Thanksgiving menus?

Parent Cafe
21

<p>Thank you, thank you, thank you! This thread is getting me into the mood! </p>

<p>Here are the recipes I need from you all:</p>

<p>Over30 —>pistachio-jello-cool whip stuff</p>

<p>galwaymom—>mashed turnips</p>

<p>Dr. Drewsmom—>brined turkey (chez panisse recipe), garlic and goat cheese potato gratin, mulled cranberries (simmered in merlot w/ crystalized ginger and brown sugar)</p>

<p>Mootmom—>Wild rice and cornbread stuffing, with pecans and turkey sausage bits AND Mama Stamberg’s Cranberry Relish (and THANK YOU for the walk around the neighborhood idea!)</p>

<p>Momof2inca—>rich cous cous recipe (baked with Muenster cheese, pine nuts, garlic and spinich (sorry about your grandmother :frowning: )</p>

<p>lamom- wine works! Your mom sounds like my grandmother-in-law. We just eat before we go and avoid the macaroni and cheese at all costs- she’s 90 - and still cooking - nobody has the heart to tell her - LOL! </p>

<p>My mother is hosting. But, since my parents live just across the street, I contribute quite a bit. My signature is Aunt Jane’s Oyster Stuffing. </p>

<p>Aunt Jane was my dad’s sister, and my Godmother, who passed away from breast cancer in 2000. She was our family’s Thanksgiving hostess for more than 30 years. She and my Uncle Gary had a country house in New Jersey. Every year was the same - cocktails and dessert by the fire in the library, way too many people crowded around 2 tables in the dining room, Aunt Jane and I in the kitchen chuckling about my annual job as the governor of the place cards with various family members dropping in to request not to be seated near each other - too funny.</p>

<p>This year is our first year of coming together again after her death. For the past 4 years, people have gone away on vacations, gone to restaurants, sat home with pot pies, gone to homes of other friends, etc - it has been dreadful. </p>

<p>My mom is a the perfect hostess and a wonderful cook. My dad is great for keeping glasses full and saying a blessing to make everyone cry. Everyone from Aunt Jane’s Thanksgiving is coming - and then some. This is long overdue. </p>

<p>I love Thanksgiivng. It is my favorite holiday. The house is always full of visiting relatives. The kitchen is warm and fragrant with dishes being prepped to take to the home of whomever is hosting. I keep the lights low and the fire roaring on the eve before - when kitchen prep work is in full swing. We awaken early and head to the parade to welcome Santa and return home to fire up the oven and get going. Leaves are crunchy under foot. And, this year, a certain college freshman will be home.</p>

<p>And <em>I</em> might just try a few of the recipes above!!! Yummmm! Something is up with my oven - it won’t get hot beyond 190 degrees. Gotta fix that before Thanksgiving.</p>

<p>I am thankful for this thread!</p>

22

<p>I have reluctantly hosted the annual thanksgiviing event most of her life because one of my sisters is a horrible cook. There is nothing worse than seeing a large spread of food and knowing that none of it is going to be good.</p>

<p>Since I have always had flashbacks about the time she washed a chicken using dishwashing liquid when we were teenagers, I have always tried to avoid her cooking. I used to cook at home and show up at her house bringing dessert (by my younger sister caught on started coming to my house to eat since I cooked then ratted me out then one day it was at my house and has been that way since).</p>

<p>Coming from a large family you have to keep straigh what everyone likes and does not like soon the meal takes on a life of its own :
turkey with cornbread stuffing
(over 30 you can really hook up a box of stove top cornbread stuffing by adding some Parks hot and sagey sausage or Parks beef breakfast sausage- not the links, cook the liver and giblets from the turkey, some toast, cook it inside of the bird and it is like you worked really hard :slight_smile: )
A spiral ham
Pot roast (cook it in a crock pot overnight with potatoes and carrots
mac and cheese (about 6 different cheeses)
Collard greens with smoked turkey wings
string beans
wild rice
mashed potatoes & gravy
Yams
Potatoe salad
Rolls,
I used to bake: cakes, apple sweet potato and lemon merringue pies (I have since respect the fact that Mrs. Smith makes a pretty good apple pie and they are always on sale around thanksgiving). I have also gotten to the point that I pick up rolls and cheese cakes from Juniors and other desert items from the whole foods.</p>

