Author: Christy Young Goza

Wife, mom, aunt, daughter, river lover, wine drinker, Jesus loving Tennessee girl.

Cranberries for the Holidays

I love cranberries. They remind me of the holidays, a reminder of winter coming and the bright red color just makes me happy. I also really like that they are not as perishable as most other berries and they last for awhile in the crisper drawer. Unfortunately, they are seasonal- it is a berry. And if you want to enjoy them in the spring or summer you will have to go with frozen, not fresh.

Many years ago my mom cleaned out her pantry and brought me a bag of dried cranberries. And of course, I loved those too. I put them in roasted brussel sprouts, roasted butternut squash and just about anything I can think of that would benefit from a hint sweetness. When you roast them, they plump up and provide a wonderful burst of flavor and add a pop of color to your dish. I even love to add them straight out of the bag into a kale salad.

Last year, I decided after the holidays to can/water bath cranberry juice. Of course, I waited too long and all the fresh cranberries were gone. So this week when I spotted them in the grocery store, I grabbed 10 bags- they were $1 each.

It is a perfect weekend for canning- the Thanksgiving hoopla hasn’t begun, the Vols have an away game and it’s getting cold outside which means if the kitchen gets too hot, I just open a door. I love canning when it’s cold outside.

So I decided to can my Bourbon Cranberry Sauce. I absolutely love the stuff and it is really just a cranberry jam. I make it throughout the year and I use it on charcuterie boards, on top of ice cream, on a peanut butter sandwich. I know it sounds crazy, but it is really good. Anything you can do with jam, you can do with this cranberry sauce. And if you don’t like bourbon, no worries- just omit it!

I tripled the recipe, let it set for 15-20 minutes and then filled the sterilized jars. I water bathed for 15 minutes and ended up with 18 half pint jars. Guess what everyone is getting for Christmas? Yep, cranberry sauce/jam.

Then I moved on to the cranberry juice. I know it is easy to purchase cranberry juice at the store. However, it is so nice to walk downstairs and grab a jar whenever I want it. And I know exactly what is in it- cranberries, sugar and water. No red dye, no acids or preservatives. Just cranberries. And I am pretty certain it will be a great mixer on the bar.

I used sterilized quart jars. Toss in 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, 1/4 cup sugar and hot water. I water bathed for 20 minutes. Four 12 ounce bags yielded 14 quarts.

So for $10 of cranberries and a little work, I came out with 18 half pints of sauce/jam and 14 quarts of juice. I think I will do one more run of sauce/jam this week…it really would make a great little friend, hostess or Christmas gift. So if you see a crazy lady in the grocery store piling bags of cranberries in her buggy- it’s probably me. I do not apologize for my love of cranberries. Just don’t try and eat a fresh one- trust me!

Peach Vanilla Jam

Gilliland’s Peach Orchard is located in Cleveland, TN and I am pretty sure they have the best peaches in world. People come from all over for their super sweet peaches. I love fresh peaches however, I do not like canned peaches- I think it is a texture thing. So this year I decided to make a run of peach jam. And at the very last minute, I decided to throw in some vanilla paste.

While I would love to tell you I created a sophisticated peach jam recipe, the truth is I followed the instructions on the back of the Sure Jell box. No need to reinvent the wheel. Full disclosure- this is my first time making peach jam.

For this run, I purchased a peck of peaches. The final result was 30 half pint jars of golden goodness. I had no idea I was going to end up with this much, and if I had it to do over again, a half peck would have been the perfect amount to begin this peach jam journey.

You may assume I am going to slather the jam on homemade biscuits, and that is true. But I am also going to use it on cheese boards, add to iced tea, hot tea, ice cream, pancakes and anything and everything else that comes to mind.

Helpful Hint: The easiest way to peel a peach is to drop it into boiling water for a couple of minutes and then straight into an ice bath. This method insures minimal waste. After peeled, I used a hand chopper to dice the peaches into consistent pieces. This yielded 20 cups of diced peaches, 5 quart.

To preserve the jam, I used the water bath method. A good water bath canner, Ball jars, Ball rings, and a canning kit all come in handy.

Peach Vanilla Jam

A beautiful jar of golden goodness.


Ingredients


1 peck of peaches, peeled and diced. Approximately 20 cups (5 quart)
14 cups sugar
2.5 boxes Sure Jell
1/8 cup vanilla

Directions


Bring all ingredients to a boil except the vanilla. Skim any foam that rises to the top. Let boil for 15-20 minutes until it starts to thicken. Stir in the vanilla and fill up the sterilized jars. Water bath for 20 minutes.

