Thanksgiving 2021: triumph against the pandemic

“We've come to the time in the season

When family and friends gather near

To offer a prayer of Thanksgiving

For blessings we've known through the year

To join hands and thank the creator

And now when Thanksgiving is due

This year when I count my blessings

I'm thanking the Lord He made you”

Another year is almost over and time has come to bend and thank God for the blessings bestowed on us. It is time to sing with Johnny Cash and be grateful for surviving a pandemic and still being surrounded by loved ones.

A holiday that comes at the right time, Thanksgiving 2021 is definitely like no other. Why do we celebrate this holiday? What foods are eaten on Thanksgiving Day? These and other questions are at the core of this blog post.

The perfect holiday at the perfect time: How do people celebrate?

After almost two years of lockdowns and constant isolation and social distancing, thanksgiving 2021 is high time for opening up to the world again, connecting with family and friends, and enjoying oneself without fear.

Most people are now vaccinated and the virus began to dwindle and disappear, hopefully, and hence gatherings are once more possible. What I love most about holidays and special occasions is that the whole family gets the chance to reunite. Schools are on break, work is put on hold, and distances are no longer a problem.

Thanksgiving day is an opportunity for people to come home, gather around a full table, and enjoy a feast while feeling the warmth of the family. Food, once again, becomes a symbol of love and unity bringing people together. We will talk more about food, but not just yet!

Parades have been part and partial of this holiday since the late twentieth century. The Gimbel department store in Philadelphia staged its first parade back in 1920. Marchers paraded down Market Street with huge balloons, floats, and marching school bands. The finale featured Santa Claus at the eighth-floor toy department at Gimbels.

Other parades followed suit; Macy launched their own in 1924, and it is still held annually. So, maybe one of the things you can do this year is going out and join the parade or just turn on the TV and watch it from the comfort of your home. It brings joy and happiness to New York City.

Though the ceremony has already taken place last week, you can still watch the presidential turkey pardon with your family and have a blast about it. It is a good opportunity for laughter and humor, but also to remember to stand against animal cruelty.

Football during thanksgiving has been around for centuries. It is a great opportunity to cheer your favorite team and pass time as well awaiting the turkey. Remember to eat well so that you have the energy to run around stores the next day!

Black Friday marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Huge discounts and amazing deals will be available on Black Friday, so grab a friend and hit the streets.

If you are not a fan of hassling and bustling and crowded streets, sit tight and wait for Cyber Monday. It is not a public holiday, but you can shuffle through your favorite online stores, order your desired items and have them delivered to your house. Specifically enjoy the lunchtime discounts; they are not to be missed.

Food on thanksgiving:

Food is an incredible thing to bring people together. In every house, there will be someone cooking a turkey this week!

Four hundred ears go, this occasion was an opportunity for the pilgrims and Native Americans to come together, share the gifts of the land, and thank the Lord for his blessings. Some of the early recipes and foods used long ago are still used today as tribune for the founding generation and signs of conservation of heritage.

Some foods are still used, though, at the same time because they are among the most beneficial and nutrient foods available. This occasion is time to remember and cherish whole foods.

Vegetables and beans constitute the pillar of dinner menus along with the turkey, of course. Sweet potatoes are something left from the past and they are the most versatile item you can use. Beans and pumpkin for a dessert pie complete the table.

The pilgrims used the yield of their harvest to prepare fascinating dinner tables full of whole foods and nutritional dishes. Let’s honor the tradition and eat healthy for the dinner of thanksgiving 2021 and head for a path of better health and wellbeing.

What are popular foods for Thanksgiving?

If the pandemic taught anything it would be not to take things for granted. This holiday, remember all the things you have and enjoy, all the people you are lucky to have in your life, join hands and say a prayer, and hold them tight and love them more.

Cooking a good meal and different dishes to suit everyone’s taste is one way to show appreciation and celebrate the reunion. If you are already on this path then you must be wondering what are popular foods for thanksgiving?

To save you the trouble, I have collected the best recipes in this article for you. Keep reading, choose what speaks to you best, and have a nice dinner.

