Thanksgiving 2011

Not too long now before Thanksgiving. I enjoy learning what other folks are cooking and serving for Thanksgiving, so please do tell.

I have a similar crew to last year of 14 or 15, including my daughter's friend who cannot eat any dairy, plus my vegetarian sister-in-law. Luckily everyone else can eat everything else! I'm not sure about the appetizer yet, but the other courses are beginning to shape up in my mind.

20-ish lb. Ho-Ka turkey, roasted with bacon as my mother used to do plus gravy
wild rice/rice/mushroom dressing
mashed potatoes (with some done separately for my lactose-intolerant guest)
puréed rutabagas with crispy shallots
TBD green vegetable without meat or dairy...
vegetarian stuffed portabello mushrooms (made by my brother)
sweet potato dish TBD
homemade whole berry cranberry sauce
rolls or bread TBD
pumpkin bars made by my cousin
pie or 19th-century family recipe for no-dairy chocolate mousse

Some of these TBD dishes or others will be brought by guests.

What are you doing?

EvA,

Your menu sounds great! The pureed rutabagas w/ crispy shallots sound especially delicious to me.

I am working this Thanksgiving - helping serve Thanksgiving dinner to the 350 residents of the senior living community where I am the foodservice director. I'm actually looking forward to it as they are an appreciative crowd.

Afterwards, we're headed to Mercat la Planxa for the 2nd Thanksgiving in a row. We had a very good experience last year.

May try those rutabagas around Christmas though...

My menu is boring but sort of traditional. Since there will be only a small number of people, we have streamlined the menu. We will have a turkey breast, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, stuffing, a green salad, cranberries, pumpkin pie and one other dessert for the pumpkin hater. We decided not to have rolls or a hot vegetable dish and opted for a green salad instead which is not traditional for my family. My mother is in her eighties and really cant cook much so she is in charge of the salad, the cranberries and the pies. The pies will be store bought as well as the cranberries. I personally like the cranberry relish you can make with fresh cranberries, an orange and sugar that you grind up but nobody else really likes that. Sometimes you have to compromise on the holidays.

I have to cook for 22 this year...but just got new appliances so I'm actually looking forward to it. Some traditional, some fairly new, but mostly requests.

homemade southwestern eggrolls (They go nuts for these....so I make them just to please)
Shrimp cocktail
Roasted nuts

Roast turkey w/gravy
stuffing (2 kinds)
mashed potatoes
sweet potato casserole
brussel sprouts w/bacon
veggie casserole
taffy apple salad
possibly a few baked acorn squash
cranberries
yeast rolls

pumpkin pie
cheesecake
homemade kolacky
fruit

The 2 different stuffings are the recipe from my family and the recipe from my husband's family. As the story goes, back in WWII, there was bread rationing, so they used saltine crackers to make the stuffing. It became the family recipe and it's a little taste of childhood for my husband.

Rainman4 wrote:The 2 different stuffings are the recipe from my family and the recipe from my husband's family. As the story goes, back in WWII, there was bread rationing, so they used saltine crackers to make the stuffing. It became the family recipe and it's a little taste of childhood for my husband.

Thanks for sharing this story! Your menu sounds great.

We're only going to be 7 and still behind on the planning. Looks like we may do an arista (we go on and off traditional bird). The arista (like the bird) gives us the option of offering both red and white wine. With either polenta or mashed pot., as we love both. Some dark green to go with it. None of us are huge sweet pot. fans, me least of all. Usually 2 kinds of pie for dessert, as I really like pumpkin, and Mrs. B. prefers a fruit pie.
Various pre-dinner noshes TBD. Probably some dips and veggies, gougeres, maybe stuffed mushrooms or little savory turnovers.
Nothing wow there. But solid "comfort" flavors and textures with minimal fuss to allow for maximal people time.
Big Tuscan red, some sort of rich white.

I think I've figured out what I'm going to cook this year to go along with the turkey.

18-20 lb HoKa Turkey, brined and then cooked on the rotisserie with applewood chips
Gravy from giblet stock
Scalloped Potatoes
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Buttered Turnip Puree
Scratch Made Green Bean Casserole
I want to try to recreate the roasted cauliflower dish from Girl and the Goat
Bourbon Cranberry Compote
Parker House Rolls

Not sure on what people are bringing for dessert. Probably an apple pie and something else.

I really love hearing what other people are doing for this holiday.

Beverages: We usually have some sparkling cider for the kids and hard cider for the cook during the day, a white for dinner (we've been drinking the Yellowtail Moscato like soda around here, so it's probably gonna be another bottle of that), and perhaps some booze-fortified Oberweis nog with pie.

Nibbles: perhaps some spiced nuts, a goat-cheese-based spread with crackers (I love those gluten-free slightly sesame flavored hex-shaped crackers you can get at Costco), maybe a mix of pickles and olives from Nottoli's. I am currently and shamelessly scouring other peoples' posts for ideas.