[notes]
Make this recipe your own. You could easily omit the vanilla or substitute almond extract.

Cantaloupe Cucumber Summer Salad

I love a good summer salad and this one hits all the marks. Cool, sweet, salty- all the feels. And just the right amount of acid. I would serve this on its own or with a nice piece of salmon or chicken, but it will go with absolutely anything.

When using feta, buy the block of feta, not the crumbled feta. It is much better when you crumble it yourself. Also be careful when adding salt when you use feta. Feta is very salty and many times you can omit the salt or at least cut back on the amount. You don’t have to add feta. A nice burrata would be good or simply serve it over some cottage cheese. Don’t judge me on my love of cottage cheese. It has tons of protein and is the perfect compliment to the summer veggies and fruit that’s coming in right now. If you have someone in your house that doesn’t like cottage cheese, try throwing it into mini food processor and whipping it. I called this whipped cheese at my house, because if I called it cottage cheese, no one but me would eat it. I make creamy dressing with it, put it on bagels…you get the picture.

For the acid, today I used used apple cider vinegar, but try out different acids such as lime, white balsamic, red wine vinegar. I love to play around with acids.

If by chance, you have cut your cantaloupe and it isn’t quite as sweet as you hoped, you can add a touch of honey to the dressing. A little honey never hurt anyone or anything.

My herb of choice for this is fresh basil, but if you are a mint lover, you could definitely substitute it.

This dish is beautiful with all the summer colors. Be sure to serve it in something that makes the colors pop- a white bowl, a wooden bowl or even a clear glass bowl would be nice.

For the wine lovers, I would pair this with a good sauvignon blanc, one of my favorites is Emmolo. A nice crisp chardonnay, like Mer Soleil Silver would also be lovely. Both of these are by Caymus and very good quality and excellent price point.

Cantaloupe Cucumber Strawberry Salad

An unforgettable simple summer salad.


Ingredients


4 cups diced cantaloupe
2 cups diced cucumber
3/4 cup diced red onion
4 ounces feta cheese
fresh basil
freshly ground black pepper
salt

Dressing:
3 tbsp good olive oil
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Directions


Throw all the ingredients into a bowl. In a separate container mix the dressing and pour over the ingredients in the bowl and toss. Best served chilled.


Make this recipe your own. You could easily substitute different cheeses and acids. I like to serve with a pretty basil leaf off to the side.

Homemade Roasted Marinara Sauce for Canning – Recipe and Tips

Last year I canned the most wonderful marinara sauce. This year I knew I had to recreate it and double the amount. That is tricky because tomatoes can vary from year to year and the types that are available in my area also vary. The optimum variety for marinara in my opinion would be Roma or San Marzano. They have very little water and seeds which makes them perfect for sauce.

The tomatoes I had on hand this year were run of the mill “canning” tomatoes. But a little extra time cooking down the sauce will make these work. Last year I had Roma tomatoes and canned them directly from the blender without cooking them down. That is the joy of a good Roma.

I love roasting the ingredients because the char on the tomatoes and the jammy sweetness adds a wonderful layer of flavor in the sauce.

Dried herbs work best if you decide to use any at all. Keep in mind herbs can magnify when canned so be light handed with them if you decide to add them.

I do not peel or seed my tomatoes. Life is short and a good blender will take care of these. If I were canning just tomatoes and not sauce, I would peel the tomatoes.

Tomatoes in general are a good starting point for beginner canners because a simple water bath is all that is required- no pressure cooker needed.

I am a big lover of Ball jars and lids. Canning is a lot of work and you don’t want to waste your time, effort and vegetables on thin jars and cheap lids. Most local hardware stores carry canning supplies you will need and I encourage you to visit your local hardware store. As with everything, the cost of supplies is increasing, so if you find a good deal, snatch it up. I have found great deals on ball jars on FaceBook marketplace and just friends and family that want to get rid of some jars. I DO NOT reuse my lids. Once I “pop a top” I throw the lid away. I have purchased plastic lids that fit canning jars to use for storage, etc and I love them. If you are trying to decide between using regular jars or wide mouth, this is important to know- canners hold less wide mouth jars at a time. Wide mouth jars are a little more expensive and cannot always be found. I have a few that I choose to use for storage and quick pickles. Otherwise, I use the standard Ball canning jar.

