What's on Your Thanksgiving Menu?

Thanksgiving is upon us! Hip Hip Hooray! We have so much to be thankful for, don’t we? For us, the great task of harvesting our crops has come to an end. Those especially long, grueling days (and way into the night) of high-speed, relentless work finished last week for our men. Now they are busy playing catch-up on all the other work that was idled. The farmers can breath a sigh of relief and smile, knowing that the 2018 harvest chapter has closed. So we, in this family, celebrate the end of the harvest, literally, right along with the pilgrims hundreds of years ago.

Countdown to Thanksgiving

The sights and smells of Thanksgiving bring to mind memories of my childhood. I LOVE thinking back to the bustling and laughter in Grandma’s tiny kitchen with my aunts and mama critiquing last minute preparations–hand-mashing the potatoes in the huge old pot….stirring the gravy of perfect consistency(with no lumps!)….the relish tray of homemade pickled beets and several types of pickles set on the homemade tablecloth, embroidered with all our names! And then the kitchen “crier” declaring, “Dinner is ready!”

I LOVE thinking back to last Thanksgiving in my kitchen with my daughters and I hurriedly setting out all the dishes, preparing the dessert area, carving the turkey breast and ham, pulling apart the rolls and setting out the strawberry jam while popping another olive or pickle into our mouths. Several conversations with laughter streaming along and another little one running through the kitchen wondering when dinner would be served. The memories I hold so dear cause me to realize the memories that are in the making. From generation to generation we keep on showing our love and commitment to our family and our God with food, good conversation and plenty of hugs, joy and laughter.

Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember, by Barbara Rainey

Absolutely wonderful book—great gift book! Comes complete with CD of beautiful “Thanksgiving music.”

I sat down this morning to plan the menu for Thursday’s family gathering. Once again I hear the laughter, see the smiles and sense the grand appetites of all around our table. I picture the family around our table with stemmed glasses of a pretty cranberry cocktail, our good dishes set with salad plates and cups and saucers. What will be on their plates? Of course turkey, ham, potatoes and gravy, but what else?

Will it be:

Carrot Salad-Oh so Refreshing!