turkey day with a latino twist

I have a simple question: How do you and your family celebrate and give thanks on Thanksgiving? We all know historically the family and/or friends gather around the bird and get their grub on. But nowadays: what does that food consist of ? And how does that food represent you? I have come to realize that each culture and furthermore, each family's celebration is as unique as the food they eat.

For example: my family (on my moms side) is 100% Boriqua. I am not lying when I say I have 12 aunts and uncles and about 30 cousins JUST ON HER SIDE. Needless to say, it's a madhouse: children playing and running around the house, people sitting at every available crevice trying to get a glimpse of the tv, others deep in conversation and/or playing a good hand of casino (an addictive card game I think my family actually made up) or dominos...all rimmed over with Marc Anthony playing in the background. Not only that, the food has a definite ethnic flavor to it. We have our turkey, yes - But season it with garlic, sazon, adobo, and sofrito. But, we also serve honey ham, pernir (roasted pork & my personal favorite), pasteles (PR tamales if you will --> see below for a recipe), arroz con gandules, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and loaf upon loaf of HOT FRENCH BREAD drenched in butter (if you didn't know, now you do - puerto ricans LOVE their bread.) And that doesn't even include dessert, rich in cakes, pies, and my personal favorite: FLAN.

On my dads side (the side of my mexican heritage), Thanksgiving is not just only a day. They celebrate with food for about 3-4 days straight, with each consecutive day afterwards an extension of Thanksgiving. It was crazy: Everyday there was another menu to choose from (and I think I gained about 10 pounds afterward). They served everything from turkey to home made pozole (pork & hominy soup..yummy), to carnitas and barbacoa, flautas, and pollo con mole. Unfortunately, I never really spend much time with this side, as they are scattered throughout California and I live in Chicago. The memories I do have, however, are lace with food and laughter.

Anyway, I just want to send a happy turkey day wish to everyone. No matter who your with or what you eat, I hope this weekend is full of laughter, love, and lots and lots of FOOD!!! Care to share some grub with me? C'mon!!!!