Please indulge me...
 

We are having a HUGE group (but meager compared to Carnation) for Thanksgiving. I love to make one "killer" dish, but don't want to repeat. So...besides the turkey&stuffing-
WHAT IS THE ONE DISH YOU MUST HAVE ON THE TABLE, THE ONE IT WOULDN'T BE THANKSGIVING WITHOUT?

Ummmm,
 

That cranberry jelly outta the can, withthe can marks on the side still. Come on, its the only time of the year you are allowed to eat jelly as a side dish. :D Also I'm a pumpkin pie kid, that nasty green bean casarole (with the onions on top. What are those anyway? Since when did onion rings become a topping?).

I would recomend a search on the "Thanksgiving" topic from last year. I think everyone chimed in on their favorites since it was our first year together (for most of us). You'll also be afforded the opportunity to read my dissertation titled, "The Great Fruit in a Cloud Debate: Nuts vs. Nut Free."

Quite Interesting, really.:D

PS, I wanna come over to eat at your house. I'll bring Jello. Actually I'll be going to Houston to see the new nephew. It'll be Good to get outta this town.

This isn't very exciting, but it wouldn't be Thanksgiving for me without my mom's yummy sweet potatoes, with nuts but NOT marshamallows. Oh, and she makes me the best vegetarian stuffing, with apples!

If I had it my way, though, I would have stuffed squash. I have this killer recipe for roasted acorn squash with white polenta. It was a huge hit at my last dinner party, and is very autumn-oriented. I'd love to have that for Thanksgiving, because it's delicious and different, but still fits in well with traditional Thanksgiving food.

Raisin Bread. Old family recipie, gotta have it or its just not thanksgiving.

Otherwise a dessert called Pineapple whip. Or mom's Brocolli Casserole--all cheesy and rice and broc, so good!

Turkey Day Turkey Day, is it here yet, is it here yet, hmmm
I think without cranberry sause thanksgiving is no no thanksgiving ya know and of course , emm , my brain is about to stop just on the thought of sweet potato's oh oh and the hot hot soft buttery rolls. ya'll know the ones. Sorry I know you said one, but just thinking of thanksgiving just got me started, lol sorry.
So have you decided on what your going to make?
DGPhoney~

Here are a few things that 'make' my Thanksgiving:

Sweet Potato & Carrot Puree- rich, easy, did I mention rich? No marshmallows involved.

There's this Jello mold I introduced to Jon's family (where we go for T-giving every year) and now it's a must-have. The base is creamy-lemony with crushed pineapple and you 'float' cubes of other jello flavors in it. When you cut into it, it looks like that jelly-nougat candy from Brachs. It's light and delicious and you can use sugar-free jello just as easily as regular.

Garlic mashed potatoes - just cook a bunch of peeled cloves of garlic in with the potatoes and mash.

Sweet Potatoes with Mandarin oranges: just peel a few sweet potatoes, add a can or two of mandarin oranges, a dash of Gran Marnier if you're inclined, and a dollop of apricot or peach jam. Cover and bake.

Grandma's briskit (sp?). I usually eat more of that than the turkey!

It might sound yucky to some people...but...

BROCCOLI CASSEROLE!!!

We have an old family recipe that everyone knows how to make. It involves broccoli (duh!), mushroom soup, i think sour cream in the sauce too, cheddar cheese baked on top, spices, etc. You let it cook for awhile and it's amazing. Mmmmm, warm.

I can get you the exact recipe if you want. I don't think we've ever had a thanksgiving without it, and most other big family dinners have it too. My uncle even has a special pot that he uses to cook it, he might use it exclusively for broccoli casserole! I wouldn't be surprised!

Happy Almost Turkey Day to Everyone!

Mashed Potatoes, green beans (not the casserole), and the cranberry jelly out of the can. I don't think I could have Thanksgiving without those.

