Smoked turkey is lovely. If your turkey is small enough, I suggest butterflying it. :)

Since my traditional job for Thanksgiving is making the guacamole (hint: don't put in too much juice (wet) and use more seasonings than you think you need), I often provide something "interesting" on the side. One year, I made a vegetable dish from a recipe I got from a CF member. It was unusual, and really good. One year, I made a wintersquash hot dip. We don't stray too far on Thanksgiving, however, and while I could cheerfully chuck the whole thing and make lasagna for the four of us this year, I am required to produce turkey (breast), stuffing, (chicken) gravy, sweet potato casserole (which is usually a cousin dish and I had to beg for help here), and a green vegetable. And apple pie. I'm not make two pies for four people, so I got out of pumpkin.

I like pumpkin dishes, and usually make them for Sukkot (Jewish harvest festival in October). Some are even vegan, and most can be made GF. The trickiest would be pumpkin lasagna, because GF lasagna can turn into a sticky mess. Moisture control is key, but it can be done. Pumpkin soup. Pumpkin empanadas (can be savory or sweet). Pumpkin pancakes. Added to the list to try this year is Martha's pumpkin cornbread which she posted recently. Chocolate pumpkin marble cake. Pumpkin pie. Pumpkin toast. Etc.

There are all kinds of different stuffings. Add one strong flavor and change the character: Sausage, oysters, celery, green bell pepper, roasted chestnuts, whole wheat and/or pumpernickel breads, etc.

Or you can go really out there: crêpes, burritos, meatloaf, quiche...

Find some vegetables you don't usually make. My current passions are kohlrabi and kale sprouts.

I dunno. Just have fun!

I try to always have one green vegetable side that I like. Past recipes I've used are roasted broccolini with garlic and shallots, raw kale topped with roasted sweet potatoes, pine nuts, pomegranate seeds and a ginger dressing and shredded Brussels sprouts sauted with shallots, garlic and pine nuts.

we dropped the oyster stew on xmas eve because I am the ONLY one left in the family that likes is. Saying goodbye to some traditions is tough.

I make more ahead the days leading up to thanksgiving to give myself more time to spend with the kids. we smoked the bird last year and it got very good reviews. prolly won't have thanksgiving this year, like we didn't have easter and anything all summer. plus we are expecting another grand so. would not expect them to travel. [getting soft in my old age]. Also did the cranberry salad from scratch, and everyone but my wife raved about it. she likes the canned, which has a tiny taste to me.

deviled eggs: you can never make too many ... and Parker house rolls. and everyone loves butternut squash... and [no judging] gb casserole.

I do not love all the traditional Thanksgiving food, but I see no reason to let it go. If we want to shake things up, we add things to the staple menu. That way, it's guaranteed that everyone will be happy, while having the opportunity to try something new at the same time. The only exception was when my brother wanted to try a deep fried turkey. We did not make 2 turkeys, he just deep fried the one, and it was good.

I have a brother in law with severe food allergies that have to be accommodated, but like with everything else, I just add an altered dish to the regular one. Example, my stuffing has sausage in it. He is allergic to pork, so in addition to the regular stuffing, I make him stuffing with turkey sausage instead of pork. This might sound crazy but I enjoy cooking ,especially for the holidays so it is really a joy for me.

Hubs and I finally admitted that we don't like roast turkey. My dad and I like duck but hubs doesn't, so that's out. Ham is too salty for Dad and I to make a big meal out of it. So we finally bit the bullet and decided that what we like best is our tried and true roast chicken so that's what we have most of the time now, unless I can score some type of fru fru small heirloom turkey, which only happened once. One year when Thanksgiving and Hannukah were close together I made roast chicken with chicken matzah ball soup as the starter. Roasted vegetables as the side and coleslaw. I think maybe apple pie for dessert. It was a great meal! Another time when it was just the four of us, (My parents and me and hubs then boyfriend at the time), I made a stuffed pork loin roast, that went over well too. Not suitable for large groups but we have pared down our Thanksgiving travel and guest list so can get away with something like that. Hubs has added the tradition of pumpkin cheesecake, which is a little out of the ordinary but he makes it so I am happy!

Two of my favorite Thanksgivings were when we splurged on wild caught Pacific salmon. Being almost always a small group, we can get away with something like that most of the time. If I had to do a dinner for a large group, I might pull out Mom's molds and make a salmon mousse, but that probably wouldn't go over well as a main dish for a dinner.

Vegetarian me likes stuffed squash as the main. That was one of my better Thanksgivings, a bunch of us got snowed in at a camp where we worked and couldn't go to our planned get togethers, so had to scrounge a dinner out of what we had left in our pantries and raiding the camp kitchen. Luckily one of the vegetarians had already planned on staying and eating there so he supplied the stuffed squash. I think I made apple pie with a graham cracker pressed crust and a crumble topping of grape nuts since I didn't have any flour or oatmeal. It was good! Another popular dish when it is all vegetarians in attendance is stuffed chard or cabbage.

