Thanksgiving thread? Tips, cooking, stories?

[RICHARD]

Oh boy!

I thought a good Thanksgiving thread would be in order, You know-some way to share a holiday- a one stop thread for all things 'thankful'!

Our Canuckian friends just celebrated and I hope that they can give us some tips, stories and contributions to help us out.


-----------

Looks like this will be a Richard/Easily amused production. I have the turkey thing down pat. I do plan on keep it simple!

Green bean casserole, veggies, rolls, too!


Anyone else?

[Medusa]

I'm almost positive I posted this somewhere before but my tip is: never roast a turkey, especially a large one, on a cookie sheet. Reason being? It slides off.

When I was first married, my husband was in the AF and we made it a practice to invite airmen who weren't able to make it home for the holidays. I didn't have much cookware and even less money to buy some, so I made do w/what I had. We invited several men to Tday dinner along w/my parents who drove from PA to our place in VA.

The entire group, my husband and toddler son included, were patiently waiting for me to bring out the turkey to the dinner table; everything else was there. I took the turkey out of the oven and, of course, the juice from the turkey was all over the cookie sheet. You know what happened next. The turkey jiggled around, slid off the cookie sheet and onto the floor. Our apt. was in an old renovated southern mansion and the floor was covered in old linoleum. There were 3 steps next to my oven leading down into my son's bedroom. The turkey then slid across the floor, down the steps and under my son's bed. I had to crawl under his bed to retrieve the turkey, wash it off and serve it, all the while w/a straight face and pretending that nothing unusual had happened. I was near hysterical w/laughter through the entire dinner, much to my husband's irritation because I wouldn't tell him what I was laughing about. He would have been furious. (He had no sense of humor when it came to such things.)

Every year at Tday dinner, I think of that day and this year it will be even funnier to me because this is the first Tday in 11 years that my son has been able to come home.

[RICHARD]

I think of that day and this year it will be even funnier to me because this is the first Tday in 11 years that my son has been able to come home.

And where is he sleeping this time?:D

[Medusa]

And where is he sleeping this time?:D

Say what? That went right over my old blonde head, Richard.

[RICHARD]

I was curious, IF you toss the turkey under his bed this year....:eek:

[Medusa]

I was curious, IF you toss the turkey under his bed this year....:eek:

Oh got it! No, I'll have to toss it up the stairs this year.

On a more serious note, (I know you probably didn't want serious stuff, Richard), I just want to say to all my PT friends to really enjoy the company of whomever you have the pleasure of sharing Tday with this year. I've been fortunate enough to have a good meal every year and having my son here will make it so much more tasty. I'm so thankful for all that I have, not just materially, but for everything that we sometimes take for granted. And I imagine, Richard, that Tday will be just as sweet for you, knowing that your mom is doing so much better and is at home now.

[RICHARD]

OH no....
THis is an all purpose thread. I just thought that we could mush it all together. A one stop thread for all things to give thanks for!:p

[Hellow]

My mom has to make the best stuffing I have ever tasted! I forgot what it is called, although I will try to find out soon and show yall the recipe.

[Karen]

We used to have at least two kinds of stuffing for our turkey - for Ma, the more guests the merrier, so there was usually a pretty darned big turkey being cooked. The "bread-based" stuffing was probably like most people's, but the other was just our French-Canadian grandmother's recipe. We all tried hard to reconstruct it from memory, as none of us could ind the recipe, we knew it had hamburger, onions, and mashed potato and certain spices. Lady's Human finally found the recipe in the box he got from Ma. Sadly, I cannot have that stuffing any more, as I am allergic to beef, but it sure was yummy!

We always also had two kinds of cranberry sauce - the jellied kind and the "whole berry" kind, and Grandma would make cranberry relish with fresh craberries and oranges, that was really yummy. Now I cannot have any of that, as I am so allergic to cranberries it literally went "off the chart" on the allergist's test sheet. Sigh.

One thing I have not ever found a good recipe for that we only had for days like Thanksgiving was tomato aspic. It was spicy and yummy, but made a small amount, so we each go one little wedge ... don't think any of my siblings have that recipe. I wish we did, because that I could still eat!

We usually now spend Thanksgiving with Paul's family, so their traditions are more, well traditional! :)

[kuhio98]

My tip ~ If you buy a frozen turkey, make sure to thaw it completely and take out any of the plastic bags of "parts" that might be inside.

If you discover them after several hours of cooking, throw the thing in the garbage and order pizza. No one enjoys the flavor of turkey basted in plastic bag residue. :o

[Queen of Poop]

Throw a bay leaf in the roaster with the turkey, it seasons the turkey drippings and makes a yummier gravy.

