Why do we eat so much mush on Thanksgiving?

[NYCgrrl]

Wel I didn't mean as an appetizer but one offering of many when it's more party foods. Meatballs, cocktail sausages, little sandwiches, tons of dips and crackers, fruit and veggie trays. That kind of stuff.

Appetizers around here are more stuffed mushrooms, stuffed celery (some kind of cream cheese concoction), a hot dip and something to dip in it. More times than not, something to give the guys in one room while the ladies are gathering in the kitchen with other stuff.

I got you...that's the food we used to serve for our Super/Stupor Bowl parties.
Elder sis just informed me stuffed 'shrooms are on the appetizer menu for her T-Day gathering. Glad to know this since it wouldn't be a true family event at her home w/o the dish.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Well, I'm all for waste not, want not, but not on Thanksgiving. It's a food holiday, so the idea would presumably be to serve the best food you can afford on a day like that?

FWIW, my parents were immigrants, and when my Dad was still alive we never had a casserole of any type on the extended family holiday table. (Lots of root veggies, yes, because it was winter after all, and most green stuff was prohibitively expensive at that time of year.) My mother's signature company dish was cauliflower with bechamel sauce, and we always had mashed potatoes, but that was where it ended. No syrup yams, no cranberry gel, no pumpkin pie. There was usually a dish of pickled beets and some peas, and dessert was fruitcake or cheese if you didn't want sweets. The American stuff started creeping in when my oldest sister married, and after Dad died and Mom delegated more it really took off ... and I ate yet more turkey.

There are certain mushy things that I will make because my DH grew up with them, but those are for him, so if we're not doing the extended family there are just some herbed, sauteed or roasted veggies on the table with maybe a bit of butter on them. I grew up with potatoes at every meal except breakfast, so I make special mash for this holiday, but my one imperative for those is to keep them HOT -- I always hated it them served cold, and it always happened quickly because my mother had a habit of adding cold milk to them. I leave the butter at room temp for several hours first and heat the cream before adding it. (Though I don't add much. IMO "whipping" mashed potatoes absolutely ruins them. In my house you mash by hand or we don't serve it.)

The holidays are some of the best times to invoke waste not thunk in my mind. It's not" garbage" food just an opportunity to use up and provide more. Most Novembers through Februarys I host several celebratory meals: T-Day, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year's Eve, Lunar New Year, a few birthday dinners, (take me out for Valentine's day; I'm not cooking) and finally the Oscar party finishes off the winter.

For instance, I start using up various leftover bread that I store in the freezer, for breadcrumbs, panade, soup thickeners, and croutons. I keep a veritable bone and carcass repository in one of my freezers (it's actually a mini fridge I keep on low temp) to make broths and stocks. Certain veggie leftovers are freezer stored for stock making as well. My fav brands of butter are on sale? I'm buying them and some will be formed into compound butters to be used as needed and others are kept, double foil wrapped, to await December's cookies.

Nowadays, I can financially afford to make all these meals without "economizing" but why divert money from my DGD's college fund or forget/neglect the lessons I learned from my Depression Age grandparents?

 

[Skellingtonj]

No casseroles here, either. All carbs all the time!!!

 

[Poohforyou]

I've never been a huge fan of the traditional components of the American Thanksgiving meal (except for the turkey -- I LOOVVVEE turkey), and a few years ago I realized why: it's almost all mushy, and unless it's dairy, I don't care for that texture.

Seems like every veggie on the table is prepared "en casserole" Even the cranberries are reduced to jelly. The most traditional pie: smooth pumpkin custard. Mashed potatoes. Bread stuffing. I could go on forever.

How on earth did this meal end up this way? It's as if we were all hosting guests who are unable to chew.

I'm with you on most Thanksgiving menus. I'm also amazed at the lack of green vegetables and carb overload - potatoes, corn, stuffing and rolls! That green bean casserole thing is about the same as ketchup in vegetable equivalency.

I also on the whole berry fresh made cranberry sauce team.

 

[ronandannette]

Haha, good observation. I don't have the answer for you, but I have heard that people from other countries sometimes think the American diet is "juvenile" in the sense that so many things are cooked down to a mush texture, bones and eyes removed, heavily sugar sweetened, etc. So, here you've got a holiday that's celebrated with quintessentially American dishes and everything's mushy.... Maybe they've got a point.

Yep - call me a big baby but I'm definitely taking the bones and eyes out. I could save them for you if you want 'em, Tipsy.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Yep - call me a big baby but I'm definitely taking the bones and eyes out. I could save them for you if you want 'em, Tipsy.

