I haven't really sorted it out..How about I just come to your house..one more guest you won't notice. LOL

I know hubby wants to deep fry a turkey or two...
Beyond that..Not sure..

No one but me loves mashed potatoes...so maybe just a potato gratin....I'll probably pick up some turkey wings, roast and make gravy from those. No stuffing this year..I'm the only one that eats it, and I'm wheat free right now.

Veggies..dunno...

Dessert..dunno..Have to do Sweet Potato Pie for hubby, pumpkin for the 15 year old..and maybe an apple or peach something.

Gosh I really better think about it.
Have to think about who I should invite over too...That way hubby can cook two turkeys.

Cranberry Jezebel

1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 (12 oz) bag fresh or frozen cranberries
3 tblsps prepared horseradish
1 tblsp Dijon mustard
Garnish: fresh mint sprigs

Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Add cranberries, and return to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool to room temp.

Stir in horseradish and mustard; cover and chill. Garnish, if desired.

It will be just the 3 of us (4 counting Elvira the dog), no relatives near by. I will be making the usual, oven roasted turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, fresh green beans, cranberry sauce, salad, rolls and pumpkin pie. DH does not like anything new and different, though I was thinking of making a different pumpkin dessert like pumpkin cheesecake or flan or something.
Clare

My parents will be out of town, so it's at my house and I get to make whatever I want. Oven roasted turkey, with butter, sage, garlic, S&P rubbed under the skin, and basted with an entire bottle of white wine. Stuffing, gravy & smashed taters. I'm thinking of wild rice with sausage, cranberries and nuts.

I saw Giada (Everyday Italian on Food Network) make sweet potato gnocchi that looked yummy so I want to try those. I can make them ahead and freeze, and they won't take up oven space like the usual candied yams.

Still need to think of a green vegetable. We usually have green beans with bacon, but might sub roasted asparagus or brussel sprouts.

Maybe Parker House rolls, pumpkin pie for sure and maybe a pecan or apple pie instead of the usual fudge pie.

jen

Wew were just talking about the menu today and I think the consensus is that everything should be exactly the same as last year LOLOLOL!

Salad with pears, walnuts and blue cheese
Roast Turkey with butter and herbs
Plain herb bread stuffing cooked in the bird
Sausage dressing in a side dish (first time for this one!)
That Green Bean Casserole - the annual appearance
Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
Smashed Potatoes and Gravy
Cranberry sauce from a can
Cranberry biscuits
cloverleaf rolls
Pecan Pie
Ice Cream

I managed to get the sausage dressing added to the list this year but there were a lot of raised eyebrows at the thought of sonething new. LOL!

Alexa

I'll be making our usual this year. Roast turkey with dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes with apples, cranberry orange relish, fresh vegetable (depends on what looks good when I go to the store) and probably a jello salad. Kim and I both grew up with having a creamy jello type salad on Thanksgiving and we both still like it. Pumpkin pie.

We are pretty darned traditional on Thanksgiving, always have been. It's just not the day for trying new stuff, I can do that any of the other 364 days. We look forward to assembling individual frozen dinners with the leftovers for non-cooking nights. Last year Kim pulled out a frozen dinner just two nights after they went in the freezer, she couldn't wait any longer. It's one of our favorite meals.

Nancy

Hot mulled cider and wine to start
Turkey Roasted outside in a covered grill with a whole bottle of white wine
Mom's dressing and gravy
Sister's really good candied sweet potatoes
other Sister's green bean casserole and another vegetable
fresh cranberry sauce
fresh raw cranberry, apple, and orange relish
canned cranberry sauce (for the "kids")
homemade rolls
pumpkin pie
brownies, bars, or cookies

I'm thinking about baking a ham also - so I can have the ham bone for soup.

Just passing through!

I haven't cooked Thanksgiving dinner since my divorce three years ago, so I am trying to make this one mine : )

It will just be a party of two so I plan to make it simple. We're having wine and cheese to start, then a salad. Dinner is Stuffed Loin of Pork, Roasted Asparagus, and Yams in a Jam. Something chocolate for dessert.

