Growing up, my mom always let us pick a favorite dish for dinner on the First Day of School and our Birthdays. Even though these two holidays usually fell within a month of one another (School, sometime in August and my birthday in September), I always chose the same dish year after year. My mother's shrimp creole was simply the best!
Ritual first day of school bus-stop photo. I can't recall what grade this was, but I vividly remember that dress! We bought it at the Gap and my sister wore the matching seafoam green version. I think our headbands matched as well. I can almost guarantee that white, canvas Keds shoes were on my feet that day.
A few months ago, I came across a shrimp creole recipe on Skinny Taste. I made it this summer and it was absolutely delicious, and the best part was it tasted just like mom's. Just as I remembered, I served it over white rice (might as well go for the calories) and Matt and I both enjoyed the low-country twist on this Cajun favorite.
Without even thinking, I ended up making this exact same dish on Monday, August 15, the first day of school where we live. I can't believe it didn't come to me when I was meal planning for the week, but at some point when cooking, it hit me. Enjoying my childhood favorite on the first day of school took me back. I miss the days of buying college-ruled notebooks and white, canvas Keds shoes, receiving the pink postcard with my teacher's name, and the anticipation of the first day of school. The shrimp creole took me back to my childhood where days were long and filled with laughter and ease.
Of course, my glass of wine (not routine during my childhood shrimp creole meals) quickly brought me back to reality, where the days are quick and often not easy. However, I'm thankful for childhood memories and hope I can one day create the same traditions for our future children as my parents did for me. Wouldn't it be wonderful to fix shrimp creole in August for years and years to come?
Did you have a First Day of School tradition or meal?
Just by looking at your picture, I think we totally would have been friends in grade school. I was a Keds girl too!
ReplyDeleteLove this picture. I want to do fun stuff like this with my babies when they are older. What great memories!
ReplyDeleteCan you believe I have never had shrimp creole? I am adding it to Mike's list! ha!