Live Maine lobster as a first course.

barnmom:

Great idea. Surely a way to impress the new family -- showing up with sixteen live lobsters. I'll have to think hard about this. Hmmmm?

Joe

I had a memorable Thanksgiving years ago with a then boyfriend and his large collection of close friends. They were all transplanted New Englanders (to San Francisco). We had live Maine lobster and I thought it was a wonderful Thanksgiving addition. And definitely over the top.

In my experience, it's impossible to know what to bring without getting direction from the host/hostess. You could get a killer recipe that would be impressive in most contexts, but if it's duplicative of an established attendee's repertoire, or too many guests have aversions or allergies, it will flop. Barnmom's suggestion is a perfect example: In her case it was the high-note of the evening and memorable in a delightful way for years to follow. Some families would be horrified, and end up trying to re-home the lobsters before dinner. It is impossible to bring anything special, over-the-top and non-weird without serious reconnaisance work. If you're new to the family, ask them directly.

What are the hosts providing? Do any of the attendees have specialties they will be bringing? (You don't want to show up with the "best XYZ in the world" if the group already agrees that Aunt Bessie makes the "best XYZ in the world," she's been bringing it to every family gathering for the last 30 years, and it's one of the pillars of the family story.) Are there any holes in the menu? Ask the hosts to narrow it down to, say, a category (eg. non-turkey meat, dessert, starch, savory side, veggie dish, hors d'ouvre). Ask if there are any known allergies/aversions in the group. Without knowing these things in advance, you won't be able to recognize the perfect recipe when it's offered.

There's no such thing as "the perfect dish." There's only the "perfect dish for a particular group."

Hi Joe!

I haven't really given a lot of thought to T-day yet, but I suppose it is time to start.

YIKES! Sixteen live Maine lobsters would require me taking a second mortgage on the house. LOL

Do you know what they are serving? What course would you like to bring, an appetizer, a soup or salad, a side, dessert, something else?

A couple of things that come to mind immediately are

Sharon's Spanikopita (appetizer)
Sharon's or Cathy's Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Ravioli in Mushroom-Walnut Cream Sauce (side)
Chocolate Turtle Torte or Ann's Bread & Butter Pudding (dessert)...

Linda

The basic Thanksgiving menu, as described by my lady, will be pretty mainstream. No one knows what others are bringing, aside from the fact that most of the "others" won't be bringing anything but, maybe, wine or flowers).

In other words, it's pretty open as to what I would/could bring. I'm trying for an over-the-top version of something recognizable for Thanksgiving. In the past, I've brought pumpkin cheesecake; pumpkin and black bean soup; bread, mushroom and sage sausage dressing; carrot-pumpkin cake; and Caribbean sweet potatoes.

I really like the ravioli idea; might make pumpkin ravioli and dress it with a sage-butter sauce.

Thanks,
Joe

The pumpkin ravioli sounds good to me, too. We aren't big on yams at my house so instead of that I have often made the Silver Palate carrot-ginger soup. Same color, tastes way better.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

6 tablespoons butter
1 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped ginger root
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
7 cups chicken stock
1 cup white wine
1-1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Saute onion, ginger and garlic until soft and beginning to brown, about 15-20 minutes.

Add stock, wine and carrots, increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered for 45 minutes or until carrots are tender. Remove from heat and puree, in batches, in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return all of the soup to pot and stir in lemon juice, curry powder, salt and pepper.

Adjust seasonings and serve hot or chilled, topped with chopped parsley (or chives).

The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook

I like to add a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche.

Eileen. (Who has decided to make reservations for Thanksgiving this year for herself and her progeny.)

I would ask..."What can I bring?..Dessert? Appetizer? Vegatable?"....don't just ask what can I bring or they might say a "cranberry jello salad"...
Then when you know what category we are talking about....come back and we will be all over it!

Some memorable thanksgiving donations have been a fabulous but very rich butternut squash casserole with brandy, pecans and who knows what else....delicious but filling.
Another was a dressing ( in addition to the "stuffing!) made with mushrooms sausage and lots of TLC...
Non memorable additions....a pasta salad made with a bottled salad dressing, several awful jello salads, a casserole of cauliflower, carrots and Cream of Cheese soup baked forever and a couple of bottles of marsala brought as wine to serve with dinner...
BUT...someone liked that stuff or they wouldn't have brought them....so
ASK..."What would you like me to bring?...dessert...salad...etc"

And there was the time that I brought a steamed pudding with brandy hard sauce....and discovered that the venerable grandpa was an ardant tea totler....my first clue whas when every one was drinking "coffee" in cups before dinner!
The hostess knew what was in the hard sauce but I was told not to tell Grandpa (I was 23 and very VERY pregnant!)...so when Grandpa asked what was in the sauce for the pudding I said..."butter, sugar and flavorings" and got a lecture about artificial flavorings and coal tars (???) and how he only ate natural things! I assured him that everything in that sauce was natural....nothing artificial at all.....and Grandpa (who was well into his 90's at the time) just kept eating that hard sauce...just put a little more on his plate and ate it down....and a little more...he thought I was quite amazing to make something so delicious and not to have anything artificial in it!
So ask what yiou can bring!
Linda C

Here's some things that come to mind that are DELISH!!!

