Why do we eat so much mush on Thanksgiving?

[NYCgrrl]

Mustard and turnip greens are the same with the cleaning. They're so delicious, but lordy, it's work! I think it seems daunting if you think about the cleaning, and the way I make them, you boil them down and then saute them in vinegar and olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Multiple processes seem hard at first glance I think, they can for me at least.

Here's my "dirty" secret. Firstly, I mix half collards with either kale or mustard greens. Secondly, unless elder sister has grown some greens in her backyard I just buy em flash frozen from a local distributor. I don't generally serve them at any holiday meal until Kwanzaa when the smell of them and a pot of black eyed peas fill the house with a sense of warmth.

 

[NYCgrrl]

It's official, I'm truly downsizing Thanksgiving dinner next year. We had ours on Sunday and I have so much leftovers that the kids will barely touch. It's probably why Christmas has become lasagna day in our household. Although a mushy food, at least it gets eaten with crispy salad and bread.

How big a bird did you make this year while the number is still fresh in your mind?

Ex DIL bought a 20 lber this year to serve 7 people and I told her that was fine (hey, she already had the bird) since she'll have 6 people staying at her house until Saturday and also sent her some turkey leftover recipes. I rarely have leftovers unless I want them cuz the minute T-Day is over, my mind and refrigerator space is zooming ahead to the other holiday meals to come.

 

[Wendy31]

In light of this post, I was considering our menu for Thanksgiving...

One of our turkeys is brined & then roasted. The other is smoked, so it sorta has a crunchy skin.

My mom makes the cornbread dressing, & it's seriously NOT Thanksgiving w/o her dressing. It's soft, but not complete mush, & the top is nicely broiled.

There's a difference between whipped potatoes & mashed potatoes, & we mash ours. I'm not a fan of whipped, "baby food" texture potatoes.

The sweet potato casserole is soft, of course, but the pecan & brown sugar topping is crunchy. And, seriously, why all the hate for sweet potatoes?

For whatever reason, we also have baked beans - it's probably the one thing that's not really "Thanksgiving," but my mom also makes really good baked beans - and, if we took them off the menu, we'd have a riot.

My sister makes a corn souffle - because it's Thanksgiving, & I just think you need a corn dish. So, yeah, that's soft as well.

We do mac & cheese for the kids.

Because of all the casseroles & "soft" food, we don't do the infamous green bean casserole. Instead, we just have a nice dish of sauteed green beans w/ bacon & onion.

And my sister also makes a kale & cranberry salad which has a lot a crunch.

We've also added a roasted apple & butternut squash dish which includes praline pecans too - but it's drizzled w/ honey at the end.

The deviled eggs are mushy, but I also serve some raw carrots & cucumbers because I've realized that kids eat raw vegetables a lot easier than they do all the mushy casseroles! LOL! Our younger son's Thanksgiving dinner consists of turkey, a roll, some orange jello, & the raw carrots & cucumbers.

However, I agree that casseroles are easy to transport which is one reason Thanksgiving became the holiday for the casserole.

We don't have slaw at Thanksgiving, but I don't eat slaw w/ mayonnaise in it anyway. When we make slaw, it's a really good vinegar slaw - and there's sugar in it. If I remember correctly, my mom always put a pinch of sugar in her regular mayonnaise slaw.

I do make a Harvest Punch to go w/ our other drinks at Thanksgiving. My parents don't drink alcohol, but I also have a fabulous Apple Cider Sangria recipe that is PERFECT for Thanksgiving & I WISH I could serve! LOL!

Oh, & the meatballs or cocktail sausages w/ the grape jelly & ketchup are usually served at Super Bowl type parties.

 

[neverlandsky]

How big a bird did you make this year while the number is still fresh in your mind?

Ex DIL bought a 20 lber this year to serve 7 people and I told her that was fine (hey, she already had the bird) since she'll have 6 people staying at her house until Saturday and also sent her some turkey leftover recipes. I rarely have leftovers unless I want them cuz the minute T-Day is over, my mind and refrigerator space is zooming ahead to the other holiday meals to come.

We did ham. It was 9.68 lbs. Yet they say minus almost half the weight for the bone with turkey or ham. The 4 of us ate 2-3 slivers of ham. Did traditional sides, I even downsized those from the year before and still have so much leftover. I literally have probably 5lbs of ham and almost 4lbs of sides that are leftover.

 

[Praying Colonel]

It's official, I'm truly downsizing Thanksgiving dinner next year. We had ours on Sunday and I have so much leftovers that the kids will barely touch. It's probably why Christmas has become lasagna day in our household. Although a mushy food, at least it gets eaten with crispy salad and bread.

The best thing about Thanksgiving is the leftovers! Why do your children hate America?

 

[TipsyTraveler]

In light of this post, I was considering our menu for Thanksgiving...

One of our turkeys is brined & then roasted. The other is smoked, so it sorta has a crunchy skin.

