Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Thanksgiving Ideas

Happy Thanksgiving!
Right now, households all over the country are filled with tantalizing smells of home cooking at its best! Whether it's stock simmering on the stove, pies being baked, turkeys being seasoned, casseroles being made, or side dishes manifesting in preparation for the bountiful feasts of Thanksgiving Day, you can be sure that the day before Thanksgiving is as important as Turkey Day itself.



 Healthy Holiday Recipe Ideas
Amidst the traveling and preparations that entail the Thanksgiving weekend, there will be more need for food-planning than the actual turkey (or ham) of Thanksgiving Day. Leftovers won't last forever, and the need for quick healthy recipes to satisfy the entire holiday crowd are in high demand. Don't waste anymore time - get your ingredients and plan ahead for a time you can make these easy and delicious healthy dishes and stow them away in the refrigerator or freezer until it's time to heat up and serve!

"Let’s start with dessert first! After spoiling your taste buds with our Hearty Pumpkin Pie dessert, we have three delectable main dish recipes for your holiday menu. Everyone will be thankful for Stuffed Turkey Breast, Cioppino Seafood Stew and Vegetarian Thanksgiving Lasagna this year, even the leftovers."
Click to read more and get these healthy recipes that are ready in one hour... 

Now you've got a few more healthy recipes you can add to your tables, and cookbooks. How about some game ideas for children and some family activities that will create bonds and savory memories for years to come?


Holiday Game Ideas for Children
Celebrate in ways everyone can enjoy with games, outdoor activities, recipes, and arts and crafts! Many cherished childhood memories involve activities during the holidays, so it's time to be an active participant in the lives of your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, siblings and cousins.

Click here for fun printable activities and great game ideas for children this holiday season...



Holiday Family Activities
Activities during the holidays include more than just eating. Need a little inspiration for some fun holiday family activities? Try these simple, easy, and structured games that everyone can participate in, be creative, establish memories and get connected! Football can be in the background, but make family your main focus and turkey your main dish! Don't worry or stress during the holidays, take a look at these Tips for De-Stressing the Holidays!

The holidays are about being grateful and giving thanks for all the blessings that have been bestowed upon you, your loved ones and your life. Be thankful for your life, and remember not to sweat the small stuff!

Happy Holidays from our family to yours! 
Picnic-Basket.com

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

Fall Creek Falls Camping Trip in TN

The weekend before Halloween we took a trip across Tennessee, catching glimpses of tailgating Alabama and Tennessee Volunteer fans getting ready for the football game as we headed towards the breathtaking beauty of Fall Creek Falls State Park, near Knoxville, TN to do a little hiking and camping.

SEE OUR PICTURE SLIDE-SHOW!

The Cumberland Plateau sits on the edge of the Appalachian Mountains, and in late October the mountains are aflame with color! The river streams were down to smaller trickles due to lack of rain, but standing among the colorful trees with leaves strewn across the ground really heightened the experiences! We walked along the riverbeds, admired the Cascades, and stood on the very edge of the 85 ft. Cane Creek Falls and took in the beautiful colors of the gorge and large boulders of mountains topped with colorful trees.

To fully enjoy one of America's highest waterfalls east of the Rocky Mountains, we took our picnic backpack on our hike down to the base of the 254 ft. waterfall where we enjoyed a light picnic. Light picnic meaning sandwiches, apple slices and bottles of water! Not as romantic as I'd have liked my first waterfall picnic to be, but with tourists and hikers constantly wanting to take pictures where we'd set up our picnic, it would have been rude to hog the best spot!

The hike to the bottom of Fall Creek Falls is quite unlike any trail I've ever been on, and so gorgeous!

With steep steps, large boulders to climb over, a small cave and a huge mountain cliff above you, the walk down can be completed in 20 minutes, although gawking and picture-taking can add another 20 minutes! Walking back up tends to break a small sweat, but the view makes everything worth it!

Luckily we were able to secure one of the few remaining camping sites, since you pretty much just show up and hope they have spots because they don't take reservations. Pitching the tent and setting up was easy, and we were soon relaxing by the perfect moonlit fire, having fun and enjoying the atmosphere of the campsite. The next day we reluctantly made our way out of the Cumberland Plateau. However; we weren't done yet!

A few country back roads and 30 minutes later we were at Burgess State Falls.

Burgess Falls will take your breath away. The entire river provides smaller waterfalls and multiple cascades around every bend until you reach the steep drop of rushing water. It's less than a mile to the huge waterfall, with two trails (one semi-paved and the other a more challenging hike) which makes it easier for people of all ages to check out the beautiful fury of Mother Nature.

We explored the top of the falls, again standing right on the edge next to the enclosed staircase down to the base of the falls, which look exactly like the Pterodactyl cages in the movie, Jurassic Park 2! I attempted to catch a blue crawfish (crayfish, crawdad, mud-bug, poor man's lobster, etc.) while my boyfriend sat next to a cascading four foot waterfall and made sure I didn't fall in. All along the riverbank you can pick up needle-size black cone shells and tiny river clam shells while watching the leaves swirl and dance in both the air, and river currents!

We collected leaves of every shape and color on our hike and by the time we'd left I could identify every type of tree leaf we'd collected, thanks to my Forester.

Now, all of those leaves I saved during this changing of the seasons is on the way to my Momma, down in Florida. She'll love seeing a sample of colorful fall weather in the mountains. Nestled amongst the palm trees is a hard place to be if you miss the changing of the seasons.

Look for our video on YouTube, coming soon! Until next time, enjoy more pictures!