Traditional Thanksgiving favorites

What could be more traditional than Thanksgiving dinner? The foods that can be found on Thanksgiving tables across the country are filled with the bounty of the season. The reason for Thanksgiving is to celebrate a good harvest and the foods that we eat reflect items that are local and seasonal.

Turkey is the traditional meat of Thanksgiving. It can be a huge bird if you have a large family or it can be a simple turkey breast for two or three. There are many ways to prepare it. Deep frying has become very popular in the last few years and it makes a delicious and juicy bird.

You can also cook it on a rotisserie or grill it if you want something a little less traditional. The traditional method is in the oven, roasted to a golden brown. If you want to guarantee a juicy flavorful turkey consider brining it before you roast it.  Some families wouldn’t think of eating it any other way.

Dressing or stuffing is also one of the most traditional of Thanksgiving foods. Made from bread, this is the starch that the protein needs. The bread is mixed with liquid and vegetables, chestnuts, fruit or even sausage. Some people prefer to use bread cubes and others use cornbread. Deciding whether to cook it inside the bird or out is a decision every Thanksgiving cook must make.

Making homemade biscuits or rolls is another Thanksgiving tradition. These days it is often easier to use store bought rolls that you just warm up. You can use frozen ones or one that you crack open from the refrigerator case.

In order to have a groaning sideboard, there needs to be a wide selection of side dishes to tempt the appetite of all the guests at the Thanksgiving table. Some of the most traditional vegetables are potatoes, yams, turnips, butternut squash, pearl onions, and green beans. 

These days if your family is more health conscious, you may use less butter and salt but the basic vegetables are the same.

Fill out the meal with salads and of course cranberry sauce or relish. These along with rich, smooth turkey gravy are the traditional foods that many families have feasted on for generations. However, there is nothing saying that you can't start a new tradition with any additions that your family enjoys.

When the table has been cleared, it is time to bring out the desserts. The most traditional dessert for Thanksgiving is pies. Pumpkin, sweet potato, pecan, and apple are the most popular pies. If you are a little less traditional, you can add lemon meringue or chocolate cream.

Pumpkin should be included in at least one of the desserts. It can be a luscious pumpkin cheesecake, a pumpkin flavored pudding or a pumpkin nut cake. Add some pumpkin flavored whipped cream and you have the perfect dessert. Finish with some coffee or tea, some dessert wine or some apple cider and you have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner that should provide memories aplenty and meals for several more days.

The turkey sandwich is the finale of the Thanksgiving celebration. Often it is the last thing that is consumed later on Thanksgiving Day and it is a universal favorite.

Thanksgiving is all about family, great food, and tradition. If you haven’t started your own yet, this might just be the year to do that.

Traditional Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Thanksgiving is the most American of holidays. The first Thanksgiving set the tone for sharing the bounty of the earth with family, neighbors, and friends. In some ways, not much has changed over the years. These days the food may not be home grown but families still take great pride in putting a bountiful spread out on the dining room table on Thanksgiving.

It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without the turkey. A turkey is the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving table. While turkey is delicious and there is nothing quite as delectable as a crispy brown turkey, it would be a pretty sad meal without all the wonderful side dishes.

Every family has its own traditional side dishes to make the Thanksgiving meal complete. The ones that you consider to be the best depends a great deal on your family expectations and also where in the country you live. There are dishes which are more common in some areas of the country than others.

Cranberries in some form are almost always on the table. It may be that you like the cranberry jelly with or without the whole fruit or it may be that you prefer to make a cranberry relish that combines orange with the cranberries. No matter which form your cranberries are served under, they add a fruity tartness to your Thanksgiving meal.

Potatoes are also an almost universal side dish. Potatoes especially mashed or whipped ones are the perfect accompaniment to turkey and gravy. The potatoes beg to be enjoyed with a ladle filled with rich turkey gravy. If you prefer something a little more decadent, potatoes dauphinoise, scalloped or au gratin would all be delicious.

Turkey without gravy would be a sad meal. There are many ways to prepare gravy, some families prefer a more golden gravy while others a darker color. The table would be incomplete without the gravy boat.

Turnip is a perfect side dish at Thanksgiving. Turnip is a root vegetable that is at its best in the fall at just around the time that you will be celebrating Thanksgiving. It is usually served mashed with a knob of butter melted on it.

Creamed pearl onions are a rich and delicious side dish for Thanksgiving. The little onions are cooked separately and then placed in a white sauce with a light dusting of ground pepper.

