OT: What's on your Thanksgiving menu?

TraciInLA

I know that different parts of the country have their own Thanksgiving traditions, and some of us have traditions from our families going back generations -- I thought it would be fun to hear about them!

So, if you're having Thanksgiving at your house this year, tell us what's on your menu?

Our menu:

• Turkey breast (we're just not into all those bones)
• Cornbread stuffing (we love Tyler Florence's recipe from Food Network)
• Mashed potatoes and homemade gravy 
• Candied yams (I think it's a sin against vegetables to smother them with all that marshmallow goo, but am outvoted every year....)
• Creamed corn
• Pumpkin pudding (everybody in my family loves the pumpkin, but hates the crust, so I'm trying something new this year)

What about your house?  If your dinner is healthier than mine, this is the one day of the year I don't want to hear about it! 

Traci

 

 

aisling8

you left off alcohol...

Here goes:

12 lb. stuffed turkey

corn bread stuffing (with celery, mushrooms, chicken stock, pork sausage, onions)

green beans with hazelnuts

squash

massive amounts of mashed potatoes (I have sons)

gravy

homemade (by me) pumpkin pie with whipped cream

Hawaiian dinner rolls

cranberries

gravy

wine

Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday. Just people gathered at a table. Happy and grateful.

Hope everyone's Thanksgiving is wonderful.

xoxo

Victoria

 

TraciInLA

aisling8 said:

you left off alcohol...

Here goes:

12 lb. stuffed turkey

corn bread stuffing (with celery, mushrooms, chicken stock, pork sausage, onions)

green beans with hazelnuts

squash

massive amounts of mashed potatoes (I have sons)

gravy

homemade (by me) pumpkin pie with whipped cream

Hawaiian dinner rolls

cranberries

gravy

wine

Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday. Just people gathered at a table. Happy and grateful.

Hope everyone's Thanksgiving is wonderful.

xoxo

Victoria

 

No alcohol, sadly...

Two of the folks in our house can't drink for health reasons, so sadly, no wine for us....For holidays, we like to do Italian sodas (sparkling water with sugar-free Torani syrup or a splash of juice).  

To make it extra festive, we break out my special wineglasses, which I bought as a splurge for myself after all my glassware became one with my kitchen floor tile in the 1994 Northridge earthquake....

mtmom

Oooo...

Okay...the Italian Soda is on our menu this year. I think it will be fun for all us kids to try!! Thank you for the idea!

Up here in MT we are fairly traditional and plan wayyyy too much food. We are having turkey, ham (my littlest has been watching a wild turkey family for the last couple of years and she really doesn't want to eat turkey ), stuffing, smashed taters, gravy, succotash, green beans, deviled eggs, veggie tray, pies, pies, and cheesecake. I have one brother who gets to bring whatever he wants and we have had shrimp cocktail before! And one of my daughters makes the best homemade rolls!

I'm pretty jazzed about the holidays this year. I just finished treatment and I'm looking forward to good fellowship, lots of snow, and chocolate.

Blessings,

~Mtmom

CypressCynthia

Well, I thought I might skip

Well, I thought I might skip Thanksgiving, but Katherine informed me she had invited herself, her fiance, my new in-laws to be, Bella, her best friend Katie and her partner, Lisa,  and a few other friends.  Sigh.  She said, "Don't worry Mom, we'll do everything!" Lol

Besides the above, my sister, her husband and our closest friend, David are also coming.

To keep things (a little) manageable for me, everyone is bringing something.  Here is some of the menu:

Two turkeys: one smoked, one roasted

Cranberry, celery and apple stuffing

Homemade cranberry sauce with satsuma juice

Oranges stuffed with sweet potatoes

Hot fruit compote

Asparagus with hollandaise

Spinach/artichoke casserole

Mashed potatoes (someone is bringing them as Louisiana is rice country...lol)

Wild rice

Apple, pecan and pumpkins pies

 

Now I am embarrassed as that looks like a ridiculous amount of food. Ha ha!

I know I am forgetting something, but that is it. Danny and I don't drink either, but we will have wine for the ones who do.  We are served mulled cider for the rest of us. It is cold here for us (highs in the 50's), so we can enjoy a warm drink for a change.

Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S. We are also celebrating our 39th wedding anniversary, my scan is good and we have so much to be thankful for.

