Thank you, Cindy!

Local eater, Good to know! I used baby carrots and put them in whole. I hate mushy carrots, and these "babies" were very thin so it seems to have worked (not eating till 7 so we will see!) I was very tempted to add mushrooms, a trick I like to reduce meat consumption, but I didn't want to muddy the flavor.

Rita, I made raviolis last year with company after Christmas and everyone had so much fun with it! CF is the Cheesecake Factory. Yes, it is the home of 2100-calorie entrees but they have a menu called "skinnylicious" that is quite good (with calorie info). Anyway, they make a creamy caesar my family likes.

I am so into table settings now! I am going to make one of these and I am so copying the floral arrangement, TDF!

Thanksgiving has always been our favorite holiday for the planning, cooking, baking, beautiful table settings, leftovers. Maddie, our menu is the same as yours except we also have a raw/fresh cranberry orange sauce with the ocean spray jelly, and i will also bake mini cranberry muffins for their wonderful sweet-tartness. They are perfect with regular Parker house rolls and all that heavy food.

I love Thanksgiving too, maddielee. We alternate years with some friends. This is our year to host. In the approximately 40 years (yikes) we've been doing this we've never had a traditional turkey meal. It's always host's choice. This year DH is making Chinese food at the request of some of the friends. I'll take care of the apps, which is a little tough with a Chinese meal. I don't want to be in DH's way so want prepare ahead things. I'll figure something out. None of us care much for sweets but we always have a dessert. A friend will bring that.

Oh, we also do a different before dinner drink each year. Although not all Chinese, I'm thinking of making maple-bourbon smashes.

Maybe a Lychee martini, roses?

Traditional meal here too... all the norms + creamed onions which is a family tradition.

Mtn, love those place settings. The rosemary wreath is my personal fav.

Also love the table runner. I really need to find a reason to order one!

Funkyart, creamed onions was a family tradition in my late dad's family, going back as long as anyone can remember. I remember them fondly at my grandmother's Thanksgiving feast. What a yummy treat!

We got roped into a Friendsgiving meal, darn it! I have no idea of the menu. I guess I will receive my assignment soon. We have to drive two hours to the destination so I'm guessing I might be doing roasted vegetables and some sort of bread or dessert. Mini cranberry muffins sound delicious, Sheesh. Unlike rolls, I wouldn't have to try to keep them hot.

Just my kids and gran- kids, 8 of us. The usual Turkey, etc. We do strictly bread stuffing in my corner of the country. It always intrigues me how different parts of the country uses different kind of of ingredient in their stuffing. Wonder if it is because of the nationality that settled in the area or because of the abundance of certain local ingredients. My area is land locked and was mostly settled by Germans, Irish, Polish and Italians. For desert it is pumpkin pie and pumpkin roll.

I always do Thanksgiving. I am told I am not allowed to deviate from the menu. Big turkey, fresh cranberry sauce, candied sweet potatoes(with Jack Daniels!), my mom's sausage stuffing(cooked outside turkey so technically dressing) and stuffed mushrooms. I can usually sneak some new veggie dish in there.. haven't decided yet for this year. My company always bring dessert. :-)

Functionthenlook, I much prefer a bread stuffing IN the bird, which as you said, is based on tradition. For dessert it is always pumpkin pie and apple pie. In my family we love tradition.

I am a guest at our family dinner (at my DB's and SIL) but it is always partially potluck :-) My contribution will be mashed yams with goat cheese and fresh cranberry relish. I always get asked to bring that and I never make it the same two years in a row....gotta shake things up! My SIL will make the turkey and gravy, my niece will likely bring the dressing and a salad and my bro is in charge of the veg - generally mashed potatoes and Brussel sprouts in some form. DS is bringing pumpkin pie.

We are visiting DD in her new apartment and going out for dinner. The menu sounds SO good.

