I am thankful for my salvation and the Grace God extends me daily. I'm so thankful for my son, our relationship, and the man he is becoming.
Over the past 10+ years I have hosted Thanksgiving for my family and it has morphed into a family reunion week very rich with traditions. I am beyond grateful that I have able to play a role in these memories for my family as I had no idea it would become what it is today. most of the family arrive on Mon and stay through the following Sun or Mon after Thanksgiving. I take the week off to cook but start baking weeks before. As my mother is 100% Polish we have incorporated many polish traditions and dishes into our celebration. Since I am feeding my family for a week I make shredded beef chili brisket and chicken fajitas usually 2 weekends ahead and freeze it for quick lunches and meals. Three weekends before I make 5 batches of Kolachkis (traditional polish cookie) as they are time consuming and will take an entire weekend to make. I flash freeze them uncooked so I can just bake the day of. My mother arrives the weekend before to help cook and the memories I have with her over the years are literally a gift! we have had small kitchen fires, 2 am meltdowns as I planned beyond my capabilities or time, and countless apple pie fiascos which have resulted in our original apple pie recipe honed over years of taste tasting and adjusting that I will pass down to whomever takes over the tradition when I no longer can.
This years menu was finalized last weekend with mom:
Dessert table (set up all week) cookies (crumbles, white cherry chunk, choc chip, 7 layer), Kolachkis (traditional polish cookie), Carmel bars, peanut brittle, and rum balls.
Dinner: Typical dinner Turkey (brined and citrus rub), ham, Garlic mash, sweet potato casserole, Brussels, corn, kielbasa sausage stuffing, pierogis, and cranberries. Dessert is Apple and pumpkin pie, ice box cake, and creme brûlée. New addition so will be an experiment this yr.
There is a traditional polish drink Krupnick which is honey spiced Vodka that we make and toast before the meal.
After dinner we sit outside around the fire pit to open the Christmas ornaments my mom bought for everyone which are tied to whatever events you had that year and unique to you.
Sorry for the long post...I hadn't intended on including details but it has become such a special time for my family.
They were apricot and one other flavor that I can't remember. It's been a few years.
