Our Shared Love Language: Food, Glorious Food

It’s that time of year when bookmarked, dog-eared recipes, missions to the grocery store and serving dishes become conversation starters. We delight in hearing stories of great-grandma’s pie crust. We scour the aisles for ingredients like mincemeat, plums, purees or black walnuts. We lovingly polish silver pieces and laugh about the signature bowl that finds its way to every holiday table. For six weeks, food is our love language, and we are its natural-born speakers.

At this time, we pause to thank you for your interest, your loyalty and your meaningful contributions to IUCX’s mission and success. We appreciate every opportunity for engagement and value-driven connections with you. Thank you for a great 2024 and Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Hanukah, Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanzaa! We can’t wait to see you in Phoenix!

IUCX speaks this love language too. You’ve likely noticed every live IUCX event is bookended with food and beverages. Breakfasts start the conversation, breaks keep the chatter going, lunch continues the repartee, and receptions find us still wanting to talk. In honor of our mutual love language, here’s a recipe that stands the test of time, has easy-to-find ingredients and serves 10-12. Now, hush and pass the gravy… enjoy!

Here are some reasons why food can be a love language* that aligns with IUCX values: Building connection: Sharing meals can help build trust and connection.  Expressing emotions: Food can be a way to express emotions that words or actions can't.  Showing care: Food is a nurturing gift that keeps us alive and healthy.  Nostalgia: Food can be nostalgic and bring us back to moments of comfort and solace.  Communication: Working together on a recipe can force people to communicate.  Accomplishment: Completing a meal together can create a sense of accomplishment and purpose. *Source: Google GenAI

Sausage Cornbread Stuffing 1-16 oz pork sausage (sage or regular) roll 2 cups celery, chopped 2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced 1 cup onion, finely chopped 4 cups cornbread (toasted and chopped) ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning 1 cup chicken broth 1 egg, slightly beaten ½ cup pecans, chopped (optional) Preheat oven to 325° F. Cook sausage, celery, mushrooms and onion in a large skillet 8-10 minutes or until sausage is thoroughly cooked. Drain. Transfer to large bowl. Add cornbread, parsley and seasoning. Stir. Add broth, egg and mix until blended. Stir in pecans. Spoon into lightly greased 2-quart casserole dish. Dot with pats of butter (about ¼ cup). Cover and bake 45 minutes, uncovering for the last 10.  Cook’s tips: Toast cornbread by spreading it on a cookie sheet and baking at 400° for 10 minutes. This stuffing microwaves well and makes an excellent breakfast.