Outdoor thanksgiving menu - updated

[doberbrat]

We have made orange stuffed sweet potatoes if you would like a way to have individual servings of sweet potato. We use the recipe from the December 2006 Holiday Issue of Cuisine at Home -- which I haven't been able to find online, but could look for it at home if you want..... but, there are lots of other orange stuffed potato recipes you can find online if you want to try this.

I'd love to see it if its not too much trouble

[Kestrel]

I was thinking turkey pot pies; but reading this thread I think empanada would be easier to serve. If you have Smart & Final near you, they used to have mini pie/tart shells ready-to-fill as well as phyllo shells, which are fun but a bit expensive for that you get.
If you have vegetarian guests (or not!) butternut squash soup is pretty easy and seasonal...could serve in coffee mugs. (doesn't everyone have far too many coffee cups?)
You could do pumpkin pie in phyllo or tart shells, or cranberry coffee cake...
Don't forget hot apple cider would be great outdoors. (crock pot works great for this!)

I'll keep thinking...

[carolinamama]

I love all these ideas and may incorporate some for our outdoor Thanksgiving meal with my parents. Basil - I'm glad you found a way to have family together.

We were only doing only outdoor byob meals with them until a few weeks ago we actually shared food. It was family-style takeout, still only outdoors, sitting at distanced tables. Everyone washed hands, put on their masks, and they served first. Then our family went through but I served the kids. We will have to see how we are all feeling in November. Not sure if that's an option for you all.

[erv917]

These could be be fun!

https://damndelicious.net/2019/11/30...iving-sliders/

[Percycat]

I'd love to see it if its not too much trouble

Here you go Doberbrat -- I hope your family enjoys:

Sweet Potato Orange Cups - makes 8, Total time: 1 hour

For the cups -
Prepare: 8 oranges

Mash together:
4 cups canned sweet potatoes, drained
1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
1 cup orange juice (from prepared orange cups)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs beaten
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 t. kosher salt

For the topping -
Toast; add -
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/3 stick unsalted butter (4 T)
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c light corn syrup
1/2 t. kosher salt

off heat, stir in:
1/4 c bourbon
1 t. vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven 375
2. Prepare oranges by first slicing of 1/8" of from the bottom of each (this keeps them from rolling over). Flip the orange over, remove the top third, and scoop out and juice the flesh, reserving juice for the potato filling. (Use a spoon to separate the pulp from the rind. Be careful not to pierce through the bottom of the orange.
3. Mash the sweet potatoes and next 7 ingredients together in a bowl. Fill the orange cups with the potato mixture, then arrange on a baking sheet (cups may be assembled 1 day ahead). Bake 45 minutes, until the tops begin to brown. Meanwhile, prepare the topping.
4. Toast pecans in a saute pan over medium heat for 2 minutes, or until aromatic. Add the next 4 ingredients; cook until syrupy.
5. Off heat, stir in bourbon and vanilla (to avoid risk of flaming). Return to heat for 1 minute, then spoon mixture over the baked orange cups.

[Percycat]

I received an email today with a link to the orange cup recipe.... here it is with pictures:
https://www.cuisineathome.com/recipe...o-orange-cups/

[basil]

Thanks, everyone, these all sound delightful! I really liked the idea of turkey empanadas, and I have never heard of those sweet potatoes in orange cups but those look delicious too. My kids may even eat it if I threw a few marshmallows on top.

But unfortunately, my party idea was rejected. My brother and my cousin have decided that my family and I are still too dangerous to hang out with even outside and masked. It doesn't make much sense since my brother is happy to send his kids over here to play with my kids even indoors. My cousin has accused me of "risking our grandmother's life" and I'm just tired, and hurt. The overall mortality of a 99 year old in 2017 was 29%. Which means there's a good 1 in 3 chance we won't get another go at Thanksgiving, maybe even more in COVID times. She lives in an independent living apartment where they do meals and such for her, and I'm sure they will have some sort of Thanksgiving activity, and I'm sure she will go. It's undoubtedly more dangerous than my backyard.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. I'm off to rage shop now.

[Philly Mom]

Thanks, everyone, these all sound delightful! I really liked the idea of turkey empanadas, and I have never heard of those sweet potatoes in orange cups but those look delicious too. My kids may even eat it if I threw a few marshmallows on top.

But unfortunately, my party idea was rejected. My brother and my cousin have decided that my family and I are still too dangerous to hang out with even outside and masked. It doesn't make much sense since my brother is happy to send his kids over here to play with my kids even indoors. My cousin has accused me of "risking our grandmother's life" and I'm just tired, and hurt. The overall mortality of a 99 year old in 2017 was 29%. Which means there's a good 1 in 3 chance we won't get another go at Thanksgiving, maybe even more in COVID times. She lives in an independent living apartment where they do meals and such for her, and I'm sure they will have some sort of Thanksgiving activity, and I'm sure she will go. It's undoubtedly more dangerous than my backyard.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. I'm off to rage shop now.

You should rage. Chances are your cousin is engaging in more risky behavior than you are.

[nfceagles]

Wow! I thought this was such a lovely idea and I’m being more careful than most. I would have expected push back to have come more from people wanting to be comfortable indoors instead. So sorry. I think this is going to be a very difficult holiday season for families trying to come to some sort of agreement.


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[SnuggleBuggles]

Can you simply have just grandma over and not invite the other people? Fewer people is better anyway. Keep your plan and ditch the naysayers.