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theriviera
11-19-2015, 11:42 PM
I can't believe there isn't a thread about this yet! I'm hosting again this year, which I love :). I found my list of recipes from last year but I don't remember anything but the cocktail. It was good, and clearly strong as I don't remember the food lol.

This is what I made last year:

Apps
Ham:
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-ham-in-slow-cooker-honey.html


Rolls

Hot Spinach Artichoke dip

Various frozen apps from trader joes (brie en croute)


Turkey:
Brine – fire & Flavor
http://www.marthastewart.com/353184/perfect-roast-turkey

Note: put broth at bottom of pan

Stuffing: - cook all components, keep separate on wednesday
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/mix-and-match-stuffing.html

Green Bean Casserole – Thursday morning, put in oven when
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/green-bean-casserole-with-homemade-mushroom-gravy-recipe.html

Mashed Pottoes (make Tuesday)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/goat-cheese-mashed-potatoes.html


Cranberry Sauce – Make Tuesday
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/cranberry-fruit-conserve-recipe.html

Sweet Potatoes:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/sweet-potato-souffle-recipe.html#sni-reviews

Reduce Sugar!

Ham

Drink
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/harvest-margarita-recipe.html

I will make the turkey again - other than that, I'm not sure! What are your tried and true recipes? I just read through the green bean casserole thread - I may punt and and make the Campbells version. My family prefers it even though I would rather make it from scratch. I may make the cream of soups from scratch and then use canned everything else.

petesgirl
11-19-2015, 11:54 PM
Ooh, fun. Thanks for the recipes!

gatorsmom
11-20-2015, 12:19 AM
Your recipes sound wonderful! I'm copying them for future reference!

I've ordered a Thanksgiving dinner. I decorate a tin for Halloween, I went all out for the twins' birthday parties (2 in one weekend a couple weeks ago) and now I'm ramping up for Christmas. I hand over the reins to someone else for Thanksgiving.

I remember reading a post here years ago about how a poster was preparing dishes for several days to throw this wonderful thanksgiving meal. When someone asked her how her meal turned out she said, after days and days of planning, shopping, chopping cooking and preparing everyone sat down at the table for 20 minute to eat the meal and then got up thanked me and went to the sofa to watch football. My goal is every year not to let that happen to me!

abh5e8
11-20-2015, 06:28 PM
I'm hosting again, but our menu is simple as I'm also working and on call all week. We have 4 adults and 3 kids coming to stay for 4 days, in addition to the 6 of us. Thankfully dh's parents and sister/family are super laid back. :)

Turkey: smoked at local BBQ place
Honey baked ham
Cheese potato casserole (shredded potatoes, CofM soup, sour cream, cheese, red onion)
Mashed sweet potatoes (c cinnamon and coconut oil)
Sauteed green beans (c bacon and onion)
Spinach feta cranberry salad
Cranberry pineapple jello salad
Fresh dinner rolls
Pumpkin, chocolate and apple pies

Apps: spinach artichoke dip, relish tray, deviled eggs

Breakfast: bagels, cereal, fruit and coffee

Wed night: tacos
Fri: pumpkin muffins for breakfast, turkey soup for lunch, pork tenderloin for dinner
Sat: breakfast casserole, leftovers for lunch and pizza out for dinner

I'm tired already. :)

fauve01
11-21-2015, 06:44 PM
Our neighbors are coming over so we are splitting the cooking duties. She is bringing the Turkey. Instead of Stuffing, she wanted to bring a Noodle Kugel that her mom served every year on Thanksgiving (even though it is not traditional T Day fare). She's also bringing cranberries and pumpkin bread.

I'm responsible for veggies and salad and mashed potatoes (Costco!) and dessert. I'm going to do sautéed green beans with almonds and onions. this recipe I think, although I may just buy the fried onions.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/green-beans-with-caramelized-onions-and-almonds-recipe.html

Our usual green salad, with feta, toasted almonds, and cranberries. Homemade vinaigrette.

Costco Pumpkin pie and homemade whipped cream. Heath Bar Saltine cookies (can make ahead).

I'm trying to decide what appetizers. my standard is Colby jack slices and crackers because all the kids like it.

Heath Bars
Makes approx 40 pieces

Saltine crackers (regular salted, not low fat or unsalted), about 1 sleeve
1 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
up to 12oz semi-sweet choc morsals


1. Preheat oven to 350 degreesF
2. Line a jelly roll pan (10x15-inch pan with sides) with foil and butter it well (or spray the heck out of it with nonstick spray). Place crackers in one layer on the buttered foil.
3. Melt butter and brown sugar together over medium low heat in saucepan. Boil for 3 mins, stirring constantly
4. Pour butter-sugar mixture over the crackers, spread evenly
5. Bake for 5 mins
6. Remove from oven and sprinkle with choc morsals. Put tray back in the oven for 30 seconds. Remove tray from oven and spread chocolate evenly over entire layer of crackers
8. Refrigerate about 1 hr
9. Remove from fridge and crack into pieces
10. Store in fridge or freezer.

