In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued an historic document that started with the following words:
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies.
The Proclamation continues:
I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.
President Lincoln has set the day apart for us by making it a National Holiday – great! But he also requested that we observe it, and how do we do that? By eating lots of turkey and stuffing – not the turkey but our own bellies! – with “the blessing of fruitful fields?” Somehow I doubt that this is what he had in mind. Among other news reports today, I heard two that stuck in my mind as a sheer stark contrast.
A young man ambushed, shot, and killed a police officer in San Antonio, Texas. When arrested, he said, “I am sorry.” He then explained that he was angry after a child custody hearing. He was mad at a judge who ruled not in his favor, and so he “took it out on those who didn’t deserve it.” Are you getting it? It was definitely premeditated murder; he killed a man, an officer of law, and all he could say was “sorry”? It left me speechless, but fortunately, this outrage was immediately followed by a story about a waiter who received a $750 tip on a bill of a little over $120 with a note “Hopefully, you can get back to Ireland for the holidays.” A random act of kindness committed in Houston, Texas, has spread waves of goodness and love across the world.
Granted, not everyone can spare this much money, but how many opportunities do we encounter every day to do something for others without a great expense? We are all His children, which means that we are all brothers (well, some of us are sisters), and to show our gratitude to our Father, don’t we have to demonstrate that we have learned and are implementing His values: love, goodness, kindness to our fellow human beings and to the rest of His creations?
Please take a few minutes to listen to a renown psychologist and a captivating speaker Dr Leo Buscaglia. Hopefully, it will help you get into the spirit of Thanksgiving!
Whether you are cooking a turkey or a Tofurky, the message of this holiday is the same: to give thanks for our bounty, physical and spiritual, by sharing it with others and having the courage to do it in a myriad of different ways.
This is a recipe for a stuffed turkey breast, rather than a traditional whole turkey. You can use the same combination of flavorings and the same stuffing for a whole turkey, but you’ll have to brine it, bake it in the oven, and baste it. All this is avoided by using a crock pot, especially since we don’t really stuff ourselves with turkey, what’s with all the other goodies on the table! It does look and smell heavenly, though, as befitting this holiday.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 bone-in turkey breast (3 – 4 lb)
- 1/4 cup softened Smart Balance or any other NOT butter
- 1/4 cup sweet red wine
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 – 4 large garlic cloves, squeezed
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped basil
- 2 -3 sprigs of thyme
- 2 – 3 sprigs of sage
PROCEDURE
- Fill turkey breast cavity with stuffing (for recipe, please click here).
- Combine the rest of ingredients, except thyme and sage, mix well.
- Place turkey breast into crock pot, brush with mixture. Arrange thyme and sage sprigs on top.
- Cover crock pot, cook until tender (4 – 6 hours on high, 8 – 10 hours on low).
Have a very happy Thanksgiving – enjoy!
Lovely post! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
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Thank you so much, dear Dorothy, and the same to you and your family!
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Happy Thanksgiving, Dolly. 🙏🏻🍂
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Same to you and yours, dear Gail!
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This is wonderful, Dolly. I was recently thinking of having a turkey breast and this simply confirms it! Great info and wonderful recipe. Thanx, as usual!
Hugz
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I am pleased my post came right on time for you, dear Ren! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
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Yes indeed! Injoy your Thanksgiving to the max!
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You too, darling!
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Thanks for your thoughts and I hope you all have a great day of giving thanks for all the great things that happen to us in America; trying to forget those who intentionally or otherwise seem to only to think of their selves rather than others…. I consider this blog a great chance to visit with those who have good thoughts and feelings, and try to ignore the others as much as I cad, even when it is very difficult to do so.
I look forward to and will give thanks about a time of healing in the coming year, physically and politically~! As to the type of man we hope will help us get there you might look at a post I made some time back.
https://mcouvillion.wordpress.com/2020/07/04/our-mensch/
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Thank you for your kind words, dear Sam. I wish you and your family a wonderful, loving, and meaningful Thanksgiving.
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Also thanks for the clip of Dr Leo Buscaglia, he was a great motivational speaker and listening to him brought back fine memories.
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Yes, he was phenomenal, and I often play his videos to my students.
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I like turkey breast, because sometimes the baked legs get dry. In the crock pot is a genius idea!! No muss, no fuss! Do you use a liner bag? Even better- no cleaning!!
BTW, I posted today, and figured out a way to do the text, without having to redo the color every time!! So thankful!
Thankful for all my blessings from God! Family, friends, food, shelter, and God’s grace to help me thru the hard times.
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Of course I use a liner bag – easier to clean.
Somehow I wasn’t getting your posts and couldn’t find your blog. Will go right now and catch up!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, dear purple person!
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🙂 ❤
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Wise words and a great recipe.
Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
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Thank you so miuch, dear Ronit, same to you!
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Happy Thanksgiving, my dear !)
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Same to you, dear friend!
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We have too many big appetites, even when it’s just half a dozen of us, so we have to do a whole turkey. This sounds good enough for any time of year, though!
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I used to do a whole turkey when I had more people around the table. The turkey breast idea came up when my father, may he rest in peace, was already unwell, and it was only four of us, and my father ate very little. I cooked and baked the entire Thanksgiving menu, but in much smaller portions, and we brought it to his house.
Have a wonderful Thksgiving, dear Mimi!
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I will try this sometime, but my 14 pound turkey won’t fit in the crockpot. 🙂
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You are blessed to have enough people at the holiday table for a 14-pound turkey, darling!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
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Wonderful post! Many blessings and much happiness to you & your family.
Cheers!
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Thank you so much, and best wishes to you and your family as well, dear Kate!
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Wonderful post and Happy Thanksgiving, Dolly!
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That is a really interesting speaker. I didn’t want to listen to him and then I couldn’t stop, thanks.
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I find him incredibly effective. I am glad you found him interesting.
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
VERY APPLICABLE TO CHRISTMAS!
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Thank you so much for reblogging, my brother.
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YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME HERE, SIS=!
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Reblogged this on koolkosherkitchen and commented:
‘Thanksgiving wouldn’t look real without stuffed turkey, so here is my version of the traditional holiday chef-d’œuvre. Happy Thanksgiving, Beautiful People!
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Hi Dolly, our modern celebration of Christmas is certainly not what was intended and I imagine that it is the same for Thanksgiving. The modern scourge of consumerism has overtaken the meanings of these holidays and mankind is paying for this excess with climate change and extreme weather. The saddest part of it is that it effects everyone so even those who have nothing and live on less than $1 a day are paying this price.
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You are so right, dear Robbie. Thank you for stopping by and expressing your concern.
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Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. 🙂
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Same to you and yours, darling!
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Thank you my friend. 🙂
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🦃🥂 Cheers!
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Cheers eight back at ya. 🙂 🙂 🙂
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A very timely reminder about the true meaning of this holiday. Have a blessed Thanksgiving Dolly.
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Thank you so much, dear Bernadette. Best wishes to you and your family as well!
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Reblogged this on Ed;s Site..
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Thank you so much for reblogging, dear Edward.
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