My mom makes the cornbread dressing, & it's seriously NOT Thanksgiving w/o her dressing. It's soft, but not complete mush, & the top is nicely broiled.

There's a difference between whipped potatoes & mashed potatoes, & we mash ours. I'm not a fan of whipped, "baby food" texture potatoes.

The sweet potato casserole is soft, of course, but the pecan & brown sugar topping is crunchy. And, seriously, why all the hate for sweet potatoes?

For whatever reason, we also have baked beans - it's probably the one thing that's not really "Thanksgiving," but my mom also makes really good baked beans - and, if we took them off the menu, we'd have a riot.

My sister makes a corn souffle - because it's Thanksgiving, & I just think you need a corn dish. So, yeah, that's soft as well.

We do mac & cheese for the kids.

Because of all the casseroles & "soft" food, we don't do the infamous green bean casserole. Instead, we just have a nice dish of sauteed green beans w/ bacon & onion.

And my sister also makes a kale & cranberry salad which has a lot a crunch.

We've also added a roasted apple & butternut squash dish which includes praline pecans too - but it's drizzled w/ honey at the end.

The deviled eggs are mushy, but I also serve some raw carrots & cucumbers because I've realized that kids eat raw vegetables a lot easier than they do all the mushy casseroles! LOL! Our younger son's Thanksgiving dinner consists of turkey, a roll, some orange jello, & the raw carrots & cucumbers.

However, I agree that casseroles are easy to transport which is one reason Thanksgiving became the holiday for the casserole.

We don't have slaw at Thanksgiving, but I don't eat slaw w/ mayonnaise in it anyway. When we make slaw, it's a really good vinegar slaw - and there's sugar in it. If I remember correctly, my mom always put a pinch of sugar in her regular mayonnaise slaw.

I do make a Harvest Punch to go w/ our other drinks at Thanksgiving. My parents don't drink alcohol, but I also have a fabulous Apple Cider Sangria recipe that is PERFECT for Thanksgiving & I WISH I could serve! LOL!

Oh, & the meatballs or cocktail sausages w/ the grape jelly & ketchup are usually served at Super Bowl type parties.

Apple Cider Sangria -- This sounds good. Recipe please?

 

[ADLFAN]

My family does "punch" in martini pitchers (so lots of variations), but it's much more signature cocktail, then tons of wine.

Tell us more! What are your favorite combinations?

 

[luvsJack]

Collards are easy to make....prolly the hardest part is making sure they are thoroughly cleaned much like leeks.

Here's a link to collard greens recipes that might assist:

https://dolangeiman.com/blogs/lady-smokey/12953873-cooking-with-lady-smokey-in-praise-of-greens

I will have to try that, thanks! Dh would probably enjoy them.

I have been accused of being un-southern due to not eating collards or turnip greens. Lol. May try them again though.

 

[Klayfish]

I came in here to read this thread and contribute, but I'm only a few pages in and now I'm hungry...so I'm just going to leave. Thanks a lot, gang...

EDIT: Seriously, as I've said in many other threads, I'm pretty health conscious. However, for Thanksgiving Day itself, all bets are off. We're here in WDW and are having dinner in the rental house, ordered from Publix. Dark meat turkey...yep. Maybe even a little skin too. Mashed potatoes...pile 'em on...with gravy please. Stuffing...yes, I'd love some. Green beans? Nah...that's healthy food, I eat that the rest of the year. Rolls. Sure, why not. Dessert...well, if you insist.

Pepto-Bismol on Friday morning? Yes, please.

 

[SteveH]

We've changed our Thanksgiving, trying to reduce the waste and the 4-5 days of leftovers. We've tried turkey about any way possible; Oven, OvenBag, Roaster Oven, Deep fried once and now we put it on the smoker! I've never been a mash potato fan myself, though my wife could live on them I think. We make a Strawberry Pretzel Salad (well calling it salad is a joke, its strawberries, whip-cream and pretzels) plus a sweat potato/walnut dish. Our green beans are fresh! My wife knows anything served that looks like a casserole gets called Cat Food, I don't mean it to be cruel but I hated them as a kid and I don't eat them today.

This year we're off to the Oregon Coast with the RV, thus we keep it simple and spend time together instead of cooking and cleaning.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

@luvsJack -- I love collards, I don't think you can go wrong any way you cook them. One really simple way I like them is onions sautéed in butter, then add the greens with black eyed peas and bacon. (Well, my bacon is vegan but you can do the real thing. Black eyed peas either canned or already rehydrated.) Add seasonings of your choice.

 

[luvsJack]

Does anyone else's spouse get to determine the whole menu?

Anyhow, if we are talking about texture, the whole 'chunky mashed potatoes' thing...
I don't really have texture issues... but, that one gets me!!!!

Oh he doesn't get to determine the whole menu. Everyone gets input even the grands (who always want mac and cheese but I keep hoping for a different request)

He just happens to like the basic mushy stuff of dressing, gravy, dumplings and sweet potatoes ( which do have a sort of crunchy topping). The only "vegetable" he really likes is field peas and butter beans which is just more startch.

