Sparkle Market’s Thanksgiving Guide

Unfortunately, Thanksgiving can be a tough time of year.

It’s hard to remember to be thankful when you’re worried about travel arrangements, cooking and making sure there are enough places at the table for everyone.

Well don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. This guide is full of  tips, recipes and even some fun conversation ideas; hopefully it will make your holiday go just a bit smoother. So grab a cup of hot cocoa, sit back, and dig in to our guide to Thanksgiving!

Set the Mood: Decorations 

Obviously food and family are at the center of any Thanksgiving celebration. But you can add a little more atmosphere and holiday cheer to your big meal with some crafts!  Check out these great ideas for centerpieces, place settings, and even a special thankfulness wreath to help you keep a grateful state of mind!

Thanksgiving  Crafts and Decorations 

Create the Perfect Menu: Recipes, Tips and Ideas

Appetizers

Start strong, throw something new at your guests with these 6 Creative, but Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers! With everything from turkey shaped pancakes to a festive cheese plate your bound to find something you like.

The Main Course

The Savory.com created this wonderful “Thanksgiving Calculator” to help you easily and precisely prepare your bird. You might want to print this one and hang it on the fridge!

Side Dishes

Of course, the sides are nearly as important as the turkey itself, so here are a couple recipes that make excellent side dishes.

 

1. Gia Russa Wild Rice with mushrooms – If you’ve never tried wild rice before you’ll be pleasantly surprised. This recipe is extremely versatile and adds a wonderful flare to any holiday meal.

2. Green Bean Casserole! – A more standard side, this green bean casserole is a tried and true Thanksgiving favorite. Just be sure to make enough!

Dessert

Cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie are go-to Thanksgiving desserts, but there are plenty of worthwhile recipes out there. Give one of these 6 perfect Thanksgiving pies a chance and you won’t be sorry!  Another option is this Peanut Butter Fudge recipe from Great Groceries . It’s hard to go wrong when you combine peanut butter and chocolate!

Leftovers

You have to admit, leftovers are almost as good as the Thanksgiving meal itself! You can always make a turkey sandwich, but if you want to change things up a bit, this Turkey Soup recipe is a great way to make use of that leftover bird and fuel up for black friday shopping.

 

Get the Goods: Our Specials, Now through Thanksgiving 

We’ve got our usual assortment of specials this week, but here are some deals for the holiday!

 

Honeysuckle Frozen Whole Young Turkeys

 – U.S.D.A Grade A 10lbs. & up

– Self Basting, with pop-up timer

– $.68/Lb.

Whole boneless Cut Pork Loin

– Fresh Indiana Kitchen

– “All Natural” Pork,

– Sold in Cry-O- Vac bag

 – $1.99/Lb.

 Sara Lee Oven Fresh Pies 

– Assorted Variety

– Up to 34oz. pk.

– $2.99

 

 

Have Some Fun Thanksgiving Chit Chat

Want to impress your family with an impressive, Jeopardy worthy, knowledge of Thanksgiving? Here are some fun fact articles we’ve written over the years, guaranteed to make you a turkey-day trivia master!

•  Thanksgiving 2013: Great Trivia for Thanksgiving Dinner!

•  Turkey: Fun Facts

• Thanksgiving Around the World

 

Thank You!

We’d like to wish you a happy and safe Thanksgiving from all of us at Sparkle Markets! We’re especially thankful for all of our customers this holiday season.

6 Creative but easy Thanksgiving Appetizers

Whether you’ve been hosting Thanksgiving for years and want to try something new, or you want to make your first Thanksgiving a little more memorable these appetizer ideas are a perfect way to add a little exciting flair to your meal!

Turkey Shaped Cheese Tray

A simple way to spice up your typical cheese try is to arrange it to look like a Turkey! Just follow this picture.

Turkey pumpkin

This is a little more involved, but not too difficult once you get the surprise, get a pumpkin to serve as your turkeys body, use a pear for the face and long skewers to make the feathers.

