I'll Show You My Thanksgiving; You Show Me Yours

I hope everyone had a beautiful THANKSGIVING surrounded by friends and family. We did it a little different this year (much smaller) because everyone is spread out around the country. My poor husband was stuck on a island in the Pacific but don't worry, Thanksgiving went on as usual there too. His mom was sweet and gave me the recipe for his favorite Sweet Potato Pie which I made and left for him to enjoy on Turkey day! So a little piece of home made it all the way out there to hula land.


I've been having a great time back home seeing all the dear friends I've missed so much and celebrating a much smaller than usual Thanksgiving with family. A very good friend of mine and I were talking about traditions. She asked what Cuban traditions we added to the meal and I was puzzled by the fact that we didn't do any...well until I walked out of her house and realized: Cuba doesn't have Thanksgiving! (I don't think the pilgrims ever made it to the land of rhythm and tobacco.) I thought about it and asked, why couldn't the Cubans and the Pilgrims meet? From now on, my thanksgiving will be infused with a little Latin flavor and to start it all off, Diablitos a Caballo and Angelitos a Caballo snuggled up to the turkey and dressing on our Thanksgiving table.

{Thanksgiving is not just about the food, everyone had to take time for photo shoots!}

Last Thanksgiving Jason's brother Walt asked me what my family does for Thanksgiving. Being married you get to have a front row seat to view how another family does the holidays. It's fun to realize the things that your family does that someone else's doesn't and vice versa while getting ideas for the things Jason and I will eventually make our family traditions.

With that thought, I'll share a little bit of our holiday with you. What are special things you do and eat?

{Jes and Ash were trying to re-enact romantic photos from their wedding but I had to fire Jes because she wouldn't take it serious.Next time I'm hiring professional models!}

Our menu included:
Breakfast: Homemade Fruit Salad (Grandpa usually makes this but I've apprenticed under him for years so this year it was my job...several tears dropped into the bowl as I remembered Dan Cole and how much I miss him, but isn't that what the holidays are about: sharing love and remembering others.)


Lunch: Butternut Squash and Pumkin Soup (compliments of chef Ash)
Diablitos a Caballo and Angelitos a Caballo for an appetizer (my Cuban fusion)


Dinner: Turkey of course! (Basted by Mom with white port wine reduction with chicken broth and giblets.)
Stuffing (mmm...grandmas delicious homemade stuffing with onions, chicken broth, olives, pecans, bread crumbs, celery, parsley, herbs etc.)
Gravy (Ash's delicious contribution to the turkey)
Garlic Cream Green Beans
Garlic Mashed Potatoes (Ash again...I can't wait till he has his own restaurant!)


Dessert: Peppermint Chocolate, Espresso Hazelnut, and Pecan Chocolate Pastry Rolls (Jes is the talented baker. She makes things fluffy and sweet and I just end up with flat or burnt. Oh well)
Raspberry, Strawberry, Cranberry and Pecan Mold topped with a Lemon Sour Cream Sauce (This has been a family must since I was little when my mom randomly found it in a children's cook book. This year Grandma Nan made sure this was perfect for the feast.)
Valpolicella and Chianti wines (I wanted to try a Valpolicella because I'm always curious to try new things.)

During dinner we went around the table and said the things we were thankful for. It was mom's idea and a nice way to stop and be grateful because we are so blessed!

Mmmm. I can't wait for Christmas! Jason, Hanna, Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Pam, Daniel, Sylvia, Jason, Lauren, Cindi, Carol and everyone else who couldn't be together this year. I missed you all but I hope you had a wonderful holiday surrounded by friends and love!

{Photos compliments of all the house photographers...I'm a little fuzzy about who did some of them.}