Thanksgiving

Another Bizarre Thanksgiving Dish – You’ve Got to See It to Believe It

By in Holidays and Celebrations Tags: , ,

Shocked_Woman_in_Kitchen

Every year, around Thanksgiving time, I like to scour the internet to find strange and disturbing Thanksgiving dishes. One year I posted an article about a woman who attempted to make “Frozen Jellied Turkey-Vegetable Salad” (so awful), and another year I discovered a “Thanksgiving Turkey Cake” that was truly awe-inspiring.

This year, I’ve discovered a new and amazing dish. It’s called “Thanksgiving in a Bucket.” The food itself isn’t that strange. What makes this one bizarre is the presentation.

Created by Christine Byrne and Rachel Sanders, the Thanksgiving in a Bucket is described as a dish that’s perfect for people who don’t have a lot of space on their table. Instead of serving all of the traditional Thanksgiving dishes in separate bowls and platters, they suggest layering the food into a clear, three-gallon bucket. Those layers include (from bottom to top) a layer of stuffing, mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, turkey and gravy, and cranberry sauce. Check out Tasty’s website to see what this thing looks like. I think it has to be seen to be believed.

So would you eat Thanksgiving in a Bucket? Personally, I would be willing to give it a try. I’m not fussy about keeping my foods separate. If everything kind of mixes together, that’s OK with me. But I would never prepare a Thanksgiving in a Bucket and serve it to others. If I did, I’m afraid they’d never associate with me again!

Do you know of any bizarre Thanksgiving dishes? If so, please feel free to share them in the Comments section below! And have a great Thanksgiving!

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Byrne, C., and Sanders, R. (2014, October 8). Thanksgiving in a bucket will be your new favorite tradition. Tasty. Retrieved from: https://tasty.co/article/christinebyrne/thanksgiving-in-a-bucket#46und9w

Most Popular Thanksgiving Side Dishes

By in Holidays and Celebrations Tags: , ,

Thanksgiving_Food

Thanksgiving is probably going to be celebrated a little differently this year. Due to the pandemic, I know a lot of people won’t be attending a big family gathering. But just because you may not be getting together with your family members, that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy some delicious food! Even if you’re celebrating solo, you should still treat yourself to some of your favorite Thanksgiving dishes.

And what are your favorite Thanksgiving dishes? Well, according to the website Zippia, that might depend on where you live. They did a survey to determine the most popular Thanksgiving side dish in each U.S. state. Here’s what they found…

As I look at this map, some interesting results jump out at me.

  • Mashed potatoes are the most popular side dish in the country! I can’t argue with that.
  • Alaska really loves “hashbrown casserole” while Kentucky loves “broccoli casserole.” What are these casseroles, and why have I never heard of them? I clearly need to do some research!
  • Mac ‘n cheese as a Thanksgiving side dish seems to be a regional thing.
  • Deviled eggs are the most popular Thanksgiving side dish in Indiana. That’s kind of an odd choice. Sure, they’re tasty. But do you really like deviled eggs more than stuffing, Indiana? Really?
  • And more than anything, when the people of Maine sit down for Thanksgiving dinner, they want to enjoy a good side salad. That’s just sad.

But hey – you should eat the dishes that make you happy. You savor that side salad! And whatever food you end up eating, and however you end up celebrating, I hope you have a wonderful holiday! Happy Thanksgiving!

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Morris, K. (2020, November 3). The most popular Thanksgiving side in every state. Zippia. Retrieved from: https://www.zippia.com/advice/popular-thanksgiving-sides/

I Bet You’ve Never Eaten “Cherpumple” Before

By in Holidays and Celebrations Tags: , ,

Pies on Cooling Racks

Every year at Thanksgiving, I try to find a new, bizarre holiday recipe to share. Two years ago, I wrote an article about an intrepid chef who attempted to cook a series of disgusting vintage Thanksgiving dishes (including the “Frozen Jellied Turkey-Vegetable Salad”). And last year, I highlighted the “Thanksgiving Turkey Cake,” which is basically an entire thanksgiving dinner smooshed together into a single cake. It’s both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

This year, I came across an amazing dessert called the “Cherpumple.” Much like the “Turducken” (which is a combination of turkey, duck and chicken), the Cherpumple is a strange amalgamation of several different things. Created by Charles Phoenix, the Cherpumple is made by combining a cherry pie, a pumpkin pie, an apple pie, white cake, yellow cake, and spice cake. All in one! And it’s all covered with a generous layer of cream cheese frosting! Whoo!

So if you’re feeling brave and adventurous (and hungry!) click the link below to learn exactly how to make a glorious Cherpumple! And have a very happy Thanksgiving!

https://www.charlesphoenix.com/how-to-make-a-cherpumple/

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A Very Unusual Thanksgiving Dish – Eat at Your Own Risk

By in Holidays and Celebrations, Humor Tags: ,

Disturbed_by_dinner

Last year, I posted an article about a courageous woman who attempted to make four strange, vintage Thanksgiving dishes – including my favorite, the “Frozen Jellied Turkey-Vegetable Salad.” (The results were truly terrifying.)

