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Three types of chocolate make for a rich rugelach that's not too sweet, but perfectly flaky.

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Thanksgiving...fun facts

Thanksgiving Day: Nov. 28, 2013 150th Anniversary of Lincoln Proclamation

NOTE: The two statements in the "Culinary Delights" section on the number of turkeys raised have been updated to reflect the release of 2013 statistics.

In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims, early settlers of Plymouth Colony, held a three-day feast to celebrate a bountiful harvest, an event many regard as the nation's first Thanksgiving. The Wampanoag, the Indians in attendance, also played a lead role. Historians have recorded ceremonies of thanks among other groups of European settlers in North America, including British colonists in Virginia in 1619. The legacy of thanks and the feast have survived the centuries, as the event became a national holiday 150 years ago (Oct. 3, 1863) when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of thanksgiving. Later, President Franklin Roosevelt clarified that Thanksgiving should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month to encourage earlier holiday shopping, never on the occasional fifth Thursday.

Where to Feast

115 million

Number of occupied housing units across the nation in second quarter 2013 — all potential stops for Thanksgiving dinner. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing Vacancies and Homeownership, Table 8 < http://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/data/histtabs.html>

4.4 million

Number of multigenerational households in the U.S. in 2012. These households, consisting of three or more generations, no doubt will have to purchase large quantities of food to accommodate all the family members sitting around the table for the holiday feast — even if there are no guests! Source: 2012 American Community Survey, Table B11017

Number of places in the United States named after the holiday's traditional main course. Turkey Creek, La., was the most populous in 2012, with 440 residents, followed by Turkey, Texas (415), Turkey, N.C. (295) and Turkey Creek, Ariz. (294). There are also two townships in Pennsylvania with "Turkey" in the name: Upper Turkeyfoot and Lower Turkeyfoot. (Please note that the Turkey Creek, Ariz., population total pertains to the 2010 Census). Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Population Estimates and American FactFinder, Table DP-1, 2010 Census Summary File 1 < http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012-3.html> < http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/1600000US0477415>

Number of places and townships in the United States that are named Cranberry or some spelling variation of the acidic red berry (e.g., Cranbury, N.J.), a popular side dish at Thanksgiving. Cranberry Township (Butler County), Pa., was the most populous of these places in 2012, with 28,832 residents. Cranberry township (Venango County), Pa., was next (6,608). (Please note that population totals for the two places on the list that are census designated places — Cranbury, N.J., with a population of 2,181, and Cranberry Lake, N.Y., with a population of 200 — pertain to 2010.). Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Population Estimates and 2010 Census Summary File 1 < http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/index.html> < http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?fpt=table>

Number of counties, places and townships in the United States named Plymouth, as in Plymouth Rock, the landing site of the first Pilgrims. The two counties, both named Plymouth, are in Massachusetts (2012 population of 499,759) and Iowa (24,907 in 2012).

Plymouth, Minn., is the most populous place, with 72,928 residents in 2012; Plymouth, Mass., had 57,463 that year.

There are two places in the United States named Pilgrim: One, a township in Dade County, Mo., had a 2012 population of 127; the other, a census designated place in Michigan, had a 2010 population of 11. And then there is Mayflower, Ark., whose population was 2,312 in 2012, and Mayflower Village, Calif., whose population was 5,515 in 2010.

Note: Townships have been included in these counts from 12 states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin) where the primary governmental or administrative divisions of a county serve as general-purpose local governments that can perform the same governmental functions as incorporated places. These county subdivisons are known as minor civil divisions, and the Census Bureau presents data for these in all data products for which place data are provided. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census Summary File 1 < http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?fpt=table> < http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?fpt=table> < http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?fpt=table> 2012 Population Estimates Counties: <http://www.census.gov/popest/data/counties/totals/2012/CO-EST2012-01.html> Cities and Towns: <http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/index.html>

Participants in the First Feast

25.3 million

Number of U.S. residents of English ancestry as of 2012. Some could very well be descendants of the Plymouth colonists who participated in the autumn feast that is widely believed to be one of the first Thanksgivings — especially the 684,000 living in Massachusetts. Source: 2012 American Community Survey, Table B04003

6,500

Number of members of the Wampanoag American Indian tribal grouping, as of 2010, roughly half of whom reside in Massachusetts. The Wampanoag, the American Indians in attendance, played a lead role in this historic encounter, and they had been essential to the survival of the colonists during the newcomers' first year. The Wampanoag are a people with a sophisticated society who have occupied the region for thousands of years. They have their own government, their own religious and philosophical beliefs, their own knowledge system, and their own culture. They are also a people for whom giving thanks was a part of daily life. Sources: 2010 Census American Indian and Alaska Native Summary File, Table DP-1 < http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb12-241.html>; and American Indian Perspectives on Thanksgiving, National Museum of the American Indian < http://nmai.si.edu/sites/1/files/pdf/education/thanksgiving_poster.pdf>.

