Thanksgiving

It's not too early to talk about dinners and such.

Got my menu planned and my timelines down pat. Bought half the groceries I need, now it's a matter of getting my dairy products and my produce. Oh, and the turkey....still don't have Mr. Turkey yet. I always buy the biggest turkey I can find; love those after-holiday turkey sandwiches. And turkey pie. And turkey tetrazzini. And I always make stock from the carcass.

Alton Brown's Good Eats Roast Turkey with my Old Farmhouse Chutney

Crock Pot Stuffing

Party Potatoes with All-Purpose Gravy 

Ina's (Barefoot Contessa) Sagaponek Corn Pudding

Ina's (Barefoot Contessa) Roasted Winter Vegetables (If there are any veggies leftover from dinner, I will make soup with them on Friday to go along with turkey sandwiches)

Cranberry Relish

Freezer Cabbage

Praline Pumpkin Pie

Black Forest Cheesecake (my GF's husband asked me to please make a cheesecake. This one has a chocolate sponge cake crust and lots of unsweetened Bing cherries.)

Sugared Pecans

Small Cookie Tray

Iced tea and Coffee

Autumn Harvest Blush Wine (it's a semi-dry and we've been wanting to try it)

Dinner is at 4:00 because Rick's parents like to be back home by around 7:00 or so. No appetizers this year. Nothing like that. Just dinner. 

I got some turkey wings and drumsticks to make stock for the gravy...will do that tomorrow (Sunday) and throw the stock in the freezer. I'm making rolled sugar cookies and Rick said he'd help me make some spritz cookies....I always have a difficult time using a cookie press and Rick does a much better job than I do. I get too impatient.

Are you having dinner at home or visiting with relatives? Do you have your menus planned? Turkey or ham or something else?

Our son wants us to come to his home. Daughter in law wants an unconventional Thanksgiving dinner this year. They are cooking shrimp and steaming oysters. Her parents are coming too. She is supposed to let me know what she wants me to bring. So I love it when we go there, even though it is almost a two hour drive for us.

My mother is hosting this year. I've hosted the last 5 years I think.  I'm ok with not having that job!

Our guest list currently has 17 adults and 7 children!!  There is normally just the 6 of us; including my kids!

My Mom asked my step-sister to come down with her boyfriend and their kids and they asked to bring his mother.  Then my other step-sister decided she will come with her son (it's been years since she was home!!) and she's bringing her ex-husband. (okiedokie....)  Various aunts and uncles are coming, cousins, their kids and spouses and a couple friends.  Just like that....17 adults!!!!  

Dinner will be buffet style and we are using nicer-disposable plates and things.  Otherwise I'd have to bring my dishes to my mother's and that still might not be quite enough! 

I am making apple and pumpkin pies (I'm not sure how many of each yet.  I love leftover pie!!), a broccoli puff and a sweet potato casserole type dish that is my MIL's recipe.  Everyone is bringing something; so that helps!  Pies are time consuming enough when your doing them in multiples.  I don't have anywhere to really store them either so it's not like I can make them too far ahead.  Jut the day before I think.  I am seriously considering buying the disposabe trays to cook the side dishes in.  I normally do them in just glass or casserole dishes; but I'm afraid it won't cook them right.  I just want things to be a little easier considering our crowd!

To top thngs off; I intend to have my niece and nephew's Christmas presents ready for them to take home since I likely won't see them again for a while.  And then I'm getting company that weekend!  Eeeks!!

i'll be at home, no specific thanksgiving dinner. i'd do thanksgiving with my mom and aunt, but they live in ohio so too far away (for them and for me). i'm not close with my brother and sister, so we wouldn't do holidays together.

if all goes well, i'll be buying two frozen whole turkeys @ 48 cents/lb and one ham @ 1.59/lb when i go shopping on 11/22. in my area, wegmans and tops have a pretty fierce competition (pretty much every year) over turkey prices. wegmans states in their current flyer that they'll match tops price on frozen turkeys, so 48 cents/lb. the ham i'll buy from save-a-lot, since they have a significantly lower price per pound.

