HAPPY THANKS GIVING TO ALL MY GATHERINGS FRIENDS! Thanks for all the coffeetime chats, friendly help, warm wishes, support and just being new friends from all over the world. We are not really Turkey folk, so we have roast beef with yorkshire pudding, and turkey dressing (we all really only like the dressing, so I cook up a mess of that!) We are having a wonderful warm weekend here, probably our last before the snow starts to fly, and are taking the bikes out tomorrow for a run. I am thankful for that. My 3 will be home Monday for dinner. I am thankful for that. We are all healthy. I am thankful for that. I have a new fun job. I am thankful for that. Bless you all, for I am thankful for you. Cathy
Conversational Threads
Threads Insider
Get instant access to hundreds of videos, tutorials, projects, and more.
Start Your Free TrialAlready an Insider? Log in
Conversational Threads
Highlights
-
Sign up for the Threads eletter
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.See all newsletters -
Sponsored Content
Where to Buy
-
-
-
-
Replies
Happy Thanksgiving to all our Canadian friends!
Thanks, Jean - how kind of you to think of us!
Gloria
Thanks Jean! Cathy
Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, Cathy! We're not turkey people, either, but we hadn't had one for so long that I did get an 8 lb. turkey this year & had an old-fashioned Thanksgiving dinner early (only day everyone could get together).
There is nothing wrong with roast beef, Yorkshire pudding & turkey stuffing (it's the best part, anyway) - sounds yummy! We don't follow convention, either. We usually have steak & lobster for Christmas dinner.
You're absolutely right - we have much to be thankful for - especially for the friends we've found on Gatherings. You're very lucky to have warm weather. We had 2 snows this week (which got rid of all the lovely autumn leaves), only 1C today, & more snow expected later next week. Enjoy your weekend!
Gloria
Took the bikes out today. Wonderful! So I am having a good weekend and it isn't finished yet. Just for the record, Thanksgiving is the one holiday I do not cook for usually. In the past, we have served hotdogs, KD, tuna casserole, and takeout chinese food (they thought we were nuts but really happy to see us!) I keep my fingers crossed for an invite out, but it doesn' t happen. Cathy
What is the Canadian Thanksgiving based on? Sorry my ignorance is showing.
TW
Thanksgiving is similar for us and our American friends. It is a harvest holiday, and a time of thanksgiving for a good harvest. The american holiday also is rooted in their Pilgrim traditions, when the boats first came over and settled in the americas. We celebrate a month earlier in October, the Americans in November. It is sometimes also called Turkey day, as it is traditional to serve a turkey dinner. With all the trimmings. It is a great time for families to gather. Cathy
Thank you
You are welcome. Your profile did not indicate where in the world you were from, so I probably told you stuff you already knew, but in case you were not from North America, I thought I should add it in case. Happy Thanksgiving Cathy
I laughed when you listed all the foods you've served for Thanksgiving - all typical stuff we eat at our house, too (but not for Thanksgiving :). Who says we have to eat turkey?? Lots of people don't like turkey (actually, I prefer roasted chicken).
Good for you to have gone on a ride. I'm amazed that your fall colours are just starting - you are late, eh? Better late, anyway & maybe a shorter winter.
Gloria
Happy Thanksgiving from Wisconsin! My daughter went to college in northern Wisconsin and there were quite a few Canadian students, especially hockey players. Her roommate was from Toronto and our Susan used to love making Thanksgiving dinner for Susie and the hockey players who had the apartment upstairs. It was a bit of home for these students who couldn't go home for the holiday like their American friends did in November.
The leaves are just beautiful. They seem to be starting to fall fairly quickly as they turn. I am hoping we do not have as much snow as last winter. A long mild fall would be nice.
We are often taking crops off the fields at thanksgiving, so ordinary meals are often order of the day. We also only have the one day off, not two, so it makes it hard to plan to get together when so many family members live so far away. Cathy
You're right - a long warm fall would be nice. You're lucky it's been so warm for so long. It's only been 5C here during the day lately &, with more snow coming, we're probably in for a long winter. Last year there was 6' of snow here (hope not this year, as this is our first winter here). Not looking forward to it, as you can tell.
