What Beverages Do You Serve At Your Holiday Meals?
Marilyn Sue McClintock
4 years ago
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Did you use any of your home canned foods for holiday meals?
Comments (20)I was just here checking to see if anyone was still canning anything, since I canned beef broth today. I raised the heritage Blue Slate turkey that we had at Thanksgiving, along with the fingerling potatoes which store very well in the cellar. Pumpkin pie was made from home canned pumpkin and an appetizer of a savory cheesecake was topped with my Habanero Gold. Mulled cider from cider we pressed and I had in the freezer stayed warm in the crockpot. Christmas thumbprint cookies contained homecanned jam and the green beans were from my basement "store" and my stepson roasted another one of those turkeys. The guys all doused theirs with my home canned hot sauce. All the Christmas baking was done with eggs from the freezer too, and the pie was made with homecanned apple pie filling. Throughout the holidays we snacked on fresh tortilla chips and salsa that I had canned (Yes, I'm THAT Annie). Oh, I made the ricotta for the lemon ricotta pancakes too, as well as the yogurt. Enchiladas made with leftover turkey were topped with tomatillo sauce that I made and froze when the last of my tomatillos vines were threatened by frost. My kids are coming over tomorrow and we're having beef roulades, with the onions in the rolled beef coming from the root cellar and the beef from my barnyard, good organic grassfed beef, a Hereford/Highland cross. Sweet and sour kale from our bumper crop of greens this year, home canned green beans with bacon for the grandkids and the cheesecake will be topped with homecanned blueberry topping. Appetizers will be venison sausage and homemade liverwurst from that same grassfed beef, pickled beets and Linda Lou's 10 day sweet pickles So, yeah, I use a lot of my canned goods. Annie...See MoreWhat Are Your Holidays (Meals, Events, Etc) Influenced by?
Comments (11)Our traditions when I was a child were fairly simple and mostly revolved around gathering family (grandparents, aunts, uncles cousins and honorary family) at a table for the meal and not a lot of other fanfare. Foods were specific to the holiday and pretty consistent over the years although my mom did love to try new things. Unfortunately the response more often than not, was to stick with the tried and true - kids can be so mean!! We didn't make big productions out of many of the holidays that are big events now. Halloween involved carving a pumpkin for/with each child then shoo-ing us out the door to trick or treat in whatever homemade costumes we came up with from the dress-up closet. My parents would never decorate our house and it never felt like anything was missing in our lives. Fourth of July was our village parade (with our decorated bikes) and speeches, then that night the fireworks. Memorial Day was more somber but also a village event. Being Jewish, I loved being invited to decorate trees with friends, but we had 8 nights of Hanukkah and the last night was the big family event with games, the traditional meal and presents. But other than the menorah and candles, no decorations. Passover was a huge production (I understand now how much work it entails), the High Holidays meant new outfits for temple, eating, fasting, lots of family in and out for the various services. My DH is not Jewish and came from a whole different set of (religious) traditions. Oddly, he didn't like many of them, even as a child and stopped participating as an adult. Of course, I get the blame for that! We forged new traditions with our sons, celebrating Hanumas or Christmakah. We topped our tree with a Jewish star for many years, until I realized no one else cared about the tree but me and when I stopped buying one they all said 'what took you so long?!' Last year we went to Washington for Thanksgiving. Our older son lives there in a tiny apartment in a national park. Tiny as in you can sit on the foot of the bed and open the refrigerator! Our younger son came from his college in CO, and the 5 of us (including DS1's girlfriend) stood shoulder to shoulder preparing the big meal. Nothing traditional, no turkey no stuffing no mashed potatoes - we had oysters, Dungeness crab, roast brisket..... and Mexican flan for dessert. Close quarters, limited equipment, borrowed dishes, no fancy table settings or decor but we laughed and felt so TOGETHER - it was probably the best Thanksgiving we've ever had! I love traditions but have come to appreciate the wonder of shaking things up now and then. In the end, though, it's all about the people I share the events with and have found simplifying things allows me to enjoy them much more....See MoreNot what you serve but Who is coming to your Thanksgiving meal
Comments (24)I will be having the family at my home this year. My three kids and their families alternate with us and their in-laws for the major holidays. The kids all like to be here at the same time, so it is the 3 of them, their spouses, 4 grandchildren, my Mom and Dad (they live an hour and a half away), two of my Aunts, two cousins, and my cousin's daughter, and her husband and son. And my BIL. In all that's 22. I will have to do this buffet style, and set up tables in the living room. I'm sure it will be chaotic, especially since my one son and DIL will be staying with us with the two babies. And then my parents will stay over too. Wish my house was a little bit (or a lot) bigger. But we will make due. I'm just grateful that we can all be together....See MoreWhat Beverages Do You Serve?
Comments (16)I always serve spring water. Recently, we've been making infused waters in a big water jar. They're very popular. I also have plain water available. A lot of the family like sodas, so we put out a variety with an ice bucket, self serve. Plus, I can always scrounge up some juice for the kids if they want, and their parents agree. If the gathering isn't so big that stuff gets knocked over easily, I use glass tumblers for both. There's always a variety of ales in the fridge, for those who want them, and there's a bottle of whiskey for the few who want that. Generally, however, I serve pretty decent wine. Not great wine because in a crowd with all kinds of odors in the air (food, perfume, babies, etc.), and with most of the people who attend, there's no point in serving great wine. Decent wine suits them just fine. I've learned not to put out the wine that's brought, however, unless I really trust the palate of the one who brought it. No one will say anything if it's just bad. After dinner, I serve coffee and tea to those who want it, and for a big crowd, I'll make both regular and decaf coffee. Lots of variety there, but mostly it's water and/or infused water....See Moregardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoMarilyn Sue McClintock thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)Zalco/bring back Sophie!
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoMarilyn Sue McClintock thanked Zalco/bring back Sophie!gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoMarilyn Sue McClintock thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)Marilyn Sue McClintock
4 years ago
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