Canadian Thanksgiving!

[Selkie]

...Since so many of you prefer other meats on your Thanksgiving, maybe you could give some thought to having a traditional American Thanksgiving dinner...

Other meats? Traditional meats? Zhizara, it's not that simple. Some have said that a Life Magazine Cover by Norman Rockwell established the "traditional turkey dinner," but in truth other American traditional meats besides turkey, (not necessarily all inclusive) include:

Pork Roast
Ham
Goose (Probably served at the first Thanksgiving dinner)
Duck (Probably served at the first Thanksgiving dinner)
Venison (Probably served at the first Thanksgiving dinner)
Lobster (Probably served at the first Thanksgiving dinner)
Fish (Probably served at the first Thanksgiving dinner)
Clams (Probably served at the first Thanksgiving dinner)
New England Oyster Stew
Gulf Coast Seafood Gumbo
Moose Nose (High fat content was cherished by early Great Plains Pioneers)
Beaver Tail (High fat content was cherished by early Great Plains Pioneers)
Salmon (Atlantic)
Buffalo Hump (High fat content was cherished by early Great Plains Pioneers)
Whale (Northwest & Alaska Fishermen/Whalers and Christian Eskimo Natives & Native Americans)

And some of these "traditional meats" linger even today. While I don't claim to be an expert by any stretch of the imagination, I do enjoy reading about American history and the unusual things they used to eat.

History can be such fun!

 

[LPBeier]

Happy Thanksgiving to all you Canadians.

Since so many of you prefer other meats on your Thanksgiving, maybe you could give some thought to having a traditional American Thanksgiving dinner. We have so many wonderful traditional dishes for this feast, I wouldn't want you to miss out. I realize our Thanksgiving day is on a work day for you, but perhaps the following weekend. So many of our dishes are made with fall harvest vegetables.

Actually, Zhizara, turkey and trimmings is still very traditional here as well for Thanksgiving. It just seems that for any of the three "turkey days" of the year (Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving), many people have ham as well, or instead. One of my aunts was of Romanian descent and she would prepare the full turkey dinner for Thanksgiving plus cabbage rolls, perogie,
and stuffed peppers, etc.

 

[Andy M.]

We do turkey for Thanksgiving and roast beef (standing rib or tenderloin roast) for Christmas. Easter is a toss up that includes ham and something else.

 

[LPBeier]

We do turkey for Thanksgiving and roast beef (standing rib or tenderloin roast) for Christmas. Easter is a toss up that includes ham and something else.

Is the "something else" from a list or do you just not want to talk about it?

 

[Andy M.]

Is the "something else" from a list or do you just not want to talk about it?

My sister usually does Easter. She will do a ham and a turkey breast or small roast beef just to be sure there's enough...

 

[Kayelle]

A very happy Thanksgiving to all of our northern neighbors. Frankly I sure wish I lived closer to Canada. I know you will all have a wonderful food celebration with all the trimmings. It would be so nice to celebrate Thanksgiving in October rather than November, and have it further away from Christmas!! For my family we must have turkey....I just can't imagine Thanksgiving without it.

 

[LPBeier]

My sister usually does Easter. She will do a ham and a turkey breast or small roast beef just to be sure there's enough...

My sister usually does Easter as well - she makes reservations

 

[Barbara L]

My sister usually does Easter as well - she makes reservations

When I was growing up my mom did Thanksgiving and usually Easter, and my Aunt Janet did Christmas and sometimes Easter. After Aunt Janet and her family moved to Minnesota my mom did Thanksgiving and Christmas, and we started going out for Easter.

Barbara

 

[LPBeier]

A big huge HAPPY THANKSGIVING CANADA!!!!!

