What is on your Thanksgiving table?

[cville]

I'm in a mood, because my first thought was "the souls of my enemies."

Have I mentioned that I'm in the anger stage of post election grief.

[jayhawkbecca]

cheese, sausage crackers
taco dip with chips
mini ham sandwiches to tide everyone over until 4pm dinner

turkey
sausage cornbread stuffing
"regular" stuffing
gravy
cranberries
mashed potatoes
mac n cheese
rolls
poppy seed bread
fruit cup
deviled eggs

cherry pie
pumpkin pie
cookies for the kids

[katb]

Pretty traditional menu. But I love seeing all the different ideas here.
14 people

Apps - relish tray, veggie tray (to look like a turkey because we are cheesy) with hummus, chips, dip, caprese, meats/cheese. I am making these cute "turkey" out of salami slice, cheese round and olive. You bunch it up and put a wood pick in it to look like a turkey. Let's hope I nail it. Also making turkey out of m and m, reese pieces and netting. We are making these on Saturday when I am watching my new grandaughter (she is 5). She will help me make them for the table.

Meal -
Fried turkey
kielbasa, saurkraut, pierogies
brussel sprouts with balsamic glaze (bacon on the side)
green bean casserole
stuffing
mashed potatoes
loaded mashed cauliflower
cranberry sauce
rolls
gravy

Dessert -
pumpkin pie
apple maple cheddar pie
ice cream

Wine, wine and wine. Beer for the others.

[heygrey]

If anyone wants a variation of scalloped potatoes, these are a hit every time I serve them: chipolte gouda scalloped sweet potatoes

www.ambitiouskitchen.com/chipotle-gouda-scalloped-sweet-potatoes/

[mrsukyankee]

There will be just four of us and we all eat almost anything.

Drinks - wine, beer, cider (alcoholic over here)

Apps - smoky spiced eggplant dip with pita bread, carrots and other veg with chickpea and red pepper dip

Mains - start with pumpkin soup (spicy), then turkey with bacon, cranberry sauce, garlic roasted brussel sprouts, roast carrots, mash potatoes, gravy

Dessert - apple pie

[underwaterrhymes]

Nov 13, 2024 4:53:19 GMT -5 mrsukyankee said:

There is just four of us and we all eat almost anything.

Drinks - wine, beer, cider (alcoholic over here)

Apps - smoky spiced eggplant dip with pita bread, carrots and other veg with chickpea and red pepper dip

Mains - start with pumpkin soup (spicy), then turkey with bacon, cranberry sauce, garlic roasted brussel sprouts, roast carrots, mash potatoes, gravy

Dessert - apple pie

I want to eat at your house.

[sadie]

It's usually just the four of us, 2 of which don't really like the standard Thanksgiving fare. I make it anyway. The one side I make that is slightly different is roasted Brussels sprouts with cinnamon butternut squash. It is perfect if you like sweet, salty, savory. I sub dried tart cherries for dried cranberries.

juliasalbum.com/roasted-brussels-sprouts-cinnamon-butternut-squash-pecans-and-cranberries/

I play around with pies. Pumpkin always. Sometimes a chocolate pie, sometimes a chocolate pecan pie, sometimes a bourbon pecan pie.

This year we are having ham.

[candreco]

I LOVE Thanksgiving food, and always have to hold myself back a little on sides. I often do a second basically full meal on Sat or Sun with leftover turkey just so I can do more sides.

Drinks: I've done apple cider bourbon mules the last couple of years, but might go with apple cider old fashioneds

Dinner (late lunch for us):
two turkeys- one dry brined and roasted (may just do a breast), one smoked
gravy w/ homemade turkey stock
my grandma's dressing w/ sausage
mashed potatoes
butternut squash and leek gratin
shaved brussels salad w/ craisins and shallots
from-scratch green bean casserole
cranberry sauce w/ ginger and orange
rolls

Dessert:
my mom brings pecan pie
I usually make a pumpkin gingerbread cake w/ salted caramel sauce

Evening snack:
white cheddar cranberry dip
crackers/pretzels
apple slices
bacon wrapped dates
veggies and ranch
pickles, olives, etc.