Gobble Gobble Pancakes

Pancakes aren’t usually thought of as a thanksgiving appetizer, but taking one small pancake and putting it on top of another one, you can brighten up your guest’s plate!

Pinecone Cheesballs

This idea is genius! Use almonds and a cheese spread to make this beautiful and seasonal appetizer, adding a bit of pine to the middle will add to the realism

Breadocopia

­Cornucopia’s are the stereotypical symbol of thanksgiving, make a small edible version with these recipe!

Turkey Cranberry Meatballs

These meatballs are a perfect appetizer! They are easy to eat and have a unique flavor that everyone will love!

Stop by your local Sparkle Market for all of your Thanksgiving Appetizer needs!

 

Thanksgiving 2013 (3/3): Great Trivia For Thanksgiving Dinner!

Thanksgiving is a great time of the year to sit around the table with those you love and feast on delicious foods! While you’re sitting around the table this Thanksgiving it might be fun to try some Thanksgiving trivia to surprise your guests with and see who knows what about Thanksgiving!

Here are a few Thanksgiving facts that might help to spark intriguing dinner conversations.

• The first Thanksgiving lasted three days long! Imagine cooking for 150 people for three days! Yikes!

• While the American bald eagle is the national bird of the United States, Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird. Imagine what Thanksgiving would be like if that really happened.

• Thanksgiving was not made an official holiday until 1863 when Abraham Lincoln declared it would be although Congress did not officially declare it to be a national holiday until 1941!

• For nearly 40 years before Lincoln declared Thanksgiving to be a national holiday, Sarah Josepha Hale, author of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” led a campaign to make it an official holiday.

• Though it is widely believed that the tryptophan in turkey is the reason for feeling extra tired after your Thanksgiving feast, its effect is negligible when served with such a large feast. But don’t let that stop you from you taking a nice nap after an extra helping of apple pie!

• Though Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is now a holiday tradition, when it began in 1924 it featured Macy’s employees dressed up along with professional bands and animals from Central Park Zoo. Imagine someone walking a lion in the parade today!

• Giant helium balloons began to be used in the parade in 1927 in which they planned to release them in to the air to hover over the city but they exploded while ascending in to the air. The next year they were successful and the balloons hovered over the city for a few days until they deflated. Upon their arrival back to the ground, the lucky people to find these balloons would be able to retrieve a special gift from the department store.

•   The average Thanksgiving turkey weighs 15 pounds!

•  91% of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving.

• 20% of the cranberries made in a year are eaten on Thanksgiving.

•  The average person consumes 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving. No wonder we’re so tired!

• “Black Friday” was a term first used in the 1960’s when it was used to refer to the time of year when retailer’s profits would go from “red” (loss) to “black” (profit).

•  In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving to the third Thursday of the month to increase holiday shopping for Christmas but was met with such opposition from the public he was forced to change it back to the fourth Thursday of the month two years later.

Have a great Thanksgiving Everyone! Don’t forget to stop by your local Sparkle Market for all your Turkey day needs!

Thanksgiving 2013 (2/3): How to have an Authentic Thanksgiving Dinner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you looking for a new way to make your Thanksgiving dinner unique and exciting for your guests?

How about making your feast more traditional. No, we’re not talking 1950’s Americana Thanksgiving. How does your Thanksgiving compare to what the Pilgrims and Native Americans did.

Imagine a meal with no pumpkin pie that included main dishes of not only turkey but also multiple other types of meats and fish. Though we may feel gluttonous for our feasts today, they don’t hold a candle to the three-day feast the pilgrims had in 1621.

Here are some ideas on how to make your Thanksgiving Day menu more traditional! We don’t recommend actually implementing these, but if you wanted to make your feast as similar to the original Thanksgiving, this is certainly how you would do it!

Why make turkey the main event of the dinner?

Try to add in other meats or fish to go along with turkey like the pilgrims and Native Americans did, such as deer, lobster, crab, duck or partridges. This may help those that are not big fans of turkey and may even open you up to a new favorite holiday dish!

