd like bare trees, gray skies, and brown landscapes a little better than I do. 

Crafting ... I have a pile of supplies setting on the little table in our school room waiting to be used. Somehow mornings keep turning to night without the supplies turning into the fun projects I had intended them for.

Cleaning ... with it being warmer again today I want to wash the outside of all the windows before cold weather sets in to stay for months.