Let's have a virtual Thanksgiving Celebration

[ElaineM]

Let's have a virtual Thanksgiving celebration. For those not living in the U. S. A. Thanksgiving is a time of celebration on the fourth Thursday in November to celebrate our blessings, the people in our lives, good food, a successful harvest and other things that make us thankful.
Everyone is welcome at our celebration. It doesn't matter where you live in the world. If you are not living in the U. S.A. there may be a celebration like Thanksgiving in your country. Please come and participate. The celebration is "pot luck" which means that everyone brings something to the table to share with the others.
Please post your favorite Thanksgiving food recipe. If you prefer to post a Thanksgiving poem, saying, memory, or tradition instead of food that is fine.
Let's come together as a community and celebrate. Happy Thanksgiving to all !!

[ElaineM]

I will start. One of my traditions is to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on T. V. on Thanksgiving morning. I think it has been a tradition in my family for 80 years, because my aunt told me that my grandfather used to take her, my father and my uncle to see the parade in New York City when she was a little girl. There is plenty of entertainment in addition to the parade itself, so there is something for everyone to enjoy. Here is the link to parade information.
http://social.macys.com/parade2009/
Being a vegetarian I don't eat turkey, but there are plenty of other fall foods that I enjoy on Thanksgiving including cranberries, sweet potatoes, various fall vegetables, squash and pumpkin pie.
I am very thankful for all of my blessings.

[vlcarr]

My favorite food for Thanksgiving is dressing--I'm Southern through and through so it's never been stuffing to me. And, it has to be made with cornbread. I have chemo coming up this Wednesday so not sure how I will feel on Thanksgiving this year but my daughter is cooking on Wednesday and will bring me leftovers on Thursday.

When my daughter was growing up it was always a tradition to start putting up the Xmas decorations on Thanksgiving night.

I am thankful for all the friends I've me on the board this year and wish everyone a peaceful and abundant Thanksgiving with family & friends.

[Joe]

Ughhh ,
You can't fnd chestnuts anywhere in SoCal.
My softspot has always been pumpkin pies, I can't eat enough o them

Regards
Joe

[ElaineM]

Please pass the cornbread. I love that too.

[karen z]

Stuffing and pumpkin pie- I don't need much else.
kz

[Patty F]

Vicky....my parents are from the south and we have always had cornbread dressing. I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!

[Bill]

I love the turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce (both kinds) gravy, and the pumpkin pie. I don't like parades for some reason, and I don't like that damn dog show, either, but I always find myself glued to the tube when it's on. Maybe I'm just trying to keep some control of the TV for when my Cowboys come on. Yeah, that's right! "How 'bout them Cowboys?" I've been elected the family gravy cooker because I always put so much effort into it. The secret- treat the gravy as if it were the meal. If you don't have pieces of fresh mushroom (white and portabello, a little onion, maybe) and slivers and chunks of turkey, along with the giblets floating around in the gravy, you've done it all wrong. It should take you 2 hours to make the gravy. I'm thankful for all of my good friends here on this site and my family and the fact that God made me the best gravy-maker on the planet. (Hey Joe! PM me your address and I'll send you a box of chestnuts. They got 'em everywhere up here)

[karen z]

Bill,
Maybe you could post your gravy recipe for those of us that are somewhat challenged in the kitchen. Cranberry sauce but no string beans?

[Bill]

Ok, Karen, here's what I do. Start with a packet or two of McCormicks mushroom gravy mix. Instead of using water, use a cup or so of your turkey drippings. Bring this to a simmering boil while you throw some diced white and portabello mushrooms into it. Dice up the giblets from the turkey and throw half of that into the gravy pot. The other half you cook up with the dressing/stuffing. As your turkey nears completion, pull some meat from it and dice/strand some of it into the gravy. Stir frequently as you simmer. Once in awhile, throw in some sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. As you cook the gravy (meat-juice from the Gods) monitor the consistency. Your goal is to provide a stew-like dish to pour over your mashed potatoes and turkey. Anything less, and you have failed, both as a cook and a human being. If the gravy becomes too thin, add some whole wheat flour when nobody's looking, if too thick, add some more drippings or a splash of red wine from your glass, again, when nobody's looking. You can sneak a little diced onion or garlic into the mix early on if you want to, but make sure you dice it small and do it in secret and in small doses. Your best compliment during this whole process will be when Uncle Rob walks in and says, "What? are you making stew?"

[karen z]

Bill,
Thanks- this sounds truly wonderful (and I like all of the sneaking in of the food and wine). I will have to work my way up to this, however. I know I can't handle this by tomorrow!

[Colleens_Husband]

Every year I make a different kind of turkey and stuffing. I have made a Polynesian, Greek, Arabian, Southwestern, Jamaican, French, and a Turkish turkey. This year I am making a red-neck turkey in the hopes that this will finally get me out of making the turkey every year.

The stuffing is going to made of corn bread, mushrooms, bacon, hominy, and beer. Not the good beer that comes in green bottles, mind you, but cheap beer from a can.

I'm not going to use the oven either. I'm going to cook it with hairspray and a Bic lighter. This might be the best turkey ever. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[PinkGirl]

Hey Lee etc.
So how much of that was true? All of it, none of it, some of it????
Be careful anyway ... that sounds dangerous.

Now this is true: in the town I live in, but I won't tell you where because
of the restraining order issue, a person can only purchase two cans of
hair spray per day ... really ... there's a limit on how much you can buy ...
there are some bad things you can do with hairspray ...

[freyja]

I've gone mostly vegetarian, too, but I'd do just about anything for some of Bill's gravy right now!!
I'm making yam brownies today and I made plenty for everyone.
Happy Thanksgiving!

[Colleens_Husband]

Pink Girl:

Most of my post is true. I did make a red neck turkey and it was super good. I didn't put hominy in the stuffing because I think Colleen hid the can when she heard my mother hates hominy. I did intend to put the hominy in.

I didn't try the hairspray and the Bic lighter to cook the turkey because it was pouring down rain in Oregon today and I was afraid my grandchildren would resemble octopi if I tried the hairspray indoors.

Always glad to clear up any misunderstandings,

Lee

[PinkGirl]

Thanks Lee etc.

I don't believe a word of it.