TURKEYS, TURKEYS, AND MORE TURKEYS

Over the years, my family has gotten a kick out of my turkey creations at Thanksgiving. There’s been the turkey vegetable platter, turkey cupcakes, turkey fruit plate, turkey oreos, and the turkey-topped cheesecake (we created the cheesecake topping for a contest sponsored by the canned pear industry, and won $1000 gift certificate to a school supply company, which we donated to a school that serves an underprivileged population):

I’m always impressed by the many creative and whimsical ideas out there on the interwebs.  So, just for fun, here is a roundup of turkey-themed foods to amuse your family with this Thanksgiving.

Turkey veggie trays are easy and colorful, limited only by the produce available and your imagination:

Eating Richly

Found at Mrs. Fields  
hiddenvalley

Wow ’em with this one from Hidden Valley

Likewise, turkey fruit trays are easy and colorful:

You could try your hand at a melon turkey:

Although this turkey melon masterpiece puts all others to shame:

melon turkey 1

 Found at homecrux.com

There’s lots of cute ways to say “Happy Thanksgiving” to your little ones:

A turkey charcuterie platter will keep folks happy while the turkey finishes roasting:

A turkey cheese ball makes a whimsical appetizer:

Pretzel turkeys are quite popular:

This is my kind of turkey pretzel!

pretzel

Philly Pretzel Factory

And this turkey pretzel roll would make a great turkey sandwich, don’t you agree?

turkeypretzelroll

Philly Pretzel Factory

Lots of ideas for turkey-shaped breads, like this handsome bird:

Rhodes 

Or this sweet potato bread turkey:

kbaked 

And this beautiful pull-apart sourdough bread turkey:

Boudin Sourdough

Deviled egg turkeys prove that this popular appetizer is not just for Easter:

I wish I had the time and patience to make this magnificent Rice Krispie treat turkey filled with M&Ms:

rice krispie turkey

Found at musingsfromatangledmind.com

And finally, a round of applause for this M&M artwork (be sure to check out the artist’s other M&M creations here):

mmsturkey

Perhaps one of these will inspire you to create your own Thanksgiving turkey.  If so, I’d love to see what you come up with!

PUMPKIN SPICE REFLECTIONS

As Pumpkinspicetober winds down, there are still many pumpkin spice products lingering on grocery store shelves.  But even if they were giving them away, I don’t think I’d take them.  Sampling as many commercial pumpkin spice products as I did was, if not enjoyable, interesting.  For those of you with kids — you know how amoxicillin, the antibiotic often prescribed for ear infections, is the color of bubble gum, and looks like it’s going to taste great?

amoxicillin

Well, it tastes nasty, and after the first dose, there is no way any kid is going to swallow that without a fight — as a nurse, there were many times I had to hold a patient’s nose and squirt it down the back of their throat, hoping I wouldn’t wind up wearing it.  That’s how pumpkin spice was for me.  It looked (in most cases) and sounded great — until I tried it.  After a week or so, just the smell of some of the products would cause my eyes to water and the faint feeling of nausea to set in.  I actually did spit out a few — Hershey’s Pumpkin Spice Kisses and Pumpkin Spice Latte M&Ms, to be specific.

My personal feelings are that commercial pumpkin spice products have had their run (there will always be a place for homemade pumpkin spice treats).  Time for a new kid on the block next fall.  I think Caramel Apple has a promising future.  Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to cranberry and gingerbread and peppermint, which are slowly starting to creep into stores.

Just to recap, here are the products I sampled:

PUMPKIN SPICE PRODUCTS I WOULD BUY AGAIN:

Pepperidge Farm Pumpkin Spice Swirl Bread

Kellogg’s Frosted Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts

Chobani “Flip” Pumpkin Harvest Crisp Yogurt 

Kellogg’s Pumpkin Spice Frosted Mini Wheats

Thomas’ Pumpkin Spice English Muffins

Sur La Table Buttermilk Almond Pumpkin Spice Quick Bread

Pumpkin Butter

McDonald’s Pumpkin & Cream Pie

PUMPKIN SPICE PRODUCTS THAT WERE FUN TO TRY ONCE:

Pumpkin Crunch

Pepperidge Farm Pumpkin Cheesecake Soft Dessert Cookies

Pumpkin Spice Oreos

Peeps Pumpkin Spice Flavored Marshmallow Dipped in White Fudge

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte

Fiber One Pumpkin Spice Bars

Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Flavored Dog Treats

Trader Joe’s Pumpkin O’s

Pumpkin Dairy Whipped Topping

PUMPKIN SPICE PRODUCTS THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED:

Philadelphia Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Spread

Starbucks Via Instant Pumpkin Spice Latte

Planters Pumpkin Spice Almonds

Pepperidge Farm Milano Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Kashi Pumpkin Spice Flax Crunchy Granola Bars

Pumpkin Spice Latte M&M’s

Hershey’s Pumpkin Spice Kisses

Brach’s Pumpkin Spice Candy Corn

Pillsbury Pumpkin Spice Rolls

Hostess Pumpkin Spice Twinkies

R.W. Knudsen Sparkling Pumpkin Spice Juice Blend