Happy Thanksgiving!

I am home sick with the bad cold of 2011 as I write this blog entry. But despite the coughing and fatigue, I feel the holiday spirit. Everything seems to be golden as the holidays approach.  I am not just talking about the leaves but even the lighting. For example, I especially love watching the holiday news and talk show segments.  The sets are warm with golden lighting effects and they are cooking holiday food so savory I feel as if I can smell it from my living room. Although to this Southern Belle's dismay, I did see a recent poll of three chefs on a cooking segment who were all asked if they said "dressing" or "stuffing." All said stuffing!  Obviously none of those chefs were raised in the South!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am dedicating a blog to thankfulness.  The above statement was my inspiration. A few weeks ago, I came across the question on Facebook.  The message has staying power because the simple question makes you think. I was sitting with my family when I read it and everyone quieted for a moment to take in the idea.  Scary thought for me because I had probably only thanked God for about three things the day before!  All of a sudden even the menial things started to get a Thank You, God!  I love my life and assumed God realized it. However, that question helped me realize I need to acknowledge all of the many things I love in my life, not only for the act of being grateful but so I clearly see how blessed I am for myself.

Since seeing that statement, I have been trying to make an effort over the last few weeks to fill my prayers thanking God for all the blessings in my life. Everything from my family to my curling iron!  My initial intent wasn't to use all of my prayers just focused on gratitude, because I still had requests I wanted to ask. But once I began my conversation with listing things I was thankful for, I couldn't stop listing.  Eventually I had to end the prayer to go to work or do some other daily task so the requests were limited, if made at all.  This practice helped me see how abundant my life is. I thought I knew how blessed I am but now I really see it.   And as for the requests, it only took a few days for most of those to not seem as necessary. The few necessary requests that were left seem to even come with blessings themselves.  Just after a few of these gratitude prayers, this Southern Belle who is quite good at "fretting" - I am almost a world class champion at it - began to not worry as much! Hardly any!

In complete honesty, there have been a few (okay, several days) that my focus has not been as clear which reduced how much I thanked God for that day.  On those days, I did notice a difference in my personal peace.  But I am trying to re-commit to this practice every day.  You should try it too.   I promise it makes a difference.  Also, I am sure just as we appreciate a genuine thank you for a gift that we give someone, God appreciates hearing thank you for all that He is doing for us. And as for me, one of the many, many things that I am thankful for is that I live in South where we eat dressing!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bell's Best Cookbooks - A Required Text for All Good Mississippi Homes

I love cookbooks. I have a few that I have received over the last few years but would welcome more as I build my collection.  Unfortunately, I have a bad habit of getting very excited when I buy new cookbooks but rarely use them the way I promise myself I will. I am very motivated when I purchase them but then rely on my old methods of what I have made in the past or my family and friends' recipes. And now it looks like Pinterest will also be inspiring a few of my upcoming dishes. 

But the seldom use of  my cookbooks is about to change with an idea I came up with a few weeks ago.  Boyfriend and I love to cook together and now with us finally living in the same town, we can make cooking together a frequent occasion. We are always looking for a new culinary challenge to take on together.  And for the most part, our tastes are similar with the exception that I don't eat beef. Most of the time, I can  successfully substitute beef with ground turkey and Boyfriend usually likes my healthy substitution (or at least he says he does).  Only a few times do I hear him say that he wants beef so we usually agree on dishes to cook.  So on to my great idea - I would use these cookbooks and we could find a recipe every couple of weeks to try.  A fun at home date night and I would put these cookbooks to good use!

Over dinner one night, I suggested this idea because our favorite topic over food is of course - food!  Boyfriend loved the idea.  He immediately got up and brought back a few of his cookbooks saying that we could use a few of his as well.  He stacked a few in front of me with one being the required text of all good Mississippi homes - Bell's Best.  There is something comforting about that cookbook and how often it appears in a Mississippi home.  It is actually one of the cookbooks I refer to the most especially at this time of the year when I start making all of those traditional holiday dishes. While we haven't made a dish together yet out of the cookbook, Boyfriend recently enjoyed one of my favorites to make around this time of the year. I will let you know when we take on the cookbook culinary challenge but until then try my favorite pumpkin bread recipe from no other cookbook than Bell's Best (p. 108):

Pumpkin Bread

3 c. sugar (I substitute Splenda after all I am a health conscious Southern cook)

3 1/3 c. sifted plain flour (I substitute with wheat flour for the reason above)

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg (I use pumpkin pie spice)

1 1/2 tsp. salt (I only use 1/2 tsp)

2 tsp. soda

2/3 c. water

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 c. raisins (I use dates not raisins because my Mother doesn't like raisins in bread and dates are simply delicious)

3/4 c. chopped pecans (I use walnuts)

2 c. cooked pumpkin

1 c. cooking oil

4 eggs

Mix all dry ingredients. Add liquids and beat well. Grease and flour 2 loafs pans. Pour pans half full of batter and bake at 350 degrees about 50 minutes. Let cool and remove from pans. This bread freezes very well.

