Pig asked GOD for the Old Fun traditions of Thanks Giving and Joy

Good Morning

Pig said

Is it almost Thanksgiving yet ?

Yes,Pig.

I said.

Pig responded.

I asked GOD about it in my Prayer this morning.

As Pig continued,

I am excited about the day and I am not sure why?

I don’t eat turkey and it doesn’t make sense why everyone is so excited about eating it.

You know mostly I like pancakes.

So other than have a turkey as a pet it doesn’t seem exciting to want to eat it.

Maybe a shape of a turkey pancake with butter and maybe some boysenberry syrup and ok,

maybe maple syrup heated up too with an ice cold glass of milk.

Funny Pig. That sounds good too.

Well Pig, I can help a little about what Thanksgiving is.

I think that would help me. Pig said.

Thank you.

Ok, I said and I began sharing how I got to know about the Thanksgiving holiday .

I remember in school we would make paper Turkeys

And I didn’t know why either?

I don’t think most people think about that part much but

To Just THE GIVING OF THANKS.

The PRAYER OF GIVING THANKS at the table

with a grateful heart.

You get to eat a big feast .

Did you know Pig not such a long time ago you didn’t have grocery stores or even the sometimes even money enough to buy food.

Farmers would bring food to open air markets in the center of town to sell their food grown or dried or made to sell and some we still have farmers markets today.

The point being people need food everyday Pug

And we become very Thankful and

So grateful just to be able to have and to eat.

Like saying

THE LORDS PRAYER

Give us this day our daily bread.

Pig said , This sounds like a scary story.

I can’t imagine children and grown ups not to have pancakes or food to eat.

I just know

That my food is always seems to appear on my plate just for me.

I know you make pancakes for me and I am grateful.

Thank you

Pig.

I said.

Let’s start there .

Being Grateful is what the day is really what

Thanksgiving really is .

For our family growing up besides singing songs on karaoke or just remembering our cars songs or Christmas songs that we would sing on long trips with no radio and sharing stories and car games of your memory to play.

And then together to catch up on what has been happening in our lives.

We use this day to be together and remember past times together .

And then to sit at the Thanksgiving Table we all prepared together and we would ask to who would lead at the Prayer to say Amen to.

Then

after the First Prayer said before eating a bite of food always Thanking GOD FIRST.

Then being Thankful

For all the special foods provided by each person who made a home made recipe handed down to them or one they just made up to try now.

Then as we began eating each person at the table is invited to share what they were thankful for.

What would they say?

Pig asked.

Sometimes to say just being able to sit down together as family or for the ones they only see at holidays times which gave them a heart of joy and thanks.

Others Thankful for a home cooked meal eaten together.

Some would say they have been waiting for the traditions of this day with Turkey, cranberries and stuffing.

Adding to that someone would say

And the mash potatoes and gravy another would chime in saying and the sweet potatoes and homemade Rolls with real butter.

And then another would say don’t forget the Pumpkin Pie and then a discussion would break out at our table on what pie they were going to try because

I had made so many.

Pig said, You did?

Yes Pig.

I always wanted to do something special for all the families and guests to make them feel appreciated and special.

They could take a pie home or make slices of pie from many pies to re live the moment of being Thankful and feel Special one more time.

Just like GOD who made us makes us feel special

Every morning and every night.

Loving us and caring about us everyday.

How does GOD do that?

Pig asked.

Well HE reminds us daily In our hearts and mind about CHRISTMAS and EASTER.

The Story told of why HE came to Save us from our Sins

And the Sins of the world.

PAST

PRESENT

AND

FUTURE .

To all that BELIEVE.

To all that have prayed and asked JESUS-into their heart.

To know how much HE loves each person born and waiting to be born.

And how HE died to forgive them of any wrong doing.

To let them know they were born fresh again with a clean heart.

And soul and was now able to live here on earth with a Thankful heart because of what HE,

JESUS DID FOR THEM on The Cross at a Place called Mt Calvary In Jerusalem Israel over 2,000

Years ago.

He rose up out of the grave on the third day and lives forevermore.

JESUS gives us life inside and out .

This is what is called born again.

John 3:1-21

This is a great message to be Thankful for everyday.

You can also watch the story called

Charlie Brown Christmas movie.

To help you Pig to know how wonderful it is to give Thanks.

And know the Joy of Christmas Easter and Thanksgiving.

So we in America gave a day of rest and to be together as families and friends and neighbors

To remember the first Thanksgiving to give

Thanks to GOD and country.

And

That’s called Thanksgiving?

Yes. Pig that’s one of the biggest reasons.

