Each year most of us celebrate Thanksgiving, however it can hold slightly different traditions from region to region and even from home to home. I'd bet that people in Wisconsin have some unique traditions that I might not have heard of here in Virginia. We have the Turkey with gravy, stuffing, mashed potato's, canned corn, string bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, Dinner rolls/butter, Iced Tea/Water or any other preferred beverage, and fresh apple salad. Deserts are what arrive through the front door and range from cakes to fruit/cream pies to varied flavors of ice cream. Before the dinner we snack on various munchies and beer/mixed drinks/wine. Cheeses are a great favorite from cheddar to Swiss and an assortment of crackers, it's a wonder that we still bring appetites to the main table, but we always do. My brother and his wife host 12 to 14 every year and I heartily salute them for doing it. Afterwards we groan about having ate too much as everyone pitches in to clean up. It is always a special family oriented day where all of the family news is discussed along with the goings on in the rest of the world. There are always disagreements over something, but it is always agreed to disagree and all is well. The next day the women go shopping as the men put up the Christmas decorations (including the tree).
What are your Thanksgiving traditions? Do you fry your Turkey outdoors or maybe smoke your bird? Please share your traditions here and possibly start a new one in a far away state like Virginia or Texas or maybe Oregon.
A Happy Holiday To All !
If your not the lead dog, then the scenery never changes.
Turkey Day is second only to Halloween as my favorite holiday. My mom hosts some of relatives at our family home every year. We do not do anything overly special for it, mom just cooks all the staples (turkey, mash, sweet potatoes, gravy, stuffing, maybe a few other things) does an excellent job every year, we stuff our faces and watch some football.
Now that I think about it, kind of remarkable how little goes into it while still feeling so special. I have a lot of family nearby and it's just fun when we get to spend time together on any occasion, great food just makes it that much more enjoyable. But this thread is motivating me to think about maybe doing a few fun activities this time around.
Happy holidays to you and yours, OP.
“Most other nations don't allow a terrorist to be their leader.”
“... Yet so many allow their leaders to be terrorists.”—Magneto
Not so different here. Pretty much all the same type of dishes. Desserts are always a pumpkin pie or 2 and then usually something else that my wife comes up with.
We've done about everything you can think of with a turkey. Roasted, smoked, fried, brined. We typically get together with my wife's family and its a large group. So usually 2 birds, a fried and a roasted, and a small ham for those that refuse to eat turkey.
I don't get together with my family much anymore. Parents were the people to host and they moved farther away. Tough to get everyone together or try to 2 families in 1 day thing. I miss my mom's stuffing. My wife's family does not know how to make it right, or they use stove-top. I'll eat it, but I don't love it, and that was my favorite part of the meal (other than the pie). 1 thing I wish we did that I know they do in the south in mac n' cheese for T-day. Might have to just make it myself. Otherwise its watch some football, get a little loopy and just enjoy people's company. Good news is now we get together close to home! We used to have to drive an hour plus.
As for day after, we used to do the shopping thing, but not anymore. A couple of my inlaws still do. My wife manages a retail shop so she always has to work. We typically get a real tree around then too. But our last 2 cat additions have halted our tree practices. Need to find a way to get our young cat boys to not attack and eat everything.
If I may just address a few points. First, stuffing (store bought) is not that expensive. Try making your own stuffing at home and if/when you get it just right, then let it be known that your bringing the stuffing this year. Yea Baby !
Cats are not my area, I'm a dog person, but there are people that know and can advise you in this area. Contact someone or maybe look for an online teaching video.
You mentioned delicious deserts, why not try making/bringing a Cake this year. You pick the flavor, Chocolate, Cherry, Vanilla, and so many more to choose from. If necessary, borrow needed things like cake pans and a covered means to transport said cake. Friends are usually pleased to come to ones aid when there is a great need. Good luck.
Holiday Greetings !
If your not the lead dog, then the scenery never changes.
Wait a minute...are ya'll saying you don't have your Christmas decorations up right now? Today?
Shoot, my wife couldn't wait until Nov 1 to roll around so that I could take down all my inconvenient "Halloween crap" to make space for her Christmas extravaganza. Our interior was decked out with trees, figurines, and garland by the end of that next weekend. I'm in charge of the outdoor stuff so that'll wait until Thanksgiving weekend, thank god.