the turkeys are at such a great price per pound that i'll roast them some time over the next 6 months or more, and it'll cost me less than buying roasting chickens. the ham will be baked, then sliced/portioned and frozen. the turkey and ham will last for quite a while using it to make casseroles and soups and such. i'll use the turkey carcass to make stock, and the ham bone to make some split pea soup.

i'll probably be having some of the ham on thanksgiving, though my plan is to bake it several days before thanksgiving. maybe it'll be ham and scalloped potatoes on thanksgiving. and for dessert i'll have a banana walnut blondie.

We are all having good dinners. 

I like the idea of doing something different. Shrimp and oysters sound great!

Love leftover pie! Especially pumpkin! We used to do buffet-style, but as the parents got older, it got to be more difficult for them to move around to get their food, so we switched over to passing food around the table. It makes it hard sometimes, between the two tables in the kitchen, but we manage. Mooch, do you have everybody sitting at one table or do you use card tables? We have the "big" table and then the card tables for the kids. I usually end up sitting at the card tables with the kids, in case they need help with anything. It gives their parents a break, too.

We always get the free turkey from our grocery store and I buy the largest one I can find (for leftovers, love those turkey sandwiches). But if they're a good price, I'll buy another one to stick in the freezer to roast during the following spring. I haven't had ham and scalloped potatoes in a while and that sounds delicious.

It will more than likely be a quiet day here in the sorority house (DD, Lilith, Sophie, Bailey and me  ). My In laws may come down from NC but if they do, they don't tell me that they are coming until they get here which would more than likely (like 100%) be the day before. If they do come, we will go to their house and I will do the lion's share of the cooking and it will be the usual thanksgiving menu. In a way I hope they don't come because if they do, I will have less than 24 hours notice and will have to make a dessert and plan for some side dishes Wednesday night so I have to go shopping. I also have to go pick DD up from school that day since she has classes M-W that week and the trip is just about 1.5 hours from my house each way. I am also working that day until 4 or 430. By the time I leave work, go home, feed the furkids and walk the dog it will be 5-530. Then go pick up DD and come back. Now it's like 830. Then to the store to pick up ingredients. Now we're looking at 10PM. This is all if I do not stop to do anything else between each step.  Then baking time. FIL loves my white chocolate cheesecake. It was DH's favorite as well. That must be made the night before to give it time to chill. MIL loves my chocolate chip cookies. Those are easier since I can make the dough here and take it to their house to bake. 

If they don't come down (I don't think they will. My MIL has a lot of health problems and traveling isn't easy for her.) then DD and I will have shrimp in some form, maybe a garlic shrimp pasta with some crab cakes on the side, a salad and some Red Lobster's cheddar bay biscuits that I will make from a mix they sell in the grocery store (they are sooo soooo good). If she wants dessert, I will make whatever she wants. (My DD is affectionately known as the queen and her majesty does not like turkey (among other things) but she adores shrimp and crab cakes)

She and I have a new tradition since DH passed away and now it's just us and the furkids in the house. If it's just us, we go to a late movie on Thanksgiving and Christmas days. I want to go see Dumb and Dumber To. She has reluctantly agreed since we go see what she wants 99.9% of the time. She's a kind and generous monarch .  I will roast a small turkey breast or some bone in/skin on chicken breast for the kitties and the dog since Lilith has become even more of a diva and insists on eating from my plate. She can have some plain roast chicken. She will be very happy. Sophie is very happy with her cat food but does like a taste here and there. Bailey will eat anything. So it could go either way- hectic or quiet.

My sister's church is having a dinner at 5:00. There are a bunch of guys that my brother-in-law & sister work with & all go to the same church. They usually will all get together & fry a bunch of turkeys for all their families anyway, so this year, they are just having a big dinner for everyone at the church, who ever wants to come. People are just bringing a bunch of sides & desserts.  My parents & I are going to go as well.