Other sides I'd make if there were more people/for a second meal:
balsamic roasted brussels sprouts
maple-glazed baby carrots
spicy-sweet mashed (or roasted) sweet potatoes
kale, apple, and crispy cheddar salad
potatoes au gratin

[shauni27]

Nov 12, 2024 15:19:35 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

Kugel

ha! We always do a savory kugel for Thanksgiving, too!

Nov 12, 2024 15:56:04 GMT -5 dcn said:

Broccoli casserole

care to share this recipe?

Some of y'all really go all out! I cannot fathom that much food lol.

[simpsongal]

I'm hosting, 6 adults 2 kids

Make ahead: made turkey stock and froze it for gravy & stuffing, making pie crusts this week. Days before Thanksgiving dry brine turkey.

Thanksgiving Eve: Bake off the pies - watch Planes Trains and Automobiles

Thanksgiving morning - football in the yard w/the kiddos, Macy's parade on in the background - COOKING

Drinks: DH will make a cocktail to serve and then bring on the wine

Apps: I want to eat around 2pm, so apps will be light pickins, like crackers, olives, maybe a cheese.

Main:
Dry brined turkey w/shallot white wine gravy
Sausage & herb stuffing
Cream cheese smashed potatoes (DH will make)
sauteed green beans - probably with a nut like pine nuts & gremolata
*Crispy shallot/herb topping for sides
sweet potatoes - not sure how to prepare yet, maybe streusel topping
cranberry compote (MIL will make)
Bread (in laws will buy/bring)
Cauliflower & cheese mash (mom might make, family recipe)

Dessert: After a walk...
homemade pumpkin streusel pie
homemade fruit pie....undecided, maybe apple cranberry? or cherry

ETA* Wapo featured sweet potato in orange cups (?!) - apparently a classic that I need to try
Found an Emeril recipe, I might omit the booze though: www.emerils.com/124958/brandy-and-orange-mashed-sweet-potatoes-orange-cups

Eta2- I forgot I might make pineapple casserole. It’s a classic and somehow works

[litebright]

It is just four of us this year, we aren't traveling or expecting guests. We still cook for an army, DH and I both love cooking together for the holidays. 

We don't typically do appetizers or a drink beyond a nice bottle of wine. If I do a mocktail it will probably be some kind of cranberry-based drink. We definitely have our traditional favorites but I also love to try one new thing each year, usually a different side or dessert. 

Main meal: 
- Turkey. DH brines and uses an Alton Brown recipe. 
- Mashed potatoes. DH makes two versions, one with a ton of milk/butter/cheese and one with chicken broth for me since I can't have dairy.
- Sausage stuffing made from scratch. This is DH's thing, he loves stuffing and the rest of us can take it or leave it. This year, though, one of the recent Cook's Illustrated had a GF cornbread sausage stuffing that I am tempted to try. 
- Brussels sprouts w/bacon is my go-to TDay vegetable. 
- Cranberry sauce from scratch. This is my thing, I love cranberry sauce and often make a standard version and one with orange or Grand Marnier or something a little different. I saw one version that includes clementines and is more of a cranberry relish, I may try that one this time. 
- Bread. DH bakes a loaf from scratch. DD2 has gotten expert at making focaccia, so I wouldn't be surprised if she insists on adding a second bread option. 

Dessert: 
- The only question is how many pies DD1 and I make, and which ones--that's TBD at this point. Apple and pumpkin are the go-to flavors. Pumpkin praline (a mash-up of pumpkin pie + pecan pie) has been a slightly non-traditional winner in the past few years. Sometimes I make a French apple tart instead of a pie. 

[sonrisa]

We will be 12-18 people
Turkey (hostess)
Ham (hostess)
My mom's terrible stuffing (don't tell her)
Gravy (me)
Instapot mashed potatoes (me)
Cranberry relish (me)
spiced sweet potatoes (me)
green beans and roasted shallots (I think. me)
Box Mac and Cheese if my cousin comes (my daughter. his teens are picky eaters)
Apple pie (me)
Pumpkin Pecan bars with ginger crust (me)
Green salad if a specific guest comes (she makes it. I just have too much going on to include it.)

I'm considering adding roasted acorn squash wedges (cooked with salt, pepper, a little butter and marmalade)

[wildrice]

It's been 4 years since I had Thanksgiving food, so this year I am cooking for myself and my H. We are not truly celebrating thanksgiving (we will be in Jamaica) so the plan is to cook this coming weekend.