– Cold Salads to pique the vegetarian and vegan interest, such as a Pumpkin Tortellini Salad with sherry pumpkinseed vinaigrette, Tuscan Kale and Caramelized Pear with spicy walnuts & cider dressing, Citrus Lobster Salad, and more

– Antipasti Displays of grilled and chilled vegetables, charcuterie and breads with olive tapenade, pimento cheese and sun dried tomato hummus

– Seafood Display including poached shrimp & crab claws, smoked salmon, trout and shellfish

– Thankful Bounty of a traditional spread with smoked turkey, roasted acorn squash, candied yam casserole, gravy, duck confit and other classics

– Action Station with Yukon whipped potatoes

– Carving Items consisting of roasted turkey, glazed ham, smoked prime rib and yeast rolls

– Children’s Buffet offering fruit salad, chicken fingers, Nathan’s hot dog sliders, tater tots, sautéed green beans, assorted cookies and brownies

– Pastry Chef Sara’s Holiday Desserts selection of pies, cakes and traditional confections

I just finished eating (btw Cooking Light's Beef Daube Provençal, highly reccommend) but y'all are making me hungry.

I make an appetizer for DH's family gathering. The guys like stuff on stick, so I marinate onions, grape tomatoes, mushrooms, etc. in balsamic dressing and skewer it all with mozzarella balls and salami. I usually cook our Thanksgiving meal the day after - turkey breast, green beans, sage cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh cranberries, and fruit salad. I'll buy a pumpkin pie.

I'll be going to my DIL's brother's home as usual. It's a big family (there will be 28 of us), all of whom love sweets and seem to shun veggies (at least for T'giving dinner). The menu is pretty traditional (duck, turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, roasted veggies, pies, etc), with the addition of THE best home-made tabouleh. I bring pineapple stuffing (it's toothache sweet) and homemade biscotti. I use a biscotti recipe given to me by trailrunner (remember Caroline?) about 5 years ago and my DIL's family LOVES them. I have to closely time when I start biscotti production because I don't want 12 dozen biscotti yelling my name for too long.

delilah, Biscotti di prato?

I miss Trailrunner and woul like that recipe if you don't mind Delilah.

Thanksgiving dinner is my favorite of all meals. Our best friends host it at their home; we host Christmas Day dinner here. Best friend makes the turkey with oyster stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, yams, homemade pumpkin and pecan pies, coffee, iced tea, and her fabulous rolls. I bring various appetizers, wines, sparkling grape juice for her 4 grandkids, a veggie tray with hummus dip, my homemade cranberry-orange relish, and some sort of hot vegetable dish or a Waldorf salad. Our friends have two adult kids, their spouses and 4 grandkids. With DH and myself, and DD home from grad school we’ll be 13 for dinner. It’s always a festive, happy day with lots of delicious food. I love Thanksgiving!

A lychee martini. Brilliant, mtn. Everyone, except me, loves martinis. TY

(Now I have to buy more martini glasses. With no remaining cupboard space to store them. Anyone know of a smash your glass tradition in China?)

I forgot about the Waldorf salad! My family would be very disappointed if i forgot to take it to dinner at son's house. I'm glad you mentioned it, Lynn. Phew!

Going to mom's house. She's planning on making the turkey,stuffing and mashed potatoes. In reality,the day before she will text me to ask me to come do it because she's having to much fun with the visiting grandkiddies to fool with it. Which is fine,I love cooking. I'm making Mac and cheese,devilled eggs, cranberry apple pear cherry sauce and my olive brushetta. I'm also making roasted shrimp,at my sister's request,as her poor husband has newly acquired severe food allergies and his face swells up if he eats poultry,beef,pork,nuts or dairy. It's the weirdest thing I've ever seen. Mom will be making the pies and rolls for sure.

We usually stay home on Thankgiving, but this year we are going to my 93 yo father in law's home. My mother in law died earlier in the year, so it will be an emotional time. She was a fabulous cook and a lovely person whom I dearly loved.

I already ordered our Greenberg smoked turkey, and I will be cooking everything else. Mostly traditional-cornbread dressing, gravy, yummy potatoes (our adult children insist on this every year), green bean casserole, salad, cranberry orange relish, rolls, apple, pumpkin and pecan pies with freshly whipped cream. I did also order some jalapeno-pecan dressing from Central Market (a local grocery store), which our oldest son and I love.

My dad also died this year and we will go to my mom's for Christmas day. In some ways I am dreading the holidays and just want them to be over since I think they will be difficult. In other ways I am looking forward to them since I know I have to fully feel these feelings of grief in order to heal.

We'll be at the in-laws' with about 12 others. Traditional meal, I have been assigned fresh cranberry relish, deviled eggs and home made dinner rolls.

This group does not appreciate breaking tradition. MIL thought of doing something different, I suggested lasagna. Apparently that was shot down before it got off the ground.