I do follow Ball canning recommendations 99 percent of the time. Ball is the gold standard for canning and they have some great books with step by step instructions. If you are just getting started, I recommend purchasing one.

People that do not follow recommended guidelines are referred to as “rebel” canners. Here is my take on this. We all do what we have been taught to do by our mothers and grandmothers. It’s your kitchen. You make the rules of your kitchen. My grandmother was a rule follower and I chose to follow in her footsteps. I see so many arguments and confrontations over rebel canning methods. To each their own. Again, life is short, stay in your lane (kitchen).

Because I am adding other ingredients into my marinara (onions, green peppers) I am potentially lowering the acidity of the contents of the jar. Lower acidity contents require pressure canning. Coincidentally, I always add red wine vinegar to any tomatoes I cook or can. In my opinion it enhances the flavor of tomatoes immensely. I add 2tsps red wine vinegar to each jar, raising the acidity level back to appropriate water bath standards. If you are worried about this issue the solution is easy- you can just pressure can your marinara. Your kitchen and you make the rules.

I like to keep my sauce simple. It is easy after you open a jar to boost the flavor profile by adding additional herbs to align with the dish you are making.

Jars of marina make great gifts. A jar of sauce, a bag of nice pasta and a cute dish towel is a great hostess gift.

Canning Roasted Marinara Sauce

Vine ripened tomato flavor sealed into a jar-a simple blank slate.


Ingredients


1/2 box tomatoes- quartered
3 onions- quartered
2 green peppers- seeded and quartered
12 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/21 tsp dried oregano
2 tsps red pepper flakes

Directions


Roast at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until jammy. Place contents into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a large stock pot and add 3 tsp salt and 1/8 cup sugar (optional). Cook down if needed and pour into sterilized quart jars. Add 2 tsps red wine vinegar to each quart jar. Water bath for 45 minutes.

If making a larger batch, you can cook it down in an electric turkey roaster.


Make this recipe your own. Add carrots for a sweeter, milder sauce. Omit all the extras and herbs and can just tomato sauce.

Five Years

It is the golden benchmark in a cancer journey when your odds for recurrence decrease significantly. My five year mark is Tuesday, May 21, 2024. To be honest, I didn’t think I would be here five years later. When you are diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer you are always trying to prepare yourself for “the comeback”.

The first year I just tried to survive. The treatments, surgery and radiation were a blur. My faith was tested and strengthened significantly.

The second year I spent worrying. I found myself constantly organizing and trying to prepare my home and those around me to operate smoothly without me. I started a blog about my journey which was therapeutic. I began organizing my recipes and trying to write down the ones in my head so Logan would have them. I was on a mission that kept me busy and occupied.

The third year I spent trying to find my new normal and dealing with the lasting effects of chemo- neuropathy, lymphedema and short-term memory loss. It was at the three-year mark I realized I just might make it. I started doing more of the things I loved to do- write, cook, entertain & garden. I started making time for myself.

The fourth year I was on a quest to get healthy. To focus on what I was eating and the quality of ingredients- grass fed beef, free range chicken, locally grown produce. I began canning my own food just like my Memaw Young taught me. I built raised beds, began making tinctures from my herbs, and drying my herbs. I sought out alternative treatments for neuropathy which led me to acupuncture and meditation and eventually to 5 months of sobriety.

My sobriety…I have always loved wine. I have written blogs about wine, I have traveled and drank wine in all the best places, I love how it looks, how it smells, how it makes me forget my worries and numbs me in all the right places. And those last two thoughts are the issue. I don’t want to be numb anymore. I don’t want to forget. My sobriety is centered around two thoughts, first- your body only has so much healing power and if it is constantly healing from the alcohol, then you are depriving yourself from your healing potential. Second, I have a desire to live in the moment, to experience all the great things from life I possibly can, and I want to remember and relish the memories.  I don’t want to forget about my cancer journey. I am a true believer that negative history not remembered will be repeated. So, I choose to honor and remember my cancer journey accordingly.

As a side note to my sobriety- Friday night I decided to have 1 glass of wine and broke my 5 month streak. It didn’t taste nearly as good as I remembered, I was up til 3am because I couldn’t sleep, I had terrible heartburn, I have had a two day headache and my joints are very achy and my lymphedema is flaring up. Needless to say, that glass was not worth it. However, I don’t want my friends to worry-even sober, I will still be the loud friend with the most inappropriate comments spewing out of my mouth.  My lack of wine will not change my ability to say exactly what I think.

