Friday, November 9, 2012

My Perfect Thanksgiving Menu

Since I've disallowed all travel for Thanksgiving (not enough time, too expensive, too many crowds, too much traffic), I'm excited to spend it at home (well, my in-laws' home). While Chuck's mom and I were divvying up the dishes, it made me think about my perfect Thanksgiving dinner. I see no need to have some food just because it's tradition. I want to fill my stomach with only those foods I actually like to eat. So here's what would be on my menu:

1. No to meat. I don't really care for turkey and see no need to spend the money, time, calories, and oven space on it.

2. No to stuffing. Can't stand it.

3. No to regular mashed potatoes. They just don't do it for me.

4. Yes to my mother-in-law's cranberry dish. At this moment, I can't recall what goes in it (cranberries, sugar, and...?) but it's good. Really good. Bonus: it can be made in advance.

5. Yes to my mother-in-law's orange rolls. I could probably eat a good half dozen of these, if not for pie. Oh, let's be honest, even with pie I will probably eat six.

6. Yes to my mom's sweet potatoes. I don't like the marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes, but this one has an excellent streusel topping. Trust me.

7. Because any excuse for this raspberry-pretzel "salad" is welcome, let's add this too.

8. Yes to pie. And because it makes both me and my husband happy, apple pie. Sure having more pies for variety is nice, but I don't need them. Besides, apple pie makes a great breakfast the next day.

Am I missing anything? What's on your Thanksgiving dream menu?
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12 comments:

  1. starNovember 9, 2012 at 8:22 AM

    We did a meatless Thanksgiving last year and it was amazing! No turkey, no traditional mashed potatoes, no pumpkin pie (we had pumpkin cheese cake instead) and it was fabulous.

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  2. nathaliaNovember 9, 2012 at 9:09 AM

    Yum! I like the turkey but only with gravy (because it's the only time of the year I would bother to make it), but would replace mashed potatoes with mashed turnips or mashed sweet potatoes or funeral potatoes. Marc LOVES pumpkin pie. I just like sides. Sides of sweet potatoes... that raspberry pretzel 'salad' (yum!), green beans, carrots... yum, yum! I'm an apple pie fan myself!

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  3. EmilyNovember 9, 2012 at 9:25 AM

    I've always hated pumpkin pie. I don't know what it is- I love basically anything other pumpkin dessert, just not the pie! I sure do love apple thought :)

    Some traditional foods that I only recent began to enjoy are the green bean casserole and the sweet potatoes. I NEVER touched these dishes until about 3 years ago and now I'm a fan! Looks like tastes do change with age!

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  4. ToddNovember 9, 2012 at 9:55 AM

    But the turkey is probably the healthiest thing on that menu...

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    1. erinmaliaNovember 9, 2012 at 12:30 PM

      Wow, Todd. I'm impressed! (Not that you'd know that about turkey, but rather you'd actually think about having a healthy dinner.) Did you do a healthy Thanksgiving growing up? Do you and D do one now? "Healthy" and "Thanksgiving" are not words I usually use in the same sentence.

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    2. ToddNovember 9, 2012 at 3:02 PM

      Heaven knows I don't always eat healthy. I live by the "it's not what you eat between Christmas and New Year that matters, it's what you eat between New Year and Christmas" mantra for holidays, but cutting out the only protein of the meal? Not my style. Plus, eating the protein WITH all those refined carbs will help them be digested slower thereby slowing down your rise in blood sugar.

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    3. erinmaliaNovember 9, 2012 at 6:13 PM

      Two things doc: (1) Of course you're right! And (2) Can we just agree that it's a great thing I don't eat like this (or even close) every day? I promise that I get protein every day. Cross my heart. :) And if I have to add protein to my dream Thanksgiving, I'd rather have ham.

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  5. AmberNovember 9, 2012 at 10:27 AM

    I'm not a huge turkey person either, but how can you not like stuffing? That is the only reason I like Thanksgiving! (ok not really.)
    I was assigned sweet potatoes this year so thanks for the recipe, I will be using it!

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  6. emilyNovember 9, 2012 at 11:31 AM

    i'd do marie's rolls, turkey (just to have leftover turkey sandwiches on rolls the next day), that pretzel salad is so good, and maybe the sweet potatoes. as for pie, pumpkin is okay, but not my favorite. i'm not sure what i'd do for dessert. maybe some yummy pumpkin dessert that wasn't pie.

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  7. CaitNovember 11, 2012 at 8:52 PM

    Have to have turkey for leftover turkey cranberry sandwiches. No to pumpkin pie because I hate it. We make some dang good rolls though, and I am intrigued by said orange rolls... maybe we should exchange recipes?

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    Replies
    1. erinmaliaNovember 11, 2012 at 9:22 PM

      If only it were as easy as a recipe! My MIL just throws in a bit of this and some of that and then it's the stickiest dough in the world. I refuse to touch it. I do not, obviously, refuse to eat the rolls. :) I'd love to see your regular roll recipe!

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