Forget the mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes

they were not on the menu for the first Thanksgiving. Instead try making stews with items such as pumpkins, squash, peas, onions, beans and carrots for a new family favorite side dish! This healthier option may make you feel less full at the end of the dinner as well and able to play games as the pilgrims and Native Americans did at their feast!

Craft your own beer!

The pilgrims learned how to make beer from Indian corn and other available ingredients and eventually set up brew houses as well! This could be a fun and adventurous task for the adults at your feast.

 

Who needs pumpkin pie?

The pilgrims and Native Americans did well without this dish at their feast and Thanksgiving still became a hit! Instead, why not try more traditional dishes such as English cheese pie or pumpkin pudding for a nice dessert?

Cranberry Sauce Alternatives

Try adding dried berries such as cranberries, blueberries, cherries, grapes or even plums to your meal. This helps to lessen your sugar intake, as the pilgrims did not have sugar, and helps to add a healthier topping to your meal as well!

If you’re really getting in the traditional Thanksgiving spirit, forgo your ovens and roast or boil all of your foods!

Though this might become a challenge, find inspiration from the settlers who did not have ovens and very few cooks after a long winter and were still able to pull off the feast!

 

No Forks, Just spoons and hands.

The pilgrims and Native Americans did not have forks to go along with their meals, so if you really want to be authentic you’ll have to cut back on silverware.

This is sure to provide the family with entertainment throughout the meal, especially for the kids!

 

Though we might celebrate Thanksgiving differently from the pilgrims and Native Americans, one thing remains the same that the day is centered on giving thanks. Don’t forget to take the time to give thanks for the things in your life as well during your Thanksgiving celebrations!

Be sure to stop by your local Sparkle Market to stock up on all your Thanksgiving needs!

Thanksgiving 2013 (1/3): Crafts and Decorations

This is the first in a three-part Thanksgiving series so make sure to check back each week for your fix of turkey day trivia, tips and tricks. 

It’s hard to believe that the holiday season is nearly here and that Thanksgiving is a few short weeks away! Though preparing the meal is the major part of any Thanksgiving Day, don’t forget about the power of decorations and crafts for setting the holiday mood.

Listed here are a few different Thanksgiving craft and decorating ideas to help you get in a thankful spirit and make your Thanksgiving a memorable one.

Centerpieces

Pumpkin Centerpieces

Got extra pumpkins lying around from Halloween that you’re not sure what to do with? Use them as centerpieces for your table! With this simple yet elegant centerpiece your guests are sure to be impressed!

Pumpkin Servers

Looking for a decorative way to display your fruit and vegetable trays? Why not use a mini-pumpkin as a dip bowl? This is a simple and fun way to help make your food display more festive without too much work! To avoid contaminating your dip with the taste of pumpkin,  place a small cup or bowl inside.

Simple Centerpiece

Looking for a quick and easy centerpiece for your table on Thanksgiving? Just fill up a glass vase with items such as cranberries, walnuts or whatever you think would look decorative and place a candle inside! This time-saving way to create a centerpiece will allow you to get back to cooking in a flash.

Napkins 

Napkin Folding

Here’s a fun and easy way to make your napkins more interesting. Works well with both cloth or plain paper napkins.

Cornucopia Napkins

This cornucopia napkin-folding tutorial is sure to win over your guests even before the food is served!

 

Kids’ Table 

Turkey Rice Krispie Treats

Whether you need a cute treat to bring in to school for your children or to make for family and friends, these turkey treats are sure to be a winner!

 

Pilgrim Hat Cookie Treats

Here’s a cute dessert idea leading up to Thanksgiving or used as an additional option to pie (You can never have too much dessert). Your family, friends or children are sure to have fun making and eating this festive treat!

 

Pilgrim Hat Crayon Holder

This craft is easy for kids but doubles as decoration. While designed to hold crayons,  they can also be used to hold napkins, silverware, and straws or even just as a centerpiece.

 

Toilet Paper Roll Turkey

This is a great craft if you’re looking for a way to entertain the kids and to decorate the house or table for the big feast – along with help you find a use for toilet paper rolls! The kids are sure to have a blast being able to make their very own turkeys to be displayed to guests on Thanksgiving!