I think I posted the yam recipe here last year. It doesn't look so great on paper, but everyone who tries it loves it, even kids. I tried to make it with homemade biscuits once, and another time with whole wheat biscuits....if you try it, just stick with canned biscuits. You can make these ahead and let them sit covered with foil. The longer they sit, the better they are. And I always use sweet potatoes.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Yams in a Jam

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:30
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 large sweet potato or yam
1 can of biscuits (8)
1 cup hot water
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter - melted
cinnamon

Cut sweet potato in strips like large french fries. Tear each biscuit into thirds & roll each piece out flat (I just smash with my hand). Pour melted butter in bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Roll each biscuit piece around a stick of potato & place in butter, seam side down. Do not pack in, but place in dish touching. Dissolve sugar in water and pour over top of wrapped potatoes. Sprinkle cinnamon over top. Bake at 350º for approx 30 minutes or until biscuits are light brown.

Jan

roasted turkey
cornbread dressing
mashed potatoes and gravy
sweet potatoes
..a vegetable..
cranberry salad*
strawberry jello (with whipped topping and strawberries)
homemade French bread
pumpkin pie
decorated sugar cookies

*CRANBERRY SALAD
(a family tradition too good to ever neglect!)

1 cup cranberries (fresh/frozen), ground
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 lb seedless red grapes,
1 small pkg. lemon, cranberry or orange geletine
Stir the sugar into to the berries and allow to stand. Cut grapes in half. Soften geletine in 1/2 cup warm water. Stir berries, grapes and softened geletine together. Cover and refergierate. Serve with Dressing.

Dressing
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 egg, beaten
1 small can grated pineapple
1 pt. whipped cream

Stir sugar, four, egg and undrained pineapple together in small pan. Cook mixture ove medium heat until thick. Cool. Fold in whipped cream, cover and referigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!

The way it turns out, I only do one holiday at my house, Passover. Normally on Thanksgiving we go to my sister's house but this year they decided not to do it so we're going to a friend's. I'm bringing an appetizer and wine. Thinking of bringing Brie en Croute. Very simple recipe using Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets. Always a hit.

Not sure yet on the Thanksgiving Menu but I will be trying a different pie crust technique for the Pumpkin Pie.

Otherwise tentative menu is:

Turkey - Joe's job
Dressing -Joe's job
Dressing Dumpling
Potatoes - I thinking of making mashed w/Roasted Garlic
Gravy - same as always
Cauliflower Au Gratin
Salad - maybe a spinach/cranberry something
Sweet Potatoes - Candied in butter and brown sugar
Pumpkin Pie

Maybe a Pumpkin Cheesecake
Maybe a green bean casserole

Best Ever Green Bean Casserole (alton brown)

For the topping:
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Nonstick cooking spray

For beans and sauce:
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 pound fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Coat a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray and evenly spread the onions on the pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Toss the onions 2 to 3 times during cooking. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use. Turn the oven down to 400 degrees F.

While the onions are cooking, prepare the beans. Bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in an 8-quart saucepan. Add the beans and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans. Top with the remaining onions. Place into the oven and bake until bubbly, approximately 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

Michelle

We have approx 22 for dinner....2 Turkeys,stuffing,stuffed mushrooms,blue cheese stuffed celery,creamed brussel sprouts,Barefoot Contessa creamed spinache,mashed potatos, mashed turnips,corn and broccoli with cheese. Apple Pie,Pumpkin Pie,Carrot Cake and Oreo Truffles

Green beans, roasted winter veggies (carrots, brussel sprouts, butternut squash), dressing (cornbread), might do a roaster chicken instead of turkey (??) cranberry-apple casserole, pumpkin pound cake, squash pie ....

This is subject to change :)

We'll be spending Thanksgiving with my parents; both are in their 80's. Maybe one of the last times....
Turkey
Apple/sausage dressing (not in the bird)
Mashed potatoes/giblet gray (my Dad's favorite)
Sweet potatoes (no marshmallow goop)
Green beans almondine
Relish tray (with homemade pickles and olives)
Veggie tray
Honey Wheat rolls (CF recipe)
Spicy cranberry/orange mold (I must make every year)
Mincemeat Pie (for Dad)
Pumpkin pie
Boysenberry Pie (DSIL's berries)
Linda

What a great way to get new ideas!
Turns out we make horrendous vegetarians when it comes to turkey time...
organic, free range fresh turkey, baked
Mrs Cubbis*n's cornbread stuffing
canned cranberry jelly
I'm stealing that pear/walnut/blue cheese salad!
also stealing the mulled cider--forgot about that till I read it
and we will choose as the time nears either smashed yams or taters
I will probably bake some kind of desert...something from that Pie in the Sky book (high alt baking)...maybe honey cakes or cranberry struessel muffins...
also, sparkling pear or cranberry juice

I am just confused this year - I was thinking it was 2 weeks away - now I'm in a panic! and Hey - no free bird offers this year!

