Thanksgiving Menus

[someplace]

Nora, You're Welcome to

drive to Dallas with BB and me and little bits to share the day with my mother.

Our menu is similar to Tortoise's except we have a REQUIRED fruit salad (with tiny marshmellows). I don't ever do the green bean casserole, but my sister likes it. SHE, however, is vacationing in Florida, which is why all our plans were changed. She called last week to say "Should I send Mother down to you, or do you want to come up here?"

Aren't families fun?

 

[SkyBluAngelEyes]

Oh my goodness, you don't put marshmallows on top of your yams? Isn't that sacreligious?

That is exactly what I think. LOL

 

[someplace]

Oh I forgot!

Cajun fried turkeys ROCK! My neighbors used to do theirs like that and they're fabulous! [Neighbors defected to Colorado -- damn them!]

I've always been afraid to do it myself, but they're really really good. My UPS guy told us about a block party at his house the night before Thanksgiving. They guys all sit around frying turkeys and drinking beer (of course). After a few hours, they've fried everyone's in the neighborhood. Cool, huh?

 

[Rambling Rose]

On occassion, our version of the white trash jello salad is something we call Cherry Yum Yum. I don't know the exact recipe but it has cherry pie filling, whipped cream, sweetened condensed milk, pecans and (I think) crushed pineapple. It's decadent and cavity inducing and I lick the bowl every time.

 

[Calamity Jane]

Re: Nora, You're Welcome to

Our menu is similar to Tortoise's except we have a REQUIRED fruit salad (with tiny marshmellows).

OMG, I forgot I'm supposed to make this stuff too!!!! Thanks!

 

[Eumenides]

We make a stuffing with chestnuts. It's yummilicious! (Except that one year that mommy dearest accidentally dumped a whole pepper container into the stuffing. We salvaged it, but it was still a bit peppery.)

 

[tortoise]

Okay, here's our standard Thanksgiving Feast:

Crown roast of pork

[...]

Wow, that all sounds delicious!

 

[tortoise]

Re: Re: Thanksgiving Menus

I'll make a mincemeat, a lemon meringue, a blueberry, a sugar free apple raisin walnut, a deepdish apple, pumpkin and a rhubarb.

That's a great assortment, pcg. I've been craving a good rhubarb pie lately, or a strawberry rhubarb.

It sounds like you'll have a definite feast to go along with it. Enjoy!

Oh, and I like the White Trash Green Bean Casserole, too. It's just funny how something like that becomes a holiday tradition. We used to joke that they must've brought barrels full of Cream of Mushroom soup over on the Mayflower.

 

[Nora]

Thank you, Someplace, but your gathering sounds much like the one my mother is foisting off on me. Why the FUCK did they have to move here, anyway?

*ahem*

I am still awaiting further sympathy for my trauma. Thank you.

 

[Calamity Jane]

Re: Re: Re: Thanksgiving Menus

That's a great assortment, pcg. I've been craving a good rhubarb pie lately, or a strawberry rhubarb.

It sounds like you'll have a definite feast to go along with it. Enjoy!

Oh, and I like the White Trash Green Bean Casserole, too. It's just funny how something like that becomes a holiday tradition. We used to joke that they must've brought barrels full of Cream of Mushroom soup over on the Mayflower.

I use cream of chicken soup in my green beans. I can't stand those lil squares of 'mushroom'. Blech.

I'll send you ajar of rhubabr pie filling if you want. I made 3 dozen last year and I know I'll never make that many pies.

 

[DéjàNu]

Darn I'm hungry now!

I think one of my dream would be for one time in my life eat a real royal thanksgiving supper like you all cooking. Here in Québec we dont really do anything special for that day except maybe cooking ham with mashed potatoes and pineapple, the kids love it.

oh by the way when is Thanksgiving?

 

[christcat69]

This year my Dad's making the famous fryed turkey, injected with butter, rosemary, parsley, pepper, salt and garlic.

I'm making stuffed portabella mushroom caps, sweet potatoes (with marshmellows of course) and rosemary bread.

My sister Julia will make some exotic Martha Stewart materpeice.

My sister louise will do the homemade mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce.