Turkey Cups

These festive cups are both decorative and practical! They can be used with both kids and adults alike and are sure to bring cheer to your day!

A Reminder to Be Thankful

 

Thankfulness Garland

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what you are most thankful for and this garland will help you and your loved ones remember what they are thankful for. This craft is fun and easy to make and provides a nice decoration for the entire holiday season.

Stop by your local Sparkle Market to get all of your Thanksgiving supplies!  Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for recipes, food trivia and great deals!

Don’t be a Turkey: Share these fun facts!

In the spirit of the holiday season, we shared some fun facts about the turkey last year, and decided to continue the holiday tradition!

“Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?”
Everyone’s flightless friend, Big Bird is most thankful for his friendship to the turkey. Without turkeys, that daunting eight-foot frame of Big Bird would be naked! The costume is made up of nearly 4,000 white turkey feathers dyed bright yellow. And even though Big Bird refers to himself as many different birds on the show, a turkey is not one of them.

National Bird of the United States of America: The Wild Turkey?
Ben Franklin clearly didn’t see the light with this decision. This founding father made an argument for the wild turkey to become the national bird of the United States! In his defense, the true American turkey was “wild and wary to the point of genius,” said author G.T. Klein. Needless to say, we went with the bald eagle.

Hey, You Turkey!
Evidently the domestic turkey caught a bad rap in the 70’s and that reputation has stuck to present day. Throughout the 70’s a popular slang expression used to describe a person doing a stupid thing was referred to as a “turkey.” The nickname meant you were incompetent and was meant to draw comparison to the domestic turkey, which was bred, into a condition of profound stupidity.

Just the Good Ol’ Boys, Never Meaning No Harm
Now this isn’t a Waylon Jennings song, but we’re sure we could draw some comparisons if we tried. The good ol’ boys, a turkey-hunting trip and a supply of bourbon is how the Kentucky Wild Turkey Bourbon company came to be. Hunter and distillery executive, Thomas McCarthy, brought a private supply of bourbon along with him on an annual wild turkey hunt with his friends. From then on out, he would honor the good old boys by fulfilling their request a year later for more bourbon, taking the “Wild Turkey” nickname and turned it into the brand of the legendary Kentucky bourbon.

The Turkey or the Fox Trot, You Decide
Let us take you back to a simpler time, when William McKinley held the presidency and the Turkey Trot reigned supreme. The dance, made popular in the early 1900’s, was thought of as demoralizing by conservative members of society as they attempted to have it banned from public functions. The displeasure only increased its popularity and soon couples everywhere danced around in circles bobbing their heads like the strutting tom turkey. Sadly, it didn’t take long for it to be replaced by the ever so popular Fox Trot.

So if you run out of things to talk about at the Thanksgiving dinner table this year, don’t hesitate to bring up these fun turkey topics! And don’t forget to stop by your local Sparkle Market to pick up your turkey and other Thanksgiving necessities!

Thanksgiving Around the World

It’s November, and that means only one holiday is on the mind—Thanksgiving! In America, we know it as a day to overeat, watch football and prepare for Black Friday shopping. Although Thanksgiving is known as a unique American holiday, many different countries have their own traditions and reasons for dedicating a day to gratitude. Check out some of these international Thanksgiving celebrations!

China, Chung Chiu Moon Festival
The Chinese Moon Festival is on the 15^th of the 8^th lunar month. Also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, families reunite for a three-day feast. The moon cake—a sweet cake filled with sesame seeds, ground lotus seeds and duck egg—is the featured food during this celebration. Families and friends often exchange them as a sign of unity and peace.

Ghana, The Homowo Festival, The Yam Festival
While yams are a popular dish to the American Thanksgiving tradition, they also are a major crop in Ghana—so major that they get their own celebration! The word Homowo means “hooting at hunger,” and to ward against famine and thank the spirits for the bountiful harvest, the people of Ghana (West Africa) celebrate by dressing in multi-colored togas, dance to ceremonial drums and end with a large feast (featuring, you guessed it, yams).