Cantuccini di Prato Biscotti (recipe by Trailrunner)

Makes about 2 dozen biscotti

Heat oven to
350 degrees

Combine:

¾ c
toasted, chopped almonds

1 tsp
baking powder

¼ tsp
salt

2 c flour

¾ c + 2 T
sugar

Mix
together:

3 large
eggs

1 tsp
vanilla extract

1 ¼ tsp
almond extract

Add dry
ingredients to wet until just combined. Form a 14”x3” log on a parchment-lined
baking sheet. Bake 30-40 minutes. Cool 15-20 minutes. Slice ½” thick and place
cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet (I reuse the parchment). Bake
10 minutes on each side. Cool completely.

Delilah’s
Cranberry-Orange Biscotti (not true to the Cantuccini di Prato recipe)

Substitute
¾ c chopped dried cranberries for the toasted almonds, 1 ¼ tsp orange extract
for almond extract, and add the zest of 1 orange. For chocolate-topped
biscotti, line up cooled biscotti so they form a log again and drizzle with
melted chocolate.

My family likes to mix it up and try new recipes every year. One year my (87 yo) Mother commented that her mother wouldn't recognize anything we served.

The only reason we still have turkey is because someone always gets a free one and she's willing to cook it and bring it to my house. I host but a few years ago I said I'm not making turkey any longer because I don't like the taste, smell, or the greasy mess it makes. Someone said "I don't mind that and my kids like turkey so I'll do it." Perfect.

So, that sister will make the turkey. My celiac sister will make dessert since she has all the specialty flours and is a great baker. I'll do the sides but I don't know what they will be yet. I've been wanting to try Smitten Kitchen's fall-toush dish, with delicata squash & Brussels sprouts, so there's one side, decided.

We've never been pie people or stuffing/dressing people. I don't even know what the difference is between them. My mother is the only who likes canned cranberry sauce so we'll have a small can for her and a fresh cranberry sauce for everyone else. Voilà! Another side decided.

Hmm, if I keep rambling and typing I'll come up with all the sides I need...

One of my DD's doesn't like turkey either. She says it "tastes like feathers." I get it but I like turkey. The more I think about it, there is not much of a traditional dinner that all 5 of us like. Only 3 of 5 like yams (maybe because I never made them with marshmallows, or like my mom did, sauteed in butter and brown sugar). Four of five like stuffing, a different 4 of 5 like turkey. Only 2 of 5 eat gravy (not me). etc etc ... the only thing we all agree on is pumpkin custard, though DS said to me "why is it we don't have crust again?"

Good reminder why I will focus on the decor and the activities!

The usual, traditional turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, dressing, etc. I am trying a new recipe: it's a Korean carrot salad recipe. The Tea Time Russian restaurant in Chicago serves this delicious carrot salad with their entrees, and I'm hoping this will taste just like it.

it's a Korean carrot salad recipe

Please tell me more.

We have a vegan in our family and she's hosting! Delilah, many thanks for the biscotti recipes. I will make them this weekend and take pics!

A vegan thanksgiving....that sounds horrible. Good luck.

It sounds challenging. : )

The first in many I am not hosting. However, I am requested to bring an apple pie and appetizer/snacks. ibid.

And traveling 4 hours the day before so, homemade apple strudel pie made Wednesday morning and well packed crackers, flatbread, rosemary pecans, sopressata, homemade beet dip, cello whisps, assorted cheeses, olives and some kind of honey mustard pretzel m&m mix for the one 9 year old.

As a child, I spent most of my Thanksgivings at the Harvard Club in NYC with my extended family. It was the most beautiful, clubby setting, but the food, though delicious, fell short of everything that comes to mind when you think about turkey day. You didn't even have to order turkey--(the salmon was delicious). So when I had my own family, I overdid it every year. Too much of everything. Now my kids are scattered and it's just the three of us this year. We're doing a repeat of last year which was a brisket on the smoker. It's good and all, (and I'm not cooking,) but I do miss my leftover turkey, stuffing, onion, mayo and leafy greens on great bread. (My dh thinks stuffing on bread is redundant--he is a cretin.)

Jo

We are hosting the family here this year. Most years we do. And it’s typical Thanksgiving fare, and like maddielee and Lynn, a typical menu like everyone expects. I get a lot of ‘You are having _____ aren’t you?’ Most of us, me included, like turkey, and we also have a small ham. Sides are southern cornbread dressing, sweet potato casserole (no marshmallows - more of a praline topping), deviled eggs, mashed potatoes, green beans with bacon, maybe some Brussels sprouts this year, rolls, and desserts will be pumpkin cheesecake and apple crisp and maybe one other tbd.

We go to my DB and SIL. We usually have 18 or so....probably 12 this year. I bring appetizers and the last few years Ive brought the mashed potatoes (with cream cheese !) so SIL has one less time consuming thing to worry about and more room on the stove. I always bring chili cheese dip and nacho chips....now a tradition and crowd favorite and easy peasy! And i bring a healthier app...fruit and/or veggie based. We have the traditional meal. DB always makes Sally Lunn bread in lieu of rolls and pumpkin cake for dessert. I’ll usually bring a kid friendly dessert...brownies, woopie pies, or cookies.

My youngest and his gf are vegan. Ill usually bring hummus and crackers for them and they can also eat from the fruit/veggie platter. I set aside some plain mashed potatoes for them. They also bring their own food as well. They dont starve! They wont be with us this year though, they are in Kansas with her folks...boo hoo. TG is my favorite holiday as well.

at the risk of sounding like the grinch of thanksgiving, i have prepared the meal for over 30 years generally with help (a pie, the rolls, and green bean casserole?) we usually entertain our kids (and grandkids) and dh brothers and wives-- neither of whom cook while i generally enjoy preparing the meal, i do wish someone would invite me to their place for just one thanksgiving (i also prepare meals for all the other holidays) it doesn't help that i'm also preparing breakfast lunch and dinner for all the other days in the weekend....... anyway it'll be turkey and cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, corn and green beans and homemade cranberry relish, a relish tray, fruit salad and several pies, maybe a cheesecake. it all works out, but i will start preparations tomorrow, making everything in advance that i possibly can.... now that i've complained i feel much better....

i do wish someone would invite me to their place for just one thanksgiving

Don't wish, people will never volunteer and give up the sweet gig of you doing most of the work. Say something along the lines of "I'm putting everyone on notice that I will not host next year. Talk amongst yourselves and decide who will host. I'll bring (wine/dessert/just my sparkling personality/whatever you're willing to make)."

It doesn't help that i'm also preparing breakfast lunch and dinner for all the other days in the weekend......."

That's way too much work to do solo. If you don't speak up, nothing will change. If they don't cook, they could bring pastries for breakfasts and deli for lunches. Who can't make a hamburger? There are very cute paper plates for Thanksgiving. That's how I would deal with the other breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Keep it simple and let the Thanksgiving meal shine.

We had Thanksgiving at our house for many years until parents and other family members passed and some siblings decided to go their own way. Now we go to a friend's lake cabin. Their kids don't come home for TG so it's just the four of us. It's our "new" tradition though it's probably been 7-8 years now. Friends do the turkey and trimmings and I bring a couple vegetable sides. I've experimented with many things but now have settled on a sweet potato dish that I bring every year plus some kind of green vegetable that varies. I've had a few Brussels sprouts dishes, creamed spinach, collard greens, etc. I'm thinking Brussels sprouts again this year. It's very pleasant, low key, no pressure, great food. We have all come to the conclusion that our favorite gravy is one that comes out of a jar - we've taste tested a few and chosen our favorite.

I've been doing Thanksgiving for the past 25 years and it has slowly evolved into a semi-homemade meal. We have sit down for 38-42. I use to have two kitchens when my mother lived with us but for the past several years I've only had one so we get the turkeys from Boston Market and warm them up on the grill. Next went the homemade mashed potatoes - Simply Potatoes now in two crockpots. We could never produce enough gravy even trying different make ahead recipes so Swanson gravy is my friend in another crockpot. We do make two different stuffings and asparagus, broccoli, corn and sweet potatoes. I make a fresh fruit salad and real whip cream and everyone else brings pies. Apps are crudite, different humuses, 5 different cheeses, spinach dip and - no change ever on this one - Lipton onion soup mix and Wise potato chips.

I'm a pretty good cook but Thanksgiving at my house is just about the togetherness - both our large families and friends without a place to go. After dinner the family musicians play.

I use to have the kitchen and house cleaned up by the time I went to bed but now we have a lot of twenty somethings who hang out for hours and they do the final clean-up.

