Thanksgiving Food

The Main Event: Turkey/Vegi-loaf/Other?

I’m not big on turkey. If someone else makes it, I’ll eat it. But only twice a year: Easter and Thanksgiving. Okay, maybe a third time: Morning-After-Thanksgiving-Turkey-Gravy (which is also the only time I eat gravy).

Thanksgiving with my in-laws means a vegetarian ‘turkey’ loaf. Which most of the gathering prefer to turkey. Unfortunately, it’s somewhat expensive and not something I can find at any of the stores where I shop, so picking up that tradition when it's just the two of us won't be practical.

If I’m ever responsible for my own Thanksgiving dinner, I’ve got a few recipes bookmarked (this was before Pinterest) for the occasion. Most of them feature rubs, marinades, or curry. I haven’t tried any of them yet, but if I’m ever supposed to cook a turkey, it’s not going to be anything like my grandmother’s turkey.

The Sides: Green Bean Casserole, Spicy Applesauce Jello, Spinach Dip, Cheddar-Garlic Mashed Potatoes

My husband loves green bean casserole. Well, more than anything I think he likes the onion bits on top. It’s completely traditional here, it’s on the list no matter where we go, and we’ll most likely be keeping it. Unless we can find something else that fulfils his desire for the crispy onion bits without the cream of whatever soup – I should add that to my list of recipes to look for.

The applesauce Jello is something my mom made for us, and it’s become one of my top two it-isn’t-Thanksgiving-without-this dishes. 1 bag cinnamon imperial candy (red hots) melted in hot applesauce, mixed in with a red Jello. Makes me hungry for it just writing that out. This tradition is staying with us.

Mashed potatoes are a winner with my husband just about any time, but I rarely think to make them. Something about our potatoes tending to grow before I think about them. Anyway, the first time I made mashed potatoes for him, I randomly threw in sharp cheddar, a little Ranch powder, and some garlic powder. He couldn’t stop talking about how these potatoes were just like the ones his grandmother used to make for Thanksgiving. Bonus? They don’t require gravy.

One thing about having sooo many people gathered together for Thanksgiving? Breakfast starts at 4 when the first person gets up to do chores, ends at 10 when the last person is forced out of bed, and then cooking for lunch starts. Which means lunch (our Thanksgiving Dinner time) might not start until two. Which is where spinach dip comes in handy. Someone always brings a double batch, or more, and some bread (French or sourdough). Somehow, these end up on the table from the moment breakfast is cleared until well after dinner, and anyone who is beginning to long for lunch can swing through the kitchen and grab some – assuming they can get through the mob of people who never left the kitchen! It’s only the recipe on the back of the Knorr soup mix, but it’s special to me. It’s also something I would only make if we’re having a lot of people over. I can’t be trusted with that stuff in the house, and I should not eat even a single batch by myself.

In talking about what else means Thanksgiving, we both remember sweet potato or yam casserole (the orangey dish with marshmallows on top). But for both of us liking sweet potatoes, neither one of us like that. There’s no point in making a dish we won’t eat just so we can feel nostalgic, but I would like to have some kind of replacement for it. Sweet potato chips (crisps) probably aren’t the best answer…

Desserts

I can’t tell you how shocked I was on my first Thanksgiving with my then boyfriend’s family when we were sent to Village Inn to pick up the seven pies they ordered for Thanksgiving dinner. I was so accustomed to eating with ten great-aunts who each show up with a homemade pie or two that it had never occurred to me that not everyone had that option. Even in later years when someone on that side does make a pie or two, there’s always at least a French Silk and a pumpkin from Village Inn.

Even with two pie crust making experiences under my belt, and one whole pie baking experience, I’m not sure where we’ll fall. I am a big fan of pumpkin pie, and apple pie, and imagining Thanksgiving without either seems wrong. But do I want to make two pies? Debatable. I’d probably rather make a berry cobbler, pumpkin ice cream, or three ingredient pumpkin spice cookies.

Other: The Morning After

When you’re having a huge sleepover for Thanksgiving, breakfast the next day is equally important. And leftovers usually play a huge part in that – at least in my family. Biscuits, turkey gravy, and whatever leftovers you can find are usually the sum of things. Oh, and coffee, for those who do that. As someone who doesn’t care for turkey, or gravy, this isn’t quite something I’d want to continue, but I like the idea of finding ways to use the leftovers in a ‘new’ way right away.

What foods say Thanksgiving at your holiday gatherings? Any ideas for things I can try instead of green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, or turkey?