The Official Thanksgiving Thread

Parent Cafe
101

<p>OMG Harriet! Well, sounds like it’s time to visit some family members or friends. A couple of years ago, we could not justify spending the money for five airline tickets and stayed home. My H promised to cook but we decided to make it festive and go out for dinner. (I could not bare just us sitting around the table when I’m used to a huge crowd of family!) All in all it was different, but we all agreed that we didn’t want to make it a habit. One year won’t kill you, it could be kind of fun if you’re creative!</p>

<p>NYmomof2sons, After the dinner out, our family professed it’s great appreciation for the home cooked meal, but we’re kind of weird.</p>

102

<p>My D is on the quarter system at DePaul, so she’s got two finals the day before Thanksgiving, and her flight home won’t arrive until just after 10 that night – assuming her plane takes off on time (and yes, I know we shouldn’t assume that). After she claims her bag (please, ATA, don’t lose it) and we battle traffic, it’ll be at least 11 before she finally arrives home for the first time since August. So for Thanksgiving, we’re not going anywhere. We’re staying home and her first dinner home, per her request, will be rib roast, baked potato, broccoli, and made-from-scratch cherry pie.</p>

103

<p>Sounds like a winner, sooz115! We always try to honor those kinds of requests. (I also made a sign that said "Welcome home, and made sure that that all their favorite foods were in the larder.) Have a wonderful time!</p>

104

<p>Thanks for the recipes they look great!</p>

105

<p>Can’twaitcan’twaitcan’twait.</p>

<p>Boyshomeboyshomeboyshome.</p>

<p>Whoo hoo!!</p>

106

<p>alumother - actually, I was kidding about something interesting in jello. It is that some relative usually shows up with some sort of jello creation that I would rather avoid and the kids usually joke about after they leave.</p>

107

<p>VeryHappy - I feel almost the same way, except that I still have my boys, so it’s GIRLHOMEGIRLHOMEGIRLHOME! (Household testosterone imbalance rectified! Someone to watch girl movies with!) :slight_smile: Not that I don’t love my guys madly - but the burping marathons get kind of old.</p>

108

<p>I agree on the burping marathons. Sheesh! My family members, even those in their 50’s and 60’s still do this only it’s a gas of another form! They have blue cheese and boiled egg card games in order to enhance the experience for all. Grown men! One year we had Mass on Thursday morning in a beautiful chapel. Many people had worked hard to plan it, and the kids had practiced songs etc. All of a sudden, one whole side of the chapel was laughing silently, shoulders shaking etc. You can guess why. Later they were trying to decipher who the guilty party was because no one would fess up. They had a white board out and we drawing diagrams and everything. It’s known in the family as "the old 96’er. These people are well educated, with families! It just goes to show that we all kind of return to childhood when we get together!</p>

109

<p>Some years I cook, most years we go out. It depends on whether we get enough people to justify cooking. If we cook, it’s still pretty simple. Turkey (with a few slices of bacon over the breast so you don’'t have to baste), stuffing (Pep. Farm with walnuts, apple, onion), green beans or broccoli (steamed), mashed potatoes, my father’s gravy recipe (giblets and I make stock in advance using turkey legs, and a secret ingredient…), pumpkin and blueberry pies with vanilla ice cream (all purchased).</p>

<p>This year D will be in Europe and I still don’t know if S is showing up or going to friends… Reservations are made but can be cancelled.</p>

110

<p>My mom has a secret ingredient for her gravy.</p>

<p>Worcestershire sauce. Equivalent I guess to an anchovy or two.</p>

111

<p>After some back and forth, a few years ago we decided to ditch the turkey and stay with chicken(s) for Thanksgiving. I know it isn’t traditional but chicken tastes so much better. I have a greek recipe with rosemary and lemon. </p>

<p>The rest is pretty standard- mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows and brown sugar on top, cranberry orange relish, corn bread and of course the chocolate pecan and pumpkin pies.</p>

<p>The one weak spot in our dinner every year is mashed potatoes. Does anyone have a good recipe for mashed potatoes?</p>

112

<p>Alumother: now it’s not a secret any more.</p>

<p>ViciousParent (nice name!): my mashed potato recipe is peeled boiled Yukon gold potatoes, mashed with a little salt and a generous amount of whipping cream.</p>

