Thanksgiving Recipes & Traditions

Hi Everyone!

As I finish stir frying my dinner (YUM...I love stir fry!) I thought I would share with you a link with Holiday Recipes I got from Whole Foods! I just might try some! I know it is late eating but I had to start my Probiotics on an empty stomach & I don't go to bed until 1 or 2am so...most of the time that is.

Here are some more!

Now what is your favorite Thanksgiving food item???

I think mine would have to be my mother's stuffing...well actually technically it may be my grandmothers...ha! It is a bread stuffing - no box stuff in our family! In fact, we really didn't grow up with boxed stuffing, mash potatoes or hamburger helper or anything like that. Mom cooked most of the time. We occasionally had pizza or a few other take homes that existed then. Of course we were lucky to have a mom who didn't have to work. When I was a sophmore in high school she decided to open a computer software store with my aunt but that wasn't because she had to. This was before all the Egghead & Babbages, much less Circuit City & Best Buys were out. Oh & there was a Silo...anyone remember them. There were no stores like that in the whole area so they set up shop & let you open up the software & try them out in the store before you bought it. Nice huh! This is why I had a computer all 4 yrs in college! :-) Was great to do papers & take notes on. Now I'm talking the early 80s (God did that sound horrible!) when it was Apple IIe etc! HA! I made some extra money typing papers for others also! :-)

Well, back to food, family & tradition...I really miss my parents on Thanksgiving now. It just aches deep inside me. My folks retired 2 yrs ago. My tradition was watching my folks the night before preparing "The Bird" and figuring it out AGAIN how much time it will take & when they have to get up. They are soooo fun to watch. Then Iwould help with pulling bread into pieces for stuffing & my mom saying "That is enough" and me saying "No way, the boys will eat this alone!" HA! Then Thanksgiving morning waking up from the smell of turkey cooking, watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, watching Miracle on 34th Street (the original) and later Its A Wonderful Life etc. Some years relatives coming over and always planning on getting up early to go shopping on Fri morning & then never being able to wake up..ha!

The first year my folks took us out to dinner & I just hated it. Don't get me wrong...I know the meaning is just to be together & to be thankful for that you have a loving family & that we can even afford food ETC...I just mean the tradition I love was missing. No turkey smell, no parents bantering, no making stuffing etc.Last year was the first year they were at their winter home in AZ. My brothers scattered to friends & girlfriends...I think they were dying for that! HA! My sis was pissed at me at the time! We really don't get along except when we get along great! HA! We are soooo very different than each other, so it is really hard sometimes...don't get me wrong, I love her to death! Don't anyone touch her or you will answer to me!

So I think I posted an entry last year with some pix...I went downtown to the parade...well it was really warm & I thought of all years and why be down...take the opportunity to do something different and fun. I felt like life was controlling me rather than the other way around...shhh no I have not realized yet that I don't control life...Ha!...so I decided to have fun & watch the parade & go enjoy the spirit of the holidays through being in the middle of other people. I had dinner downtown (Chicago) also which was nice.

It was kinda like when I was in college and worked at the guys dorm...get your mind out of the gutter...actually mine is usually there so take me out with you ha!...ok, so what the heck am I talking about??? Well, I worked at the guys dorm desk. Once a month, unless you took someone else's shift, you would have to work on the weekend. Normally you'd think that would suck because you couldn't go out & have fun with your friends. Well true, BUT...if you went out with your friends you only knew what was going on within your circles, if you worked the desk you heard about what went on all over campus as everyone got back home & told you. HA! So last year I observed other people's holiday celebration,seeing it through the eyes of others, especially kids really can spark your spirit even more. I was quite glad I embraced the change.

Now, this year??? I think I will be with my sister...plus there is a boyfriend in the equation..HA! His aunt & uncle have invited me already...the first day they met me??? I know my brothers are a goner...I think it is the girlfriend/wives etc that keep them in the family traditions...ha! What do you think? I don't know maybe it is just my brothers & there are some guys out there that love family traditions...no I'm not talking about watching the games & snoring on the couch etc! HA! It is very bizzare because I never would have guessed I would still be single & without a ton of kids starting my own family traditions,but I guess when I think about it, I never believe in getting married just because it is a thing to do at a certain age. And I would rather be single than have made a poor choice & be miserable in a bad marriage. So many people are & I just don't get it.

Well, I'll have to let you know later on what this year brings. Maybe I'll start a new tradition with a new recipe! :-) Let me know how yours is too!

Tags: Thanksgiving Recipes