3LFPOD Episode 77: Connection, Comfort, and Cool Whip

Hello Friends,

As the leaves turn and the calendar slides into that “holiday season” shift, we find ourselves thinking a lot about connection—the kind of connection that happens when we slow down, sit at a table, remember someone, laugh, cry, share a bite, and maybe even pull out a classic movie.

This week the Three Lil Fishes are diving head-first into that: the rituals we keep, the ones we let go, and the ones we might rekindle. So let’s pull up a chair together.

Memories on a Plate

Nancy’s husband Tim’s grandmother—Gigi—used to bring the apple strudel every Thanksgiving for years.. Not just any strudel, but her strudel that she got from her mom and on and on who knows how many generations. The kind of recipe that smells like home, wrapped in flaky pastry, warm apples, cinnamon, and love. We let the tradition lapse over the last decade or so, but after she passed several years ago we decided to start baking it again. Gigi’s strudel is more than dessert; it’s a means of honoring someone no longer with us, memories from a different time and place—and keeping her spirit at the table.

And that leads me to the dish you might either love or poke fun at: Ambrosia Salad. Yes, the one with fruit cocktail and marshmallows and maybe a dollop of Cool Whip (or whatever the modern swap is). It’s bright, it’s sweet, it’s nostalgic. It says: we’re here, we’re together, even when some seats are empty. “What’s for dinner?” might just be Ambrosia for dessert.

We talk about the absent ones too. The ones who used to pull up a chair, carve the turkey, carve us up with jokes, leave giant footprints on our hearts. We talk about how their absence changes the scene—but doesn’t end the story. The strudel, the salad, the laughter—they keep them alive.

The Great Sister Craft-Off: Thanksgiving Edition

The sisters decided to channel their inner Martha Stewart and embark on a DIY craft adventure for thanksgiving. The goal? Create something that would make us feel connected even though we couldn’t be together. Spoiler alert: we ended up feeling connected in the way only family can—through shared trauma and questionable crafting skills!

Crafting Chaos

Armed with construction paper, sticky googly eyes, and a hot glue gun (a tool more dangerous than a toddler with a sugar high), we got to work. - **Turkey Name Placeholders**: Although Lynne's still waiting on her "feathers" to be delivered these turned out OK! - **The Ribbon-Covered Pumpkin**: Lynne had the brilliant idea of covering a pumpkin in fancy ribbon. It was supposed to be a centerpiece but ended up looking like a pumpkin that had been through a mid-life crisis. We’re still not sure if it’s a craft or a cry for help. - **Burn Scars**: And let’s not forget the hot glue gun battle scars. Who knew crafting could be so dangerous? Next time, we might just stick to finger painting!

Who Did It Best? You decide.

What’s for Dinner: Corn Chowder

Of course, every week we share a recipe. This time it’s Nancy digging deep into her fall soup arsenal and pulling out an old favorite: Corn Chowder. The first time she made it she wasn’t sure she even LIKED corn chowder, but it’s delicious and so versatile. Make it dairy-free, make it full dairy, vegetarian or vegan OR add some bacon and go the other way. Nancy makes it non-dairy for her lactose intolerant hubby. If you need the fully-leaded version substitle the fake stuff for milk and heavy cream. INGREDIENTS Servings: 8 2 Cup servings 4 Cups Chicken Broth

1 1/2 Cups Plain, unsweetened Almond Milk 1 cup Cashew Cream 4 Cups corn kernels (Freshly cut from the cob, or frozen depending on your commitment level) 4 Slices of bacon chopped (sub for 4 oz butter if you're doing vegetarian)

1 large onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 lb potatoes, (3 medium Yukons, peeled and diced)

1 tbsp kosher salt

Black pepper to taste

cheyenne pepper to taste

1 avocado, halved and sliced for garnish. Place your favorite stock pot or soup pan over medium-high heat. Cook bacon, stirring occassionally until browned, remove bacon bits and set aside. Add onion, celery and carrot and cook uncovered, stirring occassionally until onion is soft 6-7 minutes.

-Add sliced potatoes, corn salt, black & cayenne pepper. Pour broth, milk and cream into the pot and bring to just boiling. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until potatoes are tender (12-15 minutes). Use an immersion blender to get the soup to your desired consistency. Alterntatively, working in two batches, transfer half of the chowder to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to pot. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with avocado slices and bacon pieces.

Fishes Out...

Because connection doesn’t just fall from the sky. It often falls from the table. From the recipes we keep. From the movies we pop in. From the seat of the chair we leave empty in honor of someone who used to fill it. From asking “What’s for dinner?” and meaning more than just the food.In this season, we get to make meaning. We get to choose which traditions to carry forward, which to pause, which to shape into something new. We get to bring out Gigi’s strudel, debate Ambrosia Salad’s comeback, maybe click on the Wizard of Oz, while also catching a glimpse of Bryan Adams on stage and a murder mystery unraveling on screen. All of this: flavors, stories, visuals, memories--connection.

Set aside the part of you that thinks you have to do it “perfectly.” Because it you don’t have to be perfect. You just have to feel present.

Until we meet around the virtual table again—