008: Family Traditions: Deviled Eggs, Lost Boys and A Minty Fresh Sasquatch Hooker?

This week, we’re diving into the heart of what makes holidays, family and friendships special: traditions! Whether it’s a laugh-until-you-cry game night, the highly competitive battle for deviled eggs, or welcoming "Lost Boys" to our table for a less traditional Christmas, we’re talking all about the moments that bring us together. Foodies at heart, many of our favorite traditions revolve around the kitchen—from Cajun-style deviled eggs to hash brown casseroles, and even a Santa-themed Pinterest fail that still haunts Mecca to this day.

Here’s a taste of what we’re serving up in this episode:

 

10,000-Foot View of this Episode:

• Deviled Eggs, Hidden Treasure Edition: The year Cole almost cried over a disappearing platter of deviled eggs and how our Mom experiments with various flavors like Cajun and Elote corn. She accidentally sparked a tradition we can't live without.
• Lost Boys Christmas: Callie talks about feeling called to open up their home to people without a special place to go for the holidays and how that has become a tradition she cherishes and credits her parents for inspiring.
• Telestrations and a Minty Fresh Sasquatch Hooker: How an illustrated, Telephone-like game went hilariously off the rails and left us in tears from laughter.
• Silly String Birthdays: Cole’s childhood birthdays were a colorful ambush of love, laughter and a sneaky family tradition of surprise.
• Food and Fellowship: From fish fries to hash brown casseroles and everything in between, we’re celebrating how food fuels our family traditions and keeps us connected through shared meals and memories.
• The Tradition Twist: Why traditions don’t have to be big and grand or tied to a holiday. Weekly dinners, happy hours, movie nights or even something quirky like Silly String ambushes can create meaningful memories and unique connections.

Plus, Callie shares about her intentions to build a journey-inspired ornament tree, and Cole drops some wisdom on how traditions can happen anywhere, with anyone you consider family.

 

• Weird Thought Food Corner: We take a bite out of some strange food experiments—Matthew McConaughey’s viral tuna salad, Santa Claus deviled eggs (yes, really), and that one time Mecca tried to pass off Portobello burgers as beef patties (spoiler: it didn’t go over well).
• Good News Story of the Week: Watching how a simple kiss changes the lives of shelter dogs in the sweetest way possible.

 

 

Memorable Quotes:

• "Feeding people is my love language." — Callie
• "Family traditions don’t have to be big or tied to a holiday. It’s about the time you spend together." — Cole
• "It’s not about a clean house; it’s about fellowship." — Mecca

 

Resources Mentioned (some links contain affiliate links):

• The Game of Things
• Telestrations or Telestrations: After Dark!
• Keto Cajun Deviled Eggs Recipe Video on Instagram
• Kissing Shelter Dog Video

 

RECIPES Mentioned:

• "Night Before" Breakfast Casserole (Makes 9 large or 12 small servings)
  • 1/2 stick margarine, melted
  • 1 loaf French bread (or any other bread of choice)
  • 1 1b. cooked sausage, ham or chicken, crumbled or diced
  • 2 cups shredded cheese (1 white and 1 yellow, any combination)
  • 5 eggs, well-beaten
  • 2 cups half & half cream
  • 1 teaspoon dried mustard

Instructions:

• The Night Before: In a 9x13" Pyrex baking dish, melt margarine in oven.
• Tear or cut bread (or bread blends, wheat/French/white) into cubes and coat in melted margarine, leaving in bottom of pan.
• Sprinkle with cooked meat, then cheese.
• Mix egg, half & half, and mustard, and pour over cheese.
• Pat with fingers until mixture in pan is completely wet.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• The Next Day: Uncover and bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes.

 

• Callie's Quinoa Salad (Makes 4 large or 6 smaller servings)
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 2 cups water or vegetable broth
  • 2 cups butternut squash cubed
  • 2 cups Brussels sprouts halved
  • 1 large apple diced
  • ⅓ cup dried cranberries
  • ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds or chopped pecans
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Cider Vinaigrette

• 1 cup apple cider
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Cook quinoa:
  • Rinse quinoa thoroughly.
  • In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and water/broth.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until water is absorbed.
  • Fluff with a fork and let cool.
• Roast vegetables:
  • Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
  • Toss cubed butternut squash and halved Brussels sprouts with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper.
  • Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and lightly browned.
  • Let cool.
• Make dressing:
  • In a small bowl, whisk together apple cider, apple cider vinegar, shallot, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper.
• Assemble salad:
  • In a large bowl, combine cooled quinoa, roasted vegetables, diced apple, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds (or pecans), chopped sage, and thyme leaves.
  • Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve:
  • Can be served immediately or chilled for an hour or so to let flavors meld.

 

Call to Action:

Grab a snack (maybe some deviled eggs!) and join us as we celebrate the goofy, heartfelt and delicious traditions that make our lives special. Don’t forget to share your favorite traditions with us on social media!