A short
lapse in blogging but back and inspired as we near what has come to be called
Thanksgivukkah! I am particularly inspired
to write following a conversation with one of my sisters-in-law, Rivka, whose
family we’ll be spending much of Thanksgivukkah with. Our conversation focused on the stress that
many (usually) women feel this time of the year as they confront the socially-
or self-induced pressure to create Martha Stewart/Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving
meals for their family and invited guests.
Though currently
separated from much of her family by thousands of miles, Rivka grew up with her
large extended family ever present and witnessed a generation of women who
supported each other’s families throughout the holiday cycle and life cycle. She reminisced with me about how most of the
women would end up at the host home and busy themselves in the kitchen and
dining room preparing for the meal and guests.
It was bustling, it was hectic but everyone had their special jobs and
dishes to contribute and somehow this lightened the burden for any one family. Today, so many of us, like Rivka, live far
from family, and the responsibilities of life and vocation make it difficult to
be present and supportive in such direct physical ways. Here are some antidotes that could at least
begin to lessen that stress:
·
Plan the menu with guests. Plan the menu with your
child(ren)
·
Get the kids right in there peeling carrots or
measuring ingredients or washing special dishes etc. They can be quite helpful beforehand and on
the day!
·
Guests bring dishes to pass or one course of the meal
·
Guests with dietary restrictions bring a special dish
they are sure to be able to eat
·
Cook/bake as much as possible in advance (freeze if
necessary)
·
If you celebrate with the same permutation of friends
and family, rotate who hosts the holiday each year
·
Rivka came up with the idea of Skyping while preparing
and cooking – a modern day technical approach that keeps the cooks connected
and hopefully laughing!! We plan to do
that on Wednesday!
Remember
that this unique overlap of Chanukah with Thanksgiving is a time of light and
joy and thankfulness all woven together.
Take advantage of all of that good stuff even before the celebrating
begins then share it with your guests when they arrive and surely whatever
might fall through the cracks will seem trivial!!!
Here’s a fun
recipe I made up for Thanksgivukkah – eat with latkes, eat it with your Turkey
(or Tofurkey or whatever …) :
Apple-cranberry
Sauce (amounts are
approximate, have fun and experiment)
6 apples
peeled and cut
½ cup fresh
cranberries
¼ cup unsweetened
pineapple juice
¼ - ½ cup
water
(Add dry
fruits if you like and cook with above ingredients)
1 tsp
cinnamon
¼ tsp cloves
~ ½ - 1 cup white
sugar (I believe less is more!)
Combine
first four ingredients in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil then simmer until
fruit softens (10-15 minutes). Add last
three ingredients and continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes longer as sauce
begins to thicken. Allow to cool then
store in a glass jar in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
