Thanksgiving Menus: Where you at?

[Heidi]

So far it looks like we are headed for a fairly tradtional Thanksgiving spread this year. It is a mixed crowd so a lot of the side dishes are veg-friendly...So far, this is where the menu is headed - it is still a work in progress.

Cheese Plate: I think my sister (Heather) will bring a cheese plate - I'll let you know what she picks.

Green Beans: These also fall under Heather's domain. She likes to bring delicious, bright, simple green beans. She keeps it pretty simple, and tosses them in a bit of butter or olive oil I think, with a simple seasoning of salt and pepper.

I'm making the Vanilla Sweet Potato Puree. My new favorite mashed root vegetable dish. Does this mean we skip the straight-up mashed potatoes? Still up for debate, my sister might cry if there aren't mashed potatoes.

I think I might also make my favorite Crispy Sauteed Giant Beans with Greens.

My mom is on stuffing duty. She is great about doing a big veg-friendly batch outside the bird.

Dad's in charge of the turkey. It always looks straight out of a magazine.

Not sure about dessert yet...

How are your menus coming together? -h

[vici]

http://grafffamily.com/thanksgiving.html
A little carb-heavy, but "Hey, its the holidays"...
Just 3 of us this year. I still haven't decided on a soup to eat for lunch.
I like the cheese plate idea. Alot.
Because none of us are into sports, its a "Movie Marathon" all day...v

[Beribboned]

Well, I've decided to just make whatever I think is best.

I want to start with a couple of appetizers set out for guests to nibble on. I'm thinking...truffle pate with special flat flatbread crackers along with differently filled olives....which were a hit last year...plus it's super easy....paired with wine and selection of cheese.

I have not decided yet on the dishes but have been doing alot of research.
I've decided to no fry the turkey. But need a good turkey recipe. Any suggestions?

Side dishes: ???Not sure yet. But I know that I want some Grande Marnier (spelling?) liquor in the cranberry sauce! Thinking of maybe some type of oyster stuffer...or something with full flavors.
Dessert: Pumpkin pie with a walnut or some type of nut mixed crumbly crust. Not sure if I will do a 2nd dessert.

Will probably come up with full menu by next week. Will post later.

[Heidi]

B,

There is some turkey action in this thread:
http://101cookbooks.com/forums/viewtopi ... ght=turkey

-h

[Tana]

For the first time in my life, I am making reservations for Thanksgiving. We're going to Reno, getting the heck out of Dodge. So to speak.

We might do Thanksgiving with my ex and his family the following week, though.

[jegesmedve]

I am hosting a Thanksgiving dinner for friends/graduate students who aren't going home for Thanksgiving. If someone volunteers to cook a turkey, then there will be turkey. Otherwise, it's going to be all vegetarian. For the main course, I'm thinking of making the buckwheat crepes with portabello mushrooms, chard and lemon-tarragon cream and/or the wild mushroom ravioli with leeks, cranberries, and citrus-sage cream, both from the Rebar cookbook. I'm not sure about the sides yet. I'm also debating between making a traditional pumpkin pie or a pumpkin cheesecake for dessert.

[Ivyfree]

Thanksgiving is one menu we don't mess with much. It's once a year, maybe twice, that we have a turkey dinner, as DH doesn't care much for turkey, so we don't get bored. It's reminiscent, down-home "mom always did it this way" time, for us. So turkey with two dressings: classic bread stuffing, and "scurry," which is an oatmeal stuffing my mother-in-law taught me to make. Mashed potatoes and gravy, naturally. Sweet potatoes in some form. Hot fresh rolls. Lefse. Green bean casserole, which got added when I discovered my son-in-law loved it because HIS late mother always made it- I never had, but it got added to the menu, out of respect for the woman who raised a great son. Fruit salad. And pie, of course.

Side veggies get added, depending on what someone has a yen for; and since there is always more than one kind of pie, that changes. To us, the holiday means getting the family together. There are just some traditions we don't want to change.

[ChocolateChipKt]

Ours is also pretty traditional. Traditional roasted turkey; Mom's special cornbread stuffing with fresh cranberries, pecans, and mushrooms; mashed potatoes; pureed buttercup squash; steamed green beans, maybe with toasted almonds; homemade cranberry-orange sauce; and a mixed greens salad (which usually gets ignored til the next day.) Dessert currently is a pumpkin chiffon pie, an apple pie, and maybe a pecan tart. I'm trying to make a pumpkin cheesecake instead of the pumpkin pie, but I don't know that I'll be allowed to make something new.

