Tuesday, November 20, 2012

A Polish Thanksgiving

Along with Halloween, we celebrate Thanksgiving here in Poland. When I say “we” I mean our family. Thanksgiving hasn’t made it into the Polish holiday line-up ;) I’m always kind of bummed out on Thanksgiving because I know my family in the US is sitting down together for dinner and I am…at work. Our Thanksgiving always takes place on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Not quite the same but good enough.
Do you know what is the best thing about Thanksgiving (besides family and giving thanks and all that)?
The pumpkin pie! I had to practice to make sure I remember how to make pumpkin pie from last year. Here’s my first practice pie. My second one didn’t turn out.
SDC13381
And now the best thing about NOT having Thanksgiving in Poland…no Black Friday! I am much thankful for that.
Chris’s Pumpkin Pie Recipe – The no-crust version (which is really my mother’s pumpkin pie minus the crust and some sugar)
Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
spices to taste (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg)
½ square butter
¾ cup sugar (white or brown)
2 eggs
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 can evaporated milk (non-sweetened)
3 cups pumpkin (cooked and mixed)
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease one glass pie pan with butter (bottom and sides) and set aside.
  1. Sift or mix together flour, baking powder, salt and spices.
  1. In a large bowl, beat together sugar and butter (slightly softened). Beat in 2 eggs.
  1. Add dry ingredients and vanilla. Mix.
  1. Add pumpkin and mix.
  1. Add milk and stir with a spoon.
  1. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 180°C for about 1 hour. Let cool before cutting.
1 cup=235 ml
tsp.=teaspoon
1 tsp.=5ml
Enjoy :)

8 comments:

Alex said...

Ah, the cake looks yummy and I love your baking dish. Is it from Boleslawiec? I sound awfully housewife-ish, I know. What is a Black Friday?

Paulina said...

I live in States for 15 months and I was here several times before. I don't celebrate Thanksgiving but Black Friday is something which lack me in Poland very much! :)

Stardust said...

No worries Chris, my Thanksgiving is also Saturday, why not? It gives me more time to cook:) And there is no problem for kids which house they should celebrate this year.
Black Friday? I live in US for the last 28 years and NEVER left the house on Friday after Thanksgiving. Still don't get it why Americans do this:)))

Lois B said...

I'm with you Stardust, I always avoided the malls on Black Friday. We're having Thanksgiving with other expats from the air base - English/American couple. Before our celebration, of course, our husbands will have been to work and their children to their Polish school. I miss sitting around having a lazy morning in our PJs with our girls and watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. Lazy morning - that gives away the fact that we always have our turkey day meal at my mom's house. ;-)

Chris said...

Alex - You have a good eye. Yes, it is from Boleslawiec :) Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving considered the biggest shopping day of the holiday season. Better to stay home.

Paulina - I worked retail when I was at college. It cured me of all things shopping related including any affection for Black Friday ;)

Star- I don't understand either Star. And every year somebody gets trampled on the way into the mall. I'll be thinking of you on Sat.

Lois - The turkey was my job as a teen so I'm pretty pleased that now I don't have to cook a whole turkey if I don't want to. The girls want kluski sląskie. Not very Thanksgiving-y but kluski their will be :)

Kasia said...

I tried to shop on black Friday one time and I will never do it again.
Unfortunately more and more stores now are open on Thanksgiving day - very sad!! Not to mention the crazy people camping out for several nights in front of best buy!
I am not a pumpkin pie fan - pecan and apple pie for me.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and family tomorrow!

Anonymous said...

And I miss "Wigilia". That is a reason that I travel almost every year to Poland to be with my family. But Black Friday is still a wonder for me lol
iwona

Chris said...

Kasia -It's a shame that something that has "Friday" in the name of it starts on Thursday. I worked at a shopping mall all through school, so I got a taste of Black Friday from the other side. It's no fun to watch people whip out a credit card and pay for stuff they don't need with money they don't have.

Iwona - Invite your family to visit you this year ;) Just kidding, I know it is not that easy. I have been inviting my family for years and so far no luck.