Recipe...

Candy Cane Parfait

Candy Cane Parfaits Ingredients:
2 cups cold milk
1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
24 Oreo cookies, crushed
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 candy canes, crushed

Directions:Prepare instant pudding according to package directions; set aside.In a bowl, beat cream cheese on low speed until smooth; add whipped topping; stir until well combined.Layer in 5 parfait glasses -- cookie crumbs - pudding - cream cheese/whipped topping; repeat. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2284005/recipes_that_use_crushed_candy_canes.html

What I am thankful for...

-The love of the Lord who is ALWAYS with me and surrounds me with comfort.
-My wonderful daughter who fills my heart with joy. In the good times and bad, she means the world to me and I can't imagine my life without her.
-My husband whom I love more and more every day. He is such a wonderful daddy.
-My Mom who I look up to and admire and who loves me no matter what.
-My Sister who loves me and helps me in every way she can and always listens to me.
-My Dad who always listens to me when I call him crying!
-My brother in law, Mark, who gets sucked in to helping me often, but never complains about it!
-My niece Emma who calls me "Aunt Kia" that I am so close to. She is so sweet.
-My niece Hannah who is spunky and funny!
-The rest of our family who loves Heath and I. What fun they are!
-My wonderful friends who love and support my quirks! The ones who I can laugh or cry with and say anything to. You know who you are and how I love you! You are so special to me.
-My home. So many are without a home right now, and I am so thankful that our family has a roof over our heads.
-The opportunities I am given every day to share the knowledge of the Lord with everyone I run into. There are many across our world that cannot freely speak of the Lord. What a blessing that we are free to speak of His sacrifice.
-The store that allows us to have books, bibles, and other items that will show the world His love.
-The many people I have met because of having Kira's Cottage. I meet so many wonderful people every day.
-The things I have learned (good and bad) because of having Kira's Cottage
-The opportunity to keep learning about the Lord every day.

There is so much more...
I pray that everyone has a blessed thanksgiving!

Activities...

This website is wonderful! I love Family Fun Magazine and they have some wonderful fun activities for the whole family for this special holiday. Check it out!

http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/

Small Scale Thanksgiving Feast...

I found this web page and I really thought it was fabulous for those out there who aren't having many people over. You can still have wonderful Thanksgiving food without going overboard. Check it out!

http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Thanksgiving-Small-Scale-Feast/Detail.aspx

Recipe/Activity...

Fruit Gobbler

Ok, I thought this was adorable so I had to share it with everyone!

http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-appetizers/fruit-gobbler-688370/

Ingredients
Bosc pear (head)
Melon (body)
Cheese (beak and tail feathers)
Red pepper (snood, feet and side feathers)
Raisins (eyes)
Grapes (tail feathers)
Bamboo skewers
Toothpicks

Instructions
Stabilize the melon body by cutting a shallow slice off the rind to form a flat base. Using a section of bamboo skewer, attach a Bosc pear head to the melon, as shown.
Cut a cheese triangle beak and red pepper snood. Attach both, along with raisin eyes, to the head with sections of toothpick.
Cut red pepper feet and set them in place. For tail feathers, skewer cheese cubes and red grapes, then insert the skewers as shown. Pin pepper side feathers in place with toothpicks.

Recipe...

Pumpkin Pie-sicles

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/pumpkin-pie-sicles-689185/

These butternut squash ice pops taste just like the classic Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.
Ingredients
2 1/2 lbs. butternut squash
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2/3 cup light cream
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Instructions
To make a batch, cut a butternut squash into quarters and scoop out the seeds.
Boil, bake, or microwave the squash until it's soft. Let the squash cool a bit before scooping its flesh into a medium-size bowl.
Add pure maple syrup, light cream, and pumpkin pie spice to the bowl. Use a potato masher to mush the squash and blend all of the ingredients.
Spoon the mixture into ice pop molds (we were able to fill 10), add sticks, and freeze for at least 6 hours before serving.

Recipe...

Corny Cookies

These candy-topped treats are a blast for kids to help decorate for your feast -- or a Thanksgiving school party. How Cute!!!

http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-desserts/more-thanksgiving-desserts/corny-cookies-685173/

Ingredients:
Store bought cookie dough
Vanilla frosting
Green fruit leather
M&M's or Reese's Pieces candies

Directions:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Divide the dough into 3 parts. Working on a floured surface with one part at a time, roll out the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Using a knife, cut out corncob shapes about 4 inches long. Place the cookies on ungreased baking sheets and bake for 9 minutes or just until the edges brown. Let the cookies set on the sheets for about 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frost the cooled cookies. Next, use kitchen shears to cut husks from the fruit leather to fit the sides of each cookie. Press the husks in place atop the frosting, with the tips down a bit. Now fill in the middle with candy kernels gently pressed into place. Makes about 1 1/2 dozen cookies.

Recipe...

This month our featured recipes will be geared for Thanksgiving. Here is a fun treat that I found that the kids would love!!!

"Aut-YUM" Leaves Recipe

Here's a treat no kid will leaf behind. Made with store-bought piecrust dough, these leaves are filled with chocolate and peanut butter chips -- but try jam and cream cheese, or chocolate chips, walnuts, and mini marshmallows, if you prefer.

http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-appetizers/aut-yum-leaves-689199/

Ingredients
1 egg
1 teaspoon of water
Prepared pie crust
Mini chocolate chips
Peanut butter chips
Raw sugar
Flour for work surface

Instructions
Heat the oven to 375°. Whisk one egg with a teaspoon of water and set it aside.
On a floured surface, roll out a prepared pie crust so it's about 1/8-inch thick. Use a large leaf-shaped cookie cutter (ours is 4 1/2-inches wide) to make as many dough leaf pairs as possible.
For each pocket, spread about 4 teaspoons of mini chocolate chips and peanut butter chips on a leaf, leaving a 1/2-inch margin at the edge. Brush egg wash onto the edge, place a second leaf on top, and press the edges to seal.
Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle it generously with raw sugar. Bake the leaves on a parchment-covered cookie sheet until their edges are just beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Let them rest on the sheet a few minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.

Book Review...

Kiriath's Quest by Rick Barry

I just finished reading Kiriath's Quest and I really felt like I couldn't put it down! The main storyline is of the kingdom Xandria. The king of Xandria, Jekoniah, is kidnapped by a group of evil intruders, Grishnaki. Prince Kiriath goes on a mission to save his father, and his kingdom. But the quest is not an easy one. It is long and dangerous and Kiriath must be quick and brave to conquer all of the dangerous territory.

I love the Lord of the Rings trilogy and this book reminded me of them. It seemed to be set in that "time period" and it was full of fantasy. Flying serpents, Grishnaki(which I pictured as Urukai if you are familiar with Lord of the Rings) and vines that would come alive to crush its victims. I was also picturing that same terrain. The beauty of the mountains, woods, and streams. The story line was completely different, but it had that same feel, and I loved that.

I think it is fun to be able to enjoy a fictional story and think of how it relates to our world today. There is no talk of God or the devil in this story, however it is filled with good and evil. You want good to triumph. One particular verse that I really loved was:
"Righteousness and and evil will never change...only those who work them." Isn't that the truth? Not just in this fantasy novel, but in our lives right now. There are so many evil things happening around us, yet so many wonderful things too (we just don't get hear of the wonderful things as often.) We must all remember to hang on to the Lord, who is good, and with him, battle evil.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good fantasy novel. It was fun to read and I am really hoping that Rick Barry will continue these characters into a series!

Only...

60 Days

'til Christmas!

YAY!