Thanksgiving Traditions/Foodz!

anythinggold

There was a similar post on SB, but I trust you gals more. What are your favorite Thanksgiving sides? 

I just made this gingered carrot souffle (clicky!) and it would be an amazing Thanksgiving side. BUT my family has had the exact same Thanksgiving meal every year (besides the addition of mac & cheese for my veggie BF), which I wouldn't change because of the story behind it. One year, my mom put either clams or oysters in the stuffing. Everything else was untouched. My grandmommy stood up, proclaimed that she had ruined Thanksgiving, and went "home" (downstairs, since she lived with us). Ever since then, even though she died years ago, we haven't tinkered with it. 

What are your family's Thanksgiving traditions? What do you look forward to most? For the married, engaged & others, how does your BF/FI/H and his family factor in? My BF's sister may come this year and I'm really excited. 

jorja86

My sides are homemade mac and cheese, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, rolls. Dessert is pumpkin pie and pecan pie.

Tradition wise, we always have a "Thanksgiving" dinner at my Grandma on my Mom's side the Sunday before, then Thanksgiving day we have a huge dinner with my Dad's family, which is like 25-30 people. There are always lots of whiskey sours.

This year, my Dad is going to be in Europe with one of my brothers, so I think we're doing dinner with his family some other time. I'm contemplating having my Mom, sister, other brother and BF's family here for Thanksgiving. I have to work that night, so it would be the only way I can see my family that day.

SopChick

I'm cooking today just for myself and BF, so it's pared down a bit from the traditional stuff we're used to. I'm cooking turkey, but it's one of those turkey roasts (no bones, and smaller) rather than a whole turkey. I'm also going to make potatoes, carrots and stuffing. Normally, my family makes these fantastic mashed potatoes with butter, sour cream, and cream cheese in them. Oh man, I could eat only those and be a happy girl. We usually have turnip too, but I forgot to buy one the other day, and now I'm avoiding the grocery store like the plague. I have some local apples, so I think I'm going to make an apple crisp for dessert. BF and I don't love pumpkin pie enough to buy a whole pie for the two of us. I might make some more pumpkin bread/muffins this weekend, but that's more for during the week.

ETA: I thought this looked so disgusting the first time BF's mom made it, but what we do with leftovers is make 'turkey hash'. Quite literally, you mix everything together, warm it up, and enjoy. It looks somewhat like puke, but it's honestly the most delicious comfort food ever.

[Deleted User]

The best side dish my mom has always made, was her "special" cranberry sauce...

literally, all it is, is sugar free Raspberry jello, fresh cranberries, and sprite. You make the jello, but instead of cold water, put sprite, then add in the cranberries while it's chilling (before it hardens)... sooooooo good

lunarsongbird

Let's see...we don't have anything super traditional, other then...

Clam Dip-


And an antipasto plate we have in the afternoon:


And of course we have turkey- but our means of cooking it changes every year.

I'm also partial to this dressing:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/awesome-sausage-apple-and-cranberry-stuffing/detail.aspx

Andrew and I will be "hosting" Thanksgiving dinner for his parents...and any international students I can "adopt" by then. I've found a Nigerian student that might be interested in joining us.

MidniteRae

My SO's family makes traditional Thanksgiving food as well as Italian food. My family is kind of all over the place because we are a picky family. Usually I just end up eating corn and mashed potatoes with brown gravy. When I'm with my SO's family, I eat plain pasta with just sauce and corn and mashed potatoes with brown gravy. Thanksgiving is not a holiday where I pig out. 

alanna91

Anything and Jorja, I've never heard of Mac&Cheese for Thanksgiving! Sounds great though.
My family has the traditional turkey (Tofurky for me of course!), carrots, peas, squash, corn, green beans, bread, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes....you know. We always have pumpkin pie and apple pie, some type of chocolatey pie, ice cream, and banana bread.
I love Thanksgiving so much. I especially love the Tofurky, gravy, and mashed potato sandwiches I make the days after Thanksgiving.