This is one of my more popular posts from a November long past. Well, about three years ago, I think… anyway, I’m re-posting with some tweaks; time has passed by and tastes may have changed. Maybe.

Or something. Besides, for my American friends either home or abroad, Thursday is their Thanksgiving, and it’s two days shy of the end of NaNoWriMo. Since most of them are writers and a lot of them are participating this year, they may be using Turkey-day to celebrate, or procrastinate.

Not to mention it’s a whole month plus since Canadian Turkey-day, and another near-month ’til Christmas… who’s jonesing for turkey? *weg*

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I know, Canadian Thanksgiving is well past, but I needed some recovery time, thank you very much. And these recipes work well for Christmas, or even a big Sunday dinner for a large family.

Besides, I’m actually writing this post in the past, so that I can, in future, reflect on what might be. If that makes sense to you, I think you need to see my therapist. She doesn’t believe me.

There are a few things that I just can’t get past for my own table, despite having the opposite while growing up…

Cranberry jelly. NOT sauce. Actually, what is called cranberry jelly is quite often more jam-like in texture and taste, but either way, there are NO berries! Sacrilege, I know, but I can’t stand the berries. Also, the can is the best jelly mold ever. hehehe

Green beans aren’t a salad food. They’re meant to be hot vegetable sides, but not at Thanksgiving or Christmas. Easter, maybe. Birthdays, definitely. If we could have fresh green and yellow beans every Sunday night from now until Otherworld, I’d be flyin’.

If you don’t want pie, don’t have pie. Geez. Just because it’s legendarily passed down, generation to generation, that your family has always had pumpkin and apple pie at Thanksgiving, doesn’t mean you have to (yes mother, this means you). I strongly suggest keeping the pumpkin theme though, see below. By the by, while having real whipped cream is awesome, it’s not the end of the world, the ground won’t open up and swallow you whole, fire will not rain from the skies if you serve your pumpkin whatever with whipped topping instead. The Cool Whip gods may frown if you use anything other than their fluffy whiteness, but… to each their own.

Okay, so I have a few things that have become staples to our family holiday meals. We’re small (there’s three of us), so there will be lots of leftovers to consider for later recipes.

My picture-perfect, ideal Thanksgiving includes the following:

Turkey
Stuffing
Mashed potatoes (whipped w/butter, preferably)
Broccoli/cauliflower bake
Butternut squash
Brussel sprouts
Salads
Pumpkin dessert (pie, pudding, loaf, cheesecake, ice cream – as long as it’s pumpkin)

I’m pretty sure everyone (or their mother or mother-in-law or someone in their family) knows how to do a turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes. I’m going to share my salads and pumpkin pudding recipes below. Okay, none of these are my own… they’re passed down or whatever. From the family cookbook…

Watergate Salad
(the only way I’ll ever eat pistachio anything…)

1 package Jell-O Pistachio Instant Pudding

1 sm. can crushed pineapple with juice

1 cup mini marshmallows

1 cup Angel Flake coconut

2 cups thawed Cool Whip Topping

Stir together pudding mix, pineapple w/juice, marshmallows and coconut in a large bowl. Fold in Cool Whip, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Garnish with toasted coconut or chopped walnuts.

(I’ve also used a small can of mandarin oranges, drained, as well as the pineapple. Lovely blend of tastes!)

Cucumber Pickle Salad

8 c diced unpeeled cucumbers

1 c vinegar

1 3/4 c sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 onion, sliced

4 stalks celery, sliced

1 red pepper, sliced

1 green pepper, sliced

Boil vinegar, sugar and salt for 3 minutes, set aside to cool. When quite cool, pour over vegetables and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before eating. Will keep for several months.

Pumpkin Pudding

1 lg. can pumpkin

3/4 c packed brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 1/2 c evaporated milk

Heat oven to 350°. Spray or lightly grease a 1 1/2-quart casserole.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl whisk until well blended. Pour into the casserole and bake for about an hour, or until a knife poked in the center comes out clean.

Serve with Cool Whip.

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By the end of the day you should have completed at least 43342 to stay on track.

Best of luck!
<3 JL