No Turkey or Ham for Thanksgiving

i am making chili here with 3 meats, and other ingredients homemade. But why not make something you like? you could always do a simple dinner that needs no cooking.. veggie platter, fruit platter and lunchmeat fixings along with few different types of bread and add ons :)

Family on my moms side hasn't done traditional Thanksgiving in 10yrs. They rotate, BBQ, Mexican food, Italian and the list goes on.

I think its a fab idea, personally. Although I don't mind thanksgiving food, it would be nice to spice things up a bit, though! :) One year, we had pizza though, so it does happen!

Nope....nothing out of the ordinary here. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Thanksgiving and would be heartbroken (I truly think I would cry) if we didn't have turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy.

Personally, I couldn't imagine having something other than turkey for Tgiving. We all look forward to it all year and CAN'T WAIT!!! Maybe because we don't eat it at all any other time so its a big deal when we do have it. I guess if you're hosting it you can have whatever you want but maybe you should let your guests know ahead of time just so they know. Just my opinion. Good luck.

Sounds yummy and fun...but I love the traditional Thanksgiving dinner and desserts!!! Have a great time and enjoy your new tradition!!!! (I was a lil worried til I saw that you told your family...can you imagine a house full of people expecting turkey and getting tacos!? LOL)

No Turkey???? Oh, the horror! I actually love the whole turkey dinner thing. Of course, my family always did ham for Christmas while my husband's family always did veal parmasan and lasagna. I would hate not to have leftover turkey sandwiches.

What ever you eat just don't forget to add the 'Thanksgiving'.

Hmmm, I think Mexican food, GOOD AUTHENTIC Mexican food would be AWESOME.....for Cinco de Mayo, sure! Thanksgiving? WEll that's ALL American, one of our VERY FEW culinary traditions. I, for one, would not mess with it.

I am a major foodie and would make unique adaptations of the classics, but never would suggest ANYTHING other than tradition!

:)

People she isn't asking for ideas... she is having fun and asking if any of us are doing anything odd or out of the norm- gesh.
I am a veggie, so no meat for me. But I am sure the meat eaters will be bringing plenty :)

My grandparents ....all four were immigrants. We did an American Thanksgiving. Even in the deepest days of my vegetarian life I cooked a turkey for my family. I can cook it in my sleep. I have made lamb for Christmas or a big roast beef.
We were Americans and we became American. We ate our ethnic foods at other times of year even Christmas but never on this most American of holidays. My father's parents spoke German but did not foist this language on us. They were fluent in English and read it as well. We were to speak English and be Americans.
I am fluent in Spanish, English, German and a few other languages. I am overall an American and I intend to eat Turkey for Thanksgiving. When I am in Europe I do what the Europeans do. In Ecudor they eat guinea pig. I ate it there but would never eat it here.

You said that Mexican is not your favorite thing to eat and it's stressful to make. So why did you decide to make it?

Thanksgiving is a time for family and sharing the food that has meaning for us. It doesn't have to be turkey or ham. But it should be something that brings joy and thanks giving.

oops! I'm sorry. I misread your post.

I also just realized you live in AZ. Mexican at Thanksgiving is tradtional. Go for it!

I have had two unconventional thanksgivings that I was a guest of. I had to make the meal over again because I felt so unsatisfied and simply could not get over it. Luckily I have some friends who had similar experiences and we got together with our sentimental dishes after the holiday for great food with friends. That said, I'm going to yet another thanksgiving with in-laws where they not only refuse to deviate from traditional fair, but won't even budge on updated renditions or variations of their established family favorites. Ugggg. Best of luck.

To be honest I am a Thanksgiving dinner fan...I love it! But I totally understand the stress of it all. A lot of people don't do the "traditional" and there are some interesting takes on this feast..found out so from this SkinnyScoop list > http://www.skinnyscoop.com/list/SkinnyScoop_Staff/the-tha...

There's also another awesome list at the bottom that may be interesting IF some family members are craving that traditional side dish then Trader Joe's supplies a number of Thanksgiving inspired and already prepared sides :)

My MIL did something like this one Thanksgiving. After we left her house we went to a local restaurant and had to have the traditional meal.. She had not given us the heads up.

We just missed the traditional meal so much.

I am not cooking the big meal this year, I am purchasing it. my husband and I love the leftovers..

Plus I am hispanic and we eat Mexican food at least 2 times a week.

We went to somewhere like that once. I then had to come home and cook my husband thanksgiving. It turned out we all missed it.
If you and your husband won't, i say go for it. And if any family member has a holy grail type of dish, they are always free to bring it.

We have the "traditional" turkey dinner & trimmings. We do, sometimes, throw in a lasagna or baked ziti!

Yum. Can I come to your house?!

We usually do the traditional thing at Thanksgiving, but for Christmas, we often have something different like prime rib or our very favorite.....crab....and lots of it. We live on the ocean so fresh, local seafood is abundant. And delicious!
If turkey isn't your thing...do what you like and have a great time!

Nope I've never done that...but I am sure there are people who have other than the traditional meal. Do your guests know yet? There are some people who will have nothing...hence...Thanksgiving!