 

[gage]

I'm in B.C.- I debone and stuff my turkey ( bones to pressure cooker for gravy broth ) I later do a roux based gravy. I do a gratin of Yam ( thin cut on mandoline )cooked in cream mixed with chilpotle sauce.
DW makes garlic mashed potatoes and get the veggies ready for me ( brussel sprouts and carrot glased in honey and butter with dill ). Dw makes pumpkin pie as well. we use our own homegrown potatoes ,garlic,dill,pumpkin and herbs.
(I make our bread and beer and yogurt as well)
We have done this two to three times a year for about 20 years , I do suggest prime rib for a change of menu but am outvoted every time. My kids have had me show them how to do the turkey ( or chicken ) but have not done it alone yet.
The deboned turkey saves alot of troubles and time, I dislike the white meat so redistribute it in thinner layers.
I'm sure I no longer could carve a turkey well anymore.
Regards and happy thanksgiving Gage-- we had ours yesterday due to kids schedules.

 

[luvs]

have a great holiday, guys!!!!!

bucky, we luv hockey, here, as well. that sidney crosby, he connects 'da burgh w/ canada!

anyhows, excellent dinners!

here's the way me & my luved ones dine on holidays~
Christmas- turkey/here & there also a ham
Easter sunday- ham or prime-rib roast
Thanksgiving- a turkey
new yrs.- pork roast/kraut/taters/etcetera

as 4 other foods, we prefer those cliche items- canned corn/peas, gravy, potato, giblet gravies, crescents, 'punkin pie, nuts/chocolates, this gelatin dessert, slaw, that jive. i've gotten them interested in other foods, though-

 

[Alix]

The edited list:

Our dinner will be Sunday night and we will be having:
turkey (brined and stuffed with traditional bread stuffing)
yummy gravy
potatoes - chunked up, tossed with EVOO and seasonings and oven roasted
asparagus - some steamed, some blanched then layered with proscuitto and mozza and baked
spaghetti squash (baked and tossed with EVOO and oregano and tomatoes)
Spinach Salad - hard boiled egg, mozza, diced bacon
pumpkin pie (MIL is providing this as it makes me gag)
apple pie
whipped cream or coffee ice cream as a topper
buns and butter
sparkly juice or italian sodas

I think thats it.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian neighbors! Hope you are eating well and having fun!

 

[licia]

Traditional thanksgiving foods are only the beginning of our meal as seems to be with others here. In addition to those, my mom always includes whatever favorite dish everyone has at the moment, which means we have entirely too much food and to actually enjoy the meal I have to leave many of them off my plate. I wish we could stick to a basic traditional meal, but it seems tradition with us is too much which leads to too much left over as well.

 

[Kathleen]

It is Thanksgiving that I seem to remember my family through food...always. It's the only holiday that I really want a particular menu...the same one that has been served in our family for decades.

Roasted Turkey
Dressing...the best dressing ever made of cornbread and other breads...sage, etc.
Dumplings with giblets
Cream peas
Whipped potatoes
Sweet potato casserole with pineapple
This salad called....Thanksgiving salad made with carrots, pineapple and cream cheese
Whole cranberry sauce
Olives, pickles, and stuffed celery and stuffed dates
Potato Rolls
Sweet Tea

Pecan pie, Apple pie, Pumpkin pie

It's carb-hell, but I love it. Extra insulin needed all-around. After Thanksgiving is awesome too. I become the Bubba Gump of Turkey. Turkey casserole, turkey salad, turkey stew, etc.

I have to say that Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. The other holidays have no set menu at our house! Now I cannot wait for November!

Happy Thanksgiving, Canada!

~Kathleen

 

[Alix]

*groan* Thank God for elastic waistband pants.

 

[FrankZ]

*groan* Thank God for elastic waistband pants.

Now now now.. didn't we have a thread around here about self control and not over eating and personal responsibility? Aw heck, glad you enjoyed the feasting.

 

[msmofet]

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!!

 

[LPBeier]

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!!

On behalf of Canada, MsM, I thank you!

Like Alix, I needed to change into my sweatpants after dinner, but everyone thoroughly enjoyed it (even me, which often doesn't happen when I have been cooking all day.

Today, the actual holiday, I plan to relax and reflect upon all that I am thankful for. One that is very near the top of the list is having my DC family in my life!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

What a day it must be at your home. Being who you are, your meal will be the best you can make it. Your family must be salivating right now. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration.

I will be at my daughter's house, in Maryland, when our Thanksgiving rolls around. I will get to play with my grandaughter, and be my goofy self with the adults. I can't hardly wait.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North