So today is five years. I am definitely not the person I was before my cancer journey began. Cancer changes you. Yes, of course there are lots of negatives. But there are some really good positives. I have met some wonderful people. Women that reached out providing answers and comfort for me when I was in need. And women I have reached out to when they needed some reassurance and someone to listen. The pink sisterhood is a real, wonderful blessing.

Two weeks ago, I had my five year check up with Dr. Tran at Tennessee Oncology. I cannot even begin to calculate how many appointments and hours I have been spent in their office. It takes special people to work in oncology and I admire and respect them all. My next appointment is in one year- and only those that have walked this walk know the absolute joy I felt in achieving that milestone.

Please remember to schedule your mammogram and remind those you love to schedule one, too. I skipped two mammograms and if I had skipped one more year, I would not be here today. I would not have made it another year. There are many different types of breast cancer, some more aggressive than others. Great strides are being made every day in research and development of new drugs. The key is early detection. For those of you that do not have health insurance or cannot afford screening, there are low cost and no cost mammograms available. In our area, the MaryEllen Locher Breast Center has a mobile mammogram unit that services several counties in East Tennessee.

Today, I find joy in the simple things. I have found peace in my garden among the vegetables and flowers. My family is the most important thing in my life, they are a wonderful bunch of craziness, my biggest cheerleaders, and they bring me the most joy. I’m not a professional cook or gardener. I am not a homesteader. I am a southern city girl who was raised in the country in a simpler time.

I have learned every day is a gift, a gift that should not be taken lightly or taken for granted. I have learned kindness and grace are important attributes in living a full life. I have learned that how you make others feel is how you will be remembered.

Right before my diagnosis, Jay and I were talking about going to Italy and obviously, we had to put that on hold. So, in a few weeks, we will depart on a 5 Year Cancerversary celebratory trip to Italy and Greece for 14 days. We have been planning for this trip for the last two years. We booked it on my 3 Year Cancerversary date.

I have no idea what the next five years will look like. But for now, I will celebrate the days I have been given to the best of my ability and you should, too.

#keepingthefaith #gozastrong #getyourmammogram

Christy Young Goza

Thanksgiving Dressing

Most families have their own dressing recipe handed down through the years. Some incorporate oysters, chestnuts, dried stuffing mix and list can go on and on. This is my family’s dressing that we have enjoyed for many years. The base is entirely cornbread, specifically my Memaw’s cornbread. It is a cake like cornbread that works beautifully for dressing.

I sometimes double the recipe for a crowd and it always turns out great. It is a great pairing with my Bourbon Cranberry Sauce. I even have a favorite large lodge skillet that works perfectly for a double batch.

Thanksgiving Dressing

This is the dressing I have grown up with and it is pure comfort food at its finest.


Ingredients


9-10 cups cornbread.
2 cups diced celery
3 cups diced onions
1tsp sage
2 1/2 tbsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
3-4 cups chicken broth

Directions


Crumble the cornbread and set aside. Saute celery and onions in the butter. Add in the spices and saute for another minute or so, allowing the spices to “bloom’. Pour over the cornbread mixture. Add in the eggs and broth. Place in a large pan at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.


Make this recipe your own. You could easily add in garlic, cayenne pepper, biscuits, etc. It is great left over the next day. We usually make turkey sliders with dressing on rolls.

Strawberry Tres Leche Cake

This recipe came about because I love a good, moist cake. Tres Leche, which translates into “three milks”, is the most wet, moist cake you will find. I am not a fan of the traditional Tres Leche cake because I am not a fan of cinnamon. I know that is shocking, but I literally hate cinnamon. And I can taste it and smell it a mile away. This is a very easy dessert to make- a simple box mix and you make it the day before. And I love anything I can make the day before!

This is also what many call a “poke” cake. You poke holes all in it and then pour goodness over it to soak into the cake. It is also a great cake to take to a potluck and you can prepare it in a disposable pan.

Strawberry Tres Leche

A simple make ahead dessert the entire family will love.


Ingredients


1 large container of strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 box of yellow or white cake mix
milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk, use at least 1/2 the can, or the entire can
1 container cool whip

Directions


Slice the strawberries and add the sugar. Smash or chop the strawberries into the sugar and let sit. Follow the directions on the cake box however instead of adding water, substitute milk. Bake in a 9X13 pan. When cake is done, poke holes all over the top of the cake and pour over the strawberries, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. Cover and let sit overnite in the fridge. Top with cool whip before serving.