[Mithrasana]

My family sticks with a traditional dinner as well. It has gotten significantly smaller since all my siblings and I are grown, but whoever I join always has the basics: roasted turkey, baked ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, potato salad, cranberry sauce, pineapple casserole, rolls and/or biscuits, banana pudding, and pecan pie. We also add various other side dishes: sweet potato casserole, broccoli casserole, corn, peas, macaroni, pasta salad.

[Beribboned]

How many dishes should I make for a party of around 8-12 people?

[barbara_ann]

A very traditional Thanksgiving for us as far as the menu goes.

Well, my mother-in-law who traditionally does the majority of the Thanksgiving meal has allowed me to take the reins. She's still going to fix some of the menu and we're down 4 with my sister-in-law and family going to her husband's family this year. So we'll have an even smaller gathering than usual.My family lives 3 hours away so we visit the following weekend instead of trying to travel with the maniacs.

So I'm very excited to take over the turkey since hers is quite dry and overcooked. She using the oven bags, which does decrease the time but it totally overcooks the white meat. I think we're skipping the cheese plate and veggie appetizers this year and having a mid-afternoon meal to encompass lunch and dinner though I am considering a pumpkin soup possibility but with 6 and half people (my 6 month old) there's already going to be so much food left over I don't know.

So I am preparing:
The bird to Alton Brown of Good Eats style - I want to try the overnight brine soak method and will roast in the oven according to his suggestions.
Cranberry dipping sauce - courtsey of Alton Brown
Cornbread dressing - handed down from my great grandmother
Sweet Potato casserole - another family creation except I roast the yams instead of using the can stuff and of course topped with marshmallows
Spicy, garlic green beans - better than the canned soup of green bean casserole and at least gives something green on the table besides the garnish!
Yeast Rolls
My husband still wants some of the canned jelly cranberry sauce too, weirdo!

My mother-in-law is preparing her two usual dishes and the traditional desserts:
Corn pudding
Oyster Dressing - I was first exposed to this 5 years ago, was a new one to me with my southern background, but my husband's family loves it.
Pecan Pie
Pumpkin Pie

Hopefully I didn't bite off too big of a bite and can make a wonderful meal. It's been 6 years since I last got to cook the turkey!

[barbara_ann]

I'm trying to make a pumpkin cheesecake instead of the pumpkin pie, but I don't know that I'll be allowed to make something new.

I recently made a Pumpkin Cheesecake that was wonderful! I found it on Martha Stewart's website.

http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=tvs6501

It wasn't too difficult and it turned out beautifully! Tasted even better. Served it with fresh sweetened whipped cream. Not a piece went to waste. I really like the crust recipe. She used crushed gingersnaps, one of my favorite cookies! So if your family allows a new dish or even just sometime during the season I totally recommend that recipe!

Barbara

[Beribboned]

Ok..so which way would you suggest to cook a turkey? Brining it or purely baking/basting? What have been your experiences? Pros vs Cons? And I reviewed one recipe that calls for brining 3 days in advance versus 24 hour brining. What do you think? And if, of course, you have a No-Fail turkey pleeser recipe...please do post it!

Thanks!!

[Beribboned]

Does anyone have a fabulous recipe for corn pudding that the can share with me?

Thanks!

[vici]

I am so excited about the Cheeseboard I will be serving on Thanksgiving Day!
I got the idea from Heidi’s Thanksgiving menu (above), and some inspiration from a lovely photo in the “Pastry Queen Cookbook”.
Serving a cheese plate can be an expensive endeavor; especially if you accessorize as I have done...but that’s what makes it so fun!
My taste in cheese runs to “mild”... There is a “triple cream - Pierre Robert”, like a brie. The idea is to spread it on a cracker along with some fresh honeycomb (the first of my accessories). A “Tintern Cheddar” that has been infused with shallots and chives (to-die-for). And a pleasant, semi-hard cheese called “P’tit Basque”. I am also going to add a Gouda, but no Blue Cheese on this plate.

Accessories:
the Honeycomb (from fancy food store)
2 square, rustic dark wooden trays to serve (Cost Plus)
Artichoke and Roasted Garlic Dip (from fancy food store)
Apple, Pear and Cranberry Chutney (Cost Plus)
assorted cheese knives and spreaders (Cost Plus)
sliced Rosemary Baguette (some toasted with olive oil, some not)
red seedless grapes
tiny organic pears
roasted garlic (too much?)
assorted crackers
and I will probably add a dry salami

I can hardly wait...v