I'm not sure whom was nominated for stuffing but I don't like the stuff so it won't be me.

 

[someplace]

Remembering Pies

We came "home" for Thansgiving one year at my grandma's in Texas. Although a diabetic (and she couldn't eat any sweets) she was a fabulous cook. The week before Thanksgiving she asked every one of the three dozen attendees to name their favorite pies. On the big day there were 2 of every type mentioned. Can you imagine? It was something like 22 pies -- all homemade from scratch. Gave a whole new meaning of the term "groaning board."

Now we usually have (one each only) pumpkin, pecan, chocolate meringue (another grandma's speciality), and osgoode pies, with an apple thrown in for good measure.

 

[crappie master]

ummm oyster dressing

We do oyster dressing in Indiana too!
As an old bachelor, all they let me cook is the crescent rolls .

 

[Ginny]

now y'all know i don't cook...much.......but i just might make these for a lil treat after the feast.....

Neiman Marcus Brownies

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 stick melted Butter
3 eggs, divided
1/2 C. chopped nuts, optional
1 - 1 lb box powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 13 by 9 inch baking dish. Combine dry ingredients, butter and 1 egg. Add pecans if desired. Spread in greased pan. Beat powdered sugar, cream cheese and remaining 2 eggs together and spread on top of the cake. Bake for 50 minutes or until brownies tests done.


yum yum for your tum tum

 

[Ginny]

I am still awaiting further sympathy for my trauma. Thank you.

<hugs>.......xanax works wonders for family gatherings.....

 

[Nora]

<hugs>.......xanax works wonders for family gatherings.....

FINALLY!!! Thank you, Ginny!! I knew I could count on you!

Actually, I won't be able to drink or anything. Jezus, it's gonna suck shit on a shingle.

 

[someplace]

FINALLY!!! Thank you, Ginny!! I knew I could count on you!

Actually, I won't be able to drink or anything. Jezus, it's gonna suck shit on a shingle.

NOW you TRULY have my sympathies. *wringing my hands for you*

 

[Ginny]

giggling at "suck shit on a shingle"

 

[Nora]

Thank you, Someplace!! *hugs*


Ginny, hon? You're losing ground, laughing at my trauma n' all.

Anyone wanna sub for me at Chez Dysfunction?

See, ok...here's the full story. 14 years ago, I moved to Austin cuz my fucking family drives me BONKERS! They don't know how to do anything quietly. They don't converse. They SCREAM! I don't mean that it's all like anger-filled n' shit. They just can't converse at a normal decible level.

Then my oldest brother moved her. Ok, no biggie. We can't stand each other, so that worked out ok. I made it clear that he wasn't to call me if he needed bailing outta jail, and other than the time I had to put up with his fucking sorry ass in my house for a week (after he got his leg broken by "complete strangers...he has NO idea why!!" yeah right ) we completely avoided each other.

Then my other brother moved here. That rocked. He and I are good friends. We didn't impinge on one another's space, however. For years it was just him, me and hubby for T-day. That rocked.

Now my FUCKING parents are here and though I love them dearly, they've slipped right back into the habit of demanding my time when it's convenient for them and damned if I have any say in it at all. In the past 6 months I've been lectured on drinking (I drink *maybe* once a month at most..and almost always with Sandia..he's such a bad influence!), guilted about how I spend my time, guilted about how I spend my money, guilted about my relationship with my husband ARGHHHHHHH the list goes on...

So ok, I *love* thanksgiving and I love cooking. Duh. I've got T-day down pat. It's a meal I care about producing. I put *so* much care into the meal and my hubby and brother *love* it! We have a quiet day. They watch football and leave me the hell alone to do my thang. It's tradition!!

