<p>We always have way too much food, and none of it is low fat or low calorie!</p>
<p>Turkey and sometimes ham also
cornbread dressing
giblet gravy
mashed potatoes with sour cream and cream cheese
broccoli and rice casserole
sweet potatoes with sugar, cinnamon, butter and heavy cream
My mom usually cooks turnips, but I think she is the only one who eats them
cranberry sauce (usually canned, but sometimes my mom tries a new recipe)
broccoli salad with peanuts, raisins, bacon and a sweet/sour dressing
sometimes cranberry salad with fresh cranberries, marshmallows, pecan, pineapple, cool whip
Sweet Tea/coffee
yeast rolls (usually frozen–I have not been successful with homemade)
pies–my brothers both love coconut, but whatever kind my mom and I decide to make</p>
<p>I have hosted Thanksgiving dinner for 30+ years and have a very set menu: roast turkey, fresh sage stuffing (which I bake outside the bird but baste occasionally with pan juices), LOTS of rich pan gravy, mashed potatoes, apple cider fruit jelly, cranberry peach relish. I outsource green veggie, orange veggie, breads and desserts. I used to do everything myself but finally decided to let others help, and the day is much more relaxed for me! Lots of good wine and sparkling ciders. Appetizers vary year to year but nothing too substantial. My kids’ absolute favorite is the turkey soup I make the next day - yum!! I’ll be missing DD this year, the first time she won’t make it home. Sniff.</p>
<p>@gosmom, glad to keep your kitchen smelling good! You one-upped me on this one though - I’ve only seen the picture not produced/cooked the item yet! Now you inspired me!!! </p>
<p>Combo of some prepared food from Costco and other prepared food from Mejers works fine here. And turkey is always soft and juicy, but I do not like turkey anyway. I like only pumpkin pie from Costco, nothing else at the Thanksgiving dinner is really apealing. I hate cooking also. I wish we can give away the most of our dinner, but everybody is in different cities, maybe D. will visit and take some of it back with her. </p>
<p>This is the first Thanksgiving my ex is not cooking. My nephews are not going home, so they are going to my mom’s place for the holiday. They are also bringing their girlfriends. My mother told me that maybe she should take us to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. Hmmm…no. I am not a cook either, so I just pre-ordered the whole meal from Freshdirect. It comes with a turkey, stuffing, mash potato, honey yam, roasted vegetables, string beans with almond, and apple pie. They’ll deliver everything the day before and we’ll just have to warm it up. I am not sure if I am going to tell the kids that I didn’t make the food.</p>
<p>We have a classic family story. My grandmother used to cook all the holiday meals. One year she had a job and didn’t have time to do all the cooking, so she had the meal catered. She didn’t have the heart to tell the guests. After everyone enjoyed the meal, her brother-in-law declared: “Rose, that was the best, you outdid yourself!” She took the compliment without a word. To this day, even years after her passing, someone will say “Rose, you outdid yourself” at most of our holiday meals.</p>
<p>Oh my favorite holiday with fourth of July being a close runner-up! My mom does the whole dinner and as long as I order extra turkey necks, my dad and I are happy. I have an apple pie recipe for those who don’t like to make a crust…I can make it in 15 minutes flat with peeling the apples. Been making it a lot lately with apple season upon us…too lazy to make a crust and they seem to devour it pretty quickly! <a href=“http://allrecipes.com/recipe/swedish-apple-pie/”>http://allrecipes.com/recipe/swedish-apple-pie/</a></p>
<p>This thread has some delicious suggestions, but according to D’s favorite Thanksgiving book, the food doesn’t matter . I was inspired by @oldfort’s post to remember Thanksgiving At the Tappletons. Does anyone else remember that one?</p>
<p>Traditions vary. The way it is “supposed” to be as well. I come from a turkey only at Thanksgiving- Christmas is brunch foods after Mass. Ham- with Christmas brunch (cold) and for Easter. I’m sorry poster a ways back- you just don’t do it right unless you do it MY way. Thanksgiving is the best holiday in fall simply because it is shared by ALL Americans regardless of religion. I like the concept- no need for any religious mythologies at all. </p>
<p>@wis75, a few pages back you had mentioned a cauliflower/potato/tomato dish - I think @veruca was curious as to how to make that - and I am too - is this something you could share? </p>
<p>We have switched to a diner for Thanksgiving because we go to my MIL who lives in an apartment. We did Thanksgiving a few times at her house, but she:
hates cooking