Preparing the Feast ... Enjoying the Day ... and the Aftermath

98.6%

Percentage of households in 2011 with a gas or electric stove — essential for cooking their Thanksgiving feast. Another 96.8 percent had a microwave, also helpful in preparing the meal. Source: Extended Measures of Well-Being: Living Conditions in the United States: 2011, Table 3 < http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p70-136.pdf>

98.3%

Percentage of households with a television in 2011. No doubt, many guests either before, after, or perhaps even during the feast will settle in front of their TVs to watch some football. Source: Extended Measures of Well-Being: Living Conditions in the United States: 2011, Table 3 < http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p70-136.pdf>

35.8%

Percentage of households with a stand-alone food freezer in 2011, which they may want to use to preserve their Thanksgiving leftovers. Far more (99.2 percent) have a refrigerator. Once all the guests leave, it will be time to clean up. Fortunately, 69.3 percent have a dishwasher to make the task easier. Source: Extended Measures of Well-Being: Living Conditions in the United States: 2011, Table 3 < http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p70-136.pdf>

Culinary Delights

64,366

The number of supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores in the United States in 2011. These establishments are expected to be extremely busy around Thanksgiving, as people prepare for their delightful meals. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS Code 44511 < http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/>

3,889

The number of baked goods stores in the United States in 2011 - a potential place to visit to purchase refreshing desserts. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS Code 445291 < http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/>

2,918

The number of fruit and vegetable markets in the United States in 2011 - a great place to find holiday side dishes. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS Code 445230 < http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/>

242 million

The number of turkeys forecasted to be raised in the United States in 2013. That is down 5 percent from the number raised during 2012. Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, < http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/TurkRaisSu/TurkRaisSu-09-30-2013.pdf>

45 million

The forecast for the number of turkeys Minnesota will raise in 2013. The Gopher State was tops in turkey production, followed by North Carolina (35 million), Arkansas (29 million), Indiana (17 million), Missouri (17 million), and Virginia (16 million). Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, < http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/TurkRaisSu/TurkRaisSu-09-30-2013.pdf>

$23.1 million

The value of U.S. imports of live turkeys for 2012, with 99.8 percent of them coming from Canada. When it comes to sweet potatoes, the Dominican Republic was the source of 51.1 percent ($4.6 million) of total imports ($9.1 million). The United States ran a $17.6 million trade deficit in live turkeys during the period but had a surplus of $71.2 million in sweet potatoes. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Statistics < http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/>

768 million pounds

The forecast for U.S. cranberry production in 2012. Wisconsin was estimated to lead all states in the production of cranberries, with 450 million pounds, followed by Massachusetts (estimated at 210 million).

New Jersey, Oregon and Washington were also estimated to have substantial production, ranging from 14 to 54 million pounds. Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, < http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/Cran/Cran-08-14-2012.pdf>

2.6 billion pounds

The total weight of sweet potatoes — another popular Thanksgiving side dish — produced by major sweet potato producing states in 2012. North Carolina (1.2 billion pounds) produced more sweet potatoes than any other state, followed by California, Mississippi and Louisiana. Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, < http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProdSu/CropProdSu-01-11-2013.pdf>

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Self-taught baker Lauren Ko creates geometric pies and shares them on her popular Instagram account lokokitchen. In this Tasty video, she talks about what inspired her to start baking, how she learns new tricks, and how much the online baking community cheers her on. We also see how she makes some o

These pies might outshine the turkey next week!

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How Plants Prepare for Winter

All summer, with the long hours of sunlight and a good supply of liquid water, plants are busy making and storing food, and growing. But what about wintertime? The days are much shorter, and water is hard to get. Plants have found many different ways to get through the harsh days of winter.

Some plants, including many garden flowers, are called "annuals," which means they complete their life cycle in one growing season. They die when winter comes, but their seeds remain, ready to sprout again in the spring.

