Thanksgiving — the time of year for family and friends to gather together, eat a delicious meal, give thanks for all the blessings they have received, and watch football.
There are many dishes served at Thanksgiving, and although they can vary from household to household, they usually consist of turkey, potatoes, vegetables, rolls, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. Sometimes other dishes can be found at a Thanksgiving meal, ranging from casseroles to a wide variety of desserts. This is why I have come up with what I would like to call the perfect Thanksgiving meal, something simple and perhaps having less calories (for those of you who are trying to lose weight).
First, there is the turkey. Naturally, it is the traditional main dish at Thanksgiving. If you really want to get creative, then I would recommend a turducken (which is a deboned chicken inside a deboned duck inside a deboned turkey) with cornbread stuffing. Other meat dishes that could be served consist of venison (which is said to have been the main dish at the first Thanksgiving), cod (also said to be served at the first Thanksgiving), and of course ham. And don’t forget about the gravy.
Next, there are the starches. Although casseroles are popular to serve at Thanksgiving, they tend to be quite filling. So I would limit the carbs to the dressing, mashed potatoes, and dinner rolls.
Then there are the vegetables. Corn on the cob is popular. In addition, I would go with a vegetable medley (usually referred to as California medley or broccoli Normandy), which consists of broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots.
Then you have the desserts. Personally, I would go with pumpkin pie and cranberries. And instead of candied yams with marshmallows, I would serve sweet potato pie (which tastes just like pumpkin pie).
Finally, there are the beverages. Feel free to serve whatever you what, whether it be soft drinks, tea, fruit juices, or just plain water.
Naturally, there will probably be leftovers. So there’s a chance you will have a Thanksgiving meal for several days, depending on the amount of food. Should the number of side dishes be minimal or completely gone in the aftermath of the Thanksgiving meal, then I would recommend fixing turkey club sandwiches, and ham & cheese sandwiches if ham had been among the Thanksgiving dishes. It might be a good idea to have potato chips to go along with the sandwiches.
So there you have it. A simple, easy-to-fix meal with less stress and calories.
Happy Thanksgiving.
