“It has been an unchallengeable American doctrine that cranberry sauce, a pink goo with overtones of sugared tomatoes, is a delectable necessity of the Thanksgiving board and that turkey is uneatable without it.” ~ Alistair Cooke
Love cranberry sauce. Why is it we only have it once a year? I saw it at Whole Foods today and decided we’d have it Thanksgiving Eve, too, just to mix things up.
I am so ready for the holiday season. Although certainly it is riddled with many to-do lists, it’s a break from the grind of the normal to-do stuff. For just a little while, I’ll take wrapping presents instead of packing lunches and organizing Christmas cards instead of teaching Noah to organize his homework. Then, in January, I’ll be craving the normal again.
Happens every year. Just like cranberries. Guess they wouldn’t be so special if we had them every Wednesday.
This week’s plan:
Sunday: Tandoori chicken and some similarly seasoned chickpeas for Noah, naan, tzatziki (it’s Greek, not Indian, but it will go well with the chicken and naan), and broccoli.
Monday: Clyde’s going out with a friend so we’ll eat breakfast together. Probably eggs for health and banana bread to alleviate any complaining about getting up early for breakfast. Something simple for dinner — fruit, cheese, eggs. Or, as I like to call it, “fend for yourself night.” UPDATE: Ate a big lunch so just snacked for dinner last night. Moved the Indian feast to today (Clyde postponed going out ’til tomorrow) and now Mom & Dad are coming up at the last minute to join us. Wonder if they’ll like Indian.
Tandoori chicken & rice
Tuesday: Breakfast together then co-hosting a baby shower for Noah’s rock climbing coach, so it’s Indian leftovers for dinner. Yum.
Wednesday: Grilled chicken, green beans (with olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice), pre-Thanksgiving cranberries, and baked potatoes.
Arriving from Zimbabwe this summer
Thursday: Thanksgiving … and our first African feast, graciously hosted in Waxahachie at my sister’s house. Our friends Prosper, Sarah and their two boys will join us. The menu is long, but here goes. We’re bringing a ham, pumpkin or pecan pie, bread, brownies, and a butternut squash/leak/goat cheese deal I made a couple of weeks ago. Also on the menu: peanut butter rice and roasted chicken wings (Zimbabwean style), turkey, cranberry sauce (the can-shaped one and homemade one), “air salad” (some sort of marshmallow, whipped cream, fruit cocktail concoction my Mom makes that is crack to me), bacon-wrapped green beans, lemon meringue pie, cheesy potatoes, dressing and gravy.
Friday: Leftovers with a side of football.
Saturday & Sunday: Who knows. It’s a holiday weekend. Anything could happen.
I wish I lived in Dallas so I could join your Thanksgiving feast! Blessings to Prosper and Sarah and to your whole family, Dawn! P.S. I KNOW THAT FRUITCOCKTAIL THING….AMBROSIA??? It must be universal. My Cuban mother-in-law makes it, too!
It really doesn’t sound very appetizing, does it? But mixed all together, it is so yummy. Yes, ambrosia sounds like the correct name. My dad christened it “air salad” because there’s so little to it and I guess it’s sort of light and fluffy. Funny how little things like that nickname lasts in a family forever. You have a wonderful Thanksgiving, too. Remember the Thanksgiving we shared together at iCE? Good and silly times.