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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No to any kind of jello based salad. I don’t care if it’s tradition in your family. I don’t want it, not even a bite.

If you've never tried jello pretzel salad, you haven't lived.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

I love the Thanksgiving slaw that floats around these boards. We doctor it up with fresh apple slices and pomegranate seeds for extra crunch.

[Anonymous]

In what parts of the country do people have creamed onions for Thanksgiving? I'm from Virginia, and have never heard of anyone eating this at Thanksgiving, or at anytime, for that matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does belong:

Turkey
Sausage stuffing
Mashed potatoes
Gravy
Homemade cranberry sauce
Green beans in some form
Wine
Pumpkin pie

Does not belong:
Seafood
Things that masquerade as mashed potatoes but are not
Beets -- I don't like food that bleeds

What, mashed cauliflower doesn't taste like the real deal?

Cauliflower
Turnips
Parsnips

Never been so disappointed as when we asked someone to bring the mashed potatoes and they brought mashed turnips.

I love mashed turnips, or any root vegetable other than white potatoes! And a parsnip/carrot puree is a perfect Thanksgiving side. But yes, if asked to bring mashed potatoes I would do as asked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

I like a salad, too. So many of the hot foods have a similar texture so I like something fresh. Could be simple like arugula with a simple vinaigrette or something seasonal such as pomegranate, roasted squash, or sweet potato.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does belong:

Turkey
Sausage stuffing
Mashed potatoes
Gravy
Homemade cranberry sauce
Green beans in some form
Wine
Pumpkin pie

Does not belong:
Seafood
Things that masquerade as mashed potatoes but are not
Beets -- I don't like food that bleeds

Actually if we were being historically accurate, seafood would be on the table. It's what was available in coastal Massachusetts. I went to a high end hotel in New England for Thanksgiving buffet one year and it included a big platter of lobster tails. I had that rather than the turkey that year.

[Anonymous]

Sauerkraut at Thanksgiving is an old Baltimore tradition. It’s always on the table. Only one relatives loves it. A few adults will take a forkful. As kids, we used to harass each other with strands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In what parts of the country do people have creamed onions for Thanksgiving? I'm from Virginia, and have never heard of anyone eating this at Thanksgiving, or at anytime, for that matter.

Good question. I always assumed it was from New England, part and parcel with the oyster stuffing. But then someone said their grandma from Georgia made them and now I have no idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Again, just for fun. If you can't play, don't bother posting. I'll start:

Yes, must:
Turkey
Mashed potatoes
Gravy
Dressing
Cranberry sauce made from actual cranberries
Green bean casserole
Corn casserole
Some type of simple green vegetable, like steamed asparagus

Heck no:
Creamed onions
Rutabegas
Sweet potatoes of any sort
Canned cranberry sauce (I said it)
Stuffing stuffed inside a bird (gross and never done properly; if both are cooked to a safe temperature, the turkey is ALWAYS dry)
Sausage in stuffing: NO

Take it or leave it:
Rolls

You are out of your mind. What should NEVER be at thanksgiving is that damn bland ass pumpkin nonsense. #sweetpotatopie4life

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does belong:

Turkey
Sausage stuffing
Mashed potatoes
Gravy
Homemade cranberry sauce
Green beans in some form
Wine
Pumpkin pie

Does not belong:
Seafood
Things that masquerade as mashed potatoes but are not
Beets -- I don't like food that bleeds

Actually if we were being historically accurate, seafood would be on the table. It's what was available in coastal Massachusetts. I went to a high end hotel in New England for Thanksgiving buffet one year and it included a big platter of lobster tails. I had that rather than the turkey that year.

My New Englander SIL always brings a seafood dish and it is yummy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

I like a salad, too. So many of the hot foods have a similar texture so I like something fresh. Could be simple like arugula with a simple vinaigrette or something seasonal such as pomegranate, roasted squash, or sweet potato.

Me, three! It's such a great balance to the heavy, hot food. I love that, of course, but a nice crisp salad is a must for us!

[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.

I see you totally ignored the “just for fun” tone on this thread. The whole point is of course none of this is serious or “must,” but many people do have traditions and preferences, and I think that’s interesting. You are the one who sounds “stuffy” in that you can’t either just have fun participating or…walk on by. You don’t have to contribute to every thread. -OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes:

Homemade cranberry sauce
Champagne
Stuffing (no sausage or cornbread)
Mashed potatoes
A simple green vegetable
Pumpkin pie
Dessert that is not pie

No:

Turkey
Gravy
Sweet potato casserole
Green bean casserole
Broccoli casserole
Corn pudding
Mac and cheese

Take it or leave it:

Salad
Some form of more savory sweet potatoes
Roasted vegetables

I always wish we could do non-traditional takeout instead (we are all vegetarian and like the side dishes but they’re not our typical foods), but the kids insist on real Thanksgiving food.

With you all the way., PP. Before kids we always had Thanksgiving alone or with friends and the menu was not traditional -- usually seafood as the main, multiple kinds of stuffing, roasted seasoned potatoes, simple green beans, and a lot of desserts including brownies.

I feel like the traditional foods are all subpar in their categories: turkey is the worst poultry, casserole is the worst way to serve vegetables, sweet potatoes are a disappointment, and pumpkin is a weird thing to make into pie. Ditch em.

[Anonymous]

Rutabegas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Yeah. Add another 2 sticks of butter.