Hump Day Top 5 List

Whew - is it hump-day already? I feel like I'm still in Monday mode. This is one of those weeks where I feel like I can't catch up to myself. Fortunately, one of my favorite holidays is coming up in a short two weeks. I don't know what it is about Thanksgiving that I like so much ... wait, what am I saying? OF COURSE I know what I like so much: the food, baby. And not just the food, but the rituals around the food - preparing the same dishes every year, everyone helping out in the kitchen, the good smells and the overloaded table. So for today's top 5 list, I'd like to know your top 5 must-have dishes or rituals for Thanksgiving. What makes the holiday for you? What dish can you not live without? Here's my list:

1. Sweet-potato souffle, my Mimi's recipe. Sweet potatoes, brown sugar, pineapple and a pecan-brown sugar topping = DAMN, that's good.

2. White trash green bean casserole. That's what we call it in my family - you know, the one with the French's fried onions on the top? The one with no nutritional value whatsoever? Yeah. I love that.

3. Cornbread dressing. Forget your yankee-ass sage stuffing. If you want to taste something that even the turkey would approve of, you gotta go with some southern-style cornbread dressing. YUM.

4. Homemade cranberry relish, also my Mimi's recipe. It's good with everything, especially as a topping for leftover turkey sandwiches.

5. Going around the table and telling everyone at least one thing you're thankful for. We've done this every year in my family since I can remember. Some years it's harder than other years, but it's always a nice optimistic moment in the meal.

What's on your list?