Go for it! I"m smiling out here on the East Coast. Do what you enjoy cooking and if the guests want turkey they can get some great prices on it the day after Thanksgiving! Besides, even the "traditional" meal (other than ubiquitous turkey) differs in different regions of the U.S., which is why my dear friend from the North is bringing her creamed onions to our Southern Thanksgiving. It's all cool!

The most memorable Thanksgiving we ever had: My mom went to the drive-through at a local fast food chain and we had hot dogs. It was good and she was not stressed about cooking, which she deeply hated doing. I thought it was hilarious and relaxing. Of course, we didn't expect any guests who would have come wanting a full-on traditional meal.

I'm doing prime rib and various side dishes.

Perhaps I'm a history nerd, but the "first Thanksgiving" feast was actually goose or duck, turkey, venison, cod, lobster, clams, fruit, pumpkin, squash. I don't see any greenbean casserole, sweet potato casserole, ambrosia, etc in the "first" thanksgiving, and I don't see a lot of people doing seafood and lobsters or mussels nowadays. So I think you can do whatever the heck pleases you! It's true that if I'm going to someone's house and have my heart set on something, I bring it to share if anyone wants it.
And speaking of: when you say you make a mean green chili: do you mean a green chile stew, or some kind of chili-chili? I have a recipe for green chile stew but am very unhappy with it. It's not what I was hoping for (remembering a restaurant in TX that served one so good). My kingdom for your recipe, if that's what you're talking about?

Man, I wish I was going to YOUR house for Thanksgiving. I'm not a huge fan of the traditional Thanksgiving meal either, but my in-laws (who get this holiday, my family gets Christmas) do a big feast every year - usually in MY kitchen (guess who gets to clean up). Given a choice, I'd probably do take-out sushi or maybe even go out to a restaurant for the meal. But, no, I'll be eating turkey again this year...

If you want to try your hand at pie, Libby's has a good, simple recipe on the can.

I say be thankful for the spread you choose. You don't have to be traditional. (I read it as turkey and ham are stressful for you to make.)

If someone really wants turkey, have them bring it.

i wish there wasnt.........but i am having meat eaters over so they are going to bring their meat.

We broke the traditions last year. We are not huge fans of either so we gave them a rest. We did a frenched rack of lamb with red wine reduction sauce, potatoes au gratin, oyster and wild rice soup with a cheese starter. It was such a relief actually. We plan on doing that every other year. Our next meal will be an ode to seafood - crab, lobster, shrimp, gumbo, etc. Enjoy yourselves.

Growing up my friends family always had a big mexican feast. They are allergic to foul so they came up with their own thing. I say if your family is okay with it the by all means have a great Thanksgiving.

Also every year my MIL wants a big almost like Thanksgiving feast for Christmas and we should all dress up. This we just told her it is too much. We are now going to have a taco bar pajama party.

When I read your title I completely pictured some amazing enchiladas!! Would totally work for me :)

My daughter works for a restaurant that has an awesome traditional turkey dinner and I get it to-go about once a month. As long as I am with great friends or my ex-husband's family all is well. I am sad my daughter has to work this year on Thanksgiving from 12 - 6.

Sounds yummy! I'd love to come over. :-)

That said, I love turkey so I'm great with the traditional meal. My husband's brother and his family tend to have steak for thanksgiving.

Can we come to your house?
Sounds delish!

We had a taco bar one year. I LOVED it. I do not like Thanksgiving food. Hate turkey. LOVE taco bars!

Your Thanksgiving feast sounds amazing! We sometimes veer off the traditional course too. I hate ham and am not a fan of turkey so non traditional sounds fabulous to me.

Happy UN-Thanksgiving.....sorry, no LOL here, I'm all for independence, but also for SOME Tradition....Thanksgiving???? Spells Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy (and lots of it), yams.....salad, rolls, and PIES, PIES, PIES! Don't even mention, before the meal appetizers, drinks and wonderful wines or tea or (what your family tradition might be)!

Why not do your MEXICAN things on May 5th?

Blessings....

PS....I am a Mexican American!

We normally do the "usual"....Turkey, Dressing, etc etc etc...but this year is a bit different...our oldest daughter is VERY pregnant and will either be MISERABLE by Thanksgiving or will have a tiny new little one. Our other two daughters are coming home ( yeah!!! ) for Thanksgiving and our youngest daughter is dealing with Anorexia and Bulemia, so all of those mountains of food everywhere make it very very rough on her. She has also recently decided to adopt a Vegan Diet...so we are going with lasagna ( one regular pan, on vegan friendly pan)...salad and garlic bread. I may still sneak in pumpkin pie and pecan pie...just because it IS...afterall..Thanksgiving!!
Your mexican feast sounds yummy...I would go with it and enjoy it all together...that is what the holiday is about...family and remembering everything that we have in our lives to be thankful for!

As long as your family is okay with it, then go for it!

We do a traditional Thanksgiving dinner... once a month. My husband LOVES it and frankly, it's ridiculously easy to do so no arguments here. This would not fly in my household, but if your family is up for it (different than being given a heads-up) then by all means, enjoy your fiesta!

I want to go to your house! I'm not a big on turkey. Brother, Sister, their families & my family go to the park & have hamburgers & hotdogs, etc. Then brother & his family go to his in laws. It turns out to be a nice day.