With Thanksgiving quickly approaching I thought I would discuss thanksgiving traditions for Memory Monday today.
Thanksgiving has always been a favorite holiday of mine. What's not to like? The food, the family, the food, the vacation from work and school, the food, the fact that you can stuff yourself silly and nobody cares, and did I mention the food? I love the smells of thanksgiving cooking in the oven. Just thinking about all that food is making my mouth water.
One thing I have found interesting about thanksgiving as I have gotten older is the Thanksgiving food traditions. Every family has its own set of regulars and it is just not Thanksgiving without them.
On our table was always the traditional turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing and yams. Oh, and don't forget cranberry sauce, the jellied kind, not the whole berry kind. Also adorning our table, if we were at Grandma C's house, was my grandma's famous (or infamous if you ask me) sage dressing or stuffing. I am pretty sure to make this you take normal stuffing, leave it on the counter for a couple of days until it dries out and then blend it in a blender until it has turned into bread crumbs. I was always afraid that if I sneezed it would blow across the table.
There were other dishes that made it Thanksgiving. For instance, tomato aspic. This is lemon jello made with tomato juice. Sounds yummy doesn't it? Actually, this one I liked. It was served with grapefruit, a dab of miracle whip salad dressing, and a special french dressing to top it off. If you want to get really fancy you can serve it on a lettuce leaf.
Another family must have was Pineapple sherbet. There was always a little bowl of pineapple sherbet sitting above your plate on the table. This, I was told, was to aide in digestion so you could eat more. This never made sense to me, but what kid is going to argue with getting dessert before dinner was even over. Oh, that reminds me, dessert. By the raise of hands, who actually likes mince meat pie? This is another mystery to me. Why? Why is it called mince meat? What actually is mince meat? Why do people eat this and like it? If you know the answer to any of these questions feel free to fill me in. I apologize if you actually like mince meat pie. Feel free to make fun of my tomato aspic.
So what are your family thanksgiving traditions? They can be food or otherwise.
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12 people have something to say:
I have never had mince meat in a pie or otherwise. Nor have I had (thank heavens) tomato aspic. But I do have a list of must haves at MY Thanksgiving: MY rolls, my grandma's pecan pie, devilled eggs, cranberry sauce with the fancy can ridge design, and all that good stuff.
Here's something odd - I like to eat a bit of raw stuffing before it gets put in the bird.
One of my favorite Thanksgivings was in Hood River, OR. It had snowed, and we all went on a walk around the neighborhood after the big meal. We found a home that had real turkeys strutting around in the yard. Was it a turkey rescue home? I don't know!
Don't you just love THanksgiving? It's one of my favorites.
My family's random traditional dish is creamed cabbage--it's basically cooked cabbage in a cream sauce with bread crumbs on the top. I don't think anyone really loves it, but we all take a spoon or two, and we keep making it because my great grandma loved it. Tradition!
And the tomato aspic? I've gotta be honest. It sounds kinda nasty.
We spend the whole morning baking with music in the background. Typical foods (never had MMP). But the real stuff is afterwards- we play board games all day/night long. Plus we kick in Christmas that day- pull out the boxes, and get music & movies in place.
What is in a mince meat pie? The aspic sounds muy interesante.
I love the smells of all of the food cooking. I love the big dinner, but seem to eat all day so never can eat much during the actual dinner.
One year shortly after Randy and I got married, we went to my crazy Grandma McB's for Thanksgiving and we opened a bottle of Martinelli's apple cider. As we were pouring everyone a glass, grandma said, "What kind of booze are you drinking?" We all were like, "What? Grandma, this is apple cider!" (We are Mormons of course) She didn't believe us and wouldn't even taste it.
Oh my goodness! That tomato aspic sounds really gross! Sorry! :O
Hmm...let's see. At my house my mom would make these fabulous crescent rolls. I've tried for almost a decade now to make them like hers, but she just has the special touch. She also made at least 3 types of pie including apple, lemon meringue and of course pumpkin. We had all the traditional food except we never ever had the cranberry sauce until I was an adult.
We spent Thanksgiving Day playing games and visiting as a family. The next morning, my mom and us 4 girls would brave the stores at 5:00 a.m. for holiday shopping madness. It wasn't nearly as crazy when I was a kid as it is now. I don't even go anymore because it's so busy.
Fun memories! :)
Wendy: too funny about the turkey rescue home! lol
becca: your cabbage sounds, um, interesting. I guess I can't mock though with our aspic and all. :)
melnhead: yes, games afterwards. I love that.
mary: LOL! Your grandma sounds funny.
suzanne: I love love homemade rolls and pies, except mince meat of course. I tend to stay as far away as possible from the holiday shopping crowds. Scaarrry!
Sorry, that tomato aspic sounds so yucky. I'll trust you that it's good.
Our food traditions: HOMEMADE cranberry sauce (it's easy, you just follow the recipe on the bag of cranberries), the traditional stuff, rolls, potatoes, dressing, etc. Dessert depends on whatever yummy recipe I have found. This year it's a pecan butternut squash pie. Sounds yummy. I'll let you know how it turns out.
I have no idea what is in mince meat pie either. I don't think there is actual meat in it though, I asked my mom. The name turns me off though. Bleh!
Now pumpkin pie is the bestest ever! And I only like the recipe my mother makes (oh, and Costco, they seem to have my mom's recipe too!) One year I had a piece of pumpkin pie but it was not my mom's, it was my grandmothers, and it was not good. I had to politely finish it before I could have the good stuff! Now I always ask who made the pie before taking a piece. Sorry Grandma, I love you!!! :)
This year I am making an apple pie to take to our feast. I made an apple pie my freshman year in Foods class. It was awesome! It was called Paper Bag Apple Pie. I think my mom still has the recipe, I'll have to snag it when I am 'home' this week. Anyway, yes, it is actually baked inside a paper bag in the oven (no, I don't know why). But yummy it is!
why waste calories on something gross like mincemeat when there are so many yummy foods.
what time should I be there for dinner?? oh... I guess you live too far. I think I'll have to celebrate in Canada too now that I'm craving turkey.
Oh, I forgot. I know what mincemeat pie is! My MIL absolutely loves it and has one every year at Thanksgiving. It was a tradition in her family to eat it. It originated in England and used to have beef in it. Most people don't put meat in it now. It has apples, cherries, raisins or other fruit mixed with lots of spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
I've tried it before, but it's very rich. I'll just stick with blueberry or lemon! :)
MMM! so many yummy ideas.
Our thanksgiving table is pretty traditional too.
Turkey, potatoes in all their varities, jell-o pies and everyone's favoriter southern style sweet potatoes which is sooo good it gets mentioned twice!
Mince meat, why? I'm Mexican, so I'd of course have no clue to this.
I love your pineapple sherbet idea. I shall give it a try.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday in the whole world. I moved to the US 12 years ago, so I've celebrated it only 11 times, and I have loved it every single time. WE do the traditional turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing (which I did not like about the first 3 years, but now I can't wait to have it), veggies, pies and apple cider.
Day after Thanksgiving we decorate for Christmas, which is also fun.
:)
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