A butterflied Ho-Ka turkey, about 12-14 lbs., brined with garlic and juniper berries
Sausage/barley stuffing (using Notolli's hot fennel sausage)
Mashed potatoes
Yams (candied, mashed or garlic roasted, not sure yet)
Green salad
An orange-cranberry sauce (spiked with a bit of Cointreau)
Sacaduros (lovely buttery salty yeast rolls)

And we'll finish up with pie... pumpkin for certain, and maybe one other thing (I'm leaning towards the Smitten Kitchen cranberry-pecan frangipane tart.

Mmm... now I'm hungry!

The Habibi family thanksgivings are usually a mashup of classics, Arabic and Hungarian food. The menu will look something like this:

Two roast ducks (who needs Turkey?)
Bread stuffing
Arabic rice stuffing w/ pine nuts
Hungarian braised red cabbage
Mashed potatos
Baked sweet potatos
Cranberry sauce
Fried duck skin
Chestnut puree with whipped cream

Good shite. I'll probably be drinking mezcal and red wine. And beer.

We're still in the planning stages but so far we have:

Citrus roasted turkey (10-12lb organic from whole foods)
Pan roasted brussel sprouts, carrots and lardons
Mashed potatoes and celery root
Cranberry, orange, apple relish
Sausage, herb and chestnut stuffing
Salted caramel pecan pie
Some kind of cocktail
Some kind appetizer

Kind of a stupid question: How long will a fresh turkey last in the fridge? Can I buy one today (Monday) or should I wait until Tuesday and roll the dice that one will be available in the right size?
If I buy frozen today, do I start thawing it today?
I used to always buy fresh and pick it up the day before Thanksgiving, but want to go less expensive this year.

I'm no expert... but if you are planning to use a thawed frozen turkey on Thursday, I would DEFINITELY have it thawing in the fridge by today!

EvA wrote:Not too long now before Thanksgiving. I enjoy learning what other folks are cooking and serving for Thanksgiving, so please do tell.


pie or 19th-century family recipe for no-dairy chocolate mousse

If you need some help, there are many recipes in kosher cookbooks for non-dairy chocolate mousse, using eggs.

Vital Information wrote:

EvA wrote:Not too long now before Thanksgiving. I enjoy learning what other folks are cooking and serving for Thanksgiving, so please do tell.


pie or 19th-century family recipe for no-dairy chocolate mousse

If you need some help, there are many recipes in kosher cookbooks for non-dairy chocolate mousse, using eggs.

Sorry if I wasn't clear--I have a much-beloved 19th-century family recipe of ours that I can use (made with eggs). My SIL will bring a chocolate dessert, as it turns out, and our lactose-intolerant guest has had to cancel, unfortunately. But it might be interesting to compare our recipe to others, something I've not done.

Any forumites with expertise to share about Corn Pudding? To cheese or not to cheese? Souffle or custard? Favorite recipes? I am eager to try to add one to our menu.

I'm doing more in advance than I have done in previous years. Today's pleasurable tasks: cranberry sauce, giblet gravy, sweet potatoes, and vegetable prep for stuffing.

I'm only responsible for one thing: a dessert. I decided on a Pumpkin Creme Brulee. The custard is in the oven as I type. I hope I can wait until tomorrow.

I am also making a lot in advance this year. Apparently too much: I had to Tetrisize my fridge to fit everything. Oops.

After all I had to eat today, reading these posts still made my mouth water. We celebrated today so our kids could celebrate with other in-laws tomorrow.

I cooked a 14 lb Hoka turkey in a Weber smoker after brining it overnight. I caught the drippings and added them to a broth made from the neck and giblets to make a giblet gravy. My other responsibility was the stuffing and that's where I deviated from a rather traditional menu. I made stuffing from dried whole grain bread cubes, sautéed onion, celery and garlic, threw in a handful of walnut chunks and added a peeled cut up apple. I splurged on fresh rosemary and thyme which I used liberally in the gravy and stuffing. I baked the stuffing in the smoker on the bottom rack where it would catch some of the drippings from the bird. The dressing was moistened with a mix of beaten eggs and turkey stock when I prepared it. Along with that we had crescent rolls, green bean casserole. We started with Curry Scented Butternut Squash Soup and finished with home made pumpkin pie, Tres Leches parfaits and a baked squash with lots of butter, cinnamon and brown sugar. I'm probably forgetting something, but overall it was a pretty traditional meal. The outstanding part about it was that we had both kids, their spouses, our grandson and our daughter in law's mom together for the holiday.

best wishes for your holiday!

Today I made Uncle Marty (not his real name) Honorary Cherry Pie.

photo.JPG

Not traditional for Thanksgiving? Well, I cannot tell a lie-there is a story behind this unusual tradition.

My friend has an uncle whose line of work is mental health. He made it a habit at family gatherings to lecture the young, preverbal children at length about selfishness. On one such occasion, he capped his comments by swooping in to spear the last sausage off the poor child's plate. This did not go unnoticed. The following Christmas, Uncle Marty left the table, grabbed the full container of Christmas cookies intended for the kids, and nodded off in the living room with the cookies cradled in his arms. He later insisted on taking the cookies home with him.

