Sunday, November 22, 2009

MPM--Gobble Gobble

And the sprint to the end of the year begins...now!

I am really excited for this week...I love this week, this start to the holidays. It is hard to imagine circumstances that would lead us to actually host Turkey Day so I can really lavish attention on what's important to me--my mom's butter-laden Pepperidge Farm blue bag stuffing, a little turkey breast for leftovers, and some wow-'em side dishes for the big family gathering. And, of course, it's my husband's birthday and I have some fun things planned for him as well.

This week:

Monday: Paula Deen's Chicken Pot Pie, care of the recipe annex of Kelly's Korner blog. (No idea how I found my way over there but every post makes me smile so I stick around as a Yankee lurker!) I am still working on an industrial sized Bisquick box from a waffle breakfast--yum--but really would like to free up the space pronto, so expect more Bisquick-riffic meals in the next few weeks. (Pancakes--the obvious--are out as my kids are so hooked on Trader Joe's mix they turn up their noses at any others!)

Tuesday: Dinner A'Fare meal from the freezer. There is a beefy thing and a chicken salsa thing. I'll probably go for the beef just to break things up a little.

Wednesday: Leftovers and/or freezer meal. I have vegan sweet potato chili in there, and I was weak at Trader Joe's and had to (had to!) try the new mushroom flatbread since I'm such a fan of their other one.

Thursday: Gobble gobble! I'll do my traditional little breast roast (with drumsticks if I can find any since my son now enjoys them), and probably the My Mother's Southern Kitchen cranberry "salad" (aka jello mold), carrot mousse, and I might do some creamed spinach as well. Just for something green.

Friday: "leftovers" that aren't really leftover at all. That's ok. Still yummy.

And, I have to say, we had a bit of a health scare in our family this week that turned out to be just that--only a scare--so I don't want to go in to it at all except to say I am thankful. We already have one cousin with a new cancer diagnosis coming to Thanksgiving dinner and one of the older generation facing unpleasant choices for back problems and even some "happy problems" in the form of new babies wreaking their own precious havoc on their families' lives, so I am so grateful that we can focus on them and not add to the pile. It was also interesting timing given the new mammogram recommendations. It made me furious at the "oh just wait 'til 50" recommendation on mammograms. We are big believers in early detection leading to better outcomes, and I loved the NYTimes' quotation of the week, which says it all. "My patients tell me they can live with a little anxiety and distress but they can't live with a little cancer." (Dr. Carolyn Runowicz, director of the Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Connecticut) I heard some bozo MD on a local radio show this week, oozing disdain for the "extra" screenings of the 40-somethings, with some obsequious concern over all the anxiety of the false positives. Well, I'd rather need some smelling salts for the vapors (or valium for the biopsy) than have him worry his little head about my fretting over nothing. And if my insurance coverage for this screening goes away, I am going to be very, very bitter. Enough of my screed. The point of this was: I'm grateful for lots, and hope you are too.

And finally, if you aren't--if you are dealing with a loss, or a change, or anything that brings you agony instead of joy, please know that I am with you in spirit. I have been through enough years where the season only highlighted losses that were hard to bear on "ordinary" days, let alone the special ones, and the disrupted routine was more than I could stand. If you are facing the start of one of those seasons, know that I hold you in my heart and think of you this season as well, and I wish you whatever it is that you need to bring you comfort, even if it's a swift arrival of January 2.

Meanwhile, if all you really need is inspiration for your non-turkey meals this week, you can't beat the group over at I'm an Organizing Junkie. Let them inspire you. Gobble gobble!

3 comments:

Mom24 said...

I too am FURIOUS at the new guidelines. As a 43 year old it makes me feel completely expendable. As if it doesn't matter at all if I have one of the cancers that's not caught early and die as a result. Grrrr. I am also just waiting as well for the insurance companies to stop coverage of yearly mammograms. Our insurance is bad enough as it is.

Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Your week sounds great, as usual.

Happy Birthday to your hubby.

Anjali said...

My husband is with you on the mammo recs. He's caught so many aggressive cancers in patients in their forties getting routine mammograms. He can't believe the new recommendations.

brandy101 said...

I also am POd about the early screening poo-pooing from the Feds. By finding a lesion early (in 2004) - while it wasn't cancer, it was a cellular change type that indicated a need to be vigilant AND it helped me make my decision to NOT do hormone therapy after my hysterectomy. Didn*t those PSA*s always indicate that *Knowledge is Power?* I want my knowledge, thank you, whether it be worrisome or not. Same with PAPs.

That said...

T-day was ruined for us in 2004 after a situation that had my daughter and I in tears, after I prepared a huge meal, only to be stood up. Ever since then, I have not had it in me to prepare a big meal, even though hubby and daughter clamor for it. This year, I convinced them that we would get a pre-done meal from a local grocery store; next year I am insisting on going to a restaurant.

I hope you & your family have a nice Thanksgiving.