<p>Some days I feel so dense because year after year I have made the same thanksgiving meal and the sad part of the whole thing is that my daughter really does not really care for anything on the thanksgiving menu other than the collard greens (doesn’t eat red meat, doesn’t like cheese except for lasagna.</p>

<p>I am not really in the mood to do all of this cooking this year, and D would be perfectly happy having crab cakes or linguini and shrimp scampi.</p>

23

<p>lamom, your post was hilarious (but I know probably a bit sad for you).
I remember my own grandmother’s thanksgiving dinners. Absolutely the worst ever. Everyone always says “my grandma is the best cook…” Well, not mine, rest her soul :slight_smile: . She had many other talents and was a wonderful woman, but cooking was not her forte.
Anyway, my mom is a better cook, but she just doesn’t like it the way I do. Plus I went to culinary school for a year so I think she is just intimidated as the only thing she really knows how to make well is spaghetti. </p>

<p>momsdream, the chez panisse recipe is identical to the “best way” linked by lizschup. My friend sent me the copy of the SF paper’s article about their test kitchen’s attempt to find the perfect bird and they decided the CP recipe was best. Me too!
I’m glad you asked about the cous cous…I was thinking that sounded good too!</p>

<p>**MULLED CRANBERRY SAUCE **</p>

<p>Makes 2 1/2 cups </p>

<p>1 12-ounce bag cranberries
1 1/2 cups fruity red wine (such as Merlot)
1 1/4 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
1/3 cup minced crystallized ginger
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves </p>

<p>Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and cook until liquid is medium-thick syrup and sauce is reduced to 2 2/3 cups, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Transfer sauce to bowl. Refrigerate till cold, about 3 hours. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover. Keep chilled.) </p>

<p>(From: Bon App</p>

24

<p>Sybbie, the part about washing a chicken with dish soap had me giggling too :D</p>

25

<p>

Thank you, momsdream. I, too, love that this day has remained about family, friends, thanks and - okay- overindulgence. But no commercialized spend, spend, spend, shop, shop, shop.</p>

<p>thanks to lamom for the great laughs (even tho it was poignant at the end).</p>

<p>Another foodie here who “goes traditional” for Turkey Day. My father’s best friend’s wife taught me the secret of great homemade stuffing - salting away, in the freezer, odds and ends of all leftover bread throughout the year. (She claimed to put the crusts of her kids uneaten sandwiches, peanut butter and all, in there!) Tear into pieces day before T-Day and use as base with sausage, mushrooms, celery, onion etc. plus Bell’s seasoning for great stuffing.</p>

<p>Wondered when someone would chime in with an oyster dish, (momsdream did) - very big here in New England. We do either Scalloped Oysters (very unhealthy, but very delicious) or an appetizer of Oyster and Scallions on Cornbread Toast if we’re in an elegant mood (and a small enough group).</p>

<p>Winter squash hasn’t been metioned yet? We do a whipped version with cream cheese, parmesan, egg. Yummy.
The kids love my cousin’s “vegetable” which is really dessert by another name- carrot souffle which has vanilla, lots of sugar and a brown sugar/butter crumb topping.</p>

<p>Pies are always over the top here, so everyone can have his/her favorite: apple, mincemeat, pumpkin at a minimum. Blueberry, strawberry/rhubarb and pecan can be added. Leads to the most important Thanksgiving dish: Pie for Breakfast the next day. :D</p>

26

<p>DrDrewsmom - now you’ve really got me in a quandary. That Potato Gratin sounds awesome. But we can’t give up the mashed potato tradition! Two potato dishes?! Soon we’ll have to eat Pie and Potatoes for breakfast :eek:.</p>

27

<p>heehee. Yeah, since H won’t be here on the actual T-day (and he is in charge of mashed potatoes :wink: ) I get to do what I want :stuck_out_tongue: . In other years we’ve done the goat cheese-garlic potatoes on Christmas. In fact last year we had those potatoes, garlicky green beans, Blum’s coffee toffee pie, and pistachio encrusted rack of lamb for xmas. OMG. Heavenly. Another year we did lobster tail for xmas. It seems we kind of do a fancy but non-traditional Christmas, but keep to the regulars for Tday :)</p>

