Um, THANKS for the nap
Posted by Candace Havens in Candace Havens, tags: food, recipes, Thanksgiving
I love Thanksgiving. I know those of you in other parts of the world may not understand, but in America it’s big holiday that is focused on two things – eating and sleeping. I don’t know about you, but those happen to be two of my favorite things. Oh, I know, it’s also supposed to be about giving thanks. And I am thankful for so many things my family, my friends and my career. Oh, my dog Gizmo just jumped in my lap. Yes, I’m grateful for my dogs too. 
(He’s so pushy.) In fact, I feel so blessed that it’s hard for me to sleep sometimes, which is why I need those naps on Thanksgiving day.
Seriously, how can you not nap on Thanksgiving Day? The food, from those carbs in the yams to the Tryptophan in the turkey is tailor made for snoozing. And it forces one of those drooling-on-the -pillows-zombie kind of zonks. You know what I’m talking about. If you wake up and you don’t have serious pillow case lines on your face, it wasn’t a real nap. It’s the only time I’m rude when there are guests in the house. If they aren’t gone an hour and half after Thanksgiving lunch, I have to excuse myself with a headache (all that stress of preparing the meal, ya know), curl up with a good book and then get my nap on. (It’s important to get as much rest as possible on Thanksgiving Day, because the next day is all about shopping. I’ll talk more about that in another post.)
So here’s how it usually goes down here in the Havens house:
If we’re having the meal here, and we usually are, I’m up early to make sure the turkey and the roast are on. Then I start preparing all the side dishes. I don’t have to do many of those, because it’s pot luck and the rest of the family brings sides and desserts. There are HAVENS STAPLES for every holiday. These include Cheezy Green Beans, cranberry sauce (I’ll share the recipe for my favorite in a bit) and some kind of sweet potato/yam dish. The food is put out in a banquet style, because at the minimum we’ll have 20 peeps to feed, and it’s usually more. We have family spread out all over the downstairs at various tables and it’s a blast. The more people eat, the sillier they get. My face usually hurts I laugh so much. And then everyone leaves and it’s nap time. It’s a really wonderful day.
I want to hear about how you spend your Thanksgiving Day. Do you help out at a soup kitchen? Do you have favorite foods? What traditions do you have?
To show my thanks for you guys hanging out on the Blaze Blog here’s one of my favorite recipes for Cranberry Sauce. I found it in the November 2007 issue of Domino Magazine.
Cranberry-Clementine Sauce
Serves 8-10
2 clementines
2 packages (12 oz) fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar
Slice clementines thin (with skin on) and then place in a sauce pan with the cranberries, sugar and 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool before serving.
It’s so easy, and so tasty! People will think it took you forever to make.
Happy Thanksgiving, Ya’ll
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Hi Candy,
We drive to Memphis every year to be with my older sister since her hubby works for Post office and can never get off work for the holidays. So, we don’t see them at all if we don’t go.
It’s become a big tradition to drive up Wednesday , cook all day Thursday and (and tape the parade) and then celebrate our Thanksgiving on Friday when my BIL has the day off). My sister and BIL have an acre of land in a little rural town north of Memphis with lots of trees and fresh air. The kids ride the tractor, rake the leaves and jump in the piles, and throw the football around. We swing in the hammock, sit in the hot tub and –of course, eat and sleep. A lot. We usually go to the mall and a movie on Saturday, and drive home Sunday. It’s fun to have the whole family together, even if we all have to drive up there. Road trip!
That sounds heavenly. Fresh air and fun. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because all of my family commits to their in-laws and my son always spends Thanksgiving with his Dad and Stepmom.
You see, when one marries into our family they are given the talk about Christmas –you must be present–it is not an option! If you can’t promise that in the wedding vows then go on find another family to marry into-cause we don’t want your kind around here. Christmas belongs to our family–not yours.
So you see I don’t have to do a thing if I don’t want to…I can nap all day or watch marathon movies, eat what I want, when I want or take up any number of invitations by those who feel sorry that my husband and I, will spend it alone. (Viola’ no cooking at all) But, I feel so truly blessed while laying in the sun on a beach in Cozumel…Corona in hand! Now that’s a four day weekend to be thankful for. Michelle
Just a little jealous. Cozumel? Really?
Hey lady, you are so right about TG being for food and sleeping. At my house it’s food at my parents, then we drive around to other family members houses and crash their supper, pack our lunch carriers and head to the next house. By the time we get home, we’re in time for the game and then it’s roll over on our bellies and snooze. I’m not a fan of cranberry sauce but your recipe may redeem it to me. I’ll give it a try!
Kandie
Lol. I love that you take containers.
Hi Candace,
That sounds like a yummy dessert, Thank you for sharing it with us. At this time of year and after preparing the meals for so long, it always nice to find new recipes.
As to traditions on Thanksgiving, we don’t have alot like most people because of everyone being so far apart with extended family. But there is always my hubby, my 2 kids and myself. The one constant has always been my hubby cooking the turkey and making the dressing, no stuffing for us.
He fry’s a Turkey and that is the best way ever to eat it.
So if you haven’t tried that yet, I definetly recommend it.
Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving.
Fried turkey is delicious, but we have to buy them that way. No one in this house could ever deep fry anything without causing great bodily harm.
LOL. I’m so not kidding about that. And my Dad makes the best dressing in the world!!! It’s cornbread dressing and it is one of my favorite things ever. 
Thanksgiving is at my house this year and we’re frying a turkey, too. I found an indoor fryer.
I had no idea they had indoor ones.
For Thanksgiving we all gather at my sisters house for a big meal. She prepares most of it, but we all bring something too. I don’t like turkey so my mother always makes a roast with onions, potatoes and carrots for me in addition to the turkey for everyone else. I keep telling her I can eat veggies but she insists on bringing the roast. We usually eat leftovers for days.
My husband doesn’t like turkey either. I always have to do a roast too.
I love dressing too, for my bday my aunt makes dressing for me, between her and my mom, I’ve got major calories to burn throughout the year. LOL
I live for dressing.
We are having it at home this year. Hubby is working so me and the kiddos will be cooking. All our family is out of state and not travelling to us this year. It’s going to be quiet. Since no one cares this year I’m thinking of stuffed Cornish hens:) I do love the traditional cornbread dressing, turkey and canned cranberry sauce! My husband is from new Orleans so sometimes I make oyster dressing just for him.
My husband’s family loves their oyster dressing. Cornish hens are a great idea for a small gathering. And I think it’s nice to sometimes just have your gang. It’s easier to run off and take that nap.
Usually go to my sister in laws – puts on a feast – then I clean up in Thanks – then comes the desserts – OMG! – I’m talking Bailey’s Truffles.
My favorite Cranberry Sause?
Can Jellied Cranberry and bottle of applesause. Stir and heat on the stove. Yum.
I swear I know how to spell sauce!
Liz, Don’t worry about spelling. Besides you had me at Bailey’s Truffles. I think you love me lots and need to send me some of those.
Hi There!
Do you have any idea where I can find the rest of the THanksgiving recipes from the Domino issue you’re referencing?? I’d love to find them!!
Sara, I don’t know. Maybe the library?