Celebrating Thanksgiving a bit early
By LOU GREENHAW
Contributing writer
We celebrated Thanksgiving last weekend. Yep, we wanted to be the first on our block to have that holiday out of the way. Actually, the in-laws leave for their winter home toward the end of October or early November, and it was more convenient to have Thanksgiving before they left.
If you think that is strange, wait till you hear how we celebrated. Our son, Carson, plays football for Tabor. I guess I should say played. He has something torn in his knee and will have surgery in about a week. Before the injury happened, we had planned to meet at the Bethany game for tailgating as a part of our Thanksgiving get together. Even though he didn't play, we continued with the plans. Relatives from Independence, Kansas, and Liberty, Missouri, converged on Lindsborg.
We left Hillsboro in rain, and the clouds looked miles thick. We took our tent and rain gear and thought we were prepared. However, about game time, the sun came out with a vengeance. With no hat and no sunscreen, I left the game with a bright red nose and one ear. That's right. My ears no longer match — one is red, one is white.
It was a great game with Tabor winning handily in the middle of a mud field. We went on to the chocolate factory in Abilene because, after all, we were celebrating a holiday! Then, it was to Brookville Hotel for fried chicken and the trimmings.
For Sunday dinner I made that Thanksgiving favorite, taco soup, from Marcella Bruce's column last month. It was a great, if untraditional, Thanksgiving celebration. The ladies were probably the most thankful that we didn't have to spend the "holiday" in the kitchen cooking and cleaning up.
However, I do enjoy cooking in the fall. It seems that so many recipes make the house smell homier, and I don't mind having the oven on more. One recipe that may not be long on aroma for the house but is long on taste is a sauerkraut casserole. It is a hearty addition to a meal.
Because we have already celebrated Thanksgiving, I can give you a tip for yours. For a mere $49 you can get a life size chocolate turkey for a centerpiece at the chocolate factory in Abilene. I'll bet using up leftover "turkey" from that kind would be more welcome in most families than the usual turkey sandwiches!
Sauerkraut Au Gratin
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup melted butter
1 1/3 cups milk
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 can (27 ounce) sauerkraut, well drained
2/3 cup dry bread crumbs or cracker crumbs
Stir flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire into melted butter. Slowly add milk and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. To this add 1 cup of the cheese and the sauerkraut. Mix well. Pour into a greased casserole dish. Mix crumbs with remaining cheese and sprinkle over top. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.
