Ah, Thanksgiving
I've been cooking Thanksgiving dinner for at least the past 25 years. I took over to give my mother a break and have been doing it ever since. And, I cook the exact same thing every year. My entire family looked forward to the exact same thing every year (right, family?).
WE INTERRUPT THIS BLOG FOR AN IMPORTANT VIDEO. GO HERE AND SEE THE CHICAGO CHILDREN'S CHOIR'S NEWEST MEMBER! SINGS LIKE AN ANGEL, DOESN'T HE?
And now, back to our story...Ah, those were the salad days. Since I'm one of those crazy people that only likes to do things I'm good at (cooking Thanksgiving dinner, knitting, Scrabble, crossword puzzles, never ever ever golf, running or anything resembling a contact sport), I reveled in the kudos, the rubbing of the belly while the diners said things like,
Now, if you've ever been to my house for Thanksgiving, you always know what to expect. I've cooked the exact same menu for those twenty something years. Tried and true recipes, so tried and true that they are now my own.
This gem has been on my table every Thanksgiving Thursday since the beginning of time:
Squash Pudding
Preheat oven to 350
1 whole butternut squash
3 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 C butter
1 C milk
1/4 C sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
salt to taste
Cut squash vertically into two pieces and bake face down on a baking sheet. Cook until tender. Mash squash (about 2 cups) with the butter. Add the remaining ingredients and bake in casserole dish for about 1 hour or until firm.
This looks and tastes like pumpkin pie!
So given that every dish is the same, year after year after year, how is it possible that now that the fab four grace our Thanksgiving table, the conversation goes something like this:
"What's for dinner, Nanny?"
"Turkey."
"Um, I don't really like turkey, Nanny, what else are we having?"
"Stuffing, squash pudding, mashed potatoes, rolls, sweet potatoes."
"Can I have two rolls?"
"What's for dessert?"
"Apple pie and pumpkin pie. Everything's the same as last year."
"If I eat all my dinner, can I have pie?"
"Sure you can."
"Um, I don't really like turkey, Nanny, can I have something else?"
"There isn't anything else."
"Can I have another roll?"
"Me too?"
"Nanny, I think we just want rolls for dinner. Can we have dessert if we just eat rolls?"
"Can I have another roll, please?"
"Me too?"
"Nanny, I'm not hungry."
"I'm not either."
"I don't really like mashed potatoes. Can I have another roll?"
Would there really be anything wrong with serving pie and rolls for Thanksgiving dinner?
WE INTERRUPT THIS BLOG FOR AN IMPORTANT VIDEO. GO HERE AND SEE THE CHICAGO CHILDREN'S CHOIR'S NEWEST MEMBER! SINGS LIKE AN ANGEL, DOESN'T HE?
And now, back to our story...Ah, those were the salad days. Since I'm one of those crazy people that only likes to do things I'm good at (cooking Thanksgiving dinner, knitting, Scrabble, crossword puzzles, never ever ever golf, running or anything resembling a contact sport), I reveled in the kudos, the rubbing of the belly while the diners said things like,
"Perfect again this year, dear. So much work, so very much work, you worked so hard, so very, very hard and it was absolutely delicious as always."
Of course, that was my Mother talking, but everyone else always nodded in agreement.Now, if you've ever been to my house for Thanksgiving, you always know what to expect. I've cooked the exact same menu for those twenty something years. Tried and true recipes, so tried and true that they are now my own.
This gem has been on my table every Thanksgiving Thursday since the beginning of time:
Squash Pudding
Preheat oven to 350
1 whole butternut squash
3 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 C butter
1 C milk
1/4 C sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
salt to taste
Cut squash vertically into two pieces and bake face down on a baking sheet. Cook until tender. Mash squash (about 2 cups) with the butter. Add the remaining ingredients and bake in casserole dish for about 1 hour or until firm.
This looks and tastes like pumpkin pie!
So given that every dish is the same, year after year after year, how is it possible that now that the fab four grace our Thanksgiving table, the conversation goes something like this:
"What's for dinner, Nanny?"
"Turkey."
"Um, I don't really like turkey, Nanny, what else are we having?"
"Stuffing, squash pudding, mashed potatoes, rolls, sweet potatoes."
"Can I have two rolls?"
"What's for dessert?"
"Apple pie and pumpkin pie. Everything's the same as last year."
"If I eat all my dinner, can I have pie?"
"Sure you can."
"Um, I don't really like turkey, Nanny, can I have something else?"
"There isn't anything else."
"Can I have another roll?"
"Me too?"
"Nanny, I think we just want rolls for dinner. Can we have dessert if we just eat rolls?"
"Can I have another roll, please?"
"Me too?"
"Nanny, I'm not hungry."
"I'm not either."
"I don't really like mashed potatoes. Can I have another roll?"
Would there really be anything wrong with serving pie and rolls for Thanksgiving dinner?
posted by Tricia | 5:01 PM
2 Comments:
hehehehe. I'd say it sounds a lot like my family Thanksgiving, except that our little monsters don't eat bread. So take out all the stuff about the rolls, leave in all the whining about pie, and that about sums it up.
I love butternut squash. mmmmmm!
I don't see anything wrong with pie and rolls. Isn't the rule: 'What grandma says goes'? Honestly, my kids don't challenge me very often on the grandbaby front, so I assumed the rule stood. Until this fall that is. While at a craft fair with my girls, I found them nodding in agreement and snickering to each other. When I got closer I saw them viewing a sign that said: "Children would behave better if Grandma was spanked more often". Hmm, going to have to learn a few more tricks I think!! With 8 grandbabies, I'll have plenty of practice. Enjoy your meal and it's traditions.
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