Can we talk Thanksgiving? (1,863 views)
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Post by mcgee on Oct 28, 2020 12:50:37 GMT -5
I'm nervous about the election, nervous about the possibility of getting laid off, nervous about Covid so I need something to take my mind off all of it so I thought, let's talk Thanksgiving . Does anyone have their menu yet? For about the 15th year in a row it will just be DH and me and while he's not crazy about turkey, I was thinking about doing a turkey breast anyway. But then I saw Cornish hens in the store the and thought that might be the way to go. I always bounce around and change my menu several times before I finally decide on something. DH would be happy if I served tuna casserole as that's his FAVORITE meal but that's not happening! What are your plans?
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Post by wallycat on Oct 28, 2020 12:57:00 GMT -5
I'm so sorry on your stress. Even though you are not alone, the stress is hard. I feel it too. The last several years, I've purchased heritage/free-range turkey thighs, since we adore the dark meat. It is a treat this time of year and expensive as heck out here. Otherwise, we have made duck breasts (do you see the dark meat pattern?). Since it is just you and DH, there are no rules or expectations. That's how I feel, anyway...from Halloween on, any "special" days, we make something out of our ordinary.... As for sides, I tend to keep it simple. Used to go all-out (even just for the two of us) and never enjoyed the day....
Right now, the turkey thighs, something cranberry (DH "has" to have his canned crap), maybe brussel's sprouts and either roasted potatoes or some creamy beans.
Can you post your DH's fav tuna casserole recipe please.
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Post by erin elizabeth on Oct 28, 2020 13:14:46 GMT -5
I am hoping to have a Friendsgiving with my supper club the week before Thanksgiving. I got November's Bon Appetit yesterday and am thinking about making Double-Garlic Roast Chicken with Onion Gravy. I was also considering a turkey breast over a pan of stuffing.
We're a small group this year--4, maybe 5--so I will make any of my favorites that someone else does not provide. Stuffing is my favorite side. Maybe a pecan custard pie--I saw a recipe for this recently, but now I cannot put my finger on it. Cranberry sauce.
This was a delicious cranberry streusel pie. I do not parbake the crust. For the streusel, I use all brown sugar and use rolled oats (I don't grind everything in the food processor).
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Post by mcgee on Oct 28, 2020 13:33:57 GMT -5
Can you post your DH's fav tuna casserole recipe please. Thanks Wallycat. We've been much more fortunate than many but it doesn't look like there's any end in site which really scares me. As for the tuna casserole, it's nothing fancy and actually uses canned soup . I've tried making it from scratch but he prefers the soup version so that's what I use. The original recipe came from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook from the 70s - my very first cookbook. I got rid of the cookbook (wish I hadn't) but kept the page with this recipe even though I haven't referred back to it in years. I don't measure the ingredients other than the noodles but I think I will next time I make it. Sometimes mine isn't quite as creamy as I'd like and it's probably because I use less mayo and probably less cheese as well. While it's delicious right out of the oven, we prefer the leftovers the next day. I get 4 servings out of this but the recipe says it serves 6. Now I'm hungry for tuna casserole - I think I know what I'm making for dinner . Tuna-Noodle Casserole From the 1974 edition of the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook 6 ounces (3 cups) medium noodles 1 (5-ounce) can tuna in olive oil, drained (recipe calls for 6 1/2 - 7-ounce can but I don't see that size in the grocery stores) ½ cup mayonnaise (I don't use quite this much but to me, it's the secret ingredient.) 1 cup sliced celery (I don't measure, I just chop a couple of sticks until it looks right to me) ⅓ cup chopped onion (I don't measure this either) 1/4 cup chopped green pepper (I sub frozen peas but don't measure) ¼ cup chopped canned pimento (I don't use) ½ teaspoon salt 1 (10¾-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup ½ cup milk 4 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (I don't measure) 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds (optional)(I use Ritz crackers instead) Combine the noodles, mayo, celery, onion and peas in bowl. Combine soup, milk and cheese in saucepan. When smooth and well-combined, add to noodle mixture. Transfer to casserole dish and crush Ritz crackers on top. Bake in 425 degree oven 20 minutes or until hot in the center.
