Growing up, we always had Sunday dinner at Nana & Grampa’s house. Nana would slow cook a roast, mashed potatoes, vegetables and dessert. She’d also cook up some Yorkshire Pudding for us to drench in gravy. I continued the same tradition with my family minus the gravy and Yorkshire pudding but the past few years have been busy and Sunday dinner fell by the wayside.

I always cooked our holiday and Sunday dinners but my husband made the gravy. I tried to make it once. I was impatient, it was lumpy, my husband took over and has been gravy-maker since. He never made it the way Nana did, she didn’t need bouillon, packages or enhancers; her gravy always tasted the best.

I spent this past weekend alone with the boys and decided to reintroduce formal Sunday dinner. I slow cooked a roast, mashed potatoes, glazed baby carrots, made yorkshire pudding and apple crisp. I decided it was time I tried to make gravy again. It was fantastic! No artificial flavors were needed and it was the best gravy I’d had in years – as good as Nana’s.

Today I’m thankful for the family traditions my grandparents began that led to the formal candlelit dinner and engaging discussion with my boys.

I’m thankful because what I thought was a lost art, I found again. All it took was a little hard work with patience, and the rest, as they say, is gravy.

If you’d like to participate in 30 Days of Thanks – head on over to www.30daysofthanks.com for the details. Take a moment to read what others are grateful for in their lives.