Make this recipe your own. You could easily substitute blueberries, peaches, etc for the strawberries. I also like to save a few pretty berries for the top.

How I Ended Up With 98 Tomato Plants

First, you need to know my background. Growing up my family had a garden. My Papaw Young lived in the country and had a large garden with his best friend, Glen Tinsley. The garden was large enough to feed all their families, friends and neighbors. Most weekends were spent with my Memaw and Papaw Young. I was their first grandchild and could do no wrong. They snagged me whenever they could which meant I was raised in the garden. It was all I knew. One of my first memories in the garden was sitting in the middle of their strawberry patch eating warm, sweet strawberries right from the vine- that was probably 1974. I even remember falling asleep in the garden once or twice and Memaw swooping me up under her arm and carrying me to the front porch. If we weren’t in the garden, we were in the kitchen canning or on the porch hulling peas or breaking beans.

Memaw got sick in 1989 and the garden slowly came to a halt. And life happened. I got a full time job and the garden life became a thing of the past. I still grew a few tomatoes over the years- that’s what southern women are suppose to do.

Today, I find myself with a little more time on my hands. In my 50s, I find myself reflecting on the things that bring me joy and vowing to do more of them. Sometimes the hardest part of doing what you love is determining what you love. I find the things I love to do are things that brought me happiness and wonderful memories as a child. My Memaw taught me how to cook and she loved feeding everyone. I love to cook and I love to have people over and cook for them. So it was only natural I would eventually find my way back to the garden.

When I had breast cancer in 2019, I found it important to take a long look at my food and what I was putting in my body. This led me to farmers’ markets and growing my own herbs and making a few tinctures. It wasn’t until 2023 that I went full out with 2 small raised garden beds in the middle of my small city yard. I began canning tomatoes which sparked a canning run of tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, roasted marina sauce, green beans, zesty bread and butter pickles, dill pickles, pinto beans, northern beans, corn, salsa… you get the picture. My canning run had a very positive impact on my weekly grocery bill. Full disclosure, I did not grow all the things I canned in my small raised beds, but they were all from local farmers. And I can’t even describe to you the joy I feel every time I pop a top of a jar of crushed tomatoes and smell the absolute vine ripened goodness before me. I also began preserving my bounty of herbs which I can’t believe it took me this long to do. When I tell you my dried oregano, thyme and frozen basil tastes like fresh, I really, really mean it. Not anything like the dried stuff you buy at the supermarket.

So this year I wanted to expand my beds. I am still on the raised bed learning curve. The beds I had last year were two 3X5 beds. Lesson #1: even number widths are better. 2 feet is a good width for 1 row, 4 feet is good for 2 rows. Not a solid rule, as you can plant things amongst your rows as you see fit, but for me I have decided to merge my two beds together to make it 6X5, still probably not the perfect size, but merging them was better than redoing the entire thing and it gives me more planting space.

My seedlings did not do well last year. I have a porch on the south side of my home so I do not have good indoor natural light. So this year I bought some fairly inexpensive grow lights from Amazon. I zip tied them to a wire rack and essentially made a growing rack. When I tell you the grow lights have been a game changer…my goodness. So this is where my joy overshadowed my logical thinking. There were so many tomato choices. And I remember my Papaw growing different types, so of course, I wanted to try so many because I can’t really remember my favorites.

In trying to educate myself, I have learned there are determinate and indeterminate tomato plants. Determinates are more “bushy” and have a determined height they grow to. Indeterminates are more like a vine and can be trellised.

I have also learned there are different ways to “support” tomato plants. There are tomato cages, which are my least favorite, there are trellises, there is a string method…the list goes on and on and there are lots of videos online to demonstrate.

So, back to the seeds. The first pack I grabbed were Early Girls. Hence their name, they are the first to produce. I also grabbed a pack of Brandy Wine, Better Boys, and Celebration. My favorites last year were cherry tomatoes, so I grabbed three varieties of those, Large Cherry, Super Sweet Cherry and Sweeties.

I already had many containers on hand to start the seeds, but obviously not enough, so I ordered a few more. Still a lot of joy…still short on logic.

Because of my joy… I also planted my seeds around Valentine’s Day. Which is pretty early for seed starting. Which meant yesterday, February 25, I already had to up pot them (move them from the small seed starting tray to a larger pot). And this was when I paused to count them…98 happy, healthy and strong tomato plants. Disclaimer- I also have other seedlings, basil, oregano, chives, cayenne pepper, thyme, dill… you get the picture.

