Thanksgiving!

[kacie tri-ing]

Hello! I was just wondering what everyone is making for Thanksgiving.

I just finished digging through my recipes and settled on a few things to bring to my in-law's for the day!

Spinach Balls as an Appetizer

Brown/Wild Rice with Almonds and Cranberries

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cheesecake


Ok, now that it's posted, I have to go actually make those things! Happy cooking/eating!

[Owlie]

Do you mind sharing the rice recipe? It sounds interesting.

I'll be helping out in the kitchen, as usual. We'll be doing:

-turkey
-roasted potatoes with garlic...or garlic with potatoes. I'm not sure. ;)
-Mexican green beans
-zucchini
-brussels sprouts, maybe
-sweet potato casserole (hopefully not the "healthy" version. That was not a good experience.)

No idea what my mom settled on for dessert. It was a really good pecan pie/tart/thing the past two years, but since it's a hybrid recipe, the filling oozes through the crust and needs to be pried out of the pan!

[ny biker]

I'm sure my mother is bringing a pie to my cousin's house. My only responsibilities will be smiling, eating and pleasant conversation. And helping to clear the table afterwards.

[Veronica]

Minestrone soup. It's just us and it's fun to cook together.

Veronica

[katluvr]

Staying home, just the 2 of us. I work & recently gave up meat...so no turkey for us. Homemade pizza cooked on the grill. Veggie for me, turkey pepperoni for her!
K

[GLC1968]

I'm pretty psyched about the dinner I'm planning. It's just the two of us, but I wanted to go tradtional anyway.

Turkey - local, free-range, heritage breed from a farm down the road
Sage Stuffing - my mom's recipe
Grilled Asparagus
Roasted Veggies - brussels sprouts, yellow carrots, orange carrots, parsnips, beets, garlic, onions and yukon gold potatoes - all from our garden!

And for desert - Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie (also made from our home grown pumpkins and apple butter!)

[OakLeaf]

After several years of vegetarian holidays we've ordered a turkey from a local farmer. We'll be doing it very traditional this year. Chestnut stuffing as always (whether or not we're having turkey) which is a royal PITA but soooooo worth it (as long as it's only once a year ;)).

One of my very favorites is Mollie Katzen's sweet potato casserole (http://www.molliekatzen.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=sweet_potato).

I just ran across this recipe for apple cranberry compote (http://www.robertsinskey.com/kitchen/recipe/apple-cranberry-compote#ingredients) which looks really yummy.

And I got some lovely spinach from the special Thanksgiving farmers' market that I'll probably just sauté with garlic and pignoli. My natural food store just started getting real Italian pignoli instead of the Chinese species you usually find, woot woot!

I froze some pumpkin from the last round of pies I made - may do that, may do an apple pie, we still have a few on our tree. :)

[Veronica]

I'm pretty psyched about the dinner I'm planning. It's just the two of us, but I wanted to go tradtional anyway.

Turkey - local, free-range, heritage breed from a farm down the road
Sage Stuffing - my mom's recipe
Grilled Asparagus
Roasted Veggies - brussels sprouts, yellow carrots, orange carrots, parsnips, beets, garlic, onions and yukon gold potatoes - all from our garden!

And for desert - Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie (also made from our home grown pumpkins and apple butter!)

How long would it take me to drive to your house? :D I can't believe you grew brussel sprouts and beets. I guess someone has to like them. :p

Veronica

[redrhodie]

I can't believe you grew brussel sprouts and beets. I guess someone has to like them. :p

Veronica

I love both! This thread is making me so hungry!

We're doing it veggie. Main dish, lentil and butternut squash pot pie. Mashed potatoes, mushroom bread pudding (it's a little like stuffing), brussels sprouts, creamed peas and pearl onions, cranberry sauce, maybe candied yams if my friend brings them. This is our traditional menu. Same guests as last year, too. I can't wait! Apple pie for dessert if I get my game on, if not, creme brulee.

[kermit]

Headed to our house in South Georgia, cooking for the whole family and whoever else might come by. Super traditional except frying a turkey, don't have time to drive up and brine. Sweet potatoes, squash casserole (my favorite), stuffin muffins (thanks Rachel Ray), green bean casserole, and of course, sweet potato pie for dessert.

