Thanking is important. Giving is essential. That’s why Thanksgiving is just simply the perfect holiday. Not overly commercial, no need to buy gifts, the drama is at a minimum and it’s mostly about the food. And that’s the way I like it.

I love Thanksgiving so much that I celebrate it twice. Canadian Thanksgiving in October with my family and American Thanksgiving in November with my friends. The double holiday gives me an opportunity to cook some of my favourite food and watch some football. So without further ado, check out my Canadian thanksgiving family feast below!

If there is a dish that I couldn’t care less about it’s mashed potatoes. Never been my favourite. But my mom and sister covet them with such intensity that I make sure that the spuds I serve are first-class. I try and keep it simple. This recipe is for Rosemary Mashed Potatoes from Bon Appétit magazine. And there’s usually a healthy portion left over for take away (cause I certainly won’t be eating them).

Maple- and Tangerine Glazed Carrots from (where else?) Bon Appétit magazine are easy to make. A pinch of cayenne pepper adds a little bit of a kick to them.

I quite liked these green beans and will probably make them again. Cook the green beans and then toss them with a vinaigrette. Pretty simple. Check out the recipe for Green Beans and Walnuts with Lemon Vinaigrette.

The stuffing was not the best in the world but my family enjoyed it. I usually make the stuffing from scratch using country bread but I ran out of time. I used Marcy’s Gourmet Stuffing Mix from Costco.

I dont eat cranberry sauce other than this one. Check out the recipe for Cranberry Sauce with Vanilla Bean and Cardamom.

And for the finale, my mom made pies. Sugar and pumpkin. They were both delicious (as usual).

That marked the end of Canadian Thanksgiving 2012 and we were all officially stuffed. One Thanksgiving down, one more to go. And for that (and may other things), I am thankful.