It Has Become A Tradition

  For the past few years, I have tried to slip out of the kitchen long enough to get a photograph of the sunrise on Thanksgiving morning.  Sometimes it is hard to do since cooking for the "Big Day" involves a major undertaking.  I was smart this year, however!  I did something that I have never done before and it was one of those "smack my head" moments.  Duh!! Anything to make any mealtime easier is a happy thing but when it comes to large, all inclusive, family meals, a few moments saved here and there can be a lifesaver.  This brilliant idea was such a no brainer that I cannot believe I have never done it before!  

  I am one of those folks who has a myriad of crockpots or slow cookers.  Duh!  Use the crockpots!  Yep, with Mark wanting all traditional foods, Darling Daughter being a vegan, Son and Son-in-law being big meat-eaters and me being a pescatarian the meal preps were a bit overwhelming so I solved it all by pulling out the crockpots.  Mark's traditional green bean casserole, the sweet potato pone AND the ham were all cooked in the slow cookers!  Brilliance!  That freed up the oven for the turkey and dressing (a regular giblet type and a vegan cranberry sauce filled one).  Of course, the stove top came into play for the mashed potatoes, gravy (vegan and turkey), plain green beans (for those not able or willing to eat the casserole), plain cauliflower (again for those not willing to eat roasted cauliflower soup).  Elizabeth and Robbie brought the soup, a delicious salad and some of the best yeast rolls that I have ever eaten!  We finished this all off with 3 different desserts!  But! It was those crockpots that saved hours!  Everything was in place and ready to go before sunrise!  I am thankful for so many things but added to the list this year are two more things.  I am thankful for brilliant ideas and for the invention of crockpots!

  The Thanksgiving sunrise custom came into play several years ago when I had a houseful of people all wanting a huge meal.  Well, with that many folks, a gigantic turkey had to be roasted so I was up in the wee hours of the morn.  Once the bird was in the oven, there was nothing else to do but head to the pier to collect my thoughts before the hubbub of the day started. Once everyone else was awake, it would be ridiculous to even think of escaping to the pier.  While I was there, the sun peeped up over the pines and crept into the gazebo across the way.  It appeared as if the sun was housed by the large gazebo.  When I showed Darling Daughter the photo, she dubbed it "The House of the Rising Sun" after the well-known song.  That first photo was taken nine years ago and I am still scurrying down to the pier each Thanksgiving morn to get my "House of the Rising Sun" photo.  This morning did not disappoint.