Turkey: The king of the table

It goes without saying that you need to prepare a turkey for this occasion. Turkeys are notorious for being dry and not easy to perfectly cook. Well, if you are still suffering from cooking this, try out the following recipe.

It is highly important to let your bird defrost completely before cooking it. Usually, it will need at least two days to defrost in the refrigerator, but if you haven’t got enough time to do so, you can submerge it in water, it will defrost faster within half a day maximum.

Leave it aside to rinse well. Meanwhile, prepare the garlic butter sauce. You will need two tablespoons of garlic powder, half a cup of butter, rosemary, thyme, chopped parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, a pinch of salt, and a spoon of white wine. Mix the ingredients well.

Place a parchment paper on the cooking pan, stuff the turkey with lemon slices, garlic cloves, and herbs, slather it with the garlic butter sauce, and be generous, put some more lemon slices on the cooking pan, and finally place your bird breast side down. Remember to throw a pinch of pepper and salt on top.

Put it in the oven at390°F (200°C)for fan-forced ovens, and 425°F (220°C) for standard ovens for 30 minutes. Then, turn the turkey breast side up, slather it with more garlic herb butter, and put it back in the oven for another half an hour.

Usually, a turkey takes about fifteen minutes to cook per pound; use this to measure how much time your bird needs to cook perfectly.

Side dishes:

The best Thanksgiving dinner recipes are not whole without side dishes. Mashed potato is a traditional dish that should always have its place on the table.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes
• Salt
• Garlic
• Cheese
• Sour cream
• Hot milk
• water

Boil water, add salt and then pour in the slices of potatoes. Make sure the slices are of the same size so that they cook at the same time; do not overcook the potatoes. Drain them and leave them aside.

While the potatoes are still cooking you will be sautéing the garlic in butter. Bring all the ingredients together and mash. Put the mixture on serving plates and add shredded cheese on top.

Corn:

One of my favorite thanksgiving whole foods to include on the dinner table is corn! Corn has been around for centuries, it must be for a good reason! So, let’s keep it.

All you need is four ears of husk removed corn, water, one liter of milk, and a tablespoon of salt.

Garlic butter should also be prepared beforehand.

Put all ingredients in a saucepan and leave it to boil on high heat. Once it boils turn the heat low and let the corn cook. It shouldn’t take long and you can test it using a fork, if it goes through it is done.

Remove the corn, put it on the serving plates, and add the garlic butter. Serve it next to your turkey.

Cranberries sauce:

Another traditional dish that goes perfectly well with the best Thanksgiving dinner recipes is cranberries sauce. You can prepare it at home and enjoy the process of making it. It is easy and doesn’t require much time.

• Cranberries
• Sugar
• Orange juice
• Orange peel or lemon zest
• A pinch of salt and pepper
• Cinnamon

Set aside half a cup of cranberries and add the rest of the ingredients to a pan, except for the salt and pepper.

Leave it to boil on low heat, and then turn the heat to medium. After about twenty minutes, add the remaining cranberries, salt, and pepper. Remember to stir occasionally. Turn off the heat and serve it either warm or cold.

Thanksgiving appetizers: Cheese ball bites:

Left until the end but of high importance, appetizers serve to keep people busy till the turkey is well cooked. The following is a quick-to-make, delicious thanksgiving appetizer.

Ingredients:

• 8 slices of bacon
• 1 cup of cream cheese
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• salt
• ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup of freshly chopped chives
• 1/3 cup of chopped pecans
• 18 pretzels sticks

Cook the bacon until it becomes crispy, chop it, and set it aside. In another bowl mix the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Form them into small balls and refrigerate them.

Mix the bacon, chives, and pecans in a bowl. Take out the balls from the fridge when they are firm, and then roll them in the bacon mixture. Insert a pretzel stick, leave them to reach room temperature, and serve. You can discard the pretzel sticks.

If you are still searching for popular foods for thanksgiving, you need to take a deep breath, close your browser, and head towards the kitchen! You can relax, thanksgiving dinners should not be about fancy dishes, rather about coming together and that warmth you feel when having a meal with your loved ones. Happy holidays, with much love!