Elder Care in Greenfield, IN

Everyone has had the Thanksgiving experience where the turkey is still an hour away from being cooked, someone is still out at the store trying to find a pack of rolls, and all of the guests are sitting around in the living room complaining of being hungry and occasionally trying to sneak into the kitchen to snag bites of the dishes waiting to be served. Offering a few appetizers before the main meal is a fantastic way to keep your guests satisfied as they wait for the feast and a great opportunity for your elderly loved ones to get involved in the Thanksgiving celebration even if they are not able to do everything that they used to do to contribute to the holidays.

Appetizers do not have to be complex or elaborate in order to be a positive and crowd-pleasing complement to your Thanksgiving feast. Simple, easy to put together appetizers give your seniors something that they can do to get their minds active, contribute to the meal, and make memories with you, their family, and even their elderly care provider.

Try some of these ideas for fast and satisfying Thanksgiving appetizers that you or an elderly health care services provider can make with your aging loved ones:

• Marinated olives. A pop of briny, herby flavor is amazingly satisfying while also priming your appetite for the rest of the meal. Purchase jars of black and green olives and simmer them for a few minutes in a pot of olive oil with several sprigs of rosemary and thyme, a whole clove of garlic, and a couple of slices of lemon. Serve these alongside fresh mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, and pickled vegetables.

• Prosciutto cups. Drape thin slices of prosciutto in lightly greased muffin cups and bake until crispy. Remove the edible cups and fill them with chopped pears lightly dressed with lemon juice to keep them from browning. If you want to make a vegetarian version that is similar in flavor, make small piles of fresh grated Parmesan cheese on silicone sheets on a baking dish and bake until the cheese melts and becomes lightly browned and crisp. Serve the pears on top of these cheese crisps.

• Onion dip. Caramelize super sweet Vidalia onions in olive oil and mix with sour cream and cream cheese for a delectable dip perfect for serving alongside crackers, raw vegetables, or toast points. To lighten up this recipe, feel free to use reduced-fat versions of the sour cream and cream cheese.

• Stuffed dates. Combine room temperature goat cheese and mascarpone cheese with black pepper and basil. Stuff this mixture into large pitted dates. Wrap each date with a slice of prosciutto and secure with a toothpick.

The professionals at Great Care are available to talk with you and your family about all of your home care needs. Great Care is a non medical in-home care agency providing quality and affordable elder care in Greenfield, IN and the surrounding areas. Call (317) 595-9933 for more information.