Martha Stewart She Ain't

The holiday season is always a hectic time of the year, but in a crazy good way.  Families and friends come together for good food and fellowship.  In most families there is one person that embraces the spirit of the holidays and pulls everything together, and in my family it was my maternal grandmother.  She absolutely loved this time of year.  Besides coordinating family dinners, she decorated her home the nth degree, made candies and cookies, and her Christmas cards were in the mail before December arrived.  Martha Stewart?  She was amateur status and Granny was a pro. 

When I was a kid I had no idea how much time and energy, not to mention money, went into planning a big family shindig.  It was only after I was married and decided to have a dinner party of my own, that I realized how daunting this task could be.  When I told my grandmother that I was planning on having my parents and in-laws over for dinner, she decided I needed her assistance.  When she asked me what was on the menu, I rattled off a list of dishes without hesitation.  "No fruit or jello salad?" she asked.  It was then that she gave me her recipe for Sunshine Salad and informed me that no dinner was complete without a jello salad.  She reviewed my menu a second time, then told me that I had too much starch and not enough green veggies.  After adding a green bean casserole, nixing a potato dish and getting the menu cleared by Granny,  I made my way back to the grocery to get Sunshine Salad ingredients.

Now came the preparation.  Since I had never cooked more than 1 or 2 dishes at a time for our family dinners, it never occurred to me that I would not have enough casserole dishes or pots and pans to cook 10 dishes simultaneously.   So I called my grandmother and told her my dilemma.  She rummaged through her cabinets and brought over some of her older cookware with a promise that we would go shopping for casserole dishes of my own.  She re-evaluated my supplies and on her way out the door she expressed her displeasure with my Tupperware deviled egg holder and my cheap napkins.  I didn't think anyone would say "That was one fine meal.....except for the napkins" but just to be on safe side......I dashed off to the store for better napkins.  After my third and final shopping trip, I was ready to put the finishing touches on my dinner.

My home was decorated.   My feast looked like a Norman Rockwell print had come to life.   My family was amazed that I, formerly known as the person most likely to burn a salad, had managed to finesse my first dinner party.  I told everyone it was no effort at all and it didn't take a rocket scientist to read and follow a recipe.  Of course when they found the giblets and turkey neck still tucked inside my bird and one of my pumpkin pies had a piece of wax paper cooked under the pie filling....they knew I was no Martha Stewart. 

Have a Great Thanksgiving!