It will be nice for my sister & her family, to not feel like they have to do a bunch of running around to everyone's house's. (My brother-in-law's sister & her family go there too, so they will have both sides of their families there.)     I'm not sure what I'm taking yet. I'm thinking about carrots & parsnips tossed w/ olive oil, rosemary & thyme, salt & pepper, roasted in the oven. 

I'm excited. With all the people, there will be a good variety & my mom won't have to cook! 

It will be the first thanksgiving in, oh jeez, probably 12 years since its been mom and all siblings. Dad died in 2011, sister moved shortly thereafter. I'm so excited to have all of us together, except knowing we have to leave after 2 hours to see the in laws that live 2 miles away.
Miss my fam. Holidays suck

Just me, 92 year old dad, and the two old dogs and two cats. We both like white meat turkey best, so I buy 2 pounds and gravy (warm to go from boston market) I submerge turkey in gravy and refrigerate the night before. I then make the English sides, fresh green beans in bacon and balsamic, mashed turnips, brussel sprouts, creamed onions, and cranberry chestnut stuffing in little muffin tin. We love our veggies but the turkey is moist and delicious and only needs warming up. We have plenty of leftovers and turkey for sandwiches, which is good since I still work full time. I also bought a cherry crumble and lemon meringue pie from the school.

We're having Thanksgiving at home and my brother and his dog are coming over.

We're having:

Turkey

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy. Gravy is optional for the Turkey too.

Sweet Potato Bake (With brown sugar, marshmallows and walnuts)

Rolls

Cranberry Sauce

Two kinds of Stuffing one cooked in the Turkey and one not in the Turkey

Pumpkin Pie

Chocolate Cream Pie

Veggie Tray (Probably celery with cream cheese, peanut butter and pimento spread, carrots, pickles, olives, etc.)

And for snacking while the turkey is cooking we will probably have crackers, chips and dip etc.

mickNsnicks2mom said:

i'll be at home, no specific thanksgiving dinner. i'd do thanksgiving with my mom and aunt, but they live in ohio so too far away (for them and for me). i'm not close with my brother and sister, so we wouldn't do holidays together.

if all goes well, i'll be buying two frozen whole turkeys @ 48 cents/lb and one ham @ 1.59/lb when i go shopping on 11/22. in my area, wegmans and tops have a pretty fierce competition (pretty much every year) over turkey prices. wegmans states in their current flyer that they'll match tops price on frozen turkeys, so 48 cents/lb. the ham i'll buy from save-a-lot, since they have a significantly lower price per pound.

the turkeys are at such a great price per pound that i'll roast them some time over the next 6 months or more, and it'll cost me less than buying roasting chickens. the ham will be baked, then sliced/portioned and frozen. the turkey and ham will last for quite a while using it to make casseroles and soups and such. i'll use the turkey carcass to make stock, and the ham bone to make some split pea soup.

i'll probably be having some of the ham on thanksgiving, though my plan is to bake it several days before thanksgiving. maybe it'll be ham and scalloped potatoes on thanksgiving. and for dessert i'll have a banana walnut blondie.

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I buy Aldis' ham at Easter, ii is very reasonable and delicious. I also do scalloped or au gratin potatoes and green beans with bacon

angels mommy Would you mind sharing the recipe for carrots and parsnips.

blueyedgirl5946 said:

@Angels mommy Would you mind sharing the recipe for carrots and parsnips.

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Sure, no recipe really, I was just going to cut carrots & parsnips into some nice size pieces, (prob.2 inch peices on a diaginal)  then drizzle some olive oil over them in a bowl,

sprinkle on some rosemary, thyme, salt & pepper, toss & bake in the oven, either in a dish, or a foil bag.

I got the idea from something I did a few years ago that was pretty much the same, except I also added cubed/wedged red potatoes, & sweet potatoes as well, it was a good combo of root veggies.