That;s the same brocolli casserole I'm talking about that my family does too! :)

My mom's awsome fruit salad-mandrin oranges, marchino cherries, little marshmellows, walnuts, shredded coconut and whipped cream. Mmmmm-is it next Thursday yet? Also, sweet potatoes with marshmellows!!

Not sure what we are doing for Thanksgiving. Usually we have this year and someone broadcasts the event to everyone. However we havent heard so it might be at a fancy restaurant somewhere - maybe in Annapolis or around here. I'm not sure. My mom makes the best cherry pie or apple pie. Hands down.

Kevin

Lemon butter, the special family fruit salad, and sweet potatoes with TONS of marshmallows. MMMMMMMMMMM

ok, this is sad
but the side of the family we always go to for thanksgiving is italian - so it wouldn't be thanksgiving without turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and lasagna or ziti - plus cannoli and pumpkin pie for dessert.

Cornbread dressing with giblet gravy! I'd never attempt to make either one.:p

OH THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH! Lifesaver, Thanks for the tip on the Old thread. I will look there as well. BTW- I would GLADLY pull out an extra chair for you...might EVEN let you sit next to my daughter...but then you couldn't focus on the food!

I hate to say it, but I love cranberry in the can as well-but my hubby's side prefers "scratch", thank goodness it's easy to make.

I'm going to think about these wonderful suggestions and see what others are bringing. Now, here's mine, but I've made it so often I need a switch.
Jalepeno artichoke/broccoli casserole- vegies plus jalepeno cheese/warter chestnuts/onion/mushroom/evaporated milk/cream of mushroom soup/ and more cheesey topping with buttered bread crumbs.

Until I moved South, I always prefered sage dresing, but my mother-in-law makes great cornbread dresing.

Oh, if anyone wants a GREAT easy potato dish "HE-MAN POTATOES(frozen hashbrowns with tons of cheese and cream) that serves a multitude-let me know.

I'm with rosealum. Cornbread dressing and gravy is my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal. And I have absolutely no clue as to how to cook either of them. :)

My aunt makes this orange sweet potato/yam thing every thanksgiving. She got the recipe from Martha Stewart. Anyway, you put the stuff in a half an orange peel and bake it so it gets brown on top. They are so good, and have a nice citrus flavor to them. If you want more info, let me know.

Now I'm sad :(

I can't go home for Thanksgiving, I have to work.... so I'll be sitting in my dorm room, all by myself next Thursday :(

Does Papa Johns deliver turkey pizza?

Are you close with your chapter advisor? Why don't you tell her that you can't go home for the holiday and, even if she can't host you for dinner, I'm sure she can contact an alumnae that would love to have you join her family for the holiday. You shouldn't have to spend the night alone!

Also contact the church or synagogue organizations on campus to find out when their Thanksgiving event takes place. Maybe you can volunteer at the local homeless shelter and help make a less fortunate person's day brighter.

PGNTRX ROCKS!
 

Barb, you so kick a$$. Def one of my favo GC's here. Good idea. Great advice.

To add on to PT's, Most large cities have a huge dinner for anyone who cant be with family. My chapter has been volunterring there for years, so you could work that in the AM (getting ready) and then maybe spend the afternoon/eve with friends or sisters. Last year I couldnt get away and after asking around found that about 12 of us couldnt travel, so we all celebrated together. Nothing like watching a bunch of 20 year olds trying to do a turkey and stuffing. Had a blast tho. Used "borrowed" plywood for a table top, 4 empty kegs for table legs and a sheet (god I hope it was clean) for a table cloth. Pulled the couches up to the makeshift table and had our feast. It was a blast and then we watched movies and got plowed. Next day all celebrated as UT clobbered A&M 48-6 or something bad like that (did I mention it was with our then back-up QB and three 2nd string running backs?) All in all a great holiday.:D

Now THAT sounds like a BLAST! lifesaver-you always seem to find a way to make the most any given situation.

