Thanksgiving is that special time of year when family and close friends gather around the dinner table to give thanks for all that they have, while stuffing their faces with enormous amounts of food. Every single year, many families prepare the same old traditional Thanksgiving dishes. There’s the turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing, collard greens, macaroni and cheese, corn bread and let’s not forget that scrumptious sweet potato pie.
Although these classic food choices are delicious, year after year they tend to get boring. Non-traditional dishes can spice up a Thanksgiving meal. Who knows, they may eventually become part of the tradition. Even though you may not think so, there is a way to incorporate these dishes without Mr. Turkey feeling offended. With these non-traditional Thanksgiving recipes incorporated into your family’s Thanksgiving food tradition, you can create a unique feast.
Some students already have non-traditional foods that they eat on the holiday.
A sophomore biology major Danielle Raiano said, “My family eats antipasto and Italian wedding soup on Thanksgiving. It’s delicious.”
A senior education major Jaclyn Franzi experiences the same kind of non-traditional meal. “I eat ravioli before turkey on Thanksgiving. Since I’m Italian, it has become somewhat of a tradition,” Franzi said.
During the holidays, many people spend tons of money. Between food, gifts, decorations, and everything else, it can be costly. Thanksgiving can turn out to be really expensive because of the cost of food and desserts. However, you do not have to spend a lot to create something delicious. The following foods and desserts are affordable and easy to make at home.
Sweet and savory is a perfect combination. A cranberry turkey croissant is the perfect mixture of sweet and salty. In order to make this, all you need is turkey, (can be lunch meat turkey or homemade turkey), cranberries, lettuce, and a croissant. Cut the croissant in half, and stuff it with the turkey, lettuce, and cranberry sauce. This is the perfect twist to a traditional turkey sandwich and can be served as an appetizer on Thanksgiving.
Who doesn’t love tacos? Turkey tacos are simple to make and delicious to eat. All you need is some flour tortillas, shredded turkey meat, and your favorite toppings, like lettuce, cheese, and salsa. Create a station for guests to stuff their own taco and let the fun begin. This also serves as another great option for an appetizer while the guests are waiting for the main course.
Not everyone loves the traditional Thanksgiving meal but this problem can be solved.
A junior psychology major Kristin Waring said, “My family will be eating lasagna. I don’t like stuffing or any kind of Thanksgiving food.”
If you want an appetizer minus the turkey, try different dips. Spinach and artichoke, hot crab and pumpkin hummus are just a few possibilities. Just make sure you have enough chips and crackers to go around.
Pecan icebox pie is unusual for a Thanksgiving dessert and is a stray from boring sweet potato or pumpkin pie. Pecan icebox pie can either have a baked clustered filling or a filling of cream cheese and gelatin. Although there are some ingredients that would not likely be in your home, those ingredients are not expensive. Some of the ingredients are pure pumpkin puree, cream cheese, salt, and sugar.
To try something even more untraditional, surprise your guests with a banana icebox pie. All you need is vanilla wafers, butter, salt, condensed milk, vanilla extract, heavy cream, sugar, and of course, bananas. This sweet treat is sure to be a hit at the dessert table.
Another great dessert besides the traditional pie is a red velvet cupcake with butter cream frosting. Almost everyone loves red velvet cake but combining it with butter cream frosting makes it even more tempting. Instead of a traditional cake, make red velvet cupcakes so that they are easier for guests to eat. Decorate the top with plastic turkeys for decoration to stick with the holiday theme.
Although Thanksgiving is built on tradition, there are ways that you can make the holiday meal your own. By incorporating new additions to your traditional turkey and stuffing, you will keep your guests surprised and satisfied. This holiday season, remember that there is nothing wrong with adding new food and desserts to your dinner table. You never know if your creation will become part of your family’s tradition.
IMAGE TAKEN from parade.com