Sweet potatoes are a traditional side dish as well. They can be simply baked and served half or whole or they can be candied and have pecans and brown sugar added. Candied sweet potatoes can be served mashed in a casserole. 

For many families, it isn’t Thanksgiving without the green bean casserole. These beans are mixed with a creamy soup and onion rings and baked in the oven. You can add a variation with green beans and bacon.

Butternut squash is another of the fall vegetables that are a perfect complement to the turkey and the other sides.

Salad has a place on the Thanksgiving table. It can be a simple green salad, a wedge, or the classic Caesar. The more modern salad with fresh pear, Gorgonzola cheese and walnuts is a perfect side dish to add a lighter touch.

Don’t forget the bread or the rolls for those guests who love to eat their turkey in the form of a sandwich and if the commercial is true you really must have crescent rolls.

The last but not the least important side dish is the dressing. Every family has their own dressing recipes, some like a cornbread stuffing and others like to add things like chestnuts, giblets, potatoes or sausage to the bread. Fruit can also be added as well as nuts, whatever your family enjoys. It can be cooked in the bird or out according to your preference.

Thanksgiving is a day to serve the bounty of the season to the ones you love and all of these side dishes will add to the feeling of a feast. Try to save room for some of the desserts that are waiting on the sideboard, it’s not Thanksgiving without the pumpkin pie and whipped cream.

Gluten free holiday dishes

More and more people are either finding that they are gluten intolerant or are making the choice to follow a gluten-free diet. In order to produce gluten-free holiday dishes, it is important to understand exactly what gluten is and what products are likely to contain gluten. It is usually best to use only products that have not been processed in order to be sure that no gluten has been added.

Gluten is a protein that is found in many grains including wheat and barley. It is also used in many processed foods as a binder, thickener or preservative. That is why it is important to know and understand what names are used to identify gluten and to stick as much as possible with fresh, unprocessed products.

Potatoes are gluten-free. Butter, milk, and sour cream are gluten-free. Garlic and chives are also gluten-free. As you can see, you have the basics for some wonderful mashed potatoes. 

Cheese is also gluten-free, but of course, flour is not, so making scalloped or au gratin potatoes requires that the recipe be tweaked to make it work. Substituting rice flour or corn starch for wheat flour works very well in either of these recipes.

Cooking a roast is a holiday tradition and since most meat is gluten-free, it is not an issue. Just be sure that if you are going to marinate or flavor the roast in any way that the flavoring is gluten-free. Salt and pepper are fine as are freshly ground spices or fresh herbs.

Brussels sprouts are a great dish to serve during the holidays. They roast up deliciously and can be cooked in the oven along with the roast. When they are roasted, the flavor changes from savory to sweet and they show up on many holiday tables. Some of the traditionally used flavoring for Brussels sprouts need to be considered carefully before being used. Bacon is delicious crumbled with Brussels sprouts; however, not all bacon is guaranteed gluten-free. 

You need to check the labeling of any bacon you might be considering. One brand, Boar’s Head, guarantees that it is free of even trace amounts of gluten. Another season often used with Brussels sprouts is balsamic vinegar and while the vinegar itself is made from grapes, the wooden casks may be sealed with wheat glue, which could result in a trace amount of gluten.

Vegetables and fruits are gluten-free in their natural state. It is important to consider very carefully what is being added to the dish to guarantee that it stays that way. The simple addition of butter and salt and pepper will keep things gluten-free, but especially during the holidays, everyone likes to ramp things up a bit.

Lasagna is a traditional dish at many holiday meals. Regular pasta is not gluten-free. There are several manufacturers who are producing gluten-free pasta, but some are much more successful than others. If you have not found a pasta that you like then substituting zucchini or eggplant is an option in lasagna. The veggies should be lightly grilled and need to be sliced thin and then layered with the traditional tomatoes, meat, and cheese that is usually found in lasagna.

To begin the holiday meal there are many appetizers that are gluten-free including shrimp cocktail, cheese, veggies, and homemade dip or hummus, deviled eggs and much more.

For dessert, a crust with crushed nuts, baking soda, salt, and butter allows the possibility of a pie. Any kind that you like is possible just be sure there is no gluten in the filling.

There are almost limitless possibilities for holiday dishes that are gluten-free. Many traditional dishes can be adjusted to make them gluten-free and maybe it is time to try something totally unexpected and different. Just because you are eating gluten-free it doesn’t mean that you will be eating flavor-free.

