Gingerbread!

I am thankful for finding reasons to celebrate. 

November 21 we had fun celebrating National Gingerbread Cookie Day.

Jet and I were telling each other the story of "The Gingerbread Man" before school. He was even running around calling out, "You can't catch me. I'm the gingerbread man!"

We made gingerbread men after dinner. Jet devoured them.

That night my husband ready Jet a bedtime book of "The Gingerbread Man" that I checked out from the library for them.

 

Also before school, my other elementary schooler got to be a greeter and said, "Hello," to a lot of people for World Hello Day. 

For dinner we had bruschetta bake to celebrate National Stuffing Day. I couldn't help myself from telling the kids, "I'm putting bruschetta togetta."

I love finding reasons to celebrate.

Gingerbread Cookies!

I found a gingerbread cookie recipe I like and want to keep using. It's one I used years and years and years ago but haven't in a while. There were quite a few years when I didn't even try to make gingerbread cookies. Rolling out and cutting out isn't my favorite thing. I've tried different recipes in the last few years but decided to do this one again this year and I've got to say, I was pleased with the results. Jet and I made them earlier on and I willingly made them again for National Gingerbread Cookie Day on November 21.

The recipe is from Family Dinner Cookbook by Debbie G. Harman and it's called "Gingerbread Friends." They taste so good to me.

Speaking of that cookbook, that same day I used the recipe for "Chicken Croissants" in it because Stephanie gave us some croissants when she came over and I love chicken salad on croissants. I scaled the recipe back because it's meant for a crowd and I substituted apples in place of grapes because I had apples but not grapes. #shelfcooking

The croissant sandwiches went well with stuffing for National Stuffing Day that same day.

Let's Talk About More November Celebrations

Speaking of nachos- like for New Year's...

 

November 6 was National Nacho Day. This was what happened with my 13-year old.

Mom: Today is Nacho Day.

Jr. Jr.: I know. I've had a really hard day.

Mom (looks sympathetic)

Jr. Jr.: Today is not yo' day.

Mom: Groan. 

We also ate nachos.

 

November 11 was Veteran's Day. I got my selfie with the flag. It was sunny.

It was also Corduroy Day, you know, because 11/11 looks like corduroy. We were having breadsticks so had some fun with them.

It was also National Sundae Day. I made hot fudge sauce to go with ice cream and whatever else. Yumm.

 

November 12 was Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day. We had individual pizzas so everyone could choose their toppings. Some of the kids even had dessert pizzas after their main pizzas. They got the idea for s'mores pizza from the Fablehaven Cookbook.

Speaking of the Fablehaven Cookbook, for Spicy Guacamole Day on November 14, we made "Bubda's Sloppy Guac" and "Lost Mesa Corn Avocado Salsa, both from that book. They were perfect to go with taco salad for dinner and family members had fun making faces in the food (the instructions for the sloppy guac even say to make a hermit troll face). We love that cookbook! 

 

November 16 was National Fast Food Day so we pulled out chicken nuggets and fries from the freezer and soda pop from the pantry and called it good.

 

November 17 was Homemade Bread Day and National Butter Day and GWR Day. GWR stands for Guinness World Records. We had homemade bread with butter but we also had hot dogs on homemade buns as a nod to the world record Jeremy broke back in July of 2015. He built a giant balloon dog. So we had hot dogs.

For William Tell Day on November 18, I made apple crisp. Yumm.

 

November 21 was Gingerbread Cookie Day. I made gingerbread cookie people while telling Jet the story of the Gingerbread Man. There have been a few times since then that Jet will run into a room I'm in and call out, "You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man." I love him so much.

That day was also National Stuffing Day so we had a bruschetta bake with chicken, stuffing, tomatoes, and seasonings. Yumm.

November 23 was Thanksgiving. That morning I took a moment for myself. I got up early to help Jeremy get ready for work- made him breakfast, made him a lunch (a snack really because he got out of work early for which I was grateful). I had Bing Crosby in my head. "I've got plenty to be thankful for." After Jeremy left for work, I decided to take a bit of time for myself before getting to work on laundry, doing dishes, hard boiling eggs for deviled eggs... so I wrapped myself up in a blanket, drank some hot chocolate, watched some TV, and felt thankful.

When Jeremy got home we celebrated with food, lots and lots of food.

He brought home a pumpkin pie from work which we put whipped topping on. I also made a vanilla pudding pie and we put pumpkin pie ice cream on top of it. Mmmmm.

 

November 24 was National Leftovers Day or Turkey Leftover Day. Yes, we ate leftovers of course.

 

November 26 was Charles Schulz' Birthday. We decided to have a Charlie Brown/Peanuts Thanksgiving to celebrate with foods the characters made in "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving." Toast, popcorn, jelly beans, pretzel sticks. We also threw in some "peanuts" and "Peppermint Patties." And to drink we had lemonade because Lucy sometimes sets up a lemonade stand.

I also wore my bow earrings to celebrate his birthday. When some women in choir saw me and I explained why I was wearing those earrings, they suggested we go around the table giving psychiatric advice for 5 cents. So cute. I love my choir friends.

November 30 was Mason Jar Day. You know I love excuses to use my Fablehaven Cookbook. This time it was "Fairy in a Jar Layered Gelatin Treats." 

I couldn't find any gummy butterflies or gummy fairies but I could find gummy worms. Jeremy joked that it as more like "imps in a jar."

Peanut Butter Fudge

November 20 was National Peanut Butter Fudge Day. I made some.

November 21 was National Stuffing Day. I made some.