Tag: Thanksgiving

Norman Rockwell Dinner

~ Denise ~ 1 Comment
OURs... to fight for Freedom from Want is a co...
OURs… to fight for Freedom from Want is a color lithograph created in 1942 by Norman Rockwell and published in the Saturday Evening Post as part of a series illustrating the “Four Freedoms.” The aim of the series was to promote the buying of war bonds by Americans during World War II. Copyright held by the Curtis Publishing Company. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I remember the first time I cooked what I’d like to refer to as my Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving Dinner.  Remember, being raised as JW, we didn’t celebrate Holidays, so it wasn’t until I left home that I began to enjoy these celebrations.  Now, I had been at other homes for Thanksgiving, but this was the first time I had prepared ‘The Spread’.

Looking back I now am realizing Mom made up her own version of celebrations so she could continue to celebrate the Holidays.  Case in point, when she made a turkey feast, she made stuffing, a green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, and a spinach casserole.  (Sounds like a Thanksgiving meal to me).

The first time I made her spinach casserole was on that day.  (The fact that both Craig and Chris grew fond of this is a special connection to my Mom for me.)  It was also the first time I had made a turkey (yikes!)   I remember getting out the linen tablecloth, crystal glasses, silver, decorations, and even had parsley decorating the turkey on the plate ready for Craig to carve.  If I’m remembering right Craig’s Mom brought her potato filling, and we had a stuffed sideboard and table  full of food.  There were at least 7 of us.   I thought I had a picture somewhere from that day of the table and the turkey, but a quick search couldn’t find it.  (Note to self:  you really need to get back on that picture organizing project!)

I also think it was the first big meal I made for Craig’s family.  Good thing it worked out. 🙂   I’ve made many Thanksgiving meals since then, and had a lot of good meals at friends and family homes too; but everyonce in a while I think about that first one for me.

May today bring fond memories and blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Cooking up some soup…

~ Denise ~ 2 Comments

In  case you were wondering about Operation Soup and Smokes, particularly with my new part-time job, there have just been a few minor timing adjustments needed.  I am thankful that I can still help.  It has forced me to measure some ingredients though, for more accurate instructions to the second Chef.  (usually I’m a ‘dump it in’ & ‘taste it’ when it comes to soup.)

Usually I would start a pot of soup or something around 7:00-7:30 a.m. so that it would be ready to go downtown by noon.  Now I begin around 6:00 a.m., have the soup or beans and rice, or whatever else is on the menu started before I leave at 8:30 a.m, and then Craig finishes supervising and adding any last-minute ingredients (i.e., rice) before he takes it downtown to serve.  (Here is where the measuring comes in handy, my dashes, and put a little of this or that, wouldn’t really be helpful)  Everybody has been pretty happy with the results, so he must be doing a great job!

The beginnings of a spicy sausage vegetable soup.

They serve usually between 150-200 people weekly, most times running out of food.  Craig dishes out the soup (or whatever else we’ve made), Susan usually provides meatballs (a big hit as you can imagine) and then Carolyn brings her famous cornbread.  Usually someone will step in and help serve water.  Often Chuck will have Craig swing by his apartment and pick him up so that he can go downtown to help serve.

Funds have been low for  a while so the two cigarettes have not been distributed.  Any funds have gone towards needed food supplies and the paper products first.  For those that were  wondering about the number of people coming just for the occasional cigarettes and not because of hunger, that question can be answered by the continued high turnout.  When you are hungry, you are hungry.

There is still a need.  Homelessness is still a problem.

We are thankful for the other groups that feed the homeless at the park on the days that we are not there, and the facilities that are available.  Cooler evenings are upon us, and the shelters are open.  Not everyone though utilizes them.

As we sit down Thanksgiving day, let’s all try to think how truly blessed we are, and also say a prayer for the homeless.

Happy early Thanksgiving everyone!