National Tie One On Day™ was created six years ago when I began to notice that Thanksgiving was talked about in terms more commonly associated with stress than with joy.
A day that should be about expressing gratitude, I created an opportunity to put the “give” back into Thanksgiving and easily share one’s own good fortune with someone in need of a kind gesture.
Celebrated on the eve of Thanksgiving – Wednesday, November 23 this year – National Tie One On Day™ is an opportunity to share our bounty by wrapping a loaf of bread or other baked good in an apron, along with a note of encouragement tucked in the pocket; then “tie one on” (an apron, of course!) and deliver the wrapped bundle to someone in need of a bit of kindness.
What with technology replacing face-to-face communication, the act of writing a note and hand delivering it with an offering is an expression of kindness in itself, and bread is the ultimate expression of this, because it is the basic comfort food.
Give us this day our daily bread isn’t just a prayer. The words are also a reminder that to have more than daily bread is to be blessed.
In preparation of my own National Tie One On Day™ deliveries, I baked a double batch of cherry pumpkin bread. I love this bread because the recipe is a breeze, it freezes beautifully, slices without crumbling and tastes delicious. Whether as a single large loaf or mini-sized for tucking into an apron pocket, this baked good will make someone’s day sweeter.
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1/2 cup oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups dried cherries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (I use a whisk for this task). In another bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and pumpkin until smooth; then add to the large bowl. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moist. Now stir in the dried fruit. Spread evenly in 1 large loaf pan, 2 smaller loaf pans or as I do – a loaf pan divided into 8 mini loaves.
For the large 8 1/2” loaf pan, bake 1 1/2 hours or until a wooden skewer/toothpick inserted into loaf’s enter comes out clean. Bake less time as pan size decreases (mini-loaves take 20-25 minutes).
NATIONAL TIE ONE ON DAY™ INSPIRATION: To see how others are celebrating NTOODay, click here!
The National Tie One On Day Goodie Giveaway sponsors are generously providing an array of giveaways, which I’ll highlight throughout the NTOODay™ campaign.
- Mary Mulari is busy – appearing regularly on the PBS show Sewing with Nancy, at national quilt and sewing expositions throughout the year, and adding to her apron pattern business with new and re-envisioned designs. Mary is providing two lucky winners with her latest patterns:
- Modern June’s Kelly McCants specializes in retro-inspired apron designs and other goodies for the hip housewife. Her love of oil cloth is the inspiration to her newly published book, which she will personalize for the lucky winners. Kelly is also providing oil cloth yardage for sewing up a project in her book!
- IceMilk Aprons gourmet line of heirloom aprons is designed of quality linen, nature’s natural fiber. Each apron is preserved in a jam jar and includes a heritage tag, apron story and blank recipe cards. Two winners will receive Vanilla-Churned Sunday
Thank you, dear readers, for spreading the word about National Tie One On Day™ – for the more who participate, the more who will receive.
xxea
Tie One On…an apron, of course!