Bread And Butter Pudding With Caramel Sauce

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

===========================================
5 or 6 slices of bread
1/2 cup butter
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar
5 eggs
2 cups cream (Or milk)
vanilla
pinch of salt
Caramel Sauce
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup cream
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla

NOTE: If you prefer the pudding to have more custard, then use less bread so that all of the custard is not absorbed into the bread when baked.

Cut crusts from bread and spread each slice with butter. (Bread slices can be left whole, or cut into halves, quarters or cubes. Place bread butterd side up in a oven proof dish. (may use any shape dish, or glass loaf pan, cutting bread to fit) Beat the sugar and eggs together and then add the cream, vanilla and
salt.

Pour over bread and allow the bread to absorb. (make be refrigerated at this point and baked later) sprinkle with some white sugar and place dish into a pan of hot water
and bake in a 350 oven for 45 to 1 hour, or until pudding is set and golden.

To make caramel sauce,
bring butter, sugars, cream and salt to a boil and then simmer for 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add the vanilla.

Sweet Potato Spice Rack Pie ~Nina(sigh)

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/4 lbs total)
3 eggs
1 c packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground corriander
3/4 c whipping cream
1/2 c half & half
3 tbs bourbon
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 unbaked 9" pie shell, chilled (I use Oronoque- oh the shame of it!)

preheat the oven to 400 F. Pierece each sweet potato twice with the tines of a fork & bake unti; very tender, about 1 hour. Cool them to room temp, peel them & mash enough sweet potato to equal 1 3/4 cups.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven & set a baking sheet on the rack. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a food processor combine the sweet potato, eggs and all of the spices and process briefly. Add the whipping cream, half & half, bourbon & vanilla & process again, pausing to scrape the work bowl, until smooth.

Pour the filling into the pie shell, set it on the heated baking sheet and bake 45-50 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack before cutting.

You can serve each slice topped with a dollop of lightly sweetened, bourbon spiked cream but it's delicious unadorned.

I copied this one from Khandi..
It sounds really really tasty.... and way easier than ravioli.

Macaroni & Butternut Squash ~Surreal Gourmet~Khandi

2 servings macaroni (such as elbow pasta)
1 butternut squash
3 Tbsp butter
8 fresh sage leaves or 1 tsp dried sage
1 shallot, minced
1 cup chicken stock
3 Tbsp Mascarpone cheese or heavy cream
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp freshly grated Reggiano-Parmigiano

To a large pot of boiling, salted water, add pasta and cook according to directions.

Cut ends off butternut squash, then set on its bottom and slice off skin with a knife.

On the coarse side of a grater, grate 1 1/2 cups of squash.

In a sautpan over medium-high heat, add butter, squash, sage and shallot. Sauté for 2 minutes.

Add chicken stock. Cover and cook for 4 minutes.

Add nutmeg, salt and pepper. Transfer to a blender, add Mascarpone and puree.

Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Top with Reggiano-Parmigiano and garnish with a sage leaf.

Joe, here is a recipe for a sweet potato casserole that I have had great success with...it is a very good version of something recognizable on the Thanksgiving table. The topping is what makes it special.

4 med.-lrg. sweet potatoes, boiled & peeled
1/4 C sugar
1 stick butter
2 large eggs
1 C milk
1/2 t cinnamon (or to taste)

Preheat oven to 300. Mash potatoes. Mix sugar, melted butter, eggs, milk, and cinnamon into potatoes. Bake in 9x13 for 30 min.

TOPPING
1 stick butter
3/4 C brown sugar
1 to 1-1/2 C chopped pecans
1 C crushed cornflakes

On stovetop, melt butter and brown sugar, stirring. Add dry ingredients, making sure they are coated. Top casserole and bake for 10 min.

