Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving! Words from Abraham Lincoln

October 3, 1863

 By the President of the United States A Proclamation The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and provoke their aggressions, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict; while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United Stated States to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.
Abraham Lincoln

12 weeks of Christmas Treats Blog Hop -- December Power Bars

12 Weeks of Christmas Treats Blog Hop | Hosted by MealPlanningMagic.com
Can you believe that Thanksgiving is already here?  In my neighborhood, people are battling out between the traditionalists, who don't believe in decorating for Christmas until Thanksgiving is past, and the ones who have already decked the halls.  In theory, I am with the traditionalist crowd and want to see Thanksgiving get its full due before rushing on to Yule time.  I have to admit, though, that I have jumped the gun this year and put up a couple of things.  Have you decorated yet?  I'd love to hear.

My December calendar is filled with many exciting events, not the least  of which is having all of my chickens home for Christmas.  This grandma is going to need some energy to keep up with all of the fun.  To that end, I have decided to cook what I am calling "December Power Bars" tonight.  I have taken a recipe for energy bars and have tinkered around with it to suit the ingredients that I have on hand.  One of those ingredients is a trail mix with dark chocolate and cranberries, which I think gives the bars a seasonal touch.  I bought the mix at our Neighborhood Walmart Grocery Store.

Here's the original recipe from Food.com:

1/2 cup honey, warm
4 Tablespoons of peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon salt


1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4  tspn. nutmeg
1/4 tspn cinnamon
2 Tablespoons wheat germ
1 Tablespoon brewer's yeast
1 tablespoon molasses
1 1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/12 cups sunflower seeds
1 cup walnuts. 

Serves 18

Stir and mix well the first nine ingredients
Add remaining ingredients and mix with hands
Pat into a 9 by 12 inch greased pan
Bake at 300 degrees for 20-30 minutes (It took me 25)
Cool and cut into bars

My changes:  Instead of the amounts of seeds and nuts, I used one cup dark chocolate/cranberry trail mix, 1 scoop pea protein, 1 scoop (the same scoop) of rice protein, and a scant cup of pecan pieces.   I left out the cinnamon and the nutmeg. 

After I made these, I read a review of the original bars.  The reviewer commented that the bars are grainy and crumbly, and she ended up using her batch as tasty, peanut butter flavored granola sprinkles for yogurt.  When I first took this out of the oven, I was afraid that I would have the same problem with crumbling that she did.  As it has cooled, however, it has taken on the consistency of a true cookie.

Enjoy!