Thanksgiving Menus

[ridddder]

But nobody posted that they are having HAM for thanks giving like our family......why work your ass off all day for turkey when you eat if every day? Pointless, I would rather enjoy the day than be stuck making, and waiting mostly for the damn bird to be done..

It is food, enjoy it why make it painfull?

 

[Eumenides]

But nobody posted that they are having HAM for thanks giving like our family......why work your ass off all day for turkey when you eat if every day? Pointless, I would rather enjoy the day than be stuck making, and waiting mostly for the damn bird to be done..

It is food, enjoy it why make it painfull?

It's only painful when you make it that way. Some people find that Thanksgiving is about getting together and cooking a nice meal together. It isn't about the effort, it's about eating something that is traditional for you, and making it about more than just EATING. Thankful that you have people in your life that can help you make such a lovely meal. Plus, it is a tradition that goes back years and years. Sometimes people like tradition.

 

[Rubyfruit]

Jeez woman! Pie's way easier than crème brûlée!! Although I'm dying for my own kitchen torch...

I don't have a recipe personally, but google turned up a slew of hits. *pouts* I wanna go there.

It's not too late. My guest suite is still available.

You know, it's the whole pie crust thing for me, Nora. I have to really zen out to get it right. I just don't think I can focus that much right now. You could be right though, maybe it's just an excuse to buy a kitchen torch.

 

[Nora]

heheh. You just gotta read this whole thread to find out how badly I wish I could be there, Ruby.

And um..psst...wanna know my secret to perfect pie crust?

pillsbury, baby. pillsbury.

 

[Mischka]

And um..psst...wanna know my secret to perfect pie crust?

pillsbury, baby. pillsbury.

And brush the edges with a very light coat of skim milk. Keeps it flaky.

My Thanksgiving Day meal is going to be simple:

• fresh roasted turkey
• my Mom's recipe gravy
• stuffing (don't know what kind - Mr. Mischka's making it)
• fresh cranberry sauce, with orange zest and cider
• skin-on mashed potatoes
• whipped sweet potatoes with bourbon and toasted pecans
• fresh green beans with almond slivers
• yeast rolls
• pumpkin pie
• pecan pie

I'm having a second holiday meal on Saturday, where we're having a lamb roast. Haven't figured out any sides yet, though I think I'll make creme brulee for dessert. Any suggestions for the sides?

 

[Secret Pleasure]

heheh. You just gotta read this whole thread to find out how badly I wish I could be there, Ruby.

And um..psst...wanna know my secret to perfect pie crust?

pillsbury, baby. pillsbury.

lol

*blush*

You know I went to culinary school for a bit a while ago. I'd always tinkered around in the kitchen myself. Tried to make a homemade crust and just saw all these specks of butter in it and thought geesh what a mess. This isn't what the kind in the store (pillsbury, i think) looks like. So I threw it all out! Later on when I was in class we had to make a bunch. LOL The instructor later told us those specks of butter were exactly what you'd want in the dough.

 

[Ginny]

http://www.joke-around.com/pictures/tgiving1.jpg

 

[Ginny]

Re: Tur-Duck-En

I saw this on the news the other day and it looked yummy.

They take a turkey and completely de-bone it. Same for a duck and a chicken. The chicken is rolled inside the duck and placed on the turkey. Stuffing is used to fill out and reshape the turkey (and the finished product looked a turkey should) then sewed closed before roasting.

It was a Cajun company that does it and they're custom made to your order with a choice of 6 or 7 various stuffiings. Looked pretty good. Has anyone tried this?

http://www.hebertsmeats.com/page2.html

the original Hebert's is in Maurice, LA.......total mcyumminess.....the stuffed chickens are delicious too......this franchise of Hebert's in Oklahoma ships them all over the place.....

 

[vffan]

But nobody posted that they are having HAM for thanks giving like our family......why work your ass off all day for turkey when you eat if every day? Pointless, I would rather enjoy the day than be stuck making, and waiting mostly for the damn bird to be done..

It is food, enjoy it why make it painfull?

We have both ham and turkey. Thanksgiving is about the only time we eat turkey and I happen to love leftover turkey sandwiches. yum! It can only be from the bird though. That nasty turkey coldcut stuff from the grocery store doesn't cut it. We will also have

mashed potatoes
sweet potatoes
"white trash green bean casserole" WITHOUT those gross onions
broccoli casserole
corn pudding
beets
lima beans
rolls
sparkling apple cider
pumpkin pie
cranberry cake


J

 

[tortoise]

I'm having a second holiday meal on Saturday, where we're having a lamb roast. Haven't figured out any sides yet, though I think I'll make creme brulee for dessert. Any suggestions for the sides?

I make a grilled butterflied leg o' lamb every easter (as well as a few "practice" runs throughout the spring), and I always serve it with grilled asparagus (weather and asparagus quality permitting; you can roast it in an oven if the weather is not conducive to grilling, but the asparagus can be iffy at this time of year anyway), and parmesan roasted red potatoes (very basic: just cut the taters into fairly large "cubes", coat lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper, then dump them into a shallow baking dish, cover with plenty of shredded parmeggiano reggiano, then roast in a hot (450) oven).

