Thanksgiving Dinner: Any "unusual" foods at your table?

[Orchidflower]

There is a huge article in USA Today regarding traditions at the Thanksgiving table that some families have that are unusual or unique to that particular family and their culture. It seems the region people settled in in America when they first started doing Thanksgiving wasn't an influence, but the culture the family came from is.
For instance, one family the site has sauerkraut on the table each Thanksgiving (Germans?). Another makes a slaw out of brussel sprouts.
On the Greek side of my family my Grandmother passed down her stuffing recipe--which tops all else--made of mainly a meat mix of lamb, pork and ground sirloin with pine nuts, cinnamon, white raisins, etc. My friend makes rutabegas each Thanksgiving, which I have never heard of anyone eating at Thanksgiving let alone willingly (but maybe that's just me.)
So what about it? Any foods on your table that might be considered unusual this holiday that you historically have made each Thanksgiving?
And how did this food become a tradition with your family?

 

[Fireup2020]

Grandma June's shrimp salad with iceberg lettuce, shrimp, celery, avocado, garlic, ital dressing, mayo....scrumptious!! Apparently this has been a holiday favorite as long as Dad & my cousins can remember.

 

[Orchidflower]

I wonder how Grandma June started serving this salad? I'm assuming she was not a first generation American then? And, yeah, perfect appetizer for a turkey dinner I would think.

 

[jimnjana]

My DW is from the South, so when she cooks for my parents, many Southern dishes are very "Unusual" for my Yankee Mom & Dad. Two years ago, she made Sweet Potato Casserole my mom had already told her she was not gonna eat any because it had sweet potatoes in it. She made it anyway for me (she also brought dessert). Anyway at the dinner table my mom took a very polite (small) portion of. We were kinda confused because My sister had previously made a sweet potato recipe that DW had given her and she reported that my Mom & Dad loved it. So when I asked my mom about it, she said they just ate a little bit and they were just being polite, that they really didn't like the sweet potatoes. Anyway, after my mom tried the casserole she said "I'm not BSing you, this is really good, I'll have some more".

Jim

 

[Midpack]

We never have a completely traditional Thanksgiving dinner. This year it's:

• Brined Turkey Breast w Spanish Spice Rub & Sour Orange Sauce
• Green Beans w Bacon, Hazelnuts & Blue Cheese
• Potato Pave
• Chocolate Pots De Creme w Cherry Whip
• Champagne

Not that I don't enjoy the traditional stuff, but I've had plenty of roast turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce. YMMV

 

[Dawg52]

My nephew is bringing bbq ribs from his restaurant. We will have turkey as well, but the ribs is all I need.

 

[MasterBlaster]

100 Proof Turkey

Tavern owner says he'll unveil 100-proof turkey - Yahoo! News

"the bird is infused with fruit-flavored and 100-proof Georgi vodka for three days before being cooked."

 

[FinanceDude]

My late sister and I used to split a quart of Tanqueray every Thanksgiving.....does that count?

 

[unclemick]

Green 's#*t' - a pistashio salad of sorts - get it when I visit.

Normal at home - smoke a turkey in the barrel smoker with apple chips and apple juice in the water pan and olive oil baste. May or may not enhance with a Cajun injector - haven't decided.

heh heh heh -

 

[bbbamI]

My late sister and I used to split a quart of Tanqueray every Thanksgiving.....does that count?

Just the thought of a shot of Tanqueray makes mah lips pucker...

Now...JD on the other hand....

We'll be dining at SIL's house...it will probably be the regular fare. However, my SIL usually buys a large smoked, peppered turkey and has it shipped to her. The cost is around $90 for the bird. Yep..$90.

Ahhhh...the holidaze...

 

[Westernskies]

At our house the Thanksgiving food is pretty normal; it's the friends, family, and guests that are "unusual"

 

[youbet]

Pretty traditional here too. We don't tend to serve turkey and dressing any other time of the year, so this one annual event doesn't seem too frequent.

What does vary are the "extras" which depend on the number of guests. When we had a big crowd one year, we had a ham and a standing rib roast as well as turkey. Now that was a logistics nightmare!

 

[W2R]

The unusual thing about Thanksgiving at my house, is that since I am single and live alone with no relatives within a thousand miles, I don't cook anything at all for Thanksgiving dinner any more.

Either we have Thanksgiving dinner with dozens of Frank's extended family and friends at their fishing camp down in St. Bernard Parish, or else we go out to eat on Thanksgiving. This year it will be with his family at the camp. There will be a fried turkey, oyster stuffing, and so on. I don't recall any unusual foods but I can report back once my memory is refreshed. ​

 

[FinanceDude]

oyster stuffing, and so on. I don't recall any unusual foods but I can report back once my memory is refreshed. ​

So..........OYSTER stuffing is not unusual? Well, probably not in "Nawlins".........