With only 1 day off, your family would be hard-pressed to get together, for sure. This is the first Thanksgiving in years that we've gotten together & it was wonderful. Will you have more time at Christmas for a get-together? Gloria
We hope so. This is the first year with all the girls away and working, so we will see how it goes. DH's Family Christmas is in early Dec., when the whole family gets together for a weekend. We do a Sunday brunch and small gift exchange. Saturday night is the fall birthday party. It is already planned and time off booked.
Have tried for years to get my family to do something similar. It is a riot of fun. Everyone draws a name, from babies to elders, for a gift exchange. $$limit is 35 dollars and you cannot spend it all on one gift. The idea is little pleasures and gag gifts, with the more to unwrap the better. It can get pretty creative.
I usually makes something for those I draw. Last year was the first year I did not, as they were people who did not seem to appreciate it. (I end up shopping/making for DH as well) The little people kept looking around to see what I had made. They were the ones who had noticed! I won't make that mistake again, as they seemed really dissapointed, even tho they were not the ones getting the gift! They like to see what I make. My handknit mitts are the big winners with everyone, and the boxer shorts with the guys, who wear them as indoor shorts year 'round. Cathy
Happy Thanksgiving to you and all of our Nothern Neighbors! I enjoyed hearing about your family traditions. They do indeed sound fun. This year is the first my sister and I will be on our own (mom passed this spring). But I'm looking forward to creating new family traditions that incorporate her memory.
Though we won't formally celebrate Thanksgiving here in the "lower 49" until November, I am also thankful for our gatherings family.
"Ceeachelle"
I lost my mom not too long ago, and last thanksgiving was hard. Not sure how to handle it with my family and my Dad having remarried so soon after. Blended families are hard enough when kids are little, never mind all grown up. It is amazing how different people assume responsibility for the traditions that they each hold dear, and how new, sometimes better ones develop. The turkey dressing we serve is my mom's recipe, and the applesauce and lettuce salad are my late mother-in-law's contributions to our traditional meals. It is almost like having them there. Cathy
The big get-togethers sound like fun (& less hassle than having each family individually). Too bad about your hand-made gifts were not being appreciated by some (just don't make them for those particular people, if the others missed them). Too bad the young ones were disappointed - but do make for the ones who look forward to something from your hands). The $35 limit is a good idea, too, especially if you have to get many things for that amount - that's fun. Do you wrap them individually & put them in a gift bag or box?
We did something similar many moons ago at Christmas when we were first married & very broke. We had only $10 each to spend on each other - & it was really fun trying to find as many things as possible (not just junk, but things like puzzles, chocolate bars, gum, soap, even used books in good condition, etc.). We wrapped them carefully & put them all under the tree - looked like lots of presents! With the economy as it is, we may well have to go back to that idea, eh? :) Gloria
Belated Happy Thanksgiving to all of our Canadian friends! This seems like the perfect opportunity for me to express a wish I have had ever since my kids were in college... here in the good old USA it seems we have way too many holidays! It's nice for those who get to take a day off from work, but the government could save lots of $$$ if we could combine Columbus Day and Thanksgiving. I've always thought the Canadians did it right. As for those college kids... especially for Freshmen, it would be so nice to look forward to going home on or near October 12. As it is, Thanksgiving in late November seems so far away and is only one month away from Christmas so that means two trips home in a short period of time when they really needed a break much sooner. And I would love to see Thanksgiving take precedence over Halloween in our Fall holidays.
Yeah, you guys seem to have a lot of holidays compared to us. We get longer breaks from school at Christmas and Easter, and our schools seem to go back later as well to make up the difference in number of days off. Seems like you also have more breaks round Feb, March as well. Sure could use more of a break in Feb up here, it is a long month for a short one. Cathy
Cathy, if you lived in Alberta or BC, you, too, would have a 1-day holiday (which is a nice break between Christmas & Easter). In Alberta, it's Family Day, & in BC it's Heritage Day - both being around the 15th - 19th of the month on the Monday. After that, depending upon when Easter falls, we have a holiday each month except June - so something to look forward to, anyway.