Joining my friend for Thanksgiving, I agreed to make several fruit pies as well as pumpkin and mince, in case the latter did not appeal to the kids. When Uncle Marty arrived at the party, he announced, "The cherry pie is mine. I am going to take that home." This did not sit well with two of the Dads in the group. So, when we all decided to go for a post-turkey stroll, the two Dads begged off, saying they would do the dishes.

Upon our return, we descended on the kitchen for some dessert. A cry went up immediately from Uncle Marty. He had spied a few crumbs at the bottom of the pie plate where the cherry pie had been. "Where is MY PIE ?!" My friend's brother, who wore a smear of red goo on his chin, piped up, "We ate it!" This completely undid Uncle Marty, who threw a sizable tantrum, much to the delight of the children, aged 5 to 45. At that point the two Dads brought out the cherry pie, which they had hidden in a cupboard, for all to share.

This is why we now must have cherry pie on Thanksgiving.

A lovely pie. but I would not have indulged uncle marty. I would actually have eaten the pie or some portion of it.

What a great story! Thanks for sharing, and I hope you enjoyed your pie!

We did a dry brine and high-heat roast on our 17-pound butterflied Ho-Ka bird (it was either 10, 17 or 22 pounds... gotta remember to pre-order next year!) and it turned out amazingly well. Lots of leftovers, and the carcass soup is in the slow-cooker.

Still in a postprandial fog... hope you all had wonderful dinners and no greedy Uncle Marty to spoil the evening!

The Second Turkey at our family gathering, this year, was a Beijing Turkey from Sun Wah. Done in the manner of their famous Beijing Duck, it was sensational. The taste and moistness of the meat was outstanding, as it was bathed in the accompanying sauce while re-heated. The skin was crisp and redolent of their signature preparation.

The turkey was a big hit with the fressers. Can't wait for the soup. Hooray for Sun Wah!

In a meal dominated by tradition, I always have to have one dish I have never made before. This year, it was Susan Stamberg's cranberry relish with horseradish. Wow, is it delicious!

Long ass day of cooking, but everything was just about perfect. So full from eating

19 lb turkey on the rotisserie ready to cook with a mixture of cherry and apple wood chips


Finished product




Carved


Stuffing with sausage, apples and cranberries


Green Bean Casserole with Fried Shallots


Cheddar Cheese Scalloped Potatoes


Sauteed Cauliflower, Pickled Peppers, Pine Nuts, Parmesan Cheese and Mint - Had this dish at Girl and the Goat a couple of weeks ago and had to try to recreate it myself since it was so good


Buttered Pureed Turnips


Parker House Rolls


Bourbon Cranberry Compote


Turkey Gravy - This is a casualty of not having pan drippings from cooking the turkey on the grill


Wife made a Banana Cream Pie - So Good

I made a stuffing with fresh (medium spicy) Mexican chorizo instead of regular breakfast sausage. It was delicious. Since I cooked the Turkey in my Weber kettle, the stuffing was cooked separately in an oven. The stuffing was made of 2 1/2 loaves of dried bread cubes (combined cheap white and cheap wheat sans crust) 2 medium Wala Wala sweet onions, 2 Macintosh apples cut into bits, 3/4 can of turkey broth, 3/4 of a large red sweet pepper (chopped), 4 smallish stalks of chopped celery, about a pound of chorizo removed from the skin and cooked in a pan and a big pinch of fresh Mexican thyme. I rubbed a couple of tblspns of butter on the inside of a glass baking dish to keep the stuffing from sticking and baked it, uncovered, at 350 in a convection oven until the top was crisp and brown (almost burned). It was delicious, if I do say so myself. I have never been very successful with stuffing. but this version was fantastic. Some sliced black olives might have been a good enhancement also.

Pictures look very good. Love the idea of that cauliflower dish. Can you post your recipe or technique for making it?

Forgot to take pictures.
Made 2 new recipes, 1 hit, 1 miss- I often wonder if magazines test these things?
Made the coconut sweet potato pie with marshmallow meringue from taste of home mag- HUGE hit-
3 other pies went barely tasted, including an Elegant Farmer apple pie, and that's saying something...
It was a wonderful combo of the rich coconut flavor and the savory sw potato- yum!
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Swee ... w-Meringue

Also tried cranberry ginger chutney from saveur- yuck-o
I thought the 1 small onion in it would caramelize and harmonize w the cranberry- but... not so much
Totally not enough sugar/sweet component-
I ended up adding in about 2x the amount of sweetener to "rescue", plus melting and adding in some peach jam, and peach cobbler syrup I had in the frig to up the fruitiness quotient because it was so overwhelmingly oniony... one recipe I will never do again- I could just as easily post this in the "worst thing you've made lately category..."

Oh well, at least cranberries aren't the main dish.

I love the cranberries where you grind or process raw ones with a ground orange and sugar. You have to let it sit for a day or overnight for flavors to mingle. Many in my family do not like this. They prefer the cranberries out of a can or jar!!

Yes- I've done a riff on that one, with some candied ginger and jusr cook it for the slightest bit-
I think I'm back to that next year...