[Medusa]

Throw a bay leaf in the roaster with the turkey, it seasons the turkey drippings and makes a yummier gravy.


Ah, and there it is. How to make gravy. I'm a pretty good cook but I've never mastered gravy. It's either soupy or like quick dry cement.

[Queen of Poop]

Ah, and there it is. How to make gravy. I'm a pretty good cook but I've never mastered gravy. It's either soupy or like quick dry cement.

The true secret to a good turkey gravy is a few drops of soya sauce. It adds flavor but gives it an awesome COLOR. And we all know presentation is everything.

Mix water with your flour before adding it to the drippings to make a thin paste, then your gravy won't be lumpy. Heat just until it begins to thicken then turn the heat off.

[pomtzu]

Mix water with your flour before adding it to the drippings to make a thin paste, then your gravy won't be lumpy. Heat just until it begins to thicken then turn the heat off.

I use cornstarch in place of flour - guaranteed lump-free!

[RICHARD]

My GF used to make cranberries/sauce from scratch.
While I am not a fan of the canned variety, but I loved the home cooked kind!

The other thing that I can hardly wait for-I could fix up a batch right nowb, but it's sooo much better on Thanksgiving - is green bean casserole!

MMMMM!

[Catty1]

TIP on mixing the water and flour/cornstarch for lump-free gravy:

My mom always did this. She'd put the water, flour/cs in a small plastic container (size of small margarine container or etc), add salt and pepper, close lid tightly and shake the HHHH out of it! When shaken well, it is very smooth..than add that to your bubbling drippings/w soy/w whatever.

Run the gravy through a metal mesh sieve -voila!

I had another tip, but it left my brain...

Back later to post a scan of a turkey roasting page from my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook - the older plaid cover? My mom has one from the 50's - I am coveting that! :)

[sirrahbed]

I am another cornstarch-to-thicken fan and always use it now:D I put a couple heaping sof it into water and mix well - does not tend to lump at all. Then slowly add this to the bubbling gravy and since cornstartch thickens really quickly - you can just drizzle it in until the gravy is PERFECT!

The past few years, we have rented a little cabin on a lake at the state park and had thanksgiving there. Last year I got the whole meal from Kroger:cool:This year we are having everything with a World of Warcraft theme (online game I am addicted to) - beer broasted boar ribs, moist cornbread, etc. Ha! Oh and wild strider roasted of course!! Everything will be pretty traditonal - only renamed!! My favorite part of the meal is the pie and leftover sandwiches. The pie MUST be mincemeat!! I am also trying a lowfat pumpkin/creamcheese pie with FiberOne crust that sounds yummy!

Had to laugh at Kuhio's tip! Last Easter I baked a ham and got it out to realize that the lovely shiny "glaze" was the shrink wrap:eek: Like Medusa - I would have rescued the turkey from under the bed!! Makes a funny reminder and I will be sure NOT to use a cookie sheet for much of anything but cookies.

[Grace]

Any turnip eaters here?

I have a recipe for Whipped Turnip Casserole that is a family favorite. Well, as long as the family is me, my daughter-in-law, and one grandson :)

Seriously, it has eggs and sugar and bread crumbs that sort of tame down the turnip taste. I grew up with turnip at Thanksgiving, and this is easy and yummy. Will be glad to share it.

[Catty1]

Turkey roasting guide attached (I think there might be a chicken section there also).

[jennielynn1970]

I remember my mom making some pie that had meringue on top of it back when I was little. We went to my grandmother's place back then (my dad's mom). So much family around back then.

I just remember being in the car, and my mom holding the pie. My dad was driving like a maniac as usual, and slammed on the breaks really quick. I can still hear my mom gasp as she still held the pie, but the meringue slid right off and onto the dashboard and onto the floor.

Never liked meringue anyway. :p

[sirrahbed]

Any turnip eaters here?


I think rutabaga is a turnip isn't it? I LOVE it as it was always part of our holiday meal. Peeled, boiled, then mashed with butter and lots of black pepper.

[jennielynn1970]

Makes me think of roasted parsnips!! Yummm!!!

[Laura's Babies]

I haven't told this one on myself (I don't think). My first trip on the boat I am on now was Thanksgiving. I was so excited to be on such a nice boat with such a great crew that I really wanted to knock their socks off with my Thanksgiving meal. I worked on it for weeks, baking my cornbread for the dressing, crumbeling it and freezing it, cutting up all my seasonings, baking the deserts and just going all out.

I had forgot that out there, days just run into each other and it is hard to know what day it is if you don't mark them off on a calander and I hadn't been marking them off..

