As we began preparing for our first Thanksgiving celebration in our new {old} house, we were reminded of the many things for which we are thankful. Yesterday, together with the kids, I worked to clean the house a little. They picked up the loose odds and ends that had been left or forgotten throughout the last week. I vacuumed the ginormous amount of dust/ash that falls to the surfaces of a home heated with a burning wood stove. Mia worked to clear the island counter, which has a tendency to be a carry-all for many things - books, papers, bills, Lego creations Gabriel feels deserve the honor of center stage, among other things. Riley cleared the desk which is the second place to be a carry-all - sewing notions, math books, books on CD, notes-to-self from yours truly, and various other items.
We didn't spend a lot of time on cleaning. It's not about perfection. Just clearing the work space so that we can have a clear view of what we are actually working with. From that task, we moved on to food prep. The girls cubed 2 loaves of rice bread to be made into croutons for our homemade-from-scratch stuffing. While they did that, I washed and cut the many vegetables I will use in my stuffing, homemade broth, and in the turkey. Meanwhile Andrew chopped more firewood and kept the stove burning hot to keep us warm as we worked, and Nolan and Gabriel helped him bring the wood in and stack it neatly to dry, as it is too cold for the wood to dry outside now. Later I whipped up a coconut cream topping, while the girls worked on the cranberry sauce.
As we worked side by side, we laughed, talked about past Thanksgivings, and expressed our excitement and anticipation of the one to come. Mia asked if I enjoyed all the work involved in Thanksgiving, "It is a lot of work," she noted. Yes, it is. And my reply was yes, I absolutely enjoy it. I love all the work that goes into making a feast for my family. We don't eat like this every day. And I also enjoy taking the time to research good recipes that are tasty, allergy-friendly, and also healthy. That combination is not easy to come by. But as a mom who's been cooking without many conventional and often-used foods for many years, I find the challenge fun and very rewarding.
As we gather round our table this afternoon to celebrate our gratitude together, it will be a time of love and joy and openness that will be cherished as a memory for all of us for many, many years to come.
So what will be on our table this afternoon? Here's our menu, keeping in mind everything is without dairy, eggs, nuts, wheat/gluten/oats, soy, beans/legumes. Drum-roll, please.....
- Roasted Turkey
- Turkey Gravy
- Muzzie's Fabulous {Allergy-Free} Stuffing
- Mashed Potatoes
- Maple Sweet Potato Puree
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Steamed Sweet Corn
- Sugar-free Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Biscuits
- Apple Cobbler
- Pumpkin Pie
- Homemade Coconut Cream Topping
I'm sure eyes will be rolling back in heads by 5 pm today. :) Now, I need to go finish my stuffing and get that bird ready to go into the oven! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone - may your day be filled with love, joy and gratitude.
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