113

<p>My mashed potatoes are made with boiled and peeled Russets, whole milk, unsalted butter, S&P, and some dill (suppose you can add chives instead, but that is a stronger flavor). The key is not over mashing, or over stirring.</p>

<p>dmd, I think you might have misread vicarious as vicious ;)</p>

114

<p>My key to good mashed potatoes is no milk, only butter, and hot water at the end, boiling hot. The steam puffs them up.</p>

<p>Also can nuke some garlic, squeeze in the garlic goop, and stir for garlic mashed potatoes.</p>

115

<p>Phenomenal mashed potatoes: use half potatoes, half rutabagas.</p>

<p>This is so much more flavorful and pretty than straight mashed potatoes. Yukon Golds are terrific. It’s also impossible to add too much butter (from a taste perspective).</p>

116

<p>I like traditional mashed potatoes, but I also like garlic mashed potatoes, and I have had them with turnips. Youtube has several mashed potato videos, if someone cares to watch. I like mine made with butter and milk.</p>

117

<p>Thanks all for m.p. suggestions. I also found a blue-chesse mashed potatoes recipe on Emeril’s website, looks interesting. </p>

<p>The thing is SIL usually provides the mashed potatoes and she makes them from those instant potato flakes. Oh well there is always so much else to eat and I’m just glad to have the family over.</p>

118

<p>Vicarious- My youngest loves potato flakes and gravy from the packet.</p>

119

<p>Funny, I always have worcester sauce in my gravy, I did not know it was a secret ingredient. :slight_smile: For vegetables, I just want them to be very plain. No garlic in marsh potatoes and just boiled brussel sprouts. I’ve always served 2 types of meat dish: turkey and ham. The ham recipe is from Good Eats, husband loves the bourbon in the recipe.
[City</a> Ham Recipe: Recipes: Food Network](<a href=“http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_15538,00.html]City”>http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_15538,00.html)
The ham goes very well with rapini(Italian veg).</p>

<p>I also order pies instead of making them because I can limit to just 2 pies. When I make them, I do go overboard.</p>

120

<p>The craziest Thanksgiving ever:</p>

<p>My daughter is studying abroad this semester in Beijing, China, and my son just started a new job on the opposite coast two months ago and will not be able to come home. So I will have no kids at home for Thanksgiving this year :frowning: I usually have Thanksgiving at my house and make a very good dinner, all from scratch, but this year my husband and I are going to my sister and brother-in-law’s - their three kids will all be there, along with my mom. I was asked to bring a bunch of stuff, which I am glad to do. But I was not planning on cooking a turkey of my own this year.</p>

<p>By a strange coincidence, my daughter’s best friend’s parents are going to Beijing on a business trip over Thanksgiving week and they are leaving this Saturday. My daughter is very close with her friend’s parents, and she will be seeing them in Beijing. So tomorrow I am making my kids’ favorite pumpkin bread for them to take to my daughter (which they can share with her on Thanksgiving) and also some to mail to my son. (My daughter tells me that the students are going to cook a Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving, and my son is going to friends, so I am glad they will each be having a holiday dinner, even if not at home.)</p>

<p>By another strange coincidence, my husband currently has two visitors at work from his company’s research center in China. He thought it would be a nice idea to entertain them with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow night. I asked the friends who are leaving Saturday for China to join us, but they will be too busy packing to come, so I am making the whole shebang to have tomorrow night, for just the two visitors, my husband and me! It seems like I am fated to cook a Thanksgiving turkey, whether I plan to or not!</p>

<p>This is my menu for tomorrow: Grapefruit appetizer, turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans with almonds, carrots with parsley, pumpkin bread, cranberry muffins, cranberry sauce, pickles, olives, pumpkin pie, ice cream, cider, and cranberry ginger ale. </p>

<p>We usually have mashed rutabagas on Thanksgiving and I also make cranberry orange relish along with the cranberry sauce, and also apple pie, but I will not make that for this occasion. I am making way more than enough for just four people already!!!</p>

<p>So I guess we will be eating Thanksgiving leftovers all week BEFORE Thanksgiving!</p>