There's a plantation right down the road from me here in Virginia that claims itself the site of the first Thanksgiving. No idea if it's true or not but kinda neat to think it may have all started right here in my relatively close geographical backyard.
I'm a stuffing guy myself, but since I'm far from mom and family back in Wisconsin, I've become responsible for my own brand. I do the store bought StoveTop but will add bits of celery, carrot, and various spices and stuff it right up Tom's backside for the bake. Turns out pretty damn good for box stuffing.
Have done deep fried, baked, and smoked turkey in recent past. My favorite is still the baked although I did a deep fried with a southern cajun spice crust a few years ago that turned out excellent. With the price of peanut oil sky rocketing, though, I think we'll stick with baked again this year.
Would love to see some recipes for Mac n Cheese, stuffing, or any other traditional side that people think is above and beyond good. Always open to try new things.
It happens that we are both in VA. I'm in Henrico County just north of Richmond. I can guess where you are, but I shall not say here. Though I live in the Richmond-Metro area, I grew up with extended-family in rural N.C., so country living still holds a special place for me. My Uncle farmed and I was always close with my cousins. Country cooking, even in Chesapeake where I grew up, was always the fare in our home. Gravy became an art rather than something just thrown together quickly, potato's never came from a box, and our own garden grown canned vegetables lasted through every winter.
Thanksgiving = Turkey, and Christmas = A whole Country Ham that somehow always disappeared too fast. Great recipes were devised for holiday leftovers, one of my favorites was my Aunts Turkey Salad Casserole, usually served for Sunday dinner following Thanksgiving. Wow was it ever just the best !
Decorations, inside and/or out, to me are a matter of personal choice. If one were to choose to have Christmas all through the year(and some do), it's not my place to judge. Some folks make Thanksgiving a dress up holiday where dresses, coats and ties are worn. I can see where that would have a place. Then some folks don't dress at all and wear old t-shirts and pajama bottoms. I feel that holidays deserve better, so I say men should be clean/groomed wearing nice cloths, but not requiring simi-formal attire. Women as well should dress for the holiday too. For me nicely dressed folks elevate the day to where it stands out form our normal every day fare.
Holiday Greetings !
If your not the lead dog, then the scenery never changes.
I miss my mom's stuffing. My wife's family does not know how to make it right, or they use stove-top. I'll eat it, but I don't love it, and that was my favorite part of the meal (other than the pie).
Paco, a store bought stuffing is ok, but it is just the starting point. Your personal taste come into play next. Many add chopped onions, chopped celery, and some like to heat it up with jalapenos or chili peppers (caution: you need to remember who will be eating your stuffing and consider them too). There are many on-line recipes to select from as well. The choices are yours to make, but don't wait until the last moment to be prepared. Best of luck !
Holiday Greetings !
9
If your not the lead dog, then the scenery never changes.
Does anyone have any memorable holiday stories to tell?
One holiday the family's all gathered at my sister-in-laws brothers house for Thanksgiving festivities. Everything was prepared including the beautifully set table, the holiday decorations, music filled the house as the football games were on every TV. A wonderful buffet was assembled in the room adjoining the dining room. All were seated for our traditional Thanksgiving prayer and following that, the feast. Next, the serving line formed and plates began to fill. It was then that someone asked if there was any bread. Our host, as suprised as the rest of us, rushed off to the kitchen to fetch the specially baked loaves of sourdough bread. He returned empty handed with a very sad look on his face. He explained that unbeknownst to him, his large dog Henry had eaten all of the bread. Regular white bread was substituted and the day continued on.
If your not the lead dog, then the scenery never changes.
You can do stuffing in the crock pot. Real bread cubes, celery, onion, chicken broth, an egg, pepper, melted butter, parsley, sage, marjoram, thyme, garlic powder. Grease the crock pot with butter. Low for 2.5 hours.
Poor guy didn't even make it to Thanksgiving to celebrate a great win with us!
Palmy - "Very few have the ability to truly excel regardless of system. For many the system is the difference between being just a guy or an NFL starter. Fact is, everyone is talented at this level."
Poor guy didn't even make it to Thanksgiving to celebrate a great win with us!
He's only an hour or so from me. Right around JustJeff's old stomping grounds.
I regret never linking up with JJ. Would have liked that. The Wolfman? Not so much. I suspect he may have called the police on me for parking on his street.
But this thread is motivating me to think about maybe doing a few fun activities this time around.