My grandmother used to make artichoke pie, and yes, it was quite good..........

 

[Moemg]

Our Thanksgiving is pretty traditional but one year I went to a friend's house and they served lasagna , baked ziti and then the turkey .

 

[Orchidflower]

I'm drooling already.... Baking a from-scratch carrot cake tomorrow for dessert. Tried carrot cake at every "best" restaurant I've ever eaten ate in the last 20 years, and my handed-down recipe is the best. Can't wait for Thanksgiving..

 

[calmloki]

Falcon's nest salad here - has lime jello, cottage cheese, walnuts and horseradish in it - very tasty, but looks like I imagine the bottom of a falcon's nest might....

 

[WhoDaresWins]

I'm taking off for Northern Virginia tomorrow to spend a couple of days with old friends from our Army days. I am bringing them a gift basket of Italian goodies from a well known Italian market near my home plus a couple of bottles of rose wine. The wife is a good cook and I will be happy to eat anything that she serves, but I hope she makes her pears poached in red wine for dessert on Turkey Day. She made this the first evening that I met them 30 years ago and it has been one of her signature dishes ever since.

 

[youbet]

has lime jello

Gotta be good!

 

[WhoDaresWins]

The unusual thing about Thanksgiving at my house, is that since I am single and live alone with no relatives within a thousand miles, I don't cook anything at all for Thanksgiving dinner any more.

Either we have Thanksgiving dinner with dozens of Frank's extended family and friends at their fishing camp down in St. Bernard Parish, or else we go out to eat on Thanksgiving. This year it will be with his family at the camp. There will be a fried turkey, oyster stuffing, and so on. I don't recall any unusual foods but I can report back once my memory is refreshed. ​

I grew up in Western Pennsylvania and my Dad always made oyster dressing for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. I remember him standing over the sink and shucking the oysters and telling me never to buy oysters in a month that does not end in "r". I have had outstanding oysters in many places, including New Orleans. A huge favorite of mine is oyster po-boys with Tabasco sauce but also on the half-shell.

 

[FIREd]

The food is pretty traditional - turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, pumpkin or pecan pie etc...- except for the pickled red cabbage (DW's grandmother used to make it every year, and we have perpetuated the tradition). We tried to tweak the menu over the years, but always come back to what everyone likes best which is the traditional fare.

But it's the presentation that reflects our various heritages. German linen tablecloths and china (inherited from DW's family), French silverware, tablesetting and wines, etc...

 

[omni550]

Has anyone heard of Christmas Salad?

So what about it? Any foods on your table that might be considered unusual this holiday that you historically have made each Thanksgiving?
And how did this food become a tradition with your family?

I've been invited for Thanksgiving dinner at a dear friend's house. She mentioned that she'd love to serve a salad that her mother (who passed away many years ago) used to make called "Christmas Salad" due to the color of the cauliflower, red cabbage and green pepper that were the main ingredients.

She looked all over but can't find the recipe. I tried some online searching and came up empty-handed. So, if anyone here might know the recipe and post it, I'd love to surprise my friend with it.

BTW, this family was from the Western Pennsylvania/Eastern Ohio area, if that is any help. Her Mom was probably born in the very early 1900's.

TIA,

omni

 

[Midpack]

When I was growing up, we had a traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner with all the normal fixins - except my Mom always threw in lefse and/or krumkake (both yummy), especially at Christmas, I guess as a nod to our family heritage. They always threatened me with lutefisk which sounded just awful to me, but fortunately they didn't like it either and spared me the experience. I'm sure some of you will know these ethnic dishes...

 

[unclemick]

I didn't like lutefisk either as a kid - but one Grandmother would bring out her home made Elderberry wine - she made both regular and fizzy in capped bottles(in contrast to sparkling wine bottles with wired corks).

Even with a buzz - nothing could make lutefisk appealing to me. Now smoked smelt on rye crackers as an appetizer?

heh heh heh -

 

[Dawg52]

I'm drooling already.... Baking a from-scratch carrot cake tomorrow for dessert. Tried carrot cake at every "best" restaurant I've ever eaten ate in the last 20 years, and my handed-down recipe is the best. Can't wait for Thanksgiving..

My mom used to make the best carrot cakes. She hasn't made one in years. But she will be 92 this Friday so I guess she gets a pass. She does make a mean squash dressing for Thanksgiving. My nephew serves the same recipe in his restaurant and when he doesn't have it on the menu, he always gets request for it. I'm getting hungry too.