[GLC1968]

How long would it take me to drive to your house? :D I can't believe you grew brussel sprouts and beets. I guess someone has to like them. :p

Veronica

Probably 12 hours or so?? You are both welcome to jon us! :D

I like brussels sprouts and beets when roasted. That's the only way I'll eat either of them. The best part about growing them is that they are SUPER EASY to grow in our climate.

Now don't ask me about why there are no sweet potatoes in our meal! :mad: They just won't grow here. :(

[Veronica]

I've never had roasted beets. Seriously, my only beet experience is the nasty canned ones my mom served, boiled. I can see how roasting might make them good.

Veronica

[Raindrop]

I have the family coming over (eight adults, two kids and a toddler), so my menu is:

turkey
crockpot stuffing
yam and apple bake*
garlic smashed potatoes
fresh cranberries with orange sauce

The bread, salad, veggies and desert are the responsibility of the others. I'm already stressing about getting it all done at the same time.:eek:

*Yam and apple bake:
3 yams, cooked and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
2 granny smith apples, cored and sliced
1/4 cup of golden raisins
1 or 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 cup of apple juice
1 tablespoon of corn starch
cup of graham cracker crumbs
1 or t tablespoons of butter

alternate yam and apple slices in a 9 x 13 inch dish. Sprinkle the raisins and cinnamon over the top. Heat the apple juice and corn starch in a small saucepan until it thickens then pour it over the yams and apples. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the top of everything, dot with the butter and back in a 350 degree oven until the top is browned (about 25 minutes). Pretty healthy and delicious without being the cloying yam and marshmellow usual dish.

[Possegal]

I have 10 people and am still working out the menu, other than turkey, me Mum's stuffing, mashed potatoes.

Though I'm interested in this spinach ball appetizer! :)

[azfiddle]

We aren't going to be too adventurous this year- we have some guests coming who we don't know well.

Turkey with sage and apple stuffing (usually we make a stuffing with dried apricots and almonds)

Fresh cranberries sauce made with oranges and walnuts

Mashed potatoes (maybe with garlic or herbs- that sounds good)

My DH makes a sweet potato dish with almonds, pecans, yogurt, brown sugar and brandy flavoring. It's like dessert!

Some kind of fresh baked rolls- wheat or squash rolls usually

A relish tray, green vegetable - maybe green beans?

Sparkling pomegranate and apple juices

They are bringing desserts and maybe salad. Otherwise, I'll make a salad.

Can't wait to make turkey chilaquiles with the leftovers (like enchiladas, but in a casserole and you don't need to fry the tortillas)

[channlluv]

Forget the roasted veggies. I want that pumpkin butterscotch cheesecake recipe, Kacie!

I just bought a cheesecake pan. I've never made one. Anyone got a healthy cheesecake recipe?

Roxy, currently enjoying leftovers from my mom's traditional Thanksgiving dinner that we had on Sunday because DD and I are here with her in Florida and leaving on Wednesday. I love her dressing and my grandmother's sweet potato casserole. Yum.

[PamNY]

I cannot tolerate the smell of roasting turkey, so I'm planning my favorite holiday tradition -- going to a restaurant with a close, sympathetic friend.

I hope the turkey smell will be cleared out of my apartment by the time we get back. Unfortunately, one of the guests who is coming won't tolerate the windows being open even a little bit.

Ah well, the whole thing gives me a good excuse for biking all day Thursday and Friday while the place airs out.

I love Brussels sprouts and beets, by the way.

[shootingstar]

I love Brussels sprouts and beets, by the way.

I've seen a recipe on roasted brussel sprouts with pistachios.

[colby]

We're doing the usual....

