With the new job, I don’t get school holidays off anymore.   (That is a non-perk of my current position, but the trade off of no-principal-stress is worth it.)   Anywhoo, that means I will be working on the 21st as my family hoard (said with much love) is traveling southward to our home.

Antique postcard from my grandfather’s collection. This one was actually addressed to my great-grandfather.

I decided to work on my menu before the crowds get here.  🙂  (Again, said with much love!)

Breakfasts tend to be pretty low-key when there are five extra mouths in the house.   My plan for breakfasts are fast and simple.  (I am sure, however, that the cream cheese and cornmeal pancakes that I recently posted will make the breakfast table at some point during the week!)

Sometimes we are all over the place for lunches, The Hubs, BiL and the nephews going one way and Mom, Sis and I going another.   I think I will stick with salads, soups and/or sandwiches (if we are even at the house for these.  At this point, the plan is for us all to go our separate ways on Friday.)

Dinner does tend to be a big deal.

Here’s my tentative menu for the holiday portion of the week:

November 21 (The Arrival):
Dinner:  Homemade pizza   (Haven’t decided which recipe, but will certainly make an arugula topped proscuitto pizza b/c the MiL loves arugula.   The Hubs and Nephews I and II love all pizzas.  I will probably do another pepperoni with jalapenos and a sausage pizza.)

November 22, Thanksgiving Day:
Breakfast:  Butter Toasted Apricot Oatmeal

Lunch:  Lentil and Sausage Soup (to be posted soon)

Dinner:  Kale and Pear Salad along with Beef Bourguignon (This is a Christmas tradition for us but since I doubt we’re all together for Christmas this year, we are going to enjoy it for Thanksgiving.)    Sis is bringing a Pumpkin Roll.

Kale and Pear Salad

Misc: I’m not sure when these recipes will show up, but they might.

 Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Tomato and Sausage Soup

Tomato Bread for assorted sandwiches

Grilled Pork Loin

Find some comfort and joy in your kitchen and at your table this Thanksgiving season!

Perhaps the World Ends Here
By Joy Harjo

The world begins at a kitchen table. No matter what, we must eat to live.

The gifts of earth are brought and prepared, set on the table. So it has been since creation, and it will go on.

We chase chickens or dogs away from it. Babies teethe at the corners. They scrape their knees under it.

It is here that children are given instructions on what it means to be human. We make men at it, we make women.

At this table we gossip, recall enemies and the ghosts of lovers.

Our dreams drink coffee with us as they put their arms around our children. They laugh with us at our poor falling-down selves and as we put ourselves back together once again at the table.

This table has been a house in the rain, an umbrella in the sun.

Wars have begun and ended at this table. It is a place to hide in the shadow of terror. A place to celebrate the terrible victory.

We have given birth on this table, and have prepared our parents for burial here.

At this table we sing with joy, with sorrow. We pray of suffering and remorse. We give thanks.

Perhaps the world will end at the kitchen table, while we are laughing and crying, eating of the last sweet bite.

Source: Poetry Foundation