This is not the Thanksgiving I grew up with; this is the Thanksgiving which has slowly evolved in my adulthood. Growing up we had many Thanksgivings at my grandmother's house. She really liked cooking and would work all day preparing the dishes. It's strange though, I don't really remember what all she prepared. There must have been turkey, mashed potatos, gravy, and stuffing, but all I remember is munching on dishes of tiny sweet pickles and pimento stuffed olives while we waited for the main event. That and I remember her pies; there was always one pumpkin and one sweet potato.
As an adult, Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday, eclipsing Easter and Christmas. I became the Thanksgiving matriarch in my family in my mid twenties and started forming the core of our Thanksgiving tradition, and my sisters have added their own contributions over the years. I love cooking with my sisters all day and then glutting myself on the resulting feast. Since I moved out West, I have missed our cooking marathons terribly. This post is for them, so that we have all our Thanksgiving treasures documented in one place finally.
Over the years items have been added and subtracted. Some years, I've had to pick and choose among these favorites because there was not enough time or wo-man power to make them all, and I'm sure it will continue to change as all traditions inevitably do, but right now this is my perfect Thanksgiving Menu.
Appetizers:
Deviled Eggs
Raspberry Brie Tarts
Roasted Chestnuts
Sweet Pickles
Olives
Drinks:
Egg Nog
Kid's Wine
Asti Spumante
Main Courses:
Tofurkey or Other Vegetarian Holiday Roast
Corn Casserole
Stuffing
Mashed Potatos
Chickpea Gravy
Sweet Potato Casserole
Roasted Butternut Squash w/ Cranberry Amaretto Topping
Tante Balin's Kürbis Pasta
Tante Britter's Green Bean Casserole
Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry Tartlets
Dinner Rolls
Desserts:
Sweet Potato Pie
Pumpkin Pie