Ods always wants the broccoli and brussel sprouts. Yds a sweet potaoto pie. Dil likes 7 Layer salad. Dd wants pecan pie and future sil has requested loaded potato salad (does not fit in there but it's one of the few things he has tasted of my cooking and the third time he has requested it lol)

 

[mousefan73]

Haha, good observation. I don't have the answer for you, but I have heard that people from other countries sometimes think the American diet is "juvenile" in the sense that so many things are cooked down to a mush texture, bones and eyes removed, heavily sugar sweetened, etc. So, here you've got a holiday that's celebrated with quintessentially American dishes and everything's mushy.... Maybe they've got a point.

My husband is German and calls Thanksgiving "mampf" chow or mush.... basically where the food looks already chewed on the plate.. the plate gets that look when you have a about 8 different mushy sides spooned on there. That is your basica American thanksgiving where each brings a side.. Here I cook alone... on saturday as the kids dont have off this week. Most of my sides are not mushy.as I cook everything at my home... .. I do my sweet potatoes but as roasted, spicy fries in the oven, green been with fresh not canned so it's not so mushy..brussel sproats halved and sauteed with almonds.... I think for a culture that loves crockpot dishes, which are mushy.. that is the taste a lot like on Thanksgiving.

 

[gillep]

Apple Cider Sangria -- This sounds good. Recipe please?

Seriously, so many delicious sounding drinks and no recipes .

 

[amberpi]

Tell us more! What are your favorite combinations?

Fresh cherries (some pureed)
whiskey
water
tiny bit sugar/honey
lemon juice
sparkling wine

Garnish with orange slivers with portions to your taste.

My favorite (for Christmas) is a Nashville take on Poinsettas:
Sparkling wine
cranberry juice
fresh cran to garnish or limes
bit of lime juice
small batch whiskey

I like to start with half sparkling wine, then the juices, and whiskey mixed in to mellow the sweetness and to add a totally different note. Most of my cooking/mixing isn't precise. Sorry!

 

[PollyannaMom]

Every year, my DH wants pumpkin pie also (more mush). Every year, I get a pumpkin pie and he's the only person to eat a piece. So I plunk down something like $6-$7 for one piece of pie and after a couple of days, I throw the rest out. This year, I'm not even going to bother with pumpkin pie.

Just get him one of these:

http://www.tabletalkpie.com/wp/our-products/snack-pies/table-talk-snack-size-pies/

Individual size, and 2/$3.00 at my grocery store! I've never had the pumpkin, but DS says the apple and blueberry are OK, and I liked the lemon well enough. They're not the same as home-made, of course, but at least he won't feel left out.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

She keeps them in storage during the off season.

With the table leaves, right???

 

[Wendy31]

Apple Cider Sangria -- This sounds good. Recipe please?

Seriously, so many delicious sounding drinks and no recipes .

APPLE CIDER SANGRIA

1 bottle of Pinot Grigio (standard size)
2 1/2 cups of Fresh Apple Cider
1 cup of Club Soda
1/2 cup of Ginger Brandy
3 Honey Crisp Apples, chopped
3 Pears, Chopped

Mix all ingredients & stir. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Doesn't this just look like Thanksgiving in a glass?

https://www.musely.com/tips/Apple-Cider-Sangria/4721784

I will have to try that, thanks! Dh would probably enjoy them.

I have been accused of being un-southern due to not eating collards or turnip greens. Lol. May try them again though.

I've been accused of being un-southern because I prefer unsweet tea to sweet tea.

I can eat collards, but they're not my favorite.

Fresh cherries (some pureed)
whiskey
water
tiny bit sugar/honey
lemon juice
sparkling wine

Garnish with orange slivers with portions to your taste.

My favorite (for Christmas) is a Nashville take on Poinsettas:
Sparkling wine
cranberry juice
fresh cran to garnish or limes
bit of lime juice
small batch whiskey

I like to start with half sparkling wine, then the juices, and whiskey mixed in to mellow the sweetness and to add a totally different note. Most of my cooking/mixing isn't precise. Sorry!

I actually like Poinsettias more than Mimosas! And your Nashville take looks wonderful - adding lime to anything is always a good thing!

 

[amberpi]

APPLE CIDER SANGRIA

1 bottle of Pinot Grigio (standard size)
2 1/2 cups of Fresh Apple Cider
1 cup of Club Soda
1/2 cup of Ginger Brandy
3 Honey Crisp Apples, chopped
3 Pears, Chopped

Mix all ingredients & stir. Chill for at least an hour before serving.!

That sounds delicious too! I will have to make it for a holiday gathering! I'd add whiskey, but I'm from Nashville, it's what we do!

ETA: I love whiskey in things, but other than sore throat times, you couldn't pay me to drink it straight!

 

[gillep]

Thank you everyone for the drink recipes!!! I think I need to make a run to the store to stock up on a couple missing items!!!