Hello Dear Reader,
We are entering what I like to call “The Headrush Holiday Trifecta” — that is, for all my American readers. With three major holidays (not including Hannukah or Kwanza) all within weeks of each other, this time of year can be pretty chaotic and challenging. Kudos to Canada for having their Thanksgiving in October. All the preparations that come into place, the decisions that need to be made, the things that have to be bought can become quite overwhelming. Sometimes, it just makes me want to go into a corner and hide. With all the craziness, sometimes we forget what each of these holidays represent – at least, I know I forget.
As we kick off into this busy portion of the year, I thought that I could try and help with at least one of those things. That’s also the reason why this month’s newsletter is coming a week early! (Also, surprise, surprise, you can expect next month’s newsletter earlier, too.)
In some cases, the worst part of this season is just having to come up with new ideas, new recipes, or new games. It’s exhausting. Don’t get me wrong, it can be a lot of fun, especially if you’re an extroverted type of person. But nevertheless, we need help every once in a while. So here you’ll find my take on a “Bookish Thanksgiving!”
KNEE SLAPPER THURSDAY
VERSE OF THE MONTH
“And you will say in that day: ‘Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.’”
Isaiah 12:4-5 ESV
SERVINA
In November, we’re celebrating ONE YEAR since “Servina, The Friendly Dog” has been released!
If you haven’t had a chance to read this true story or are already shopping for the December holiday season, check out Servina and Alex’s story now!
THE PERFECT THANKSGIVING
Now here’s your guide to a “Bookish Thanksgiving!”
You can pick and choose from any of these six categories and make it your own – or take the whole thing if you want!
The Story
While it may be a children’s book, “Squanto” is a classic telling of the first Thanksgiving in America, great for kids and adults alike!
Coming from an immigrant background, some people in my family don’t fully know why Thanksgiving is a holiday in America. This story gives the perfect explanation.
The Decorations
In my book, simple is best! This is a fun way to incorporate style and function, allowing guests to decorate the matt. It’s perfect for having everyone write down what they’re thankful for!
The Game
Minute-to-Win-It games are a favorite in my household. Sure, maybe the family doesn’t feel like moving after eating all the yummy things prepared for them, but it’s loads of fun and a great bonding experience. Here are a few that are easy, but still engaging:
- Stuff the Turkey – from a paper bag, make the shape of a turkey. With extra paper, make paper balls from two different colors. Divide into two teams and have two people go against each other as they try to throw in all their paper balls. First one to fill all of theirs wins.
- The Cup Challenge – make two even rows of people facing each other and place a cup in between them. There will be an announcer who will call out a different part of the body (i.e. nose, shoulders). Each person will place their hands there until the announcer shouts “CUP!” The person who didn’t grab the cup is out.
- The Cotton Ball Challenge – blindfold two people on opposing teams. In front of them will be cotton balls, a spoon, and a bowl. They will have one minute to gather as many cotton balls with their spoon blindfolded as they can. When time is called, the person with the most cotton balls wins.
- Goblet Gobble – Grab glass or plastic goblets and place one per team/player on a table on a far side of the room. On the other side of the room, place ping pong balls. Players must transfer three ping pong balls from the table to their goblet on the opposite side of the room. The catch? They can only touch (and hold) the ping pong ball between their chin and their neck.
The Appetizer
British Seed Cake – don’t let the name fool you into thinking that this can’t be both the perfect appetizer as well as dessert. Taking a page from our book review today, this recipe is from the first chapter of “The Hobbit.” Balin the Dwarf asks Bilbo if he has any to be served.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp (4 g) almond flour
- 1 1/2 tsp (7 g) baking powder
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup (116 g) salted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 egg whites
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350° F (177° C). Grease and flour an 8-inch (20-cm) cake pan and set it aside.
Step 2 – In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, caraway seeds, poppy seeds, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Set this aside for now.
Step 3 – In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and the sugar until the butter is pale yellow and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Next, add the egg yolks, one at a time. Beat in each yolk for about 1 minute. Then, add the egg whites one at a time on high speed. Altogether, this will take about 6 to 8 minutes.
Step 4 – Next, add in the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat the batter on medium speed until everything just comes together, being careful not to over mix, about 5 minutes total.
Step 5 – Spread the batter into the prepared pan. It will be a bit thick. Bake the cake for about 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 6 – Let the cake rest in its pan for about 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire cooling rack. Flip the cake over so that it does not lose its dome. Serve the cake at room temperature dusted with powdered sugar, if desired.
Credits: https://underatinroof.com/
The Dessert
Churro Cheesecake Eggrolls – you can’t go wrong with this!
Ingredients
- For the egg rolls
- 2 (8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 12 egg roll wrappers
- Vegetable oil, for frying
For Serving
- 1/4 c. granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 3/4 c. heavy cream
- 2/3 c. chocolate chips
- Pinch kosher salt
- Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
Directions
Step 1 – In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Beat in vanilla until fully combined.
Step 2 – Place an egg roll wrapper on a clean surface in a diamond shape and brush top 2 edges lightly with water. Spoon about 3 tablespoons cream cheese mixture into a line in the center. Roll up bottom half, tightly fold in sides, and gently roll upward to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
Step 3 – In a shallow bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon. In a large skillet over medium heat, pour enough oil to reach 1″ up the side of skillet. Heat until oil starts to bubble when a drop of water is added.
Step 4 – Add egg rolls and fry until golden, a little over 1 minute per side. Transfer to bowl with cinnamon sugar and roll to coat each egg roll.
Step 5 – For serving: In a medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave cream in 30-second intervals until it starts to bubble, watching carefully to avoid boiling over. Pour hot cream over chocolate and let sit 3 minutes. Add salt and cayenne, if using, and whisk until smooth.
Step 6 – Serve egg rolls with warm chocolate dipping sauce.
The Movie
Don’t want to watch football or need to keep the kids entertained? “Free Birds” is our annual Thanksgiving pick.
Is it a cartoon? Yes.
Is it silly? Yes.
Is it totally off on how Thanksgiving came to be? Yes.
Is it super entertaining? Oh, yeah!
BOOK REVIEW
“THE HOBBIT”
This month’s book review is “The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien.
My Overall Opinion:
Prior to reading this book, I had seen the film adaption, but I went in with the mentality that the book was going to be better. I did this because almost 99.99% of the time that is the case. For this book, I can’t say that it was better than the movies, but it was most definitely not below it. I liked them both equally. The book was simpler, focusing in on Bilbo Baggins and his quest as a burglar for his dwarf companions. I will say, the story itself was very imaginative. Tolkien does an excellent job of pulling the reader into this world, answers questions before the reader can even think to ask them. One of my favorite scenes was with the trolls, Bilbo’s actions and wit helping save the day.
My Favorite Character:
I think Thorin Oakenshield was probably my favorite, even though it was so hard to choose. His strength showed his capabilities to be a leader, but his weaknesses made him relatable. I kept wanting to compare him with characters I had read from other stories, but he was so unique that I felt doing that would put him in a box that he doesn’t belong in. The tension between him and Bilbo seemed relevant, as well as how they left things in the end.
Things I Didn’t Like / Would Change:
I don’t think I would change this necessarily, especially since it’s VITAL to the book, but I am not fond of Smeagol/Gollum. He gives me the creeps. Anytime he was mentioned, I shriveled and just waited for the section to be over. Again, I know he’s a very “precious” part of the story, and even more so in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, but he just brings out every nasty thing in me.
Ranking:
4.8/5 — I found the story to be quite enjoyable. Granted, I am partial to these types of stories (fantasy and adventure), but I think Tolkien did an amazing job in his writing. I must not be the only one as his books have surpassed his death and are now famous worldwide.
Other Comments:
As I’m sure it’s widely known, and as I mentioned above, “The Hobbit,” as well as “The Lord of the Rings,” was made into a film adaption by Peter Jackson in the early 2000s. While many people find that “The Hobbit” was needlessly made into a trilogy and was just drawn out, I actually quite enjoyed it and would still recommend it. There is also an animated version from the 1970s, but I haven’t seen it myself.
COMING NEXT MONTH
Have a holly, jolly Christmas!
See You Next Month!
