Thanksgiving 2011 Menu/Plans

lilbopeep

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
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Are you cooking or going somewhere else (bringing something)?
Most of our family memebers (the few that are still with us) are older and spread across the country. So we stay home and I cook.
We don't stray far each year from our usual menu except to sometimes try out a new recipe or rotate favorites.



Appetizers/Soup

Stuffed Mushrooms
Cream cheese, stuffed green olive & walnut poppers
or
Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

Entrée
Roasted Turkey
Stuffing
Sweet Potato & Acorn Squash Casserole
Or
Silver Sage's Apple-Sausage Stuffed Squash with Pecans (click for recipe) (I would like to give this a try, it sounds so good)
Brussels sprouts
String bean salad
Baked sweet potato
Mashed potatoes
Rice medley pilaf
Gravy
Cranberry/Tangerine Relish
Cranberry sauce

Dessert
Apple pie
Pumpkin pie
Homemade Whipped cream

Beverages
Assorted soda
Sparkling cranberry apple cider
Coffee
 
lilylove

lilylove

Active member
We will go to Paul's parents house in Oregon... I won't bring anything but will be doing a lot of the cooking/clean up for MIL. She's getting a little older and there's too much work for her to do alone. (besides, I squeeze my version of all her dishes in and the family seems to like them better!) :) She's gone HEALTHY on a lot of things..last year she was overheard saying " who cares how it tastes as long as it's healthy" EVERYONE cares. :) lol!
 
Embryodad

Embryodad

Well-known member
This is just a prelude...
I won't know the complete list till I find out who's coming.
Starters that I know will be Manicotti..../ Turkey / and all the trimmings.
After probably 31 more items..hahaha...it will wind down with Pumpkin Pie.

That I am sure of.

I surely would love to prep and freeze everything a week ahead, and just do a day before thaw and bake on the day of the celebration.

Like the manicotti...the stuffing...the sauce and meatballs..

This way I just have to bake the turkey and extra stuffing, and the DIL and DD can cook the vegetables.

I just don't want to get stuck prepping and puting things together last minute.

The problem,.....is that the kids have other engagements after dinner; so everything has to be punctually on time. Like sone DIL...they have to go to the aunts for dessert, and then to the other aunts for a late late after 9:00 supper of roast beef.

And it is what it is!! L O L
 
C

CaliforniaCook

Banned
I haven't decided yet. I'm thinking about a combo (ham/turkey/prime rib) from Honey Baked Hams:

honey baked ham.jpg

http://ca.honeybaked.com/shoponline.asp
 
Cooksie

Cooksie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
lilylove said:
We will go to Paul's parents house in Oregon... I won't bring anything but will be doing a lot of the cooking/clean up for MIL. She's getting a little older and there's too much work for her to do alone. (besides, I squeeze my version of all her dishes in and the family seems to like them better!) :) She's gone HEALTHY on a lot of things..last year she was overheard saying " who cares how it tastes as long as it's healthy" EVERYONE cares. :) lol!
Click to expand...

Lol--reminds me of Debra (Everybody Loves Raymond) and her tofu turkey!
 
Embryodad

Embryodad

Well-known member
Cooksie said:
Lol--reminds me of Debra (Everybody Loves Raymond) and her tofu turkey!
Click to expand...
Oh! cooksie...I love that show when Marie throws digs toward Debra..

I do the same with Tina, and with her / our friend Lorraine.

I was down Lorrraines a few weeks ago, and I sat down for coffee. I pulled out the chair, and I exclaimed,"Oh Gee, Lorrain, do you have some Murphys Oil so I can clean this chair back properly?"....

She was like... Oh! Why? ..
I said,"Oh, it just felt a little sticky, but it may be the humidity!" ....
Well...she took out pledge, and cleaned all the chairs. She said,"Oh Jimmy, I feel so bad!

Now let me say. her house in in correct order, and is in imaculate clean condition.

Well...when I told her I was just pulling a Marie Romano on her, she flipped and burst out laughing.

I did it to the girl next door too!
I pulled in her garbage containers off the street one windy day. She came home from work, and she was outside. I told her (and here name IS Debora), Deb, I pulled in your containers...I was going to clean the sticky dirty handles but I couldn't find the Lysol cleaner!" ....hahahaha It was so funny. She is a fussy clean lady too.
 
luvs

luvs

'lil Chef
Gold Site Supporter
we're very traditional in that it's turkey & stuffing, smashed potato/gravy w/ peas & corn piled on, crescents from the tube, greenbean casserole w/ the french's onions sprinkled on, pumpkin pie.......

my family'll have that. this'll be the first year i'll bring my own dinner as my doctors ordered a 2/grams per day sodium diet so i ought get thinking on this one~
 
BreezyCooking

BreezyCooking

Banned
We always end up celebrating Thanksgiving with just the 2 of us, & frankly we like it that way. Hubby has a long commute & a stressful job, & just kicking back in grotty lounging clothes & watching tv for a day works for both of us.

