# Thanksgiving Sides



## debodun (Nov 15, 2020)

Are there certain side dishes to a Thanksgiving meal that are "essential" to you? In other words "it wouldn't seem like Thanksgiving unless I had this".

My list: scalloped corn and winter squash


----------



## Pepper (Nov 15, 2020)

Stuffing


----------



## Aunt Marg (Nov 15, 2020)

Stuffing, gravy, and Brussels sprouts.

Another absolute side of mine... cranberry jelly, not the berry version, not real berries, just plain old canned cranberry smooth jelly.

No jelly, no turkey.


----------



## RadishRose (Nov 15, 2020)

Stuffing, gravy, creamed onions, mashed rutabaga, stuffed celery and black olives.


----------



## Devi (Nov 15, 2020)

Creamed onions sounds great!


----------



## Aunt Marg (Nov 15, 2020)

Does anyone do jellied salads?


----------



## bowmore (Nov 15, 2020)

Dressing without a doubt. In pre Covid times we used a 10 gallon tub to mix it. We would freeze some for later. Also @Kayelle 's
broccoli salad and cranberry sauce.
As an aside,
a few years ago we visited Cape Cod and toured the cranberry bogs. We never saw the two guys from Ocean Spray, however


----------



## Aunt Marg (Nov 15, 2020)

bowmore said:


> Dressing without a doubt. In pre Covid times we used a 10 gallon tub to mix it. We would freeze some for later. Also @Kayelle 's
> broccoli salad and cranberry sauce.
> As an aside,
> a few years ago we visited Cape Cod and toured the cranberry bogs. *We never saw the two guys from Ocean Spray, however*


That's because they were too bogged down.


----------



## Camper6 (Nov 15, 2020)

Appetizer. Tostitos rounds scoops. Individual. Slice of Brie cheese. Topped with cranberry sauce. Pickled pearl onions on the side.


----------



## Camper6 (Nov 15, 2020)

I thought a southern dish was sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows baked.


----------



## debodun (Nov 15, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> Another absolute side of mine... cranberry jelly, not the berry version, not real berries, just plain old canned cranberry smooth jelly.
> 
> No jelly, no turkey.


I used to love Ocean Spray cranberry orange relish - then they discontinued it years ago. Now I make my own - 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup orange juice. Place together in a saucepan and cook until juice is absorbed and let cool to room temp.


----------



## Aunt Marg (Nov 15, 2020)

debodun said:


> I used to love Ocean Spray cranberry orange relish - then they discontinued it years ago. Now I make my own - 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup orange juice. Place together in a saucepan and cook until juice is absorbed and let cool to room temp.


OMG, does that ever sound delish!

Thank you for sharing your recipe with me, Deb!


----------



## debodun (Nov 15, 2020)

My mom tried to replicate it using whole oranges, frozen fresh cranberries and sugar. She'd mince them together in an old-fashioned meat grinder. What a mess!


----------



## debodun (Nov 15, 2020)

I've heard tell that if we had what the they had at the original Thanksgiving feast, we wouldn't recognize it. There is mention on it in the first paragraph under "Historical menus" here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_dinner


----------



## Aunt Marg (Nov 15, 2020)

debodun said:


> My mom tried to replicate it using whole oranges, frozen fresh cranberries and sugar. She'd mince them together in an old-fashioned meat grinder. What a mess!


I wonder how well it would turn out if one just simmered all down in a saucepan slowly?


----------



## debodun (Nov 15, 2020)

I am not ambitious enough to try. I like my lazy way.


----------



## Aunt Marg (Nov 15, 2020)

debodun said:


> I've heard tell that if we had what the they had at the original Thanksgiving feast, we wouldn't recognize it. There is mention on it in the first paragraph under "Historical menus" here:
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_dinner


Sounds lovely.


----------



## Autumn (Nov 15, 2020)

My mom was undoubtedly the worst cook on the continent, so growing up Thanksgiving dinner consisted of overcooked, dry turkey, instant mashed potato, peas and carrots (canned), some sort of slimy stuffing, gravy (canned) and some sort of canned squash that I think was meant for pies.  After living through that, I'm willing to accept ANY well-cooked, tasty side dish, no matter what it is...


----------



## Ruth n Jersey (Nov 15, 2020)

Creamed onions. I'd give up the turkey for them.


----------



## debodun (Nov 15, 2020)

I always feel awkward about bringing food when I am invited as a guest to a meal. If I don't, the host might think I was greedy and only came to gobble up his food and not reciprocate. If I being food, it's like saying "You food isn't good or ample enough for me, so I brought some." What to do?