So logically, I need more raised beds? Of course, I do. Instead of making them, I ordered a couple of 4X8 beds with excellent reviews and a decent price for the size. Did I mention I have also determined my original beds may not have been deep enough, so I am building them up making the depth 2 feet? Bottom line- I am going to need a pile of dirt in my near future.

As for my husband, Jay, I think I amuse him. He just laughs and asks me what I need. Although he did put his foot down when he saw a mason jar filled with water and banana peels on the counter. He said, “I love you, but whatever that is, I am not eating it.” And I just smiled and told him it was fertilizer for the tomatoes. I have hinted that some rock around the raised beds would look really nice and Saturday he asked me when we were going to get the rock. When I tell you he is my biggest cheerleader, I am understating that fact.

I have learned many things in my 54 years. I am learning to do more of what I love and I have also added digging in the dirt to my list. And if you see me at the farmer’s market this year in my overalls, selling tomato plants for $1, just smile and waive. I am still learning and full of joy.

Christy Young Goza

One response to “How I Ended Up With 98 Tomato Plants”

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An Open Mind…for Healing

When was the last time you did something for the first time? When was the last time you really tested and stretched your comfort zone? The answer for me is very recently- two weeks ago.

I have been struggling with health issues related to chemo. In 2019, I was diagnosed with Stage 3b Triple Negative Breast Cancer. From there I opted for a double mastectomy followed by chemo and radiation. I am now 4+ years NED (no evidence of disease) and needless to say, I am very glad to be here and thankful and grateful for the life I have.

I, like many others, having lingering effects of chemo that will never reconcile, the most frustrating being short term memory loss, neuropathy and lymphedema. For the lymphedema, mine is mild and can be addressed with lymphatic massage at the moment. I am lucky in that respect and I know it. The neuropathy is the thorn in my side. I haven’t been able to feel below the knee in quite some time. Sometimes I fall and it is scary. I am constantly worried that in 5-10 years, I won’t even be able to walk without assistance. It started with my toes and continues to get worse with each year. And this year…the pain came. I have tried to endure it, but it is so hard. For the last few months, I have resorted to one pill a night for pain just so I can sleep.

I love my primary care physician, Dr. Sheikh, and he has talked to me about what to expect with the neuropathy and the next course as things worsen will be taking gabapentin. I know the gabapentin will only mask the pain and I would really like to heal, not just treat the symptoms. So I began some research and started on a journey of educating myself about possible ways to heal the neuropathy and that led me to acupuncture. With my medical history, I always consult my doctor first. And when I asked my doctor about it, he encouraged me to explore it and seemed excited I was open to the idea. He asked me to report back on my progress.

I will be the first to admit, I do not know much about eastern medicine. I also had a frightening childhood experience with needles at Dr. Appling’s office. As most children are, I was terrified of needles. On this particular day he sent the nurse in to draw blood. I made a fist, curled up in a tight ball and screamed and the nurse held me down and cut my big toe open to get the blood. Those nurses in the 70’s didn’t mess around. It’s funny now…not funny then.

The thought of something like acupuncture helping me really got me excited. I talked to my friend Michelle about it, she is a nurse practitioner, and she encouraged me by sharing a success story she knew about first hand. The bottom line was I didn’t have anything to lose.

The next step was finding someone. There are many letters after peoples names, and I did not have a clue what any of them meant. One night when I couldn’t sleep, I was googling acupuncturists and reading reviews and came across Yin Yang House in Chattanooga.

I was familiar with the business as they are one of the few places that offer lymphatic massage and I have used their services and were very pleased. Everyone there was always very professional and kind and it was very clean (I am a little OCD about cleanliness). I noticed they had added to their staff line-up and that is where I first read about Xiao Rice. She has many letters after her name and I still don’t know what they all mean, but in her biography on the website it mentioned she specializes in acupuncture for pain management and oncology supportive care and that got my attention. It also mentioned she grew up in China and was the daughter of an acupuncturist. And well, I just thought that was really cool. So right there, in the middle of the night, I made my first appointment online.

She was very upfront with me, we were going to try to wake up the nerves in my feet and legs. Sometimes the nerves react and sometimes they do not. She recommended we start with six treatments to see how I responded.

In hindsight, I have to tell you, I expected the needles to be in my feet and legs, so I was caught off guard when she began with my ear and head. After several needles were applied in and around my ear something very strange happened…I began to feel a tingle in the toes on my right foot. The right foot that I have not felt in 4 years. I was stunned and I am not easily stunned. She continued on…there were lots of needles, but they were so small, I could only feel a slight twitch occasionally- no pain.