We start - disgracefully early I might add - with "Scarlett O'Hara" cocktails (cranberry juice, fresh lime juice, & Southern Comfort) accompanied by whatever fancy frozen snack/appetizers appeal to us from the local markets - usually little quiches, spanokopitas, etc., etc.

Then I tuck into roasting the organic turkey that we order from Whole Foods every year. Best turkey we've ever had, & something we've been ordering from them for many years now. Accompanying the turkey is always Garlic Creamed Spinach, Whole Baked Sweet Potatoes (I dislike the sweet casserole concoctions) & Whole Baked White Potatoes (I usually bake one of each & we have one half of each), a broccoli dish (that changes from year to year), & stuffing (which also changes from year to year). Dessert is always up for grabs from year to year - whatever I feel like making (or buying - lol!).

That's it - & we love it! :)
 
QSis

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Breezy, have you posted the recipe for Garlic Creamed Spinach?

If so, please link me. If not, would you puh-leeeeeze?

Thanks!

Lee
 
Cooksie

Cooksie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
Embryodad said:
Oh! cooksie...I love that show when Marie throws digs toward Debra..

I do the same with Tina, and with her / our friend Lorraine.

I was down Lorrraines a few weeks ago, and I sat down for coffee. I pulled out the chair, and I exclaimed,"Oh Gee, Lorrain, do you have some Murphys Oil so I can clean this chair back properly?"....

She was like... Oh! Why? ..
I said,"Oh, it just felt a little sticky, but it may be the humidity!" ....
Well...she took out pledge, and cleaned all the chairs. She said,"Oh Jimmy, I feel so bad!

Now let me say. her house in in correct order, and is in imaculate clean condition.

Well...when I told her I was just pulling a Marie Romano on her, she flipped and burst out laughing.

I did it to the girl next door too!
I pulled in her garbage containers off the street one windy day. She came home from work, and she was outside. I told her (and here name IS Debora), Deb, I pulled in your containers...I was going to clean the sticky dirty handles but I couldn't find the Lysol cleaner!" ....hahahaha It was so funny. She is a fussy clean lady too.
Click to expand...

Lol--You're so baaaddddd :lol:
 
B

belaine

Bottle Washer
Super Site Supporter
We are taking our gang to the desert where we have a house. Country club has a great chef. Will probably take the meal out as we have two new toddlers in our family. Chef offers the whole meal including our own turkey. We will be 16. This way we have leftovers too. I still do appetizers.
 
Mr. Green Jeans

Mr. Green Jeans

New member
With our family, I have found out the hard way you don't mess with Thanksgiving dinner. Right down to dessert: "The pear cranberry pie sounds fine but there damned well better be pumpkin!"
 
BreezyCooking

BreezyCooking

Banned
QSis said:
Breezy, have you posted the recipe for Garlic Creamed Spinach?

If so, please link me. If not, would you puh-leeeeeze?

Thanks!

Lee
Click to expand...

Gee Lee - I just realized that I never came back to this thread with my spinach recipe. Most likely because after many years I pretty much make it by the seat of my pants.

One bag frozen chopped or whole-leaf spinach - thawed. (Don't buy the store's own brand for this, as they seem to have more stems than name brands.) You can use fresh spinach if you wish, but frozen really does work well for this recipe & saves you time & trouble.

2-4 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup heavy cream or 1/2 & 1/2

chicken broth/stock

salt, freshly ground black pepper, nutmeg

Saute chopped garlic in butter for a minute or two. Add flour & cook for another minute, being sure garlic doesn't burn. Add cream & continue stirring until thickened. If too thick, add in chicken stock to thin to taste. Add spinach & heat through. Add seasoning to taste.
 
luvs

luvs

'lil Chef
Gold Site Supporter
cookingirl said:
Hey Luvs,
Let me know what you Turkey day dinner will be cuz I need ideas for low sodium......
thanks,
Cyn
Click to expand...


cyn, i'm thinking chix pojarski princesse w/ an asparagus garnish, (if the turkey is injected w/ a sodium solution & i can't have that); colorful cauliflower au gratin (then the others could have that, too); my Mom's smushed potato sans gravy & put unsalted butter on them- they have a tendancy to use pre-made gravy so i'll have a legitimate reason to avoid that stuff ~shudder~, hehe),- & she is leaving my portion of potato unsalted. for dessert, i'm not a dessert person, though i think i'll make coconut macaroons to take 2 my brother & sister-in-law-to be's after dinner @ my Mom & new-Dad, & have a sliver of my Mom's pumpkin pie- i'll avoid the crust though. that's plenty of food for me:mrgreen:
 
