It made me reflect on how expensive it is to just LIVE these days, especially during a time when our economy is really suffering. And now the holidays are approaching, which means we spend even MORE on buying things for our loved ones.
Christmas for me growing up was amazing - the anticipation, the lights, the music, our warm cozy house, the togetherness of family and friends. My brother and I used to sleep in the same room on Christmas Eve and we always begged our mom not to unplug the little fake candle in the window because we loved the soft glow that filled the room. Kurt and I would talk and laugh and eventually tiredness would trump our excitement and we'd fall asleep. It's these things I remember - the EXPERIENCES - much more than what we got. Sure, I remember many of the great gifts, but as I go through the holiday season and reminisce, it's the experiences and meaning of the holidays that fills my heart and thoughts. So, I've got some really cute inexpensive ways of saying, "Happy Holidays" to your loved ones, friends, neighbors, teachers, etc. - more on that in a future post.
I'd like to share with you one expense that I don't mind as it has become tradition in our home. A few years ago, I tasted Jay's fried turkey that he fried himself. Jay is the husband of my dear friend, Kerri, and the food he cooks can bring you to tears - it's so good!!! Talk about delicious - his fried turkey was SOO good! Thanksgiving turkey has always been something I put on my plate because I had to - after all, what's Thanksgiving without turkey? Well... when I tasted the fried turkey, my whole opinion of turkey changed. And you know what they say....once you go fried, you can never go back.
Enter - Popeye's Chicken.
Yep, Popeye's Chicken. Shortly after tasting Jay's fried turkey, I noticed the big signs in the windows at Popeye's - CAJUN FRIED TURKEY HERE! Now for many of us, our memories of the Thanksgiving bird are mom or grandma wearing an apron, stuffing the turkey, prepping the turkey for its few hours in the oven...
Not in my house. The kids and I pile into the car and make our way up to Popeye's where we order our turkey right at the drive-through window. Matt accompanied us this year. We pulled into the parking lot and I said, "go to the drive-through" to which he said, "the drive-through?" We ordered it and here you can see them passing to Matt.
And here are the boys proudly holding the turkey.
The boys were so excited about it! It is the most delicious meat.. so tender and moist. Frozen when we get it, it goes right into the freezer. Three days prior to Thanksgiving, I put it into the fridge to thaw. Thanksgiving morning, it goes into the oven and cooks for a few hours - and out comes a super moist, wonderfully flavored turkey. We hardly ever have leftovers because we all keep going back for seconds and thirds.
This is our tradition and while it's not me in an apron plucking feathers from a live bird, it's about togetherness (and deliciousness). This is a tradition I hope to continue for many years!
We usually eat around 2 in the afternoon - so that means breakfast followed by a few light snacks. My friend, Megan, introduced me to this cashews recipe - soo flavorful and a nice little snack to have out in bowls. We know that nuts are full of protein so a small handful goes a long way - so in my opinion, it makes for a nice snack over the holidays - one that may help prevent getting so hungry that we overeat.
Sweet and Spicy Cashews
4 cups raw cashews (Fresh Market has gorgeous BIG cashews - I buy them raw and unsalted)
2 TBS chopped fresh rosemary
1 TBS butter, melted
2 tsp dark brown sugar
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne
Roast raw cashews at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Stir together rest of the ingredients. Add hot cashews and toss. Divide into a few serving bowls and serve!