*After writing in all my substitutions, I realized I really changed the recipe a lot but Bell's Best was my inspiration so I am sure the bread will turn out delicious either way you prepare it.

Hear Me Today, Tomorrow My Voice May Be Silenced

When I started this blog about a year ago, I promised myself that I would rarely, if at all, post political pieces. I personally have strong political beliefs but did not want to alienate any of my readers that did not share these beliefs.  My opinions in regard to politics were irrelevant for this blog because the theme is Southern Life not Southern Politics.  However, Initiative 26 is now Southern Life and I want my voice to accompany the many other strong voices that I have been quoting on Facebook these last few weeks. Sadly, I am truly afraid that it is a possibility for the first time in my life that I might not have a voice about my body after tomorrow.

In complete transparency, I am a Catholic and identify myself as a Democrat. I do not support abortion as a means of birth control. I am thankful for my rights and respect the women and men before me that fought to give me those rights.  I am proud to be from Mississippi but tomorrow I may be scared to live in my state especially if I ever have health related issues regarding my fertility. I am speaking to you as a woman who is concerned about women's health and our rights. I am also pleading to the men of our state to think about the women in your life who you love and may have limited health care options in the coming months.

Vague Language
Notice I am careful to use the word "may" and word choice is at the core of my argument.  No one knows the consequences of passing 26.  The language is vague, leaving the doors open for interpretation.  Therefore it does not immediately make abortion illegal nor does it immediately take away other rights from us...but it could, especially in the wrong hands.  Words matter.  Attorneys use them to find loopholes to help their clients. Entire cases have been won on the improper wording of a statement. Obviously words count, the reason behind 26 is to change the definition.  Are we so trusting of our elected officials that we do not demand that an amendment be clearly outlined for the citizens?  I would hope not.  And I pray that our citizens, on whatever side of the issue, demand that 26 be better worded so we clearly understand the consequences. The only way we can demand clear language is to vote NO.

From the ballot summary: Initiative #26 would amend the Mississippi Constitution to define the word “person” or “persons”, as those terms are used in Article III of the state constitution, to include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning, or the functional equivalent thereof.

Creating Life, Not Destroying It
Very simplistic biology lesson: fertilization can happen in a test tube.  Therefore, in vitro fertilization may be considered illegal. In vitro is used to create, not destroy, life.  The supporters of 26 have overlooked that by voting yes, they potentially take away the option to create life for couples struggling to have families. Yes, the implications of 26 can take away life.


The Health of Women
A woman can be pregnant with a baby that will never be born alive. I will not bore you with medical terms but we all know that pregnancy is a high risk time in a woman's life.   Regardless of what stage of fertilization or conception a woman is in, she could lose the baby and have health problems that could put her own life at risk. Of course, we all hope this never happens to us or anyone we know. Due to excellent medical advancements and care, doctors are able to make quick, life saving decisions to reduce risks associated with pregnancy.  Will these decisions be hindered because of 26?  The possibility is definitely there. So much there in fact, that the Mississippi State Medical Association and the Mississippi Nurses Association do not support 26. I can't understand why so many people are refusing to listen to medical experts.  They are worried that this will hinder our care at best and could prevent lives from being saved at worst.  I thought the supporters of 26 want lives to be saved, then why aren't they worried about the lives of the mothers as well?  The supporters' lack of thought on this objection alone is extremely frightening. Yes, the implications of 26 can take away life.

Abortions Will Occur
Roe v. Wade occurred before I was born but I still know about the act of back alley abortions.  Have we, as a society, forgot about those?   Again, I do not support abortion as birth control but I am also not oblivious to human nature and circumstances.  Supporters need to remember that many people in our state do not live in a perfect, safe little world. More people in our state than not are living in poverty with very little education.  But think for a moment of a teenager, regardless of socioeconomic level, finds herself pregnant and scared.  Would you want a teenager you know going to a random back alley abortion practitioner or a clinic that could guide her?  In the first scenario, the teenager not only may lose the baby but stands a chance of losing her life as well. I am not using dramatics to make a point, back alley abortions were a real thing of the past and we cannot afford to be so ignorant to the fact that the past can occur again. Even more likely, there will be other ways to get abortions if 26 passes. Mainly, those who want an abortion will travel.  Those that want abortions will still have the option but women who may need immediate life saving medical care may not receive the needed treatment. Yes, the implications of 26 can take away life.