28

<p>jmmom, we do both sweet and mashed potatoes. You can’t have too many potatoes! I use the leftover mashed ones for potato patties fried in a little olive oil. So you can eat them for breakfast! </p>

<p>Momsdream, I have to confess I don’t make the jello dish. My best friend always makes it for my kids (and me). But I will get if for you. (It’s known in our family as the “green stuff.”)</p>

<p>Sybbie, one year I sneaked water chestnuts into the Stove Top. Good think I had another box and that it’s ready in 5 minutes because we had to start over. I actually make two pans now, one I dress up for the grown-ups, one for the kids. I’ll try your additions this year.</p>

29

<p>Do I have enough baking dishes for all of this?</p>

<p>“Winter squash hasn’t been metioned yet? We do a whipped version with cream cheese, parmesan, egg. Yummy.” Making note! </p>

<p>And, jmmom—>“appetizer of Oyster and Scallions on Cornbread Toast”
Whoa! That stopped me in my reading tracks. Yummmm. </p>

<p>Sybbie, the turkey washed in dish liquid is too much! Tell your sister to take a seat by the fire and give her a glass of wine - she doesn’t belong in the kitchen :slight_smile: Doesn’t she know this? </p>

<p>What time does everyone serve dinner? We’re shooting for 2pm this year.</p>

<p>“Momsdream, I have to confess I don’t make the jello dish. My best friend always makes it for my kids (and me). But I will get if for you. (It’s known in our family as the “green stuff.”)”</p>

<p>Please and thank you.</p>

<p>“pistachio encrusted rack of lamb for xmas”…ok, UNCLE!!! Mmmmmm!!! I’ll need a wagon to get all of this over to moms.</p>

30

<p>Gratin for Xmas, latkes for Channukah, (our family celebrates both)mashed for Thanksgiving. I’ve got the potato thing sorted out now. Whew. Yes, we are like you - experimental for Christmas, regulars for Tday. No one cares what else is on the menu except for the latkes for Channukah. Don’t know why I even bother. hmmm, maybe I won’t.</p>

31

<p>The first year I knew my husband, I invited him and his sibs to my house for Easter (I know…wrong holiday…but you’ll see the reason in a minute). I made one of those layered jello molds that takes days to make because you have to let each layer gel before adding the next (one with cherries, one with pistachios, one with pineapple, etc). And we had a baked fresh ham. When he arrived (about 12 hours BEFORE the meal was going to be served, he informed me that he HATED jello (I wanted to throw it at him) and that his sister was a vegetarian.</p>

32

<p>Momsdream- Thank-YOU! Nobody has ever asked me for a recipe before,lol! Does that tell you anything? I think I erroneously passed myself off as a cook in this thread- now I confess, I am great at very few things in the kitchen- Thanksgiving is a concerted effort among my family members. As for the turnips- you boil them, you mash them, you throw in some butter, salt and pepper, and VOILA!
My mouth was watering at all of the contributions to this thread with the varied Thanksgiving menus that are far over my culinary head. Some day…:)</p>

33

<p>Does anyone remember Jello 1-2-3 (the jello dessert with the 3 layers)?</p>

34

<p>“The foam, the sauce, and the jelly-jammy”? How could I forget!</p>

35

<p>LA Mom: nice to know my family wasn’t the only one who ate somewhere else before going to my Mom’s for dinner… (My husband’s mom was a pretty good cook when she wasn’t drinking, but the year she went into alcoholism treatment the next day was spectularly bad.)</p>

<p>I’ve always maintained that I learned to cook out of self-defense. </p>

<p>We’re going to a very nice French restaurant in Vancouver, BC, Canada for Thanksgiving dinner.</p>

<p>But last night I cooked turkey in mushroom sauce and mashed potatoes. Yum. And I made pumpkin pie from my homegrown sugar pumpkins the week before.</p>

36

<p>I’m chuckling over the family stories…having grown up having Thanksgiving at my grandmother’s ranch, with abundant delicious food and thoroughly dysfunctional family members who yelled at each other…</p>

<p>The SFChronicle turkey sounds great but like so much work! I love the one I make, which is simply an old Williams-Sonoma herbed roast turkey–the turkey is basically just covered with Herbes de Provence, the cavities stuffed with lemon, onion, celery, parsley and more herbes–it is SO good. </p>

