By: Tamali Smith
Family, feast and festivity are used to commemorate one of the major holidays in the United States of America: Thanksgiving Day. This holiday brings families and friends closer as they share their experiences throughout the year, laugh at each other’s jokes and reflect upon their lives, being grateful for everything that they possess. However, what brings everyone, races, countries, enemies, friends and families together? Food. It is that toothsome redolent roasted turkey, the sweet sapid cornbread with delectable gravy on top and the nectarous pumpkin pie that everyone looks forward to. As George Bernard Shaw quoted, “there is no sincerer love than the love of food.” We are very much use to all the turkey, pies and cornbread, but many other foods are used to commemorate the holiday as well.
Thanksgiving this year will be Nov. 22, but the first Thanksgiving in history dates to 1621; it is the hallmark of the biggest feast in the world before the season of Christmas. According to infoplease.com “The first American Thanksgiving was celebrated to commemorate the harvest reaped by the Plymouth Colony after a harsh winter. In that year Governor William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving. The colonists celebrated it as a traditional English harvest feast, to which they invited the local Wampanoag Indians.” In retrospect, two opposing teams came together to celebrate a feast and give thanks for their harvest. This day, however, was only celebrated by individuals in the country until president Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, declared that this was a national holiday. He was looking for a way in which the country could come together in peace. In so doing, he declared the last Thursday in November each year, a day of thanksgiving. With this day of feast, every family has something that is peculiar that is passed down from generations to generations. Martha Stewart, an infamous celebrity decided to show the best and most flavorful, unique and unusual dishes for Thanksgiving.
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The first dish on the list is mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes with gravy on top are one of America’s top traditional Thanksgiving food. However, if you want to try something a bit crunchier this Thanksgiving, try deep fried mash potatoes with gravy on top. These balls are crispy on the outside and filled with soft, warm mashed potatoes. To make it even tastier, you can add bacon and cheese on the inside, especially for the kids. This 15-minute recipe is quick and easy with little to no mess and can be made with leftovers. If you are not a mashed potato fan, then sweet mashed potatoes are also a mouthwatering alternative. They can also be savored with gravy and eaten with turkey. Another way to use potatoes to make a specific and unusual dish is by making a mashed potato casserole bowl. “This easy to make side dish is loaded up with extra melty cheese, crispy bacon and chives. The best part? You can make this dish ahead of time and then just place it in the oven to heat back up! This dish will end up being the highlight of any meal,” states houseofyum.com.
Another unusual food that can be eaten at Thanksgiving is turkey sliders. According to redbookmag.com, “before dinner is served, you can treat your guests or family members to these easy-to-make sliders that combine all the Thanksgiving classics.” These tasty sliders include turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing all in one bite.
Green bean casserole with onion rings is another unusual food prepared at Thanksgiving. According to wearychef.com, the savory meal is made with homemade creamy mushroom sauce and topped with crispy onion rings for a side dish. This 40-minute recipe can also be prepared with pieces of chicken or turkey. Brussels sprout casserole can be made for the holiday as well; this fresh, appetizing dish is topped with bacon and extra cheese. If you are not a traditional Brussels sprout fan, give this casserole a try, it is much tastier with the added cheese, and pieces of turkey or chicken and sausage will help to convert you.
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Not a meat lover, or trying not to put on too much weight with a Thanksgiving feast? Do not fear. Being a vegetarian or vegan can be a daunting process especially for beginners. If this is your first year and you have come thus far without meat, there are many tasty dishes for you as well. Another unique dish for Thanksgiving is a vegan sweet potato casserole with maple pecan topping. This recipe is quick, easy and healthy. Also, if you want to try something new, this would be a great pick for this Thanksgiving. According to redbookmag.com, orange glazed Brussels sprouts and butternut squash is also an unusual food that is prepared in some families. This recipe is great for vegans and vegetarians as well as it is mixed with greens, nuts, dried cranberries and diced boiled squash; it will definitely add a different but flavorful taste to your palate.
Desserts are a major part of the Thanksgiving feast. An unusual but delicious dessert is pumpkin pie popsicles which are derived from the traditional pumpkin pie that is prepared and delivered to every dining table in America. This dessert can be prepared in any way suitable for each person; pumpkin pie popsicles can be prepared without using added sugar for a healthier dessert. You can also add vanilla and cinnamon to give it a changed flavor. Another unique and unusual bread for Thanksgiving is sweet corn spoonbread. This is an upgraded recipe to the traditional cornbread as this sweet bread includes different types of corn, sour cream and butter. This creamy recipe is crispy on the outside but is soft and warm on the inside which makes it melt on your tongue. To create something different this Thanksgiving, make a creamy, homemade treat of cranberry ice cream. This can be used to top off your Thanksgiving dinner with the combination of tart cranberry and sweet ice cream. The cranberry ice cream is very easy to make and goes well with pumpkin pie, and different flavors of ice cream can be used such as vanilla or chocolate. With these unusual but delectable dishes, you can create a nontraditional Thanksgiving meal for family and friends.
