Thanksgiving is coming up! Did you know that food prices drop at this time of year? This is your opportunity to stock up on canned items and items for the upcoming holiday season. If you have the freezer space, an extra turkey is a great thing to have! Later, I will provide some recipe ideas on using all of your turkey!
I began Extension in 2006, writing was daunting but also fun as the writing is my favorite subject, FOOD! Here is an article I wrote on keeping the focus on the spirit of holidays! Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
CREATING YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS TRADITION
If
I close my eyes tight, I can visualize my Grandma’s kitchen. It is in
this room that traditions came alive. As a child, when asked about
Christmas, I would point out the ornamental tree and the beautifully wrapped
presents. At some point in my young adult life, the focus came to be the
kitchen and not the gifts. Christmas became that warm kitchen that lent
itself to conversation among the women. It became the smell of turkey and
all of its trimmings. It was the longing for the desserts, everything from
pumpkin bars and chocolate cream pie to my brother’s favorite raisin cream pie.
Grandma made those extras for us because she knew how
much we loved her homemade noodles and the traditional sauerkraut and wieners
that became a standard on the holiday table, indeed, for any family
gathering. Grandma knew how to turn a meal into a wonderful, lasting
Christmas tradition.
As I look at the calendar and realize that in a few weeks,
I will be the one attempting to instill this wonderful food filled tradition to
my own family, I begin to feel stress. Just when did Grandma have time
for all of this? Well, I just have to adapt these food experiences to my
schedule and do my best.
My first step is to decide what to include on my menus.
Long ago, I decided to leave the baking and candy making to others. I
make enough for our family and I may make loaves of banana bread for our
cherished neighbors. I make sure that my favorites make it to my festive
holiday table and take out those that seem to just add stress and chaos to my
kitchen. I have found that when I keep things simple, it has the best
outcome. I have more energy to be the host who I remember Grandma to be.
Christmas Eve is a wonderful time for easy soups, beef and
noodles and lots of snack-type dishes. Don’t forget the cookies and milk
for dear old Santa Claus! Christmas day can be a little more
elaborate. Turkey
is a nice choice, as is baked ham and even prime rib. Add to the meat
entrée a potato dish, vegetable and perhaps a fruit salad.
The key is to take a food from each area of
MyPyramid. This can be achieved and you can still have those family
traditional dishes at the table. The holidays can be such a busy time and
can result in poor eating habits. If you can offer a variety of good,
nutritional foods, then the sweet decadent desserts and candies can be eaten in
small portions.
Next, look at your menus and determine if some items can be
made and frozen ahead of time. The
freezer is a wonderful asset this time of the year. If I choose to make Grandma’s homemade
noodles, I can make them ahead and put them in the freezer (She taught me
this!). I can also do this with pie
crusts and even cookies. Be sure when you freeze items that you utilize
appropriate sizes of freezer bags and containers that will prevent freezer
burn. Look at your calendar and choose days that will work for preparing
the dishes you want to freeze. Some may need to be made the day of the
meal. Time management will help to reduce your stress.
When you do feel a bit of stress, just go back in time. Think of your
very best Christmas. Concentrate on the warm, scent-filled room, which
was filled with laughter and conversations of Christmas past. Think of
the wonderful stories that most certainly include the holiday festive foods
that have blessed each of our tables since that first historical
Christmas.
Remember, when you focus on the spirit of Christmas,
everything will fall into place. May you all have a wonderful and healthy
Holiday Season!
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