What I ended up doing was serving our Thanksgiving meal on the day BEFORE Thanksgiving.. I was so embarrassed but they did not care one bit. I did serve the left overs Thanksgiving day with whatever I cooked for that day.

I am due to work this Thanksgiving and that will mark my 8th year on the JMD so it will be a special trip for me.

[RICHARD]

What I ended up doing was serving our Thanksgiving meal on the day BEFORE Thanksgiving.. I was so embarrassed but they did not care one bit. I did serve the left overs Thanksgiving day with whatever I cooked for that day.

.

Men with full bellies will forgive anything and anyone.:D

[Trinityagain]

A few years ago I had trigger finger surgery the day befroe Thanksgiving. A friend of ours was coming down to help me out a bit and she was HORRIFIED that I wanted Stove Top stuffing. Oh no! You MUST have chestnut stuffing. Ok whatever...bolied them puppies and she and hubby shelled them...and put the shells down the garbage disposal...and had to take the disposal apart 3 times to clean them out. Bolied or not they don't go thru the disposal....

And I have to say I don't know what the fuss was about. It had no taste at all...Stove Top is much better IMO....

[Karen]

A few years ago I had trigger finger surgery the day befroe Thanksgiving. A friend of ours was coming down to help me out a bit and she was HORRIFIED that I wanted Stove Top stuffing. Oh no! You MUST have chestnut stuffing. Ok whatever...bolied them puppies and she and hubby shelled them...and put the shells down the garbage disposal...and had to take the disposal apart 3 times to clean them out. Bolied or not they don't go thru the disposal....

And I have to say I don't know what the fuss was about. It had no taste at all...Stove Top is much better IMO....

Hey, Thanksgiving is about tradition - and yours is Stove Top! At least you got a good story out of it. I've never had chestnut stuffing, and now that I am allergic to "tree nuts" I guess I never will! Good to know I'm not missing anything! ;)

[Cataholic]

Had a 'date' over for some pumpkin pie...made some coffee, had the ice cream out to soften a little bit...and, then, the great unveiling of the pumpkin pie...MOLD! Gross. How embarrassing.

Who knew that pumpkin pie had to be refridgerated?

[RICHARD]

Thanksgiving box?

For the last three or four years I started a little tradition that has served us well leading up to Thanksgiving.

The TG box.

In the months leading up to the holiday I purchase odd and ends for the meal.

A few cans of cranberries, boxes of stuffing, pineapple, olives, pickles, broth and other stuff that I'll use for TG.

Another thing you can do is to take a marker or paste a page to the box with what is inside it. That way you can make a listing of what you need on your last shopping trips.

The only things that I usually need, and can shop for easily for are the perishables like veggies, fruit and dairy-

You also spread the cost and hassle of planning the meal across a few months, instead of panicking and doing a last minute and costly shopping trip.

[mruffruff]

Buy double of everything and box up half for someone who can't afford Thanksgiving dinner this year. Makes you twice as grateful for what you have.

[lvpets2002]

:) I so Agree.. Great Thought For The Day/Year..

Buy double of everything and box up half for someone who can't afford Thanksgiving dinner this year. Makes you twice as grateful for what you have.

:eek: Oh By The Way Richard You Have A GirlFriend.. I Thought You Were To Ornery..:p

[RICHARD]

Up until last year I would get together with friends to hang out and we would play football - This was way before the posers had 'Turkey Bowls'-I even had a trophy, It was a hospital bed pan that a friend made a stand for. It exsists somewhere in the ether.

The last few years have been roller hockey and beer drinking!

--------

One of my favorite TG stories was while I was dating a gal who asked me, with a very straight face, "Do you celebrate TG?" "Yes, we do!"

"What do you eat?" She had never dated a Mexican before so I told her with the straightest face I could gather, "Beans, rice and tortillas......"

She was very serious after she got the answer and I gave it away when I started to laugh..... TURKEY!


Just like everyone else.:)

[Nomilynn]

Had a 'date' over for some pumpkin pie...made some coffee, had the ice cream out to soften a little bit...and, then, the great unveiling of the pumpkin pie...MOLD! Gross. How embarrassing.

Who knew that pumpkin pie had to be refridgerated?

Hilarious!! :D


I also use Stove Top - always chicken flavour though. I don't like the turkey flavour. I also take some pork sausage (the big log roll) and tear it up in the stuffing after I've prepared it on the stove, and stuff the bird with that. If I have more stuffing than room in the bird (which usually happens) I put it in a casserole dish and bake it along with the bird in the oven. It's very unhealthy (fatty) but SOOOO good and spicy, and very flavourful!! :)