The holidays are among us and that means we have some decisions to make…Where are we going to go? What are we going to bring? How can we help? One piece of pie or two? (I’ll take a little sliver of each kind of pie with LOTS of whip cream, please!)
Where to Go
Family dynamics are different for everyone but choosing who we will spend the holidays with is one of hardest parts for me as a wife. His family or mine? I wish I could be two places at once!
We have come to the agreement to spend one holiday with Robert’s family and the other with mine. But it doesn’t make it an easy decision. As much as I love my in-laws and creating new traditions, there is no place like home. So, it’s Thanksgiving in Phoenix for us and Christmas in Seattle!
If family is hard, I love the concept of Friendsgiving! Living in community is so important and sometimes close friends become family. What's better than gathering around the table with people we love when being with family isn’t an option?
What to Bring
Choosing who to spend Thanksgiving with isn’t the only dilemma, but equally as important is choosing what FOOD to bring! How do you decide what to bring to the Thanksgiving feast?
These are my favorite go-tos: Grammy’s Rice/Sausage Casserole and Costco’s Apple Pie. Don’t judge me! Costco makes a darn good pie, much better than I could make and it’s pretty too! See the recipe below for the stuffing;)
How to Help
Thanksgiving is about being grateful for what we have, and I think that is paired with lending a hand. Do you love to help with the food prep? Maybe setting the table? Or if that’s not your thing, there is always room on the clean-up crew! There is something I find so satisfying seeing the physical progress of the kitchen filled with dirty pots and pans to sparkling table tops.
What are your favorite holiday traditions? I love watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade while flipping through the Black Friday ads. I’m also considering finding a Turkey Trot to run in the morning! What should I add to my list?
Grammy’s Wild Rice + Sausage Casserole Recipe
Ingredients + Instructions:
1) 1 box Uncle Ben’s original long grain and wild rice (6 ¼ oz)
2) 1 lb. sausage
3) 1 cup chopped celery
4) 1 cup chopped onion
5) 2 cans chicken with rice soup (do not dilute)
6) Cook rice as directed on package. Brown sausage and drain. Remove from stove. Sauté onion and celery in skillet.
7) Stir in sausage and soup.
8) Tear bread into bite sized pieces.
9) Many need to transfer to larger bowl to combine all.
10) Bake in 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Photographer | SheaLyn Anderson
Location | Mother Natures Farm