isn’t a good cook (terrible LOL - think gluey overcooked potatoes, heavy or no salt depending, dry turkey)
is really stressed out about it</p>
<p>We even bought a pre-made “just heat” dinner from a major grocery chain, and she like had no idea what to do, I had to do it all. And that stressed her out too. </p>
<p>So a diner it is, and people can get turkey or not. I am a rather good cook if I say so myself, so I have no problem cooking, but logistics force us not to have Thanksgiving dinner at our house.</p>
<p>What I have, when I have it:
turkey (1 min. per pound at 500 F, 10 min. per pound at 400 F, actually roasts it)
stuffing (homemade, either wonder bread or wheat wonder bread, milk, no eggs, lots of Bell’s, mirapoix - separate because when you roast the turkey, the stuffing doesn’t work right - just put it in for maybe 45 min. at 400 F at the end, checking it)
creamed peas and carrots and/or pearl onions
homemade cranberry relish, w/ or w/o orange (from fresh cranberries)
mashed potatoes (w/ garlic usually)
shoepeg corn
peas
sweet potatoes with brown sugar and marshmallows (plaintains with brown sugar is an alternative)
cole slaw (always, my mom always did)
applesauce (usually right out of the jar)</p>
<p>Pies
apple
pumpkin (there was a really good recipe I had where you separate the eggs, mix the yolks with the pumpkin, and carefully fold in the whipped whites - probably can be done with any recipe with eggs)</p>
<p>And I do the thing with the pot with cinnamon sticks and clove in it.</p>
<p>We also have a New Year’s Eve menu we use commonly, it’s really the only time I cook something special. Then again, prime rib is on sale on occasion, and if you compare the price in the store to that in a restaurant, you’ll cook it yourself (same recipe as the turkey above, but probably need a few more minutes to brown first, and be careful with the end time).</p>
<p>Cauliflower with Potatoes and Tomatoes recipe. Indian- Gujarat state version</p>
<p>modified from a Gujarati cookbook. I take as many shortcuts as I can.</p>
<p>1 # frozen cut cauliflower
1 medium potato (or 2 small red …)- microwave 3-4 minutes to cook, chop into small pieces. I use the skin.
1 medium tomato -chopped (or 2 small, or 1 large)
1 tsp black mustard seeds popped in a bit of oil (< a tsp)
pinch hing (asafetida)- optional
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric (all spices ground unless otherwise stated)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp red pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
2 Tbs lemon juice (I use Real Lemon from a bottle)- or a bit less, original calls for 1/2 lemon juiced
1/4 -1/2 cup water</p>
<p>Microwave cauliflower about 8 minutes.<br>
Chop into smaller pieces as desired.
Add chopped potato and tomato, mix.
Combine the spices with lemon juice and water, and add to vegetables.
Stir, add a bit more water as needed for enough liquid to coat veggies.
Microwave another 4-6 minutes, until cauliflower as soft as desired, stir to mix once or twice.</p>
<p>Can use more/less potato and tomato depending on sizes and veggie ratios desired. Likewise can use scant or a bit heaping measurements of spices, especially the red pepper, to modify taste/heat. This is not as hot as many Indians would like but mild enough for me.</p>
<p>I have a cauliflower and peas dish but since I dislike peas I no longer make it. I learned that most Gujarati dishes seem to use the same general spices- red pepper, salt, coriander and cumin plus/minus garlic, turmeric and ginger. A purist would grind fresh spices. Indian cooks I know use ground ones (a lot cheaper at Indian grocery stores), and they don’t throw them away every six months… Add the brand of choice for garam masala (mix of “hot” spices- tea masala is another common mix/masala) sometimes. I also dislike cilantro (coriander leaves) so I never use it, and substitute parsley whenever it is called for. </p>
<p>Most Indians pass cooking skills from mother to daughter without recipes and don’t measure. I was lucky to find this 1972 cookbook around 30 years ago in reprint. And I made my mother-in-law measure ingredients for a special family dish one time. Her handful and mine are very different in size!</p>
<p>Something we usually have that hasn’t been mentioned so far is either hot crab dip (we are in Maryland), or hot spinach artichoke dip. I agree with the wine first then everything else is great idea. </p>
<p>I need restaurant suggestions for Seattle- near downtown/Lake Union is the area we will be in. Son does have a car. Buffets better than turkey only choices. We’re visiting son who has a studio apt (he downsized from a one bedroom - he can afford it but is frugal) and I certainly do not want to cook there. E-mailed son to find one but knowing him he won’t until the last minute, if at all. H and son are not foodies but I want more than just regular food on T’day.</p>