Thanksgiving traditionally is a time when friends and family can get together to give gratitude for all they have and their bounteous blessings, and of course to eat a good home cooked meal. There are millions of traditional Thanksgiving recipes out there to choose from if this is the first time you’re making a family meal. Here are some ideas and some recipes to use as you think about your Thanksgiving feast.
1. Turkey and stuffing. It just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without the turkey and the stuffing. This is generally a traditional part of the main course when Thanksgiving rolls around due in large part to the history behind it. The Pilgrims and the Indians probably ate turkey at the first Thanksgiving feast as well as other types of wild fowl. The stuffing of course is probably the best part about cooking the turkey. There are several different recipes to make stuffing or you can by boxed stuffing and dressings to make from the store. If you’re having trouble finding recipes try asking neighbors, friends, and especially family. The Internet also has millions of recipes for just about anything you can think of.
2. Ham. Although ham may not be as popular in the United States to eat for thanksgiving, in Canada it is a popular main course meal during the thanksgiving time. Some families will serve just ham, and others will serve turkey and ham together to get a variety of choices on the table. The best part about having so much meat to choose form is that they make great leftover sandwiches the next day.
3. Mashed potatoes and gravy. For many families mashed potatoes and gravy are as much a part of Thanksgiving as the turkey is. For some it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving if the mashed potatoes and gravy weren’t there. This is one of the simplest things to make at Thanksgiving; boil the potatoes, mash them and add butter and salt to taste. Voila.
4. Vegetables. Vegetables were most likely part of the first Thanksgiving harvest feast as they were probably part of their bounteous crop the Indians had helped the Pilgrims harvest. Corn on the cob, as well as off the cob is a staple vegetable served at probably most Thanksgiving feasts across the country. Since there are many diverse colors of corn it is symbolic of the diversities of people that gather together to celebrate and give thanks for their blessings. As well as corn being served as a traditional Thanksgiving dish, there are also many vegetables such as green beans, peas, salads, and several different kinds of squash and zucchini.
5. Yams. This is probably not customary in all households during Thanksgiving, but for some families yams are quite a delicious dish to have at Thanksgiving. Sweet potatoes, also called yams, can be cooked with syrup on them, made into a soufflé, or made into a casserole with marshmallows on to. These however were probably not one of the dishes served at the first Thanksgiving harvest feast.
6. Cranberry Sauce. It is believed that the Pilgrims had some form of cranberry sauce during the first Thanksgiving harvest feast. It is unsure as to how exactly it would have been made and what would have been added to it, if anything at all. Today the tradition continues as cranberry sauce adorns the table of nearly every Thanksgiving day feast.
7. Pumpkin Pie. What would thanksgiving be without the pumpkin pie? This was not a tradition among the first pilgrims, but definitely has become a traditional thanksgiving day plate that many families love and enjoy. Of course many other desserts are enjoyed as well, but it seems that pumpkin pie is one of the most traditional desserts served at Thanksgiving feasts.
Traditional Thanksgiving dishes are of course relative and specific to each family. Everyone has their own traditional dish they love to make and eat; these are simply a few dishes that many families around the world will enjoy as part of their Thanksgiving dinner.
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