So this year, I thought I’d continue the tradition by posting a new, disturbing Thanksgiving idea. Chef Amy Wisniewski has created something called the “Thanksgiving Turkey Cake” that I think needs to be seen to be believed. It’s a cake made of ground turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and mini-marshmallows. So basically, it’s your entire Thanksgiving meal in one cake-like mound!

Here’s the link to both the recipe and instructional video…

https://www.chowhound.com/recipes/thanksgiving-turkey-cake-29029

And if you decide to try this out, PLEASE share your experience in the Comment section below. I’m dying to know how this would turn out – and how it would taste!

 

Bizarre Thanksgiving Dishes – You Probably Shouldn’t Try These at Home

By in Holidays and Celebrations, Humor Tags: ,

Thanksgiving_Dishes

It’s almost Thanksgiving – a holiday that’s all about delicious food. It doesn’t get any better than turkey, stuffing, and pie. So good!

But maybe you’re getting a little bit tired of traditional Thanksgiving dishes? Do you wish you could try making and eating something a little more exotic? Author Molly Fitzpatrick took up the challenge when she decided to make four strange, vintage Thanksgiving dishes: Cranberry Candles (1960), Frozen Jellied Turkey-Vegetable Salad (1975), Campfire Apple Mallows (1926), and Hot Dr. Pepper (1967).

Click the link below to read about her entertaining (and kind of disgusting) experience, and see what she managed to produce!  And no matter what you decide to cook (even if it’s Frozen Jellied Turkey-Vegetable Salad), I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

https://splinternews.com/vintage-thanksgiving-recipes-scary-to-cook-horrifying-1793853265

 

Thanksgiving Is Weird

By in Holidays and Celebrations Tags: ,

Live_Turkey

Thanksgiving is tomorrow – one of the most delicious days of the year! I love Thanksgiving. For me, it’s a no-stress holiday. It’s all about hanging out with my family and eating enormous amounts of turkey. What could be better?

Everyone has their own Thanksgiving traditions. For a lot of people, those traditions involve turkey, pumpkin pie, and football. There’s nothing too unusual about that. But Thanksgiving also involves traditions that are actually very weird – but we’re so used to them that we don’t give them a second thought. Here’s a quick list of those weird events:

  • Breaking the wishbone – You know the drill. You extract the wishbone out of the turkey carcass, and then two people pull it apart. The person who ends up with the bigger piece will have his or her wish come true. I did this when I was a kid and I remember taking it very seriously. But now that I think about it, it’s pretty strange. (I’m still willing to give it a try, though!)
  • Santa is the star – At the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade (another tradition), Santa makes his big appearance. He’s the star of the event. It wouldn’t be the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade without him! But think about it… why is he there? It’s a Thanksgiving parade – not a Christmas parade. Santa is kind of overstepping his boundaries, if you ask me.
  • Presidential pardon – Many different presidents (including Kennedy, Nixon, and Regan) have decided to spare the life of a turkey that was delivered to the White House for Thanksgiving dinner. George H. W. Bush was the first president to make it an official event, and it’s been a tradition ever since. Every year, one special turkey receives a presidential pardon. I’m happy for those turkeys. But yeah, this is strange.
  • Shopping like crazy – I know there are good sales the day after Thanksgiving (and even the day OF Thanksgiving). But the fervor and ferocity with which people shop makes the whole thing pretty weird and a little terrifying. Be careful out there!
  • James Bond marathon – I actually don’t think there’s a James Bond movie marathon on TV tomorrow, which really surprises me. Because for some reason, James Bond movies are usually shown during Thanksgiving. What do the amazing adventures of a British Secret Service agent have to do with a family gathering and a big turkey dinner? Nothing, really. But James Bond movies are great, so I think we should just accept this and move on.

Can you think of any other weird Thanksgiving traditions? If so, please feel free to share them in the Comments section below!

And have a very happy Thanksgiving!

 

Myers, D. (2015, November 6). Are these Thanksgiving traditions actually really weird? The Daily Meal. Retrieved from http://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/these-thanksgiving-traditions-are-actually-pretty-weird-when-you-think-about-it

 

Thanksgiving at the Office

By in Holidays and Celebrations, Leadership, Living Well Tags: , ,

ThankYou

It’s great to give thanks – especially around the office! Research has shown that expressing gratitude in the workplace can result in the following positive effects:

  • Makes employees feel valued
  • Makes employees feel more confident
  • Strengthens relationships
  • Improves morale
  • Increases productivity (employees who feel appreciated work harder and longer)

So don’t wait for the Thanksgiving holiday. Kick things off now by thanking your coworkers, bosses, and employees for the good work they do! Complimenting your coworkers and giving thanks is an easy way to make the office happier, healthier, and more effective.

 

Afzal, S. (2010, November 23). Start your Thanksgiving in the office. The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved from: http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2010/1123/Start-your-Thanksgiving-in-the-office