We Move BACK 
When juries are picked, attorneys like to pick people that can be swayed to support their respective sides.  Makes sense, right? Pick the people that will vote for you.  The attorney may not get the jury he or she wants but ideally they would like to pick the people they can persuade.  Mississippi just got picked for this jury.  Personhood USA is a Colorado based organization.  They were outvoted by a majority in Colorado. So the organization steps back and regroups to try to accomplish their mission.  They pick a state they believe they can manipulate the majority of the voters.  Or so they think.  They pick a state in the Bible Belt and appeal to the Christian values.  They pick a state that lags behind in education in most communities because the undereducated are the most easily manipulated.  They pick a state of people that want to do the right thing but do not take all the time to research the right thing.  All good things for an organization who wants to win.  They picked Mississippi.

We, especially women, move backward tomorrow if the vote is yes to 26. We are in essence voting against the right to make choices for our bodies.  To all the women before us that fought to give us that right, we will hand it back to them by Mississippi saying, "Thanks but no thanks."  All because so many in our state were led to believe it was simply about abortion. 

If you have made it to this point in my blog and are still reading, you will see clearly that my fight is not for abortion at all. It is a determined fight for my future health and the women of our state.  I pray that if you vote yes tomorrow that you will never find yourself regretting it when you need, but can't have, in vitro fertilization. I pray that you never find yourself in a situation where a doctor is waiting for government approval to save your life when every minute counts.  But most importantly, I pray that you make the right decision tomorrow and realize voting no doesn't mean that you support abortion.  It means that you demand that better legislation be presented so that we continue to have a voice and have access to quality healthcare in our state. God bless our Mississippi tomorrow!

Give Me My Traditional Holiday Foods!

October 31st was a very exciting night.  No, not because of cute children dressed up in adorable costumes stealing, I mean asking for, my candy. In fact, we did not have even one trick-or-treater!  So now you are thinking October 31st was an exciting night because I still have the candy I bought!  Actually, no, I need to give it away so I don't eat it. 

I was excited that night because as I laid in bed  watching TV (yes, I have to have the TV on to go to sleep) the first holiday commercial came on!  I know, I know...it doesn't take me much to get excited. But why not love and celebrate life's little things? There are sooo many of them!  And that first holiday commercial announcing the holiday season has officially began is exciting.  If it doesn't excite you then you may have Scrooge in your family tree.

And while it doesn't take me much to figure out a reason to be excited and celebrate, it also doesn't take me much to get fired up.  Just ask Boyfriend...sometimes he pushes one of my hot issue buttons just to see if I will get into a debate.  I haven't learned my lesson yet because I always take the bait.  But I am good at debating and I defend my topic, no matter how small, with great passion.  Today, I defend the topic of traditional holiday cooking!

The holiday commercials that will be flooding our televisions in the upcoming weeks will have two main topics: gift ideas and FOOD!  And not just any kind of food, they will be advertising holiday food and the ingredients to make stated food.  We are talking pumpkin, whipped cream, cream cheese, green beans, potatoes, turkeys, hams, chocolate, nuts, dressing, cranberries....ohhhh I can just smell Thanksgiving morning now!  And the reason why I know what Thanksgiving morning smells like is because it always smells the same because of the traditional dishes.

But recently I am hearing from many of my friends planning anti-holiday meals.  Apparently the latest trend is to eat something different for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Supposedly people are sick of the traditional fare and want to do something different.  I don't know what they are eating all year but I only get these kind of meals twice a year at these two holidays.  How can you get sick of something just after eating it twice or even several times during the holiday season?  

Be warned though, if you are coming to my house for a holiday be prepared to eat the traditional meal. Because y'all, these foods go way beyond just eating them, it is the family history that these dishes represent.  To us Southerners, and hopefully to y'all Northerners too, the stories of family members present and those that are passed are in those dishes.  Being a family of story tellers, those dishes evoke memories and stories around the holiday table.  My family has my grandmother's cornbread dressing, my mother's gelatin salad and deviled eggs, my Aunt Martha's pumpkin pie, my Uncle Tommy's turkey and meat carving ability, my cousin Jenny's corn dip, my green bean casserole, my cousin Christy's broccoli rice casserole, my Aunt Margaret's ambrosia...the list goes on and one. Of course we add new dishes regularly but many of the basics make their yearly appearance sometime during the holiday season.  Even the new dishes are in line with what is traditional. These dishes are just a part of the holiday season that for me is part of the formula that brings up the feelings of home, warmth, comfort, and family.  Breaking tradition for BBQ or Chinese food just wouldn't be the holidays for my family.

Of course, do what you would like to do but there is something to be said about the peace that tradition brings especially in the upcoming months.  I, for one, am looking forward to these familiar smells and repeating the same stories with enthusiasm.  As for serving other types of foods, I will save the other 363 days for being different. And as for commercials,I am still waiting for the Hershey Kiss Jingle Bell commercial...another great tradition!