After all the needles were inserted she placed an infrared light on my feet, turned out the overhead lights and instructed me to meditate and envision the energy going from my head to my toes and my hands. The meditation part is probably 20 minutes and there is some light mandarin music playing the in the background.

I would like to say this about meditation- I would have never attempted it on my on, the acupuncture forced me into it. I pride myself on multitasking and being efficient. Sitting in one place doing nothing just wasn’t my cup of tea. However after doing it several times now, I feel like we should all be doing it. And doing more of it. I think our bodies need it. I think our minds need it. I think our souls need it. There is so much stimulation around us, TVs, phones, etc., we need to quiet the noise and ground ourselves.

Xiao was very kind and professional and took a lot of time with me on my first appointment explaining everything. She gave me bags of Chinese herbs and suggested I soak my feet in warm water with the herbs every night.

So as of today, I have had three appointments and I can report tremendous success. Not only can I feel my toes, feet and legs, I have discontinued my nightly pain pill.

In full transparency, when I was researching neuropathy, I discovered my alcohol use was probably not helping the situation. I love wine, I love talking about wine, shopping for wine, blogging about wine, I love all the things surrounding wine. But I decided on this journey I was going to have put wine on the back shelf. Do I miss it? Hell, yes. Can I live without? Yes. Have I drank my last bottle? Probably not, but for now I have. My body is healing and I feel good. I don’t want to compromise that. I made that decision prior to my first visit but Xiao supported the decision and said I needed all my energy to go to healing the neuropathy, not healing from the alcohol. And that just made good sense.

I have no idea what the future holds for me. None of us do. I do know I am going to keep cooking and gardening, spending time with those I love most and living my best life- and making time for some much needed meditation. I am still going to acupuncture and as soon as I publish this blog I am going to make another appointment for a lymphatic massage. My life does look a little different than I had envisioned, but I wouldn’t change a thing.

And I am still educating myself on eastern practices as I find what I have experienced recently nothing short of fascinating. I am keeping my mind open and look forward to the road ahead.

Christy Young Goza

Thanksgiving 101

You need two things: a menu and a plan. It doesn’t have to be stressful or perfect and your house doesn’t have to be big or spotless. And keep your expectations low. Thanksgiving is an event, and once an event starts, you lose all control and it takes on a life of its own. And that is okay. We have a crowd on Thanksgiving and I live in a regular ranch style home and on Thanksgiving day it will be filled with people I love and that makes me happy. This year they will be eating out of paper plates, the good ones of course, and finding a seat wherever they can. The important part is you are spending it with those you love and care about whether that be family or friends or both. I do have some fancy dinner parties with china and name places, but Thanksgiving isn’t one of those events.

Guests: Know who is coming. And know if anyone has any issues such as a shellfish allergy, gluten sensitivity or special dietary needs. You don’t have to make an entire gluten free meal but just make sure you have one or two things they can enjoy safely.  Also, guests may ask “What can I bring?”. Don’t be a martyr, you don’t get an award for making everything yourself. Tell them to bring something you know they do well. From experience- don’t ask them to bring something important, like the turkey or dressing. Because if they forget, or if they get sick at the last minute, that would be an issue.

Drinks: Being from the south, and in the heart of the Bible belt, I grew up on sweet tea and alcohol was not a part of any family dinner and especially Thanksgiving. And it is your decision to have alcohol or not at your dinners.  I always like to have a bottle of red wine and a bottle of white wine open on the bar for guests to help themselves. Some years the bottles are barely touched and some years we open lots of bottles. We just play it by ear and make sure we are well stocked. There are good expensive brands and there are good inexpensive brands, what you serve is up to you.

Appetizers: I always set something out, even if it is small. Just cheese and crackers (Brie with Fig Jam would be great) and/or raw veggies. I promise you, some of your people have not eaten all day. And if dinner is delayed, for whatever reason, you won’t have hungry, grumpy people on your hands.

Your oven:  It is important to know your oven. If you have a newer oven or a gas oven, it may have a cooling fan incorporated. This is important to know if you are doing a recipe that calls for “Bird at 500 degrees, then turn the oven off and let it continue to cook for 5 hours”. I tried this a few years ago, found out my oven had a cooling fan- on Thanksgiving Day, so that method did not work and by the time I figured out what had happened- thanks to Google- our dinner was delayed and I was in an absolute panic. You also need to plan your menu and cooking time based on the availability of space and time in your oven. Think of side dishes to prepare that do not require use of the oven. If you are invited to someone’s home for thanksgiving, make sure you cook your dish ahead of time. DO NOT ASK to use their oven. I promise you, it is full!

