Thanksgiving and Lefse

It's been 20 years since I've been back to Minnesota for Thanksgiving to be with my family.  As much as we put the FUN in dysFUNctional, I'm happy to be going.  I can't think of the last time I traveled that did not involve my job or college sports.  It's been way too long.

I'm kicking my mother OUT of the kitchen as she's not all that enthused about cooking anyway and I"m going to take over.  I'm not certain how many I will be cooking for as it always depends on the weather.  Some of the worst snow storms I ever experienced have happened over Thanksgiving.

Ahhhhhhhhh... I get to cook in mom's kitchen and I will have my sister to help w/ prep and clean up.  Nice.  It's a welcome break from the Melting Snow Woman and her ungracious offspring that keep reproducing creating even more ungracious people - like the world needs help in that area.

It was words of beauty when I announced that I was going home to Minnesota for Thanksgiving.  My husband balked at first, but hey... I've given 32 years of my life participating in HIS family traditions. It can't always be about him and his family.  My kids, well, they're adults now and they have their own thing they've had planned since May.  

Well, hubby's family was all in a spin because I usually cook for Thanksgiving and I just decided not to do it this year (for them, anyway). It gets old cooking for thankless ingrates.  Some of them don't even say hello to me upon entering my home, nor do they say good bye or thank you when they leave.  Sorry, QuietRage's kitchen is closed this year.  Figure it out for yourselves.

Now they are scrambling to get a sucker to cook for their tribe.  Nobody wants to do it.  I'm getting desperate emails wanting to know where I get my turkey, how long do I cook it, what basting recipe I use, my recipe for green bean casserole, how do I make pretzel buns, etc.

Do what I did....learned by trial and error over the years.  I had to figure it out for myself.  They can, too.

Changing subjects..........

I'm meeting up with my besties from high school on Wednesday at Tasty Pizza.  It's a Columbia Heights staple that's been around (the original one) since before I can remember.  I have not seen them in a year and 1/2.  I'm way over due.  I did not go to the Coven Cabin this summer because hubby and I were traveling so extensively with college sports - and also my job.  At one point I thought we were going to meet ourselves coming and going.  I'm thrilled to be going somewhere that does not have a schedule nor a meeting to dress and prep for.  I get to go to my childhood home.  It's timeless.  It's like walking into a time capsule of my early years.  I'm happy to be able to just chill and spend time with my parents and siblings.  ..... of course, the debates will heat up and at some point somebody will be called a dumb-ass, but that's just how we are.  We call them as we see them.  We don't take it seriously and get all butt-hurt.  Laughter usually follows mild insults or differences in opinion.  Why?  Because there's ALWAYS a grain of truth in sarcastic humor.  Look for it instead of getting all defensive. 

I wish the rest of the world could do the same.  The PC Police have stifled any kind of opposition to anything, so it all simmers....and eventually, like a volcano, it explodes with dire results. 

Now.....onto lefse.

When I talked to my dad today he mentioned making lefse on Friday.  What is lefse?  It's a Scandinavian (Norwegian) flat bread that's potato based.  Making it is a tradition in my family.  It resembles a tortilla.  When I first came to California 33 years ago my now hubby took me to a Mexican restaurant.  When they brought out the tortillas I asked for butter and sugar.  I put butter and sugar on the tortilla and wrapped it up and ate it.  I had no idea what a tortilla was for and thought it was lefse.  I got strange looks from everybody.  Ludefisk is also a family tradition, but my dad can't stand it.  My aunts and uncles get into it and there are ludefisk feeds much like we have crab feeds here in Sonoma County.  Ludefisk is either a love or hate kind of thing much like blue cheese. 

COMING HOME TO TASTY PIZZA, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS :)