Few festivals are as synonymous with a cuisine than Thanksgiving, the time when families and communities across the nation gather together to give thanks for the season’s harvest. It doesn’t matter what part of the country you come from, chances are that in addition to a succulent turkey, there are certain dishes that play a starring role on your holiday menu. But do you really know why corn is on the table? Or what importance a green bean casserole has? Or why the pumpkin pie is the perfect end to an extended family meal? Read on, and the reasons may surprise you.

First things first, let’s talk turkey. Although we don’t know the exact menu of that first Thanksgiving feast, a first-person account of the year’s harvest does reference “a great store of wild turkeys,” which would make it safe to assume that the bird was very much on the menu. As the holiday grew in popularity, however, turkey became the main course for reasons more practical; chickens were more valued for their eggs than their meat, but turkeys were easy to keep, big enough to feed a whole family, and cheaper than ducks or geese. Nowadays, the National Turkey Federation estimates 88% of Americans eat turkey in some form on Thanksgiving Day—does that include you?

Now, the sides. Like turkeys, cranberries were widely available in the area, but cranberry sauce almost certainly did not make an appearance at the first Thanksgiving. That’s because the sugar reserves of the pilgrims were almost completely depleted after their long sea journey, leaving them unable to sweeten the tart berries. It’s only later that these homegrown fruits began to show up on Thanksgiving tables, their acidic nature helping balance out the heavy and meaty feast. Now, corn was a staple of the Native American diet and would have been nearly as plentiful in the 17th century as today, but it was either made into a cornmeal bread or mashed and boiled into a thick porridge-like consistency—a far cry from what we enjoy today.

Green bean casseroles, on the other hand, are a more modern addition to the menu, a limited ingredient recipe created by a home economist at Campbell’s Soup. Her recipe, which unsurprisingly used Campbell’s, was featured in a 1955 Associated Press feature about Thanksgiving, and the association has proven surprisingly durable—Campbell’s now estimates that 30 percent of their cream of mushroom soup is used in a green bean casserole.

Last but not least, dessert. Pumpkin pie does have links to the original Thanksgiving meal, but by no means was it the exact dish that people ate. Historians speculate that pumpkins were baked whole in the ashes or embers of a dying fire and were moistened afterwards with some form of animal fat, maple syrup, or honey—now, aren’t you glad things changed a little over the years? At Suncadia, we love to continue age-old traditions, while giving our community members opportunities to begin their own. In this spirit, we’re sharing a couple of our favorite holiday recipes, hoping you’ll add them on to your own celebratory menus. We hope you enjoy them, and wish you a warm and joyful Thanksgiving!

Traditional stuffing

Ingredients

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. Grease 3-quart casserole dish. Place bread on rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes; transfer to large bowl. Meanwhile, heat butter in 12-inch skillet on medium. Add onions, 1 teaspoon salt and 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until very tender and beginning to turn golden, 6 to 8 minutes Add celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Stir in sage and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Transfer vegetable mixture to bowl with bread; toss to combine. Fold in beaten eggs. Transfer to prepared baking dish, cover with foil and bake 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Perfect Pumpkin Pie Ingredients 15 ounces pumpkin puree 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 2 large eggs 1 tsp cinnamon powder ½ tsp ginger, nutmeg, salt 9-inch unbaked pie crust Directions Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

The season of merrymaking is almost upon us, bringing numerous opportunities to gather with loved ones, create precious memories and enjoy traditional festivities. Of course, it also gives us the chance to begin our own traditions that we can share with those closest to our hearts—and there’s no better place to do so than in a brand-new holiday home nestled in Suncadia’s mountain landscape.

This year, Suncadia Featured Builder Woodridge Custom Homes adds a little extra charm to your winter holiday, with an offer that will transform your getaway into a memorable celebration. Not only are they presenting a brand new four-bedroom home in the gated community of River Ridge, they’re going to transform it into a stunning holiday wonderland, ready for you to host a memorable festive celebration.

Designed to perfection over two levels, with floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase the picturesque surroundings and easily connected to bike and walking trails, the home, located at 250 Kokanee Lp, will be made over to reflect the spirit of the season, with the family room decorated in festive motifs, complete with a grand Christmas tree. What’s more, you and the family can sit down to a delicious holiday meal featuring classic dishes, desserts and local wines, complemented by surprise stocking stuffers.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make your year-end celebration even more sensational. Get in touch with us to organize a tour of 250 Kokanee Lp by Woodridge Custom Homes, and you could begin your festive traditions in a new holiday home!

‘Tis the season for cashmere, cocoa and cozy moments by the fire; a time to gather with loved ones to make merry and magical memories. And there is no better place to make the most of this season of celebration than at Suncadia, where we’ve created an incredible itinerary of exceptional experiences that will fill your heart with warmth and wonder.

Kicking off the festivities in classic style, the Tree Lighting Celebration on November 29 will set the scene for the season, the highlights of which are:

Festive time for littles ones is sure to be a lot more fun at the selection of amazing events, which include:

Adventure seekers can spend time inner tubing down a hill, cross-country skiing, riding a sleigh, even fly-fishing; those looking for a more laid back time can take advantage of the 12 Days of Christmas at Glade Spa, where every day reveals an indulgent new reward. Appetites big and small will be satisfied with an assortment of scrumptious treats at Portals, The Lodge and The Stovehouse; don’t miss these specially crafted festive menus, which include:

Of course, the event of the season is the highly anticipated Mad Hatter NYE Family Celebration, which will take you through the looking glass to welcome 2020 in electric style—with dinner, dancing and more—so get ready to party till the break of dawn!

These are just a snapshot of all that’s in store for the season—check out the full list of activities here or pick up a copy of our festive brochure at our Sales Center. Plan your season at Suncadia, and let Winterfest make every moment of your celebration an unforgettable experience.

With the end of the year fast approaching, it’s time for us at Suncadia to take the time to celebrate a year of successes and look forward to bigger and better things in the coming months. And we certainly have a lot to celebrate—from the successful launch of Tumble Creek’s new homesites to the resounding response we received for the neighborhood’s year-end incentives.

Suncadia’s reputation as the ultimate mountain escape on the sunny side of the Cascade Mountains is well established. Its gated neighborhood, Tumble Creek, is as inclusive as it is exclusive and beloved by those fortunate enough to call it home. Recently, the community hosted a Grand Opening Event, featuring a rare release of spectacular homesites, recording an astounding $13 million in sales and welcoming 37 new families into the fold.

The homesites are situated in easy distance of the new Tumble Creek Great House, and feature views of the golf course, Paintbrush Lake, and of course, the 1,200-acre preserve and the mountains beyond. Additionally, owners will enjoy access to amenities including trails and riverfront, parks, a no-tee-times Tom Doak golf course, and year-round club programming for all ages and interests. The icing on the cake, though, was the special year-end purchase incentives announced for these homesites—these include but are not limited to a 5% discount on the land price, plus club membership and dues for the first year.

A limited number of Tumble Creek homesites are still available For more information and to schedule a tour, write to Contact@TumbleCreek.com and #findyourspotinthesun.