Hi

I know not all of my subscribers are American but I still want to say Happy Thanksgiving! What a wonderful holiday - a day to just be grateful. 

I'm very grateful to all of you reading this. Gosh it's been 20+ years in this business, and for many of you, I've watched your journey unfold and you've seen mine - we've all shared the good, the bad and the ugly. 

Today, as I was yesterday, I'll be cooking up a storm. But now my kids are grown and they'll be helping. My son and daughter in law will be coming over for dinner and I got us a new gaming table so we can play cards. Scarlett doesn't know many card games so we want to teach her. 

My favorite memory of Thanksgiving growing up is my dad using his hibachi pot (it's was the old style clay type) to cooked THE most delicious turkey you've ever had. In fact my mom's extended family always asked my dad to cook the turkey and come to Thanksgiving even AFTER they divorced. LOL!

Our menu is a little bit of everything plus the kitchen sink. None of us are fond of turkey as anymore, so we'll be having buttermilk fried chicken AND smoked chicken as our main meat (plus a brown sugar ham for my DIL), the usual green bean casserole and broccoli rice casserole, stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, and brown butter sage rolls. This year we're adding some sort of creamed corn dish too, plus my DIL makes mac and cheese to bring. I forget everything else - there's a ton. 

The desserts will set me back 10 pounds (I hope not)! We're making fudge, a maple cream pie, cookies, and a cake - I don't even remember what they were but my daughter's making those. I plan to send my son home with a TON of leftovers so I won't be tempted much. 

I love hearing about your day, too so let me know what you're up to or how you celebrate (if you do). 

Most importantly, just focus on gratitude today. Sometimes we bury that amid the chaos and it's important to highlight it from time to time.

Tiff ;)