I actually really dislike Thanksgiving most of the time. When I'm teaching it's always stressful to try and travel somewhere and get back by Monday and it's close to finals. I feel more flexible to travel over Christmas so that's what we do now. We have quiet Thanksgivings at home with no travel and save the travel for Christmas/New Years when I have longer time off.

Another non-traditional thing I made was a wild rice stuffing with feta cheese. I loved it but hubs did not. I don't usually like stuffing because I don't like sage. And I love wild rice. But hubs is very traditional and doesn't like fru fru stuffings at Thanksgiving, so that's out. I would be happy with a wild rice pilaf, but hubs wants stuffing!

It will just be the two of us here, as the rest of the family will be taking their Covid-19 roulette chances by going to granddaughter's wedding.

This did bring back good memories though of one Thanksgiving where we had Chinese take-out for 22 of us ages 6-60. The fortunes in the cookies were written (on the backs) by each family member and they were hilarious. Maybe this year will be sushi deluxe with photo ops.

Another vote for smoking the turkey. We have Christmas Eve dinner at our house and I do a big Prime Rib. Some of the family won't eat it (I don't get it) so I always do a second protein. Last year I smoked a turkey and everyone raved. My FIL does a very good turkey in a plastic bag and hands down they liked the smoked better.

I butterflied it since most recipes I saw called for brining the whole bird in a 5 gallon bucket for a few days in the fridge. I sure as hell don't have room to do that. Butterflied turkey cooks faster and brining isn't necessary.

I Pinkmountain - For salty ham Jacques Pepin has a good tip. You boil it first to get rid of some of the salt. It works wonders.

no room in the fridge, brine it in the cooler

I second the suggestion for the Prime Rib roast. I have two 11+ lb. standing rib roasts in the freezer from the old cow we processed last spring because she stopped calving. Surprisingly, the beef we have eaten from her is just as good as that from the two year old steer we had processed at the same time. We'll see at Thanksgiving how the rib roast turns out. With just the 4 of us, I'm sure we will be having lots of French dip sandwiches with the leftovers.

braised beef short ribs is better option.

Growing up, my family was not all that crazy about turkey, so a few times I roasted a prime rib beef roast and made Yorkshire pudding as a side dish. We did the twice baked potatoes, Waldorf apple salad, and whatever else. These were wonderful meals too.

Yes, my stress level went way down when I started viewing Thanksgiving as just "time off work" and the gathering as whatever it was or I wanted it to be, not what society markets it as. And my meals became way more fun. If it's just hubs and Dad and I, keep it as simple as possible, a roast bird, mashed potatoes, plain ol' dressing and salad and whatever vegetable I'm in the mood for and looks good at the store. We actually like the frozen mixed vegetables, kind of covers all bases. I like cranberry sauce but I wait until after the holiday to buy cranberries fresh, the price goes way down, so I'm likely to serve an old canned sauce on the actual day of. Tastes just like mine anyway and can be doctored. Hubs makes pumpkin cheesecake. Bam, done. Very occasionally, if we have guests over and I'm still cooking before dinner, I might serve an appetizer like guacamole or spinach artichoke dip and I don't feel guilty about buying it pre-made in the store if I have the money. I don't even bother making mulled wine like I used to, just buy it already made which you can get now. Cider for the tea totalers.

I've had the big fancy Thanksgivings with all kinds of dishes and appetizers and all day partying over food, and frankly they just leave me mostly with indigestion.

One exception is cherry cranberry crumble I made one year, that has both fresh and dried berries and cherries. It is fab and worth the trouble making. I don't make it for Thanksgiving though, because hubs insists on the cheesecake and one dessert is enough. Again, i used to do two plus cookies, but who needs all that sweet stuff and the left overs? Not us. I'd rather savor one nice dessert at a time.

Double the topping if you're wanting something more traditional and aren't as concerned about the "low fat." That's how it manages the "light" moniker, by skimping on the topping.
https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cranberry-cherry-crumble

This year we are following sound advice and just staying at home with the two of us.

I plan on making turkey gumbo, dirty rice and sweet potato pie.

I don't care if I never roast another darned turkey!

I don't understand people who have turkey for thanksgiving and turn around before the leftovers are finished and roast another for the other holidays. The only way I could understand that is if you just really love turkey. If you really love turkey that much I don't understand why have it only for holidays and why have only that for holidays. Let your turkey flag fly if you really like it that much!

We quit pigging out for the holidays many years ago. Why? It is not as if we don't eat well all the rest of the year.

My favorite of the meal is cornbread dressing. I just make that sometimes with roasted chicken. Cranberries are highly over rated and pecan pie is like eating a big piece of candy.

There were some articles in the media recently talking about how these turkey farms were intent on producing big turkeys and now, this year, people are looking for smaller birds or cut up parts instead of 20 pounders. The problem is that they are not set up in the process to package and sell in cut up portions and the turkeys are bred to be big. Apparently it is not just a matter of only letting the bird grow to a certain size before they kill it. According to them it is only when the turkey reaches its full growth that it is of the desired quality for a trip through the oven. So, they are between a rock and a hard place, for sure.

