Holiday Poem (Bonus Entry)

This morning, for my poetry enrichment group, I planned to write holiday poems: a simple formula that I created that is a cross between a definition poem and a five-sense poem--an attempt to get kids to describe an emotional or important event by approaching it from different angles.  Only one girl showed up today, so I got to do a little writing.

This is not my personal narrative for the day. That will come later.  It is a bonus that was scratched out in three or four minutes.  It's one of those simple gems that just falls in your lap every other millennium or so.  I chose Thanksgiving because I believe it gets the shaft, especially with all the Christmas stuff (Yes, I said "stuff.") on the store shelves before Halloween.

Thanksgiving:

Relatives who have grown an inch and gained a pound

Pumpkin spice and fresh rolls with a hint of almost-burnt pastry

Dinner table conversation drowning the football announcers

Anticipation for Christmas served with a slice of pie and vanilla ice cream

Belly scratches prompted by nostalgia

Gratitude beyond the cliché.

Go Stuff Yerself!

Keeping with the Thanksgiving themed post from yesterday, I'll shift to what I believe is the most underrated part of Thanksgiving dinner: stuffing.  Now, I'm not going to undertake the argument of the finer differences between stuffing and dressing; go argue with your grandma.  The following recipe can be cooked either way.  It's delicious both ways, but it's certainly easier to just bake it in separate pans.  My dad and I have experimented with similar recipes over the past several years.  I have no idea where he got his original recipe from.  The following recipe for Sausage and Apple Stuffing is this year's version:

Ingredients: 

·         1 loaf sourdough hearth bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 11 cups)

·         1 tablespoon canola oil

·         3/4 pound fresh mild pork or chicken sausage

·         4 Braeburn, Gala or other apples, cored and diced

·         3 ribs celery, thinly sliced

·         1 large onion, diced

·         2 tablespoons unsalted butter

·         2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

·         1/3 cup chopped fresh sage leaves

·         3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

·         1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Method: 

Preheat oven to 300°F. Spread bread cubes out on two baking sheets and bake until dried but not browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up chunks with a spoon, until browned, about 6 minutes. Add apples, celery, onion and butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until apple and vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes more. Add to the bread. Stir in broth, sage, salt and pepper.

If using to stuff a turkey, cool completely before stuffing. If baking separately, heat oven to 350°F; bake in a buttered casserole dish until lightly browned and crisp on top, 50 to 60 minutes.

This year we doubled the recipe (almost tripled the sausage, though) and found out that it freezes decently.

Sickness and Health (and a Preview)

I’m not sure exactly how this post will flow (ignore supposed transitions) since I’m going to double post it—both here on Joe Average Writer and on Fatty’s Blubber Blog. The rare few who frequent both sites don’t need to bother with reading it twice. But I guess those of you who are anal enough to do it…can…I guess. I’d just recommend another hobby…or therapy.

Back from the tangent now: yesterday I came back from being on the sick wagon. No, I didn’t stuff myself with too much turkey or stuffing or pie (mmm…pie) or any birthday treats. Believe me, or not, I’ve held my eating in check at the start of this birthday/holiday season. More on that in a moment.

Last Friday night, Sariah got sick in the bathtub. Gross, I know. Then around one in the freakin’ a.m. Zac wakes me up, and says, “Dad, I barfed. Could you help me clean it up?” Give him credit—he wasn’t covered in puke. He even made sure he made it to the bathroom. However, he didn’t quite make it to the porcelain. An explosion of not-so-well-chewed bean with bacon soup covered the entire bathroom floor. The backsplash made it halfway up the tub and cabinets, behind the toilet and up the far wall at least six inches. How he escaped the blast zone without any on him, I’ll never know. And he was too asleep to register anything.

Two nights later Amy and Brooklyn both tossed their cookies (on Amy’s b-day, even), and my stomach started having issues. I must point out here that I never bowed to the porcelain god, but I still offered tribute, if you know what I mean. Needless to say, I am tired of cleaning up chunks of chicken and pineapple and cheese (and bile). And I am tired of not getting much done.

So, to remedy that period of barfiness, and to celebrate my (relative) health, Amy and I have finished the initial version of our independent study course revision, I have turned in the last of my (also pukey) stats homework, and I have been able to do some planning for when my student teacher jumps ship next week. One thing I have not done is work on my NaNoWriMo novel. Yes, say it. I’m bad.

Now, back to Thanksgiving and birthdays and food and such. This year, for the month of December, I am going to post a picture and recipe of “Food That Makes Me Happy.” Yes, you smart-aleck, that could include most, if not all foods. Yes, the title also sounds a little childish, but do you know what? I don’t care. This time of year is one for reliving those cherished childhood memories of Christmas, those indelible moments that will never vanish no matter how hard we try to erase them…oh, I mean, those moments that will bring us joy throughout our whole lives. Now that I’ve cheesed it up enough for you (more, fresh Parmesan or cracked pepper, sir?), here’s a taste of what is to come, because Thanksgiving makes me happy. In fact, it’s my favorite holiday, I think, but I’ll write about that another time. For now, enjoy the picture. I’m not going to give a recipe today. That’s for December.  Just don't lick the screen.  That's gross.

This delectable plate, by the way, includes turkey of both the light and dark variety, real mashed potatoes, yams, sausage and apple stuffing, homemade bread, cranberry sauce, pond scum, gravy, carrots, sweet pickles, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, and black olives. Pie was later.

P.S. I lost six pounds, too.