But there are so many.

Pig was just getting warmed up on her understanding

Giving Thanks.

And why to do it?

We could talk about Plymouth Rock the landing

Of the ships and the pilgrims to start a new land.

and the covenant to this Nation in reading of The Mayflower compact.

Look that one up.

And look up The covenant of 1607 and 1620 that our current President RE - PROCLAIMED in April of this year 2025 as a reminder we are a Christian Nation and we have the FREEDOMS we have here in America

WE ARE THE HOME of the FREE and HOME OF THE BRAVE.

To be able to PRAY and to PRAISE GOD and TEACH our children openly the BIBLE which is what this Nation AMERICA was founded on.

This PROCLAMATION was

To bring us back to the remembrance and the knowledge of What and who GOD is.

HE wants us to know and to be able to live FREE inside .

To become the Sons and Daughters of the Most

HIGH GOD by saying Yes to the SON OF GOD

JESUS

JOHN 1:14

CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH AND ALL THAT HAS CREATED all things including YOU.

WOW.

Pig said as she asked If we say :

Yes, to JESUS in our heart ?

We are a part of HIS FAMILY?

Yes, Pig.

That is a lot to be Thankful for.

Pig said

Yes, Pig.

As I repeated, Yes.

Why doesn’t everyone know about this?

Well Pig, we live in a world of deception and lies.

Because of the first family Adam and Eve believed a lie by the enemy called the devil.

Most people don’t even believe that there is one.

But they can’t explain the difference between good and evil which is sad

Or Right or wrong?

The people who don’t know

THE GOD OF THE BIBLE

CREATOR OF EVERYTHING they

just keep changing what they feel is right.

Changing the rules of Life.

But to know TRUTH and see clearly

You take a leap of faith and giving hope to

Accept the true Christmas story and Easter Event in History.

How B.C. And A.D. became the year of our Lord .

This is HOW we can free again if we say Yes,

To JESUS.

But sometimes Pig to many troubles in this world and pain that choke out the peace and joy in this world that they don’t see the TRUTH.

To many distractions.

GOD who made it all.

Made HIS MESSAGE SO SIMPLE

A CHILD CAN UNDERSTAND .

That’s why we share our testimony to help people and children to know HE IS REAL.

That’s good Pig said.

Because I am little and I just want to be a Part of

HIS HOLY FAMILY.

Funny Pig

You are .

I know. Pig said

I said, YES TO JESUS

A LONG TIME AGO AND WE HAVE BEEN WRITING

ABOUT JESUS TOGETHER SINCE THEN.

Thats true Pig .

Pig said, I can hardly wait for Thanks giving day.

Why ? I asked

So I can say all the things I am Thankful for.

Funny Pig.

Me too.

What Kind of recipes do you have that you make?

Pig asked me.

I remember my first Thanksgiving Pig .

My Mother came with me to my in laws house in Anaheim by Disneyland

And together we made a lot or recipes.

My Mother in law Gloria, made her famous oyster dressing

Their families were from Louisiana and we made the traditional and both were received with joy.

My Mother made a dessert in the moment

She lined the pan with graham cracker crust.

She made some tapioca pudding my favorite

And spooned it over the graham cracker crust

8x8 pan and then opened a couple of cans of cherry filling adding one drop of almond extract into each can and then alternate cherries and tapioca pudding

Until cherries were on top.

Mother

Put in the oven at 350 degrees until bubbles

And remove and cool on counter.

As I prepared the Turkey as I wash him in the sink and buttered him all up to go into the Pan .

We wasn’t real big but took 4 hours to cook.

I will always remember how she helped me

And how I was not alone doing this all by myself to make my first Thanksgiving dinner.

My Mother was by my side sharing my life with me with my new family.

Another wonderful memory to remember.

The dinner turned out well with smiles and happy faces

I will always remember it.

After That we made lots of recipes

Mother was the Pie maker in the family then and desserts and cookies .

Mother was not so good on main dishes if it didn’t go into the pressure cooker we were in trouble.

but that is another story to tell.

I had a new Dad now as Mother was a widower.

His name was Clyde and he was a Gourmet chef.

He taught me how to cook.

He also taught me to quality cook that would help me in later life as a Realtor and open houses to the Realtors only to help me sell my new listings.

My first listing was in lake Arrowhead California .

I made a Thanksgiving dinner for them.

They never forgot how special it was to do for them and they felt that I would make a dinner for them.

It sold the next day.

To think back then I would make over 30 pies.

Big ones and small ones and peach cobble and Pineapple upside cake and a special recipe that looks like an ice cream sundae that I will put in this story that my new Dad Clyde taught me..

