It's Giving... Thanks

It's the season of giving thanks, and like with anything, I feel like in order to fully get into the giving and thankful headspace...we need to air some grievances to begin anew. Think of this as the cheat meal before the diet starts or the "after this purchase, I'm going to watch my spending" moment. We need to get things off our chest, so I'll be the sacrificial lamb and air my grievances to rid us all of our collective annoyances so we can enter the holiday season with a clean slate.

I was at a stoplight and someone was trying to turn out of the Whole Foods parking lot. The light turned green, and I didn't go because I was letting them in (look at me, giving "patience"). This person pulled out and proceeded to block my lane in an attempt to get all the way over to the left-turn lane... Meaning they blocked me and everyone behind me, on a busy street, for an ENTIRE light cycle. AND didn't even wave thanks!

I don't wish harm on anyone, but I kinda hope their turkey is dry this Thanksgiving.

Wow. I feel so much better airing that out! And now that I've got that off my chest, I'm feeling thankful that I can spill some real tea.

I'm from Minnesota, which isn't exactly known for it's five star cuisine (more so for the biggest mall in America), but we do have one dish with a 100% success rate at every get-together. It's giving conversation starter. It's getting all the thanks. I've made it for friends at a holiday party in New York, where it got rave reviews, and for my friends in LA who had to eat their words.

In theory, the dish sounds a little...unique. But after trying it, everyone was obsessed.

Drumroll, please...

Minnesota Sushi

It's a dill pickle covered in cream cheese, wrapped in sandwich meat, and cut into slices that look like weird little Play-Doh sushi rolls. LOL.

Before I lose you, because I KNOW that doesn't exactly sound mouthwatering – think of it as the best parts of a sandwich: the pickle, the meat, and the condiment. It's so beloved that multiple friends now make it for their own get-togethers. And they always send me pictures!

I'll include one that I got from my friend Emily this weekend. She brought it to a housewarming, and Emily really understood the assignment. These are the most beautifully presented sushis I've ever seen!

Minnesota Sushi is simple to make, but the execution, specifically how aesthetically pleasing you can get them to look, gets mixed reviews. So let me give you some pro tips to make yours look their absolute best this Thanksgiving. 

The Minnesota Sushi Rules:

1. Dry your pickles! Before spreading the cream cheese, pat the pickles try with a clean paper towel. We love juicy, but we don't need slippery.
2. Stick with regular cream cheese. In theory, whipped cream cheese seems like it would be the better choice, but the original version gives you more structure and keeps the meat from sliding everywhere. LOL.
3. Choose your meat wisely. You can use ham or turkey, but make sure you don't get a super thinly-sliced kind. Again, we need a little structure here. Pro tip: Patting dry the sandwich meat makes the cream cheese easier to spread.
4. Use a sharp, clean knife. For those perfect little sushi slices, a sharp knife is your best friend. A dull blade will make everything a little messy. They'll still taste amazing, but we're going for presentation here, people. And be sure to wipe the blade between slices for an ultra clean cut.

I'd love to know your family recipes, traditions, etc. Does your family have an interesting dish or a particular cuisine you always eat during the holidays?

We'd love to put together a little compilation of everyone's unique family recipes for an online community cookbook that we can share on the website – so send us your recipes, your stories, and your family traditions. We want the good stuff!

Click Here for an easy version of the full recipe by Brenda Score.

- Brett