I always take scalloped oysters.
For the past 3 years I have gone to my son's family's house, with his inlaws, and there are only 2 of us that like them....and they cost a fortune....but I insist that Thanksgiving isn't Thanksgiving witihout oysters....so I make them.
And another thing is pecan pie....love it!...but some would rather the chocolate cake from a mix....
I also have taken a jello salad ( Stop that!!! this one is different!) made from canned apricots with seasoned cream cheese stuffed inside and frozen cherries with a slivwer of almond stuffed into each cherry ( frankly I don't do that....for fear someone won'e expect it and choke or break a tooth) and then orange jello, apricot nectar and some sherry wine....frosted with sour cream sprinkled with toasted walnuts.
As Jello goes, not too bad....but....
But then Thanksgiving is all good....one of my favorite tales is about a thanksgiving a lot of years back....and a dear little girl, then about 12....now close to 60...said, as the relish tray was passed..."Mildred, you make the BEST celery!"
Whatever you make, they'll love!
Lidna C

Here's a recipe that I have made several times and it is always well received.

Phyllo Triangles with Lobster Filling
Makes about 50

1 Steamed Lobster
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
6 scallions finely chopped
¼ cup white wine or vodka
1 ½ tbsp all purpose flour
¼ cup heavy cream
pinch of cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 lb Phyllo
1 lb unsalted butter, melted

Remove meat from lobster and chop. Set aside
Melt 2 tbsp butter in a small skillet and sauté the scallions for 2 or 3 min. Add lobster meat and wine or vodka and stir quickly to combine over high heat. Drain the mixture reserving the liquid.

Melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter in another skillet. Add the flour and cook slowly without coloring the flour for 5 minutes. Add the reserved liquid and cream and stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Stir the lobster meat back into the cream mixture, add cayenne and season to taste. Cool completely before filling the triangles.

Prepare the triangles as you would sharons Spanikopita. If you need those directions, I can copy them over.

***********************************************************
And completely unrelated but also wonderful for Thanksgiving...

New England Biscuits with Cranberries and Rosemary

2 cups flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
½ cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
In a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Place the mixture in a large bowl. Stir in the cranberries, rosemary and buttermilk. Mix well. The dough will be sticky. Transfer to a floured work surface. Dust your hands with flour and knead the dough 10 times or until smooth. Pat into a round about ½ inch thick. Using a 2-inch round biscuit cutter or drinking glass, cut out biscuits and place on the prepared pan. Gather the scraps and repeat until all the dough is used. Brush the biscuit tops with the beaten egg. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly.

************************************************************

And I think I got this recipe from the CF, but I don't have a name on it.

Pumpkin Bread pudding
======================
Bread pudding
2 cups half and half
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1 cup (packed) plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 cups 1/2-inch cubes egg bread (about 10-ounces)(I use a challah bread)
1/2 cup golden raisins

Caramel sauce
1 1/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
Powdered sugar

.
For bread pudding: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk half and half, pumpkin,
dark brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and vanilla extract
in large bowl to blend. Fold in bread cubes. Stir in golden raisins.
Transfer mixture to 11x7-inch glass baking dish. Let stand 15 minutes.
Bake pumpkin bread pudding until tester inserted into center comes out
clean, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare caramel sauce: Whisk brown sugar and butter in heavy
medium saucepan over medium heat until butter melts. Whisk in cream and
stir until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes.
Sift powdered sugar over bread pudding. Serve warm with caramel sauce.

Great ideas coming here....Its not too early for me to start pondering my thoughts!

I would suggest that you make one of your own specialties since (I am assuming)this is your first Thanksgiving with "new family" you probably want them to get to know you better. What a nice introduction it would be if you shared something that represents who you are as a cook or gardener.

I just remembered these - I think I will make them for a fall treat for the family this week..... They are AWESOME, not fussy and appeal to both kids and adults

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Cookie Cake Ingredients:
2 egg yolks
2c brown sugar
1c vegetable oil
2c cooked pumpkin (or 1-15 oz can)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
3c flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Beat egg yolks, brown sugar and oil together, add pumpkin and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Mix in dry ingredients.
Drop heaping tablespoons of batter on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool on cookie rack. Mix filling ingredients and fill cookies like a sandwich. Makes about 18 pies.
Filling Ingredients:
1/2c butter
4 oz. marshmallow fluff
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Here is one of our favorite recipes for a cranberry salsa appetizer. It is always a huge hit and the gorgeous rich color of the dip looks great on the buffet. (note: definitely make at least 4 hours in advance - I like to make it the day before - the flavors need to mellow)

CRANBERRY SALSA DIP
WITH CREAM CHEESE

1 12-oz. bag fresh cranberries rinsed, drained
4 green onions, minced (1/2 cup)
2 small jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (about 2 tbsp.)
½ cup sugar
¼ cup fresh cilantro, minced
2 tbsp. Fresh ginger, finely grated
2 tbsp. Fresh lemon juice
1 8-oz. pkg. whipped cream cheese
A few fresh cranberries (for garnish)

Rinse, drain and pick over cranberries, discarding all that are soft or bruised. Place them in your food processor and pulse until finely chopped, but not mushy. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in green onions, jalapenos, sugar, cilantro, ginger and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours to allow the flavors to blend and develop. If you taste this dip immediately after making it, you will find the flavor too sharp and tart. The flavor mellows and sweetens over time.