cookingirl

cookingirl

New member
Luvs, Sounds great...
but.....what is chicken pojarski princess? I have never heard of it? sounds interesting----hummmmm:eat1:
rest of meal sounds similar to mine--roasted plain sweet potatoes or smashed taters with unsalted butter...green beans --quickly sauted with some litely browned bread crumbs in butter...dessert--pumpkin pie, ice cream, maybe a salad..but main dish is still undecided--most likely chicken or cornish hens....I think maybe stuffed cabbage for the weekend..have friday off....:brows::brows::brows:
 
cookingirl

cookingirl

New member
hey--just googled it.....is it ground/minced chicken like hamburgers?
served with a mushroom/celery sauce?
hummmmm.........:neutral:
 
luvs

luvs

'lil Chef
Gold Site Supporter
yepper! though i'd make quenelles rather than cutlets.

i, too, initially was leaning toward game hen & allemande sauce,- (another 'shroom sauce-), the smashed taters, a veggie that suits my fancy, & that may be dinner yet. the sauce is kinda an involved process, though well worth it. better than gravy, too!
oh, & maybe squash/ricotta ravioli (i make dough/pastry 4 special occasions despite my disdain 4 that kinda stuff:mrgreen:) w/ spinach pasta dough & a derivative of a mother sauce, haricot vert, & chix tenderloin- i change my mind often, hehe~
 
Last edited:
QSis

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Terrific - thanks, Breezy!

Copied and saved!

Lee

BreezyCooking said:
Gee Lee - I just realized that I never came back to this thread with my spinach recipe. Most likely because after many years I pretty much make it by the seat of my pants.

One bag frozen chopped or whole-leaf spinach - thawed. (Don't buy the store's own brand for this, as they seem to have more stems than name brands.) You can use fresh spinach if you wish, but frozen really does work well for this recipe & saves you time & trouble.

2-4 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup heavy cream or 1/2 & 1/2

chicken broth/stock

salt, freshly ground black pepper, nutmeg

Saute chopped garlic in butter for a minute or two. Add flour & cook for another minute, being sure garlic doesn't burn. Add cream & continue stirring until thickened. If too thick, add in chicken stock to thin to taste. Add spinach & heat through. Add seasoning to taste.
Click to expand...
 
rickismom

rickismom

Low Carb Home Cook
Site Supporter
Question: my 78 yr old mother lives 50+ miles away & I hate to have her drive to our house for Thanksgiving. Do you think it would be okay to 1/2 bake a turkey for transport and finish it when I get to her house?? She can't lift anything which is why I can't have her cook the turkey herself....
 
Embryodad

Embryodad

Well-known member
rickismom said:
Question: my 78 yr old mother lives 50+ miles away & I hate to have her drive to our house for Thanksgiving. Do you think it would be okay to 1/2 bake a turkey for transport and finish it when I get to her house?? She can't lift anything which is why I can't have her cook the turkey herself....
Click to expand...
Seems not that long without refrigeration etc...but if it were me, I would do your baking 1/2 way....when ready to leave..foil cover it, and throw a few towels over it to keep in the heat for that ...What? 60 minute trip? or so?

It should then be warm / hot enough to just continue baking at moms.
 
Luckytrim

Luckytrim

Grill Master
Gold Site Supporter
There's just the two of us this year, so I'll be making ...............


Reservations !! :readytoeat:
 
BreezyCooking

BreezyCooking

Banned
Oh Lord! How did I manage to forget this one!!! Hubby would never forgive me - lol!

Hubby absolutely positively ADORES good old traditional "Green Bean Casserole", but in order for me to swallow it, I have to tweak it a bit. So here's my version (& even "Green Bean Casserole" haters have taken 2nd portions). What's nice about it is that if you have leftovers, you can just add in bite-size pieces of leftover turkey & have a brand new main dish.

Breezy Green Bean Mushroom Casserole

1 pound package frozen whole green beans, thawed
6-8 fresh Shitake mushrooms
1-2 clusters Oyster mushrooms (or 1 cluster oyster mushrooms & 1 cluster Maitake mushrooms)
6-8 Cremini mushrooms
2-3 tablespoons butter
1 can regular condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (NOT low-fat/fat free)
¾ cup of half-and-half or heavy cream
1/3 cup dry sherry
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 can French’s Original French Fried Onions

Preheat oven to 350.
Rinse & trim mushrooms (discard shitake stems or save for stock); slice. In a skillet large enough to hold all ingredients, melt butter & sauté mushrooms until they release their liquid & are “just” starting to brown a little. Stir in soup, half-&-half or cream, & sherry. Stir & simmer gently until mixture thickens a little, season to taste with salt & pepper, & gently fold in thawed green beans & approximately 1/3 can of fried onions. Transfer mixture to a baking dish (around 2-3 quart size) & bake for 20 minutes or until heated through, then top with remaining fried onions & continue baking for another 10 minutes or until onion topping is toasted a bit.
 
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