This is the time of year when I focus on family traditions. Thanksgiving Eve is the start of our holiday season and our twenty-five year traditional meal is French onion soup and Cobb salad. The season continues with holiday baking throughout the month of December and standing rib roast with Yorkshire pudding on Christmas Day. The celebration continues until New Year's Day when we end with a formal family dinner or party with friends.

This year I'm starting a new tradition which is to make sure I know all of the family recipes of favorite holiday foods. I want to hear the stories of why the recipes are made, the history. And I want to pass my special recipes on to those who enjoy them. Too often we miss out on learning or teaching family traditions until it is too late. These recipes along with their stories will be shared on iwannabeacook in the coming months.

If you are new to cooking I urge you to take the time to ask about the recipes, or if you are the experienced cook share your cooking knowledge with those new to cooking. Let Thanksgiving be the day of teaching and learning traditions. Share your kitchen and let others help. The perfect meal isn't what we're after; it's about sharing good food and company.

If you are cooking a Thanksgiving meal for the first time, keep the menu simple and ask for help in order learn not only about the food but about the people. Ask questions about their experience cooking their first Thanksgiving or past Thanksgiving meals. Make the day a social one by focusing on the experience not the meal itself.

Due to the holiday next week, iwannabeacook will not publish a newsletter. See you in December!

Happy cooking and eating! Email with thoughts and suggestions!

New recipes for the week

After all the cooking for Thanksgiving, the following recipes are quick, easy, and completely unrelated to turkey and dressing.