by Emily Schilling
Editor
It’s November. Let the feasting begin.
The holiday season for many of us is a season of eating as well as giving. Before the halls are decked with boughs of holly, the dining room table must be decked with the traditional stuffed turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, rolls, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Food continues to take center stage in the weeks to come as cookies are baked, dinner parties are hosted, egg nog is toasted and fruitcakes are gifted. It’s no wonder New Year’s resolutions tend to focus on losing weight!
I love to eat and cook, and for the next couple of months I seem to do more of both than I do the rest of the year. Many of you can probably relate to that.
The fun starts a couple of days before Thanksgiving when I start making croutons for the most labor-intensive Thanksgiving dinner dish I make: the stuffing. It’s my favorite part of the meal, but making homemade croutons and finely chopping onions and celery is certainly a chore. I triple or sometimes quadruple the recipe so there are plenty of leftovers — which means lots of vegetables need to be cut up. I’m definitely not complaining though. I’d be happy to skip the turkey and the rest of the trimmings for a heaping plate of stuffing.
Thanksgiving is one of those meals at which everybody has their own non-negotiable favorites, which in many cases are only served during the holidays. Take cranberry sauce. Or stuffing. Or turkey. It’s no wonder we eat so much — this is limited-time-only food! You just want to eat it while you can!
Cut-out sugar cookies and gingerbread boys are another holiday indulgence for me. I love how they look on a plate, all colorful and Christmas-y. I certainly enjoy how they taste. Baking cookies is not my forte, especially when cookie cutters, colored frosting and sprinkles are involved. But I will get out the rolling pin anyway simply because fancy frosted cookies, and their fresh-from-the-oven aroma, are a tangible, edible reminder of the holidays.
With busy schedules and so many options nowadays to purchase ready-made dinners and holiday treats, it is tempting to ditch the aprons and mixing bowls for a take-out box. But homemade food — even if the gravy might be a little bit runny or the cookies a tad over-baked — makes the holiday season all the more special.
So, let’s stock up on butter, sugar and flour; sharpen the kitchen knives; and loosen our waistbands. But don’t loosen them too much! Stuffing and gingerbread boys are fine for the holidays as long as they don’t stick around your stomach and hips once the holidays are over!