Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Grocery shopping for Thanksgiving

I have always loved to shop for groceries. Well, with the possible exception of shopping with a male toddler. Otherwise, it is very enjoyable. I remember watching a TV show (it was the first season of a show that started great and has became so bad I don't watch it, anymore) where the mother is talking to her teenage daughter and explaining why she loves to shop for groceries, how she thinks of what the table will look like and the joy she finds in cooking for her family. Ditto...

I especially enjoy shopping for Thanksgiving groceries. To shop for the same foods that my mother and mother-in-law shopped for years earlier brings a continuation of Family Tradition that is not easy these days. I always have turkey, of course. I have to make my mother's dressing recipe and my mother-in-law's cranberry salad. I have tried others that are good but I am going back to her recipe this year. The broccoli and cheese casserole is my own, served at Holiday tables and special events now for probably twenty years. I will bake the yams the same as my mother but without little white things on top. This year I am adding an onion and peas dish, requested by my husband. There has to be pumpkin pie and perhaps something "with chocolate".

Next Thursday begins the season of "but we've always done it this way". There will be new recipes tried along with those on index cards now yellow and stained with the contents of years of dinners (I'm a messy cook). In the Old Testament, altars were made for remembrance. I believe for women, we remember those who have gone before us as we pull out their recipes, put on an apron, start some music of the Season and continue what they began long before we were a thought anywhere but in the mind of God. It brings infinity to a finite world.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh Brenda, I admire you. I absolutely loathe grocery shopping. We will most likely be going out for Thanksgiving dinner. I know, sad, isn't it?
My short term memory is very poor these days so forgive me if I've already mentioned this, but since I visit here often and make comments I want you to know where I'm coming from.
I've been recovering for the past 5 years from chronic fatigue syndrome. While I am so, so much better, my adrenals are still struggling so basic life continues to be hard. My 14 year old usually makes dinner and the kids do most of the housework. I try to keep up with the laundry.
So, the holidays coming up are beginning to feel overwhelming. That's why I so appreciated your post on free things to do during the holidays. I made my list and I've already told the kids they will be getting one present each and they're okay with that.
While going out to eat isn't close to ideal, it sounds like the least stressful way to spend the day. We would go to Hometown Buffet, which is an all-you-can-eat place where the kids love to pig out. :)
I'll let you know what we actually do. I've also thought about little cornish game hens and Stovetop stuffing.
Sigh...sure wish I enjoyed shopping and baking like you. :(

Sean Carter said...

Well Thanksgiving is just round the corner and all of us getting really busy preparing for the grand celebrations...and it's time for all the tradition and all the yummies...well i just love it....and hey to spice up your Thanksgiving celebrations just visit my Thanksgiving Blog sometime and find out all the amazing ideas and suggestion.....visit soon and have a great Thanksgiving celebration!!!!

Brenda@CoffeeTeaBooks said...

I had more than one Holiday season where I couldn't get off the sofa so I fully understand.

Fatigue is why I'm not doing anything special as far as having people in this year.

We have to take life as it is and work with what we have (and I have told my guys we will probably eat Easter dinner out next year!)

Cornish hens and Stove Top stuffing sound good, too. However, eating out and making it a tradition is not a bad thing. As my MIL grew older, they started taking us to a restaurant famous for their turkey dinners and we loved the chance to eat out.