A quick shoutout on Facebook and some of my other friends and family revealed that while many people do the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, not everyone has somewhere to go or something to do. Some, like myself, will just stay at home and do dinner as usual. Others will have Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday night, to be followed by pizza on Thanksgiving Thursday. Hey, pizza is the new vegetable after all according to our government.
Some combine the traditional, but find new ways to make it: turn turkey into paninis and potatoes into grilled potato cakes, for example. Chicken seems to be the most popular turkey substitution. For dessert, anything goes from jello cake to doughnuts and cookies.
The most eclectic dinner I prepared was in 2009 because my youngest does not like any of the traditional stuff. It turned out to be our last Thanksgiving together, so I indulged her. The menu had chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, cranberry sauce, and brownies.
The best thing was the cranberry sauce because I made it myself with fresh cranberries, cooked in organic apple juice with a splash of organic apple cider vinegar, sweetened with real maple sugar, and agar agar flakes to thicken it. Healthy and delicious!
Before that, we went mostly traditional but have had sides like sauerkraut and desserts like different cakes, pecan pie, and mincemeat pie. One year we also had Cornish game hen instead of the turkey.
Oh, and if you are wondering about the picture, that is apple crisp, another dessert I like to make. No turkeys here.
4 comments:
we have been trying to NOT go with the conventional meals at holidays.
we are having ham tomorrow. last Christmas we had ham and lamb (fun to say together). Turkey is not our favorite. So I am all for unconventional holiday meals. sometimes they are more memorable.
have a great day tomorrow.
Although we had our Canadian Thanksgiving a few weeks ago, we sure would like to participate in your Thanksgiving, Alex! Turkey,ham, cranberries, veggies, sweet potatoes, salads and pickles of all kinds, hot fresh bread and pumpkin pie are all big hits. Traditional? Whatever we happen to have! Regardless what's on the menu, giving thanks is always in our hearts. Have a great one! ~R
This year, I am going to do a turkey breast because Momma loves turkey, but I am making 5-meat rice dressing, sweet potato souffle, spinach Madeline, mincemeat pie, cheesecake, cranberry salad. The last one is one of my favorite, and I could eat it every Tuesday for a year.
Hope you have a terrific Thanksgiving!
Red.
PS You made the list: http://mommasmoneymatters.wordpress.com/2011/11/23/secret-blogger-award/
We do usually stick to Turkey for Thanksgiving, but Christmas dinner is the one we're all over the place with. Sometimes turkey, sometimes Chinese, sometimes a rib roast, sometimes pizza. The main thing with any big holiday is to make something you can indulge in and feel happy about.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse
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