Thanksgiving's Wildest Foods

By: Marissa Miczek

While you may have no clue why we celebrate Thanksgiving or what it really is about… I’m sure you must know one thing for sure: there is loads of food! Traditional items may include stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and of course the turkey. These classic foods may become boring to some so let’s spice things up and offer some new items to the table!

Frog Eye Salad

What has fruit, fluff, and a name that makes you do a double-take? Frog Eye Salad of course! Frog Eye Salad, also known as Ambrosia Salad, is a quirky, classic dessert salad from the American West and Midwest. It’s especially popular in Utah and Idaho and has roots in Mormon communities, where large family gatherings with a variety of shared dishes are common. Despite the strange name, it’s a sweet, creamy dish made with acini di pepe pasta, whipped topping, mini marshmallows, and canned fruits like pineapple and mandarin oranges. The "frog eyes" refer to the appearance of the pasta pearls after they’re cooked and mixed into the salad.

Pumpkin Empanadas

Watch out Thanksgiving pumpkin pie because the pumpkin empanadas have arrived. This delicious fall treat can be made around Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. It’s particularly popular in Mexican and Southwestern U.S. cuisine and can be made in a variety of ways. It’s a serious contender on the table: a buttery, flaky, and slightly sweet pastry shell packed with jammy, spiced pumpkin filling often seasoned with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and piloncillo (a type of unrefined cane sugar). They are easy to make ahead, you can even get store-bought dough, and they are a great portable dish!

Sweet Potato Casserole

While sweet potato casserole may not be an unusual dish, I personally find that it’s an uncommon one! Though it’s most common in the Southern U.S., sweet potato casserole has become a nationwide favorite (a must have in Delaware according to Delish.com) that adds a rich, warm, and sweet element. The sweet potato base can be topped with gooey marshmallows or crunchy pecans. The origin of this dish is a fascinating one. It’s believed that it was created as a marketing ploy by the Angelus Marshmallow company in 1917. They hired Janet McKenzie Hill, founder of the Boston Cooking School Magazine, to develop a recipe booklet to encourage home cooks to use marshmallows in their cooking, the dish thus coming to life.

Key Lime Pie

Pumpkin pie usually takes the spotlight but key lime pie never fails to be a great refreshing addition. Originating from the Florida Keys, this tangy, zesty, and creamy dish is known to come from the key limes that grow there. The crust is typically made from graham crackers; the filling from key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks; and the topping featuring a light airy whipped cream or meringue. It’s a simple crowd-pleaser that I definitely would encourage new bakers to make!

Turducken

If you’re looking for a weirder dish, Turducken is hard to beat! It's an over-the-top, multi-bird extravaganza that’s a popular choice if you are among those looking to impress or put a fun twist on traditional holiday meals. If you haven’t already guessed, this dish includes 3 main components: turkey, duck, and chicken. Some other fillings could be sausage, cornbread stuffing, or other savory ingredients. While the exact origins of turducken are debated, it's generally believed to have been popularized in the Southern United States, particularly in Louisiana, around the 1980s. Chef Paul Prudhomme, a famous Cajun chef, is often credited with bringing it to the mainstream after he began serving it at his restaurant. However, variations of stuffed birds date back centuries, with some older versions of similar "stuffed bird" recipes from Europe and the Middle East.

If you are looking for even crazier dishes, search up some ideas on Google! You would be surprised at the multitude of dishes that are served. Perhaps you want Thanksgiving lobster, sauerkraut, or turkey spaghetti! Or perhaps paw paw pudding, jell-O salad, or Ham and banana casserole is more to your liking. The dishes are just about endless. Happy Thanksgiving and get cooking!