Turkey, possibly brined, possibly not. We do the Martha Stewart 90 minutes breast-side down and the remainder of the time breast-side up to keep the breast from drying out.
Quorn roast for the veg among us (I have alternated between Quorn, Tofurky, and Field Roast, back to Quorn this year)
Cranberry sauce
Stuffing/dressing (made with veg stock and finished in the oven)
Green beans with cranberries
A small sweet potatoes sweet dish (no marshmallows, but pineapple)
Mashed potatoes - sweet and boring varieties (I pretty much don't eat potatoes, but my siblings are picky)
Gravy - tofurky for the veg, and turkey gravy made fresh from the turkey

[withm]

TG is at my sister's and the menu has not varied one iota in 20 years, or more. PRobably 12 people and a couple of dogs will feast on

hors d'oeurves & crudites
Roast turkey, stuffing, gravy
Mashed potatoes, a very sweet sweet potato casserole
Brocolli casserole (I love it but am sooooo tired of it)
Green salad with grapefruit, avocado slices, and cream cheese balls w/ chives
2 kinds of cranberries
Spiced peaches (I make these, home canned)
Home made rolls (I bring these as well)
Apple, pumpkin, and probably another pie
Sour cream cookies
Spiced sugared pecans
various wines and champagne

It's getting to be so much food that I am almost sickened by it all. But everyone wants to bring something and when you have 12 people - well you end up with a ton of food. It will all be home made, some home-grown, and all delicious, (well if you like sweet potato/marshmellow/syrupy casseroles that is - LOL) but I sure would like to lighten up the menu.

What I would like to see earn a place on the menu is roasted sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts. So much so that Tues and Wed my dinner will be just that.

But it will be fun to see everyone and visit over the weekend. I'm bringing my bike though and hoping the weather holds out so I can go for a ride on Fri or Sat, or I may stop in St. Michael's for a ride on my way home.

Happy Thanksgiving!

[shootingstar]

Canada has its Thanksgiving in Oct. Our home meal:

squash-carrot soup
roasted beets, parsnips and celery root
gourmet sausages (bison, venison)
heirloom tomatoes marinated in some oil, vinegar and garnished with fresh basil
salmon fillet lightly sauteed with orange sauce and herbs
dessert focaccia (embedded fresh cut figs, plums, grapes and blueberries. Dessert was my contribution. He added wine-flavoured whipping cream as topping.)
red & white wine

[Bike Chick]

It's so interesting to see what other's serve for Thanksgiving in other parts of the country. Ours is a pretty traditional dinner. I'm doing the cooking and my parents, in-laws, children and grandchildren will be here---it's my grandson's 7th birthday on Thursday, too.

Turkey
Ham
Sweet Potato Casserole
Stuffing
Gravy
Cranberry Salad
Apple-grape Salad
Broccolli
Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Pie
and Ice Cream cake for the birthday boy!

I'll be so sick of it all by the time we eat that I won't want to look at it much less eat any of it.

[Catrin]

Going to a friend's house and they always have a TON of food. I will be taking the beer :)

[limewave]

The last few years I've made a vegetarian dish to share at Thanksgiving, usually a recipe from 101Cookbooks.com (http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/vegetarian-thanksgiving-recipes-recipe.html)

This year I was assigned dinner rolls. ONLY DINNER ROLLS (they were very specific). I guess if it isn't deep fried turkey, mashed potatoes w/ gravy, and cheese with some broccoli--they aren't happy :(

[redrhodie]

The last few years I've made a vegetarian dish to share at Thanksgiving, usually a recipe from 101Cookbooks.com (http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/vegetarian-thanksgiving-recipes-recipe.html)

This year I was assigned dinner rolls. ONLY DINNER ROLLS (they were very specific). I guess if it isn't deep fried turkey, mashed potatoes w/ gravy, and cheese with some broccoli--they aren't happy :(

That's obnoxious. So because they don't want it, you can't have it? What, is there no room in the house for one more dish?

Being who I am, I'd somehow fill the rolls with spinach, just to bug them. ;)

[indysteel]

I am so jealous of all these wonderful dishes. DH and I are going to my parents on Thanksgiving. My mom is a decent cook, but a couple things work against her on Thanksgiving: (1) A blind adherance to the dishes she's been making for the past 50 years of married life; and (2) a tendency to overcook things. Her dishes are not exactly inventive or fresh tasting. Think green bean casserole and lifeless peas and carrots.

I've offered over the years to contribute some dishes, but my mother is also a control freak and will have none of that. DH and I will try some things for our New Year's dinner together instead.

