Thanksgiving Mutiny

I am about to commit mutiny dear readers,a crime in some eyes is about to happen.Am I quivering in my boots,thinking twice about my approaching deed ? Briefly I did both, then I threw back my shoulders and said to myself,"Too bad,they will get over it."
What is my deal? I am changing the Thanksgiving menu. Scandalous,crazy me I want change.My family has had the SAME thing every year since before I was born.A dull bland menu without any joy left in it,a menu that leaves food on my plate and is so out dated that I wonder at it. Like last years calendar it has got to go.!
The old menu was a typical American Thanksgiving meal.Turkey,Stuffing,Mashed Potatoes with Gravy,Sweet Potatoes,Cranberries, Corn,Salad and Rolls. MMMM Bland Starch.
A few years ago Chance and I started changing things,slowly and quietly.First it started with the Cranberries.My family ALWAYS had a wiggling log of jellied berries that made a sucking noise as it came out of its can. Chance started to make his Cranberry Relish,(I wish I could share his recipe because Damn it is good,but there is no recipe.) offered right along side of the canned. After a couple of years what do you know no one was eating the canned stuff any more.Bye bye can-o-cranberries!
Next came the salad.Chance makes a good Cesar Salad 100% made from scratch.What do you know my Mother was wrong,the family loved it.Bye bye plain tossed salad.
The same year we changed the salad I changed the stuffing to Cornbread Stuffing. No complaints so it has stayed.
Last year as I cleaned up after dinner and was filling plates for the family to take home I noticed no one had eaten the Corn and no one wanted to take any home.Then why am I making it? Bye bye Corn.
Now I have nothing against Mashed Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes,we have either of them with dinner most weeks.But come on like I said we and the rest of the family eat them often there's nothing special to them.
This year much to the shock of my mother I am revamping the rest of the old menu.

Hrafinstaad Thanksgiving Menu 2009

Turkey brined in a citrus herb brine served with gravy.
Cornbread Stuffing
Roasted Roots,Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, Parsnips,Carrots and Beets with a bit of Garlic.
Fresh Green Beans with Honey and Almonds
Cesar Salad
Rolls
Desserts, Pumpkin or Chocolate Pie and Flan.

I already know my Brother is on my side because I asked him," As long as there is gravy for the turkey I am good with a change." to be exact. My Dad and Cousin are bachelors who are always happy with a home cooked meal they did not make so they won't care.My own household has my back on this one so that's covered. Our invited guest won't know I changed the menu.And as for the Cousins who are else where this year,they don't count this year.
It's my Mother and Aunt,the matriachs (see def.#2) of the family who will turn up their noses and sigh over it. What about tradition? And my answer is times are a changin'. Holidays to me are about getting folks together to share in the days celebration. The family has lots of other traditions I won't mess with but this one needs to become our own.Chance and I host all family dinners and never mind but we both feel it is time for my Mother and Aunt to completely pass the torch to us. Times are changing and I may or may not hear about it.Maybe next year it will just be the four of us sitting here on Thanksgiving Day eating something so far removed from tradition I will regret making the changes but right now my back is straight,shoulders are back and I am ready to change.
Cooking good food for others gives Chance and I huge pleasure.It is our way of saying "We are SO glad you are here with us." I hope the family can see that by changing things we are just finding our joy in the meal again and sharing our love for all of them.
We hope your Thanksgiving is blessed with bounty,gratitude and love.
Chance,Rois,Issac and Sol Dahms