Appetizers
Cheese, Pepperoni & Crackers
Celery Stuffed with Cream Cheese & Olives
Cold Shrimp with cocktail sauce

Dinner
Roast Turkey with Stuffing
Gravy
Whipped Potatoes
Sweet Potato Casserole OR Candied Yams
Green Bean Casserole
Red Cabbage from the jar
Brussel Sprouts
Glazed Carrots
Creamed Onions
Cauliflower think I will do a gratin this year
Cranberry Sauce from the can
Date Nut Bread and Dinner Rolls

Beaujolais Nouveau (being released tomorrow - yeah!)
A Good German Riesling

Irish Coffees
Pumpkin Cheesecake (the Kraft one)
Banana Cream Pie
Chocolate Cream Pie
That Nabisco Chocolate Refrigerator Roll
Trifle

Oh - and I'll have my Bailey's starting around 1:00 :)

Same as every year. Sigh. No changes allowed. It's:

Turkey
Stuffing (white bread/onion/sage)
Mashed potatoes
Turkey Gravy
Dinner Rolls made with Grandma's recipe and I've added Terri's Honey Wheat for myself
Green bean casserole
Candied sweet potatoes
Woodie's 7 layer salad
Pumpkin pie or cheesecake
Chocolate/peanut butter "buckeye" cake
Banana cream pie
Coffee. Lots and lots of coffee

Annie

Oops, I forgot the cranberry sauce. Jellied, not whole berry, from Ocean Spray. I like LindaC's cranberry jezebel better, so I make that for me and eat it on sandwiches until I can't stand it any more. LOL Everyone else eats the Ocean Spray.

Annie

This will be my first year doing the entire spread. Save for the cole slaw and Mom's brazed red cabbage, and my in-laws bringing an appetizer (praying for something canned or frozen), I'm doing everything.

Roasted turkey
Smoked turkey
Gravy
Garlicky mashed taters
Stuffing 1 traditional
Stuffing 2 traditional with sauted giblets
Sweet potatoes - lol I can't eat them so I have no idea how to cook them
Roasted brussel sprouts with buttered pecans
Green bean casserole
Roasted carrots
Spetzael
Home made bread
Canned cranberry sauce, and canned cranberry salad
Apple, pecan, and pumpkin pies
Skor squares, chocolate chip, and lemon cream cheese cookies

aug

Turkey and turkey breast
green onion biscuits (already made and frozen)
homemade cranberry sauce
cranberry/ raspberry jello mold
mom's stuffing
MIL's mashed potatoes
mashed sweet potatoes with butter and honey
roasted root vegies
MIL's pumpkin bread
pecan pie (will make tonight and freeze)
caramel cheesecake (already made and frozen)
apple pie with with crisp for crust (recipe from here and delicious, but I made the mistake of cooking already and froze so we'll see...)

About the same here too. Family are bringing all the yucky casseroles.
Appetizer: Smoked trout and accoutrement's, hot artichoke dip

Main Meal:
Two turkeys
spiral ham
BROWN gravy
mac and cheese
sweet potato casserole
cold asparagus
green bean casserole
roasted root vegetables
broccoli salad (dh is insisting on this even though I don't think it goes!)
stuffing
cranberry sauce with bourbon
canned jellied cranberry sauce
rolls
jello casserole

dessert:
apple pie with strudel topping
pecan pie
pumpkin pie
assorted yucky cakes and cookies from relatives
fresh whipped cream
coffee

I'm so glad I'll be at a few meals with you all in spirit..Enjoy the rolls..I'll make them for the guys too.

