Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It doesn't have the mayhem of the other holidays-- the loss of the meaning behind the holiday or the crazy influx of candy. Thanksgiving is just what is sounds like -- a time to get together with family to come together for a meal and give thanks for everything we have.

I've been cooking Thanksgiving dinner for as long as I can remember. Not even sure if I started making it before or after I had my first child. But through all those years, I've got it down to a science. My biggest mission was to have as many things made from scratch, try to reduce the fat (and the lethargy that comes after eating like that) and have dinner on the table HOT. That last one took some time!

I've made up many of my own traditions. Don't get me wrong, we had a BLAST as kids getting together with my Dad's family every year, tons of cousins everywhere, long table after table, "everyone have a chair?!"-- it was a great time. Sadly, there aren't tons of cousins for my kids but there are our own traditions. I started making cranberry sauce from scratch. Oh boy, that met with staunch criticism for *many* years but it's looked forward to now. I also like to enjoy the fall vegetables- wonderfully roasted butternut squash and sweet potatoes (because I can't pick which I like better), a newer, healthier broccoli casserole, and, new this year, homemade butter!

I used to be a preschool teacher. I loved having the kids get a baby food jar and shake and shake the heavy cream-- with a lot of help from the teachers!- and bring home their own little butter ball. I'd done this with my oldest once or twice, he didn't remember. Well, I was going to make sure SOMEONE remembered doing it and the two younger were on board!

The picture above is of Sturbridge House Pumpkin Muffins (made from pumpkin cooked from Halloween) and our own fresh homemade butter, still in the buttermilk.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone. Enjoy your own traditions and have Thanksgiving whatever way makes you happy. It isn't about emulating someone else, it's about being yourself.

Thank you, Lord, for all the many blessings you bestow upon us. Your love and guidance is a welcome gift.
Amen.