Mama's dressing

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and it has me CRAVING my mama's cornbread dressing.

Found a few photos of the kids at various Thanksgivings over the years.  They were (and still are!) so dang cute!! 

For as long as I remember, Thanksgiving was one of our family's favorite holidays.

Mine.....not so much.

I always loved gathering together at Mom and Dad's house but I enjoyed the company more than the food.

Delanie's Kindergarten Thanksgiving play @ First Baptist Church

The kids always ended up wrestling, cracking on each other and generally going crazy after they stuffed their faces.  That part was the best for me! 

Don't get me wrong.....I can binge on turkey and dressing with the best of them but it was usually Mom and Charlene making the bulk of Thanksgiving dinner.  (They LOVE being in the kitchen!)

I would bring the easy stuff like mashed potatoes and salad.  Tracey always brought her world-famous banana pudding and PawPaw Pie.  D'Wayne would always bring cokes and ice.  

Oh honey.....that PawPaw pie!  

Let me stop right here and offer up a silent prayer thanking Jesus for PawPaw pie.  

I can (and have!) eaten an entire pie by myself.  I'm not kidding.  

Special side note:  Tracey used to make PawPaw pies every year for Charlene and I on our birthday.  One for Charlene, one for me (without meringue) and one for the rest of the family.

What is PawPaw pie.....you ask?

My mother's father used to make this pie that us grand-kids would LITERALLY fight over.  

It's known to the rest of the world as Icebox Lemon Meringue pie but not to us.  In fact, my grandfather hated to hear us call it PawPaw pie because it embarrassed him that we loved it so much. 

To this day it is my absolute favorite dessert and try as I might, I cannot make it as good as Tracey.   

But I digress......back to Thanksgiving.  

Garrett's Kindergarten Thanksgiving play @ First Baptist Church

 After we moved to Minnesota, I let the traditional Thanksgiving feast fall by the wayside.

Last year we went to one of Delanie's friend's homes for an Orphan Thanksgiving.  It was packed with families who were living away from their extended family.  It was AWESOME and we hoped it do the same thing this year.  

Well....it just so happened that both kiddos will be in Texas this year.  For the first time EVER, Jim and I will be alone for Thanksgiving.  

What?!  Huh?!  

Oh HELL YEAH!!  Hahaha!  😋

I still don't know how to cook a turkey so Jim ordered one from a local delicatessen.  I can, however, make my mama's cornbread dressing.    In all honesty.....I could care less about turkey......just give me a plate of cornbread dressing.  

So......with Thanksgiving quickly approaching......I'm dusting off the recipe that Charlene lovingly memorized for the rest of us.  

Thank you, Bea! 💜

I have my second foot surgery the day after Thanksgiving so it looks like Jim will be working off that turkey by putting up the Christmas tree!  He doesn't know that yet though.  

Dang it.....now I'm dreaming of PaPa pie! 😏