<p>LOL about the jello mold. Something truely American I think. I’ve managed to stop having those at holidays although I think the “older” contingency misses them. Oh well. If they miss them enough they can make them… Like that is going to happen with the crew I’m with ;)</p>
<p>I’ve tried to skip the jello mold (the one with cream cheese, milnot and crushed pineapple) but the kids request it. For years I also made a very adult cranberry mold (made with Port) but I was the only one who liked it.</p>
<p>missypie…I also make a jello cranberry dish. Raspberry jello, can of whole cranberries, chopped celery, chopped pecans, chopped apples. My kids won’t go near it! ;)</p>
<p>You all are making me very hungry with your wonderful menus. No pressure on me this year. My M is hosting the meal and making the turkey. Each of us is responsible for some portion of it–ie BIL gets to make his yeast rolls and special apple pie, another sister in charge of a veggie casserole, etc. I’m on salad duty. We’ve shared the responsibilities this way for quite awhile. It’s a bit chaotic at times and requires some advance planning, but makes it easier for the hosts and is more relaxing. (Although I know my M will have a melt down at some point) </p>
<p>I’m picking D up in a few hours. I can’t wait to have her home for a long weekend.<br>
Happy Thanksgiving to all!</p>
<p>We don’t do the jello mold thing, but growing up in the midwest it was a staple at every event.</p>
<p>“For dessert I will serve Warm Vanilla Cider with whipped cream and honeyed walnuts. It has apple cider, brown sugar, nutmeg, vanilla bean and bourbon in it (or not). Top with whipped cream and honeyed walnuts.”</p>
<p>NM, I am going to incorporate that this year. Sounds wonderful. Now that everybody is older, I could probably stand to get a little more creative with my recipes. Our table is formal but the dress code has gotten more casual over the years. It used to be basic church attire, which around here meant the men wore a suit, children wore dress clothes but no tie, and the women wore a dress. Everybody was used to this drill once a week anyway, so not a big deal. However, lately we have migrated to sports coats with no ties for the men and dressy pants/tops for the women.</p>
<p>This is our first year without our oldest son. He called from Brazil last night to catch up. Needless to say, they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in Rio. H and S2 leave at 7 am Friday for a football game, so H will need the kitchen Thursday night to be boiling his brats and preparing his tailgate food.</p>
<p>TheAnalyst: Here you go!
[Warm</a> Vanilla Cider and more delicious recipes, smart cooking tips, and video demonstrations on marthastewart.com](<a href=“http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/warm-vanilla-cider]Warm”>Warm Vanilla Cider Recipe)</p>
<p>NM. Thanks so much!</p>
<p>A few years back a found a sorority “salad” cookbook from the 60s at an antique mall. It has the recipe for every jello mold known to western civilization. It’s just that you have to stop and think when it calls for a bottle of Coke - is it the small old bottle or a larger one?</p>
<p>LOLOLOL Missypie: coke??? I’m glad the jello mold hasn’t been around here for awhile. S1 has begun his journey and made it through leg one (of three). Poor guy has a 5 hour layover in Newark (don’t ask) but he’s being a good sport about it. He’s texting me all the time this a.m., which I love because it means he’s excited to come home! S2 will be flying tomorrow.</p>
<p>I feel like our menu is pretty boring compared to some of these, but I love it all. Thawing the turkey is on today’s plan–and getting some things to put in the inlaw’s motel room–they very sweetly offered not to put the boys out and stay down the street. I want to get them a few things and flowers for the room.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Sweet of them to offer, and sweet of you to fix up the room. Sounds like a sweet family all around!</p>
<p>Yeah, the coke jello molds are the ones that call for a can of dark cherries.</p>
<p>
ooh, just like cherry coke! yum! the ladies at the grocery check out this morning were debating the merits of various jello mold recipes, but I don’t think this one came up ;)</p>
<p>agree with missypie, sounds like you have a lovely family, SJTH!</p>
<p>I’m salivating just reading this thread today. Thanksgiving is at my house this year. As our kids get older, my sisters and I have a deal that whomever has the college freshman gets Thanksgiving so the kid can be with his or her friends. Well, this year I have the freshman, of sorts. My eldest just returned to school and is in law school. He asked if we could have Thanksgiving at our house this year, and seeing as there is no other true freshman in the family, our house it is! There will be 18 of us, 16 (+ 3 dogs) sleeping here! My D is in Austria, so we will miss her desperately as this is her favorite holiday. My parents and my son arrive tonight, one sister and her family and son’s gf tomorrow, the other family Thursday morning and son’s friends who have no family in town Thursday afternoon. Everyone shares in the cooking and the pie baking will commence Wednesday morning. We always have pumpkin, apple, pecan, and lemon meringue, while this year we will also have cherry and cinnamon chocolate cream. I swear the place looks like a bakery by Wednesday night. Too many sides, and of course, the turkey! It’s a ton of work, I’m obsessive about how the table looks, and we have an all day type of tradition so the festivities begin around the first kick-off of the day, regardless of who’s playing. Breakfast is “make your own”, but we prepare a huge repast of hors d’oeuvres for lunch, with sparkiling wine and cider. Then those that aren’t cooking head outside for a little driveway hockey (weather permitting) and then we reconvene around 6 (late for many I know) for our Turkey Day dinner. Dishes go on into the night, but nothing could be better, except maybe having my D here as well. Oh well, next year…but that won’t be here as my niece heads off to college in the fall!</p>
<p>It was pages back that someone described my mother…Norman Rockwell Complex indeed! Only hers manifests itself as. If only (a) can happen than everything will be perfect. She is 80 and though the variable has changed (a) has never happened and as a result she has ALWAYS been disappointed by celebrations.</p>
<p>We are having my brother and his wife and grown kids as well as my parents at our house on Wed. It will be buffet style and really casual. My other brother and his family will show for and bring dessert 
Then we go down to my SILs for a slightly more formal meal on Thanksgiving day itself. On Saturday my MIL hosts a big Christmas kick off party where she lights a huge Outdoor tree serves enchilada and Snta comes to visit. I do love this week. It is one of my favorites. I think I will even hit the mall for some Black Friday Action. :)</p>
<p>Girls got home last night. K arrived sick and E developed a fever over the course of the evening 
Hope they heal quickly maybe being home and plied with chicken soup and biscuits will help. They have been looking forward to being home so much seems unfair to be sick.</p>
<p>Just heard weather report. It has been unusually warm so far this November and now they are calling for snow on Wednesday and Thursday! Hope it doesn’t start early as D1 is driving home on Wednesday. Makes me nervous!</p>
<p>Oh poor Twin K and E!!! Take care of those girls so they get to participate in all the family traditions! Sounds wonderful!</p>
<p>HistoryMom: Too bad about the twins. I remember it seemed like every break when I was in college I came home sick. Worst was after the 2nd year when I drove 8 hours home with the flu. What was I thinking? Seemed like as soon as tests were over or finals I got sick. I even today think it was my body’s way of saying ENOUGH!!</p>
<p>Enjoying reading about everyones plans for the week. Sounds like so much fun.</p>
<p>Thank you all for being here through the past couple of years. There are times when I think this is what kept me sane through the time.</p>
<p>It’s so fun to read about all of your Thanksgiving plans! </p>
<p>I’m so excited about D’s arrival tomorrow morning. I managed to nab her for a few hours after her arrival to visit the Louvre exhibit, before she begins her rounds with friends. I believe we also get her most of Thanksgiving day and then we’ll make our own plans, with a few glimpses of her before she leaves on Sunday. I don’t mind her friend-filled schedule knowing that we will see her again in a few weeks. </p>
<p>Thanksgiving is just the four of us as other family is far away. I’m happy we’re not traveling tomorrow with snow in the forecast. I have to laugh at all the jello mold stories, I’ve always had jello on the menu for the kids, but think I’ll finally skip it this year. I wonder if there will be any protests? :)</p>
<p>NM- Just sent the corn casserole recipe on to my sister.</p>
<p>Hope everyone’s kids get home safely and that everyone feels better. It’s no fun being sick on Thanksgiving.</p>
<p>Northernwoods…we loved the Louvre Exhibit! The Vermeer painting was so crisp and clear, almost like a photograph! Enjoy the day at the MIA!</p>
<p>D2 went to class this afternoon to turn in her group project and found out most of the groups hadn’t finished!!! So Prof gave the class time as a work day! She was shocked. She handed in her group’s project and they were able to leave. Her profs are way more relaxed than her HS teachers!</p>
<p>Missypie and PRJ–wah, thanks Historymom, I hope they’re better pronto–dang, that’s a bummer.</p>
<p>I just bought the ingredients for the corn casserole (though I need a titch more sour cream) I’m shaking it up here in Portland! lol!</p>