Thanksgiving Traditions
Happy first day of October, everyone!
Can you believe Thanksgiving is almost here? This may surprise you, but l must confess that my husband, Michael, and I have a recent Thanksgiving tradition: we NEVER roast turkey. Perhaps this is because we do a roasted chicken almost once a week in fall, or perhaps we cooked too many turkeys as restaurant chefs, but we actually take advantage of the fact that seafood is often on sale (because of low demand) and make a seafood feast.
The best one we had was about 3 years ago. Michael got a full case (15-20 pounds) of giant King Crab legs -- they were so big they flowed over the tray! It was unseasonably warm that day, so we ate our crab feast outside, dipping the crab in a Grand Marnier butter sauce with family and friends. Not a single person said that they wished we had served turkey!
Is the roasted turkey the rule for your family? Do you have to try and recreate your Mom's stuffing each year? Or perhaps it's dessert that needs to be something particular.
Share your Thanksgiving traditions with us below!
Happy prepping,
Anna
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16 comments
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As a vegetarian, Thanksgiving meals have changed a bit since my youth. My mother still makes a mean turkey but we'll also make veggie gravy so I can eat my veggie stuffing! -
this year we were so lucky to have my whole family home for thanksgiving. it was the first time in five years that my children and grandchildren were in the same room together at one time ... My husband and i were so thankful for this. We did a traditional Thanksgiving plus a small surprise which my son in law wanted to do ... He smoked a whole turkey and boy was it delisious. really moist and tender and a treat to eat. I did the wipped potatoes and the turnip with a touch of cinnemen and brown surgar, My daughter did her own rnedition of stuffing in the Roasted Turkey she did and homemade perogies with sour cream. This was to remember Grandma (my husbands mom) she always made the best perogies for Thanksgiving dinner... and of course homemade Pumpkin and apple pies with ice cream for dessert. My other daughter tried fresh cranberries with pinapple and citris cooked on the stove and boy was it deliscious. What a great dinner we had . Everyone must have been hungary cause there was very little left overs yummmmmmmmmmy. And to top the week off before my son and his wife left for Calgary and my eldest daughter and her family left for Ottawa the kids did up a breakfast of pancakes, sausage, ham, bacon, eggs fruit and dips what a wonderful wonderful week of fun, food and laughter we had. Hope it isn't another five years before we all get together again. Love you kids and Thanks for making our Thanksgiving GREAT.xx -
We never had turkey in my house for thanksgiving or Xmas because my father found the meat quality and taste to be inferior to chicken so we had roast chicken instead.
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I roasted a 20 LB. turkey this year with a sausage stuffing complimented with orange and dried cherries. I want to grill turkey breasts next year instead, actually...why wait until then! -
Great article ... the great thing about this is one persons traditions can be a brand new tradition for someone else. Having to go to mothers dinner forever, this year I did my first Thanksgiving, I definitely need to tweek and perfect my dinner ! -
We always had the traditional dinner; turkey,stuffing yams,pumpkin pie, etc. And always my mom's bread stuffing. Lots of stuffing. All the near family came to my mom's till she died
in '08. Now, my daughter does the dinner with as much of the family and close friends and still the same stuffing recipe, lots of it. -
We have 2 thanksgiving dinner. The first is with my side of the family. We have it at my uncles place. Our dinner is with traditional turkey , stuffing, trimmings and some Filipino dishes. I usually bring my family's favourite Coffee Chiffon Cake. Our second thanksgiving dinner is with my inlaws on Thanksgiving Monday. SInce its just my inlaws and my brother in law we just have traditional turkey with trimmings plus ham. -
This Thanksgiving our family plans to have the traditional turkey, the stuffing and mashed potatoes with gravy. I will make a vegan gravy as well as a salad so my husband who is on a heartsmart diet can enjoy thanksgiving too. -
I don't have a traditional picture perfect family but I generally cook a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. The twist is the desserts. I usually try making non traditional Thanksgiving desserts. I never really follow a recipe. I take an idea and build my own master piece. I've made chocolate pumpkin pin wheel cookies, dessert pizza and Carmel cinnamon apple cheesecake;). In my opinion the dessert is the best part of dinner. My husband would argue that the meat, potatoes and gravy is the best part! Happy Thanksgiving Everyone;) -
Wow, what a creative group! I will be keeping it simple and work with my son's health restrictions- roasted turkey breast, rice (for him), sweet potatoes (me), cauliflower with cheese sauce, green beans w/bacon, rolls and a caesar salad. For dessert, because he needs to transport leftovers to his home, a variety of homemade tarts. Butter tarts, lemon and,of course, the individual oreo/philly cheescakes.
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we are combining Thanksgiving with my Dad's 70 birthday celebrations - both are on the 8th. Mom does the turkey with plenty of help from the family and we will enjoy a traditional turkey dinner followed by Dad's favourite bday cake of angel food with boiled icing - Mom's specialty - she's been making it for him for 50 years - they celebrate that great big number in two weeks!
Pies will be part of the weekend just not after Monday's dinner.
Enjoy the time with those you love and spend the time doing the things you love...lisa -
Wow, all of that sounds delicious! You're getting me very excited for the coming feast. My family has had our Thanksgiving based out of many places over the years -- the homes of grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles, and I always bring something -- a pie or sweet potatoes. But last year, for the first time, I made a Thanksgiving dinner! Just for me, my parents and a couple of friends, but it was quite labour intensive! Luckily, everyone who came loved to cook, so I had plenty of help. The turkey alone, though (which did come out juicy and perfect!) felt like quite a feat :) -
Roast turkey is a very welcomed rule in my family. However, I do enjoy changing up on the trimmings so as not to be the same as our traditional Chrismtas dinner. This thanksgiving I've decided to make stuffing balls for the first time as a side dish along with a green bean and tomatoe stir-fry (out of our garden)vegetable medley with toasted sesame seeds. Of course, one can't forget the gravy and the yummy little buns that make wonderful mini turkey sandwiches for lunch the next day! My husband will be cooking the turkey on the bbq rotissiere' this year. As for dessert....I have chosen to make a plain cheese cake with an oatmeal base smiling with sliced cooked apples below the cheese cake mixture. As for the top of the cheesecake, it will be accompanied upon serving with a warm apple crisp topping and hint of cinnamon cream.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!! -
Hi Anna :-) I'm continuing the tradition I began last year and running in the Good Life road race again. It's just Vaughan and I for dinner so I'm doing a small turkey breast butterflied, covered in apple cornbread stuffing, rolled, tied, and injected with herb infused butter - very good!
Happy Thanksgiving! (and I would love to know how to make the Grande Marnier butter sauce!) -
Your seafood tradition sounds pretty awesome, Anna :) . Seafood would make a nice change for those who are tired of turkey and want to switch it up! For myself, my family doesn't particularly celebrate Thanksgiving as a holiday. We remind everyone, throughout the year, to be thankful for all that we have, and encourage to have great meals and exchange gifts as a sign of genuine love for each other. I try to make my family happy, culinary-wise, by taking advantage of local produce, cooking foods they'd like to eat and trying to expand their palates to new cuisines and dishes. For instance, I just tried my hand at a puff pastry apple pie with apples my dad picked from a tree, and it was a hit with my family! :) -
for quite a few years the tradition was to go to the inlaws for Thanksgiving as they live about 9 hrs away and are retired. We stopped doing that due to our own work schedules but this year we were asked if we could go up there again and we agreed. (my children are way older now, both drive, ones graduated hs, and has a serious relationship, so so she can meet the relatives)
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