Food for "thought" Friday

A good friend of mine has asked for help expanding her cookbook, and has suggested that her friends post a recipe each Friday. So Heidi, here you go! And to go with the rest of the theme, I thought I would actually also add to it a bit of actual food for thought. I am sure at some point in each week I stop to seriously consider a thought and expound upon it. So here goes nothing!

A great salad recipe for Thanksgiving!

Cranberry Chicken Salad

1 bag salad greens (any kind)
1 10 oz can chicken (or turkey) chunks
1 cup (about half a can) whole cranberry sauce
½ cup mayonnaise
canned pears (for garnish)

Add chicken to the salad greens. Mix cranberry sauce and mayonnaise together. Pour over salad and toss well JUST BEFORE SERVING. Add 1 or 2 chunks/slices of pear on top of each serving.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Many people who know me well know that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. Granted, I don't decorate my house for it (though I wish I could afford to!), I do LOVE the smells, tastes, and feelings of Thanksgiving.

I have spent a good deal of time dreading Thanksgiving this year based on the last time I had Thanksgiving with my in-laws. It was a pretty awful day for me, and it reflected so badly on my face that my husbands younger brother saw fit to confront my MIL and tell her in not so many words that I was being treated unfairly. Of course since that was brought to her attention things have improved a bit.

But still- I was feeling slighted from T-day two years ago, and had carried with me a pretty reserved attitude. I had decided to just hold my tongue and make an appearance at my in-laws house, food in hand and a smile on my face. But I was not going to call them and ask what to bring, I was going to wait for them to call me and assign me my one (maybe two) dishes. IF I don't hear from them, well I was going to bring the dishes I wanted and that was that! Well- as of yesterday I still had not heard from them. I do all my grocery shopping on Saturdays and since T-day is next week, they are quickly running out of time to assign me a dish and tell me when we are getting together! So I talked to Joe. I asked him what I should do about finding out the time we are getting together since I hadn't heard from them, but I didn't want to call... Just in trying to explain my attitude and feelings to him, and my reason for being so silent, I came to realize (though I am sure Joe helped here) just how childish I was behaving.

So after thinking about it, I have decided to grow up a bit and act like the adult that I am. I am still hoping they call me, but I will call them if I haven't heard from them by tonight. And I will help them in any way I can, and I will still probably bring a dish I want that I am sure they won't ask for (since it isn't their favorite), but I will also bring a dish or two that they want me to bring. I will also smile, and enjoy myself, and all will be well!

Now don't get me wrong, because I LOVE my in-laws. I really do! They are great, and wonderful, and nice, and some of my favorite people. I love seeing them, and spending time with them. But as with most people, we have had our rough patches, and to be fair, two Thanksgivings ago I was newly pregnant (and quite possibly hormonal) with Lacey. I am sure I over reacted a bit, but still the overall feeling I had that day was not good, and it has stuck with me far too long. It is time to put it behind me once and for all.

It is time for me to remember that I am beyond blessed to have such a great family, and such great in-laws. I am blessed to have nieces and nephews to play with my two girls. I am beyond blessed to have such an amazing husband, and he helps me to better myself constantly (even when he doesn't know he is doing it). I love him, and his family, and Next Thursday is going to be great.

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving, and eat lots and lots of good food. Post some of your favorite recipes! I wanna try em all! (well- almost all of them... anything with walnuts or pecans are out since I am allergic...)