Holiday Traditions

I had intended to publish this post weeks ago. Sometimes life gets in the way.

My gramma Honey had a bad fall and bruised her whole right side. She was in ICU for several days to monitor her heart and check for internal bleeding. She has now been moved a nursing home for recovery, and is doing well.

I had a surprise visit from one of my estranged parents on my birthday. (Wow, that was intense)

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Very unexpectedly one of my co-workers died on Christmas. He was one of those rare folks who is completely genuine. He was hardworking, kind, and a devoted family man. He left behind several siblings, both of his parents, 4 children and one grandchild.

We were excused from work for a few hours to attend his funeral. It was touching, full of love and so bittersweet. He was only 53 when he passed. My heart goes out to his family.

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I found out shortly after Christmas that one of my siblings are expecting their first child. (To soon to know whether it’s a boy or girl.

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All of the emotional ups and downs in that last few weeks have been difficult for me. My anxiety has been unbearable. I have a difficult time functioning when I am “on anxiety high-alert.”

I had intended to write a nice round-up of traditional foods from many cultures. I even had an awesome collaboration from SpacemanSteve. Unfortunately I was unable to finish this post.

So please enjoy what I did manage to finish.

　

Czech, Slovakian:

♦Czech Honey Cake
 ♦Kolaches (Cookies)My grandma Mona uses a sweet dough, and stewed prunes.

Croatian:

This is an incredibly quick, easy, and hearty one-dish meal that is a perfect winter meals, and my favorite Christmas Eve tradition--especially because of the red and green peppers. It's a variation on a simple peasant recipe that probably is common in many cultures, but this version is a reminder of my Croatian grandma.

  1 package spicy sausage (I like Andouille, but keilbasa works too) 1 large red bell pepper 1 large green bell pepper 1 large onion 2 garlic cloves 2 medium sized, red potatoes or 4 small 4 tsp olive oil red pepper flakes 1/2 tsp paprika salt and pepper to taste water sour cream (for serving) Preheat the oven to about 400 degrees F .Chop sausage, peppers, onions, and washed but not peeled potatoes into similar sized chunks. Peel garlic but leave the cloves whole. In a large bowl mix olive oil, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and paprika. Add sausage, garlic, and and vegetable chunks and toss to coat meat and vegetables with oil and spices; spread onto a cookie sheet. Add a little water to the pan and bake for about 45-50 mins, turning and tossing the ingredients at intervals to prevent sticking, until potatoes are tender and sausage is crisp at the edges. Serve with sour cream.

Thanks Spacemansteve!