The Riggs' "Traditional" Thanksgiving Meal

Have you ever wondered "What would the Thanksgiving meal look like if somebody else besides the English had landed at Plymouth Rock?"

Greeks... Moussaka and Gyros?

Russians... Pirozhki and Borscht?

Feijoada and Coxinha? It would have been folks from Brazil!

I know Turkey and Dressing with all the trimmings are the traditional Thanksgiving meal. But after two or three meals of this at various kinfolk's tables, have you ever wanted to say "Enough!!!! Give me a Beefy 5-Layer Burrito from Taco Bell!!!" (Now, I would never personally say this because most everyone knows my opinion of Taco Bell...)

Many years ago, the Riggs' family had reached this place. My Mom was to the point that she didn't have the energy or confidence to fix a large traditional meal, so we decided to "shake things up a little bit."

Everyone loved "Tami's Cashew Chicken" so the vote was unanimous to have it for our Thanksgiving meal.

And a Tradition was born...

The first "Cashew Thanksgiving" was 2005. We didn't know it at the time, but it would be the last one we would spend with my Mom.

The main course, of course, is Cashew Chicken. Tami hand breads the chunks of breast meat and I fry them in peanut oil 'til they're light brown and crispy.

Tami shortcuts on the cashew sauce. Instead of boiling chicken bones for broth, she just uses chicken bullion cubes. Soy sauce is added to the broth and then it is thickened with corn starch.

A few years ago, someone bought us a rice steamer so we make up a big batch of white rice for the "Truly Chinese" among us!

Lisa, Ralph's wife, always cooks a HUGE pot of fried rice, loaded with corn, carrots, peas, green beans,. And Boy Howdy!, is it ever good!

Tami also makes a Chinese salad. It is a cole slaw - green onion veggie mix,  mixed with a vinegar-sugar-oil-soy sauce concoction. This is then mixed in with crushed Ramen noodles and cashews that have been fried in butter. My Mercy!!!

We usually buy "Pagoda Cafe" pork and shrimp egg rolls and buy crab rangoons from one of the Chinese Restaurants in town, and this rounds out our meal.

I don't know how to type "Happy Thanksgiving" in Chinese but I hope you and yours have a wonderful day of giving thanks to the Heavenly Father for all of the blessings He has bestowed!

Happy Thanksgiving from the "BigSurveyor"!!

One of our Thanksgiving meals

Tami's (well-used) recipe for Cashew Chicken