abh5e8
11-21-2015, 07:42 PM
would you be willing to share your vinaigrette recipe? I usually use the Braggs apple cider and vinegar, basic dressing, but I would love to try my own.

oneplustwo
11-21-2015, 08:37 PM
I'm not hosting this year, and would have been down about that ( I LOVE hosting) but our oven died so I'm happy not having to worry/deal with that. I'm still waiting for word on what I'm supposed to bring, but expect it will be:

Slow Cooker Stuffing
Baker's Best Spiked Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry Sauce with Port and Dried Figs
Green Beans with Lemon Zest
Cranberry, Feta and Walnut Salad (dressing is so yummy)

No homemade pies or biscuits this year!

fauve01
11-22-2015, 12:50 AM
would you be willing to share your vinaigrette recipe? I usually use the Braggs apple cider and vinegar, basic dressing, but I would love to try my own.

sure! we like one like Ina's, with olive oil, vinegar, Dijon, garlic, and salt and pepper. like this: (you can tweak it)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/vinaigrette-for-green-salad-recipe.html

My mom always gets the envelope of good seasons Italian and makes that. tastes decent and fresher than bottled.

theriviera
11-22-2015, 01:05 PM
Does anyone have a favorite pumpkin pie recipe? Or am i better off picking one up from Costco?

elizabethkott
11-22-2015, 11:49 PM
Basically my entire Thanksgiving dinner is done by following Flylady's recipes. My dad brings the mashed potatoes (which are To. Die. For... I seriously suspect he laces them with crack or something...) and I do a string bean sautéed in butter with shallots thing, but other than that, it's Flylady's stuff all the way! The turkey is always fantastic, the stuffing I modify a bit by using Trader Joe's gluten free stuffing instead of Pepperidge Farm (and this year I think I might add dried cranberries), and her gravy is just insanely good.... As is the cranberry sauce.
I'm so excited for Thanksgiving!!!!!!

Aishe
11-23-2015, 01:28 AM
Does anyone have a favorite pumpkin pie recipe? Or am i better off picking one up from Costco?

This is our favorite. I only follow the instructions for the filling. I don't do the pecan and gingersnap business, although I'm sure it's delicious.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/great-pumpkin-pie-102231

lizzywednesday
11-23-2015, 11:48 AM
Does anyone have a favorite pumpkin pie recipe? Or am i better off picking one up from Costco?

I made Emeril's "roasted butternut squash pie with pecan crust (http://emerils.com/121083/roasted-butternut-squash-custard-pie-pecan-crust)" once, before stuff like Steen's Cane Syrup was readily available, and it turned out OK. The pumpkin pie-eaters liked it anyway. (I hate pumpkin pie.)

You can sub out a sugar or cheese pumpkin for the butternut squash if you absolutely MUST have pumpkin.

I guess you could also sub in canned puree if you don't want to roast it yourself.

OR ... just pick one up at the store. Frankly, I'd go with a pumpkin cheesecake, but that's due to hating pumpkin pie.

wendibird22
11-23-2015, 01:40 PM
We are hosting for group of 12 (our family included). DH loves to cook Thanksgiving dinner. So he's doing the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. Guests are bringing squash, rolls, snacks, wine, soda, cranberries (we all like the canned stuff) and relish tray.

lovin2shop
11-23-2015, 02:20 PM
This morning on the Today Show, they showed the "cheesecloth" method for basting a turkey. I still like to stuff my bird, so I'm thinking that this might help keep the meat moist with the extra cooking time. Anyone ever tried this?

http://www.today.com/food/5-stress-free-thanksgiving-shortcuts-food-wines-justin-chapple-t57521

oneplustwo
11-23-2015, 05:31 PM
Does anyone have a favorite pumpkin pie recipe? Or am i better off picking one up from Costco?

I've been making Sheila Lukins' pumpkin pie with crystallized ginger for years, usually with a homemade crust but works great with store-bought as well:

http://www.recipelink.com/msgbrd/board_0/2002/NOV/63313.html

Hands down my favorite recipe.

lizzywednesday
11-24-2015, 11:23 AM
This morning on the Today Show, they showed the "cheesecloth" method for basting a turkey. I still like to stuff my bird, so I'm thinking that this might help keep the meat moist with the extra cooking time. Anyone ever tried this?

http://www.today.com/food/5-stress-free-thanksgiving-shortcuts-food-wines-justin-chapple-t57521

Keep your kitchen well-ventilated because sometimes the cheesecloth smokes & will set off your smoke alarm.