I am making turkey (probably smoked), mashed potatoes, stuffing, and real cranberry sauce. Probably some gravy and a veggie of some kind - maybe roasted carrots? I figure this will make a nice dinner for us and then leftovers for the week. But I am not doing appetizers or deserts because of this! I will save those for Christmas.

[dexteroni]

We have the basics catered, and that’s a very traditional menu - turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, one veg side, pumpkin pie. We like it because it frees up the oven and alleviates a lot of the cooking duties. Then whoever wants to make a dish can make one. This year isn’t finalized yet, but our typical contributions are Lebanese rice pilaf, cinnamon apples, corn casserole, a second veg, a cranberry orange dish that can either be eaten with turkey or by itself, pecan pie, and there are usually one or two other desserts.

ETA: Appetizers are generally pretty standard - veg tray, cheese and cracker tray, etc. Those are up to whoever’s hosting so they can vary but we don’t do too much. We prefer to save it for the main event.

[tacokick]

I’m at a loss. This is the first holiday season without either of my parents, who we normally spent it with. My MIL is flying to LA for it for some reason? Neither of her children live anywhere near there.

We are hosting fake Christmas early in December and by request making turkey, pineapple cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stuffing balls, sauerkraut, roasted squash etc so I don’t want to make all that twice in like 10 days.

I can’t decide if I want to make something not Thanksgiving-y or go really off book and order something like bagels, whitefish and lox from Russ and Daughters or something.

[dexteroni]

(((hugs))) tacokick. The first holiday after a loss is so hard. If I were you I’d totally go non traditional. I love the Russ and Daughters idea, or maybe an all appetizer / finger food spread, or an alternate fancy dinner like beef tenderloin or rack of lamb.

[tacokick]

Nov 13, 2024 13:41:55 GMT -5 dexteroni said:

(((hugs))) tacokick. The first holiday after a loss is so hard. If I were you I’d totally go non traditional. I love the Russ and Daughters idea, or maybe an all appetizer / finger food spread, or an alternate fancy dinner like beef tenderloin or rack of lamb.

Thanks! It is so weird to think about.

I think you are right and nontraditional will be where it’s at. Lamb sounds tempting.

[Nugget T. Brain, The OG]

GRANDMA NUGGET'S MAC AND CHEESE.

THE HOLIDAY STAPLE.

[zizibet]

Going to Sil's, so just bringing dessert.

Bourbon Pecan Pie
Maple Chai Sweet Potato Pie
Salted Honey Pie
Mexican Hot Chocolate Pie with Spiced Whip Cream
Vanilla Whip Cream.
Outsourcing all of it except for the pecan pie, because SO wants to keep the bakery one here for us.

Other than that, fried turkey, which ugh., and who knows.

If anyone's looking for a good, not too sweet seasonal pitcher cocktail, Smitten Kitchen's Apple Cider Sangria smittenkitchen.com/2015/11/apple-cider-sangria/

or her Fairytales of New York are good seasonal options. smittenkitchen.com/2014/12/fairytale-of-new-york/

[whattheheck]

Nov 13, 2024 14:27:34 GMT -5 Nugget T. Brain, The OG said:

GRANDMA NUGGET'S MAC AND CHEESE.

THE HOLIDAY STAPLE.

THANK YOU!!!  I was getting all worked up over not seeing this.  How is it NOT on all the tables?

[whattheheck]

I need some recipes please. This year I am not hosting for the first time in several years so I only have to make one or two things instead of a whole buffet! Grandma Nugget's Mac and Cheese is a given and doesn't count towards what I am bringing. It's because my super picky eater kids will gobble it down and then I don't have to deal with the whining that there's nothing to eat.





tacokick, pineapple cranberry sauce sounds delicious!

candreco, white cheddar cranberry dip sounds decadent!
pierogigirl - cranberry -apple casserole that can be a side or dessert is my kind of thing!


Thank you!

[mommyatty]

@@@ While everyone else is eating, my 12 year old daughter and I will be on a plane on Thanksgiving to Florida for a field hockey tournament. So we are doing a smaller than normal Thanksgiving on Wednesday and leaving the hubs and little brother with leftovers.

Turkey breast in the crockpot
Roasted Brussels sprouts
Roasted carrots
Mashed potatoes
Stuffing

Dessert is a pumpkin pie (Libby’s recipe from the can) and a chocolate pound cake

[tacokick]

whattheheck

The cranberry sauce is really good and easy!

Basically we bring
12 oz whole cranberries
1 cup pineapple wedges
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated

to a boil, and reduce the heat and simmer until it’s thick.

I normally use fresh pineapple if I can find a good one but canned works too.

[dcn]

Nov 13, 2024 8:51:40 GMT -5 shauni27 said:

Nov 12, 2024 15:19:35 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

Kugel

ha! We always do a savory kugel for Thanksgiving, too!

Nov 12, 2024 15:56:04 GMT -5 dcn said:

Broccoli casserole

care to share this recipe?

Some of y'all really go all out! I cannot fathom that much food lol.

1 med onion, diced
8 oz sliced mushrooms
2 TBS butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup water
1/3 cup rice
16 oz broccoli (I use frozen, and cook it halfway before adding)
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups shredded cheese - I use a mix of cheddar, mozzarella, and Munster

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Sautee onion and mushrooms in butter until soft
2. In 9x13 pan combine soup, water, rice and salt
3. Add cooked onions and mushrooms along with broccoli, mix
4. Cover with foil and bake for 30 min
5. Uncover and add cheese, bake an additional 15 min

[candreco]

Nov 13, 2024 15:53:26 GMT -5 whattheheck said:

candreco , white cheddar cranberry dip sounds decadent!

It's 2 cups shredded white cheddar, 8 oz cream cheese, and 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard mixed, then 1/4-1/2 cup cranberry sauce (canned or homemade) swirled in. Top with more cheddar and bake until gooey in whatever oven temp is convenient. 

[zizibet]

Nov 13, 2024 15:42:26 GMT -5 whattheheck said:

Nov 13, 2024 14:27:34 GMT -5 Nugget T. Brain, The OG said:

GRANDMA NUGGET'S MAC AND CHEESE.

THE HOLIDAY STAPLE.

THANK YOU!!!  I was getting all worked up over not seeing this.  How is it NOT on all the tables?

In my case, because I'm eating with assholes who don't deserve it. (Not T---pers, just garden variety)

[childofhiphop]

Nov 12, 2024 18:04:06 GMT -5 dontlook said:

Apps: no apps. Starve until food is ready. It’s tradition lol.

Dinner:
Turkey
Dressing
Mac n cheese
Candied yam
Collard greens
Rolls
A random veggie my mom makes. She insists on something new each year.

Dessert:
Sweet potato pie
Cheesecake
Apple pie

I’ll host again. There are usually only 11 of us.

Finally someone with the all-important Mac & Cheese!

Our menu is almost the exact same except for the desserts. We’ll have pineapple upside down cake, peach cobbler and a sugar-free something (last year I made sugar free sweet potato pie with the Splenda for baking that was pretty tasty). 

[dontlook]

Nov 16, 2024 14:14:01 GMT -5 childofhiphop said:

Nov 12, 2024 18:04:06 GMT -5 dontlook said:

Apps: no apps. Starve until food is ready. It’s tradition lol.

Dinner:
Turkey
Dressing
Mac n cheese
Candied yam
Collard greens
Rolls
A random veggie my mom makes. She insists on something new each year.

Dessert:
Sweet potato pie
Cheesecake
Apple pie

I’ll host again. There are usually only 11 of us.

Finally someone with the all-important Mac & Cheese!

Our menu is almost the exact same except for the desserts. We’ll have pineapple upside down cake, peach cobbler and a sugar-free something (last year I made sugar free sweet potato pie with the Splenda for baking that was pretty tasty). 

We need to mix up our dessert game. A pineapple upside down cake and the drink both sound like great additions to my spread.

[eb777888]

We do a very traditional, boring, but delicious Thanksgiving!

H is spatchcocking two chickens. I have developed an aversion to TG turkey, so chicken it is.
cornbread stuffing/dressing
mashed potatoes and gravy
mac and cheese
green bean casserole- not fancy, the canned French green beans with cream of crap.
pumpkin pie
**David will bake something, no idea what.
Barely a green to be found, lol. Thanksgiving carbs are my absolute favorite and I missed out last year because of a weird health thing, so going all in this year!!