Amylou, can you share info about your cranberry apple pear cherry sauce? Sounds great!

I am enjoying all the traditions shared here. To clarify, my daughter who is vegan is hosting with a sister who is not vegan. The non-vegan is willingly cooking the turkey. I'm glad to pass the tradition down. zippity1, your efforts are more than gracious, but you need a break. Suggest going to a restaurant next year and then see who offers to host.

We have hosted Thanksgiving for most of our married lives because we like to cook and have the space. However, we never dealt with overnight guests and all that entails. What you describe would have driven me out of the tradition much sooner!

I offered to host this year but our gathering is not very big. My parents usually host when my sister and her family come (every other year) but I know how much work it is. My mother does not really enjoy cooking but my father loves to. It's a lot of work as they are older now. It's not really the cooking but all the prep ahead of time and then the clean up afterward. A couple of years ago I offered to host either Thanksgiving or Christmas to lessen the stress, but for some reason, my kids prefer going to my parents' house for Christmas so that means Thanksgiving falls to me. My sister's family lives 6 hours away, so when they come, they stay for several days with my parents which means she does not make anything to bring. Since my father loves to cook, he has offered to bring two vegetable side dishes which will be some sort of Italian dishes since that is his heritage and cuisine of preference for cooking. My mom likes to bake so she will do three pies - pumpkin, pumpkin chiffon and chocolate. DH will make an apple pie as well.

Our menu is what I've always thought traditional (until one year we spent Thanksgiving in Atlanta and discovered they had different traditions). We will have smoked turkey (dh will cook in his smoker), mashed potatoes, bread stuffing (dressing really b/c I won't do it in the turkey but we still call it stuffing), sweet potato casserole (not with marshmallows, mine has a pecan topping), gravy, and two vegetable side dishes from my father. We don't do rolls/bread - enough carbs already on the menu.

My niece and nephew are vegetarians, so won't be eating turkey but my sister said not to worry, they will just eat the side dishes. My 18 y/o dd stopped eating meat this summer and has managed to continue to remain vegetarian her first few months away at college. She informed me though that she has decided she will eat turkey on Thanksgiving and may go back to eating poultry as she is tiring of the limited vegetarian offerings at her school. My sister and BIL also stopped eating meat, mainly to eat healthier, but don't consider themselves strict vegetarians and told my mother they will have turkey on Thanksgiving. I'm just breathing a sigh of relief that my brother is spending Thanksgiving with his inlaws b/c SIL and my niece are apparently now vegan so that would have made most of our dishes unsuitable.

In my experience with a vegan daughter, they take care of their own needs and do not expect others to do so for them. 4kids, your sister should bring something, why not? Maybe you need to give her a duty-pick up the wine or something else that you can off-load. I have a SIL like yours so you have my sympathy!

We've hosted for 20 years, had up to 24 people at the gathering. This year only 12 plus the 3 grand babies that arrived in the past year. This is probably our last time as we are plotting to move/downsize next spring. We always do a traditional dinner except that I have been adding replacement dishes for things that never get eaten. Green bean casserole is now fresh green beans sautéed with bacon & onion in olive oil; canned cranberries are now fresh cooked with orange & grand marnier added; sweet potatoes do not have marshmellows & 1 son in law is doing a deep fried turkey this year. Leftovers are required by our group & we send extras home with anyone who wants them.

"My dh thinks stuffing on bread is redundant--he is a cretin." I KNOW this was said tongue-in-newlywed cheek, right, Jo?

The only thing I want to eat after all of my hard work is bread stuffing and pumpkin pie. You can have the rest.

Oh Delilah, I just looked up "cretin" and never knew the true definition. I feel like a heel for using it so flippantly. My dh is simply not a fan of carbs.

But I still love him.

Jo

This is absolutely the final menu - no more changes allowed;

Roast Turkey

Turkey Gravy

Cornbread Dressing

Mashed Potatoes

Green Bean Casserole (Not the one with canned soup – we don’t
like that one)

Creamed Corn

Creamed Red Cabbage (a first for us some on Gardenweb said
this is a Christmas tradition in some families so anxious to try it)

Sauteed Carrots and Onions (I created this to try – hope it
is good)

Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry in the can

Homemade Hot Rolls

Spice Cake with Caramel Glaze