----------



## Pepper (Nov 15, 2020)

Bring wine.


----------



## Aunt Marg (Nov 15, 2020)

debodun said:


> I always feel awkward about bringing food when I am invited as a guest to a meal. If I don't, the host might think I was greedy and only came to gobble up his food and not reciprocate. If I being food, it's like saying "You food isn't good or ample enough for me, so I brought some." What to do?


Honestly, I believe most people hosting a dinner party or get-together would be honoured to have a guest or guests arrive with a little something.

I for one am one of those hosts. By no means would I, or do I expect it, but I always find it to be a nice gesture.


----------



## debodun (Nov 15, 2020)

Pepper said:


> Bring wine.


Appreciate your suggestion, but my family aren't alcohol consumers.


----------



## Aunt Marg (Nov 15, 2020)

debodun said:


> Appreciate your suggestion, but my family aren't alcohol consumers.


Then I would carry on just as you have been, Deb.

Believe me, it's appreciated more than you will ever know.


----------



## sadie123 (Nov 15, 2020)

I think wine is great or you can bring crackers and cheese or vegetables and dip, appetizers that won’t affect the menu.


----------



## debodun (Nov 15, 2020)

Of course there are juices - apple or cranberry would be seasonal. Usually where I go it's only coffee (which I don't drink) or water (bland).


----------



## jujube (Nov 15, 2020)

Sweet Potato Crunch, my mom's Mac 'n Cheese, Oyster Dressing, and Sweet 'n Sour Slaw.  If I have those four, you can keep the turkey.


----------



## debodun (Nov 15, 2020)

When I was in college, I dated a man and his family invited me for Thanksgiving for a few years. His mom always had 2 different flavors of Morton frozen pies for dessert. Maybe that was a tradition for them, but I sure missed homemade apple or pumpkin. I don't even think they make those pies anymore.


----------



## Aunt Marg (Nov 15, 2020)

debodun said:


> When I was in college, I dated a man and his family invited me for Thanksgiving for a few years. His mom always had 2 different flavors of Morton frozen pies for dessert. Maybe that was a tradition for them, but I sure missed homemade apple or pumpkin. I don't even think they make those pies anymore.
> 
> View attachment 133560


I don't recall the brand, but frozen cream pies are what I enjoyed when I visited a great aunt of mine!

Banana and coconut!


----------



## needshave (Nov 15, 2020)

When I was growing up and at home for Thanksgiving, the staple always was Mince meat Pie.....Oh I hated it then and I hate it now. OMG.

At the in laws it was always, Woodford Reserve. My father in law said it was to get rid of the turkey taste.

At my house it is Dressing or Stuffing and homemade dinner rolls.


----------



## jujube (Nov 15, 2020)

needshave said:


> When I was growing up and at home for Thanksgiving, the staple always was Mince meat Pie.....Oh I hated it then and I hate it now. OMG.
> 
> At the in laws it was always, Woodford Reserve. My father in law said it was to get rid of the turkey taste.
> 
> At my house it is Dressing or Stuffing and homemade dinner rolls.


Mince meat......i agree, yuk!


----------



## needshave (Nov 15, 2020)

jujube said:


> Mince meat......i agree, yuk!


It's horrible!, I can't imagine my father enjoying that and would top it with Ice Cream yet...OMG.


----------



## debodun (Nov 15, 2020)

Mince is perhaps my least favorite pie, but my mother loved it.


----------



## terry123 (Nov 15, 2020)

Sweet potato casserole, broccoli, rice and cheese casserole, mac and cheese casserole and homemade dressing are our sides.  If we have turkey we have those sides along with cranberry sauce, gravy and rolls.  For dessert we have pumpkin pie, and sometimes sweet potato pie.  Note, this is a once a year thing and leftovers are divided up to take home.

This year my daughter is having foot surgery next week and cannot do anything until February so we are ordering the fried turkey. She is making the dressing tomorrow and will be frozen until we eat. Sides will be picked up and Patti LaBelle will be doing dessert duty.  We probably will not eat together much as she will not be able to walk.  I will be heating the sides.  Grands will bring me a plate of turkey and dressing and they will take their share of the sides and dessert home with them.  It will be different this year and that is okay.  It will be an easier and safer holiday for all of us and that is what matters.


----------



## Aunt Bea (Nov 15, 2020)

Certain sides used to be more important to me than they are today.