I tossed them w/ the same ingredients. & baked them in a foil bag. It made it easy, & thought the flavors would blend well baking in the bag. 

I just thought, there's already going to be mashed potatoes, & sweet potatoes as well, so this way they don't compete, or people don't get potato overload. LOL!

I figured there wouldn't be many carrots, so just decided to do them w/ the parsnips. 

OH, & I think I also added some pats of butter in there before baking. 

My brother and sister in law who live in Chicago and Florida have invited my daughter and I to their house in Punta Gorda FL. for Thanksgiving. It is about 2-3 hours from where I live.We were there one other time.I will be making sweet potato casserole to bring. I will wait to bake it and melt the marshmallows on top at their house. We will stay overnight. I don't want to leave my three cats for longer than 24 hours. This will be the first time I have ever left them home alone.

Has anyone had a fried turkey?  I haven't had one but people talk about how great they are and I was wondering if anyone here has had one.  They have the electric fryers now that are used indoors and are much safer than the open flame outside.  I do like how fast a turkey can be cooked.

I'll be working this year. We do a thanksgiving brunch where I get to make omeletts to order. I was hoping to go to atlanta and help a church or something cook for homeless or needy families. But they want me to work in another kitchen.

Denice said:

 
Has anyone had a fried turkey?  I haven't had one but people talk about how great they are and I was wondering if anyone here has had one.  They have the electric fryers now that are used indoors and are much safer than the open flame outside.  I do like how fast a turkey can be cooked.

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My Aunt did one one year.  It was good; but so is everything she makes!

Another method I've heard is good involves beer cans and a (new) metal trash can.  I didn't get to try that one; but my Gram raved about it after my cousin did one once years ago.  

I have a few firefighters in the family; I don't think they'd agree to any sort of indoor frying.  My cousin's husband won't even let her use the slow cooker when she isn't home.  He's seen too much.    A couple years ago my mother and step-dad bought a free standing roaster that you just plug in.  It works very well!  They are doing 2 turkeys this year because of all our guests; so they will keep the meat warm in a slow cooker while the 2nd roasts and we wait for dinner.  The other advantage is that it keeps the oven free for other dishes.  

Deep fat frying is going to have risks however it is done.  The fryers I have seen do have covers so that the oil isn't splattering out of the fryer.  You would have to be careful about making sure the turkey is completely defrosted or buying a fresh turkey and making sure it is completely dry.  There is still the danger of hot oil being accidentally spilled.

Our son did one a couple years ago and it was delicious. We've talked about getting a turkey fryer, but I doubt we ever will. Denice, I think QVC was hawking an indoor fryer and they said it's easy and safe. But I think I'd still do it outside.

mickNsnicks2mom said:

i'll be at home, no specific thanksgiving dinner. i'd do thanksgiving with my mom and aunt, but they live in ohio so too far away (for them and for me). i'm not close with my brother and sister, so we wouldn't do holidays together.

if all goes well, i'll be buying two frozen whole turkeys @ 48 cents/lb and one ham @ 1.59/lb when i go shopping on 11/22. in my area, wegmans and tops have a pretty fierce competition (pretty much every year) over turkey prices. wegmans states in their current flyer that they'll match tops price on frozen turkeys, so 48 cents/lb. the ham i'll buy from save-a-lot, since they have a significantly lower price per pound.

the turkeys are at such a great price per pound that i'll roast them some time over the next 6 months or more, and it'll cost me less than buying roasting chickens. the ham will be baked, then sliced/portioned and frozen. the turkey and ham will last for quite a while using it to make casseroles and soups and such. i'll use the turkey carcass to make stock, and the ham bone to make some split pea soup.

i'll probably be having some of the ham on thanksgiving, though my plan is to bake it several days before thanksgiving. maybe it'll be ham and scalloped potatoes on thanksgiving. and for dessert i'll have a banana walnut blondie.

Click to expand...

My cats go bonkers for ham, they love it as much as chicken, they turn their nose up at turkey or turkey cat food.