Thanksgiving and Turnips

I had originally intended to post this a few days ago, but the weather and traveling toll of tailgating caught up to me. I have had pretty bad cold for the last few days that has left me sleeping more than working. I don’t really have much of a voice right now, but luckily this is a written blog and not a video blog. Anyway, here is a little piece from my Thanksgiving.

I am sure you and your family have their own traditions for Thanksgiving. In my family, we do a do Thanksgiving twice. We have lunch with my Dad’s side of the family and then dinner with my Mom’s side. There was no shortage of great food and I decided that I would eat rather than take pictures of what I was eating this year. What I do have is something that I left the farm with.

These are my grandparents. Daddy Don and Grandmama (I have no idea how we started calling them that, but that is what I have referred to them as my whole life). They live on a farm in North Wilkesboro, NC. I have showed your their farm and garden in the spring and in the summer. In the fall/winter there are still vegetables growing. It wouldn’t be a trip to the farm with out Daddy Don giving me some produce to take back with me. On this Thanksgiving trip, I returned with cabbage, broccoli, and…

a very very large turnip. I am sure I have probably had turnips in other dishes at some point in my life, but a turnip is not a vegetable that I usually pick out. I had never cooked one before, so I went with my go to strategy for root vegetables. ROAST THEM! I roast potatoes, carrots, onions, and beets, so I figured that a turnip would be pretty tasty roasted as well! Like all my roasted vegetables, I like to bathe them in olive oil and balsamic vinegar before putting into the oven.

Roasted Turnips

1 large or 2 medium sized turnips (peeled)

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 415F. Cut your peeled turnip(s) into about 1 inch or bite sized rectangles. Place cut turnips into a large bowl. Pour olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a dash of salt and several turns of a pepper mill into the bowl. Mix turnips with other ingredients, so they are well coated. Spread turnips onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast in the over for 25-30 minutes until fork tender.

Enjoy!

While at my grandparents, I also did some of my Christmas shopping. (Mom and Dad, this is a spoiler alert to what you are getting for Christmas)  Being a photographer, I have found that pictures of me and my siblings are what my parents and grandparents like best!

I am the oldest child in my family and for a while I was the tallest. I have a sister who is 2 years younger than me, and I didn’t have to worry about her passing me in height.  A few years ago, my middle brother surpassed me. I am four years older than him, so I saw that one coming.

I never wanted to admit it, but I secretly new that one day my baby brother would be taller than me. In 2009, when he was 13, I started taking a picture of me, my middle brother and I. I took one as well in 2010m but couldn’t find a copy of that one to show you.

In the last year though, my youngest brother has now surpassed me. We were pretty close for a while, and being around him made me stand up straight, but now I am waving the white flag. Clifton, I admit it, you are taller than me.

But keep in mind, Harrison and I will always be older (I am 26 Harrison is 22, Clifton is 15)…