Activity Corner | Cooking

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Sierra
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This Thanksgiving, it'll just be me and my dog while my husband is away on rotation. I will be making a yummy pot roast and delicious pecan pie! 

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Kayla Abernathy
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2023 07:05 PM
From: Sierra Martinez
Subject: Food Memories

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I'd love to hear some of your personal stories and memories related to food and cooking, like childhood food experiences or family recipes, if you want to share. 

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Sierra
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Aw, enjoy your furbaby, Kayla! I'm looking to create a pumpkin pecan cheesecake this year! Happy Thanksgiving 🧡

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Sierra
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-21-2023 09:45 AM
From: Kayla Abernathy
Subject: Food Memories

This Thanksgiving, it'll just be me and my dog while my husband is away on rotation. I will be making a yummy pot roast and delicious pecan pie! 

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Kayla Abernathy

Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2023 07:05 PM
From: Sierra Martinez
Subject: Food Memories

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I'd love to hear some of your personal stories and memories related to food and cooking, like childhood food experiences or family recipes, if you want to share. 

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Sierra
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Growing up, my mom wasn't a huge fan of Thanksgiving because she lost both her mother and older brother on Thanksgiving day nine years apart. So we did simplicity. Turkey breast, mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and she would also make spinach dip with homemade bread as an appetizer. When she opened her business, she would "close" but then do potluck Thanksgiving there with our chosen family. We weren't close to either side of my family and so chosen family was all we had, and while most of them are gone now, I try to carry on what my mom did by hosting Thanksgiving for airmen who can't go home. Our biggest Friendsgiving was right before COVID - we had 20+ people here and it was so fun! Everyone brought sides and I made two huge turkeys. So you could say, my best memories have been made with the family I have chosen, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

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Jillian Johnson
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2023 07:05 PM
From: Sierra Martinez
Subject: Food Memories

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I'd love to hear some of your personal stories and memories related to food and cooking, like childhood food experiences or family recipes, if you want to share. 

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Sierra
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I LOVE chosen family! That's a lot of grief to deal with, but it's so special that she was still able to make those memories for y'all. Simplicity is how I do things. Sometimes I feel bad because my house is definitely not the Instagram special with all the decorations and things, but there is a lot of love, laughter, and support, so I'm hoping my kids will remember that 🧡 Happy Thanksgiving, Jill! 

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Sierra
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-21-2023 11:48 AM
From: Jillian Johnson
Subject: Food Memories

Growing up, my mom wasn't a huge fan of Thanksgiving because she lost both her mother and older brother on Thanksgiving day nine years apart. So we did simplicity. Turkey breast, mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and she would also make spinach dip with homemade bread as an appetizer. When she opened her business, she would "close" but then do potluck Thanksgiving there with our chosen family. We weren't close to either side of my family and so chosen family was all we had, and while most of them are gone now, I try to carry on what my mom did by hosting Thanksgiving for airmen who can't go home. Our biggest Friendsgiving was right before COVID - we had 20+ people here and it was so fun! Everyone brought sides and I made two huge turkeys. So you could say, my best memories have been made with the family I have chosen, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

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Jillian Johnson

Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2023 07:05 PM
From: Sierra Martinez
Subject: Food Memories

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I'd love to hear some of your personal stories and memories related to food and cooking, like childhood food experiences or family recipes, if you want to share. 

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Sierra
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Thanksgiving is full of memories for me, but most important is the family stuffing/dressing recipe. It has been passed down through several generations, and I've only ever shared the recipe with family! And it's nothing complicated. I learned from my mom as a young wife with a daughter, hosting my first Thanksgiving. It's a good memory and one that I have shared with my oldest daughter as well.

And pie memories - learning to make pie from my mom, who is the family pie baker. Standing in the kitchen, learning how to roll dough properly and the best way to crimp edges...good core memories!

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Rachel Carpenter
Program Manager, Blue Star Families of Puget Sound
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2023 07:05 PM
From: Sierra Martinez
Subject: Food Memories

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I'd love to hear some of your personal stories and memories related to food and cooking, like childhood food experiences or family recipes, if you want to share. 

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Sierra
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Family recipes are so special, Rachel! I think one of my favorite Thanksgiving memories is my sister asking me every single year for a cranberry bread recipe that's been passed down 🤣 This year, I want to gift it to her on a photo or cutting board, I think. Happy Thanksgiving 🧡

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Sierra
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-21-2023 12:30 PM
From: Rachel Carpenter
Subject: Food Memories

Thanksgiving is full of memories for me, but most important is the family stuffing/dressing recipe. It has been passed down through several generations, and I've only ever shared the recipe with family! And it's nothing complicated. I learned from my mom as a young wife with a daughter, hosting my first Thanksgiving. It's a good memory and one that I have shared with my oldest daughter as well.

