What We Are Thankful For On Thanksgiving

Episode #5

Christine Bordelon and columnists and bloggers Sarah McDonald and Gaby Smith focus on Thanksgiving traditions

:25 - Over the past year, our columnists and bloggers have given great suggestions about being thankful. One of our bloggers Dawn wrote a beautiful blog about a giving tree and I took her suggestion

:49 – Sarah did something different. She created a wreath with paper leaves and wrote the things they were thankful for hung inside their homes so on Thanksgiving people could see it. 1:25: Gaby’s loves this time of year to be together with family and be thankful and likes

1:46: Sarah says Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday. She and her husband got married Thanksgiving weekend. Such a feeling of warmth around a Thanksgiving table. Doesn’t have the craziness of Christmas. It’s really about family coming together, food and football. They start Thanksgiving by going to Mass to start the day of gratitude.

2:50 Christine loves how churches now bless the bread. They bless wine, too.

3:05: Noticing more people at Mass for Thanksgiving, even though kids miss part of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.

3:35 Gaby loves the tradition of watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV.

3:45: Christine thanked the columnists for participating over the past year and mentioned how blessed she is to have her dad and father-in-law in her life.

4:36: Sarah is grateful for her husband who is so good to her and her kids and grateful for the family they have built together in their tiny house. She is also grateful for her job - using her gifts and talents to serve the church and express her faith and serve the people of God.

5:37: Christine is also grateful to work with the archdiocese and being made aware of the need in the community and how Catholic Charities and Second Harvest serve the need, and having enough to help them in their mission.

6:21: Gaby is thankful for her husband, a roof over her head, a warm bed and food on the table and family across the country and her friends.

7:20: Christine mentioned how she will put a recipe for oyster patties online.

8:00 Christine also gave a Thanksgiving prayer written by Harry Jewell.

9:00 Shout out to inaugural Christmas caroling event with St. Nicholas telling his story, with cookies, hot chocolate and coffee.

Dec. 7, 5:30 p.m. at Notre Dame Seminary, 2901 South Carrollton Ave., New Orleans, after the lighting of the creche.

 

Thanksgiving prayer

Our Father in Heaven, we give thanks for the pleasure of gathering together for this occasion.

We give thanks for this food prepared by loving hands. We give thanks for life, the freedom to enjoy it and all other blessings.

As we partake of this food, we pray for health and strength to carry on and try to live as you would have us.

This we ask in the name of Christ, our Heavenly Father. - Harry Jewell

 

Here is a recipe that Chris promised.

Oyster Patties (from former McKenzie’s Bakery)

4 dozen oysters and oyster liquor (juice that comes with oysters)

1 onion, chopped fine

1 tablespoon flour

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup chopped mushrooms and juice

Salt (Oysters are usually salty enough without extra salt)

Black pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

¼ teaspoon of lemon juice (I like more)

3 dozen mini patty shells (Available at Tastee Donuts, Zuppardo’s or Dorignac’s grocery stores in the New Orleans area) 

Bring oysters in their liquor to a slow boil and simmer 10 minutes. (When cooked, I put in food processor and chop finely). In another pot, saute’ onions in butter and stir in flour until smooth. Add remaining ingredients plus the chopped oysters. Cook five minutes. If too watery, either add a little cornstarch or bread crumbs (but don’t make lumpy or too thick). Pour into patty shells and bake in a 375 oven for about 5 to 8 minutes.