Thanks

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL!

I stood at the edge of my bed Thursday morning looking at these. I thought, There's no way those can fit all the ham coming my way today. And then I remembered. I have another pair of pants. A pair of pants that I am usually loath to wear but might actually find a secondary purpose on this a day of feasting. I dug deep in my closet and pulled them out by the hems. Awesome! Not that I need these in any sort of a maternityish kind of way but it was Thanksgiving and I was really looking forward to this-- And with one of those long and loose shirts that are actually the style these days perhaps nobody will notice the customizable waist band. These are some pants that can fit a ham! Comfy, stretchy, with a wee bit of dignity left in the non-lycra legs. So, think ahead ladies, Christmas dinner is on it's way, head down to ol' Motherhood and get yourself a pair.

Back to the first feast of the season, we had a great Thanksgiving. Our friends came over and brought the turkey (beautiful and delicious) which saved me a bit 'o stress but I was longing for holidays from home when a turkey and a ham always made their appearance together. I love ham. More importantly I love my mother's ham. It's not the spiral sliced ham (tends to be dried out I think) nor is it the log of ham pressed into a very unnatural shape. Mom makes ham the way it should be cooked, on the bone like a legitimate roast. A ham roast. And it is delicious. Unfortunately I didn't realize it is hard to find a ham like this in the grocery store. I called several different stores and a butcher looking for a picnic ham but nobody had it. I seems people without good cooking mothers have forgotten the height to which a ham can be raised and are settling for the easy bake, or just reheat kind. Fortunately the hubby was working in Detroit and after a frantic call to him he came home with a nice pink leg of nostalgia waiting to be cooked up. We popped that baby in the oven on low heat before I went to bed Wednesday night (it was very late) and at 8 am the next morning I pulled out heaven. The meat was falling off the bone before my fork touched it and Matthew declared that he would have ham for breakfast. Now I know ham might not be every one's thing and it probably follows you around in those pants that fit it so well a bit longer than turkey but oh, it is divine. If you haven't tried a picnic ham, or have lost the memory of it's sweet, salty, goodness, please find one. The grocer told me he could order them. Put it in your oven at 275 for lots of hours, pull it out, and give it a chance. It's enough to send a tingle down your spine. And everyone deserves a good ham shiver!

So, from my wild natives to yours, hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.

p.s. In case you were worried, I didn't really wear those maternity pants :)