As for baking at higher altitudes, I've lived at both & have had no problem with pies setting ever (the custard kind) - I've never had to change my pumpkin pie recipe. (I must try the squash mix, though, & Ralphetta's spicy one). Bread is another matter, though, & I've had to alter recipes for the altitude. For me, iit rises better on a windy day, but not if it's raining & gloomy. Strange, that, eh? - Gloria
I think they have started something like that here as well, but maybe I have not taken much notice, as my girls are older and not in school any more. It sure would have been nice tho.
I can explain your bread rising problem. Gloomy days have higher humidity and a higher air pressure. The higher air pressure actually pushes down on the bread's air pockets, making the bread denser, heavier. Windy days allow the air pockets to expand more, making the bread fluffier. The air pressure is actually less. It is like pushing down on little balloons filled with gas. There is less moisture in the flour as well. The humidity affects the flour as well, which is why bread recipes are not precise. You add flour or water to a certain consistancy when making it, to counteract the variation in humidity in the flour. Commercial bakeries actually weigh the flour rather than use volume measurements for that reason.
Hmm, I sure enjoy the variety of subjects we discuss here, tee hee. Never thought I would be talking cooking science on a sewing forum, ha ha ha Cathy
You're so right, Cathy - we never know what we'll be talking about on this forum. I think that's what makes it so friendly, eh? We get to know each other better, our likes & dislikes, how we live, what we do & how we do it, we share laughs, etc. Wonderful!
Thanks so much for the explanation about the rising bread (or lack thereof), you scientist, you. You wear many hats, Cathy :)
Gloria
I did not realize that I wore so many! Funny how many things you forget you know. I sometimes feel like a fish out of water here in my own neighbourhood, as no one else seems to have the same interests that I do. Yet on Gatherings, there are lots of people I talk with who do, and I feel at home, and rather like I have more than two brain cells to rub together! Cathy
You're definitely one of us, Cathy! I'm like you in that I have nobody who is interested in what I do, either - so this board has all the friends I would like to have - I love it! As for 2 brain cells rubbing together, we all have days like that where we're wondering if we have any at all, not just 2 to rub together :)
Gloria
So, is this where everyone hangs out? When I first saw Gather for a Chat, I thought it was an actual chat room. LOL.
Threadkoe, thank you for the scientific explanation about why altitude affects baking. Not that I'll rememer it tomorrow, but now at least I have an idea as to why.
Thought you might get a small chuckle from my (first) pumpkin pie experience. I don't really care for pumpkin. My step-sister said that she didn't either, so I should take the recipe on the Libby's can and double the milk. It makes it creamier. I was willing to give that a try.
It was a last-minute thing and I realized that I didn't have any pre-made piecrusts and didn't feel like making some from scratch. I raced to the store. All they had were some flimsy aluminum ones with the pre-made crust. I made the mixture, put it in the two pie pans and put it in the refridgerator. I knew I shouldn't have put all of that mixture in those two pans: when I went to retrieve them, yup, you guessed it, the first pie pan bent and all the pumpkin mixture went all over the refridgerator. Of course it was on the highest shelf and I had the open shelves, rather than glass, at the time!! I was more careful with the second pan. What a mess. Well, at least I had something to do while I was waiting for the one pie to bake!
LOL, now that sounds just like the type of kitchen accident that happens to me! Cathy
Thanksgiving in October?!?! That'd NEVER work in Wisconsin because our deer hunting season is deliberately scheduled for the week of Thanksgiving to give hunters the maximum amount of hunting time, especially the students. When some neighbors moved here from California, my husband told them that deer hunting is so important in Wisconsin that we even have a day off in November just for the hunters. They were pretty amazed until I told them that the rest of the country referred to that day as "Thanksgiving."
Well, maybe they could deliberately schedule it earlier? Ah well, I do think it would be nice to have a little longer time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. With our country becoming more and more diversified with other religions though I should just be happy Christmas is still a holiday! Do you eat deer for Thanksgiving?
Isn't pumpkin a squash too? I've been hearing so much about the other squash making excellent pies I think I will have to try that.
Edited 10/15/2008 2:34 pm by sewelegant
I think part of the reason our deer hunting season is so late is so that the farmers can get the harvest done before the season starts. October and early November are harvest time up here. Actually, it wouldn't matter that much if Thanksgiving was moved--the hunters would take the time off anyway. I agree that it would be nice to have it earlier in the fall, especially now that our kids are grown and it's getting harder and harder to schedule the Christmas events around them.