Serve along side whipped cream cheese and your favorite crackers. Garnish the top of the cream cheese with a few sprigs of cilantro and a reserved cranberry for color.

Forgot about cranberry salsa.....
Here's a different recipe

Cranberry salsa
1 12 oz package cranberries
chopped fine
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple with juice
1/3 cup cilantrochopped
1 seeded jalapeno pepper and chopped fine
¼ c. onion chopped
¼ cup green pepper chopped
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup sugar ( or less)
Mix all and allow to mellow about 2 hours.

Just keep in mind that there will be at least one person who will not like what you bring because everyone's taste is so different. Lobsters would be over the top and delicious to most, but leave me without anything to eat because I don't eat seafood. So don't get upset when someone doesn't like your special dish. I bet you come up with something teriffic!

Linda (doucanoe): can you share your recipe for Chocolate Turtle Torte, please?

barnmom: thanks for the carrot-ginger soup recipe. I have something similar so I'll have to compare.

Linda C: do you have the recipe for the "butternut squash casserole with brandy, pecans..."? And your jelow salad is definitely OVER THE TOP.

terri: I like the Sweet Potato Spice Rack Pie recipe.

dreamhouse1: your sweet potato casserole with the special topping is on my list.

caliloo: your pumpkin bread pudding recipe fits my criteria perfectly.

mimsic: I like your suggestion. I do have some special recipes (one to follow in the next post) and I MIGHT go that route. But so far, I'm getting some great ideas here.

norcalpeetnik and lindasee: your cranberry salsas sound perfect for our California culinary tastes.

beveryal: I won't get upset. I've been cooking professionally and as a hobbyist for enough years to know about picky eaters; I never take it personally.

All of these recipes have gone onto my short list. I just may have time between now and Thanksgiving to try a few of these before hand.

By the way, I did ask the hostess what she would like me to bring and she answered: "anything you want".

Thanks all,
Joe

Norcalpeetnik...I made your salsa for our TG dinner yesterday and it is delicious..my DD left w/ the recipe.. along w/ the whipped cream cheese..it was super.Thanks! I only put 1/2 a jalapeno though:)

Joe, I made it last year..and my husband the sweet potato pie afficanado..deemed it the best...I followed the recipe, except didn't have any corriander.
It will make a repeat at the dessert bar this year.

If I could convince my family to eat these...I'd make them TONIGHT..but some how I don't think all that butter would be good for me if ate the WHOLE batch in one sitting!

Here is a link that might be useful: Whiskey Glazed Carrots

Oysters in some form were my first thought, something I never see in my family groups and something we would all love. Actually, nearly everyone I know would love some jumbo, cold shrimp marinated in a garlicky, parsley base. I don't care if it is Thanksgiving, it's always appreciated and adored.
I often have a shrimp appetizer at Thanksgiving.

Alexa, the pumpkin bread pudding recipe is from the Wildfire restaurant here in the Chicago area. It is a regular here in this house and now at many others. It truly is to die for.

Sheesh! Sorry, Joe, just now got a chance to look again at this thread!

Here you go, it's sinful....

Chocolate Turtle Torte
Source: St Paul Hotel

Crust:
3-2/3 c pecans
1-1/4 c sugar
7T unsalted butter

In food processor blend pecans and sugar, add melted butter in steady stream until combined well. Turn out mixture into a 12" tart pan with removable bottom. Press to 1/8" thickness on bottom and 3/8" on sides. Bake at 350F for approximately 20-25 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool.

Filling:
1lb semi sweet chocolate
2 c heavy whipping cream

Bring cream to a boil and pour over coarsely chopped chocolate. Mix until chocolate is melted and mixture is combined well. Pour into cooled crust and refrigerate for 3 hours or up to overnite.

Caramel Sauce:
4oz unsalted butter
1 c sugar
1 c heavy whipping cream
¾ c crushed pecans (for garnish)

In heavy saucepan melt butter, add sugar and cook until dark brown (not burnt). Add cream and remove from heat. Mix thoroughly until mixture turns a rich golden color.
Drizzle over slices of torte and serve.

Linda

Thanks Peppi!

I am off to credit you and the Wildfire Restaurant on my copy - it is really awesome and will be on my Thanksgiving Menu this year too!

Alexa

Joe, did you make a decision and I missed it?