We always had scalloped oysters as a side but I wouldn't bother with them these days.  I make a small dish once during the winter out of nostalgia but now it's the main course.

As important as certain sides were to me the dishes that we served them in each year were just as important.

Now I'm content with the memories.


----------



## debodun (Nov 15, 2020)

I remember the Thanksgivings at my maternal grandmother's house. She overcooked everything - the turkey would just be a pile of shreds on the platter (I guess that solves the carving problem), and her watery mashed potatoes with lumpy gravy. My dad use to say, for him, it was Misgiving dinner. Oh, the happy memories!


----------



## Jules (Nov 16, 2020)

Nobody mentioned green bean casserole topped with French’s onions.  I thought that was an American staple.


----------



## Ruthanne (Nov 16, 2020)

Yams stuffing rolls corn cranberries


----------



## debodun (Nov 16, 2020)

Jules said:


> Nobody mentioned green bean casserole topped with French’s onions.  I thought that was an American staple.


I think that tradition started about 15 years ago. Personally, I can't see how green beans cooked in mushroom soup came to be associated with Thanksgiving.


----------



## dobielvr (Nov 16, 2020)

I def have to have turkey (of course), peda bread stuffing, gravy...like my mama used to make, and fresh cranberry relish.

My mom would get up early (like 5;30am) to put the turkey in a brown paper bag, and stick it in the oven.
It always came out so juicy.  You could smell the deliciousness flowing thru the house upon awakening...


----------



## Aneeda72 (Nov 16, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> Does anyone do jellied salads?


Jello?  I am eating jello today


----------



## Aneeda72 (Nov 16, 2020)

debodun said:


> I always feel awkward about bringing food when I am invited as a guest to a meal. If I don't, the host might think I was greedy and only came to gobble up his food and not reciprocate. If I being food, it's like saying "You food isn't good or ample enough for me, so I brought some." What to do?


Dessert always bring something sweet, you can never have enough sweet treats


----------



## Aneeda72 (Nov 16, 2020)

debodun said:


> Mince is perhaps my least favorite pie, but my mother loved it.


I love it!!


----------



## RadishRose (Nov 16, 2020)

dobielvr said:


> peda bread


Thanks to you, @dobielvr , I now know what "peda" bread is.  (looked it up)


----------



## dobielvr (Nov 17, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> Thanks to you, @dobielvr , I know know what "peda" bread is.  (looked it up)


OH, that's great!
I grew up on that bread.


----------



## Pinky (Nov 17, 2020)

Mom's basic sage dressing. Nobody makes it the way she did. We'd sneak into the kitchen late at night to make a dressing sandwich with white bread and mayonnaise. We didn't even put turkey into it.


----------



## Chet (Nov 17, 2020)

I don't have a favorite side. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes and corn followed with a pumpkin pie ending. It's all a medley of flavors and smells that makes a Thanksgiving for me. BURP! (excuse me)


----------



## Lewkat (Nov 17, 2020)

We didn't have turkey as no one liked the taste of it.  We would have duck or capon, ham and roast beef.  We had a houseful and everyone wanted something different.  My mom made all three.  All pies were made from scratch as were cookies.  No one liked cake either, so that was out.  Most of the above mentioned were available to us including Brussels sprouts with garlic and bacon.  Rutabaga, creamed onions, candied sweet potatoes, caramelized carrots, green beans almondine, garlic mashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing, and cranberry sauce were a must.  My father absolutely had to have mince pie on Thanksgiving and Christmas.  He was the only one who ate it.  My mom made it for him.


----------



## needshave (Nov 17, 2020)

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, with homemade Vanilla bean ice cream.


----------



## tbeltrans (Nov 17, 2020)

Spaghetti with clam sauce. WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!

Oops, I must be in the wrong forum.    

Tony


----------



## debodun (Nov 17, 2020)

Some Americans have turkey again for Christmas. My folks used to think with the 2 holidays so close, it was too soon to have turkey again. We usually had some kind of beef for Christmas - prime rib or roast beef. In Britain, they ususally have turkey or goose for Christmas - they don't have the November Thanksgiving that we have. Correct me if I'm wrong. When I was working, one of the lab supervisors who was from South Africa once mentioned that if he didn't have goose, it wouldn't be Christmas.


----------



## Meanderer (Nov 19, 2020)

Mighty Carving Knife​


----------



## Aunt Bea (Nov 20, 2020)

This thread started me thinking about Thanksgiving foods that have fallen from the menu in recent years.

