Well last month, if you noticed, we didn't get a newsletter out. This was due to my wonderful but unexpected trip to San Diego to visit my sister and her family. Oddly enough, that visit took me out of Canada for the Canadian Thanksgiving but returned me to Canada to miss the American Thanksgiving. You'd think with two countries and two celebrations I'd be able to make it to at least one!

So, for all our Canadian Readers I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends close. To all our American Readers I hope this finds you in preparation for a wonderful Thanksgiving with all you hold dear.

This month brings two incredibly great recipes for Thanksgiving. There's a Punch that the kids can have fun helping with and a wonderful roast chicken for those of us who can't afford or don't require a Turkey.

In the ramblings section there is an easy form to fill out to participate in a survey about single parent diets/eating habits. Please take a moment to fill this out and aid this student in his research.

As usual, I'd like to take this moment to welcome all of our new subscribers and bid a 'welcome back' to our returning ones.

• November's Recipes
  • Cranberry Punch
  • Garlic Roast Chicken
    
• Welcome a new contributor
  
• Ramblings
  • Health Survey

Every month I'm offering some link space to other webmasters. I don't get any money or commission for these ads -- it's just one website doing another website a favour! Please take a moment to visit this great link:

Christmas is coming, why not let BuckWorks be your shopping guide! Explore their listings to find online stores with good products, good value, good service. They don't list gimmicks, just good shopping. Click banners that interest you, check the categories in the center column or the drop menu, or use the search box to find good stores. Shopping online brings great stores right to you, and makes comparison shopping easy!

BuckWorks Online Shopping Directory: Your gateway to great shopping online. Canadian online shopping, too!

Worth a bookmark for when you need to shop for Birthdays, Christmas, and other occasions big and small!

Cranberry Punch - Serves 12
(one the kids can help with!)

• In a pot add all ingredients except for lemon and whole cloves.
• Bring to a simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Take off burner and cool.
• While waiting for the punch to cool, dot the lemons with the cloves.
• When punch is cooled place in a punchbowl and float your decorated lemons on top.
  

Garlic Roast Chicken - serves 4
(A Turkey too big or too expensive for you? Roast a chicken for your Thanksgiving then)

• This is EASY. Don't let the long instructions scare you they're just very detailed!
• Preheat oven to 425 F.
• Get out a roasting pan or a large baking pan. Rub some olive oil on the bottom of the pan with a paper towel.
• Get the lemon, garlic, and onions ready. Wash the potatoes. Remove the neck, etc., from the inside (cavity) of the chicken and throw away.
• Wash the chicken inside and out with cold water.
• Lay on paper towels and pat dry.
• Arrange the carrots in a single layer on the bottom of the pan.
• Place the chicken on top of the carrots.
• Stuff the chicken with the lemon wedges, two garlic pieces, and a few sprigs of thyme.
• Rub some olive oil on the skin of the chicken with a paper towel.
• Arrange the potatoes and then the onions around the chicken.
• Cut four slits in the chicken and stick a piece of garlic into each slit.
• Distribute the rest of the garlic over the potatoes and onions.
• Sprinkle thyme sprigs over the chicken and potatoes.
• Bake at 425F for 30 minutes, then pour the chicken broth over the top of the chicken.
• Reduce heat to 350F and roast for 50 to 60 minutes. (The chicken is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 170 to 175 F, or when you insert a knife, the juices are clear and not pink.)
• The chicken will continue to cook a bit more as it rests.

This past month we've added a new article to our site by Belinda G. Alexander. Read her humorous account of teenagers and hormones here.

Belinda Alexander is an inspirational and motivational Writer and Speaker. Her writing offers crisp commentary, subjective self-assessment, objective observation, and empowering inspiration. She is the creative owner of 'BA Publications', and 'Parenting Community' news.

Her words and workshops focus on the activities and needs of Real People and Real Parenting and Real Communities for positive growth. Belinda holds a BBA-Bachelor of Business Administration degree and is certified as CTM, CL with Toastmaster's International Speakers. She serves on the School Planning Committee and is currently completing her Teachers Certification. Ms. Alexander's subjects have been featured in many community and news and publications and she is a Regional Representative for NAWW- National Association of Women Writers. Her work was selected as the A. Philip Randolph Educational Commentary Award for 2002. She is a dedicated single mom to one young teenage son, Ryan. They reside in Arlington Texas.

Visit her Websites: www.parentingcommunity.com and www.bapublications.com

Below is a research survey by Stuart Purdie. Please take a moment of your time and fill out his form to aid in this research.

Design & Health
by Stuart Purdie
BSc Design For Industry

The Western World is generally becoming an un-healthy place; with 'fast-food' or 'junk-food' becoming the preference of food types in many generations. People no longer take the time (or in some cases have the time) to prepare and eat a healthy meal or consider their food-group intakes.

I am looking to design a product that helps us to think about what we are putting into our bodies. To have a piece of fruit rather than a packet of crisps (bag of chips!) I believe that by making parents more aware of 'healthy food' it will in turn lead to their children un-consciously becoming healthier.

At the moment I am researching single parent families to discover whether eating habits deteriorate in the years after becoming a single parent.

If you could take some time out to e-mail me responses to there questions, it would be greatly appreciated.

To enable me to analyse this research effectively I need to learn some information about the household:

Well folks, that's it for another month. As usual, if you have any suggestions or contributions let me know! We're always up to suggestions and recipes sent in also have the chance to be included on the website.

Jill Lassaline, editor
Single Parents World