Holiday Dishes

Do you or your family make any special dishes for the holidays?

This year I decided that I’d had my fill of traditional cooking in regards to long hours in the kitchen preparing the families favorite dishes. There’s nothing like getting up at 5am to get a 22-pound turkey dressed and into the oven. So, I looked to less labor-intensive recipes and found by spatchcocking our bird I’d cut down on coo0king time from 5 ½ hours to 2 ½ hours.  

While shopping from my list I looked to the turkey’s cousin for a replacement and found capon’s, poussin’s, along with Cornish game hens. But these are items I would slip past my family during a Sunday dinner instead of introducing at a Thanksgiving dinner.

While I feel confident straying from the family’s conventional fowl for Christmas, I will keep the customary side dishes fairly traditional. Everyone loves my mom’s recipe for broccoli casserole. It’s fairly simple but you can make it your own by adding items to make it taste phenomenal. What I’m proud of and enjoy most are the newest members of the family learning to make this favorite dish for their table. And, though I may tire of turkey, I’ll never give up the pecan pie.

A few sides that must be part of the holiday menu each year; candied yams, sweet potato pies, alway a ham with a turkey, and most importantly a broccoli casserole..

This is Eli making the “broccoli casserole” last year at Christmas and his sister Aria making the dish for Thanksgiving yesterday.

My mom’s recipe for broccoli casserole.

Happy Thanksgiving,
Kathleen

Relaxing by the Sea

What have you been putting off doing? Why?

Time is a priceless commodity I rarely, if ever invest in for myself.  My weekdays are over-packed with responsibilities and dates with friends; while weekends are just as inundated with errands like gardening, housework, menu planning and recipe testing.

Walking this morning I wondered how it would feel if I cleared my schedule of all responsibilities, even enjoyable ones like meeting up with friends. I began to wonder what I’d do if I had a day or two that was truly free to do the things I love.

As, I sauntered through my nationhood my mind wandered, while dreaming of white sandy beaches on an exclusive island that had a hotel-spa or thalassotherapy centre that uses seawater for therapeutic and wellness purposes. I wouldn’t have to leave the facility for any reason. Meals included in the package would be prepared by professional chefs, and sipping sparkling water with lemon or mezcal would be refreshingly inviting before a nap by the sea.

Dream stylishly,
Kathleem