Just for fun: What does and does not belong at a Thanksgiving feast

[Anonymous]

I am usually for anything but not Mashed potatoes. They add nothing to the meal and have no taste.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am usually for anything but not Mashed potatoes. They add nothing to the meal and have no taste.

I agree for T day. Sweet potatoes are far superior.

That said, Potatos au gratin is acceptable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t feed green bean casserole to my dog. Nor corn casserole.

Agree, but corn pudding gets a pass.

[Anonymous]

We bake some, sweet potatoes (yams?) for Thanksgiving. A little butter, salt and cayenne pepper (paprika for those who like it milder.) I'm not sure we do this. I guess the seasonal color and we like the flavor.
I've tried sweet potato casseroles with marshmallows. I like them, but it tastes like a desert to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NO:

Any food meant to be savory that is sweet. (looking at you corn casserole and sweet potatoes. Blech)

Corn and sweet potatoes are sweet by nature! They're not "meant" to be savory or they...would be.

This! Both have a ton of natural sweetness. Nobody is making a sweet asparagus casserole ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does not belong: grocery store pies. Canned yams. Canned green beans. Canned anything, especially gravy.

What does belong: anything made from scratch.

Yes, I know. I'm a food snob. But you asked.

Whole Foods has a really good pecan pie. Better than my own, for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am usually for anything but not Mashed potatoes. They add nothing to the meal and have no taste.

You aren't making mashed potatoes properly if they have no taste. My potatoes are so good many don't even put gravy on top.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does not belong: grocery store pies. Canned yams. Canned green beans. Canned anything, especially gravy.

What does belong: anything made from scratch.

Yes, I know. I'm a food snob. But you asked.

Whole Foods has a really good pecan pie. Better than my own, for sure.

I made a homemade pumpkin pie from scratch -- roasting an actual pie pumpkin, and also bought a $6 Costco pumpkin pie. Everyone agreed Costco's pie was better. Mine was too "earthy" and real.

So no more time wasted on pies at my house.

[Anonymous]

For years, it was an annual tradition for my parents to argue about mashed potatoes. Finally, my dad had enough and decided to replace the mashed potatoes with his homemade greasy delicious potato kugel. It's been part of the feast ever since...

[Anonymous]

Must have:
Turkey
Mashed potatoes
Sweet potatoes, any style
Green beans (steamed, not casserole)
Gravy
Stuffing/dressing (I cook it outside, but would take it either way)
Cranberry sauce
PIE, pie, and more pie. We make 4 pies for 5 people.
Homemade whipped cream and good vanilla ice cream for aforementioned pie.

No:
Oysters in stuffing. I don't get it.

Take it or leave it:
Rolls
Roasted brussel sprouts - I love them, but since we have a small group and always have green beans, we usually leave the sprouts for later in the weekend. I don't really miss them on Thanksgiving.
Ham. ILs always had a ham to go with the turkey, it's fine for a big crowd, but not necessary IMHO.
Mac and cheese. Same as ham.

[Anonymous]

Mac n cheese (there's already stuffing and mashed potatoes on the table!) and no chocolate desserts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know this may irritate some, but soda and beer do not belong at the thanksgiving dinner table.

Water- still or sparkling, in a glass, or wine.

Cocktails before dinner, coffee with dessert.

Beer is fine in the other room while watching the football game. But at dinner, I’d prefer not to see your Busch Light can on the table. I won’t say anything of course, but it silently bothers me.

The beer/soda cans/bottles do not belong on the table. If you are having a formal dinner then pour them in a glass.

[Anonymous]

This whole thread is making me very glad I will never have to go to a Thanksgiving hosted by you stuffy losers. You're all exactly like my parents, so obsessed with appearances you take everything enjoyable out of the holiday. And they wonder why I'm always "too busy" to travel to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread is making me very glad I will never have to go to a Thanksgiving hosted by you stuffy losers. You're all exactly like my parents, so obsessed with appearances you take everything enjoyable out of the holiday. And they wonder why I'm always "too busy" to travel to them.

Was it the beer question that broke the camel's back?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My normal Thanksgiving is:

Turkey
Stuffing (yes sausage, obviously)
Mashed potatoes
Cranberry sauce (both canned and homemade)
Green bean casserole (all components homemade: fried shallots, and a mushroom cream sauce in lieu of soup)
Rolls

Also pies, you need a variety of pies. We usually do three types, even if we've only got like five people.

Some years we've done
Corn pudding
Sweet potatoes
Turnips

My only real hard no is salad and soup, I think they work badly with the rest of the meal and its weird for Thanksgiving to have courses (apart from maybe some deviled eggs and nuts put out while the food cooks). That said, I think the biggest rule of Thanksgiving is that any thing anyone brings goes on the table. If you bring a salad, I'll put it out happily, I just don't want any.

Am I the only person who actually likes having some kind of green salad, to balance out all the heavy stuff?