Traditions and Revisions (re: THANKSGIVING)

Seems like it was just summer.....Fall was certainly fleeting......and now we have the first of the
Holidays.....Thanksgiving!

As with many families, we have certain traditions. 

It was a long time for my Mother to "relinquish" the holiday dinner duties to me so I have really
only been doing the dinner for a few years.

I personally do not eat stuffing.  That said, I realize how most people enjoy it very much.

My Mother always made one traditional stuffing.....celery, onions, chicken stock, salt and pepper,
toasted breadcrumbs and INTO the bird!

There was never an egg involved in the recipe.  I see now, through my research, that most recipes
do indeed involve egg.

While trying to replicate my Mother's Thanksgiving meal, it became apparent that not all members
of our family liked the stuffing IN the bird.  So, I made a batch for IN the bird and also, for OUT of
the bird.

While reading wonderful recipes for Thanksgiving I decided to try an additional stuffing:
Corn bread, Sausage and Sage Stuffing.  I would make my cornbread in a cast iron skillet and
proceed with a Williams Sonoma recipe......this was such a hit with my family!!!  They absolutely
LOVED it.....it is a keeper, a must for each year!

I also decided that, each year, I would try another stuffing recipe......last year I made a Leeks
Bread Pudding (basically a stuffing) and, I must tell you....it was not all that great and I would not
make it again.

This year I am on the hunt for ANOTHER stuffing to introduce to my clan!  But I must be very
select as most will not appreciate an oyster stuffing .....I am slightly entertaining the thought of
an Herbed Wild Rice and Quinoa Stuffing with apples, cranberries and pecans but I can just see
the eyes glaze over at the mention of Quinoa.......but this sounds really good to me!

My husband (the BOB) was talking to a childhood friend the other day and was informed that
the friend's family was disconnecting with tradition and having stuffed shells for the Thanksgiving
meal, which is really understandable given that they are of Italian heritage.    My husband said to me, "why don't we do that instead of going through all of this?"

I looked at him, in amazement, and said, "Well, the turkey is already ordered for THIS year so
we are having the traditional dinner.....we can approach the subject at the Thanksgiving table and see what the family thinks". 

(Truth be told, I don't give a fig what we have for dinner - I just cherish my family all together!!!)

The next day my youngest daughter telephoned me and in our discussion, I shared the conversation
I had with her Father.  She, excitedly exclaimed, "Oh no!  We MUST have the traditional dinner!
We look forward to it all year!"   (Well, didn't that just warm my heart!)

So, for this year, at least, we ARE having the traditional Thanksgiving meal.

However, I must confess......we are among the, apparently very few, who do not anticipate and
enjoy the 'Green Bean Cassarole' each and every Thanksgiving!!!

What can I tell you?  My Mother never made it!!!

We always had Brussel Sprouts!!!  I have since discovered a Williams Sonoma Brussel Sprouts
recipe that is braised with bacon, chicken stock and is to DIE FOR!  (Each year I get new
Brussel Sprouts "converts"!!)

One of the "traditions" that I introduced was making 'place card' turkey cookies!

I would roll out and bake turkey cookies, decorated with sanding sugar and then I would write
on each cookie with icing the name of each family member.  I would then seal each cookie in
a bag and that would become the "place card" at the table.

This year I toyed with the idea of NOT making the cookies.

Nah!  Have to continue the traditions!  The cookie dough is in the fridge awaiting me!