Best leftovers of all are time, memories with family

Because I Said So column for The Commercial Appeal

Nov. 25, 2010

The turkey is basted, and the yams are candied, the stuffing is seasoned to perfection, and the cranberries have been scooped from a can the way nature intended. At our table, the ravioli is smothered in red gravy.

It’s all tradition.

The food preparations, the travel and the feasting, they’re all ingredients for a holiday spent with friends and family.

But there’s more. There’s always more, right? The leftovers from Thanksgiving are as much to be celebrated as the feast itself. Whether turkey sandwiches and another sliver of pecan pie, or a plate full of whatever that casserole was and a slice of cranberry, it’s the stuff of anticipation.

This Thanksgiving, though, I’m thinking about the other leftovers, the extra helping of time spent with grandparents and the scoop of memories created by an afternoon of flag football, board games or perusing the next day’s sales circulars.

Once the meal is ingested and seconds are consumed, don’t be so quick to push away from the family table; linger, savor, ask for more … (read more)