Thanksgiving Menus

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by ForeverRoses

Has anyone ever tried the cranberry relish that is featured on NPR every year by Susan Stamberg? I never have, but I have to admit I'm curious...

Like I said above

Originally Posted by MysticCat

And yes, I'll admit that I love to make Mama Stamberg's cranberry relish.

It's declicious.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Like I said aboveIt's declicious.

Did any of you hear Coolio's take on it? He added some...different things to the relish. Funny!

I'm doing potluck at a friend's new place (her first time hosting Thanksgiving), so I'm bringing spinach gratin and string beans w/ shallots (I LOVE Ina Garten!). I called her this morning to see what she needed--she's making a ton of desserts and meat, so I am in charge of veggies. Munchkin's throwing down tonight!

[agzg]

I'm not sure what we're having this year, because I'm going to live-in's family's Thanksgiving. Instead of being where I want to be. Which is in the kitchen making dinner for my family.

He fully understands and is supportive of what I am giving up to be with him.

This is like, the biggest deal of my life. I've only ever missed Thanksgiving one other time in my 26 years, and the past three years I've made the dinner for my family. It was my mom's favorite holiday.

[IrishLake]

Originally Posted by agzg

I'm not sure what we're having this year, because I'm going to live-in's family's Thanksgiving. Instead of being where I want to be. Which is in the kitchen making dinner for my family.

He fully understands and is supportive of what I am giving up to be with him.

This is like, the biggest deal of my life. I've only ever missed Thanksgiving one other time in my 26 years, and the past three years I've made the dinner for my family. It was my mom's favorite holiday.

That's what relationships are all about. Compromise and taking turns. It wasn't such a big deal to us when we had to start alternating holidays, but it took some time for our families to adjust. Now we don't care where we go, so long as we're together and are home on Christmas morning (for Santa reasons)

[agzg]

Originally Posted by IrishLake

That's what relationships are all about. Compromise and taking turns. It wasn't such a big deal to us when we had to start alternating holidays, but it took some time for our families to adjust. Now we don't care where we go, so long as we're together and are home on Christmas morning (for Santa reasons)

My family lives about 8 hours away from here, by car. So, since I moved here, I've always traveled home for Thanksgiving and then spent Christmas by splitting between his mom and his dad.

Thanksgiving just isn't a big deal for his family, and it really is for mine, so this has worked out so far. This time, his extended family on his dad's side is all getting together in Texas, attendance is pretty mandatory. It just makes me really sad that someone else is making mom's favorite stuffing recipe, and impersonating Julia Child, in a kitchen that's not even the one in the house I grew up in, for my dad, brother, and extended family. It just feels not right to me.

This year, though, we will be spending Christmas morning together, but at my dad's house. I'm OK with that.

I'm thinking about taking my cookbooks with me (you betchya I have the same ones my mom did, but the newer versions that have all our favorites plus some new recipes) but I don't know if that would be rude since I've only met live-in's immediate family before. Maybe I'll just stash them in my luggage just in case. At least they'll have a pair of capable "yes ma'am I have sown a turkey up before" hands to help with the preparation.

[aephi alum]

We're going to my parents' for Thanksgiving this year. It'll just be the four of us.

On the menu:

- Some sort of appetizer nibbles
- A round or two of martinis

- Turkey breast
- Gravy
- Stuffing
- Mashed potatoes
- Cranberry sauce
- Some sort of veggie, probably carrots
- Wine

- Apple pie (I hope)
- Cordials (I'm sure my father has already laid in some chartreuse verte for me )

- Brandy, scotch, etc. until we all slip into a food and alcohol coma

Can you tell my family drinks heavily? You would too if you had to deal with them. I'm planning on going easy on the rocket fuel this year, though.

[Leslie Anne]

My mom always used to make:

Turkey
Gravy
Cornbread stuffing (in the bird and some baked alone in the oven)
Cranberry sauce
String beans
Mashed potatoes
Pumpkin pie
Apple pie

AND

Lasagna!

My mom is Italian and didn't grow up with traditional Thanksgiving dinners.

I won't be going home this year but a friend has invited me over to her house. Her family is from Mexico and they don't do the whole turkey thing. They're having steak and some traditional Mexican cuisine.

I'm not sure what to bring. Anyone have suggestions?

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by agzg

This is like, the biggest deal of my life. I've only ever missed Thanksgiving one other time in my 26 years, and the past three years I've made the dinner for my family. It was my mom's favorite holiday.

(((HUGS)))

*****************
I absolutely love cranberry sauce and can't have turkey, greens, and/or stuffing without it. Thank God I'm not one of those people who doesn't want their food to touch.

[Eightisgreat]

Turkey (if you don't want it to be dry...stick an orange up its backside before putting in the oven)
Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans (cooked ALL day with ham hock)
Corn souffle
Homemade yeast rolls
Gravy (of course)
Cranberry Sauce
Strawberry Pretzel Salad (yummy!!)
Honey Baked Ham
Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pecan Pie
Banana Pudding
Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies (P-butter with Hersey Kisses) Double yummy!

[AZ-AlphaXi]

^^^^ ummmm banana pudding .. haven't thought about that for awhile .. I might have to make some of that this year instead of a frozen pumpkin pie

[Kappamd]

A facebook status on my feed today:

I am sick of people jumping the gun on Christmas and completely bypassing Thanksgiving, which is clearly the best holiday ever. You don't have to buy anyone gifts or candy, dress up, leave the house, or even go to church. It is day solely dedicated to sitting in your jammies and stuffing your face.

Heck yes.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Kappamd

It is day solely dedicated to sitting in your jammies and stuffing your face.

They left out football!

[RaggedyAnn]

This year we're having salad, turkey w/ gravy, stuffed acorn squash (a staple since the salmonella scares a few years back), mashed potatoes, mashed turnips and carrots, corn, cranberry sauce, bread, cheesecake and whatever pies my sister-in-law is inspired to make. We're skipping the soup this year, because everyone seemed a little full last year before the turkey was served and the peas, because too many adults don't like them. We're hosting again, but have a smaller crowd with only 16 it looks like. We usually pick up 1-3 friends of various family members, but it looks like everyone has a home so far.

[LucyKKG]

Originally Posted by RaggedyAnn

stuffed acorn squash

Om nom nom! We don't usually make this for Thanksgiving because we already have so much other food, but I haven't had this in forever!

Turkey Bash (Wednesday)
My summer camp friends have a tradition of getting dressed up and having a full Thanksgiving dinner the day BEFORE the real one. We also drink a little. We will definitely have:
Turkey
Something amazing that I bring (TBD)
Other stuff
Amazing punch made my Candice

Dad's house (Thursday)
Turkey with gravy
Stuffing (my dad always calls it dressing)
Cranberries made from scratch
Mashed potatoes with garlic and herbs
Cranberry-Apple Crisp (my specialty!)
Pie made by my sister?
Lots of wine

Mom's house (Friday)
Turkey with gravy
Stuffing
Cranberry from the can so it has the ridges on it
Mashed potatoes
Green bean casserole
Pumpkin pie and probably lemon meringue pie
Champagne? I hope so!

[carnation]

Originally Posted by LucyKKG

Om nom nom!

I just roll every time you post that, my family says it like that too!