<p>Now I’m getting hungry!</p>

37

<p>**Pistachio-Encrusted Rack of Lamb **</p>

<p>3 1 oz. slices day old white bread
1/3 cup finely chopped pistachios
1 1/4 tsp. grated lemon rind
2 1/2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
2 1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (1 1/2 lb.) French cut racks of lamb (8 ribs each), trimmed
Cooking spray
Mint sprigs (optional)</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Preheat oven to 425.</p></li>
<li><p>Place bread in food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form to measure about 1 1/4 cups.</p></li>
<li><p>Combine the bread crumbs, nuts, rind, parsley, juice and 1/2 tsp. of salt in a small bowl.</p></li>
<li><p>Combine chives, mint, mustard and garlic in a small bowl.</p></li>
<li><p>Sprinkle lamb with 1/4 tsp. salt. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add lamb racks; cook two minutes on each side until browned. Spread half of the mustard mixture over meaty portion of each lamb rack. Carefully pat helf of the breadcrumb mixture into mustard mixture on each lamb rack.</p></li>
<li><p>Place the lamb on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 for 35 minutes or until meat thermomter registers 140 (medium rare) to 155 (medium). Place lamb on platter; cover with foil. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Slice each rack into 4 pieces. Garnish with mint.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>patient, actually that sf turkey isn’t that bad. I always do the brining and thawing at one time :wink: I clean out a big plastic cooler and put the turkey in and then make enough brine to cover it. If the turkey is already thawed ice cubes can be used to regulate temp. I have also put the cooler on our back patio if I think it might not be cold enough (can you tell I’ve made this a zillion times :rolleyes: ). Anyway, then it just sits overnight or 24 hours or whatever…then you rinse and roast :slight_smile: The meat is so moist it’s unbelievable</p>

38

<p>What a great threatd - I just finished dinner and I’m hungry all over again!</p>

<p>We have several “special diets” in our family, so we usually cook a couple of versions of everything. Sweet potatoes with and without the glaze, peas with onions and green beans with and without the added butter, dry stuffing and wet, cranberry sauce, one with sugar and one with sugar substitute, several salads, mashed potatoes, and a few different desserts, (pies and fresh fruit) including at least one sugar-free pie (Splenda is my friend. )
Fortunately, the extended family all brings something, which makes it easier for me, as I’m usually the hostess. We have 2 diabetics, 1 with a heart-wise diet, 2 vegetarians, a couple of toddlers who never eat what we expect them to eat, and the rest of us who eat practically everything. </p>

<p>I do a free-range bird with herbs and olive oil, stuffing the cavity with onion, celery, parsley (have to try lemon!) and cook our stuffings separately. We always have a lot of leftovers at my house even after we send stuff home with the guests. We also have a couple of wonderful cooks in the family, so with everyone bringing something, there’s always a new dish along side the old favorites.</p>

39

<p>Momsdream= regarding oven temp.did you self clean your oven recently. My Dacor oven has had that problem several times after self cleaning- would stop at 185 degrees. You have to call a technician to come out and reset the oven.
My old Kenmore oven was a lot less hassle but not nearly as pretty to look at.</p>

40

<p>“did you self clean your oven recently”</p>

<p>Mom60-</p>

<p>Yes! So that’s it - thank you. Call a tech, huh? Sheesh - maybe he can fix the dishwasher while he is here. I’ll never buy Frigidaire Gallery again. </p>

<p>Love these recipes! </p>

<p>Here is the Oyster Cornbread recipe for a crowd:</p>

<p>INGREDIENTS:</p>

<p>4 cups chopped onion
6 cups chopped celery
2 cup butter or margarine
3 pint oysters in liquid, drained & chopped (reserve liquid)
8 cups herb-seasoned stuffing cubes
8 cups cornbread crumbs
2 cup pecans, chopped
6 teaspoons sage
3 teaspoons thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
3 cans chicken broth and 1 pint oyster liquid </p>

<p>PREPARATION:</p>

<p>Saute onion and celery in butter or margarine. Mix all ingredients together well and pour into 2 buttered baking dishes. Cover with foil; bake at 325° for 50 mins. Remove foil and brown well (this is key so it isn’t mushy - if you cook it all in one dish, it will be mushy).</p>