Holidays- revisiting last year's Thanksgiving

I keep the menu simple with some of my childhood favorites such as dried corn, coleslaw, candied sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie.  This year instead of the cabbage style slaw there will be a broccoli style slaw on the order of this recipe including peanuts or sunflower seeds depending on which I find first.  I am also baking an apple instead of pumpkin pie, I know how terrible but, we have been apple crazy this Fall with going through I don't know how many gallons of cider, crisps and just fresh cut apples of all types.  No candied sweet potatoes with instead baked butternut squash on the dinner table.
My Grandmother Agnes would have lost her cool, for the woman needed to have the same dishes at every holiday not deviating from those sacred entrees, sides and desserts.  One year for 4th of July, before my dh and I were married, I dared to bring over a seafood pasta salad and she went ballistic.  This simple addition caused years of her reprimands, not to mention the Easter ham where I did a spice rub along with the mustard/brown sugar glaze.  My Father also jumped in on this occasion...crrrr-azy around the Easter holiday table that year.

I forgot about the little bacon addition : - )  Sage under the skin, stuffed with onion, celery, an orange, garlic and various herbs stuff last years bird.  

It is my call now, I do what I want with whatever I want in my kitchen these days.  My girls also bring to the table some funstuff for they have freedom to play in the kitchen making some pretty amazing sides.

my daughter stirring gravy, dried corn simmering with turkey resting before the big CARVE

day after game playing with youngest dd snacking on frosting and saltines

Every year we usually put a fresh, newly found and purchased puzzle together Thanksgiving morning while watching the parade, football or perhaps a binge of Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter or Star Wars.  We are still in the Doctor Who mode so this year's will be a Whopuzzle with this one coming tomorrow from Amazon.   Amazon Prime is super for those last minute wants or needs!!

What will be on your Thanksgiving table this year?  I posted this query on my facebook wall this morning, if you want to take a gander, please do. 

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving !!!

*** I needed to include a friend's fun find.  Did you realize that this year's Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Hanukkah?  This great fusion make for Thanksgivukkah! Thanks Stacie!! hoot, hoot...funstuff!

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