Readers share the signature Thanksgiving dishes that have become a tradition in their families | Canada Voices

Ahead of this year’s Thanksgiving celebrations, we asked Globe readers to share their signature dishes for the holiday, especially those that don’t fit the mould of what you’d traditionally expect to see at the dinner table.

Readers shared their cultural staples, family recipes passed down for decades and unique twists on traditional holiday foods. Here’s what they’re serving this (and every) Thanksgiving.

Fried chow mein

My mom has made this soy sauce-fried chow mein to go with our Thanksgiving dinners for years. It adds a bit of our Chinese culture to the table, and everyone loves it. The dish sounds simple, but she just adds the right amount of bean sprouts and sliced mushrooms to it. Great accompaniment to turkey and all the other fixings. – Sophia Cheng, Vancouver

Sliced rolled turkey

Years ago, a real-estate agent, who was an ex-chef, told us how much she hated cooking a whole turkey, explaining it took too long and took up too much space in the oven. She told us how she would take the whole turkey apart and cook it that way. This inspired a whole lot of interest, which turned into research on our part.

Our turkey now gets entirely deboned, salted and spread out on a cookie sheet. We add a layer of Italian sausage and leek stuffing (my sister-in-law’s recipe), then roll that sucker up, wrap the skin around it again and baste it in butter. It takes less than two hours to cook. The result is a slice of rolled turkey with white meat, dark meat, and stuffing with a crispy skin. We have never had anyone refuse an invite to eat it! – Erin Dowse, Fort Erie, Ont.

Ukrainian beet rolls

My grandparents were Ukrainian, so every holiday included perogies, cabbage rolls and my favourite, beet rolls. Beet rolls are like cabbage rolls, but made with beet leaves and filled with cooked rice, sautéed onion and fresh dill. They are rolled and stacked in a baking dish and covered with tomato juice to bake. Delicious! – Heather Johnston, Vancouver

This Thanksgiving, think small with recipes for bite-size dishes

Pumpkin cheesecake

Pumpkin pie had been the tradition in my family from the time I was a child. My father grew the pumpkins, and my mother made the pies at both Thanksgiving and Christmas. When she could no longer host family dinners due to her age, I took over the role.

My mother – as her mother before her – was a legendary pie maker with the flakiest crust. Unfortunately, despite my repeated tries, my family simply did not like my pastry. And neither did I. I rejoiced when I found an alternative and my family has been grateful ever since. They love my pumpkin cheesecake and even though I rarely host anymore, I am always asked to bring the dessert. The crust on the cheesecake is made with ginger snaps, which sadly are getting harder and harder to find. – Kaye Dunlop, Winnipeg

Polish beet salad – and more

The recipe came from my Polish grandmother’s side of the family, which was passed to my mother and then to me. Along with borscht, beets were a staple on our table for many occasions. I have tweaked the recipe by canning and preserving the beets first to give the dish an extra kick of vinegar.

Our family is very multicultural now, and in addition to this Polish dish, we serve Chinese spring rolls, antipasti and turkey! Everyone brings a dish to add to the table. I have passed the recipe to my daughter and son, but I don’t think they will bother canning beets any time! – Stella Capogna, Mono, Ont.

Curried cauliflower

I always make a family recipe of curried cauliflower. It’s super simple with mayo, cream of chicken soup, curry powder and lots of shredded cheese topped with croutons. My family has been making this for decades. My earliest memory is of my maternal grandmother making it every year. My family is in B.C. and I’ve been in Toronto for 28 years and brought the recipe with me. My partner loves it so much, I have to make extra so there are leftovers. – Jennifer Murchie, Toronto

Grand Marnier apricot stuffing

I first found this recipe in The Silver Palate Cookbook. I substitute spicy sausage and make my own bread cubes by drying out a mixture of the best quality white bread and whatever else looks good at the bakery. I’m an adventurous cook and I’ve tried different stuffing recipes over the years, but the family always insists I only make this one.

Ninety per cent of the time, my birthday falls on Thanksgiving weekend. I have cooked the Thanksgiving/birthday dinner for as long as I can remember, over 30 years now. It has never felt like a chore. – Nancy Forbes, Calgary

Have dietary demands taken the fun out of dinner parties?

Alabama trainwreck

The recipe: Sweet potatoes, Yukons mashed with smoked bacon, smoked cheddar, Granny Smith apples, sour cream and a metric busload of butter. I invented the trainwreck about 12 years ago when I was in culinary school. The name comes from a 1903 train wreck in Alabama, which then spawned the name of the musical group Old 97’s.

I was coming back from Montreal after a weekend out. When I got to the classroom, the chef said, “It’s time for your submissions for new holiday side dishes” (which I had completely forgotten about). Crushingly hungover, I wrote out the recipe in the men’s bathroom in about 10 minutes. The dish won the contest. I have been forced to make it every Thanksgiving and Christmas since. – Michael Taylor, Toronto

Submissions have been edited for length and clarity.