Creeping Up Upon Us - Thanksgiving

[launderess]

Anyone start planning their menu and or making arrangements for Turkey Day?

Haven't decided myself, am sort of hoping just to stay at home, perhaps throw a chicken in the oven and call it a day. But somehow don't think it is going to happen....

 

[ea56]

I already bought a few of the items I’ll need for Thanksgiving dinner. We will probably spend it by ourselves this year, and thats fine with both of us. David alread asked me on Saturday if we were going to have his beloved “Turk Bird”, to which I replied, “Of course, what else!”

But since neither he or I like dark meat turkey, I just get a nice, large Turkey Breast. The rest of the meal is traditional, Dressing, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Yams with Brown Sugar, Butter and Pecans, Peas with Pearl Onions, Lime Jello Salad (a family tradition) Cranberry Sauce, Rolls, and I’ll make a Pecan Pie.

I love Thanksgiving Dinner, because nowadays, ( for the last 35 years, what am I talking about!) with the Microwave Oven, the leftovers taste as good on the third day as the first. And I don’t have to cook again for a while, LOL.

I’ve made this dinner so many times now, I could cook it in my sleep. I made my first Turkey Dinner when I was 13 and the adults got toasted on Martinis and I took up the slack, so I’ve been doin it for the last 54 years now!

Eddie

 

[askolover]

Have a Butterball boneless breast in the freezer.  Will probably fix cajun green beans, creamed potatoes, macaroni & cheese, and Sister Shuberts rolls.  I have to work Thanksgiving, black Friday, and Saturday so we will probably do ours Wednesday. 

 

[norgeway]

We are going next door

To Donalds cousins, I as usual, must make dressing, everybody wants it, its not complicated, just different, something my Granny Craig started making many years ago, She has been gone 49 years, so you know this recipe is OLD, .I bake a large cake of cornbread, 1 small bag of Pepperidge Farms blue bag stuffing, 1 pound extra sage sausage browned and drained, 1 big onion chopped and about 5 or 6 ribs of celery chopped, saute these in a stick of butter, mix all of these , use poultry seasoning and sage to taste or I use about half a box of Bells Seasoning, add good rich turkey broth until very moist, bake either in muffin tins or a large dish 375 until brown...Aunt Mable added 2 boiled eggs but I don't boil eggs in my house so I don't, She always used raw celery and no onion,those are my additions.Of course, salt and pepper to taste.

 

[frigilux]

Upper Midwest traditionalist, here: Turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, bread-based sage stuffing, yams topped with marshmallows, homemade dinner rolls, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pies.

Non-traditional Additions: Lasagna, in honor of my Italian mother, who served it almost as a side dish with nearly every dinner she ever made; ham, because one of the holdovers from my catering days dicatates at least two meat options; one cherry pie for my sister, because it’s her favorite.

Attendees: My sister and her husband, their two boys and families, and yours truly. Sixteen all told.

 

[mrsalvo]

Not sure what we're doing yet. Last year Dad & I were invited next door to our neighbors house, but this year we may go out to eat. Quiet frankly, it does not appeal to me to cook a huge meal anymore, and fight the crowds at the grocery store. I am going to make my mothers buttermilk pies though.

I'm with Laundress on this one, throw a chicken in the oven and be done with it.

Barry

 

[ea56]

I’m with you Hans

NO hard boiled eggs in the dressing, yuk! One year my ex sister in law made the dressing and she put oysters in it, I almost hurled at the table. She was a very good cook most of the time, but that was disgusting.

I like sausage in the dressing sometimes, but since Thanksgiving is so rich anyway, I usually just use generous amounts of celery and onions, and a small can of sliced water chestnuts for a little extra crunch. And I do like a good amount of poultry seasoning too. And I agree, you need to use plenty of butter too for sauteing the celery and onions, it does make a big difference. I also like the Pepperidge Farms Blue bag too. The dressing is almost my favorite dish for Thanksgiving.

Eddie[this post was last edited: 11/2/2018-02:06]

 

[xraytech]

I’ll be making my usual items to take to Thanksgiving dinner.
I make halupki, mashed potatoes, and for dessert I’ll take a lemon meringue cheesecake this year.
I despise pumpkin anything so you’ll never see a pumpkin dessert here.

 

[wayupnorth]

I miss family gatherings at the holidays, but almost all of the family has passed away so holidays are just another day for me now.

 

[revvinkevin]

I too miss Thanksgiving @ grandmothers house!