RozHopkins

Hi, I am English afraid a

Hi, I am English afraid not a traditional meal as such.   Sorry...........

 

Sushi for starters

 

 Beef Wellington

 

Roasted Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar

 

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with a touch of Olive Oil

 

Yorkshire Puddings

 

Gravy

 

Small sausages wrapped in bacon

 

Roasted Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes with a little Olive Oil

 

Either Apple Sauce or Cranberry Sauce both unsweetened  (like sauce with anything and this my only sweet mix)

 

My sons Chocalate and Rasberry Souflee with limited ingredients vanilla ice cream for dessert (yummy)

 

i stopped drinking around nine month ago  (thought it might me feel healthier and it didn't!!!) but enjoy Tonic Water with some lime or lemon

Hubby perhaps some Pinot Grigio

Son enjoys his water he must drive home

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL

 

 

RozHopkins

Hi, I am English afraid a

Hi, I am English afraid a traditional meal as such.   Sorry...........

 

Sushi for starters

 

 Beef Wellington

 

Roasted Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar

 

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with a touch of Olive Oil

 

Yorkshire Puddings

 

Gravy

 

Small sausages wrapped in bacon

 

Roasted Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes with a little Olive Oil

 

Either Apple Sauce or Cranberry Sauce both unsweetened  (like sauce with anything and this my only sweet mix)

 

My sons Chocalate and Rasberry Souflee with limited ingredients vanilla ice cream for dessert (yummy)

 

i stopped drinking around nine month ago  (thought it might me feel healthier and it didn't!!!) but enjoy Tonic Water with some lime or lemon

Hubby perhaps some Pinot Grigio

Son enjoys his water he must drive home

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL

 

 AND THEN THERE IS CHRISTMAS........

Double Whammy

RozHopkins said:

Hi, I am English afraid a

Hi, I am English afraid a traditional meal as such.   Sorry...........

 

Sushi for starters

 

 Beef Wellington

 

Roasted Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar

 

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with a touch of Olive Oil

 

Yorkshire Puddings

 

Gravy

 

Small sausages wrapped in bacon

 

Roasted Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes with a little Olive Oil

 

Either Apple Sauce or Cranberry Sauce both unsweetened  (like sauce with anything and this my only sweet mix)

 

My sons Chocalate and Rasberry Souflee with limited ingredients vanilla ice cream for dessert (yummy)

 

i stopped drinking around nine month ago  (thought it might me feel healthier and it didn't!!!) but enjoy Tonic Water with some lime or lemon

Hubby perhaps some Pinot Grigio

Son enjoys his water he must drive home

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL

 

 AND THEN THERE IS CHRISTMAS........

I don't have to cook this year!

We're going to our son and DIL's and all I have to bring is pie.  So I will tell you about the pie that has become our family tradition.   It has about 2,000 calories per slice! 

Pie crust, next a layer of cheesecake (homemade), next bananas, next chocolate pie filling (homemade), next whipped cream.  The pie has to start the day before because the first layers need to chill before adding the bananas and then the chocolate pie filling needs to chill before I can add the whipped cream.  It is very rich and uses way too many pots and pans and  I wish I'd never made it the first time because my family loves it and now wants it.  I'd rather have pumpkin or apple pie.

The other nontraditional thing we typically have when I cook is corn fritters.  The rest is boring: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, yams, and peas.  I've tried to get fancy on the family, but they don't eat it so I finally learned not to knock myself out. 

I'm so happy to be going away for dinner.  I'm trying to diet so not only do I not have to clean house (yea!), I won't have all those leftovers!  My husband isn't very happy about it, tho.

Suzanne

camul

This has been the weirdest Thanksgiving menu.

Going to my older sons home for dinner. Son and DIL are.making the Turkey, stuffing. I am making baby peas, green bean casserole and yams. Gdaughters bringing pies. His mil homemade rolls and salad. SIL potatos. I will bring drinks... virgin pineapple punch and sodas. Was only going to be son,dil, and I so we were.going to have burrito's, then decided tonight to go out for Indian food at Katmandu (great Indian food) with othet son and gf. Was looking forward to that. Then talked to son and dil couple of hours ago and dinner was back on. Love her family, but have never been crazy about turkey. But love stuffing, potatos, baby peas and gravy! I am the onlyone who likes pumpkin pie. MIL makes the best deserts, and I love her family. I mostly am grateful to get to spend Tuesday with my family! I celebrate my 56th birthday today, and one of my brothers is in town, so Tuesday, my ex is having everyone over for a halibut dinner. Drs did not think I would see 53, and I am now 56....:That in itself is my Thanksgiving
! Happy Thanksgiving each and everyone of you.

