Did you know that the word “parfait” means “perfect” in French? This certainly makes sense because parfaits are a perfect dessert, you can create the perfect combinations of flavors to excite your very own taste buds.

A parfait consists of  layers of ice cream, whipped cream, syrups, fruits, granola, nuts, the combinations are endless!.  I bet this is sounding familiar to you isn’t it? Well parfait is basically a fancy word for a sundae!

While chocolate is my favorite, use your imagination to create a wide range of single and mixed flavors. I bet you have some Thanksgiving leftovers, wouldn’t a Pumpkin Parfait be marvelous?

If the delightful combination of delicious flavors in a parfait is not enough for you, try eating it over a sink. That’s right your kitchen sink! Not only is November 25th National Parfait Day, it’s also Sinkie Day.

Christmas shopping and Thanksgiving leftovers provide the perfect reasons to enjoy a quick meal. It’s the day many people discover the benefits of becoming a SINKIE and go on to many years of dining over the sink.

Who wouldn’t want to celebrate the day after Thanksgiving by eating a parfait over the sink? Enjoy!

Wild turkeys on the other hand, can fly. They sleep in the low branches of trees at night, and how else would they get to their bed but by flying. They spend their days foraging for food like acorns, seeds, small insects and wild berries. Wild turkeys are covered with dark feathers that help them blend in with their woodland homes. The bare skin on the throat and head of a turkey can change color from flat gray to striking shades of red, white, and blue when the bird becomes distressed or excited.

Each spring male turkeys try to befriend as many females as possible. Male turkeys, also called “tom turkeys” or “gobblers” puff up their bodies and spread their tail feathers, like a peacock. They grunt, make a gobble-gobble sound and strut about shaking their feathers. This fancy turkey trot helps the male attract female “hens” for mating.

After the female turkey mates, she prepares a nest under a bush in the woods and lays her tan and speckled brown eggs. She incubates as many as 18 eggs at a time. It takes about a month for the chicks to hatch. When the babies, known as “poults” or “turklings” hatch, they flock with their mother all year.

If you want to get into the Thanksgiving spirit, you can celebrate the celebrity of the turkey with us and make your own little turkling!

Follow the link below for instructions!

• Grab a white sheet of paper, some washable markers, scissors and colored paper (brown, black, yellow, red, and white)
• Place your hand on the white sheet of paper, with the center of your palm in the center of the page
• Use the colored markers to trace the outline of your hand
• Continue doing this until you have created a fan of fingers across the page
• Cut out a round piece of brown paper and glue it in the center, where your palm had been, this is the body of the turkey
• Cut out a round shape using red paper, for the neck of the turkey and glue it close to the bottom of the brown circle
• Now cut out and glue an oval shape (in a different color of brown) over the round body, and the red circle, this is the head
• Now cut out gold or yellow triangles, one large, and two smaller. Glue the large one towards the bottom of the oval piece, this is the beak. Glue the smaller triangles at the very bottom of the turkey’s body, these are the feet
• Cut out 2 white circles and 2 black circles. Make the black circles smaller, these are the insides of the eyes, and glue this to the oval piece
• Finish by writing “I am thankful for…” at the top along with your name, then write in all the things you are thankful for inside the turkey’s feathers

Cut out the body of a turkey from a piece of brown construction paper. Cut out a hole the size of the doorknob from the belly of the Turkey. Write down what your family member does that you are grateful for on colorful feathers and tape them to the turkey.

I made this turkey for my little brother. What are you thankful for? Leave a comment letting us know.

Share these interesting facts about turkeys with your family this Thanksgiving:

Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be America’s national bird

A baby turkey is called a Poult

Turkeys have tiny stones in their gizzard, which help them grind up food.

Wild turkeys spend the night in trees

Turkeys do not have ears on the outside of their heads like people do, but they hear very well

The first traditional Thanksgiving between the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Native Americans occured in 1621. That’s over three centuries ago! But did you know there were other feasts similar to that one too? Previously, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés and his group of Spanish colonists landed in Florida where they held a Thanksgiving feast to celebrate their safe arrival. Near El Paso, Spaniard Don Juan de Oñate decided to give his expedition party a rest and throw a Thanksgiving celebration.

Other interesting facts about Thanksgiving are…

…although today’s Thanksgiving meal usually features turkey and pumpkin pie, the pilgrims and Native Americans actually didn’t eat these! Instead of turkey, they ate  lobster, deer meat, and duck. Also there were no ovens to bake any pumpkin pies, though some historians believe pumpkins and squash were present—just not in pie form!

…the pilgrims and natives had different eating habits. While the colonists ate breakfast, dinner, and supper, the Native Americans just ate whenever they were hungry and often had pots cooking throughout the day.

…the reason the holiday is called Thanksgiving is because the colonists wanted to express gratitude for surviving the journey from England to the New Land. Native Americans already had a long history of harvest festivals and ceremonial dances to give thanks for a successful crop.

…Thanksgiving is also a symbol of friendship and cooperation between the colonists and Native Americans. There was a lot of tension when the colonists arrived because the Native Americans were already there living their lives. This was one of the few moments of peaceful interaction between the two groups.

Want to learn more about the history of Thanksgiving? Visit History.com – The First Thanksgiving, which is where I found a lot of these interesting facts.

Afterward, satisfy your sweet tooth with these turkey sugar cookies!

All you need is a sugar cookie recipe, different colored icing, candy corn, and candy for the eyes. I think mini M&Ms make good turkey eyes. You can also use a small bit of red licorice for the turkey’s waddle. 

For one recipe, check out the Pillsbury web site by clicking on the photo.

These turkey-themed snacks are making me even more excited about Thanksgiving! What are some of your family’s Thanksgiving traditions? What food do you look forward to eating?