The Tradition Of It

Thanksgiving

A day to pause and to simply

remember to

give thanks to God

for all He has given us.

I have dinner at my house

and each year the guest list changes.

The family grows...

the family changes.

This year I will be serving a rather

small group.

So I can put stress aside and

enjoy the process.

And turn to recipes

that have stood the test of time.

Each year I focus

on that which makes Thanksgiving

special to my guests...

other than the turkey or pumpkin pie.

My father-in-law looks forward to

Lime Jello Salad.

All my boys love Grandma Ondrus'

Sweet Potatoes and Green Bean Casserole.

One year my brother-in-law requested

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls...

now that I can do!

Nothing says Thanksgiving to me

quite like

Cranberry Sauce Salad.

It starts with making

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

as directed on the package.

First sorting and cleaning the berries.

Boiling...

waiting with anticipation

(as we did when we were oh, so young)

for the cranberries to pop

...and then reducing the mixture

into a thick sauce.

Then...

following my mom's recipe...

given to her by her

mother-in-law...

my Grandma Thompson.

This dish has been served at every

Thanksgiving dinner I have ever attended.

No wonder...

it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it.

As you can see the rest is

so very easy.

I will note that I use walnuts

(is there any other nut?

not as kids there wasn't!)

The best part...

you make it the day before and

store it in the frig

until you serve the guests.

I am in the process of making it

as I blog so no finished pics.

Trust me...

if you don't have a

cranberry go to recipe...

then give this one a try.

This is the original card given to me...

as you can see by the many splatters

and the "passed on" date.

Imagine...

my mom's dates somewhere in the 50's.

Precious memories flood in

as I peruse these recipes.

Love...Laughter...and averted disasters!

So much to be thankful for.

So...

What makes your Thanksgiving special?