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A traditional Thanksgiving menu at my house as a child included all the family’s favorites: “Da turkey”, Nanny’s stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce from a can and peas and carrots from a can. Appetizers? A bowl of whole walnuts to crack, celery sticks filled with pimento cheese, and a bowl of black olives.Dessert was a simple selection of pies: pumpkin, apple and coconut custard. There was no whipped cream or ice cream to top the pies and they all came out of Entenmann’s boxes. We thought it was a feast. It was so special and such an amazing celebration of food and family. This was an enormous amount of food and something we only had on Thanksgiving and Christmas. That’s right, mom made the exact same meal 30 days later for Christmas. By today’s standards, this was a pretty simple holiday. Mom wasn’t a cook but for the holiday’s she made the stuffing and the gravy and dad hovered in the kitchen watching that bird like his life depended on it.
BTW, does anyone know why the turkey went in the oven at 5am and sometimes still wasn’t ready at 5pm? LOL
Thanksgiving Today
Fast forward, and I still serve Nanny’s stuffing every year, as does every member of my very large immediate and extended family. If you marry into this family, you better have that recipe!!! But all the other sides have been updated with so many new and exciting recipes added to the mix. Mom still wants her sliced turkey served over her stuffing with hot gravy poured on top. According to dad, that was the only way to serve it. Her roasted sweet potato is just a plain potato…no marshmallows, no butter. Just the potato. “It is naturally sweet, you don’t need anything on it.” LOL While she’d prefer a slice of canned cranberry, she’ll tough it out with one of my latest cranberry sauce creations although I did make a jellied cranberry and pomegranate sauce that is reminiscent of her favorite version. This made her happy! As the matriarch of the family, and now 91, I try to make her happy!
I have expanded the menu to include dozens of starters that I serve during the endless football games that are always on the TV. While they change every year, there is always a wide selection of cheese and crackers, veggies, dips, hot and cold appetizers. Bowls of nuts are mandatory for my siblings, as are bowls of black olives. The next generation of kids still insist on putting one on each finger before eating them!!!
The dessert buffet looks more like a bakery and is often supplemented with bakery bought cookies and delicious chocolates. The three main pies are always on the table as a nod to our childhood memories but now there is always a big bowl of homemade whipped cream (the pistachio whipped cream is a favorite).
Cocktails flow, and sparkling cider is always served…just like when we were kids. Isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about? Combing the old with the new and enjoying every bite?
These are my favorite savory recipes and the ones you’ll see on my holiday table this year. Yes, a delicious, moist roast turkey is the centerpiece BUT it is the sides that steal the show.
Must Have Thanksgiving Recipes
Roasted Maple Delicata Squash with Pomegranate and Walnuts
Sweet Potato Souffle with Crunchy Streusel Topping
Fluffy Popovers with Cinnamon Honey Butter and Herb Butter
New Fun Thanksgiving Desserts
Here are some of the newest editions to our dessert buffet. Try one or more at your next holiday feast, or check out other options on my dessert page. I love to change it up every year and add new options. Guests will bring the traditional pumpkin and apple pies, and I will add in some new recipes to keep it fun. Here are some of my more recent additions. Enjoy.
Coconut Custard Pie
(no boxed pie here!!!)
Healthier Cherry-Cranberry Cheesecake with Pistachio Crust
I hope you enjoy these family memories and recipes. The holidays expand and change every year with the addition of new family members. People marry, and introduce their family recipes to the mix. Kids enter the picture and I have to introduce kid-friendly recipes to keep them happy. I’ve found the best way to make everyone happy is to have a little bit of everything for everyone. If you liked this post and these recipes, please leave a comment and rating below. Did you try any of the recipes? I’d love to hear from you. Happy Thanksgiving.
Meet Diane
Hi! I’m Diane. I started this site as a passion project. I love to cook, entertain, travel and laugh. (Who doesn’t love a good laugh?) Of course, being from New York, sarcasm rules!
More About Diane
mycuratedtastes@gmail.com
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