I'm going to get my "Orders" soon from the family. All these food ideas sound fantastic. I am very curious about the sweet potatoes in orand cups...good to eat and has great "eye" appeal.
Leave it to good, old Martha.

I don't think I will get to do the dessert, so the casserole sounds great. Y'all may be getting an e-mail soon.
THANKS

AlphaChiSK2, know the deal, as have no one ao work on holidays for at least 1/2 day and come home! Just another day for me! Sad but True! the only day I do not open besides Sun. is Christmas,do not do but 6 days as have nothing to do or with anyone! Heck, bet there would be some cheap flights to kansas City, but if you stay with me you have to sleep on the couch! It aint bad been there before!:D

Holidays really can suck at times! Wish i could go see Just Mom or Sandy! Or really any of the sweet people on this site as know it would be a baalasstttt!!!!!!!!:D

If I could choose the guest list Tom, you would definitely be on it. Got a few ummm less than entertaining people hanging from the family tree. Not always the most pleasant at holiday time. So, the best plan of attack is to stuff them and hope they fall asleep.

lol justamom!!!

are you excited for your daughter to come home??? i bet you are :D my own mom cannot wait until she has all three of her girls home for holiday fun, lol! plus, she loves cooking and sending us back to school with loads and loads of tupperware full of food ;)

Hey, justamom, if you wanna make a big splash this year and have people runnin to the stove for seconds, DEEP FRY YOUR TURKEY.

You can get a good deepfry kit for like 60 bucks, and I promise you ( I am the deepfry and barbeque master of the universe) that it will be the best turkey that you have ever put in your mouth.

We usually rabbit hunt the morning of thanksgiving and try to have some fresh rabbit and gravy, always looked forward to goin home for that.

I have to agree, deepfried turkey is the best thing in LIFE.

Frying makes everything better :)

I LOVE DEEP FRIED TURKEY!!!! That is the BEST!

KABillyMac-Being an ex-farmers daugter (hee-hee) we ate TONS of rabbit. The great family recipe was lost. Do you have a good way to prepare rabbit? We fried it like chicken.

IowaHawheye-You got that right. Like all the Moms out there, nothing makes us happier than having the family together. I can't wait. Really looking forward to Christmas since it will be longer, but I know she will grow restless.

The thing I hate about Thanksgiving
 

is the two main dishes. Turkey & Stuffing. Both are terrible. Turkey steam cooked with Apple Cider is decent, because it's real moist, but still..Turkey is such the worst type of meat ever (at least that I've had) and wouldn't you know, it's practically blasphemous to not serve it on T-day. It the one holiday tradition I can deal without.

Speaking of rabbit-I did try to cook it once, wrapped it in bacon...
I served it for

EASTER!!!!

Thought I should add-I did NOT cook this for my kids-It was for our apartment buddies premarriage. We all were feeling a little "fowl" and decided to do something off the wall.

Yes, just quarter it and fry it. I usually try to quarter and deep fry my rabbit. Then in the same pan, i empty the oil and use the pan to fry sausage for my gravy, then use the gravy grease for my gravy. I use seasoned flour for my breading.

I'll be damned, KABM
 

You're quite the Renaissance man. cook, hunt, fish, and an engineer. Some gal is gonna love you man, you marketable.

As for the deep fried turkey, I live for it. Plus you gotta lovethe fact that it takes only 3 min per lb to cook at the proper temp. So your looking at 50 mins for a good size bird. The best ever. Cant wait till Holiday (christmas day) break for turkey deep-fried, at my brother in laws house. Great!

Do you have possum pie for dessert?

Dont knock possum, its pretty good if its cooked right. Groundhog is too. I started deep fying prime ribs this summer (4 min per pound for rare) They are good too. Ive deep fried about everything from pork loins to ribs. Youd be suprised what the frier will do for red meat.

Here in Louisiana, just pick up the road kill and put a little gravy on it and you have squirrel sauce picaunt!


THIS IS NOT A JOKE....