South India, Pongal, The Harvest Festival
Pongal is a four-day celebration, held on January 14^th, honoring the Sun for a bountiful harvest. Named after a sweet rice dish, families and friends gather for a community feast where they share crops and give thanks to everyone who contributed to a successful harvest.

Germany, Erntedankfest
Erntedankfest is primarily a rural and religious harvest celebration, and it is often observed on the first Sunday of October. The day begins with a sermon and is followed by music, dancing and a bounty of fruits and vegetables from the harvest. There won’t be a turkey to be found here. The people of Germany celebrate their day of thanks with chicken!

Canada, Canadian Thanksgiving
This is the closest to the Thanksgiving celebration we all know and love. Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday of October every year to give thanks at the close of the harvest season. Much like America, Canada celebrates its day of thanks with parades, football, turkey and pie.

Aren’t you in the mood for Thanksgiving Day dinner now? Start stocking up on all of your holiday supplies at your local Sparkle Market!

Perfect Thanksgiving Pies

Thanksgiving. A day where we all indulge ourselves in eating gravy-topped turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and many other delicious foods. A day with only one important thing to remember while eating dinner – and that is to save room for some pie, because dinner is not the only thing to indulge in on Thanksgiving! Think about all the different types of pie…there are so many types with countless variations of each. Since there are so many to choose from, here are some of the favorites after a Thanksgiving meal:

5. Chocolate Pie

It’s never a bad idea to have a chocolaty treat on any holiday. Celebrate Thanksgiving with a pie that is rich, velvety, sweet and thick…the chocolate pie! This one is sure to satisfy almost anyone. Indulge.

4. Pecan Pie

Mmmm. Pecan pie is a great choice following your Thanksgiving feast. Its flaky crust and mouth-watering roasted pecan filling will have everyone at the table asking for another piece.

3.  Sweet Potato Pie

If you’re looking for a more robust taste that goes great with the nature of Thanksgiving, the sweet potato pie is a worthy consideration.  With its sweet, rich, hearty flesh that has a more earthy flavor, it really fits nicely after dinner.

2. Apple Pie

One of the most popular pies made on Thanksgiving – apple pie. It’s so scrumptious, you can devour this pie right out of the refrigerator, without whipped cream and it will still be satisfying.

1. Pumpkin Pie

This pie is a requirement after a Thanksgiving dinner. In fact, it is almost irresponsible to go without a piece. No pie captures the Thanksgiving feeling more than pumpkin pie so make sure there is at least enough for everyone to get a piece…with “at least” being strongly emphasized. This pie is perfect.

After looking at some of the best tasting pies, it’s safe to say your mouth is watering by now. Whether you want to make a homemade pie or buy a pre-made pie of your choice, you can never go wrong getting what you need at your local Sparkle Markets. Enjoy the pie!

Turkey: Fun Facts

So you’re going to be having turkey for Thanksgiving this year. Good guess? Of course not, 97% of Americans have just that as their meal! Every Thanksgiving, either you or someone special works hard to prepare and cook that delicious bird for their loved ones.

So while the turkey is being passed around, here are some fun facts to share with everyone:

• The heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds, while the size of an average Thanksgiving turkey is 15 pounds.
• Ben Franklin liked turkey so much, he thought it should be the official bird of the USA.
• A 15 pound turkey has an average of 70% white meat and 30% dark meat.
• Neither chicken nor beef has as much protein as turkey.
• A male turkey is called a “tom.” A female turkey is called a “hen.” Baby turkeys are called “poults.” A group of turkeys is called a “flock.” A 16-week-old turkey is called a “fryer,” and a 5 to 7 month old turkey is called a “young roaster.” That’s a lot of names…
• The most popular ways to serve leftover turkey is in a sandwich, stew, chili, soup, casseroles and burgers.

Now you have some fun things about turkey to share to everyone! Also, be sure to thank the person who made your Thanksgiving meal.

To get everything you need to do that, visit your local Sparkle Market!