Thanksgiving Food & Related Comments 
(Especially Stuffing Recipes) 
from Friends of the TLT Group

FAVORITE THANKSGIVING MEAL & COMMENTS
Rick Duet, Nicholls State Univ.,
“My favorite Thanksgiving meal is gumbo, potato salad, and pecan pie for dessert.  My mom's gumbo included many things like hot sausage, chunks of luncheon meat and salami, boiled eggs and chicken.  It's almost as though she wanted to show her thanks for the abundance of food we had by not excluding too many from the pot!  When we complemented her gumbo she and her four sisters would all say, ‘You should have tasted my mom's gumbo!’”  
[I’m sorry that Rick’s parents both died this year, so this will be his first Thanksgiving without them.  We’ll think of him. - SWG]

STUFFING:  MULTI-BREAD, TURKEY SAUSAGE, APPLE, DRIED FRUIT
Debra Rosenberg, Oak Park, Ill. <Steve Gilbert’s sister>, << >
“…Favorite stuffing includes white bread whole wheat bread and corn bread crumbs, turkey breakfast sausage, Granny Smith apples chunks, and sometimes dried apricots or cranberries.  [Also, we often do 2 cranberry sauces, one a Cuisinart blend of cranberries, a whole orange, some canned pineapple;  and one a chutney from some recent magazine.]”

 STUFFING:  WILD RICE, CELERY, ALMONDS
Randy Bass, Georgetown Univ., >
“…Favorite food: stuffing made with long grained wild rice, celery and almonds. Though I have to say Gail and I love throwing a key lime pie into the Thanksgiving dessert mix, but were roundly rejected as heterodox by [wife] Gail's family.”

 CRANBERRY BREAD
Not really a recipe, but a Thanksgiving food favorite
Marc Fleischaker, Arent Fox et al.,
 

STUFFING:  “TRADITIONAL” & COMMENTS
Jane Megginson, Baltimore Yearly Meeting,
“…Fairly traditional with mushrooms, onions, celery and a lot of butter, and regular bread cubes with seasoning.  I like it baked in a dish better than in the bird because I like the consistency better, crunchy on top and moist in the middle rather than all gooshy from steaming in the bird.”

Full meal comments:
“I like the stuffing, the homemade rolls, the vegetarian gravy my sister makes, the cranberries, sauce and jelled (from scratch of course), the mashed potatoes and the mashed sweet potatoes (with fresh orange juice and cream) stuffed in orange shells with walnuts (some black and some English since I hate black walnuts) and a marshmallow on top.  We also always have a manicotti or lasagna because of the vegetarians.  Oh, and a salad: spinach, grapefruit supremes, and avocado slices - very tasty and refreshing; sometimes a green bean, pear and walnut salad.  This makes for a rather full meal, but one with lots of diversity and leftovers.

“The pies are another story: apple, pumpkin with more than a splash of bourbon or rye, and coconut custard.  I wish we had pecan and cherry sometimes but we don't usually.  I think I will make a pecan pie this year, although it is a rich pie after such a large meal.”

STUFFING/DRESSING:  CORNBREAD, PRUNES, ONIONS, …
Mary Campbell, Silver Spring, Md., >
“The most delicious dressing I've ever had featured cornbread, prunes, chestnuts, and onions. It could be dessert.”

STUFFING & COMMENTS
Donna Firer, Takoma Park, Md.,
“My mother always uses the traditional bread crumbs (not the crumbly kind, but the chunky kind) with lots of chopped onions and extra sage.  Nothing fancy but it sure is good!  Also, there is always extra which is baked in a small casserole alongside the bird.

“As our families grew and extended over the years, we began to include traditions and recipes from in-laws (who in my husband's family are affectionately called "out-laws").  One of my personal favorite ‘out-law’ traditions comes from my brother-in-law, who hails from Cape Cod.  Frank's family always celebrated Thanksgiving with several different kinds of pies and sometimes even a cake, I believe.  My Midwestern soul quickly resonated with this brilliant idea!  We now have at least three kinds of pies on the groaning board - always pumpkin and apple, and often pecan.”

DRIED CHERRIES, POBLANO CHILIES, CILANTRO, MOLE' SAUCE
Gary Wheeler, Miami University of Ohio,
My recipe for stuffing (although I never actually stuff a turkey with it) includes cornbread, steamed wild rice, dried cherries, diced poblano chilies, cilantro and sage. 
There have been times when I also prepare a mild molé sauce (includes pumpkin seeds, chilies, and chocolate) to serve on the side. And of course a sherried butternut squash soup (with squash blossom garnish).

CHESTNUTS AND WATER CHESTNUTS
Steve Gilbert, The TLT Group,
Sauté' peeled and sliced chestnuts and water chestnuts in olive oil with chopped onions and garlic.
Use prepared stuffing (bag of stale bread pieces and spices), follow directions, adding the extra items early. 
Stuff and bake inside turkey (or heat and serve separately).