So it was ok that it was gonna be different when it was just family. I was gonna cook at Mom & Dad's house. Fine. I could deal with that, so long as they left me alone to do it. Then Mom informs me that her annoyingly prissy cousins are coming. Fine. *grumbles* Now she tells me that she's invited my oldest brother's skanky fucking drug addict friends. No. Foot down. NO. This means my oldest brother will be putting on a show for them (i know him too well. this is a given. trust me.) which means he'd be in my face if I cooked. He puts his fucking filthy fingers in everything and makes *comments* but refuses to actually help. Plus, mom will insist on getting the cheapest fucking turkey she can find. oh goody. Could i have another helping of salmonella infested crap, please? NOT. She's the most ...her cooking style is "well, it doesn't matter if it's done right as long as it's done fast and with as little effort as possible." Well, ya can't do that with T-day. Highlights of my childhood Thanksgivings include overcooked, dry turkey, that fucking revolting green bean crap (that is not food. sorry) and fucking bone-shards in the gravy cuz G-d forbid she take the effort to be careful with the neckbone.

So the food is gonna suck. The company is going to be traumatically annoying. It will be uncomfortable as hell. And I can't drink cuz of my fucking annoying alcoholic brother who I wanna beat to death with a baseball bat! Oh! Not to mention that my hubby will give me guilt for months over inflicting my family on him.

Phew. Wow. Ok, that's more of my personal life than y'all need to know. Welcome to Thanksgiving at the G's!

So, anyone wanna spring for my ticket to Reno so I can have a nice, normal T-day with Ruby and her kids?

 

[Ginny]

Could i have another helping of salmonella infested crap, please? NOT.

ooooohh....giggling just at that...

oh bless your heart....i'm telling you...trot your hot lil self over to your ob/gyn....sob story about how you're just having killer pms....waalaaa...a script for xanax....i hoard mine for just such occasions...then you can just sit there and smile....

 

[Rubyfruit]

*quietly passes Nora a glass of wine*

Listen sweetheart, I'm on the fence about driving to California, so say the word, and I'm yours in Reno. Gift-wrapped even.

I can imagine the fun we'd have in the kitchen together. ;-)

Oh, and Ginny has the right idea. Think drugs.

 

[Nora]

Sorry, I think I blew a gasket there. Hey, if worse comes to worst I can always score something offa my brother's skanky friends. lol I'll probably just grab my baby-niece and hole up out on the deck.

Ruby, if there were any way to justify it I'd be there in a heartbeat. I make a *very* kid-friendly T-day.

And oh the things I could do with gravy....*licks lips*

 

[Backyard sweaty]

I trust your doing your gravy from scratch using diced giblets? Hand stirred, salt, pepper, garlic, flour and milk. Don't use the mixer or the blender, it's takes away from the consistency of the finished product.

 

[Nora]

My secret gravy recipe. *sniffles* The one I won't be making this year. *sobs* Fair warning, though. More carrots makes it orange-ish. More celery makes it a scary greenish color. Go easy on both. If the color goes off, just add more turkey drippings/meat. This stuff is creamy and thick (oh yeah, Ruby...think about it, babe. *leers*) and not transluscent at all. Kinda like southern cream gravy only with flavor and texture.


Giblet Gravy:

2 cups water
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, peeled
2 stalks of celery with their leaves
turkey giblets and neck, washed
3 cloves garlic
½ tsp salt


½ cup pan drippings from the turkey
3 TBS butter
3 TBS flour
1 cup evaporated milk

Combine everything above (except for the butter, flour, evaporated milk and pan drippings) in a medium saucepot and simmer for one hour, covered. Check occasionally to make sure your water doesn’t boil out.

Remove the turkey neck and let it cool, then pick the meat from it making sure not to get bone shards mixed in with the meat. (the lesson my mother can't be bothered to learn) This is messy and time consuming and a pain in the butt, but oh so worth it.

Put the meat and giblets in the blender and process for a minute or so with a smidge of the liquid. Then put in the vegetables, half a cup of the liquid from the veggies and half a cup of pan drippings. Blend until smoooooooooth. (note! It’s tempting to use the food processor, but the blender actually does a better job with this.) Oh, and pour off any leftover liquid from the veggies into a measuring cup in case you need it later.

In the (now empty) saucepan, melt 3 TBS butter and whisk in 3 TBS flour. Cook for two to three minutes, whisking constantly. Whisk in the evaporated milk slowly and combine thoroughly. Add the mix from the blender and combine. Add more liquid if needed to reach desired consistency. Heat on low and be careful not to burn it. Mm Mm Good!