Annie,
We have Nov. 11 as a holiday (Remembrance or Armistice Day). Usually we go to the war memorial and have a service. I can remember my DH and I butchering a deer on the kitchen table (whitetail) Nov. 11 and looking out the window and seeing a mule deer in my vegetable garden in the falling snow. We're lousy with deer. The town has a herd of 15 to 20 mule deer that hang out all winter. Bow hunting season starts in Sept and the regular season starts next week to the end of Nov. Lots of time to hunt. :^)
Here Armistice Day is Veterans Day, but it takes second place to Memorial Day at the end of May--I think because the weather is more cooperative for the outdoor services held at the cemetaries.
I always associate Remembrance Day with cold miserable weather and the endless services at 11:00 in wind, sleet whatever. We (and the British) wear red poppies from late Oct. to after the 11th. In Ontario, where I grew up, we didn't get the day off and there were assemblies in the school. Alberta we get the day off, but my older children play in the school band at the ceremony in town. My parents are/were vets (RCAF). It's not a happy day and the misery of the weather almost seems to reinforce that. I have to work it this year and make pies for the Royal Canadian Legion. And guess what?!! They won't be pumpkin :>)) Your Memorial Day is usually a week later than our Victoria Day (Queen Victoria was born on May 24). My birthday is very close to hers, so I always get a 3 day weekend on or near my birthday.
In Wisconsin bow hunting runs from mid-September to December 31, but the gun deer season is only ten days in November, so it's a much bigger deal here because there's such a short season. Our deer population is on the rise and has been for about 25 years so now and then there will be a special weekend earlier in the fall, but only in certain areas. The hunting's generally a bit iffy then because with the corn still standing and the leaves on the bushes in the forests, it's very hard to see the deer until almost November.
The corn is short here and leaves have been blown to Europe by now, so there's no worries about visibility. Whitetail are tag only, but mulies are a draw, so despite the long season, your odds of getting a draw aren't very high. Elk draws are almost impossible to get but they have a season that lasts through January. We're very close to a world class hunting area for trophy mulies and lots of the draws go to guides and their customers. When we lived in High Prairie (n. Alberta) the DH took 2 weeks off in Oct to go hunting and drove 10 miles north into a bush that stretched to the treeline in the Arctic and was home with a young bull moose by coffee time on the first day. Of course he didn't get near anything for the next 2 weeks.
Jane
My husband, son and daughter were hunting in Colorado in mid-September and the situation there was much like you describe. My son did draw an elk tag, and my husband and son got mulie tags. The only deer we have here in WI are whitetails, but they are plentiful. There is a special, does-only hunt this weekend, but there are still so many leaves in the woods and the corn that's being left for shell corn is still in the field; that won't be harvested for another month. The corn for silage was chopped over the past month, but that's only about half of the total. So there's just an awful lot of cover for them yet. The best conditions are about 4" of new snow to make tracking easy. Obviously that's not going to happen just yet. My hunters always hope for snow by mid-November.
You might be onto something changing your Thanksgiving date. I've always felt sorry for Americans with their Thanksgiving so close to Christmas & it seems that often they make the same huge dinner for both. I personally wouldn't want turkey at both, but that's just me. And, as Annie was saying, travelling is kind of iffy in some areas in late November, then having to do it again 3 weeks later. Our harvesting is usually done (weather permitting) by our Thanksgiving, so the timing is excellent, & we have enough time after to get ready for Christmas. - Gloria
The gifts are wrapped individually. Often in a recycled bag or box from past years. Some boxes and bags are pretty battered now, and we actually recognise them! Some are disguised to look like something completely different, like socks in an airplane shape. Sometimes the wrapping is the gift, wrapped around an accessory, such as a napkin to go with the placemat. Yes, just one napkin and placemat, esp for a child or for someone who collects something that has a theme. And there is always someone who tapes a gift in layers..... It is the fun of the opening and seeing what you can come up with to please or tease with. It also takes a lot of the gimme out of the whole thing.