Wow,Pig said.

That sounds so wonderful .

I just want to tell GOD how grateful I am

and to know

That HE IS ALWAYS WITH US

HE GOES BEFORE US

And

Pig continued talking excitedly,

HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US

OR

FORSAKE US

EVEN UNTIL THE END OF TIME.

Deuteronomy 31:8

I like that promise . Pig said

Me too.

I replied.

Our story above for today to know what Thanksgiving is

and a

HAPPY THANKSGIVING GREETING

TO YOU ALL

FROM PIG AND ME

WITH LOVE.

OUR RECIPES BELOW TO SHARE:

Our Sweet potato sundae Clyde Cowick

Recipe

Not to sweet.

Easy to make and quite the show stopper to the table.

First get your cookie sheets out

No need for spraying oil

Place as many pineapple rings out of the cans to each match up to guest number you have invited on the cookie sheet .

Now either fresh or canned that you have just heated or cooked in a pan with a little real butter .

Set aside and get your ice cream scooper out and

Scoop out one scoop of sweet potato or yams mashed in the pan to each pineapple ring.

Now grab your brown sugar and just sprinkle generously or sparingly over each scoop of sweet potato and now dot pieces of butter on your cookie sheet all over.

Then add pecans all over the tray as well as your sweet potatoes making sure that butter and brown sugar have been placed on them too.

Now place one marshmallow on each scoop of sweet potato and top with a matching cherry on each of your sweet potato sundae

After you remove cookie sheets from oven at 400-425 (you know your oven so ) you choose Degrees .

So now just look and keep watching for when the marshmallows melt you then

Should take out and total time should be about 5 minutes or?

Set out and serve each plate or set out on a platter

Or leave out too cool on counter like a buffet’ with your other recipes.

A memory for all your guests who didn’t think they liked sweet potatoes.

My secret to keep the oven free for all your guests that need to heat up things or make last minute things on your kitchen is a Dutch oven.

It’s a metal oven portable with lid

And can be placed inside or out while cooking.

The juice can be easily extracted by your squeezer with a bulb on the end to make either in a crock pot

You turn up on high or in a pan like cast iron on the stove.

One tablespoon of organic cornstarch per cup of liquid. Some sea salt to taste and pepper and there you go for your gravy .

I buy the long crock pots that have 3 connected

To serve from.

I keep it on warm and keep filling as needed.

I use that for tamales made or bought at Christmas and at Thanksgiving with chili without beans .

Then I use a big separate crock pot for beans and corn bread.

I make a head of time most of my recipes

Including dressing with sausage and celery and onion. I use organic seasoning mix and organic

Croutons or toast bread you can toast in over at 400 and season it with poultry seasoning crunching up into bite size

After you haven taken out of oven to cool.

I use some bite size apples tossed in my bowl of bread and celery and onion and cooked sausage or chopped giblets you cooked on stove with turkey liver giving it a more richer taste.

I also add some organic chicken broth and I mix up

An egg or two depending how much I made.

It makes it stick together and adds more body to it.

I also dot it with real butter ..

I like pecans or walnuts but most like it without .

It takes about 45 minutes .

In a 350 to 375 oven to cook outside the turkey .

You can either stuff your turkey or add around

Your turkey or set in your baking dish of choice or both.

Most like it stuffed inside that adds to cooking time about an hour extra.

We also like honey baked ham but to expensive so we make our own.

Get the sliced bone in called the picnic Ham .

We get ours at Costco and add more cuts in our spiral cut ham .

If yours is cut well you won’t need to add more slices into the ham .

We add white or raw sugar into our sliced ham

We really pack it into each spiral cut.

Then we place into oven 350-375

If you like a drier end pieces don't cover it

If you just want soft and sweet like honey baked ham cover for about one hour with not touch ham much but like a tent over it.

Remember the ham is done you are just warming it up and cooking on that delious sweetness.

We also like Green beans plain or with sliced fresh

mushroom that when you add or you make your organic mushroom soup or make your own

With frying off mushrooms with

Take one or two cups of purified water and add one tablespoon per cup of organic cornstarch sea salt to taste cook until desired thickness

Then

Pour your mixture into your casserole dish with your fresh can or frozen green beans

And mix together throughly covered

Place your dehydrated crunchy fried onions package on top.

And then place in oven or crock pot until bubbly for about 25 to 35 minutes (if in crock pot cook on high til green beans are done than switch on low .

It will be ready to go when you are.

For the ultimate old fashion memory pick out a

JELLO dessert better to get jello at sprouts or a heath grocery store to buy without food coloring.

