Thanksgiving Menus (Red velvet cake, diner, leftover, garden)

[Inthesierras]

We will be at my grandparents house for Thanksgiving. I am excited, we are having an Italian Thanksgiving like we used to when I was a kid. I miss having turkey along with gnocci, eggplant, etc. It will be the first time my kids have a Thanksgiving like that, so they are excited too.

[SeaDreams]

This is the first year DH will have to work on TD (new job) and we LOVE to cook together. Even tho it's usually just the two of us for TD we usually do the full spread. But this year we're going to tone it down it bit cause he won't be there to help - and it's not as much fun alone.

Don't have our full menu put together yet cause I'm not sure what to put with the duck.

- Roast duck
- Cooks Illustrated turkey wing stuffing (gotta have some traditional stuffing)
- homemade pimpkin pie

We're still working out what veggies and other items might be done.

[Sillypups]

I always make Thanksgiving meal... Hubby always helps. This year I'm just not into it.
Not sure what we'll do...

[Bunjee]

Originally Posted by Sillypups

I always make Thanksgiving meal... Hubby always helps. This year I'm just not into it.
Not sure what we'll do...

I feel ya, Sillypups. It's been a rough, busy, tense and intense year. I've got a big project due right after Thanksgiving. I know the whole purpose is to reflect and give thanks, but the ritual ends up being another thing to deal with! But if nothing else it's very important to my folks, so I'll get out of my own head as the holiday approaches.

There'll be the standard fare: turkey, ham, shrimp, grilled meat. There'll be the standard sides: mashed potatoes, a cold dressed vegetable tray with cheese, meats and dried fruits.

I'm not a huge sweets person but I'll concentrate on making some desserts and leave the main event for everyone else. I'm actually nauseated at the prospect right now since I made tiramisu for a Halloween get-together, but I'll make another one. I have a red tea powder. I think I'll flavor it with that instead of the usual Kahlua/espresso. Someone will bring pumpkin and apple pie. And I'll make sandwich cookies. It just can't be a huge production with phone calls left and right and some massive coordination effort.

If I were you, I'd just buy a whole duck from a Chinese restaurant and assemble a few sides from a deli. Then make just one nice side dish, like a four-cheese mac and cheese.

[domino]

Roast Turkey w/gravy
Oyster Dressing
Stuffed Mirlitons (w/shrimp)
Roasted Glazed Root Vegetables
Cranberry Compote
Yeast Rolls
Gingerbread Pudding w/hard sauce

[Caligula1]

On hand all day:
Chips and onion dip
Cheetos
Keilbasa
Vegi thins and or sociables crackers
Canned cheese (because my brother loves it)
Sliced chedder and Jack cheeses
Green and black olives

For Dinner:
Turkey with sausage stuffing
Mashed Potatos and gravy
Candied sweet potatos with brown sugar and cinnamon
Mashed turnips
Sweet corn
Carrots
and lastly brussel sprouts in cream sauce

Pies include but are not limited to
Chocolate cream
Pumpkin
Apple
Mince

A friend normally brings over a bananna cream pie also

[JustJulia]

Hi everybody. Is it ever too early too start thinking about what to cook for Thanksgiving?

I miss our big family get-togethers. We moved away two years ago, so now it's just us on holidays, although we do often have a single friend of my husband's over too. That makes six of us. I love to cook a big spread of food but it's not as fun when there are only six. Our next-door neighbors are moving at the end of the month, so I tried inviting all of them over, but they want to spend their last holiday together in their house after so many years, even if they have to eat Chinese food off paper plates--that's understandable.

I think I will make the following:

Turkey - of course. And gravy.
Stuffing - if my husband wants it. I've tried several types, from Stove Top to the dried stuff in a bag to making cornbread stuffing from scratch, and I'm just never that excited about it. If nobody else wants it, I may just skip it.
Mashed potatoes - I like Yukon Golds mashed with their skins on with butter, salt and pepper. A little milk and broth for creaminess.
Roasted Brussels sprouts - Trader Joe's has some beautiful big stalks of them.
Green bean casserole - I'm ambivalent about it, but my husband and friend love it.
Cranberry apple Jell-O salad - I made this last year and everybody loved it.

I like all these foods but they seem a little ... boring. Same-old-same-old. I want to make something inspired and different.

What are you making?

[Caligula1]

Turkey and gravy
Sausage stuffing (in the bird)
Mashed potatoes
Mashed turnips
Sweet potatos with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon
Corn
Carrots
Brussels sprouts in white sauce
And I'm going to try parsnips, most likey whiped up with a little cream and butter S&P

For desert..
Pumpkin and mince pie
Chocolate cream pie
Dutch apple pie and Key lime pie for Grandpa.
All pies except chocolate,pumpkin and key lime courtesy of Mrs Smith
Thete might be more who knows, depends on what everyone brings.

[B4U]

You're late to the party, but thanks for the add.
See this post:

Thanksgiving Menus

[LuckyGem]

This is my Thanksgiving Dinner menu:

1. Roasted pepper, endive and goat cheese salad
2. Pumpkin soup
3. Sweet potato souffle with marshmallows!
4. Delmonicos scalloped potatoes
5. Freshly steamed seasoned green beans
6. Creamed corn
7. Creamed pearl onions
8. Mom's Oyster Dressing
9. A very fine golden slow roasted free range fresh air "organic" turkey - 12 to 14 lbs.
10. Cornbread muffins
11. Homemade yeast rolls

I'll serve hors d'oeuvres - the puff pastry thingies with mushroom and onion and cheese to pass around, Trader Joes has some great frozen things to pop in the oven.
Two kinds of wine with dinner - Fume Blanc (for a white), Zinfandel (not the pink zin, the dark red zin)
A nice selection of booze for those who wish to have a drink or two before and after dinner.
Coffee afterward with some kinda pie dessert - Rhubarb strawberry, apple or pumpkin.