Monday, November 23, 2009

Turkey Day Blues

Thanksgiving has always been my most favorite holiday. Better than Christmas, better than my birthday (cause that’s a holiday, too), better than any of them. I always look forward to planning my menu and cooking like I have never cooked before. Even though my group is small I still go all out because it is MY holiday. I have very fond memories of Thanksgiving when I was growing up. What I remember most is the smell of Thanksgiving. I love how my home smelled on Thanksgiving and every year I recreate that smell in my own home for my family.

This year … not so much. I’m not feeling it. I’m not into it. I’m sad and I’m having a difficult time shaking this sadness. I cry out to God for answers and he replies, “My grace is sufficient”. Okay. Moving on.

Last week the kids were talking about Thanksgiving and I heard my son say, “I can’t wait until Thursday!” Oh brother. I already told Bryan that I wasn’t feeling it and he assumed that meant that I wouldn’t be cooking and maybe we’d be going out. Not so my friend, not so. For years I have drilled the importance of Thanksgiving traditions into the skulls of my children and now they are holding me to it. So early on Saturday I got up and began to plan my menu and create a shopping list. My daughter saw the list and said, “What about the sweet potato pie?” I said, “I’m not making a pie. I bought a pie from some lady at work who was doing a fundraiser.” She looked at me like I just landed from another planet. “You have to make a sweet potato pie, Mom! It’s Thanksgiving!” Okay, so I’m making a pie. “What about the ham?” she asked. “A turkey breast is enough,” I answered. “Mom, it’s Thanksgiving … you have to make a ham!” You see where this is going, right?

So, on Thanksgiving … my most favorite of holidays, I will be preparing:

Stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer
Roasted turkey breast
Glazed ham
Cornbread dressing with sausage and mushrooms
Seafood casserole with shrimp and lump crabmeat
Fresh collard greens with smoked neckbones
3-cheese macaroni and cheese
Crescent rolls
Apple pie
Sweet potato pie
Red wine – meritage and probably a pinot noir

The shopping is complete and I’m praying that once I start soaking my greens and boiling the sweet potatoes I’ll be in a better mood.

11 comments:

TJ said...

I've had out of it moments this season, too. Don't you just love when you get answers like that from God and you're like, uh amen and that's nice but what about...? LOL.

This One Woman said...

Maybe the act of preparing the food will help and take you mind off of your mood. I hope you get the answers you are seeking.

Bballmom said...

I've been debating about cooking this year. Reading your menu excites me. I think will cook afterall.

Hang in there, you will feel better as you start moving aroud in the kitchen.

LB said...

I hope that you shake the blues...the feeling comes and goes for me. Your family certainly is blessed to have you around.

Remnants of U said...

Umm, yes! Sounds delicious. But I was trying to click on the seafood casserole hoping that the menu would pop up. My mouth is watering over that dish.

Diva (in Demand) said...

I hope your holiday mood peps up Chele.....your menu looks great!

chele said...

Here's the recipe for the seafood casserole:

http://www.chefrick.com/low-country-seafood-casserole/

3 pounds cooked fresh seafood (shrimp, scallops, oysters, clams)
1 cup cooked rice
Saute in butter:
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped Vidalia onion
3/4 cup cream
1 can Cream of mushroom soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
White pepper (to taste)

Cook seafood, etc. in boiling water . Sautee peppers, onions, and mushrooms until tender. Toss all ingredients together and put in buttered baking dish. Cook at 375 degrees F, uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until heated through.

Serves 8.

LadyLee said...

Uh yeah... what time are we eating?

LOL.

I was reading this morning in my devotional about our silent seasons, and it is a time when, even though we have our special gifts and purposes, the fruit needs to be developed, and those are times when things are just... silent. And God's grace will have to suffice until the proper time.

Who wants to hear that. I don't. None of us do.

Keep your head up, Chele... you're in stalk season. Just developing away...

Yeah, set my place at the table for thanksgiving. Better yet, I'll bring my own paper plate and roll of aluminum foil, lol..

Remnants of U said...

Thank you! Thank you Chele! I think I'll do the seafood casserole for my birthday.

Bunny Brown said...

That seafood dish sounds yummy!

Rose said...

I think many of us went through not wanting to cook this Thanksgiving. I did not want to either, but my mother came over, spent two days with me and made me.