And pie memories - learning to make pie from my mom, who is the family pie baker. Standing in the kitchen, learning how to roll dough properly and the best way to crimp edges...good core memories!

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Rachel Carpenter
Program Manager, Blue Star Families of Puget Sound

Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2023 07:05 PM
From: Sierra Martinez
Subject: Food Memories

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I'd love to hear some of your personal stories and memories related to food and cooking, like childhood food experiences or family recipes, if you want to share. 

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Sierra
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Cranberry bread? That sounds AMAZING! I am a sucker for all things cranberry. I may have 6 or 7 bags in the freezer on reserve for the rest of the year...

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Sheila Rupp
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-21-2023 01:21 PM
From: Sierra Martinez
Subject: Food Memories

Family recipes are so special, Rachel! I think one of my favorite Thanksgiving memories is my sister asking me every single year for a cranberry bread recipe that's been passed down 🤣 This year, I want to gift it to her on a photo or cutting board, I think. Happy Thanksgiving 🧡

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Sierra

Original Message:
Sent: 11-21-2023 12:30 PM
From: Rachel Carpenter
Subject: Food Memories

Thanksgiving is full of memories for me, but most important is the family stuffing/dressing recipe. It has been passed down through several generations, and I've only ever shared the recipe with family! And it's nothing complicated. I learned from my mom as a young wife with a daughter, hosting my first Thanksgiving. It's a good memory and one that I have shared with my oldest daughter as well.

And pie memories - learning to make pie from my mom, who is the family pie baker. Standing in the kitchen, learning how to roll dough properly and the best way to crimp edges...good core memories!

------------------------------
Rachel Carpenter
Program Manager, Blue Star Families of Puget Sound

Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2023 07:05 PM
From: Sierra Martinez
Subject: Food Memories

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I'd love to hear some of your personal stories and memories related to food and cooking, like childhood food experiences or family recipes, if you want to share. 

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Sierra
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My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is making a French Silk Pie with my son. Always so fun. We're luckily all together this thanksgiving!

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Brittany Besold
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2023 07:05 PM
From: Sierra Martinez
Subject: Food Memories

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I'd love to hear some of your personal stories and memories related to food and cooking, like childhood food experiences or family recipes, if you want to share. 

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Sierra
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How did your pie come out, Brittany? Hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving. 

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Sierra
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-22-2023 03:37 PM
From: Brittany Besold
Subject: Food Memories

My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is making a French Silk Pie with my son. Always so fun. We're luckily all together this thanksgiving!

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Brittany Besold

Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2023 07:05 PM
From: Sierra Martinez
Subject: Food Memories

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I'd love to hear some of your personal stories and memories related to food and cooking, like childhood food experiences or family recipes, if you want to share. 

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Sierra
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Thanksgiving was always nice as a child, but nothing huge. 
As a military spouse, I have wholly embraced the open door policy. I've had 20-40 people at our house most years, and it brings me so much joy to host each year! It's fun to see what brings as their dish - most of the time it represents their family's traditions or a favorite dish from childhood.
We were traveling this year, and it was so strange to not cook!

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Meghan Wieten-Scott
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2023 07:05 PM
From: Sierra Martinez
Subject: Food Memories

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I'd love to hear some of your personal stories and memories related to food and cooking, like childhood food experiences or family recipes, if you want to share. 

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Sierra
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I hope you had a wonderful time traveling, Meghan! 

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Sierra
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-27-2023 06:53 PM
From: Meghan Wieten-Scott
Subject: Food Memories

Thanksgiving was always nice as a child, but nothing huge. 
As a military spouse, I have wholly embraced the open door policy. I've had 20-40 people at our house most years, and it brings me so much joy to host each year! It's fun to see what brings as their dish - most of the time it represents their family's traditions or a favorite dish from childhood.
We were traveling this year, and it was so strange to not cook!

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Meghan Wieten-Scott

Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2023 07:05 PM
From: Sierra Martinez
Subject: Food Memories

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I'd love to hear some of your personal stories and memories related to food and cooking, like childhood food experiences or family recipes, if you want to share. 

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Sierra
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We always have a huge group at our house for Thanksgiving, but this year all of the folks in my husband's unit had places to go or were away for training, so we planned a last minute trip to our hometown since my parents weren't snowbirding this year. It was a fun change of pace and we ate all the fun, local favorites that we rarely get to indulge in. 

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Sheila Rupp
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2023 07:05 PM
From: Sierra Martinez
Subject: Food Memories

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I'd love to hear some of your personal stories and memories related to food and cooking, like childhood food experiences or family recipes, if you want to share. 

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Sierra
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