Relative Race has become tradition at our house. When I learned at RootsTech 2019 that the season 5 premiere was going to conflict with our own family’s 10-day journey to Italy, I had to think about it…lol :-) You probably guessed that, hands down, the plans for our Italian journey won. Nothing compares to meeting new found family or returning to see family members that have been recently discovered.

In contrast to the premiere, the Relative Race finale will air TONIGHT at 9pm ET/7pm MT on this rainy evening and our family will gather here at home. This year my son requested that the theme for dinner reflect our heritage—Zuppa Tuscano. The recipe is found at the end of this post.

Season 5 was filled with so many choice moments. From Team Red’s (Maria and Elizabeth) gratitude tour on a quest to find their biological parents to Team Blue’s (Chonta and Demetrius) desire to meet and greet Demetrius’s biological father, a box of tissues was required in large supply at times when viewing these episodes. A good cry, especially happy tears, is good for the soul. 

“Ultimately it’s all about family.” —Dan J. Debenham, host of Relative Race

Tonight Team Red and Team Blue face off in western challenges to compete for the $50,000 prize. Team Red is competitive and athletic. They came in first a number of times during the past 9 Relative Race days. Team Blue are former Marines. To say they are competitive would be an understatement. They too have come in first a couple of times. Both teams have received mystery boxes whose worth will be revealed at the end of the competition. I think the winner will come down to who had the best night’s sleep the day before the finale. Every team I have ever interviewed mentioned the demand of the 10-day schedule. [Although this season travel to the teams’ first destinations were given 2 days. Team Black had over a 17-hour allotted time to reach Davie, Florida. Exhausting!]  

Relative Race is fun and engaging. It changes lives on and off the screen. I was recently among a group of parents. When Relative Race was mentioned, I was not surprised by the show’s popularity. One set of parents shared the joy Relative Race brings into their son’s life. One Sunday night the family was visiting grandparents and returned too late to watch the show when it aired live on BYUtv. This son has autism. If you understand autism, you understand the importance of routine. Because BYUtv makes the show readily available online once it airs, the family watched the show and the boy didn’t have to miss a thing!  

Michael and Austen, Team Red, were the winners of the $50,000 prize on Season 4 of Relative Race.

Relative Race is about families and friends watching families find and connect with one another. There is something magical and meaningful about the shared experiences of Relative Race. I hope that you’ll take time to watch the season finale with your family tonight at 9pm ET/7pm MT on BYUtv or at byutv.org. If you’re reading this at a later time, no problem. BYUtv.org has you covered. You may watch all episodes from seasons 2-5 on demand. Relative Race is a great show to binge-watch on a rainy day or if you need an afternoon break from the heat of the day or any time you have a reason to chill. 

While in Italy, our family took the time to watch the Relative Race premiere, but not live TV at 2 a.m. With a cousin that asked to take a selfie, I have a feeling that he too may have seen the show. Maybe it’s time for Relative Race to go global. It’s a thought.

As summer approaches, if you’re planning such a journey, take the advice of Michael of Team Red from Season 4. He told me at RootsTech to make sure that I “pack my patience.” I did. Fortunately, I didn’t need it—at least this time around.

P.S. Here’s our recipe just in case you, too, are experiencing colder than normal and/or wet, cloudy days.) :

Zuppa Toscano

1/2 lb. Italian sausage (hot or sweet)

4 cups chicken broth

2 large potatoes washed and diced

3 cloves or 1 tsp. minced garlic

1 bunch of scallions, chopped

1-2 cups kale, chopped

1 cup of half & half or milk of any percent or just leave it out (that’s Italian!)

salt and pepper to taste

a sprinkle of red chili flakes (if you like it spicy)

1. Fry the sausage until brown and drain off excess grease.
2. Add chicken broth and potatoes and bring to a boil.
3. Add garlic and scallions, boil until potatoes are soft (about 10 minutes).
4. Add kale and boil for 5 more minutes.
5. Add half & half, or milk, on low for another few minutes (or skip this step).
6. Salt and pepper to taste.
7. Add red chili flakes, if you like it spicy.

Makes about 6 cups of soup. One cup is approximately 280 calories.

© 2019 Lynn Broderick, a.k.a., the Single Leaf. All Rights Reserved.