Thanksgiving Time!

Beautiful fall foliage means it's Thanksgiving time here in Canada! Thanksgiving is the day we've set aside in Canada to reflect on all we have to be thankful for, and to celebrate the harvest (which is just finishing up here). A time when family and friends come together to eat! :) We don't have the iconography of Pilgrims and Native Americans that the American Thanksgiving holiday has, but we do have the associations of sharing the bounty with others which that iconography implies.

The traditional meal is roasted turkey with stuffing (dressing) and mashed potatoes and gravy. In addition, fall vegetables from the harvest, like squash, are enjoyed. And most people will have a big slice of pumpkin pie (with whipped cream on top) for dessert.

Dave's not a huge fan of turkey, so we're saving it for Christmas. Instead our menu was:

* Pork Tenderloin, roasted with a coating of (garden-grown!) sage and rosemary
* Home-made stuffing (aka dressing) - I got a spice mix from Farmer John's Herbs at Agrifest this year, so I'm making homemade stuffing instead of my usual Stove Top (I do LOVE Stove Top though - it's so easy and yummy!) Home made stuffing is made with either bread or potatoes (or both -- I made mine with bread), mixed with savory herbs and a little water. Mix well and bake in the oven till crispy on top, and a little soft inside. (I added some garden-grown sage to Farmer John's mix, because I really love sage, and it was PERFECT!)
* Ukrainian mushrooms in red wine/beef gravy - a standard that I make for most holidays now. Yummy! :)
* Cold corn salad with crushed garlic, onion, yellow bell peppers, celery, garden-grown tomatoes in a mayonnaise base
* pork gravy
* mashed potatoes
* fresh-baked bread
* home-made pickle (made with mostly locally grown produce) - celery, cabbage, cucumber, onion, etc.) - crunchy and good!
* and a little yam :)

Corners were cut, of course - I use powdered gravy mix (Club House brand) - it's excellent gravy (really!), and the extra amount of effort it would take to make it from scratch could be better spent elsewhere. I also used instant mashed potatoes - they're a little softer than regular potatoes, but still tasty!

The dinner plate! From the bottom, going clockwise - roasted pork tenderloin, herb dressing, mashed potatoes, a baked yam in skin, Ukrainian mushrooms, fresh baked bread, cold corn salad, and in the middle, home-made pickle.

Happy Thanksgiving!