Give me a nice roast pheasant and "real" wild rice (not the cultivated kind grown in CA) any old day over even the best turkey and dressing. Throw in a few sautéed mushrooms with the wild rice, too. It takes less than 2 hours to fix and has far more flavor.
When I still did Thanksgiving dinner, I did the usual side dishes - sweet potato casserole (no marshmallows on top!), cranberry sauce, and slivered Brussels sprouts. Add some Sister Schubert rolls and a pumpkin pie for dessert (I still think the recipe on the Libby's canned pumpkin is best), and it's a delicious meal that takes far less time to prepare.
Best holiday ever. Everyone is included. The food is up to you. Come as you are, eat too much, enjoy the people you're with.
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My memories of Thanksgiving (and other holidays) were with what my mom’s family called “Mahoney China” (I believe that was a reference to family friends while growing up. Paper plates.
No China, no centerpieces, just attempts to avoid breakage. Guess my family was different.
When it comes to thanksgiving my family are strictly traditional. It has to be Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, mashed potatoes, squash, green beans(not casserole), homemade pumpkin and apple pies.
I changed the menu one year and everyone protested. I never did it again. Some traditions die hard.
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@Jean Our family has had the same menu as yours for over 50 years. It tastes wonderful every Thanksgiving!
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I notice nobody is giving thanks for the American freedoms we enjoy -- speech and property and safety, which most of these people enjoy in excess of others -- for the time at least, until the identity politics enforcers get around to suppressing their right to express themselves too.
I notice nobody expresses thanks for the soldiers and police who keep us, our loved ones, and our property safe at great personal risk and sacrifice, many of whom will be separated from their families this Thanksgiving doing just that.
I notice none of the immigrants and refugees thank the American taxpayers (not politicians -- the taxpayers) who have so generously provided them safety and opportunity.
I notice all but a few fail to thank God, though some loudly preen about their imagined commitments to empty, shallow virtue signaling.
I notice the Times does not include a single American-born, middle or blue collar family with children working hard and often struggling to make ends meet, though they comprise the largest portion of our nation by far.
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@Tina Trent Wake up -- we are all immigrants.
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@Tina Trent Really?
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What makes the struggle of an “American born” family greater or more important than anyone else’s? This isn’t the most meaningful article in today’s paper, but demeaning the people in it because they don’t fit a single vision of the country misses the point of Thanksgiving—to be thankful for what you have and for those around you. We’re all immigrants.
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If you don't want to hand dye textiles using Oaxacan cochineal, store bought is fine.
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@Lara I know, right! Making a turkey is ‘a whole lot of hullabaloo,’ but dyeing the fabric for your napkins is totally sensible?
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Like everything Amurican it's too much and not enough. Not enough time... Friday should be a holiday as well... and no Black Friday.. turn off capitalism for at least two days.. the stock market survives boxing day... No early start to Black Friday...
Too much emphasis on striking tables and copious food?? .. give me a break already... how much conspicuous consumption must we have..?? We should be feeding those without a decent meal once a week not twice a year...If we were truly grateful for our blessings we would share... but caught in the frenzy of our consumer lives apparently we practice charity less and less...
Stop competing... and be grateful for what we have too much of...
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@Auntie Mame The Salvation Army in the USA serves meals 360 days a year, which, of course, includes Thanksgiving Day. The servers are all American volunteers from all walks of life - rich, middle class and poor. Millions of others donate money to the SA which has kept it going for decades. So lots of folks "turn off capitalism" for a couple of days. In fact, Black Friday is a recent phenomenon and most Americans remember when Friday was a quiet day with family. I wish we could go back to that time.
Menu has to be a mix of old and new...for me, there's got to be a turkey. Turkey is the centerpiece. Real pan gravy, sausage stuffing.... but its great to experiment with sides, especially with the veggies.... However if I did not offer sweet potatoes with marshmallows I think I'd have a riot on my hands.
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Could Abbye share some of her recipes? They all sound amazing! Especially the brussel sprouts one. Thank you!
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Call me a fuddy duddy, but I'd love to have seen the good old American feast, with country accessories (pottery, baskets, pewter, old woodenware.....) and the traditional foods.
But then, I have been an antiques dealer, specializing in Americana, for almost 50 years.
For me, it never gets old.
Happy Thanksgiving !
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Before the article text, as usual, disappeared on my tablet screen, I gained a glimpse of Mr. Shire's idea to drag bread through different sauces. I would love to have such a meal, just different sauces and a French baguette, without any solid additions. More of the same, please!
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@ Sarah Grand Rapids, MI 2h ago
A beautiful and very touching comment! Festive feeling is always sustained by a proper dressing of the table and adherence to good table manners -- not getting into controversial discussion subjects and not taking cooked foods with the hands.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Lovely!! It's really not about the turkey, and the stuffing, but about generosity and friends. Setting those lovely tables is a gift to your friends and family. Oh and I would love to be invited to the Syrian dinner... the food looked amazing!!
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...waiting patiently on the recipe for Mr Moody's dinner rolls!
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Beautiful - any idea where the Mr. Kerry Moody's charger plates are from?
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@Su An I believe it said they are antiques, and also that his business began as a kitchen antiques business. I can only imagine the treasures he has for presenting and eating food. Personally, I just keep my eyes open for such things when thrifting and antiquing.
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Impressive, artistic and a nice way to set up a special occassion...but those drone camera's flying over head could put me off my turkey...
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The secret to the perfect Thanksgiving dinner? Hire a bouncer to strictly enforce two rules: (1) all cell phones turned off and placed in a closet; (2) no talking politics (unless every guest is in agreement with the others).
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@Eli
Vet the person who will be wielding the carving knife.
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I've been "disinvited" to Thanksgiving by my American relatives on the basis that discussions of political differences may lead to a food fight.
They have elected to keep the celebration "partisan" , but to my knowledge have not extended an invitation to anyone at the White House.
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@Ron B Sounds like you should count yourself lucky.
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Beautiful!!! My childhood table growing up in the humble suburbs of Northeast Ohio was resplendent with my mother's handed-down china dinnerware and silver serving pieces. My sisters and I would spend Thanksgiving morning helping to polish the silver. Our eat-in kitchen was comfortable but on the small side, so my mother would transform the washing machine & dryer into a buffet of sorts by draping it with a pretty tablecloth and setting up the platters of food on it so we could help ourselves throughout the meal. Wonderful memories, and my mom still sets a lovely table for every occasion.
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