Thanksgiving is a meal steeped in family tradition, and it can be a veritable minefield of ancient familial conflicts and IEDs.
Do not talk about the recent election. Do talk about the Chicago Cubs.
Do not mess with family recipes if your table is loaded with competitive/combative siblings who would like nothing better than to prove they are the favorite child.
Do pick a nice wine. Food52 suggests a Pinot Noir. https://food52.com/blog/18295-the-only-wine-you-need-on-your-thanksgiving-table We like to have the current Beaujolais Nouveau, and then we pretend to sound as if we know what we are talking about wine-wise, which is absolutely nothing.
Do iron a tablecloth. And do set out some of the silver, unless your sister has her eye on that Gorham Lyric pattern pickle fork (never mind that it was a wedding present – it matches her silver pattern and she still hasn’t forgotten what you did to her in the fourth grade).
Do light some candles. Everyone looks better in candlelight. Even the sweet potato casserole you left in the oven for a few extra minutes.
Do thank everyone for coming and contributing. We are going through a big transition, and it is best to be loving and supportive.
Depending on your states of panic and skill, and how many plates you are juggling, the Spy Test Kitchens have curated some sweet potato recipes for your Thanksgiving holiday. As I said last week, we are going to be six adults and one energetic two-year-old this year. Some of us will be able to focus on dinner prep, while some of the others are child wrangling, and still others are catching up on football. Sharing is the word of the day.
I have been slow to come to the sweet potato. Frankly, Thanksgiving is the only meal I ever associate with sweet potatoes. Imagine my surprise when I discovered sweet potato toast. What a marvelous concept! When you wander into the kitchen on Thanksgiving morning, you can either inhale a few of the sausage balls I lovingly roll up for every major religious holiday that we celebrate, or you can consider your overall health, and consume some sweet potato toast. Yumsters. Sweet potatoes, not just for Thanksgiving!
Here is a short list of sweet potato recipes for your holiday enjoyment – ranging from fast and easy to slightly more involved, but still highly pleasurable.
Easy Peasy: https://www.familyfoodonthetable.com/sweet-potato-toast/
Here are some sweet potato toast toppings to consider:
Poached egg with bacon and guacamole
Sausage with guacamole, salsa and peppers
Prosciutto with avocado slices and tomato
Smoked salmon with guacamole and cucumber slices
Wild salmon, arugula, roasted tomatoes
Almond butter with fruit and drizzled honey
If you want to have a traditional casserole, but want to show your family that you are the fun one, consider this recipe:
Middling: https://food52.com/recipes/1662-roasted-sweet-potatoes-with-maple-smoked-bacon-and-beer
If you are trying to worm your way back into the will, and no one ever liked your aunt’s sweet potato casserole, then try this good old reliable tour de force:
Traditional Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Casserole: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/sweet-potato-casserole
If you have made wise investments, and are living an admirable life with lots of volunteer hours, and your only dinner assignment is the sweet potato dish – then for heavens sake, spend some time, and do a decent job. You may get back into your brother’s good graces after all these years.
What You do for Love: https://recipes.177milkstreet.com/recipes/sweet-potato-gratin
Remember to clean as you go, empty the trash, put the lid down, take the two-year-old out for a throughly exhausting run on the beach, and don’t drink all the Prosecco. We gather together for a reason.
“Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant, every day more civilized.”
― Andre Simon
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