Tradition

Not sure if it is just the South or everywhere, but traditions sure enough run deep in the South.  Andrew and I didn't have to face the difficult decision of which family are we going to spend this holiday with because lucky for us our families live an hour apart and they traditionally celebrated at different times.  For example, Mother's Day for my family is very important, for Andrew's family, it is a day that Mrs. Susan wants to go out and eat.  Thanksgiving - my family does lunch with all of Granddaddy's brothers and sister and their families at lunch - Andrew's family - does dinner at his parents house.  Christmas, Andrew's family - Christmas Eve...My family - Christmas morning.  So it worked beautiful for us.  The past four to five years that we have spent each holiday together has been a breeze. 

However, this year was different.  Living in Mississippi and with Andrew's work schedule, we just could not make the trip to Georgia.  So we are starting our own new tradition.  First was pot-luck at the hospital with some of the other on-call residents and their spouses.  Then today, it is a full Thanksgiving meal, for just the two of us.  And although no family could make it out and we deeply miss them, we are also looking forward to a relaxing weekend together - its been a while.

But going back to traditions - Thanksgiving is one of the those meals that is based on tradition.  Its Aunt Sara or Mama Ouzts' dressing, Papa George or Mr. Charlie's fried turkeys, hashbrown casserole and sweet potato casserole, and of course, buttermilk custard, pecan pie, and any other amazing dessert Mama George whipped up.  Although Papa George and Mama Ouzts have passed and Mama George doesn't cook, someone filled the void...it was Mrs. Susan with the dressing and as luck would have it the Ouzts have traditionally fried their turkey just as Papa George did.  But it seemed that no one had filled the void with homemade pies in the Ouzts family since Mama Ouzts passed so our first married Thanksgiving, Andrew and Papa Ouzts both requested that we have homemade desserts and I agreed to make them.  They didn't want just any dessert they wanted a chocolate custard and coconut custard just like Mama Ouzts made.  So after days of searching for her recipes, we gave up.  So I pulled out the original Better Homes and Gardens and as wished I found a recipe for both.  Come to find out after successfully making them and getting the seal of approval from Papa Ouzts that those were the recipes that Mama Ouzts had always used. 

So this year - it is my turn again to fill all the voids of home - I am going to make my first attempted at turkey (baked not fried) and Mama Ouzts' dressing, as well as some other fixings - but we are starting a new tradition - its called sometimes you can't be with family so fix your own Thanksgiving meal, be thankful for each other, our family and friends, and the traditions that were started years ago, and enjoy a beautiful weekend together.  And we are going to be really Thankful for Penn's, Chick-Fil-A, or some other fast food restaurant when dinner turns out terrible!