What are your “have to haves” for Thanksgiving?

Was coordinating a Friendsgiving get together next week and my friend asked if I had any “have to haves” for Thanksgiving. I couldn’t really think of anything food wise. I mean I look forward to turkey, stuffing and gravy, but I’d be ok without.

Growing up, Thanksgiving was always a big gathering at an Uncle’s house. Typical local style with tons of food an everyone eats sitting all over the house. My friend’s wife grew up in CA and she was used to family and friends sitting around a table and eating together, so that was one aspect that she “wanted to have”. Interesting what people value for the holidays.

Anyone have a favorite place for custard pie? My previous favorite closed last year. 

Anyone have a favorite place for custard pie? My previous favorite closed last year. 

I got your custard pie right here...

I got your custard pie right here...

🤢🤮

🤢🤮

it's a very tiny pie...

Rice.  And white rice, gravy no taste good on brown or hapa.

I'm usually the only one who eats rice, everyone else eats mashed.  So they always make special for me.

Rice.  And white rice, gravy no taste good on brown or hapa.

I'm usually the only one who eats rice, everyone else eats mashed.  So they always make special for me.

Same. I’m not a big fan of mashed taters. I don’t eat that much rice anymore, mostly stuffing. But I’d also prefer white rice.

Same. I’m not a big fan of mashed taters. I don’t eat that much rice anymore, mostly stuffing. But I’d also prefer white rice.

1st round of food is little bit of everything.  2nd round is straight up gravy and rice. 

I make the world's best mashed potatoes, thanks to my family's recipe.  No lumps, just super thick so the gravy won't make soup out of them.
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Either a whole turkey or a Butterball Turkey Breast (all white meat, no bones) -- depends on the number of people eating
Costco's Spiral-cut Ham
Thick Mashed Potatoes
Thick Brown Gravy (almost as thick as chocolate pudding)
Stuffing -- usually Stove Top brand
Whole Kernel Corn
Green Bean Casserole w/Cream of Mushroom Soup and Fried Onion Strings
Pillsbury Croisants
Jellied Cranberry Sauce
Pies from Anna Miller's:
   Dutch Apple
   Cherry
   Chocolate


This year, my daughter's going to her bf's parents for Thanksgiving day.  I'm told they'll be having a local style spread.  I will be putting the Thanksgiving menu on hold until Christmas or New Years' Day.

I'll likely make some potatoes and gravy next week, albeit in a smaller quantity, for myself.   

I'm a fan of Anna Miller's pies.  The apple and chocolate cream pies are awesome.

I like Stove Top and have eaten that as a kid for various meals, not just Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving after I moved back home was mostly at my grandmother's house.  She had an awesome stuffing.  One interesting thing was she threw the chicken gizzards in there, but became sort of her signature.  It was almost mushy stuffing that went really well with gravy. 

Most of my family growing up, and somewhat now too, like the dark meat.  I like the white meat, so growing up I always had lots of leftovers.  I looked forward to leftovers just as much as the Thanksgiving dinner meal.  My mom would shred up the leftover turkey, pan fry with some bacon and also the stuffing.  Was damn awesome!  I still do it today.  When my grandma was still alive and we had smaller Thanksgiving dinners, she'd send me home with half of the turkey breast.     Miss her a lot around the holidays. . . 

Since I claim the Pacific Northwest as my real home,  we do Seafood
for Thanksgiving.
Live Crab, live Clams, homemade Clam chowder, wild Salmon( if available),
Homemade bread( I mill my own flour),  and
as a nod to tradition,  Pumpkin pie.
Wine and better beer than I usually buy.

Imu "Party" at a friends has been the tradition for the past dozen years followed the next day (Thanksgiving) with the gathering at our house.by family and friends.

 Imu Turkey and kalua pork.
Green Bean Casserole w/Cream of Mushroom Soup and Fried Onion Strings
Sweet Okinawan potatoes smothered in toasty marshmallows.
Wet and dry type stuffings.
Mashed potatoes and LOT'S of gravy.
Plus trimmings (Caesar salad, Cranberry sauce, fresh biscuits etc...)
All finished off with Rockette's Pumpkin and Pecan Pies with a nice "D. J. Steve. all resulting in food coma.
Actually had one year where a guy literally pass out on the porch from eating too much.

   Giving thanks over breaking bread with family and friends is beyond compare.   

   
 

New recipe

Since I claim the Pacific Northwest as my real home,  we do Seafood
for Thanksgiving.
Live Crab, live Clams, homemade Clam chowder, wild Salmon( if available),
Homemade bread( I mill my own flour),  and
as a nod to tradition,  Pumpkin pie.
Wine and better beer than I usually buy.

I like a good pumpkin pie too.

When I was in Seattle, I always remembered the temps dropped noticeably around Thanksgiving. That and interesting foods college kids prepared for their first Thanksgiving away from home.

Imu "Party" at a friends has been the tradition for the past dozen years followed the next day (Thanksgiving) with the gathering at our house.by family and friends.

 Imu Turkey and kalua pork.
Green Bean Casserole w/Cream of Mushroom Soup and Fried Onion Strings
Sweet Okinawan potatoes smothered in toasty marshmallows.
Wet and dry type stuffings.
Mashed potatoes and LOT'S of gravy.
Plus trimmings (Caesar salad, Cranberry sauce, fresh biscuits etc...)
All finished off with Rockette's Pumpkin and Pecan Pies with a nice "D. J. Steve. all resulting in food coma.
Actually had one year where a guy literally pass out on the porch from eating too much.

   Giving thanks over breaking bread with family and friends is beyond compare.   

 

I’ve had kalua and deep fried turkey here and there. Good stuff! 

We used to have the yams or sweet potatoes with marshmallows like you mentioned. I liked when there was a light burn around the edges.

Food coma is a must. When I lived in Seattle, it was an all day affair. Starting in the morning, football, dinner, etc. Lots of food and yeah, beer.

gotta have a bottle of Wild Turkey! 

Having Thanksgiving picnic on the beach (with lots of green bottles for me) has been our tradition here. We started it the first year we moved to the BI.

Funniest thing we have seen on the beach up in North Shore was a 90+ year old guy walking down the beach in a speedo. Funny enough, right? Except he puller a doobie and lighter out of his speedo and smoked it on the beach. Eeeeew

I like a good pumpkin pie too.

. That and interesting foods college kids prepared for their first Thanksgiving away from home.

Cup-o-Noodles ? 

We don’t do anything anymore. Since both my daughters moved to the mainland and no family here we just treat all the holidays as just another day.... might do McDonalds though..

it's a very tiny pie...

Since I came to Oahu for school, going to Lee's in Chinatown, early in the morning and standing in line.  Hoping for custard and pumpkin pies when it is finally my turn.  Then taking home the hot pies and smelling them all the way home.
Lucky for a while, my brother in-law was living in town and volunteered (the first year) to get the pies.

The good food and drinks, with family and friends.

sorry used the wrong quote.