Today is the preview of the good will of God,
Of the preaching of the salvation of mankind.
The Virgin appears in the temple of God,
In anticipation proclaiming Christ to all.
Let us rejoice and sing to her: Rejoice,
O Divine Fulfillment of the Creator's dispensation.

The most pure Temple of the Savior;
The precious Chamber and Virgin;
The sacred Treasure of the glory of God,
Is presented today to the house of the Lord.
She brings with her the grace of the Spirit,
Therefore, the angels of God praise her:
"Truly this woman is the abode of heaven."

Thanksgiving is almost here, and we are hustling! There is so much to do, and we have had other deadlines going on in the background.

Mostly our meals this week have had to do with making room in our fridge and freezers. It is going to be a big gathering this year, and there will be tons of food. Because of Thanksgiving, most jurisdictions give a special dispensation not to keep the fast over this weekend. Since Advent doesn't begin in the West for two weeks, we also have more time to eat up pies!

Dominic is going to be home for Thanksgiving, and he is bringing his fiancée with him. We all knew and expected that he would ask her to marry him, but a little over a month ago, he talked to us about it, and a couple weeks ago, he asked her. We are so excited to be welcoming another daughter into our family. We have so much to be thankful for, not least of which is the bounty we have to share with others. I pray that you will see God's goodness in your life and praise Him.

There are many feasts this week, including the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple, and Yasmina's name saint, Saint Catherine. We are blessed by our brothers and sisters who have gone before us to pray for us and the world. Where would we be without them? Glory to God in His saints!

• Sunday - Feast of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary
  Breakfast: Smoked Salmon, Crackers, Crumpets with Lemon Curd, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Slow Cooked Greek Lamb Kleftiko, Rice, Salad, Mandarin Oranges
• Monday
  Breakfast: Oatmeal with Brown Sugar and Dried Berries, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Tagliatelle with Smashed Peas, Sausage, and Ricotta Cheese, Fruit
• Tuesday - Feast of The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple (Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
  Breakfast: Leftovers, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Ham, Sopressata, and Provolone Sandwiches, Salad, Pickles, Fruit
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Potato Vegetable Hash Burritos, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Pasta Trapanese*, Salad, Fruit
• Thursday - Feast of Saint Clement of Rome
  Breakfast: Farmer Casserole, Blintz Casserole with Raspberry and Pomegranate Preserves and Sour Cream, Mandarin Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Deviled Eggs, Relish Tray, Herb Roasted Turkey, Bourbon Gravy, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Horseradish Relish, Cranberry Sauce, Sweet Potato Rolls, Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Pecans, Bread Stuffing with Chestnuts, Corn with Peppers, Pumpkin Pies, Cranberry Cherry Pies, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pies, Apple Pies, Fresh Pear Crumble Pies, Nantucket Cranberry Pies, Prosecco, Red Wine, Eggnog, Hard Cider, Martinelli's Sparkling Cider, Mexican Coca-Colas
• Friday
  Breakfast: Pies, Coffee and Milk
  Dinner: Turkey Tetrazzini, Green Salad, Leftover Desserts
• Saturday - Feast of Saint Catherine the Great of Alexandria
  Breakfast: Leftovers, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: After Thanksgiving Soup, Sweet Potato Rolls, Leftover Desserts

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Homemaking, Homesteading, Keeping the Feast, Menu Plans, Name Day, Tales from the Kitchen, Thanksgiving