Thanksgiving - Menu Planning

This is the second time that I am hosting Thanksgiving, and I am really excited.  I have been thinking about the menu and the different components for a while now.  We are hosting some friends also, so this will be very exciting. 

So, first we will start off with hot dogs in a blanket and some tomato-pepper dip.  The dip is the one from the Persian Bride cookbook, which I really like.  It is really easy and dairy free and meat free.

Then we move to knishes from the Butcherie, two kinds of cranberry sauce (cranberry orange sauce that my mom will make, and then the canned jelly stuff for me), homemade bread, pickles and olives.

Then we get down to TURKEY!  I love turkey.  My mom will be bringing the turkey.  I haven't made one myself yet, and Adam doesn't like the smell of it.  Although one of these years he is going to get used to it.  I will be making Adam a curry tofu dish, which is really easy (and much less expensive than the wild mushroom casserole that I made last year).  We will also have sweet potatoes with marshmallows, because I totally love it (sooo not gourmet, but who cares).  Then my mom will make a chestnut stuffing, and I will make a vegetarian stuffing.  And I am also going to have peas.  Maybe another vegetable.

Then, my favorite part - dessert.  We will have fruit, chocolate pie (Mae's recipe from the 1970s that my kids love, love, love), maple cream pie, pumpkin pie (because Naomi is insisting on trying one piece) and candied cranberry chocolate tart.

Time to start my grocery list.

Full Day Kindergarten

It is hard to believe that Newton Public Schools does not offer full day kindergarten. Somehow, our model is that kindergartens attend school until 12:30 every day in September. Starting in October, the kids are divided in half (Team A and Team B). Team A attends kindergarten on Mondays and Wednesdays until 3 PM and Team B attends school on Thursdays and Fridays until 3 PM. Of course the entire Newton Elementary School system is released early on Tuesdays (which is great so teachers can work together, and learn together); and again on 7 Thursdays (not so great).

While some of Newton's officials think that this is a great model, I do not. First, logistically, it is a nightmare, especially for households that having only working parents. Second, and more importantly, we are short changing our children. Study after study say that our early learning years are very important, and even more important for children who have difficulties learning. We need to invest in our youngest learners. By allowing our children more classroom time, we are giving them the support in reading, writing and math. For those who need specialists, the specialists are there, and can offer more support.

Of course this takes money, but if we don't invest in our future, who will? Today's kindergarten students will be tomorrow's leaders, and will be taking care of the world and the older generation. Give them the most that we can offer.

If you live in Newton, write to the school committee, and ask for their SUPPORT FOR FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN.