+J.M.J.+
No really, there is a deep-frozen homemade lasagna going in my suitcase this week.
See, we spend Thanksgiving with Ethan’s family down South, and since he doesn’t get off work until Wednesday that week, we can’t be much help for my sister-in-law preparing the big meal.
Last year she made a huge spread and I fixed the stuffing and helped as I could. It was a ton of work for her, I was super morning sick with Zelie, and even though the classic turkey feast tasted great, it just didn’t feel like the endless cooking and dishes in the kitchen during our precious 72 hours together was worth it.
I messaged my sister-in-law a few weeks ago and asked what she thought about me making a really good lasagna from scratch, putting it in our deep freezer, and throwing it in my suitcase before hopping on the plane. She could have a couple simple side dishes ready, and we could sit down to a homemade meal, no major day-of cooking or dishes required. She replied, “Let’s do it!”
This may sound like a crime against Thanksgiving to you, and the initial idea was a touch hard for me to swallow, too. The Type-A perfectionist in me loves traditions and things being just so. (The classic Thanksgiving meal also happens to contain some of my very favorite foods, too!)
But this holiday isn’t actually about the turkey, but gratitude to God for His blessings. We are flying in for just a very short time, and my sister-in-law has had a particularly busy couple weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. Having the perfect turkey dinner with all of the classic sides this year means we would literally spend over a third of our short visit together cooking and washing dishes for one meal, stressed about getting it all done.
We would much rather spend our quick visit relaxing and enjoying the very blessings we are thanking God for: family, Holy Mass, relatives we don’t get to see often, and good food.
Oh how we will relish throwing away that disposable lasagna pan I used, no washing necessary, in time to take the little cousins out to play.
If you are stressed about having the full feast prepared this year, don’t feel guilty about paring things down. It will still be a lovely dinner with 2 sides instead of 5, using simpler recipes, or having a different meal altogether.
It’s about the gratitude, not the turkey.
_____________
Enjoy this post? You may also like The Gift of a Slow Childhood and Sunday Preparations + {Real Food} White Sauce Lasagna
The Natural Catholic Mom 