Eat ’til you drop

My peeps and I are headed west for Thanksgiving to spend the holiday with one set of Grans – the Mr’s parents – for the big Eat ‘Til You Pop Day.

We have our own family dinner traditions – green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, fresh cranberry sauce, angel biscuits, turkey, and various and sundry desserts. Some of these dishes are the same as the ones my husband and I remember from childhood, others we’ve changed up a little. This year, we’ll combine old and new for a tryptophan feast.

Green bean casserole is a classic, to alter it would be almost sacrilegious. Desserts are welcome no matter what form they take – pumpkin and pecan pies. I’ve even been known to add my beloved cranberries to apple pie.

When the Mr and I were both kids, sweet potatoes were garnished with tiny, toasted marshmallows. My grandma also mixed in pineapple tidbits. At my house, I pile on handfuls of pecan praline topping. It’s really more of a dessert, but The Boy eats it so I count it as a vegetable.

My grandma would turn over in her grave if she knew the shortcut I take when making my angel biscuits, but I don’t think she’d be able to tell the difference from hers. (Think Bisquick…)

Cranberry sauce back in the day came from a can. You opened both ends and pushed through the gelatinous, maroon cylinder onto a serving dish, slicing along the ridges for uniform medallions. I prefer cranberry relish with real berries.

Turkeys were stuffed and roasted half a day. Now, we brine our bird for 24-hours then deep fry it in less than one hour.

This year, we’ll probably also have stuffing-slash-dressing, perhaps some mashed potatoes (The Boy can make a mean dish of taters), and gravy. If I make whiny noises, I may even get some devil eggs. (I’m the only one in my little family who loves these golden nuggets of deliciousness – but I’m also the only one who appreciates eggnog and fruitcake at Christmas.)

I told my kids about a dish my mother used to make with canned pear halves. A little dollop of mayo in the center, topped with some shredded Velveeta. My husband remembers a similar side item, only with cottage cheese… hopefully we won’t be recreating these culinary delights.

What are your favorite Thanksgiving dishes, or least favorite?

This week’s Studio30 Plus prompt is “Unfaithful,” and/or “Shortcut.”

NaBloPoMo 25/30