"Perennials" live for more than two years. This category includes trees and shrubs, as well as herbaceous plants with soft, fleshy stems. When winter comes, the woody parts of trees and shrubs can survive the cold. The above ground parts of herbaceous plants (leaves, stalks) will die off, but underground parts (roots, bulbs) will remain alive. In the winter, plants rest and live off stored food until spring.

As plants grow, they shed older leaves and grow new ones. This is important because the leaves become damaged over time by insects, disease and weather. The shedding and replacement continues all the time. In addition, deciduous trees, like maples, oaks and elms, shed all their leaves in the fall in preparation for winter.

"Evergreens" keep most of their leaves during the winter. They have special leaves, resistant to cold and moisture loss. Some, like pine and fir trees, have long thin needles. Others, like holly, have broad leaves with tough, waxy surfaces. On very cold, dry days, these leaves sometimes curl up to reduce their exposed surface. Evergreens may continue to photosynthesize during the winter as long as they get enough water, but the reactions occur more slowly at colder temperatures.

During summer days, leaves make more glucose than the plant needs for energy and growth. The excess is turned into starch and stored until needed. As the daylight gets shorter in the autumn, plants begin to shut down their food production.

Many changes occur in the leaves of deciduous trees before they finally fall from the branch. The leaf has actually been preparing for autumn since it started to grow in the spring. At the base of each leaf is a special layer of cells called the "abscission" or separation layer. All summer, small tubes which pass through this layer carry water into the leaf, and food back to the tree. In the fall, the cells of the abscission layer begin to swell and form a cork-like material, reducing and finally cutting off flow between leaf and tree. Glucose and waste products are trapped in the leaf. Without fresh water to renew it, chlorophyll begins to disappear.

The bright red and purple fall foliage colors come from anthocyanin (an-thuh-'si-uh-nuhn) pigments. These are potent antioxidants common in many plants; for example, beets, red apples, purple grapes (and red wine), and flowers like violets and hyacinths. In some leaves, like maple leaves, these pigments are formed in the autumn from trapped glucose.

Why would a plant use energy to make these red pigments, when the leaves will soon fall off? Some scientists think that the anthocyanins help the trees keep their leaves a bit longer. The pigments protect the leaves from the sun, and lower their freezing point, giving some frost protection. The leaves remain on the tree longer, and more of the sugars, nitrogen and other valuable substances can be removed before the leaves fall. Another possible reason has been proposed: when the leaves decay, the anthocyanins seep into the ground and prevent other plant species from growing in the spring.

Brown fall foliage colors come from tannin, a bitter waste product. Other colors, which have been there all along, become visible when the chlorophyll disappears. The orange colors come from carotene ('kar-uh-teen) and the yellows from xanthophyll ('zan-thuh-fil). They are common pigments, also found in flowers, and foods like carrots, bananas and egg yolks. We do not know their exact role in leaves, but scientists think they may be involved somehow in photosynthesis. Different combinations of these pigments give us a wide range of colors each fall.

As the bottom cells in the separation layer form a seal between leaf and tree, the cells in the top of the separation layer begin to disintegrate. They form a tear-line, and eventually the leaf is blown away or simply falls from the tree.

One more important question remains. What causes the most spectacular display? The best place in the world for viewing fall colors is probably the Eastern United States. This is because of the climate there, and the wide variety of deciduous trees. The brightest colors are seen when late summer is dry, and autumn has bright sunny days and cool (low 40's Fahrenheit) nights. Then trees make a lot of anthocyanin pigments. A fall with cloudy days and warm nights brings drab colors. And an early frost quickly ends the beautiful fall foliage color display.

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Parent and child costume ideas for the big day

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learn how to make these yummy Last Minute Halloween Treats, perfect for home parties.

Recipe Wednesday...

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Recipe Wednesday

A great way to sneak some extra veggies into dinner time.

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Make the most of the autumn months by bringing your family to one (or all!) of these amazing Garden State places.

So much family fun in the fall!

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Happy Johnny Appleseed Day!

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Email: [email protected] Subscribe & More Videos: https://goo.gl/gjg4gD Thank for watching, Please Like Share And SUBSCRIBE!!! #cake, #cakeDecorating,...

Find out more about the history of Yom Kippur, including videos, interesting articles, pictures, historical features and more. Get all the facts on HISTORY.com

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