SBC WEEK 7: Eating My Way Through The Holidays

Hello Very Important People, 

For this week’s Student Blogging Challenge, this Virginia born-and-bred teacher is focused on food, the centerpiece of nearly every family festivity. For me, almost every holiday has its culinary playlist, a host of dishes that comprise my collective memory.

appetizersI’ll start with New Year’s Eve and make this a chronological review of the edibles that highlight every holiday. For New Year’s Eve, my family loads up on store-bought appetizers, everything from Friday’s savory chicken wings to Costco’s mini quiches and tacos to crispy egg rolls and potstickers. When I grew up, my mom labored in the kitchen baking ham, green beans, mashed potatoes, and fresh-from-scratch biscuits. Early in my marriage, my husband and I did the same. That all changed when we lived in Naperville, Illinois, and we were invited by neighbors for a “box party.” Everyone had to bring a boxed appetizer; no one was allowed to cook anything. It was wonderful not to have to prepare a dish and simply focus on visiting. Thus, our own New Year’s tradition of delicious, worry-free celebrating was born. For this one night, counting calories is forbidden. 

Valentine’s Day is reserved for my best friend, college sweetheart, and love of my life…my husband. There isn’t a set dish, but we’ve always gone out for dinner on Valentine’s Day. When we first started dating, he’d order the most original dishes, oftentimes the chef specials, and I’d defer to a tried-and-true dish that I knew was decent. I quickly learned that my husband always had the better meal; I was settling for mediocre. So, I started experimenting with food, trying unfamiliar combinations of textures and tastes. I won’t ever eat sweetbreads or squid, but I’ll try nearly anything else. My heart beats happier with locally grown produce and meats, prepared with unique seasoning and original twists.

On the Fourth of July, it’s all about our hometown community. There’s a long tradition of a parade and fireworks in the town’s grassy field. As Leesburg has expanded and its population has grown, so have the crowds. Still, we wouldn’t miss Leesburg’s down-home traditions for the world. Like most Americans, it’s either hamburgers and hotdogs for us…or North Carolina BBQ, potato salad, baked beans, and banana pudding. Okay, I admit it, we’ve come to rely on take-out from Red, Hot, and Blue.

Baby Ruth Candy BarOh, how I have loved Halloween for the entirety of my life. When I was younger, we’d go all out decorating our house. Once, when there was a pumpkin shortage, my older brother rigged a flying ghost on a rope, and we all laughed hysterically as it flew in to scare trick-or-treaters. Halloween is all about leftover candy for me. When I was one of the tricker-or-treaters (often a green-faced witch), I’d bargain with my brother for Butterfingers and Baby Ruth bars. Nowadays, when my children have aged out of the annual candy collecting, I always purchase “extra” candy, so we have our favorite leftovers. I’m still a Baby Ruth fan, but now I’d rather have Haribo gummies, Twizzlers, or Hot Tamales staring back at me from the candy stash.

Thanksgiving, which is this coming week, is one of the best meals of the year (which we basically repeat for Christmas). We’ve collected recipes over the years, eventually creating our family’s “signature” Thanksgiving meal. Here’s our menu:

Turkey and Ham – These take forever to prep, but the addition of fresh rosemary to both gives these staples something a little extra.

Mashed Potatoes & Peas – Nothing fancy, but my husband crafts the most delicious gravy to top this Thanksgiving essential. I like to create a pool in the top of my mashed potatoes, add two spoonfuls of peas, and top it off with a generous river of gravy. Yum!

Butternut Farm Inn’s Sausage Stuffing – When I was working at Yankee Magazine in Boston, we hosted an annual food festival in Faneuil Hall. This recipe was a collaboration between Jones Sausage and the innkeeper/chef at Butternut Farm Inn. With sausage, spinach, water chestnuts, and a host of fresh spices, this will be our family’s stuffing recipe to infinity and beyond.

Martha Stewart’s Sweet Potato Spoonbread – Truth be told, this is more dessert than a side dish, but we cheat and call this a vegetable. I stumbled on this recipe early in my marriage, and I’ve used it ever since. As Martha Steward would say, “It’s a good thing!”

My Mom’s Top Secret Pumpkin Pie – Hands down, our pumpkin pie recipe beats any one we’ve ever tried, restaurants included. Sorry, not sharing…it’s secret, remember? Using fresh pumpkin from Halloween castoffs delivers the tastiest pie, but 100% canned pumpkin works well in a pinch. I make my own crusts–some gluten-free, some regular. Using gluten-free ginger snaps as a crust gives a crunchy, spicy contrast to the sweet pumpkin custard filling.

For Christmas Eve, we recycle our New Year’s tradition or have ham and biscuits. On Christmas, it’s Thanksgiving all over again. 

What signature holiday dishes do your family make? What’s your favorite holiday food? Do you always eat at home or do you celebrate at a restaurant or another family member’s home? Comment below and leave your URL! Most importantly, visit one of my students’ blogs while you’re here. Click on the three horizontal lines in the upper right corner to find them all. 

Happy Holidays,

Mrs. Rombach, 8th Grade Communications and English Teacher from Virginia, USA

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