Thanksgiving

Since we have Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve services at our church, it makes it hard to go home for the holidays. Since we were going to be in town for Thanksgiving, we were invited to Glenn and Joy Evans' home. We know Glenn and Joy through the Westmoreland Players, our local community theatre. Joy's brother, Mike, and sister-in-law, Missie, were also there.

We got to their house about 2:00. They live right on the Potomac River, so their home is in a very picturesque location. We walked along the grounds admiring the flowers, trees, and waterfront. After returning to their home, we sat on the back deck enjoying the beautiful, unseasonaly warm weather, a family of swans, getting to know each other better, and lite appetizers consisting of crackers with a mild bleu cheese spread, hummus, and a garlic and herb spread. Yummy!

After enjoying appetizers and each other's company, we gathered at the dining room table and had our second course, soup. Missie had made Butternut Squash and Cheese Soup. Okay, so maybe it does not sound so good, but it was DELICIOUS!

For our third course, we had a green salad with dried cranberries and walnuts. For those who know me well enough, you know that I do not like cranberries. However, I have to admit that I really liked them on my salad. I used a light cranberry and walnut vinaigrette to add the final touches to my salad. There was also a choice of a poppyseed dressing. Is your mouth watering yet?

Our fourth course was filled with other wonderful dishes. Glenn and Joy had brined the turkey giving it a wonderful flavor and then spread herbs under the skin for even more flavor. It was nice and juicy. We also had sweet potato souffle topped with marshmallows, cranberry fruit salad, cranberry sauce, sweet corn, green bean casserole, dressing made with apples and roasted chestnuts, fresh broccoli out of Missie's garden, and rolls. I hope I am not forgetting anything.

For our fifth and final course, we had a choice between Missie's pumpkin pie or Laura's apple crisp. I chose a little of both. Don't forget the whipped topping on the pumpkin pie!

It may sound as though we stuffed ourselves. We did not. Since we took about 5 hours to do all this eating, we did not leave feeling like we were the stuffed turkey. Yes, I did say 5 hours. Laura and I agreed that we will have Thanksgiving meals like that in the future. We were able to enjoy each course, enjoy the fellowship and not worry about the time. It was a Thanksgiving memory for the books.

What am I thankful for this Thanksgiving? I am thankful for family, for friends who treat you like family, for good food, for good fellowship, for salvation, for having a life of purpose, for God bringing to mind all that I have to be thankful for. Thank you God for all the blessings you bestow on me and my family!