2011 Obama White House Thanksgiving Menu

First Family's feast includes turkey, ham, oyster & cornbread stuffing, five sides, and six kinds of pie...
President Obama and the First Family are celebrating Thanksgiving in the White House with a traditional menu starring turkey and six different kinds of pie, including Pumpkin Pie and Banana Cream Pie.  The Obamas will share their Thanksgiving with unidentified “friends, family and staff,” according to the White House.  The feast will be created with bounty from First Lady Obama's Kitchen Garden, according to assistant chef Sam Kass. Honey from the White House Beehive will also be used for the dishes. (Above: At Wednesday's Turkey Pardoning Ceremony, Malia pets Liberty as the President and Sasha look on)

"Like millions of Americans, Michelle, Malia, Sasha and I will spend the day eating great food, watching a little football, and reflecting on how truly lucky we truly are," President Obama said today.

In addition to turkey, the Thanksgiving table will be laden with ham, two kinds of stuffing, five side dishes including macaroni and cheese and green bean casserole, and dinner rolls. The show-stopping pies also include Apple, Cherry, Huckleberry, Sweet Potato, and Pumpkin. The President is a fanatic for pie, and Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses has said that Banana Cream Pie is his favorite.  Yosses' Apple Pie recipe is here.

2011 Obama Family White House Thanksgiving Menu

Turkey
Ham

Cornbread Stuffing
Oyster Stuffing

Side Dishes
Greens
Sweet Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole
Macaroni and Cheese

Dinner Rolls

Dessert
Apple Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Sweet Potato Pie
Banana Cream Pie
Cherry Pie
Huckleberry Pie

Like many Americans, the First Family enjoys the same Thanksgiving menu each year, and the 2011 menu is identical to the the 2010 menu the White House issued, as well as to the 2009 menu, minus the words "honey baked" in front of "ham."

In an annual Thanksgiving tradition, President Obama made calls to US military service members this morning, at around 9:00 AM ET from the Oval Office. The President's weekly address also thanked the troops, and today Mrs. Obama sent out an e-mail asking Americans to join the Joining Forces/USO "Thanks From Everywhere" campaign. (Above: The President made his calls to troops from the Oval Office)

On Wednesday morning, President Obama granted a Thanksgiving pardon to turkey Liberty and his alternate Peace during the annual White House ceremony. In the afternoon, the First Family packed holiday grocery bags at a local food bank.

President Obama's Thanksgiving address:



*Top photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama; second by Pete Souza/White House. National Turkey Federation Chairman Ricard Huisinga is in the Pardon Ceremony in the photo at top.