TraciInLA

CypressCynthia said:

Well, I thought I might skip

Well, I thought I might skip Thanksgiving, but Katherine informed me she had invited herself, her fiance, my new in-laws to be, Bella, her best friend Katie and her partner, Lisa,  and a few other friends.  Sigh.  She said, "Don't worry Mom, we'll do everything!" Lol

Besides the above, my sister, her husband and our closest friend, David are also coming.

To keep things (a little) manageable for me, everyone is bringing something.  Here is some of the menu:

Two turkeys: one smoked, one roasted

Cranberry, celery and apple stuffing

Homemade cranberry sauce with satsuma juice

Oranges stuffed with sweet potatoes

Hot fruit compote

Asparagus with hollandaise

Spinach/artichoke casserole

Mashed potatoes (someone is bringing them as Louisiana is rice country...lol)

Wild rice

Apple, pecan and pumpkins pies

 

Now I am embarrassed as that looks like a ridiculous amount of food. Ha ha!

I know I am forgetting something, but that is it. Danny and I don't drink either, but we will have wine for the ones who do.  We are served mulled cider for the rest of us. It is cold here for us (highs in the 50's), so we can enjoy a warm drink for a change.

Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S. We are also celebrating our 39th wedding anniversary, my scan is good and we have so much to be thankful for.

CC, how in the world do you stuff an orange?

"Oranges stuffed with sweet potatoes"?  Good heavens, you southerners come up with some doozies!

I've never heard of such a thing -- details, CC, details!

TraciInLA

Double Whammy said:

I don't have to cook this year!

We're going to our son and DIL's and all I have to bring is pie.  So I will tell you about the pie that has become our family tradition.   It has about 2,000 calories per slice! 

Pie crust, next a layer of cheesecake (homemade), next bananas, next chocolate pie filling (homemade), next whipped cream.  The pie has to start the day before because the first layers need to chill before adding the bananas and then the chocolate pie filling needs to chill before I can add the whipped cream.  It is very rich and uses way too many pots and pans and  I wish I'd never made it the first time because my family loves it and now wants it.  I'd rather have pumpkin or apple pie.

The other nontraditional thing we typically have when I cook is corn fritters.  The rest is boring: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, yams, and peas.  I've tried to get fancy on the family, but they don't eat it so I finally learned not to knock myself out. 

I'm so happy to be going away for dinner.  I'm trying to diet so not only do I not have to clean house (yea!), I won't have all those leftovers!  My husband isn't very happy about it, tho.

Suzanne

Suzanne, I feel so much better...

...about our unhealthy, cream-and-butter filled meal after seeing your description of dessert.

Lord have mercy, that pie of yours sounds good -- but I'd feel like I should go to confession after eating it!

 Traci

Clementine_P

Wow!

Everyone is making some amazing stuff!  I'll want to get some recipies after Turkey Day!

For us:

 

Fontina and Asiago Gougeres

Turkey

Gravy

Farm Bread (my father makes all of the above and I'm responsible for everything below)

Italian Mother-in Law Stuffing (pine nuts, raisins, swiss chard)

Horseradish whipped potatoes

Harvard Beets (my fav)

Whole roasted cauliflower (with white wine, lemon, olive oil, garlic and rosemary sauce)

Applie pie

Skillet peach cobbler

Pineapple upside down cake

finally plenty of liquor and some coffee/tea to try to spur us our of our food comas!

 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Clementine

CypressCynthia

Clementine_P said:

Wow!

Everyone is making some amazing stuff!  I'll want to get some recipies after Turkey Day!

For us:

 

Fontina and Asiago Gougeres

Turkey

Gravy

Farm Bread (my father makes all of the above and I'm responsible for everything below)

Italian Mother-in Law Stuffing (pine nuts, raisins, swiss chard)

Horseradish whipped potatoes

Harvard Beets (my fav)

Whole roasted cauliflower (with white wine, lemon, olive oil, garlic and rosemary sauce)

Applie pie

Skillet peach cobbler

Pineapple upside down cake

finally plenty of liquor and some coffee/tea to try to spur us our of our food comas!

