HOW CAN IT BE DECEMBER??

 by Patricia Bradley

Photo by Kristina Paukshtite from Pexels

How can it possibly be almost Christmas? I mean, it seems like New Year's was just last week...oh, wait...that was Thanksgiving!

I went to my Sunday School Christmas party today and as we sat around the tables, a subject near and dear to my heart came up--the Worst holiday food blunders.

The lady next to me started it with a story about when she came home for Thanksgiving. She was visiting her sister who always held the Thanksgiving meal at her house, and my friend rose early to walk her dog. As they came around the corner of her sister's house, she almost stumbled over a half-eaten turkey. Evidently, her sister had set the cooked turkey on top of her covered grill and a neighborhood dog had smelled it...they had a hastily baked hen that Thanksgiving.

The lady across from me told of her sister-in-law who always baked plumb cobbler and how everyone always looked forward to it. One Thanksgiving the sister-in-law stumbled as she came in the hostess' brand-new house with brand new beige carpet, and the juicy red plumb cobbler went flying...not sure if they ever did get that stain up.

And then there was my story...I'd fixed turkey and all the trimmings including a 9 by 13 Pyrex dish of cornbread dressing. When it was done, I grabbed two potholders and took the dish out, intending to take it straight to the table...unfortunately, one of the potholders had gotten wet and about halfway to the table, the dish was too hot to hold and I dropped it...So much for Turkey and dressing that day.

So, what's your disastrous story? Or has it always gone well with you? Leave your answer in the comments along with your contact information and I'll draw a name by next Friday for one of my 2022 Calendars made from the meme's on my blog (made from photos I've taken and a scripture verse)...www.ptbradley.com/blog

Here's a recipe for my cornbread dressing--just remember making dressing is not an exact science. You may need to add more seasoning to suit your family...

Cornbread dressing:

1 skillet of cornbread (probably about a 10-12 inch skillet—we always used Mother’s if you still have it.)

Package of Pepperidge Farm seasoned bread crumbs (you’ll use about 1 ½ cup)

3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped up

1 uncooked egg

1 cup onion (give or take)

1 cup celery (give or take)

Half stick of butter

Chicken broth (either from cooked chicken or store-bought)

1 tbls vinegar 

Mrs Dash

Cavenders

1/8 black pepper

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon of sage (kinda have to guess at this)

Mix all together—should be the consistency of a very thick cake mix. 

Bake until golden brown, usually about an hour.

If I cook chicken (usually chicken legs and things) I cut it up and put it in the dressing.

Don't forget your disaster if you had one or know of one...

And DON'T FORGET TO ENTER OUR 2021 CHRISTMAS CONTEST!

 

A SPECIAL DAY TO GIVE THANKS by Mary Ellis

Happy Wednesday, readers, 

As all of you know tomorrow is Thanksgiving and even though 2020 has felt like a roller coaster ride with one wheel off the track, I still have plenty to be grateful for.

~ Although recently I had a major health crisis, I wouldn’t have to look too hard to find people in worse health than me.

~ Although you might not be happy with the end result, the election is finally over and we don’t have to listen to hatred and mud-slinging each time we pick up the newspaper or turn on the TV.

-Although thousands of people are still dying from Covid-19, medical researchers have come up with a vaccine that’s ninety percent effective.

~Although my husband and I will dine alone on Thanksgiving, without the family and friends we love so much, at least we have each other and enough food to eat. Some people will be alone, some will go hungry.

~And although on Sunday we still worship in front of the TV instead of in our beloved country church, at least in this country we’re free to worship where and however we wish.

So tomorrow morning before I start thinking about breakfast or what I plan to wear I’ll get down on my knees and give thanks for my many blessings: I am still alive. I have someone who loves me, a roof over my head, and enough food to eat. And I have a Savior, Jesus Christ, the son of God, and He loves me even more than my earthly father did, and that’s a lot. No matter what happens between now and the end of the year or during 2021, God promises to never leave me or forsake me. And for that I’m eternally grateful. 

Please leave me a comment about what you're thankful for this year. I will pick one winner to send a signed copy of Hiding in Plain Sight. US only. You must leave your address in order to win. 

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! ~ Mary Ellis,  and the Suspense Sisters

If you’re looking for a Christmas novella to get you ready for the season, these two are on sale in Kindle for a limited time:

Sarah's Christmas Miracle .99  Order it HERE 

Amish Christmas Memories 1.99 Order it HERE

The Quaker and the Rebel 1.99  Order it HERE

The Lady and the Officer 1.99  Order it HERE

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and one of the things I love about this holiday is that it ushers in a season of kindness. Already, as I shop for the items I need to make Thanksgiving dinner, people smile and speak. How I wish this atmosphere would stay with us all year long! 

I am so thankful for all of you, our readers! So, if you would, leave a comment telling me what you're thankful for this year and I'll enter you in a drawing for another $10 Amazon gift card. Winner will be announced Friday in time for Cyber Monday! :-)

Winner of last week's drawing for a $10 Amazon gift card is...Diana Flowers!

Now for a recipe for Thanksgiving!

Grape Salad Ingredients


· 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

· 1 cup sour cream

· 1/3 cup sugar

· 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

· 2 pounds seedless red grapes

· 2 pounds seedless green grapes

· 3 tablespoons brown sugar

· 3 tablespoons chopped pecans

Directions

· In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla until blended. Add grapes and toss to coat.

· Transfer to a serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Sprinkle with brown sugar and pecans just before serving.

What Odd Thing Are You Thankful For?

by Patricia Bradley

Since this is Thanksgiving week, I thought I’d ask our readers to share something they are thankful for that isn’t your normal thing to be thankful for.

Like something making you late and because of it, you miss an accident–that’s happened to me more than once.

Or like a friend who was thankful for a boring boyfriend who kept her from dating an exciting one. If she’d dated the exciting one, she probably would have married him…and missed the man she eventually married who is her soulmate.

So Suspense Sisters, what unusual thing are you thankful for? Leave a comment and I'll enter you in a drawing for a $10 gift card. Your choice of Starbucks, B&N or Amazon.