I have often thought that it would be a fun challenge to make a meatless thanksgiving meal. I think that I could do that quite nicely and there would be no turkey shaped tofu thingy involved. But not going to go there. Turkey gumbo all the way. Probably some good cornbread to go with it, too.

The smoker comes tomorrow! The DH has been studying smoked turkey procedures on YouTube.

Vegetarian & vegan Thanksgiving is actually not bad to put together. Los of the sides are already vegetarian or vegan or can be easily adapted. Vegans have told me that Tofurkey is disgusting. So I've never made it. For several years I made stuffed acorn squashes, making a different filling each year. The vegan & vegetarian were very happy with it.

The trick with vegan is protein. You have to eat a great big heap of veg to get adequate protein, so vegans eat a lot of beans and grains, some of which are as much as 15% protein. They're good balanced food, but you get the carbs and fats as well as the protein, which can be limiting. Plus, there are the things necessary for trace nutrients, and making sure the food is filling and satisfying. And tasty, of course. I've done feast foods for vegans, and generally make vegetable dishes vegan anyway, but I don't relish it! I like the idea of stuffed acorn squash! Festive looking and filling.

so, now that the turkey is sorted out.... I often hear of pizza for Thanksgiving. Normal pizza, not turkey dinner flavor. Also, granny made full on Chinese banquet on lazy susan. Squab or pheasant. Crown roast of beef. ... While it's true that many people lade their tables with starchy starch starch starch and vegetables only allowed if creamed or soaked in butter or other rich sauce, I have trouble thinking of a truly unusual side weirded than the much discussed GBC. Mexican style spicy corn goes just as well with T'day staples as creamed. ;j

I don't think a vegan has to have the perfectly balanced meal for a celebration. One day without won't make them I'll. 🙂

I suppose it's the Jewish Mother gene. More about me than the guests. A “plus one” at Passover one year was vegan, but the guy who brought her didn't warn me. I felt awful about it, though she said she was grateful for so many things that she could eat. Those were plain vegetables, matzah and charoset. Sure, she had plenty to nibble on, and wasn't about to starve for one meal, but it upsets me to have someone leave hungry from a feast at my table. So if I'm going to make something substantial for a vegan guest, I want it to be nourishing, not just filling.

I like the stuffed acorn squash idea because they're a pretty presentation, and look fancy just in themselves, and they're self contained. The squash should be filling and rich tasting, and tick the yellow veg box, and the filling (especially if it's not Passover), can have all kinds of nutritious bits and pieces, inc. tvp or saitan, nuts and seeds, nutritional yeast, etc., and taste nice. Add the vegetables that everyone is eating, and the vegan guest will feel welcome and cared for.

i really like this idea.

I like to know if someone has a dietary issue. Dairy-free, not-free, celiac, vegan, etc. Easy to accommodate while prepping. We have so many veg dishes anyway but I can use a leek-top veg stock in a grain/wild rice dressing in a separate casserole.

I so understand, but we don't personally follow the holiday food tradition cancel culture. Seems about split even every year. Secondary friends and co-workers are often planning around anything but turkey. Our close friends and both extended families always plan around a turkey. I did order a rack of lamb if we can't get a good small heritage breed. This year that would be fine, thrilled even, but just got an e-mail that turkeys are ready for pre-order.

They predicted a demand for smaller birds and more of them. At least local farms near me have figured that out. (They are 2-3 dollars more per pound).

Families on a very tight budget can get a big bird practically free as a lost leader and often freeze a second one for another holiday meal later on.

We both have such good memories as wee ones with grands and relatives, cousins, siblings, then nieces and nephews. It's become increasingly important to toast our health/perseverance during such a stressful time and sharing many phone calls with our families....and no airline flights, 😬 no pressure to travel.

I have two girls coming, seven and eleven years old and they will eat hotdogs and mac and cheese. And cookies. Period.

^^^ what? No French Fries or Tater Tots?

That's what prompted hubs and I to forgo turkey if we felt like it. There is nothing so sacred about turkey that you can't have it other times of the year, or that you have to have turkey at a meal to give thanks. If everyone likes it, no problem, but if everyone doesn't, don't put yourself though making it just to follow some tradition that has no meaning for you. My aunt used to make turkeys all the time in the summer, smaller ones, on their outdoor rotisserie. Barbecue turkey, it was fab! I discovered that small fresh, not frozen turkeys have a whole different flavor than frozen birds, but very hard to come by. I was only able to discover that when a work colleague was selling them for some reason I can't remember, and I pre-ordered one . . . I only got it to support her, didn't realize it was so good. They used to sell them at a farm market near me too, but I don't live in that place anymore. I'm sure if I really wanted one I could hunt one down (actually where I live now, almost literally) but I'm too poor and too lazy. But now that I am aware of the fact that big turkeys might be at bargain prices this year, I'll be sure and stock up . . . inexpensive protein always a good thing, IMHO. Hopefully I can find one that is not too, too big. Freezer space is an issue . . .

One can sweat over food issues of one's guests or not, it's a tough call. Some folks are easy to please and others are difficult no matter how hard you try. I have some of both in my family . . .