I saw a Bobby Flay show the other day he did a sliced sweetpotato scallop with chipotle cream..That has peeked my interest and may find it's way on my table.

Here is a link that might be useful: Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Lamb and eggplant? I don't really know since we will be in Turkey on turkey day. Specifically Cappadocia on the 15th. We have decided to treat ourselves to a hot air balloon ride. They are expensive, even in Turkey, but the site seems pretty special and a memorable thing to do for Thanksgiving.

I haven't made a whole Thanksgiving dinner since my son left for college in MN 17 years ago! But I usually make pies. Not this year. We'll have to settle for baklava.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cappadocia

Linda (Ohiomom) I forgot to ask you for the Squash Pie recipe. I might try it instead of Pumpkin pie. Also, if you don't mind the recipe for apple/cranberry casserole and pumpkin pound cake.

All sound so good!! If the recipes are posted on your Blog please give the link, somehow I've misplaced it.

Michelle

I was hugnry before I started reading this thread. Now I'm full! :)

Alexa? Cranberry biscuits? This sounds like something I need to know more about.

Alton Brown is probably the only person who could convince me that diary and green beans belong within a mile of each other.

I have no clue what I will be doing. MIL called this morning and wants to do something up her way. Given her cooking is not what it used to be, I'm hoping that means "reservations" because she's reticent to relinquish control of the kitchen. Frankly, I'm hoping to convince her that the traffic the next day will be so horrendous that she should either come down here or do her own thing with other relatives. I'd be perfectly happy spending the day with a turkey sandwich and a couple Hepburn movies. :)

We're having
Roasted turkey with stuffing in the bird
Mashed potatoes and gravy
Sweet potatoes in brown sugar butter syrup
Brussel sprouts with pancetta made by my son
Dried corn casserole (PA Dutch specialty)
Cornbread muffins - from the Southern Living mag. I'm making them in a special pan that makes cakes like little insects! They're for the kids and I never made them before!
Jellied Cranberry sauce
Cranberry orange relish for my daughter
Pumpkin cheesecake made by my son
Pumpkin pie - lower sugar for my hubby
Butterscotch pudding made by my son-in-law

I'm having my daughter and her hubby and my two Granddaughters, my son and his partner and my Dad

Vicki, Have you made Bobby Flay's mousse recipe before? I might need an additional dessert and that looked good - can it be made the day before?

Just my DD and myself--

Roasted game hens
Cornbread/apple/ sweet potato stuffing/casserole
roasted brussel sprouts
green beens with dijon vinagrette
cranberry/orange relish (for me)
mashed potatoes
crescent rolls
pecan or pumpkin pie

I've been processing a few pumpkins obtained for free after Halloween & since it turns out I don't feel like making pumpkin butter after all, I may make pumpkin soup for the other meal of the day and freeze the rest.

Since DD was a child, I've always made cornmeal mush (what the pioneers would have eaten) for breakfast on Thanksgiving, as a reminder that the day was not always about parades and football. Yes, she liked it.

BlueIris...no, I have not made it before. I don't know how well it would hold if it was made the day before. His recipe says to cover and refrigerate, then spoon into martini glasses. So it might work out fine. I found an Alton Brown recipe that says to cover it with plastic wrap if refrigerating overnight. Since I am putting real whipped cream on top when I serve it, that might work out ok.

I'm resurrecting this thread as I love to read everyone's menus!

Roasted Tom Turkey
Cornbread Apple Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes & Gravy
Cranberry Sauce with Port and Tangerine
Jellied Cranberry Sauce
Carrot Parsnip Gratin
Green Bean Casserole
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Sauteed Brussell Sprouts with Shallots and Pine Nuts
Cloverleaf Rolls
Pumpkin Pie with Bourbon Whipped Cream
Rustic Pecan Pie

Breakfast:
Quichy Lorraine
Swedish Bread Ring
Fruit Salad

I don't know what's on my MILs menu but we are bringing and deep frying the bird. I'm making hot crab dip and apple pie salsa and a black rasberry cheesecake.

She makes the classics so I bring whatever I like ala appetizers and desserts. I don't even tell her because she lays out minimal apps and maybe one dessert. And if I tell she puts out even less.

Thank God my family owns Christmas.