On 11/4/2014 12:33 PM, sf wrote:
>
> Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that I can't mess around with.
> Family members have their favorite holiday specific dishes, so heaven
> forbid I should mess with one or leave it off the menu. I guess I've
> varied stuffing enough over the years that I get away with minimal
> changes (Cornbread went untouched the year I tried that). This year,
> I think I'll try Jacques Pepin's mushroom bread stuffing/dressing and
> the other one will use pears instead of apples. I may even break with
> tradition and make pumpkin pudding instead of pumpkin pie... I can
> hear the howls now!
>
> How do you mix up your Thanksgiving meal enough to make it interesting
> for you and keep your family members happy too?

We always have turkey. Whoever hosts roasts it. I always make the
mashed potatoes, gravy, and stuffing. But the rest of the family
(there are a good many) are free to bring whatever side or dessert
they want. We end up with a long buffet of varied foods to choose
from. It's a good opportunity for people to experiment with
making/tasting new dishes if they're so inclined.

Our issue is Christmas. We're from a Polish/German background, so
traditionally we eat a lot of pork. But one of the nieces married a
Muslim and is raising their children in that faith. Her husband, who
smokes and drinks alcohol, refuses to even be in attendance if pork is
served. No big loss.