I can give you the recipe for the lamb marinade that I always use, but you've probably got that all figured out already.

 

[tortoise]

But nobody posted that they are having HAM for thanks giving like our family......why work your ass off all day for turkey when you eat if every day? Pointless, I would rather enjoy the day than be stuck making, and waiting mostly for the damn bird to be done..

It is food, enjoy it why make it painfull?

I can see how it could be painful for some that don't love to cook, but I absolutely love every single aspect of the feast, no matter how much work is involved. To me, it's not work, it's PLAY.

 

[J.B.]

The food at J.B.’s place

Our family has a pot luck-style thing what I’ll be taking:
Turkey
Deviled eggs
Mashed potatoes

Mom makes the ham
Sis#1 will make the cheesecake
Sis#2 will heat up the rolls
I don’t know what the others are making yet.

 

[DarkAngel]

Re: The food at J.B.’s place

Our family has a pot luck-style thing what I’ll be taking:
Turkey
Deviled eggs
Mashed potatoes

Mom makes the ham
Sis#1 will make the cheesecake
Sis#2 will heat up the rolls
I don’t know what the others are making yet.

*takes notes*

*stalk*

 

[J.B.]

I found it!

 

[Ginny]

my turtle has been cooking all day....<smiling softly>....

 

[Nora]

hey Ginny? I'll be thinking of you two tomorrow while I hopefully survive the meltdown of the nuclear family. Please pass my best wishes for a happy holiday to Tortoise for me, and I hope your Thanksgiving is totally super-rockin! *hugs*

Mental note: get myself invited to Mischka's on saturday....

 

[Ginny]

Happy Thanksgiving, Nora!

i hope it all goes well tomorrow....fast...zip...zoommm....

i'll tell the turtle...he's called all day during cooking breaks....so excited about cooking....i know his big lil feet are going to hurt tonight....he'll just have to brine the turkey early in the morning...pop it in oven....and do a few things tomorrow....it's so much fun to listen to him talk about it all....i don't cook much...so i just listen and smile at how enthusiastic he is about it all....and try to conjure up the taste of the difference he's figured out by switching the balsamic vinegar with fresh meyer lemon juice...you know...he's like a zany, mad genius in the kitchen....just adorable....

<hugs>....enjoy your day!

 

[ShamelessFlirt]

Brine the turkey early in the morning? I thought this was usually done at least 8-12 hours in advance!



http://turkeyfed.ahoy.com/recipe.asp?R=1156




Brine recipe you may like ...


http://www.ajlc.waterloo.on.ca/cgi-bin/Recipe2HTML?file=D/Dan_Gill's_Turkey_Brine&type=MasterCook

http://www.geocities.com/webcipes2/turk/t12.html



****

http://dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Cu...hes/Dips__Sauces__and_Marinades/Turkey_Brine/

 

[tortoise]

Brine the turkey early in the morning? I thought this was usually done at least 8-12 hours in advance!

Exactly! Early in the morning = 2 AM.

The bird turned out quite delicious as always (thanks, Alton!), and the sides were scrumptious as well (the redskin smashed potatoes and the gravy were both the best I've ever made). We now have approximately a ton of leftovers, but I can turn some of them into brand new dishes this weekend.

It was a LOT of work, but an absolute BLAST! I'm raring to cook Christmas dinner now, leaning toward my leg o' lamb as a twist.

I hope everyone else had a delicious Thanksgiving as well!

 

[Ginny]

secret twist:
http://www.arabicslice.com/images/fish/anchovy.jpg

 

[tortoise]

LOL yes!

anchovies + lamb = YUM!

 

[tortoise]

I'm having a second holiday meal on Saturday, where we're having a lamb roast. Haven't figured out any sides yet, though I think I'll make creme brulee for dessert. Any suggestions for the sides?

You've probably got your menu all lined up for tonight, but I just remembered that I usually serve a roasted beat and arugula salad along with my lamb. I add some "supremed" citrus slices, a light citrus vinaigrette, and (depending on the guests' tastes) a bit of crumbled Maytag blue.

Have fun tonight!

 

[Ginny]

so baby....it's now November....and i know....you have it planned in your mind.....what's on the menu for Thanksgiving at Grandma's this year?

<thinking about you, me and the lil miracle getting to sit at the kids' table this year, soft smile>

 

[tortoise]

<big smile, squeezing you tight>

I've been going over the menu in my mind for the past few days. I'd like to include some different sides this year. What I'd really like to do is try a different stuffing (which I don't actually stuff the bird with, of course), but I know that excessive experimentation along those lines wouldn't fly with the Powers That Be (i.e. Grandma). I could make two different stuffings, though...

 

[Ginny]

lol....that you could, my baby....



and yes...i am thinking about your man stuffings, too.....i could dress up as a turkey...and you could stuff me....that'd be great family holiday entertainment.....i can hear the lil miracle now...."and then Mommy dressed up like a Thanksgiving turkey and Mr. Easter Bunny jumped on top of her..."