Food Friday: We’re feeling thankful

For many of us, Thanksgiving means two things: family and food. We are even more thankful for the latter this year, as we know there are others in the world right now who are not as fortunate– in particular in the Horn of Africa where there is an on-going devastating drought.

Last year for Food Friday: Thanksgiving edition, we asked Red Crossers what was on their holiday menus. This year, we asked members of the new Canadian Red Cross Twitter Team for their favourite Thanksgiving stories and food faves. Here's what we found out:

Recording artist Bif Naked (@bifnaked) told us that, while growing up, every day was Thanksgiving in her home:

“In my childhood home, Thanksgiving was a daily deliberation. My mother was the family chef. She always made everything so carefully and beautifully, and she infused our food with love and intention. I learned this from her. My parents, Methodist missionaries, began each and every meal with my two sisters and I, holding their hands around the table, and my father would lead our Family Food-Gratitude prayer. He'd say, "Thank you God, for EVERYTHING. Amen." And us three girls would squeal, "AMEN!" and burst into giggles. This was our family tradition. My parents taught us immense gratitude and immeasurable respect for our abundance. Though my family was not vegetarian, my mother added leafy greens and salads to everything!  Little did she know, at the time, her middle kid would become a devout vegan.”

Vancouver Blogger Miss604, Rebecca Bollwitt (@miss604), shared a holiday story with us from her blog. It sounds like her Oma is a force to be reckoned with in the kitchen!

“I can’t believe it’s almost Thanksgiving and I must admit this is one of my favourite times of year. When we were young, my brother, sister and I would rake the leaves that fell from the oak tree across the street from our Oma’s house. We’d make one huge pile then proceed to ride my brother’s bmx straight through it. We'd rake the leaves again, grab the bike, and the fun would continue for hours.... If dinner wasn’t ready, we’d head downstairs, our bellies rumbling, and put on some records. Yes, records....

Our Thanksgiving dinner was probably a lot different than others. We didn't have yams (or is that sweet potatoes) and Oma would always make her famous coleslaw. Then there was the cauliflower smothered in secret sauce. Rumour has it that its recipe is scripted in an ancient language and locked away from prying, hungry eyes. Actually, it's just something Oma throws together off the top of her head, and every time it's delicious!”

And if you are still trying to decide what to make for your Thanksgiving dinner, former Bachelorette Jillian Harris (@jillianharris) has shared her favourite Thanksgiving recipes– everything from Beet and Apple Salad, Lazy Cabbage Rolls and Jillian's family favourite stuffing that might just leave you speechless. Jillian has been sharing recipes and stories this week on her blog about her family's tradition to gather and cook. A ‘big rowdy group of Ukrainians’, Jillian's family is especially proud of their cooking – and they cook with beets a lot!

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