Must haves: Meat thermometer, a turkey roaster is always handy, tea pitchers, wine chillers.

The turkey- fresh or frozen: Of course fresh is better and saves you thawing time, but fresh is not always available and there are some fabulous deals on frozen turkeys. If you are going the frozen route, incorporate your thawing time into your plan. And if you have a frozen turkey in the bottom of freezer from 2019, for goodness sakes, throw it away.

The turkey- brine, no brine, dry brine: I have done all these methods and there is no right answer, it is just about what you like. The dry brine creates an extra crispy skin. The brine creates an extra juicy turkey, no brine is just fine as long as you salt it really well. And no brine is the default method if you have no plan and are flying by the seat of your pants and short on time.

The turkey- whole or spatchcock: Whole is traditional and makes for a wonderful instagramable (is that a word?) picture. Usually, a 10-12lb whole bird will cook at 350 degrees for 2-2 ½ hours. Spatchcocking is removing the backbone from the bird, cracking the breast bone and cooking the turkey flat. This method is best done with a 12lb or less turkey. It is the quickest cooking method and works well if time is an issue. I do this method often with chicken. No matter which method you use, you have to let the bird rest after cooking. This lets all the juices redistribute and makes for the best turkey. Loosely cover the bird with foil and let it rest for 15 minutes and up to 2 hours. The longer it rests, the better it will be. No, it will not be cold. Yes, it will be juicy!

Stuffing or Dressing: Stuffing is “stuffed” and cooked in and around the bird. Dressing is in a pan, totally separate from the bird. I prefer dressing just because cook times can vary and I have a wonderful dressing recipe that works well. You can also make dressing in a crock pot, and Savannah Classics has a pretty darn good frozen dressing in a pinch. I also prefer cornbread dressing, just because that is what my grandmothers made and to me, cornbread dressing is more important than the turkey. I always use my Nannie Logan’s Cornbread recipe for my dressing. You can also make your dressing days or weeks ahead and freeze in preparation for the big day. Just build it into your plan. Dressing needs sage. Too much sage can be overpowering. Careful with the sage. You can make your own chicken stock or purchase it at the store. Just make sure you have extra on hand for gravy and the dressing.

Make Ahead: There are so many things that can be made ahead of the big day- dressing, gravy (Ina Garten has a great make ahead gravy recipe), side dishes, bread, cakes, pies, etc. Make ahead dishes will make your day more enjoyable. And it is perfectly okay to purchase some items, not everything has to be homemade.

The MENU: The first three items are the must haves for our dinner. The rest is fluff and can be adjusted or changed.

MENU

Turkey

Dressing (picture of recipe card is above)         

Slow Cooker Ham                            

Mashed Potatoes with Rosemary Butter                                                                              

Bourbon Cranberry Sauce

Butternut Squash and Kale

Green Beans

Mac & Cheese (Logan)

Turnip Greens (Gladys)

Deviled Eggs (Dee)

Dessert (Jenny)

Rolls      

Tea, Sweet and Unsweet

Wine, Red and White

The Plan:  I have referred to THE PLAN many times in this blog and it is really is the one thing that will help you keep your sanity in check and make for a wonderful Thanksgiving Day for you and your family. I have a Thanksgiving Day plan and a weekly plan. Here is a look at my weekly plan:

SATURDAY: Grocery shopping, wine shopping

SUNDAY: Thaw the bird.

MONDAY: Make the cornbread for the dressing. Make the brine.

TUESDAY: Brine the bird. Make the cranberry sauce.

WEDNESDAY: Let the bird set uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry out the skin. Make the cheesy mashed potatoes. Make the desserts. Cut the butternut squash. Run and empty the dishwasher.

THURSDAY: I have an entire daily plan by the hour for this day. It is where the magic happens!

BEFORE GUESTS ARRIVE: I set all the serving dishes on the buffet/island and have a note in each one as to what goes where. This way when guests arrive, they can help place things where they go, if needed. I also make certain the dishwasher is empty.

There is one rule- have fun and enjoy yourself. No one likes an uptight, stressed out hostess. Have a glass or two of wine, you deserve it.

Christy Young Goza

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