"ThanksgivingMenu" news and stories

Starting today, we're dishing out the best YumSugar has to offer for Thanksgiving. First up, their unforgettable Thanksgiving menu. Yes, they've got all the classics, but they also have some great new menu additions like Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream and Pumpkin Lasagna (what a perfect way to use leftover pumpkin)! Wash it all down with an Apple Cidercar.

Get Your Unforgettable Thanksgiving Menu Here

The number of Thanksgiving celebrants eating out for the holiday is remarkably small: More Americans believe the moon landing was faked than would deign to have their sweet potatoes and stuffing in a restaurant.

Still, depending on whose statistics you trust, there are at least 10 million Americans making reservations for their Thanksgiving dinners this year, which means at least that many food and beverage workers will be spending their holidays away from home too.

I generally don't mind working on holidays: The festive hubbub of a room filled with revelers is often preferable to spending the evening with squabbling relatives. And the staff camaraderie that makes the indignities of restaurant work bearable is never quite so pronounced as on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.

The gap between tamales and the Thanksgiving table is continuing to narrow as an increasing number of Mexican-Americans are stuffing their holiday masa with pumpkin and sweet potatoes.

Tamales have been a festive food ever since the Aztecs and other early Meso-Americans served them in conjunction with their religious rituals, says Claudia Alarcon, an Austin-based writer who's kicking off the University of Texas' Foodways of Mexico speaker series this week with a talk on tamale history. While tamales aren't associated with winter holidays south of the border, Alarcon says "I'm pretty sure in every U.S. state where Mexican-Americans live, they have tamales for the holidays."

Each Thursday, we round up a selection of scrumptious links from our friends over at YumSugar. Here's what they've got cooking this week:

Because Thanksgiving is merrier with more, have back-up table settings waiting in the wings.

There's something for everyone in this almost meatless Thanksgiving menu.

If you want to skip the bird, try this savory squash pudding with kale and shallots.

Costco has blacklisted Coca-Cola from its wholesale empire.

During a downpour, the only thing to do is make brownies -- of course!

Coming soon: RS103-130, the mutant, near immortal apple.

How appealing is vegan tofurky & gravy soda?

Finish this sentence: "It's not Thanksgiving at my house without ..."

For most, the answer will be the bird of the hour -- Tom Turkey. For others, it may be the baked ham in its glazed glory.

Some like to carbo-load on gravy-laden mashed potatoes, while others prefer to bow before bowls of macaroni-n-cheese. And then there are the casserole crazies.

Many find themselves nostalgic for the green bean casserole of yore, complete with cream of mushroom soup and canned fried onions. Then there's the sweet potato casserole -- which in itself sparks controversy as whether to top with brown sugar or marshmallows. And whether or not it is indeed referred to as sweet potato casserole or candied yams.

On a related note, is it called stuffing or dressing? And do you bake it in the bird or separately? Cranberry sauce -- is it canned or homemade?

For the rest, the answer is easy as pie -- saving the best for last with a slice of pecan, pumpkin, apple or sweet potato goodness.

One thing we can all agree on is Thanksgiving is a time to eat, eat and, oh yeah, eat some more. The nap afterward is a well-deserved reward.

Have a field day in the comments. "It's not Thanksgiving without ..."

What food has to be on your Thanksgiving table?

turkey	11 (22.4%)
baked ham	2 (4.1%)
green bean casserole	2 (4.1%)
mashed potatoes	4 (8.2%)
cranberry sauce	3 (6.1%)
stuffing/dressing	6 (12.2%)
macaroni and cheese	1 (2.0%)
sweet potato casserole/candied yams	5 (10.2%)
pumpkin pie	4 (8.2%)
pecan pie	2 (4.1%)
apple pie	2 (4.1%)
sweet potato pie	2 (4.1%)
Other	5 (10.2%)