Southeast Missouri State University student publication

Thanksgiving dinner plate goodies

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Jay Forness, Editor

I am the kind of person who takes family very seriously. My family is made up of the kind of people who take holidays very seriously. So when it comes to Thanksgiving, the Binghams don’t mess around — with one exception. Before every Thanksgiving there is two days of me and my mother, father and aunt working tirelessly to create a perfect turkey, perfect potatoes (sweet and mashed), a couple perfect casseroles… you get the idea. When the time rolls around on the big day there is a spread on our long antique dining room table so impressive you would think you were in a movie. Everyone sits down, gets poured a drink, says grace and looks at the array of food with hungry eyes, searching for their favorite dish. Well, except me, my favorite dish isn’t on the table yet. At this point of the dinner, my uncle, who hasn’t stepped foot in the kitchen this entire time, produces a can of Ocean Spray cranberry sauce out of his pocket. He opens the can in silence and slides it's disgustingly cylindrical shape on a tiny china plate. The overly processed tube of dark red jelly sticks out like a sore thumb among all the lovingly prepared homemade food. He then sits smugly with this look that just reads, “I contributed.” It happens every year, and I laugh till I cry every single year. This can of cranberry sauce is by far my favorite Thanksgiving food, and I don’t even really like to eat it.


Zarah Laurence, Managing Editor

Any other time of the year the sight of a casserole would probably make me cringe. A hodge podge of ingredients baked into one another doesn’t sound all that appetizing. Though somehow on Thanksgiving, my tastebuds magically change, and stuffing is the best thing to ever be scooped out of my grandma’s Pyrex. It’s always the first thing onto and off of my plate. I don’t know, maybe it’s the whole “secret’s in the sauce” thing, but whatever it is, it’s drool-worthy. I won’t be home this Thanksgiving, and I’m pretty torn up about the fact that I won’t be eating family-recipe stuffing. Plus, it’s the perfect pairing with any holiday meat that also adorns your table. Although, my dad’s sweet potato casserole also holds a close second. The candy-like pecan topping drives a hard bargain. It’s a nice teaser to my mom’s pecan pie if nothing else. Thanksgiving is, more or less, a family affair. Waking up at 5 a.m. to help my dad prep the turkey as a kid is what I looked forward to all year long. That probably sounds really lame, but cooking is typically the one thing my family gets to actually do all together. Yes, there’s the food coma I get to enjoy in the late afternoon, but opening my eyes to the sound of my mom rolling out pie dough — that’s Thanksgiving.


Malana Bradford, Online Managing Editor

There are two words that I want you all to pay close attention to, take them in and savor them: mashed potatoes. Sure, Thanksgiving is great for many reasons. We get a break from school and get to spend time with family, but everyone knows the biggest perk is the food. If you’re like me, the most important food item on your Thanksgiving plate (or any plate for that matter) are the potatoes. If they’re not homemade, then you’re not doing it right. My mom and I will spend about an hour peeling a whole bag of potatoes, then we boil them, strain the water, throw in some heavy cream and probably too much butter and then hand mash those puppies. I personally like to add some garlic salt to mine after they’re finished because honestly that makes everything better. I swear I could say “no thanks” to the rest of the meal and be perfectly content with just a pile of potatoes being shoveled into my mouth. But enough of that unpleasant imagery. Happy Thanksgiving to all! I hope your mashed potatoes are as heavenly as mine will be.


Nick McNeal, Sports Editor

Whenever I think of Thanksgiving, I think of two things: spending time with loved ones and, let’s be honest, mostly the food. I am a man who enjoys his Thanksgiving dinner as much as the next guy, and I try and savor every last bite because there’s truly nothing like it. A turkey leg in one hand, the remote in the other looking for the better football game to watch — it’s simply my kind of heaven.

Anyone can say their favorite dish on Thanksgiving is the main course because who doesn’t love turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes with turkey gravy and the delectable rolls that go with almost everything. None of these happen to be my favorite dish, though, because I’m all about my aunt’s homemade pecan pie. This is what I wait for every single year now that I think about it. I enjoy a piece accompanied with a glass of milk after I’ve recovered from all the turkey and stuffing I could bare, and finish my Thanksgiving meal with that sweet, unforgettable goodness.


Justin Fischer, Multimedia Editor

Throughout my entire life, there has always been one thing that I look forward to (other than spending time with my family) when it’s the holiday season — my mother’s green bean casserole. It has always been that one dish that I ask for when we have family get togethers (even when it’s not a holiday), and it’s the one thing that if it’s not there I almost feel as if the day is not complete! This past week, my mother and father had the rare opportunity to visit Cape Girardeau. I took the time to visit Lambert’s Cafe and see some other things in town that they normally don’t have the time to do, but I asked for one thing before they left for home — green bean casserole. I absolutely could not wait for Thanksgiving because I’m not sure I’ll be able to make it home for anything more than a few hours, so I had to ask for it while they were around. I ate the entire thing in two days (it was actually like a day and a half, but whatever), and it was a life choice I do not regret!


Tim Eads, Campus Engagement and Advertising Manager

A younger Tim would probably argue that the only dish you needed for Thanksgiving would be a deep-fried turkey. That answer is completely true, but nowadays I need to make an amendment to it. Pecan pie also needs to be invited to this succulent party. It's as southern as it gets. Throw in some sweet tea or apple cider, and I would probably think I'm kicking it in Texas or Arkansas again. Nothing compares to a good home-cooked meal, especially when that meal had to be deep-fried on the back porch. The crispy skin of a fried turkey is irresistible, plus it pairs well with any side dish your grandma could throw at you. Once all of that has been stuffed into your stomach, nothing could top it all off better than a very hefty portion of pecan pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Whether it came from a box or was made from scratch, pecan pie will always remain my top dessert on Thanksgiving, or any other day of the year for that matter.

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