It all started from the same thing as your $10.00 gifts. Some had less money and more people to buy for, so limits had to be set. As my kids got older (they are a few years older than the rest of the cousins) and started to make a little money of their own, they wanted to spend their own money, so family debates ensued, girls won, and limits have been raised slowly over the years. Not everyone sticks to the limit, but no one gets extravagant. My girls still say the best part of Christmas is the stockings Santa brings, full of candy, shampoo, toothbrushes, magazines, and other neat little things. Only Mom needs to make bigger ones with all of Santa's Helpers helping to secretly fill them now. Cathy
You're so right - there is so much fun in unwrapping all those little gifts, especially if they're wrapped creatively (I would have never thought of wrapping socks to look like an airplain - great idea!). We recycle our boxes & bags, too, & get a laugh out of how old some of these things are getting. (often we just change the 'to' & 'from' & leave the same names). We put the same stuff as you do in the stockings, so they are always looked forward to. We, too, run out of room by the time everyone puts their stuff in. Our Christmases are almost identical! How about that? - Gloria
Happy Thanksgiving, as well, everyone.
I had ham on Sunday (my family always had the dinners on the Sunday not the Monday), but my kids bullied me into turkey and pumpkin pies for Monday. My husband did most of the work so it wasn't too bad. So I'm leftover central right now. Pumpkin pie is a bit dicey at the altitude I live at (I have to add a bit of flour or it never sets). We had a very wet and windy weekend. I got quite a bit done around the house--for which I'm always thankful!
Canadian Thanksgiving is older than the US version and it started in Nova Scotia. That's off the top of my head--I'd have to look to get the details.
Jane
Pumpkin pie is a custard pie, so really is tricky at higher altitudes. Here is a hint for the next time, if you make them from scratch, use squash instead of pumpkin, or more squash than pumpkin. It has better texture (smoother, less grainy), less water in it, so it sets better, nice flavour(pumpkin is actually pretty bland), and way nicer colour. I always cook my squash in the oven, in the shell, let it cool, then scoop it out, then mash it. Even people who say they do not like pumpkin pie rave over it! Cathy
We almost always make our "pumpkin" pies from squash and no one's ever noticed except to comment on how much flavor they have. I agree that the texture is better than pumpkin. We use either butternut or buttercup squash for ours.
Yes, the "butter" squashes are lovely for them, but I really like the old fashioned hubbard best. Hard to find tho, unless you grow your own, and it is even getting hard to find the seed round here, unless you get them from a company that deals in old fashiond seeds. Cathy
Oh I agree that Hubbard is the absolute best, but like you, unless we grow it ourselves, we can't get it. BTW-- I like to use a little maple syrup for some of the sugar. YUM!
Absolutely! I also add a touch of clove to the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in my recipe. Just a touch tho. Cathy
I'm reading about your pumpkin pies and since I've never lived in higher altitudes I'm not sure I understand the problem with pumpkin pie. Can you explain? It did make me think of my favorite recipe. My pumpkin pie doesn't have any liquid except eggs and butter. Like yours, it has tons of spices. It's really dark in color and spicy because of brown sugar and all the spices. Other kinds seem really bland to me, but I'm sure that not everyone would like mine.
Ohhh, Yummmy! Lots of pumpkin recipes call for cream or milk and eggs, and are more of a custard type, not quite as rich as yours. At higher altitudes, they take a really long time to set or bake. It also takes longer for things to cook in general, water to boil. Cakes and cookies need extra flour, about 1/4 cup in order to firm up properly. It has to do with there being less air pressure at those altitudes, so things that are fluffy tend to collapse otherwise. Sometimes you have to reduce the amount of liquid in a recipe to get it to set also. I forget that with my recipes sometimes, that they are from out west, and that I need to add liquid, or reduce the flour, or they are a little heavy and dry for out east here. Cathy
I'm aware of the disclaimers on the side of mixes about "high altitude..." but I've never really paid any attention. I was telling a friend the other day that this site covers abroad range of interesting subjects. I have a little better understanding now, thanks.Here's my recipe for spicy pumpkin pie, I'd be interested in how it does at high altitude.pastry for 10" pie shell
3 C canned pumkin
l C sugar
1 C brown sugar
1 teas salt
1 teas nutmeg
1 teas cinnamon
1 teas ginger
1/4 teas cloves
1/4 teas allspice
4 eggs
1/4 C buttermix together first 9 ingredients. Add the eggs, slightly beaten/melted butter. Add to 1st mixture and mix well.Pour into pie shellbake at 450 degrees for 10 min, reduce to 350 degrees and bake 40 min -or util center is set.If you don't have a 10" pie pan use 2/3 of each ingredient. I asked math teachers, home ec, etc. and no one could tell me the formula for reducing the volume from 10" to 9"...I was amazed at the number of people who told me to just reduce it by one tenth. Duh! I finally made it and poured it into a 9" pan and measured the amount left. It made 6 cups of filling and when I poured it into a 9" pan I had 2 cups left over. Darn you guys for talking about pie, etc., I'm getting really hungry for this...and of course you have to put lots of real whipped cream on top..
