MOST FOLKS CHUCKLE WHEN I TELL THEM THAT MY FATHER IS THE BEST COOK IN THE FAMILY. If you saw the number of cookbooks the man owns then you would know I am serious. He can sit down and read a cookbook like a new novel. Years ago we knew that he had some kind of heart issue that was rare so our family began steaming veggies and cooking with olive oil long before it was standard practice. I grew up in a small town which had fresh vegetables passed along as a ‘thank you’ for being a friend.

To say that holiday meals are important to our family culture is an understatement. I will always remember my grandmother, known as Mammaw, fuss and perfect each batch of Cornbread Dressing.  My father has taken that process even further by documenting each dish so that our generation can carry on the tradition. Julie, my sister, and I have always been in the kitchen to help. This was the first year we had the honor of cooking the whole meal for our family. Because of Dad’s homecoming from the hospital, we were very proud to pull it all together with a few surprises. We cheated and had a local BBQ place smoke the turkey…and that turned out to be an excellent decision because the turkey was delicious! That allowed us to spend all our time on the dressing, side dishes, and desserts. We skipped fancy china and a more formal setup to enjoy a quieter holiday around the kitchen table. Two days of cooking, preparation, and laughter resulted in this:

Artichoke dip with the crackers so nicely arranged by my husband (Go Dave!):

Please Lord let me be as healthy, involved, and beautiful as my 96 year old grandmother. Here is Mammaw at Thanksgiving:

The smoked turkey from Pilgrim’s BBQ was delicious:

The Traditional Cornbread Dressing and Green Beans:

Sweet Potato Soufflé is my speciality each year. Believe it or not, I went more conservative on the praline-like topping:

Two special guests of honor – my father and Mammaw. For once they are the first to get their plates. I loved all the comments they were making at this moment. How wonderful to have them enjoy what they had taught us.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad – jello, strawberries, cream cheese, sugar, and butter coated pretzels – how could this ever taste bad? A great holiday recipe my Aunt Barbara gave me when I got married 20 years ago.

The serious eaters arrive (a.k.a. The Older Grandkids) to the island to fix their plates:

My Dad is amazed that he did not have to cook one dish this year…and doesn’t he look great for someone who had their heart valve repaired just a week earlier? He made a special effort to dress for the day since Mammaw was intent on knowing he was “OK” following the surgery. Even if your mother is 96, she is still your mother!

Julie and I tackled pies this year…and it was unknown territory for us. Julie made this beautiful Pumpkin and Walnut Pie:

I made the Lemon Chess Pie and stole some of her stars to decorate. Both recipes were from a Southern Living book.

Lots of good conversation after the meal:

And lots to be thankful about:

I’m quite certain we’ve had bigger feasts with more dishes in the past, but this Thanksgiving could not have been a more wonderful day to celebrate the blessing of being together as our family grows.

Related:

Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving 2010: The Homecoming

Thanksgiving 2010: The Fun