By Thanksgiving Thursday. Fourteen at Ma's table. Twelve adults-ish and two small children (Sean III, the baby). Ma had the table extended. Dad was carving by 3:30. The turkey (22 pounds) was golden.
Before dinner, Ma went around the table and asked everyone to name one thing. We do this every year. Last year nobody did it — too raw, too close. This year Ma did it again. Dad said the fire department for giving him a good retirement. Ma said her grandchildren. Patrick said Colleen and Sean III. Colleen said Patrick making it home every shift. Meghan said her kids. Brian said Meghan. Aidan said mashed potatoes. The baby said something that was not a word and everybody laughed. Liam said Mommy. I almost lost it. Nora said DADDY IN THE SKY. Everyone stopped for a beat. Ma said, yes, Daddy in the sky is with us today, baby.
I said I am thankful for Ma, for Dad, for Meghan, for Patrick, for my kids, for clinic, for this family. I almost said for Sean too. I did not have the throat for it. Ma saw me. She reached across and squeezed my hand.
Dinner was long. Pies came out at 5. My pies were good. Ma said my lattice is getting cleaner. This is a high compliment.
Liam and Aidan built a fort under the dining room table after pie. Sean III joined. The baby tried. Everyone was too full to intervene.
I drove home at 8:30 with the kids asleep in the backseat. I put them to bed in their clothes. I sat at my kitchen table and drank a glass of wine. I thought about Sean carving the small turkey at our apartment in 2019 when Liam was 18 months. I let myself remember.
Group did not meet Tuesday (Thanksgiving week). Bernadette emailed us all a note — thinking of each of you. Call if you need to. I did not need to, but I liked the email.
Saturday pancakes, the day after Thanksgiving. Burned the first one. I used leftover cranberry sauce as a topping. The kids were skeptical. I was right.
Food of the week: obviously Thanksgiving dinner. But the specific hero: Colleen's bourbon cranberry sauce. Cranberries, sugar, orange zest, a splash of bourbon, cooked until popped.
Ma’s dessert table always has something for everyone — pies, yes, but also the smaller things, the bars and bites people reach for quietly after the plates are cleared. These Date Nut Bars are exactly that kind of thing: no lattice required, no special occasion needed, just dates and nuts and something sweet to slice when the kitchen needs to feel warm again. I made a batch the week after Thanksgiving, when the house was too quiet, and they were exactly right.
Date Nut Bars
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 28 min | Total Time: 38 min | Servings: 16 bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted dates, roughly chopped
- 1 cup walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and prep. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch baking pan and line with parchment if you have it.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add wet ingredients. Add eggs and vanilla to the dry mixture and stir until a thick batter forms.
- Fold in dates and nuts. Stir in the chopped dates and nuts until evenly distributed throughout the batter — it will be dense and sticky.
- Spread and bake. Press the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake 25–28 minutes, until the top is golden and the center is just set.
- Cool and cut. Let cool completely in the pan before cutting into bars. Dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 135 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 21g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 48mg