 

 

We are hosting this year for family and some extended family (first time in 16 years), I'm told the headcount will be 16, including us.   But I'm not going to kill myself by preparing the entire feast, I'm only planning to cook the bird, gravy, cranberry sauce, roasted garlic mashed potatoes and possibly the dressing.  Guests will bring the remaining dishes, a ham, yam/sweet potato dish, veggies, dinner rolls, desserts, etc.  

 

[iheartmaytag]

ARGHHHH!

Holidays means the family is going to want to come snooping around, and you know my policy with family. We should only have to see them at arraignments, trials, and funerals.

I guess I will just have to tell them. "Oh we just can't see you this year, dear." "We will be doing our holidays in the Hamptons."

You think they'll buy it? If so I will be safe, because their parole officer won't let them leave the state.

 

[twintubdexter]

Holidays with friends & family are history

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">I really enjoy reading about all the plans and food items members are making for the holidays. Like Tim/wayupnorth most of my family, my partner and friends are all gone now. During the past few years I celebrated  with a group of friends here in the Desert. They'd invite me to their home for a nice dinner. Last year at this time we were eating at a very good restaurant/bakery. At the end of the meal I offered to order a cake for Thanksgiving. I was in a lot of pain from my back and sat down to wait my turn. The woman behind the counter decided to allow someone who had just walked in to place a large order for take-out food and he proceeded to give detailed instructions on how each item was to be cooked. I was impatient (without making a scene) and told my group I wanted to leave at which time they said some pretty nasty things to me. I offered to call and place a phone order but no luck. Fortunately I drove my own car and left. Since that episode I have been excommunicated from their Thanksgiving and Christmas to-do's. </span>

 

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">I'll be spending both holidays with Maggie & Holly, my two Springer Spaniels and I'll be very happy. It's difficult for me to stand for more than a minute or two so cooking is not a good idea, but there are tons of alternatives. I think Swanson still makes a TV Turkey Dinner. I hope members post lots of photos of their food creations, banquets, as well as their decorations too. </span>

 

<span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">A couple of these in or around the kitchen and you'd swear there's a bird in the oven...</span>

 

[ea56]

Joe,

that story makes me sad. Your friends certainly must know what your condition is. Why couldn’t one of them waited to order the cake and you could have paid for it? If this is the way they treat their friends, then who needs them.

You know, there are now many grocery stores and restaurants that sell nice, prepared Thanksgiving dinners, hopefully you can find one online that will be able to sell you enough for just yourself, and maybe leftovers for a day or two.

Or better yet, maybe there is a community center near you that provides a Thankgiving meal for people by themselves. At least that way you’ll have some company.

Your friends should be ashamed of themselves.

Eddie

 

[washman]

no

no

 

[jeb]

Thanksgiving

I will be going to my brothers house this year. There will only be 8 of us and we can all get along for an afternoon(not much longer!). We are all different in our views politically, socially, ect. but usually can get along and have a good time in short intervals. Since we are about all that are left of the family everybody really tries to get along so getting together a few times a year is a good thing. The "fly in the ointment" will be sports-I am not into sports at all, like the rest of them and I know there will be a football game on the big screen T.V. all afternoon. My sister-in-law will at least make everyone eat at the table but you can hear the game during dinner and everybody heads back to the family room as soon as they are done. I'm trying something new instead of green bean casserole . Fresh green beans, boiled in vinegar with freshly fried bacon. It doesn't work with canned/frozen beans or precooked bacon, but it's light and a little tangy with all the heavy foods.

 

[tolivac]

In my area sure the Butterball turkey farms are busy!All of those ghost white turkeys!Then they are pumpted full of chemicals to make them grow!Too me turkey tastes like stringy white cardboard!No wonder why it has to be slathered in gravy and cranberry relish!

 

[askolover]

That's why I only get a boneless breast.  I don't like leftover turkey, dark meat turkey, turkey tetrazzini, or any other turkey concoction after the holiday is gone.  Christmas we do a ham!

 

[polkanut]

This year there will only be 5 of us in town for Thanksgiving.  My wife and I decided that since we always host Thanksgiving that this year we're going out for dinner.  We're going to a local supper club that does a buffet every year.  There will be turkey, ham, kielbasa & kraut, and all of the trimmings.  Also, a large salad bar & dessert table.  They do seatings at 10:30, 11:30, 12:45, 2:00, and 3:15.  We are doing the 12:45 seating.

 

[polkanut]

Here's a link to the restaurant we're going to for Turkey Day.  

Richard's Restaurant & Bar

www.richards-restaurant.com