At least it's what I'm used to. DH and I spent the last two Thanksgivings with his family and family friends, and they don't do much more than microwave premade food. It's a crime against humanity. The first year I actually found myself pretty offended by it. Nothing says the holidays like Stovetop Stuffing. :(

Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving to all. Enjoy the day!

[jessmarimba]

I'm going to make a pecan pie and green bean casserole but I'm probably going to get dinner to go from the Chili's up the street. It's just me, and I'm trying to clean the house to put up Christmas decorations, so I don't feel like cooking for myself!

[limewave]

That's obnoxious. So because they don't want it, you can't have it? What, is there no room in the house for one more dish?

Being who I am, I'd somehow fill the rolls with spinach, just to bug them. ;)

Lol. Good idea!
It wouldn't be the holidays without obnoxious relatives :o

[MomOnBike]

I'm not cooking this year, just going to a friend's house. I'll be taking butterhorn rolls.

On the years I do cook, the menu is very specific - I am NOT allowed to get creative. My family has decreed that there be:

Turkey with a chorizo/veggie corn bread stuffing - I make the bread a few days before, it's a raised bread with a lot of corn meal and whole corn in it.

Mashed 'taters and gravy. It is almost impossible to make enough.

Cranberry Chop-Chop Good Stuff - that is, cranberries chopped with jalepenos, red onion and lime juice. Sounds like it should be awful, but we eat it plain by the spoonful.

Brussels sprouts with mustard lemon sauce

Butterhorns - complete with a call to my brother bragging about how my butterhorns are better than his. (They are)

Cranberry pound cake. I think it weighs in at 1,000 calories a crumb, but it is so worth it.

Wine. In the cook. In the stuffing. In the gravy. In the icing on the cake. In glasses on the table. (Oops, I think I spilled some. That's OK, have another glass.)

That's what I have no choice but to serve. Guests are free to bring any dishes that make them happy.

[jessmarimba]

Wine. In the cook. In the stuffing. In the gravy. In the icing on the cake. In glasses on the table. (Oops, I think I spilled some. That's OK, have another glass.)



My family makes wine Jello for holidays. Pretty good :)

[skhill]

I'm heading over to my brother's for the big meal. It's leg of lamb for us-- his partner got food poisoning from an undercooked turkey once, and so we don't go there. There will be mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce from a can, and something green.

My contributions: dessert! Crustless pumpkin pie (brother's partner has celiac), and an apple/cranberry something (maybe pie, maybe gluten-free cobbler). And if I get energetic, I'll bake cornbread, maybe even make stuffing.

The pumpkin's roasting in the oven right now! yum!

[OakLeaf]

MoB, that cranberry relish sounds wonderful! I'm so inundated with great-sounding cranberry recipes this year (also thought I might use some of the blueberries I have in the freezer) - might have to make them two ways.

[Becky]

I like the sounds of that cranberry relish too!

We're at the in-laws for Thanksgiving this year, as we continue the eternal rotation back and forth between families.... DH's family are very much classical Thanksgiving people, and don't believe in lightened-up anything. It all must be drowned in butter and heavy cream. So I don't bring anything, but I do help with the cooking and cleaning.

(Sorry for the rant....can you tell that I'm not in the Thanksgiving spirit this year? :/)

[7rider]

Just DH and me for T-day.

Trader Joe's made our Thanksgiving dinner:
1/2 roasted turkey (pre-cooked....it's an experiment...we'll see how it goes!)
Scalloped potatoes (again, a TJ's pre-cooked experiment)
pearl onions (I'll need to fix those...DH loves 'em. I can take 'em or leave 'em)
Some sort of vege yet to be decided...green beans, mixed veges, who knows?
And a pumpkin pie if we can fit it.

Perhaps a bottle of Pinot.

After DH goes for his bike ride, and I do my training run (assuming this cold that I feel is coming on doesn't develop into anything), we hope to go check out the new Harry Potter flick (hopefully, they'll be showing matinees!). Then dinner in the evening.

[Zen]

Debbie Downer chimes in
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/news/the-injustice-on-our-plates

[OakLeaf]

Thank you for that, Zen.

[7rider]

Debbie Downer chimes in

Wow. It took you over 30 hours.
You're slipping.