Some recipes with fruit or and with cottage cheese

And whip cream.

So fun and so yummy.

Many memories with jello .

My sister always made a fruit salad not canned with grapes and apples and pineapple and the mandarins

Oranges and pears .

The sliced banana was added last minute before placing on table.

We always have a cheese platter with cheeses

Of all kinds. We buy our crackers at Trader Joe’s

No chemicals

This year we bought the goat cheese with cranberry

Roll not like Costco with the added stuff not needed to preserve .

We did buy the goat cheese rolls and we are making our own with chopped dried cranberries and rolling it ourselves fun.

Costco also had Kerrigan cheese creamy as well as a dryer cheddar amazing on sale as well as the baby Gouda to place on your cheese and Cracker trays.

We also make our own relish tray and our own sour cream dips

You can buy packages without chemical at Sprouts

We add chopped green onion and we make dips with dry vegetable soup mixes too

We add

With onion powder and garlic and sea salt or Celtic salt

We are making our own cheese balls following some recipes on line.

We will let you know if it was good for Christmas.

Pig likes mostly anything sweet but traditional.

This is old as it gets as a recipe to check out .

However

mince meat filling recipe that I had to get on line by a Chef .

However

You can buy start up mixture at Stater Bros.

This is a very old traditional pie.

With currents and raisens and apples of variety

With lemon and orange peel

And then with suet which is beef or lamb fat.

I actually put ground beef in mine precooked with fat

And add brandy or whiskey.

The alcohol cooks out unless you add last minute like the sisters in the series The Walton’s .

That they would add Papas recipe to it as they add the top crust later to cook last minute to brown as they added more of the booze called Pa Pas Recipe was in there.

I have watched how the judges were intoxicated

Tasting their pies over and over again

And the sisters would ALWAYS win the contest.

Funny episode to watch.

To my mincemeat

I add to it all year in the jar with seasonings of cinnamon and cloves and ginger .

And apples and more fruit until at the end as I add brandy or whatever that has been gifted me .

The wine given me is to cook with and kept strictly for my spaghetti sauce recipe I will share later.

If you don’t have time to cook pies on your own

Look for the frozen that doesn’t have the word bio engineering in it.

Then take the frozen top crust off and add fresh apples to your apple pie

Or fresh frozen cherries and then cook as directed.

HOWEVER

Pumpkin pie is so fun to make following the recipe on the can.

If you don’t have pumpkin you can mash sweet potatoes up and add your cinnamon and ginger

And milk and sugar brown or white .

It is just like pumpkin recipe in your cook book or phone .

Unless I told them they didn’t know it was sweet potatoes.

Better fresh than bought .

No extra chemicals for you or family

Make it today or tomorrow and then it takes over an hour to cook.

Then it is

Ready to go with

Another story to tell.

So many stories

So many pies.

My Mother wanted me to make 6 or more pecan pies

At a time .

The secret is they never freeze and you can eat them anytime you want.

Then right out of the freezer a slice at a time.

My Mother was slim and tall and beautiful with blue eyes and brown hair to her shoulders and

Her pecan pies would all ge gone before Thanksgiving.

Her food was pancakes and bologna sandwiches

And hamburgers if we got to have that and then

Baked chicken and Salads and tea and beans and corn bread.

Then fudge and chocolate chip cookies or oatmeal

Cookies or just eating oatmeal .

She loves milk and graham crackers.

Her diet wasn’t great but she loved every bite and ate until 3:00 in the afternoon and then had broth or herb teas .

She love exercising and standing in her head and

Scrubbing her skin whether dry or in the shower for circulation and making homemade facials for us and her then with her juicing with Jack o lane nutritionist that was on TV with the other T V shows like I love Lucy programs.

Funny Mother.

Funny Pig.

Mother was ahead of her time.

Pig and I share stories all the time about her.

I hope you enjoy some of the recipe ideas

As well as menu suggestions

We save bananas all year and make so many banana breads to give away for the holidays

So yummy so good .

A great gift with no chemicals and very healthy.

Fun with milk or coffee or tea or hot chocolate Pig just said .

Just made with love for our neighbors and friends .

Happy Thanksgiving.

More recipes and ideas coming for Christmas

That we show you a fun way paint cookies.

For all ages of the family either for the tree or to eat.

Yummy .

Until our next Pig story

Blessings to you and your family

Smile

To know that you are loved.

Our thoughts to you for Thanksgiving

Pray

Give Thanks

Take lots of picture so you have instant re call of your day filled with the joy of cooking and sharing.

From Me and Pig

Xoxo