Thanksgiving 2012 was a diverse mixture of travel and home and food and people.
It was a combination of super fast pace mixed with slow resting pace. I found myself watching both the skies and the highways with people flying in and out of our Thanksgiving holiday.
David was home recuperating with his foot surgery so KC drove back and forth from Georgia a couple of times. It was a good opportunity for David and KC to take some cooking lessons from our family. They observed Sister making layered salad as well as Mom and Dad making Sage Dressing. At our house they learned to use a sausage grinder to make cranberry relish and several other dishes. Most of the dishes turned out great. We did try Mama Crowder's Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies (recipe posted Feb 24, 011) but they didn't set up so it turned into Chocolate Oatmeal dip for David Martin's 60th Birthday party. Sometimes you have to improvise.
Finn came from Georgia with KC, and Simba was a happy boy to have a big puppy to play with. Mr. Cat and Dingo enjoyed having Simba gnawing on someone else's ears for a change.
Jay and the GWU basketball team traveled to Illinois, Iowa, Cancun, Home on Thanksgiving Day and then back to Illinois. They had some exciting games with a big win over DePaul, a near win over Illinois, and a tournament victory in Mexico. We kept up through texts, Facetime, radio and television. When the plane touched down on Thanksgiving Day, I got a text from Jay saying the team was on their way for Thanksgiving Dinner. "And we are very hungry." No doubt.
One of my very favorite things about Thanksgiving is that it really is all about gathering together. Sometimes you have to sharpen your focus and remember that fact in the midst of all the grocery shopping and planning and cooking.
I like that Thanksgiving comes after election season and especially this one. We were happy with some of the outcomes and unhappy with others but it is an amazing election process we have. I am thankful that we have elections that may be rough and tough and messy but at least we do it without war. And when it's all over we can work on coming together with all of our diversity and moving on.
We spent Thanksgiving Day at the Cabin in Lattimore first for lunch with family and friends and then for supper with the Gardner Webb Basketball team. It was a tricky thing to get it all together in one day but it all worked out and we actually enjoyed ourselves in the process.
It's always good to share our favorite Thanksgiving food, but the best part of Thanksgiving 2012 is time spent with diverse groups of people.
Judy, Penny, Libby, Cindy, me, Mom and Dad. I am grateful that we could all be together on Thanksgiving at the Cabin.
It was like old times in our den when Rhett, Tucker, Jay, Elliott and David got together this Thanksgiving. As young as they are, this crew has a lot of history together. I'm not sure who enjoyed the visit more - the boys or Mama and Papa Roy.
Simba loved that Finn came to visit. Sometimes puppies just need each other.
Finn and Simba dresssed for the occasion and then crashed after a long day of play.
There was a good bit of rest and recuperation going on over Thanksgiving.
David may have had a broken foot but he definitely could grind Cranberries and Oranges for Thanksgiving. We made Mama's Cranberry Congealed Salad (recipe posted Nov 27, 2010). Then Dad and Judy walked in so we made another batch without the jello. It made a great Cranberry relish for Turkey and Cheese Paninis for lunch that day. (recipe posted below)
David and KC went to Sister's house to observe how she makes that awesome Seven Layered Salad. (recipe posted April 21, 2011). This salad takes three days to make. Sister speeds up the bacon bits process by cutting up her bacon with scissors before frying - a fact David shared with a chef at Cowboy Stadium. There is nothing better than your grandparents cooking tips.
Mom and Dad shared some sage dressing cooking tips with David and KC (recipe posted Nove 21, 2010). It's all about cutting up the celery and onions into the perfect uniform size. And about the sage. And the right amount of liquid. And not packing the dressing too tight. And then there are the other stories that are told around the chopping block - like how Mom and Dad met Itzak and Leah Rabin in Israel. And how Mrs. Rabin gave them some homemade fig preserves. And how Daddy wanted to show off the preserves one day but couldn't find them. Because Mikey (Mom) had eaten them. Oh the stories that are told in the kitchen.
I brined turkeys and David cooked them in the big cooker. We took two 20 pound turkeys to the cabin for lunch. And there were some BBQ butts and Ribs in the cooker for the GWU dinner Thanksgiving night.
Mom and Dad with Happy on Thanksgiving Day at the Cabin.
It was fun to have a visit from Scott, Susan and Allyson at the Cabin on Thanksgiving night.
Sister and David at the Cabin on Thanksgiving.
We are thankful for KC and all of the other sweet people who work on Thanksgiving day. We shared some Cranberry Relish with the ER in Georgia.
We didn't travel with the Bulldogs but David froze this shot on TV from the Big Ten Network. Gardner Webb was ahead by two points when in the last second the Illini hit a three. A heartbreaking loss but a truly exciting game.
Mom, Dad, Ivan and Happy celebrated the joy of being together.
The Gardner Webb Basketball team was a welcomed sight on Thanksgiving night. Unity in diversity is always a winning combination.
Happy Thanksgiving 2012!
1 package (12 oz) raw cranberries
2 oranges - peeled and quartered.
1 cup sugar (or a little bit less)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped pecans
In a sausage grinder, grind oranges and cranberries.
Add Sugar, pecans and celery and mix well.
Enjoy as side with Turkey, on Paninis or other sandwiches or just on a spoon straight out of the bowl!Healthy, colorful, crunchy, salty, tart and sweet. Diverse flavor and textures. So satisfying for the body and the soul.
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