[kimikaw]

Going to a friend's house and they always have a TON of food. I will be taking the beer :)

Sounds like my plan. Spending the week in Nashville with my brother, and having dinner at his ultra hostess Aunt-in-laws. Great food, great company. And for this meal all we have to do is bring the beer (and wine and spirits). Both hubby and I work in different bits of the bev alcohol biz, so a natural for us.

Last year the spread was incredible. Looking forward to seeing what's in store this year.

Oh, anyone see the Bobby Flay/Pioneer Woman Thanksgiving Throwdown. Dying to try the Brussels sprouts with pomegranate recipe. Ditto the pumpkin bread pudding. Maybe as part of Christmas feast.

[bmccasland]

Will be wandering across the street to a neighbor's. Was supposed to drive to a friend's around Puget Sound (hour drive), but with our icy weather, I'm reluctant to drive anywhere. And since I'm still in the kitchen restocking process, I'm not cooking anything. But I will take over some homemade jam that survived the move. Think I have jars of blueberry and blackberry (separate) worth sharing.

Everyone's menus sound good. I'm hoping for some good mashed potatoes, and a stuffing that doesn't have mushrooms or oysters in it. Blech. I've never had chestnut stuffing / dressing, that sounds interesting.

My Louisiana grandmother would make a cornbread - in a cast iron skillet a day or two before, and let it get stale, to make her stuffing. Or is it dressing?

[Crankin]

Here's my menu... well, not mine, but the friends' we are going to. I would never send a printed menu!

Thanks giving 2010 Menu

Appetizer cheese and crackers
Appetizer Salad of mixed greens, walnuts, and goat
cheese
Main course
Herb roasted turkey with shallot pan gravy
Corn bread, apricot and toasted pumpkin seeds stuffing
Sweet potato and apple butter casserole
Cranberry sauce from Verrill Farm
Broccoli with fennel and red pepper sautéed with shallots
Dessert Tofu cheese cake with fresh strawberries
Blueberry pie from Helen’s with ice cream

Hosts will have: Wines- plenty of red & white; Beer- Corona

[tangentgirl]

Has anyone ever gotten a turkey without giblets? I washed up my turkey today to get it brining, found the turkey neck, found something in turkey skin that seems like the heart (?) but no bag of giblets. I'm rather confused.

Crankin, shallot pan gravy sounds mmmmmm.

[kacie tri-ing]

Not debbie downer. It's ok to discuss the truth, but I think even more important to discuss all year long.

I personally love a holiday that is all about a shared meal where we spend time being thankful and grateful. It is a lovely holiday.

So, after a day of cooking, I actually made:

Spinach Balls (to be baked after my half marathon and before we go to the in-laws)
Brown/Wild rice with onions, mushrooms, cranberries, and almonds
Whipped Sweet Potato--they could use a few nuts on top.....
Pumpkin Bread (I couldn't leave half a can of pumpkin sitting out!)
And...the pumpkin butterscotch cheesecake.

I am really excited to eat my dessert. I have been training really hard, tracking my nutrition, and skipping desserts....thus, I can't wait to sink my teeth into a good dessert (post race of course!) I will let you know how it turns out!

Looking forward to hear how some of the recipes go for everyone!

[OakLeaf]

Has anyone ever gotten a turkey without giblets?

Chickens, but not turkeys.

You got no giblets, I got two necks. :D Boiled 'em up (with some of the permanent supply of vegetable trimmings in the freezer) for stock for gravy.

[tangentgirl]

You got no giblets, I got two necks.

:eek::eek:

[OakLeaf]

MomonBike, your cranberry relish was delicious, and a hit with my husband too. That recipe is a keeper! Thank you. :)

[PamNY]

Our non-traditional dinner was fabulous. All-you-can eat sometimes implies low quality but not at Ichiumi. It's mostly sushi/sashimi but there's lots of other food. The serving line covers almost a full city block, and the place was jam-packed at 5:30.

Before dinner I walked through a drizzly and gloomy Central Park looking for the hawk Palemale (didn't find him). I nearly always have a bike or scooter in Central Park and I realized I feel so much safer when I have wheels.