AJ's Christmas dinner thread makes me wonder what you're all doing for Thanksgiving this year. Staying home? Cooking turkey or something else? Going to your parents, grandparents? Making it an easy day? Are you shopping?
We are having dinner here and Rick's parents are coming down (well, his mom is coming, still not sure about his dad). My brother and SIL are coming and a few friends will be joining us, too. My sister and BIL are having their own dinner with my sister's MIL and BIL, but will join us later on for dessert and coffee.
Our dinner.....
Good Eats Roast Turkey (from Alton Brown)
Crock Pot Stuffing with All-Purpose Gravy (I make the gravy the night before and throw it in the fridge. All I have to do is heat it.)
Party Potatoes (Make them ahead of time, then throw them in the fridge. Then put them in the oven. No last-minute potato mashing! Life is good!)
Sweet Potatoes with Granola Streusel (it's something that I basically made-up one year and it became a hit. In fact, my brother hates sweet potatoes with a passion, but scarfs these down every year. The first time I made them, he told me how good my "carrots" were. I didn't tell him til after dinner that he was eating sweet potatoes.
)
Sagaponek Corn Pudding (from Ina Garten....make it that morning and throw it in the fridge. Heat it in the oven.)
Pumpkin Crescent Rolls (I haven't made these for awhile and Rick specifically asked me to make them this year)
Mandarin Orange and Pecan Salad (Make the dressing ahead of time. And I make enough sugared pecans for the salad and for a large bowl that I keep on the table throughout dinner and dessert. Til dinner is over, the bowl is emptied.)
Cinnamon Pickles and Lime Pickles (canned this past summer)
Iced tea and a couple bottles of Shade Mountain White (it's our favorite local winery) My brother and SIL usually bring a couple bottles of either blueberry or elderberry wine to share, too. Shade Mountain has a semi-sweet cranberry wine that I'd like to try, so I may grab a bottle while we're there.
Pumpkin Cheesecake with an Orange-Gingersnap Crust
Maple Cut-out Cookies (I can make them the weekend before and throw them in the freezer. Then I'll get them out that Wednesday night to decorate.)
Apple Pie (already made and in the freezer)
I don't think there will be pumpkin pie this year, although I may say something to one of my GFs about bringing one....she always asks me what she can bring.
Our menu doesn't change much from year to year...I think my family would mutiny if I changed it around too much. I may get in trouble, just because there's no pumpkin pie. I have this down pat and know exactly what I have to do and what time I have to start things in order to have dinner at 2:00.
After everybody leaves, Rick and I will sit down with the newspaper ads and my Black Friday emails and figure out what time we're leaving to start our shopping. Yes, we're Black Friday shoppers, but we may go in very late Thursday night....we haven't decided yet. For the last several years, our Black Friday has been spent in the stores, so we'll see if there's anything really worth going out into the madness.
We are having dinner here and Rick's parents are coming down (well, his mom is coming, still not sure about his dad). My brother and SIL are coming and a few friends will be joining us, too. My sister and BIL are having their own dinner with my sister's MIL and BIL, but will join us later on for dessert and coffee.
Our dinner.....
Good Eats Roast Turkey (from Alton Brown)
Crock Pot Stuffing with All-Purpose Gravy (I make the gravy the night before and throw it in the fridge. All I have to do is heat it.)
Party Potatoes (Make them ahead of time, then throw them in the fridge. Then put them in the oven. No last-minute potato mashing! Life is good!)
Sweet Potatoes with Granola Streusel (it's something that I basically made-up one year and it became a hit. In fact, my brother hates sweet potatoes with a passion, but scarfs these down every year. The first time I made them, he told me how good my "carrots" were. I didn't tell him til after dinner that he was eating sweet potatoes.
Sagaponek Corn Pudding (from Ina Garten....make it that morning and throw it in the fridge. Heat it in the oven.)
Pumpkin Crescent Rolls (I haven't made these for awhile and Rick specifically asked me to make them this year)
Mandarin Orange and Pecan Salad (Make the dressing ahead of time. And I make enough sugared pecans for the salad and for a large bowl that I keep on the table throughout dinner and dessert. Til dinner is over, the bowl is emptied.)
Cinnamon Pickles and Lime Pickles (canned this past summer)
Iced tea and a couple bottles of Shade Mountain White (it's our favorite local winery) My brother and SIL usually bring a couple bottles of either blueberry or elderberry wine to share, too. Shade Mountain has a semi-sweet cranberry wine that I'd like to try, so I may grab a bottle while we're there.
Pumpkin Cheesecake with an Orange-Gingersnap Crust
Maple Cut-out Cookies (I can make them the weekend before and throw them in the freezer. Then I'll get them out that Wednesday night to decorate.)
Apple Pie (already made and in the freezer)
I don't think there will be pumpkin pie this year, although I may say something to one of my GFs about bringing one....she always asks me what she can bring.
Our menu doesn't change much from year to year...I think my family would mutiny if I changed it around too much. I may get in trouble, just because there's no pumpkin pie. I have this down pat and know exactly what I have to do and what time I have to start things in order to have dinner at 2:00.
After everybody leaves, Rick and I will sit down with the newspaper ads and my Black Friday emails and figure out what time we're leaving to start our shopping. Yes, we're Black Friday shoppers, but we may go in very late Thursday night....we haven't decided yet. For the last several years, our Black Friday has been spent in the stores, so we'll see if there's anything really worth going out into the madness.
Last edited: