Can I think about something in the future for a minute? Take Thanksgiving, for example. This morning found me searching for recipes on the web. It gives me pleasure to do this. I like to see new trends in holiday menus and read about some new recipes. Deciding for a minute...to change things up a bit and then going back to the old ways. Now, I have prepared Thanksgiving dinner for family over and over again...and almost always use the same recipes. If I have changed things in any way....I would notice facial expressions, when I brought out a new green bean dish. They were expecting the old tried and true green bean casserole. No pumpkin pie??? More facial expressions. "Oh, what's in these mashed potatoes?" someone might say. I know that the sour cream I added was not my regular old mashed potatoes. So, I will try to do Thanksgiving the same way as always, but there might be a new twist this year.
I think that holidays are special times for families. Most people don't want things changed too much. I think that they are comfortable with the old ways. Families want to hang on the the past. Thanksgiving is a time for comfort foods...bringing back memories of the holidays in the past. Stories told about people who are no longer with us....like Tim and the pumpkin cake or his carving lesson from Joe. Other stories come to mind, tales about my brother, Jim, leaning on the kitchen counter in pain because he ate too much....or stories about LuAnn and her Tofurkey (a vegetarian turkey) or John smiling over his first sweet potato dish, Brandon will have hot gravy. (he wanted hot gravy when he was just a little guy...just like his grandpa Joe.)
At holiday time I sometimes wish I had a big kitchen. Everyone congregates in my kitchen...near the food and maybe me. My little kitchen is so full of people bumping into each other...it used to bother me, but now, I just enjoy having my family around. My kitchen will be just fine...it makes for a cozy family get together.
This year I will make things ahead and freeze them. The same old recipes will be made...actually this menu is a pretty good one and one that I will enjoy too. People will be in my way, there will be laughing and joking, the food will be hot...and good, the dishwasher will be filled when the dinner's over, leftovers will be packaged for take outs, the candles will be snuffed, the good byes at the door, and Joe and I will collapse in our chairs. That's the way we do Thanksgiving.
Balisha
I think this post says it all about families and the holidays! :) And NO don't put anything weird in your mashed potatoes! Same old, same old :)
ReplyDeleteI always used the same Thanksgiving menu and recipes that my Grandma and Mother used. And, if I had Thanksgiving dinner here, I do it the same this year. I don't much like change either, :-)
ReplyDeleteSounds perfect to me! The holiday dinners are always delicious, but the most important thing is family being together! :)
ReplyDeleteBalisha, we do Thanksgiving the same way. However it's been like that when the children come to visit here. For the past few years one of my daughters has had the dinner at her home. My family seems to be getting more and more scattered..especially the younger generation of grandchildren. When they come home, we all seem to gather in the kitchen too..and my kitchen isn't all that big either..but I don't mind it anymore either. :) I think we are mellowing, don't you. And yes, we collapse in or chairs after the goodby's are said. :) I hope they hold on to one another when I am gone..so far they have. I'm looking forward to the holidays this year..I've always loved them but they get more precious with each passing year.
ReplyDeletep.s No..we didn't have a fender bender... LOL
ReplyDeleteJust read your post about your secret...E Harmony..... I never would have guessed. You two are a good advertisement for E Harmony. We have so much in common....Hugs.
ReplyDeleteAlways makes me feel good to make dishes ahead of time and freeze them. I love looking at cookbooks and magazines for new recipes but usually I stick with the old tried and true recipes!
ReplyDeleteLoved this post:) I laughed when I read the part about the looks you would get if you changed something. I made a different green bean casserole a few years ago and I didn't think I would hear the end of it...that is until they ate it. Now we all want the new version! We are also a family of traditions when it comes to food. Don't mess with what we have always done! This year I have decided to add a butternut squash soup to our Thanksgiving menu. We are expecting around 20 for dinner. I can't wait to see their faces!
ReplyDeleteBlessings from Still Woods Farmhouse