Funny, your recipe is almost the same as mine, only the difference is to take out 2 of the eggs, butter and 1 cup of the pumpkin, and substitute 1 cup of canned (evaporated) milk or cream. I like your recipe, as I am lactose intolerant, and I love pumpkin pie but need to stay away from it! (because of the milk) I will have to try it. Thanks! I tried to make mine with soy milk once, but never again. Yuck.
The two less eggs would be the high altitude difference. I left my recipe be because it sets sooner, and does not tend to burn. Cathy
Thanks for your recipe, Ralphetta. I've never heard of making a pumpkin pie without the milk, so I'll have to try this. Is it more spicy because of the absence of milk? I ask, because my usual recipe with milk (for a 9" pie) calls for the same amount of spices, except mine calls for 1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon, but only 1-3/4 c. pumpkin & 3 eggs.
I guess the addition of milk must weaken the influence of the spices, maybe? Does yours have as much sugar?
No - mine has just 3/4 c. sugar for each pie (which is sweet enough), but we sweeten the whipping cream slightly.
Ahhh, that much sugar and no milk would make a big difference, don't you think? It tastes more rich than sugary.
You're right. I think your recipe would taste richer. I'll try it tomorrow, as I have enough pumpkin left & we'd like more pumpkin pie, anyway. Good a time as any to try something different :)
I'll cross my fingers and hope that you like it.
What's not to like? It'll be interesting - it will be on tomorrow's 'to do' list, as other things took precedence today. I'll let you know how it turns out, though - it will be nice thinking, while I enjoy it, that it is from your kitchen, so it's sure to be good :)
A friend of mine made a pumpkin trifle for Thanksgiving, so I might try that next year, as it's a super easy recipe. She said it was really good. It's nice to have more than 1 pumpkin recipe, eh?
I never had trouble with pumpkin pie until I moved to S. Alberta (3740 feet). It's not that high but the recipe I use has cream, eggs, brown sugar, lots of spices--no butter. Sometimes I can make it and it works (I have to bake it for over an hour) and sometimes it just never sets. The outside is charcoal and the centre is liquid. Liquids boil at a lower temp because of the lower air pressure. Someone from Waterton Lakes National park told me about the bit of flour.
Thanks Cathy,
I'll have to try the squash. My son is insane about pumpkin pie. I like it, but got food poisoning in University from pumpkin pie--I still won't eat it if I didn't make it! I really like pumpkin used as a vegetable like squash.
I was just telling Ralphetta about the difference in altitude affecting cooking, and I remembered something. Try reducing the amount of liquid in your pie a bit if it is really watery, it might set better for you, if you do not switch to the dryer squash. The same if you go with the canned pumpkin. Try using a little less milk, or switch from large to small eggs. Cathy
Hi Cathy,
We're both on here at the same time I see. I have the opposite problem to you--my recipes are from the east. We must be right on the edge pressure-wise because sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't . Making bread can be interesting--have to reduce the yeast or it ends up so high and fluffy it collapses.
I get tripped up once in a while by some of my recipes books, I forget that they are local books from "back home". Some seem to work fine, others not. Then I know to adjust them the next time. The 1/4 cup flour is a standard adjustment for high altitudes. You may not need that much if you are borderline. Just reducing the liquid by a tablespoon or so is often enough. Didn't know that cooking was such a Science Project now did ya? Actually, one of my courses in Home Ec at College was Food Science. Cathy
This post is archived.