Our Community Shares: Traditions & Foods for Thanksgiving
Traditions run deep, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t open to new ones! Thanksgiving is all about sharing good food and gratitude, so we asked our Road Scholar Facebook community, “What’s your go-to Thanksgiving recipe or tradition that brings a unique twist to the table?” This is just a sampling of the over 190 responses this post garnered!
1. “We have a white tablecloth and, using fabric markers, every guest writes the year and what they are thankful for. We trace the grandchildren’s hands if they are too young. So many amazing and beautiful memories!” — Julianne B.
2. “Our family is plant-based, and last year I bought a puff pastry hazelnut 'roast.' It paired well with the traditional mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, yeast rolls, chickpea salad, corn casserole and honeyed carrots. There were no complaints!” — Denise G.
3. “Southern cornbread dressing — my grandmother’s recipe. It’s the most anticipated dish of our Thanksgivings! We sauté onions, add eggs and chicken broth, sage and other seasonings before baking. Sometimes we also add sausage!” — Gail H.
4. “My late wife was a trained chef and of Canadian heritage, so we used to do duck rather than turkey. Even though it’s just me and the dog now, I still serve that to honor her memory.” — Thomas L.
5. “I always cook a dried-out turkey, ruin the gravy and serve undercooked pumpkin pie — but my family still eats it and that’s all that matters!” — Wendy S.
6. “I make Cornish game hens instead of a turkey. I make stuffing from toasted cinnamon raisin bread, then I add diced mushrooms, celery and golden raisins.” — E.J.R.
7. “Our traditional Polish breakfast is a must — my parents always made it on Thanksgiving morning, and I continue to honor my roots. Fresh kielbasa, potato pierogi, fried eggs, rye bread, sweet butter, horseradish and plenty of hot coffee!” — Patty G.
8. “Scalloped oysters — my dad always made them and taught me.” — Cindy M.
9. “Pork tamales with spicy red chili oil!” — Chris G.
10. “My family looks forward to the turkey enchiladas we make after Thanksgiving when everybody's tired of sandwiches!” — Janna H.
Road Scholars are as passionate about sharing recipes and traditions as they are about learning new ones — feel the same way? Peruse our collections of holiday or culinary-themed learning adventures on our website. Or check out our Thanksgiving-inspired list of books that center on the themes of gratitude, community, family and heritage.
What traditions have you collected and shared over the years? Join the conversation — and the community — on Facebook.