Accommodating vegetarians on Thanksgiving

With the growing popularity of vegetarianism and veganism, there is hardly a family in the country that doesn’t have at least one person to cater to at Thanksgiving. Unless the entire family is vegetarian, turkey and all the fixings will be served and a few special dishes to make sure that everyone has enough to eat.

If you enjoy the feeling of serving a vegetarian turkey there is Tofurkey. According to their website, they have been producing the loaf which has been a part of many family celebrations since 1995. Theirs is a soy based loaf that can be purchased as an entire meal with gravy and sides, a roast and gravy, just a roast or just the gravy. It has made it much easier for vegetarians and vegans as well to feel comfortable at the Thanksgiving feast while not eating meat.

If you are not in the mood to cook a Tofurkey roast in addition to your turkey, that’s okay, most vegetarians won’t expect it. A good idea is to be sure they have something that they enjoy and fits their dietary requirements. To guarantee this, why not ask them to bring a dish to share with everyone. Most vegetarians will have a bevy of recipes that are perfect to share and will show everyone that in order for food to be delicious; it doesn’t require either meat or dairy. 

When it comes to preparing the traditional Thanksgiving meal, try to make sure that there is more than one dish available for the vegetarian or vegans at your feast. Keep in mind that for vegans it isn’t just about the meat, it can be dairy and eggs. What this means is that you can use a non-dairy spread and soy milk in your mashed potatoes. It is a small change that most likely no one will notice but it can make all the difference to the vegan.

Another alternative to butter is a flavored oil such as sesame or walnut on the green beans. Be aware of the hidden meat products that may be lurking in any of your processed food. If you use marshmallows with your sweet potatoes, that is not vegetarian. Gelatin can also be found in some products and that is meat based. Just read the labels and educate yourself ahead of time.

Try to handle the whole process as casually as possible. It isn’t necessary to let everyone know that you have had to change your recipes because Susie is a vegetarian. Chances are everyone already knows and if you happen to actually cut down on some of the fat while you are adjusting your recipes that will be a welcome change for everyone.

Thanksgiving Dinner For Two

Thanksgiving is a time to gather together with family and friends with tables groaning under the weight of large meals with lots of people gathered around. While this is the image of Thanksgiving, it isn’t always the reality. There are many reasons why it may just be the two of you at Thanksgiving.

You may have been transferred or moved away from where your family lives or you may just not have any family left. Your children may have all moved away or it may just be the two of you by choice. No matter what the reason, just because you are having a Thanksgiving for two doesn’t mean that it should not be just as special.

The first thing to decide is what you want to have for your protein. Not all turkeys are twenty pounds. If the thought of even an eight-pound turkey is more than you can handle, there is always a turkey breast. If it doesn’t need to be turkey then you can choose to go with a roasting chicken or Cornish game hens.

If you want something traditional, you can still have stuffing, you just won't make as much as when you stuff a turkey. So many great recipes are available. You can choose to add sausage, chestnuts, fruit or just about anything that sounds delicious to you.

Take extra care in setting up and decorating your table. Take out your best linens, dishes and silverware. Use your serving dishes and add a festive centerpiece. Just because it is only the two of you, there is no reason to make it any less about being thankful and special.

Vegetables and side dishes lend themselves very well to smaller portions especially if you are using fresh vegetables. You don’t have to peel and mash five pounds of potatoes; you can do two or three large potatoes. Make them extra special by using real butter and a little cream and chives. You can buy just a couple of small turnips, pearl onions, green beans or whatever you love for sides. Consider roasting some root vegetables with some Brussels sprouts for a taste of the season.

When it comes to desserts, having an entire pie may be too much for you. Consider making tarts. You can make the crust yourself with your usual recipe and just make little pies. You can do several in a variety of flavors like pumpkin, apple, sweet potato and pudding pies such as chocolate or banana cream. You might also choose to make or buy a galette; this is smaller and much more appropriately sized for just two people.

Try not to skimp, splurge a little on what you choose for this special day for just the two of you. Sit back and enjoy the good food, the companionship of your partner and the beauty of the season.

Setting up the perfect Thanksgiving buffet

Thanksgiving is a time to gather together to give thanks for the bounty of the harvest and for all the things and people who are important in your life. When gathering together in a larger group, it is not always easy to dine family-style. The entire group may not fit at one table. 

That requires that dishes either be moved between the tables or that you have a lot of serving dishes. One way to get around this is by serving the Thanksgiving meal buffet style.