 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Clementine

Clementine, I would love the

Clementine, I would love the stuffing recipe.  That sounds awesome!

disneyfan2008

I normally  have big crowd

I normally  have big crowd and this year down to 3 of us...I bought all our goodies for feast-then we got invite to sister inalws with BIG group...so that will be more fun. I"ll just bring some of the things I prepare-I'll still cook our turkey so we can have left over sandwiches..

Denise

TraciInLA

CypressCynthia said:

Clementine, I would love the

Clementine, I would love the stuffing recipe.  That sounds awesome!

I'm with CC, Clementine

Clementine, I think I'm going to need that stuffing recipe too -- though mainly because my partner Trace is dying to know if the ingredients include any actual Italian mothers-in-law!

If my supermarket doesn't carry Italian mothers-in-law, can other mothers-in-law be substituted?

 Traci

 

fauxma

TraciInLA said:

I'm with CC, Clementine

Clementine, I think I'm going to need that stuffing recipe too -- though mainly because my partner Trace is dying to know if the ingredients include any actual Italian mothers-in-law!

If my supermarket doesn't carry Italian mothers-in-law, can other mothers-in-law be substituted?

 Traci

 

 
Traci,
As usual you crack

 

Traci,

As usual you crack me up. Now my mind is running wild with mothers-in-law ideas. I wonder if you substitute Greek mother-in-law then you have a mediterrean stuffing which might be healthier.  An English mother-in-law might be too bland.  Spanish could be nice and spicy.  I like the sound of the Italian but might want to use a nice French mother-in-law. 

Denise and Kyle and the grandkids went down south to San Diego.  His sister is here from Ireland with her hubby and kids and all his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins live there so they will have a huge dinner.  Den and I are going to have a quet Thanksgiving with just the two of us.  I considered doing a turkey breast and the other fixings but we decided that we wanted filet of sole, mashed potatoes, creamy carrots, and applesauce.  Den's diet is either pureed or very soft so this a meal that is one of his favoites.  Its one of mine too.  Although we miss the grandkids we are enjoying the time with just the two of us.  

I love hearing all the foods that are being prepared.  My family always had turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, fruit salad, green beans, sweet potatoes, pies and ice cream, and green goddess jello salad.  It was always at my mon's and I would bring a dessert and I always made the whipped cream topping for the fruit salad.  

 For those that remember Claudia (Chenheart), I plan to watch the Buffy thankgiving episode and will think of her table with Reggie and his tribe and the pilgrim dolls with little arrows.   This holiday will always remind me of her. 

To all of us a Happy Thanksgiving and may our plates always be full of love, family and caring.

Stef

sandra4611

We have a huge group of at

We have a huge group of at least 30 at our Thanksgiving celebration. Sometimes a "regular" brings someone new - a new friend, neighbor who is alone on Thanksgiving, or a visiting relative, so we never know exactly how many will show from year to year. We eat at 2 pm but people come at 1 pm and come & go all day until the late football game on tv is over.

There are 2 turkeys, my husband's family sausage, onion, and giblet stuffing, a ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, homemade apricot/cranberry sauce and regular out of the can jellied cranberry sauce for the purists, and dinner rolls. The rest is pot luck. Everyone brings something so you never know what will be on the table. Sometimes someone makes something that gets raves and they have to bring it every year. So we know there will always be a cheesecake, sweet potato cassarole, green bean cassarole, cornbread stuffing & a relish plate with lots of veggies. People bring appetizers of all kinds, deviled eggs, some kind of jello salad, several other kinds of veggie cassarole dishes, brownies, a cake, and of course we can always count on pies galore. Since it's a multi-national group, we get to have sausage rolls from our English friend, and Korean egg rolls with a spicy dipping sauce, and Mexican salsa & chips. Soft drinks, beer, wine, hot mulled cider, iced tea and coffee are always available.

One room is set up with a big table for an after dinner jigsaw puzzle. Football is blaring all day. A big group likes to take an after dinner walk in the neighborhood. Another likes to toss around a football out in the yard. It's a wonderful day.

