The Holidays

I remember when I first moved out of the house, the holidays were the hardest time for me. Why? Because no one makes comfort food like MY family. I was SO home sick one year I called my grandpa (shout out to up above, I miss you Guppy!) and asked him just to describe the amazing food I was missing! That year, my grandpa actually mailed me some turkey and stuffing to make me feel better. No, there is no refrigeration in regular postal trucks but I never told him that!(;
This is why for me, the holidays are like a 2 month long love letter to everyone in my life. I started this tradition while JC was going through Medical School. Every holiday, I would cook the foods I loved for our friends, hoping I could make everyone, including myself, feel a little less homesick.

Now that we have our own family, the tradition continues. It's a bigger group (about 30-50) but I really do love every moment of cooking the holiday meals. You see, these foods ARE my family! I roast my turkey in a roaster just like my grandpa roasted his turkey. I baste my turkey with champagne, just like my dad did. I make my mom's corn bread stuffing and my aunt Irene's ham. And Christmas? That's my cousin's brittle, my grandma eva's cookies, my aunt's pumpkin bars, and my grandma Lorenza's tamales (last shout out to the original L! I miss your laugh AND your flying chanclas!).

Over the years I have changed these foods to make them my own, but every time I cook these meals I think of those who mean the most to me and remember the years of family memories that I hold dear. And the best part?  Watching my daughter make the cookies her grandma taught her to make! The legacy continues!(; For me, food is love and the holidays are a time to share this love.

So if anyone needs some extra love, come on over! The kitchen is open!

Happy Holidays!

L