Forum: How Was Your Thanksgiving? Which Of Your Thanksgiving Favorites Did You Serve This Year?

Every week on Monday morning , the Council and our invited guests weigh in at the Watcher's Forum, short takes on a major issue of the day, the culture, or daily living. This week's question:Which Of Your Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes, Food And Drinks Did You Serve This Year?

Laura Rambeau Lee, Right Reason:Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. When my mom passed away in 2011, it felt like there was a giant shift in the cosmos. I took that giant step forward understanding the impact of now being the elder family member. I find it interesting how I have embraced this and have taken the lead in arranging for holiday family events, although I am not the oldest child. It is always difficult to get the entire family together. Most of us have jobs that require us to work on the day after Thanksgiving, so we might not celebrate on the actual day. What we usually do is take turns at whose house we celebrate, and each of us makes a dish so no one has to go crazy and we can all enjoy the day. I don’t remember my family having any special recipes except for a sweet potato casserole that mom made and I make that every year now. A few years ago I found a really easy recipe for roasting a turkey that everyone loves. If anyone is interested, it is called the Michigander turkey. Chicken bouillon, minced onions, parsley flakes and seasoned salt. That’s it! I hope everyone had a very Happy Thanksgiving!

 GrEaT sAtAn"S gIrLfRiEnD : Gruss Gott, i served for 2 different families and didn't get much other than a cold biscuit, a leg from KFC and then got drunk on Lemon Meringue Pie...

The Glittering Eye :
Every year I look forward to Thanksgiving as kids look forward to Christmas. It's probably my favorite holiday of the year and I explained why in my Thanksgiving post for 2004, now ten years old.

I have been cooking Thanksgiving dinner for more years than most of you have been alive. I started when I was fifteen years old and I don't think I've missed a year since then. Some years I've had as many as twenty guests; others as few as one. If you come to my house for Thanksgiving, you are my family. Make no mistake about that.

We have an inviolable custom which I described in my Thanksgiving post for this year:

We followed our usual custom. Before we began to eat, proceeding from youngest to oldest we each said what we were thankful for. I, of course, was most thankful for my dear wife but there were other things for which I’m thankful.

I’m thankful that my new job circumstances have renewed my confidence in my abilities. If you’ve never experience doubt in that, I don’t know that you can appreciate what a difference that has made for me.

I’m also thankful for Tally’s life. I learned so much from her! I miss her dearly but I’m very thankful for her life.

It should go without saying but I’m also thankful for all of you who stop by here to read and even, perhaps, to comment. This blog is an important part of my life and it would be impoverished without the little coterie of commenters here. Thank you.

I've collected most of my usual Thanksgiving recipes in this post. If you've never tried it, I urge you to try the Pumpkin Chiffon Pie. You won't be sorry.

This year I posted a new recipe that I had tried this year for the first time: Folded Rolls. They're probably the best dinner rolls I've ever made.

 JoshuaPundit : Ah, Thanksgiving! My wife and I had a great deal to be thankful for this year, as indeed we always do.

Food? I've always been the turkey chef in our family. This particular year we brined our turkey overnight, seasoned it (I like to rub the spices directly into the bird)  and then  put it into the oven.  Past turkeys have been lubricated with red wine in the cavity,  but this one wasn't.It came out great.

We had one of my faves,  kasha ( whole grain roasted buckwheat) as a side dish. We also had homemade cranberry sauce, stuffing made with a mixture of egg bread, rye bread, celery,onions, homemade broth and a bit of  Merlot for flavor, mushroom n' Merlot turkey gravy, and a nice Zinfandel to go with.

Another thing I always look forward to is the leftovers. Turkey sandwiches are a huge favorite of mine,and in a few days, it'll be time for turkey soup, seasoned with thyme, sage, a touch of coriander, a little pepper and a prayer for peace.


Gerard Vanderleun, American Digest:

Grateful for each hand we hold

Gathered round this table.
From far and near we travel home,
Blessed that we are able.

Grateful for this sheltered place
With light in every window,
Saying welcome, welcome, share this feast
Come in away from sorrow.

Father, mother, daughter, son,
Neighbor, friend and friendless;
All together everyone in the gift of loving-kindness.

Grateful for whats understood,
And all that is forgiven;
We try so hard to be good,
To lead a life worth living.

Father, mother, daughter, son,
Neighbor, friend, and friendless;
All together everyone, let grateful days be endless.

Grateful for each hand we hold
Gathered round this table.


Well, there you have it!

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