Thanksgiving Day at our house was filled with watching the Thanksgiving parade, friends, relatives, family, grandparents, and special guests. As a ice breaker we passed out colored leaves and pens for each to write what they were thankful for that year. A big brown grocery bag was thumb tacked to a bulletin board with a container filled with thumb tacks to place their leaves on the branches of a big oak tree that had been drawn on the bag. Then at the table each person shared what they were thankful for.
In the wee hours of the morning the turkey was put in a big roaster oven to bake. Mom would prepare all the vegetables the day before so all she had to do was put on the stove or in the oven. Then she could sit down and enjoy the appetizers, dips and punch. It gave her a break from the kitchen.
Of course everyone brought a dish to share and dessert too. A variety of homemade cakes, cookies and pies filled the dessert table. There always was Pecan, Lemon, Apple, Squash, Pumpkin pies.
Traditional Bubble Bread was made every Thanksgiving. Some people call it Monkey Bread but mom made it festive with red and green marchinno cherries. This is how she made Bubble Bread:
Take a round tube angel food cake pan and spray with butter, cover bottom with brown sugar, sprinkle cinnamon on top. Cut red and green marchinno cheeries in half and place in pan with rounded side down. Then place Pecan halves in between the cheeries.
Then she made bread dough with a little extra sugar and rolled in small balls. She placed the balls in the pan forming one layer. A mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon was sprinkled over the balls. Chopped Pecans was sprinkled on the balls then a spray of butter and the process was repeated for the second layer.
Let rise till doubled and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Remove from oven and turn upside down on a decorative plate. You will see a colorful glaze of red/green cheeries and Pecans for topping with sticky brown sugar/cinnamon drizzling down the sides. You just break off a bubble bread piece and enjoy! Makes a great breakfast bread the next morning if any is left over.
Another tradition at Thanksgiving was a great way to get the kids to eat their vegetables. I would place equal amounts of carrots and turnips in a pan of boiling water and cook until tender. (This sounds awful but wait, don't knock it till you have tried it.) Then I would drain and whip the carrots and turnips with an electric mixer and add salt and butter to taste. You could not taste the turnips at all.
Stuffing was baked in a separate oblong pan. I used a bag of stuffing and followed directions for preparation. Then I added 2 cups chopped celery, onion and 4 peeled/chopped apples. Sometimes a cup of raisens and walnuts. Bake in oven for an hour.
Scalloped potatoes were our favorite. A layer of peeled/sliced potatoes in an oblong glass pan. Spray layer of potatoes with butter. sprinkle seasoned salt, do another layer of potatoes, sprinkle with dry ranch dressing and spray with butter. Keep repeating this order of potatoes, butter spray, seasoned salt then potatoes, butter spray, dry ranch dressing till pan is full. In corner of pan pour a cup of cream or milk. Do not pour over the potatoes or it will mess up the seasoning. By pouring in the corner it slides under the potatoes. Bake in oven at 375 degrees 45 minutes till done. Yummy!
And the rest of the dinner was turkey, gravy, squash and baked candied sweet potatoes, corn on the cob and Green Beans sauteed in onions and bacon.
We joined hands around the table and stood and sang grace.
Lord we Thank you ; Lord we thank you; For this food; For this food; And thy daily blessing; And thy daily blessing; Amen; Amen
Then we all enjoyed the Thanksgiving feast and shared memories of thanks for all the blessings showered upon us.
After dinner was game time of dominoes, cards, puzzle races, naps and chatting and catching up on all the news. Thanksgiving is a holiday for fun, games and family/relatives to renew their bonds of love/care for one another.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving and do try something different each year so memories are kept/shared.