2016 Thanksgiving Menu Thread

[madbrian]

I could use a break from all the politics, and in the past we've always had a thread discussing our holiday dishes.  This year, we are going without a turkey/ham/etc.  All side dishes, including pumpkin stuffing, cranberry/orange relish, corn pudding, asparagus, brussel sprouts, and more.

[AC126748]

Turkey, traditionally prepared

Spicy stuffing with andouille sausage

Traditional southern cornbread dressing

Roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon, garlic and breadcrumbs

Sauteed green beans

Garlic mashed potatoes

Homemade cranberry relish

Homemade biscuits and dinner rolls

Homemade pumpkin, pecan and mincemeat pies

[kdogg36]

I'll be eating at Cheesecake Factory with my father and sister. Most likely I'll get the orange chicken. 

It's not as pathetic as it sounds; here's the story. Until I was in college, my extended family celebrated Thanksgiving at my aunt's house (my mom's sister). When she died, my immediate family really had no place to go, so we figured we'd go out for dinner. As a joke, someone suggested Golden Corral, but it seemed to satisfy all of our different tastes, so we actually went there! And that was our consciously ironic tradition for the next decade or so. 

In 2007, my mother died, and for Thanksgiving that year my father, sister and I went our separate ways, dining with our own friends. That ultimately didn't sit well with any of us, so the next year, we had dinner with my father's girlfriend's family. That would be Ellen, one of the best people I've ever met. 

That judgment does not apply to all of her family, however, so we've settled on spending every other year with them. This is the year where we don't do that, hence our Cheesecake Factory plans.

Ellen is still my father's girlfriend, not his wife, because she's been separated from her gay husband for thirty years, but they haven't gotten divorced. I still haven't figured that one out. Everyone seems to be fine with it all.

[ErikJ972]

I loved everything about that story. And now I want orange chicken.

The only thing I know I'll be having this year is xanax. 

[Marianne2]

I don't know yet. Still trying to figure out if I'm going to be left alone. I have to work in the evening and everyone might end up traveling too far for me to go.

[mc1227]

My menu consists of:

relish tray- veggies and cream cheese stuffed celery

butternut squash soup

pumpkin ravioli with butter/ sage sauce

roasted turkey (brined & roasted)

italian sausage and sage stuffing

mashed potatoes

candied sweet potatoes

coen

peas

buttermilk biscuits

pumpkin, chocolate pudding and apple pies

 

a very Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

[dramamama611]

Sleep.

 

I have a show going up this weekend, so Thanksgiving doesn't  get much attention....I'm usually sick.

[amaklo]

Shrimp with remoulade sauce, veggie/walnut dip, roasted pepper hummus, crackers and veggies.

Roast turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, salad, corn pudding, honey glazed carrots, ciabatta dressing with pancetta and chestnuts, homemade applesauce.  Homemade pumpkin pie, cranberry upside-down cake, cherry pie from Portage Pies in Westfield, NY (the best pie ever!), coffee and rooibos tea.  Lots of wine.

I love to cook for Thanksgiving, can you tell?

[MichelleCraig]

I'll pitch in a heart-stopping recipe I learned from my mother...and I would say it's OK to eat once a year:

Party Potatoes!

These are mashed potatoes. The only difference is that rather than milk, you mash them with equal parts of sour cream, cream cheese and salted butter. Add a little salt and pepper...and perhaps a little garlic salt...and you're home!!

[adamgreer]

I am in charge of desserts this year, and I want to make some pies. I'm thinking pumpkin, apple crisp, coconut cream, and maybe a blueberry cobbler.  

If anyone has any out of this world, favorite recipes for any of these pies, I would love to see them.  I intend to spend the weekend baking. 

[Farmer's Daughter]

MichelleCraig said: "I'll pitch in a heart-stopping recipe I learned from my mother...and I would say it's OK to eat once a year:

Party Potatoes!

These are mashed potatoes. The only difference is that rather than milk, you mash them with equal parts of sour cream, cream cheese and salted butter. Add a little salt and pepper...and perhaps a little garlic salt...and you're home!!"

 Dang! That sounds good! It'll be just immediate family, me, hubby, sons. I hate cooking, and I'm lazy, and there's no room in our dad-gum kitchen!  (I wish we could all just go to Cheesecake Factory like kdogg! I'm so jealous.)  Anyhoo, all have agreed to a simple home meal for Thanksgiving, and we'll have a bigger menu at Christmas. So for Thanksgiving (and some things on here are due to some slightly picky eaters):

 Turkey breast / chicken tenders

 Alton Brown's stovetop mac 'n cheese

 Dressing (Stouffer's or whatever, with added sage, other herbs)

 Publix cranberry relish

 Hawaiian rolls (those little square ones)

 Potatoes - thinking basically this recipe, using small red potatoes: http://www.inspiredtaste.net/25025/mashed-potatoes-recipe/

 (I may also take some tips from MC's family recipe re. using equal parts sour cream, etc)

 Not really planning a dessert. Ice cream treats and/or cookies on hand for those up to it after the main meal.

 

[AEA AGMA SM]

Got some prep work done today to get ready for tomorrow.

 

Cubed and dried out a loaf of pumpernickel to use for stuffing/dressing with Italian sausage, apples, pears, cranberries, sage and rosemary.

 

Made the cranberry sauce with plenty of orange and lemon zest, as well as orange and lemon juice in the base.

 

Garlic and herb (basil, rosemary, sage, and thyme) butter to rub down the turkey before it goes in the oven tomorrow.

 

Pumpkin pie is cooling on the kitchen table, Dutch apple pie is baking in the oven right now.

 

I'm doing a later dinner tomorrow, so my plan is to go see Fantastic Beasts in the morning over at the AMC on 34th and then come home to get the turkey in the oven. I'm still debating on whether I want to stuff the bird or do dressing. There will also be mashed potatoes made with plenty of garlic and sour cream, roasted cauliflower, and roasted brussels sprouts.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

I made a shrimp cocktail. Prawns. Lettuce. Ketchup. Mayo.

It did not go down well.  

Hopefully you all had more success!