I'll put 'em on my fancy bone plate.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I'm with you on most Thanksgiving menus. I'm also amazed at the lack of green vegetables and carb overload - potatoes, corn, stuffing and rolls! That green bean casserole thing is about the same as ketchup in vegetable equivalency.

I also on the whole berry fresh made cranberry sauce team.

And it's so easy and fast to make I canna for the life of me understand what that tinny tasting canned stuff is about.

 

[luvsJack]

I'm with you on most Thanksgiving menus. I'm also amazed at the lack of green vegetables and carb overload - potatoes, corn, stuffing and rolls! That green bean casserole thing is about the same as ketchup in vegetable equivalency.

I also on the whole berry fresh made cranberry sauce team.

I always have to stop dh in his requests for Thanksgiving and ask "can we get some green in there somewhere?" Lol. His faves are all the carbs except the turkey. Of course he immediately suggested collard greens which I hate! Lol. Not even sure I know how to cook them. He would be happy if our next leafy green was served on New Years. But he grew up with that kind of food. Large family grew up on a farm of sorts results in a lots of cheap, easy to cook in bulk foods.

I make my own cranberry sauce too. First time was out of necessity as I had whole cranberries and forgot the canned stuff. And then when everyone actually ate it, it stayed on the menu. It's so easy, not much reason not too.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Does anyone else's spouse get to determine the whole menu?

Anyhow, if we are talking about texture, the whole 'chunky mashed potatoes' thing...
I don't really have texture issues... but, that one gets me!!!!

 

[loves to dive]

Interesting question, I don't think I've ever noticed it until right now. Might depend on the family, when it's my family we eat fresh veggies just roasted or cooked al dente instead of casseroles because there are a number of chefs in the family. If it's honey's family, they do the mushy stuff but it's not all casseroles. They put up fresh veggies in the summer and in typical southern fashion boil the heck out of the green beans, make creamed corn. They don't do mashed potatoes, not sure why and don't do any kind of sweet potatoe or pumpkin pie. They do have pecan pie, cause I think it's against the law down here in Georgia not to have Pecan Pie at Thanksgiving and they make coconut pie which I don't like. They fry the turkey if they have one but most of the time have some sort of pork, which I'd be fine with except it's fresh pork they grew and slaughtered themselves and I'm not a fan of any fresh meat except chicken. I have a hard time when we go down there for holidays since I don't eat most of what they make. My plate tends to have small portions of veggies and maybe some pecan pie on it. We will be going down there on Thursday because honey has been ordered to this year. We will just drive down and eat and drive back home (3 hour drive each way) because our poor little dog tore a tendon in her knee and she can't be left alone with his Mama's dogs because they are too rowdy and will make her jump on and off the couch and we are supposed to be trying to keep her non-active to try to heal without surgery.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I always have to stop dh in his requests for Thanksgiving and ask "can we get some green in there somewhere?" Lol. His faves are all the carbs except the turkey. Of course he immediately suggested collard greens which I hate! Lol. Not even sure I know how to cook them. He would be happy if our next leafy green was served on New Years. But he grew up with that kind of food. Large family grew up on a farm of sorts results in a lots of cheap, easy to cook in bulk foods.

I make my own cranberry sauce too. First time was out of necessity as I had whole cranberries and forgot the canned stuff. And then when everyone actually ate it, it stayed on the menu. It's so easy, not much reason not too.

Collards are easy to make....prolly the hardest part is making sure they are thoroughly cleaned much like leeks.

Here's a link to collard greens recipes that might assist:

https://dolangeiman.com/blogs/lady-smokey/12953873-cooking-with-lady-smokey-in-praise-of-greens

 

[L&Lfan]

I really don't get all the fuss over a meal that's eaten once a year. Sure, if people ate like this every day I can see the concern. But one meal out of the whole year? I think some of the clutching of pearls over a carb heavy menu ( again, served once a year in most homes) is overkill. One of the reasons I try my best to eat healthy throughout the year is so that I can indulge in traditional foods at holidays without feeling guilty or gaining weight.

 

[amberpi]

Collards are easy to make....prolly the hardest part is making sure they are thoroughly cleaned much like leeks.

Mustard and turnip greens are the same with the cleaning. They're so delicious, but lordy, it's work! I think it seems daunting if you think about the cleaning, and the way I make them, you boil them down and then saute them in vinegar and olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Multiple processes seem hard at first glance I think, they can for me at least.

 

[mjkacmom]

I really don't get all the fuss over a meal that's eaten once a year. Sure, if people ate like this every day I can see the concern. But one meal out of the whole year? I think some of the clutching of pearls over a carb heavy menu ( again, served once a year in most homes) is overkill. One of the reasons I try my best to eat healthy throughout the year is so that I can indulge in traditional foods at holidays without feeling guilty or gaining weight.

My mom was probably one of the healthiest people I knew, and had a great diet (ate low carb starting in the 70’s before it was a thing). She never ever served us canned vegetables, always fresh. She loved Thanksgiving! It was the one day out of the year when she ate crappy. Turkey with gravy, stuffing, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, creamed onions, creamed onions, and fresh green beans. Of wait, Saint Patrick’s Day with corned beef. That was pretty much it.

 

[Praying Colonel]

IMHO if certain things are mushy they're being done wrong. I consider a good dressing to have a textural distinction with a crispy top and a creamier part underneath. Ditto turkey with crispy skin to go with the softer meat underneath, sweet potatoes having a crispy topping of some sort (we just put brown sugar on top and broil at the end, achieving a sort of crème brulee topping), etc. We also do roasted brussel sprouts that have a crustier exterior to go with the softer, sweeter part underneath. It's point-counterpoint.

 

[VandVsmama]

I can only handle so much mush myself. And our Thanksgiving table has enough mush already because Thursday's menu includes:

honey-brined turkey
gravy
mashed potatoes
stuffing/dressing
cranberry sauce
carrots
apple pie
some sort of gluten-free dessert for 1 of our guests who has celiac disease

Every year, my DH wants pumpkin pie also (more mush). Every year, I get a pumpkin pie and he's the only person to eat a piece. So I plunk down something like $6-$7 for one piece of pie and after a couple of days, I throw the rest out. This year, I'm not even going to bother with pumpkin pie.

Slimy and/or mushy stuff I used to have to eat on Thanksgiving as a kid but I refuse to make:
mashed turnips
mashed butternut squash - my grandmother would whip it up with a hand mixer so it was the consistency of baby food
white pearl onions (this is the slimy part)
green bean casserole w/cream of mushroom soup & french onions on top - BLEH!

 

[NYCgrrl]

Does anyone else's spouse get to determine the whole menu?

Anyhow, if we are talking about texture, the whole 'chunky mashed potatoes' thing...
I don't really have texture issues... but, that one gets me!!!!

Not in my house or better still kitchen.
Now understand that the man was a medal winning sharpshooting Army cook from the 'Nam period. When I first met him I thought the Army cook part meant he knew what he was doing in the kitchen; learned he was far far better with a gun.

In his defense he does a fantastic job cutting up veggies in exactly the size I specify just as long as I wash them first...he thinks dirt is organic in and of it's self. When it comes to menu planning I present him with edited choices and then leave him to watch his sports games until I need a 5 lb bag of onions cut up or similar.

 

[NYCgrrl]

How to get around mushy stuffing.

First if you are buying a stuffing mix avoid brands like Stovetop Stuffing that start out with basically medium sized breadcrumbs. Opt for a brand like Pepperidge Farm cuz the bread is bigger (more like croutons) and less apt to get mushy. Second err on the side of caution whilst adding the liquid. Pour in half of the requested liquid, fluff with a spoon, fork or just use your hands (wonderful tools), let it sit for a bit and decide if you really need more liquid and go from there. Remember, you can add but not subtract the liquid unless you have an extra bag of stuffing around. Get the ratio right and you'll never eat mushy stuffing again.

I tend to buy Washington's stoneground corn bread mix or King Arthur's cornbread mix and make the bread ahead of time, leaving it out to get nice and stale before I toast it for stuffing or dressing. I'll use Jiffy Mix in a pinch but then have to play with the seasonings since they use way too much sugah for my sensibilities. And if time or oven space is at a premium I just buy the Pepperidge Farm variety and have done.
Mushy stuffing is just wrong on soooo many levels.

 

[neverlandsky]

It's official, I'm truly downsizing Thanksgiving dinner next year. We had ours on Sunday and I have so much leftovers that the kids will barely touch. It's probably why Christmas has become lasagna day in our household. Although a mushy food, at least it gets eaten with crispy salad and bread.

 

[NotUrsula]

I really don't get all the fuss over a meal that's eaten once a year. Sure, if people ate like this every day I can see the concern. But one meal out of the whole year? I think some of the clutching of pearls over a carb heavy menu ( again, served once a year in most homes) is overkill. One of the reasons I try my best to eat healthy throughout the year is so that I can indulge in traditional foods at holidays without feeling guilty or gaining weight.

Oh, I get that; I'm not talking about unhealthy. Sure we all indulge in a lot more calories and junk on a holiday, but food doesn't have to be mushy to be deliciously unhealthy.

Honestly, I look over at others' plates at a typical Thanksgiving meal, and I'm literally looking at a pile of goo. I find it very unappetizing.