About stuffing the turkey - Michael Symon showed a method on The Chew yesterday (http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/lemon-sage-turkey-with-savory-bread-stuffing-michael-symon) that allows you to get the turkey-drippings goodness from stuffing without drying out your turkey. If you've already bought cheesecloth, you can try the linked method!

theriviera
11-24-2015, 11:44 AM
This morning on the Today Show, they showed the "cheesecloth" method for basting a turkey. I still like to stuff my bird, so I'm thinking that this might help keep the meat moist with the extra cooking time. Anyone ever tried this?

http://www.today.com/food/5-stress-free-thanksgiving-shortcuts-food-wines-justin-chapple-t57521

I did it last year, following this recipe:

http://www.marthastewart.com/353184/perfect-roast-turkey

I still brine the bird but this put it over the top!

SnuggleBuggles
11-24-2015, 11:48 AM
We do Alton Browns turkey and he's anti basting, pro brining. Turkeys have always been moist and flavorful. ETA- we use the Fire and Flavor brine now.

twowhat?
11-24-2015, 02:42 PM
We do Alton Browns turkey and he's anti basting, pro brining. Turkeys have always been moist and flavorful.

We've been doing Alton Brown's turkey for the past few years and it's always turned out so well. In the past I've cheated and used the Spice Hunter brine (it comes dry, you dump it into a pot, boil it, cool it and DONE) but I couldn't find it this year so I'll probably be making Alton's brine.

In addition, mom is bringing honey-baked ham.

Other sides (pretty traditional) will be corn, roasted green beans, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, cauliflower cheese soup, some sort of bread or rolls, gravy (using turkey fat and drippings. I LOVE THANKSGIVING.

From Costco I will get:
pumpkin pie (will make whipped cream from scratch)
kale salad
fruit
probably some drinks
If they have the mixed fancy mushrooms I'm getting those too, so good...

lovin2shop
11-25-2015, 02:10 PM
So with all the good reviews posted here, I'm now planning to do the Alton Brown brine & the Martha Stewart butter & wine soaked cheesecloth turkey!

smiles33
11-25-2015, 08:54 PM
We are hosting and will have 25 guests. Given our Asian heritage, we add a few Asian dishes to the otherwise traditional menu. DH does most of the cooking (all the mains and some sides) and guests bring some:

- my brother and sister-in-law are bringing a cocktail prawn appetizer and his brother-in-law (whom we invited this year) is making some additional unknown appetizer
- DH's grandmother always makes inari (a Japanese appetizer which is basically sushi rice stuffed in deep fried tofu pouches)
- DH's uncle is bringing King's Hawaiian rolls
- smoked turkey
- sous vide turkey (DH marinades turkey parts and carves everything in the kitchen so we don't have a traditional whole turkey to carve at the table) This makes the breast meat so moist and tender!
- prime rib roast
- cedar plank grilled salmon with a miso glaze
- homemade sourdough bread stuffing with bacon and various herbs (which DH does not put inside a turkey)
- DH's mom makes a Chinese sticky rice stuffing with Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms, and green onions
- DH's sister makes a homemade cranberry sauce
- sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping
- my mom is making sauteed Chinese string beans and a Taiwanese fried rice vermicelli dish (stir-fried skinny rice noodles)
- DH's aunt is making dessert (we'll see what she brings this year!)

oneplustwo
11-25-2015, 09:06 PM
We are hosting and will have 25 guests. Given our Asian heritage, we add a few Asian dishes to the otherwise traditional menu. DH does most of the cooking (all the mains and some sides) and guests bring some:

- my brother and sister-in-law are bringing a cocktail prawn appetizer and his brother-in-law (whom we invited this year) is making some additional unknown appetizer
- DH's grandmother always makes inari (a Japanese appetizer which is basically sushi rice stuffed in deep fried tofu pouches)
- DH's uncle is bringing King's Hawaiian rolls
- smoked turkey
- sous vide turkey (DH marinades turkey parts and carves everything in the kitchen so we don't have a traditional whole turkey to carve at the table) This makes the breast meat so moist and tender!
- prime rib roast
- cedar plank grilled salmon with a miso glaze
- homemade sourdough bread stuffing with bacon and various herbs (which DH does not put inside a turkey)
- DH's mom makes a Chinese sticky rice stuffing with Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms, and green onions
- DH's sister makes a homemade cranberry sauce
- sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping
- my mom is making sauteed Chinese string beans and a Taiwanese fried rice vermicelli dish (stir-fried skinny rice noodles)
- DH's aunt is making dessert (we'll see what she brings this year!)

This all sounds fabulous! I may just have to figure out where you live and crash the party. :)

Corie
11-25-2015, 10:04 PM
This all sounds fabulous! I may just have to figure out where you live and crash the party. :)


I was thinking the same thing!! We need your address! :)

smiles33
11-25-2015, 11:22 PM
This all sounds fabulous! I may just have to figure out where you live and crash the party. :)


I was thinking the same thing!! We need your address! :)

Thanks! I'm very lucky DH is such a great cook and that our family contribute great sides, too. It makes me feel like I can't complain about the massive mess (he cooks, I clean, that's the deal!). :innocent: