I got into an interesting discussion with several people yesterday about what unique dishes they always have at their Thanksgiving table. My family always had the usual fare of mashed potatoes, gravy, bread stuffing and the seemingly ubiquitous "yam bake" made with sweet potatoes and marshmallows. I remember there also being celery, sweet pickles, dinner rolls and cranberries carved into the shape of a can. There's probably something I'm missing. Perhaps some sort of squash?
My boss mentioned when he was growing up in North Carolina, they always had an oyster casserole (made from layers of crackers and oysters, kinda like a lasagna). Several other people mentioned traditional dishes at their family feasts that I would never have thought to associate with Thanksgiving. But then, as we've started having dinner at our house, the menu has changed. Gone is the yam bake (which I've always despised) and bread stuffing, replaced with cornbread pudding and my wife's addition of a green bean casserole (which apparently now comes in kit form). I'm curious what all of you have at your traditional family gathering. Feel free to post in the comments below.
Thanksgiving is also a time for other traditions, one of which is having football on in the house. If you know me, I don't really follow any pro sports, but there's just something about the sound of it on that reminds me of thanksgiving at home, and folks who used to gather 'round watch it.
Well, I can't sleep, so I'm getting ready to brine my turkey. What's on your plate today?
Kielbasa. Yummity yum.
Since marrying my New Mexican husband, no Thanksgiving dinner is complete without red chile sauce for the mashed potatoes. I get dried red Hatch chiles from New Mexico, soak them till soft, put them in a blender with garlic and some of the soaking water and puree’. Then I make a roux with olive oil and flour, add a cup of stock, some cumin & oregano, then add the puree’ and simmer. Mashed potatoes come alive!
Well, I had been making the deviled eggs, until my sister-in-law had a nasty (and totally unrelated) case of botchulism this summer. This year I made pumpkin-white-chocolate cheesecakes with gingersnap crusts. They’re baby ones. They’re adorable. There are LEFTOVERS. Those coming to dinner will be SERVED the leftovers.
/forgets deviled eggs