Once you have decided to go with the buffet-style of dining, you need to decide how you will do this. There are several options. You can set the food up in stations in the kitchen or you can set up several folding tables in another room. 

Only you know what will work best in your home. It is all about flow. You want your guests to be able to grab their plate and form a line and fill up on all the delicious food being offered. You want the line of guests to move smoothly and quickly so that everyone gets back to the table in time to say grace together if that is your family tradition or so that everyone is eating at the same time. If your kitchen has an island and plenty of counter space, it will work well. If it is small with only one way in, try to set up folding tables in another room.

Start by setting the table or tables. Guests can pick up their plate from their spot at the table and then head to the buffet. Some people prefer to pile the dishes and silverware at the buffet but by setting the table first, the silverware and napkin are already in place and don’t have to be carried while trying to place food on the plate. Rolls and butter, as well as salt and pepper, can also be placed on the table.

To make a buffet work well, you need to be able to keep the food warm while everyone is taking their servings. Invest in several hot trays, chafing dishes or a buffet server. These are invaluable when it comes to having a successful buffet meal. It requires some initial expenditure but it will allow you to have a buffet meal anytime you want.

The buffet needs to have a carving station where the star of the show, the turkey is presented. Another big decision you need to make is will the bird be carved to order or do you want to carve ahead of time and serve heaping platters of the slices. Both ways can and will work, it is just a matter of personal preference. The dressing or stuffing and mashed potatoes can come next followed by vegetables and casseroles. End with the salad and the gravy.

How to handle drinks is also something that needs to be thought about ahead of time. If the drink of choice is water for most people, a couple of pitchers can be placed on the table and passed around. If you prefer, you can use ice and place the water in the glasses before everyone goes up to the buffet. A drink pitcher is also helpful so that drinks can be served easily.

Dessert doesn’t need to be on the initial buffet. When everyone has had their fill, the leftovers can be packed away and the desserts and coffee and tea placed on the buffet table. If you have the room, the desserts can have their own table from the beginning. Things such as cream pies and whipped cream will need to remain under refrigeration.

Decorating the buffet table is also an important part of the celebration. You can choose candles, cornucopias, pumpkins, gourds or other seasonal decorations. Just make sure that there is still plenty of room for all the dishes that you want to serve.

Deciding to serve a Thanksgiving buffet is an option that works for many families. If you have never done it, this might just be the year to give it a try.

Cooking butternut squash

There is nothing mysterious about cooking butternut squash. Some of the fall squashes especially can seem a bit overwhelming. There is nothing to be afraid of, butternut is very easy to cook and other than burning, it is hard to do anything that won’t be delicious with it.

Learning to cook butternut squash doesn't take any special skills.

Butternut squash is a large beige skinned winter squash. It has wonderful orange colored flesh and adds a much-needed pop of color to everything it is added to. It can be served alone or in a soup or stew. Because of its amazing sweetness, it is one of the most delicious vegetables in the world and even more important, it is a great source of several vitamins and minerals, including beta-carotene.

Most recipes for butternut squash require that it be peeled. You will need a very sharp knife. Begin by cutting the squash into pieces and removing the seeds and fiber. Carefully peel off the thick yellow skin. Rinse off the squash and cut into inch square pieces.

Place the cubed pieces into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then lower the temperature of the burner to low and simmer until the squash is fork tender. This should take between seven and nine minutes. You can also steam the squash which will get the desired results in between six and eight minutes.

Drain the water out of the pan and place the squash in a mixing bowl. Add a tablespoon of butter and using a potato masher, mash until the squash is smooth. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup or brown sugar and stir. The squash is ready to serve and enjoy.

Another delicious way to cook butternut squash is to cook it in the oven. You can bake it or roast it. This requires that you coat the butternut squash with some olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper and some herbs such as rosemary or thyme. It needs to cook in a 400-degree oven for between 30 and 45 minutes. You want the squash to develop some dark color on several sides so about half way through the cooking time you need to move the pieces around.

You can also bake the butternut squash by just cutting it in half, scooping out the seeds and rinsing the squash. One good way to season it is to place brown sugar or maple syrup and butter into the whole in the squash left by the seeds. This should cook for about forty-five minutes.

Butternut squash is the perfect squash especially in the fall and winter when its gorgeous color matches the lovely fall foliage. It is great to add to soups or stews. just about anything that you cook in the slow cooker or an oven-baked casserole. It is also good as a soup all by itself.