What non-traditional foods does your family have for holidays?

[hippywife]

Growing up in a large Italian family, we've always had all the traditional foods but we also have spaghetti and meatballs and Italian Wedding Soup, too.

No one has ever said why we do this but my theory on this is it's because not everyone in our family can or will cook, so this is a way for everyone who can't or won't cook these things for themselves when they want them to have them.

I so miss the big extended family holiday meals we had when my grandparents were living. It was wonderful to gather with all the aunts, uncles, and cousins. What a raucous time! Sigh.

And if I asked this last year and can't remember, I apologize. I claim Old Hippies Disease. LOL

[pengillian101]

1. Growin up with a Norwegian heritage, my experience is very different.

Italian upbringing sounds yum to me. No wonder your pizzas look so good, hippywife!

Norwegians in my family cooked bland food. Our only spice was Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup! Oofta!

Thanksgiving to us was not just the traditional turkey, et al. We had LUTEFISK and LEFSE! Now that is something else. You either love it or hate it. Me - I love it.

[hippywife]

2. I've heard so much about them

but never tried them. I have a feeling that your lutefisk is like the Italian's bakala (dried salt cod.) I've never tried it, either. I think I'm adventurous enough to taste them if offered, tho.

And the pizza took a lot of trial and error, and the wonderful assistance of the fine cooks in this group, especially Stinky. It was a group effort to be sure.

[pengillian101]

3. I have a feeling that your lutefisk is like the Italian's bakala (dried salt cod.)

I just bet you are right.

My 3rd generation Norwegian Dad had to have his dried salted cod, also. In a wooden box.

Maybe we are more similar than different, eh, lol.

Get used to cream of mushroom from me ---- and share your Italiano, lol!

[Mojorabbit]

6. My mother is Portuguese

and we always have a pot of bacalao. Ours is the salt cod, cabbage, potatoes and eggs all in one pot. We also have a pot of octopus stew. I think I learned to clean an octopus when I was 8 years old. My husband of twenty something years has never tasted either. He refuses. LOL. The nephews and nieces though love it. I guess because they grew up having it on the holidays as my siblings and I did.

[htuttle]

4. I have never made traditional Turkey for Thanksgiving

I've made a full-on Indian Thali with about 10 different dishes. I've made a traditional English roast with Yorkshire pudding, turnips and mash, and cabbage and onions in malt vinegar. I've made homemade ravioli, focaccia and stromboli.

But I have never, ever made a turkey, cranberry sauce and green bean salad for Thanksgiving. The closest I've ever gotten to it was Cornish Game Hens and pumpkin pie (plus other things) one year.

[The empressof all]

5. Chopped Liver and my husbands version of Spinach Pie

I finished the chopped liver today. Even made the schmaltz. I'm doing the spinach pie tomorrow but won't bake it till after the Turkey comes out to rest. This is my husbands favorite dish and he refuses to consider it Thanksgiving without it. It's basically a creamed spinach layered in Phylo with lots of grated swiss cheese. It's really rich and full of fat but once a year won't kill you.

For me Thanksgiving is all about the Dressing. I do a killer Apple/Sausage/veggie dressing. It's all about the butter...

[grasswire]

7. I sometimes do spinach pie for a side dish...

...if vegetarians are coming to dinner. Mine is the more traditional greek version, with lemon, feta, dill, etc. Creamed sounds good too, though! I love to have curried spinach with cream.

[tigereye]

8. Greek salad?

my husband found a cool recipe a few years ago, and he's made it for several years now.

[Warpy]

9. Turkey around here might be in mole poblano

but the holiday food in my area is tamales.

Me? I'm eating Chinese takeout.