5 Odd Holiday Dishes

Serving traditional holiday foods can be a great way to bond with family members and create lasting memories. It can also become boring after so many years. Every once in a while, you want to change things around just for the sake of change. These five variations on traditional Thanksgiving foods might be hits, or they may make your meal one of those stories of disastrous holidays we tell for years to come. My advice is to try only one wacky menu variation per year, lest your guests end up leaving hungry.

1. Turkey with Anchovies

The idea of adding anchovies to a turkey arose when Regina Charboneau needed a way to add oil and salt to the top of a roasting turkey to keep it from drying out. Others have used bacon for this purpose. The recipe calls for only two ounces of anchovies, placed on top of the turkey as it cooks. The fish disintegrate and leave a pattern on the turkey breast, and the flavor it adds is so subtle as to be unidentifiable to guests who've tried Charboneau's turkey. Before trying this, you might want to find out if any of your guests are allergic to fish.

2. Slider Stuffing

This recipe for turkey stuffing calls for "18 White Castle hamburgers (no pickles), chopped into 1-inch pieces," (or you can substitute bread, but it won't be the same). I suppose if you live in the southern part of the US, you could substitute Krystals. Both brands are commonly called sliders. The recipe is a part of Thanksgiving for Chicago chefs Chris and Jill Barron, who share their Thanksgiving cooking schedule. Personally, I see no problem with leaving the pickles in, but I am no chef.

3. 100 Proof Turkey

I received a press release over the weekend about an alcohol-infused turkey to be offered at a Manhattan bar. Are they soaking it in Wild Turkey bourbon? No, this recipe calls for 100-proof fruit flavored vodka.

Paul Hurley, A local Irish bar and tavern owner in Manhattan  is bringing a new twist for the Thanksgiving Holiday by unveiling the nation's first 100 proof turkey which is infused with fruit flavored and 100 proof Georgi vodka. The Turkey takes three days to prepare for the Holiday. 100 proof vodka is infused in the bird for three days before the final cooking. Peach, Raspberry, Cherry and Apple flavored vodka's are also part of the turkeys base. 100 proof vodka is also lightly placed in the gravy as well. No one under 21 is allowed to join the feast. The bar is also including a free taxi ride in the city for those who order the holiday specialty.

Each 20-pound bird is injected with eight ounces of vodka. Hurley says a lot of the alcohol content evaporates while the turkey cooks, so more will be added to the gravy. The chef recommends a vodka martini to go with the meal. It's a good thing the meal includes a cab ride home.

4. Ham and Banana Casserole

My mother told me you can make a casserole out of anything, just include bread or crackers, cheese, and some milk or cream-of-something soup. This works with most meats and/or vegetables, but bananas? Paula Dean, the queen of southern fried recipes, brings us ham and banana casserole for a touch of Hawaii in your feast. The bread, cheese, and cream are there, along with ham and four bananas.

5. Pecan-Apple-Pumpkin Pie

Can't decide what kind of pie to serve after Thanksgiving dinner? Make them all in one pie pan! Cakespy tried combining pecan, apple, and pumpkin pie recipes to make this triple threat. The first experiment layered the three filling, the second mixed them together, and the third separated them pie-chart fashion with extra crust.

Have you made any Thanksgiving dishes that would fit into the "odd" category? Share your experiences with us by leaving a comment!