November Editor’s Alley

But before we get to the celebrating, please allow me to air a grievance – when did we start skipping over Thanksgiving? I woke up the day after Halloween to trees wrapped in holiday lights, Jingle Bells on the radio, and my Starbucks Barista handing me a gingerbread latte in a holiday cup. And let’s not even get started on the scene at Costco. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not totally against the marketing and the commercialism. After all, I’m counting on some strong 4th quarter sales tax reports from HdL just like the rest of you (thanks Costco!). But Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and I refuse to allow it to be treated like a fast food turkey meal that we’re scarfing down in the car on the way to the Black Friday sale at Best Buy.

I’ve been hosting Thanksgiving dinner at my house in some form or another for many years. It started shortly after I started my career in government and moved into my first home. Growing up on the east coast, I didn’t really have any family in California, and I couldn’t possibly travel with the big USC matchup against Notre Dame taking place in LA that weekend! So, I invited a few college friends who also had no family nearby to celebrate the holiday at the new dining table I had purchased the week before. I figured out how to get a turkey into the oven and everyone brought side dishes. Over the years, as we’ve each grown our own families and our cooking skills, our Thanksgiving tradition didn’t just endure, but has grown into a feast of epic proportions, with recipes that have been refined for years and bottles of wine worthy of celebrating our decades-old friendships. The stuffing with fennel and rosemary from my garden. The cranberry sauce that my daughter can now make from scratch. My husband’s pumpkin cheesecake. And this year will be even more special – after living through a three-month kitchen renovation, we finally have an oven big enough to accommodate the butternut squash soufflé that was the smash hit at our wedding (recipe below). They say food is love, and our table will be overflowing with both.

We may not have had family with which to celebrate the holiday all those years ago, but we created one of our own, and it has stood the test of time because we continue to choose to be with each other. It reminds me that family comes in lots of different forms, and it’s so important to recognize and express gratitude to all of them. As I enter my 22nd year of with the City of Burbank, I’ve been reflecting back on how fortunate I am to have been a part of such a special City family for all these years. Let’s be honest, most of us spend more hours alongside our coworkers than we do with our actual families. But do we take enough time to tell our work family what they mean to us? Do we thank them for choosing each day and dedicate roughly half of their waking hours in service to our organizations?

Before you head out for the long weekend and the pinot noir starts flowing at your Thanksgiving table, I’d like to ask you all to take a moment to acknowledge the folks who sit side by side with you every day in the trenches of audit season, or who scramble to get Payroll and AP checks out during the short week, or who empty your trash cans long after you’ve closed up shop for the holiday. Let them know how thankful you are for their commitment to your team and your organization. There’s no better time to remind your work family that they are appreciated and valued.

I am thankful to you, CSMFO family, for allowing me the opportunity to get to know so many of you and to serve this great organization over the past year. From my Thanksgiving table to yours, I’m wishing each and every one of you a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season. And give the butternut squash recipe a try – you’ll be thankful you did.

Cheers!

Butternut Squash Soufflé

2 lbs cooked and drained Butternut Squash (about 2/3) and Carrots (about 1/3)
2 sticks butter
6 eggs
6 tbsp flour
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup sugar

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Butter a 2 quart soufflé dish. Let set up in fridge overnight.

Bake at 350’ uncovered for 1 hour & 15 minutes or until set in the center.

Serves 10-12.