Exploding Tradition and Carrot Souffle

Traditions. I love having traditions. I've learned this year that traditions can also create needless habits. Traditions can interfere with the meaning of special holidays. Some behavior or actions that we follow from one generation to the next are simply unexplainable. I have still not heard the end of the fact that I exploded some Christmas traditions this year. One is that I did not buy my children new pj's to wear Christmas Eve night. Holy Cow - you would think that they got nothing for gifts. Seriously - I never even thought it would be noticed. But I was most certainly wrong. The scramble for pj's on Christmas Eve was quite funny. See - I always wanted everyone to have new pj's that would be appropriate in pictures on Christmas morning. I put thought into these pj's. Well well well. I wasn't the one that had to put thought into the pj's this year. My daughters had to do that task. Maybe one day they will forgive me. Creatures of habit we are.

My mom passed down some traditions, habits, thoughts and the like as well. She feared pressure cookers. She refused to use them because she was afraid the pressure thing would blow off in her face. So - guess who else feared pressure cookers? Yes - that would be me. I simply followed the tradition of being afraid of pressure cookers. I had zero experience with one yet refused to use one.

Enter carrot souffle to my life. I love Carrot Souffle. Funny thing is that I HATE cooked carrots. The thought of carrot souffle disgusted me - but I put on my big girl panties one day and tried it. Love at first bite. This year I put it on the menu for Easter Sunday. I made the usual purchase of two bags of baby carrots. I don't' learn lessons well. The last time I cooked the souffle I used the baby carrots. They DO NOT cook well. They take forever and ever to boil. Seriously - four hours to get them tender. I was reminded by my mother that chopped carrots cook much faster. Or use a pressure cooker. *gasp* She suggested the pressure cooker. Moving on. Yes the chopped whole carrots would have been the better idea - but I wanted to save time - I did not want to chop carrots. Finally, on the Saturday night before Easter my carrot souffle was put together and in the fridge. All that would be needed on Easter Sunday was to bake it. Perfect. Except for the frustration I suffered due to the boiling of baby carrots. Fast forward to today. I wanted carrot souffle again. I purchased regular whole carrots. I peeled them and chopped them (or started and Mike finished) No short cuts for me. I suggested to Mike that he get out the pressure cooker that he received for Christmas and cook the carrots. (yes he got a pressure cooker - not me!) He agreed but not before reading the instructions clearly. This was the moment that I learned a valuable lesson. The carrots took TWO minutes to cook. Yes - for those that don't use a pressure cooker. TWO MINUTES not two hours. Not four hours. Two little bitty minutes. I am flooded with thoughts of previous cooking experiences that this little thing called a pressure cooker would have saved me in time and energy. And all self inflicted waste of time and energy. I'm still pondering the craziness of my fear of and refusal to use a pressure cooker.

What other traditions control me? Something to ponder. But I, for one, will be utilizing the pressure cooker from this point on. That is one tradition that is being exploded at this house. I don't choose to pass down senseless traditions - but I'm sure I will.

There is one tradition that I want to pass down. If no other, one matters. Corporate Worship. I hope my children always desire to attend church. To grow and develop a daily relationship with Jesus. The one and only tradition that has eternal significance.

Want to try carrot souffle?

2 lbs. carrots (peeled and chopped)
2 sticks butter
4 eggs
2/3 cup self rising flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Boil carrots with 1/2 tsp salt until tender. A mere two minutes if using pressure cooker! Drain. Add butter to carrots, let melt and then whip. Mix in flour, baking powder and sugar. Stir in cinnamon. Pour into 9x13 casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Love you all.
Diane