BlownAway60

My Thanksgiving and Christmas 2013

I like pictures. So I posted pictures of my menus for Thanksgiving and Christmas on my Expressions Page.

This is ourThanksgiving.

12 lb Turkey

8 lb Spiral Sliced Ham

Corn Bread & Herb Stuffing

Macaroni & Cheese

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Whole Baby Carrots

White & Yellow Sweet Corn

Southern Green Beans

Turkey Gravy

Cranberry Relish & Jellied Cranberry

Hawaiian Savory Dinner Rolls

Pumpkin Pie

Southern Sweet Potato Pie

Caramel Apple Crisp

Black Forest Cupcakes

Vanilla Chocolate Filled Cupcakes

 

Christmas is all about seafood.

 

I love to cook around the holidays.

Hugs and Happy Holidays to all

Donna

 

Clementine_P

TraciInLA said:

I'm with CC, Clementine

Clementine, I think I'm going to need that stuffing recipe too -- though mainly because my partner Trace is dying to know if the ingredients include any actual Italian mothers-in-law!

If my supermarket doesn't carry Italian mothers-in-law, can other mothers-in-law be substituted?

 Traci

 

LOL!

Ha ha ha, Traci!  If a mother-in-law were actually in the recipe, I would make sure that mine would sacrifice for the good of all of us!  Ooopsey!  I didn't say that out load did I???  I'll post the recipe tonight!  

Clementine_P

Okay CC and Traci - here you go!

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter plus more for baking dish

1/4 cup golden raisins

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided

1 lb good quality day old country bread torn into 1/2" pieces (about 10 cups)

8 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1 bunch swiss chard, center ribs and stems removed and cut into 1/2"pieces, leaves torn

2 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions

5 garlic cloves

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 cup pitted green olives, coarsely chopped

4 oz. pine nuts (about 1/3 cup), toasted

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

2 large eggs

 

Preheat oven to 250.  Butter a 13x9x2" baking dish and set aside.  Soak raisins in 1 cup broth in small bowl for 30 minutes.

Scatter bread in a single layer or a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake, stirring occassionally until dried out, about 1 hour.  Let cool and transfer to a very large bowl.

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium high heat; add swiss chard leaves and stir constantly until just wilted.  Transfer to bowl with bread.  Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in same skillet; add stems and cook, stirring often, until crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes.  Add to bowl.

Heat 4 Tbsp. oil and 1/4 cup butter in same skillet; add onions and garlic.  Stir often until just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.  Stir in vinegar and sugar; cook until vinegar is almost evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Add onion mixture to chard bowl.  Add raisins with broth, olives, pine nuts, oregano, rosemary, salt, and pepper flakes; gently fold into bread mixture until thoroughly combined.  Drizzle in 1 cup broth and toss gently.  Let cool completely.

Preheat oven to 350.  Whisk remaining 1 cup broth and eggs in a small bowl.  Gently fold into dressing until thoroughly combined.  Transfer to prepared dish, cover with foil, and bake about 40 minutes.  

Eat heartily!!!

CypressCynthia

TraciInLA said:

I'm with CC, Clementine

Clementine, I think I'm going to need that stuffing recipe too -- though mainly because my partner Trace is dying to know if the ingredients include any actual Italian mothers-in-law!

If my supermarket doesn't carry Italian mothers-in-law, can other mothers-in-law be substituted?

 Traci

 

Oh please, oh please can we

Oh please, oh please can we use real mother-in-law?  Lol!  Mine has received 3 warnings in assisted living (this is her 3rd assidted living residence as she left the other 2 in search of greener pastures): the first warning was for moving another resident's walker, the second for pushing said resident after she was reported and, now, for being found naked on the floor in another female resident's room.  The female resident (age 90+) came running out of her room yelling, "Help me!"

Shortly thereafter, my mother-in-law was hospitalized for seizures (she has a seizure disorder and dementia both of which makes her confusion and anger worse).  Her physicians and nurses told us that she was mostly unconscious on admit, but if she said anything at all, it was, "NO!"  She is doing much better now and complaining about all aspects of the hospital.  I believe she will either be discharged tomorrow or the nurses will start taking her ativan.

OK, I can't make this stuff up.  I know dementia isn't funny, but it's either laugh or cry.