I am grateful that I had Ken Fisher in my life for even that short time.
Last night, I met my high school friends for dinner. They all come home for the holiday, and we try to have one night to see each other. It was wonderful. We spent some time lamenting hot flashes and other maladies, but mostly just laughed and talked. Our lives have taken us all in many different directions, but I feel like we have all gotten better as we have aged. I treasure that one evening, those few hours.
I am grateful to have Lynn Grossman, Gayle Rosen, Judy Saltzburg and Rachel Selekman in my life, and hope to have them there for a very long time.
For Thanksgiving, my kids and I went to Dad and Linda's apartment up here in Penn Valley. Linda got a free range turkey from a farm in Maryland, and Dad made his famous oyster stuffing. Linda also made cranberry relish and her delicious apple pie. I was in charge of the rest.
I love Thanksgiving food. I could made an endless array of side dishes, but I had to keep it in check, because there were only five of us. Will wanted the mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows toasted on top, so I did a small pan of them. I mean really, who doesn't love that stuff? Nicole wanted the roasted root vegetables. Turnips, parsnips and rutabagas, tossed in olive oil and a whole bunch of stuff I found in my cabinet: salt, pepper, garlic cloves, chipotle chili flakes, mixed dried herbs...I diced them small and cooked them a long time so they got all sweet and caramelized.
As much as I like oyster stuffing, I still love my good old sausage stuffing, so I made some of that. And this year, I did something new for a green vegetable. I shredded Brussels sprouts and then blanched and refreshed them, so they were nice and green and still a bit crunchy. I added dried cranberries, orange zest and made a little dressing of orange juice, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and salt. At the very end, I hit it with a bit of aged balsamic vinegar to give a little sweet zing, but not too much to turn it brown. Even the kids ate it!
The turkey was the best I've had since the all locally sourced meal we made at my brothers a few years ago. It was flavorful and juicy and didn't taste like cardboard.
So now let me say that I am grateful for my family, the cute dogs, and the turkey.
Lisa went to her family's gathering. We have agreed that we would never put demands on each other to try to compromise any traditions, and they have always had a big meal. Her brother Gerry does most of the cooking, and her niece Amy makes some really good desserts. I just ate the last forkful of the banana cream pie stuff.
I am grateful for Lisa Patti and her whole family, and that banana stuff..
I try to be grateful every day. For the sunrise and the stars at night. For the birds on my feeder. For my job, the people around me, the good things in the world. I wake up grateful every day that the universe brought Lisa to me. But I am always a LITTLE more grateful when the thanks is surrounded by good food. I wish you all days of gratitude and food.