When I was a kid we always had a big bowl of fresh fruit on the sideboard to munch on while we watched the parades and waited for dinner.







Another thing that seems to be missing in our carb-conscious world is the breadbasket filled with an assortment of rolls, tiny muffins, and quick breads.











In our family banana bread or muffins was one of the starter contributions that kids could make to the Thanksgiving feast a few days ahead with a little supervision.  It doesn't sound like much but it was a source of pride and accomplishment when someone always mentioned it as the breadbasket made its way around the table.


----------



## Meanderer (Nov 20, 2020)

I seem to recall sweet potatoes with pineapple and little marshmallows on top.


----------



## debodun (Nov 20, 2020)

My mom used to make what she called "Yummy Yams". I will post the recipe in the food thread.


----------



## Meanderer (Nov 21, 2020)




----------



## Meanderer (Nov 21, 2020)

_Thanksgiving Weather Forecast... _






Turkeys will thaw in the morning, then warm in the oven to an afternoon high near 190F. The kitchen will turn hot and humid, and if you bother the cook, be ready for a severe squall or cold shoulder.

During the late afternoon and evening, the cold front of a knife will slice through the turkey, causing an accumulation of one to two inches on plates.

Mashed potatoes will drift across one side while cranberry sauce creates slippery spots on the other. Please pass the gravy.

A weight watch and indigestion warning have been issued for the entire area, with increased stuffiness around the beltway.

During the evening, the turkey will diminish and taper off to leftovers, dropping to a low of 34F in the refrigerator.

Looking ahead to Friday and Saturday, high pressure to eat sandwiches will be established.

Flurries of leftovers can be expected both days with a 50 percent chance of scattered soup late in the day. We expect a warming trend where soup develops.

By early next week, eating pressure will be low as the only wish left will be the bone!

Happy Thanksgiving!


----------



## fmdog44 (Nov 21, 2020)

Devi said:


> Creamed onions sounds great!


I have seen them and wanted them but I think I would not try to make then because the secret has to be in the cream. An Expert Sauce chef is required because I would hate to ruin a good onion!!


----------



## fmdog44 (Nov 21, 2020)

Autumn said:


> My mom was undoubtedly the worst cook on the continent, so growing up Thanksgiving dinner consisted of overcooked, dry turkey, instant mashed potato, peas and carrots (canned), some sort of slimy stuffing, gravy (canned) and some sort of canned squash that I think was meant for pies.  After living through that, I'm willing to accept ANY well-cooked, tasty side dish, no matter what it is...


Swansons?


----------



## fmdog44 (Nov 21, 2020)

The twice a year (Easter & TG ) fancy table cloth, napkins and silverware my mon put out.


----------



## PamfromTx (Nov 21, 2020)

I love garlic with just about anything, and the green beans are no exception!  Sauteed garlic tastes GREAT with green beans and bacon!

This is a great side dish for many grilled meats, and it’s especially good for holiday menu on Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Eve.


----------



## Autumn (Nov 22, 2020)

fmdog44 said:


> Swansons?


Swanson's would have been a definite step up...


----------



## Pink Biz (Nov 22, 2020)

fmdog44 said:


> I have seen them and wanted them but I think I would not try to make then because the secret has to be in the cream. An Expert Sauce chef is required because I would hate to ruin a good onion!!


Never had creamed onions in my life. Must try them because I do luv onions in all forms.


----------



## debodun (Nov 22, 2020)

There was a local church that used to have a public turkey dinner in October (not this year, though, for obvious reasons). They served creamed pearl onions - the only church dinner I ever attended that had those. Recipes abound on the Web. I use Aunt Nellie's brand onions in a glass jar. Their website has a recipe:

https://auntnellies.com/classic-creamed-onions/


----------



## JustBonee (Nov 22, 2020)

I  walked past a  couple at the grocery store this morning,  and husband said to wife,   'let's get some pearl onions'...  
I got to thinking  ....  I've never had pearl onions!   ..  ,,, sounds good


----------



## debodun (Nov 22, 2020)

Don't try to make jewelry out of them, though.


----------



## Liberty (Nov 22, 2020)

Aunt Bea said:


> This thread started me thinking about Thanksgiving foods that have fallen from the menu in recent years.
> 
> When I was a kid we always had a big bowl of fresh fruit on the sideboard to munch on while we watched the parades and waited for dinner.
> 
> ...


Aunt Bea...for many many years we had "black walnut dark cherry black raspberry jello" salad and  green rice casserole.  Now you've made me hungry for them again.


----------