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Post by mcgee on Oct 28, 2020 13:38:33 GMT -5
Oh, Erin, that chicken looks wonderful.
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Post by mcgee on Oct 28, 2020 13:46:09 GMT -5
The last several years, I've purchased heritage/free-range turkey thighs, since we adore the dark meat. It is a treat this time of year and expensive as heck out here. Otherwise, we have made duck breasts (do you see the dark meat pattern?). Wallycat, I forgot to say that when I started this thread, I said to myself, "Wallycat is probably having turkey thighs."
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Post by wallycat on Oct 28, 2020 14:53:17 GMT -5
Thanks for posting the recipe! I'll have to calculate the dry noodles. Since my DH has never had this (at least not made by me), I can tweak it. Thank you!
I'm not sure if being this predictable is good or not, but in these troubled times, happy to be a beacon of certainty, even on the mundane stuff, LOL !
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traildoggie
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Post by traildoggie on Oct 28, 2020 15:01:30 GMT -5
I'm tired of all those topics too. hopefully all will happen in an orderly fashion on the third and we wont be in a bunker somewhere by thanksgiving.
for DH and I, this will be our first thanksgiving in decades alone. the guest list has slowly dropped over the years. our last remaining family (locally) moved to AZ a short time ago. we can Zoom with them but we will eat alone. with the virus revving back up, that's probably smartest anyway. I make a turkey breast, either a rolled roast, or a separate breast on the bone. last year I found Jenny O breasts that didn't need to defrost, straight freezer to oven. no one here will eat dark meat turkey! when I made a whole bird Id sneak the dark meat into soup or casseroles but ended up tossing a lot of it.
we are not sports fans, especially not football, so this may be a total downer of a day, no matter what we eat. If anything else pops up, I will jump at it. If it werent for the virus, it would be a good reason to branch out for a guest list, but I don't feel OK doing that this year.
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Post by mcgee on Oct 28, 2020 15:24:06 GMT -5
Thanks for posting the recipe! I'll have to calculate the dry noodles. Since my DH has never had this (at least not made by me), I can tweak it. Thank you! I'm not sure if being this predictable is good or not, but in these troubled times, happy to be a beacon of certainty, even on the mundane stuff, LOL ! You should have seen the face on my DH about 30 years ago when I told him I was making tuna casserole - he was not a happy camper. But after two bites he went crazy with delight and proceeded to eat half of the casserole. I hope your DH likes it as much as mine - you'll have to come back with a review and your tweaks.
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Post by mcgee on Oct 28, 2020 15:34:40 GMT -5
I'm tired of all those topics too. hopefully all will happen in an orderly fashion on the third and we wont be in a bunker somewhere by thanksgiving. for DH and I, this will be our first thanksgiving in decades alone. the guest list has slowly dropped over the years. our last remaining family (locally) moved to AZ a short time ago. we can Zoom with them but we will eat alone. with the virus revving back up, that's probably smartest anyway. I make a turkey breast, either a rolled roast, or a separate breast on the bone. last year I found Jenny O breasts that didn't need to defrost, straight freezer to oven. no one here will eat dark meat turkey! when I made a whole bird Id sneak the dark meat into soup or casseroles but ended up tossing a lot of it. we are not sports fans, especially not football, so this may be a total downer of a day, no matter what we eat. If anything else pops up, I will jump at it. If it werent for the virus, it would be a good reason to branch out for a guest list, but I don't feel OK doing that this year. Sorry this is going to be your first Thanksgiving alone - that would be difficult. I'm not a big fan of football but DH is so I putz in the kitchen. I start the morning off with Ramos Fizzes and then make either home made bagels or eggs and bacon. After a couple of hours of relaxation I get going on the feast. It's not the Thanksgiving I grew up with but it's what I've come accustomed to although I would love a big get-together. We have gone to visit family a few times in the past but even without Covid that wouldn't be possible this year. Both of my sisters are on the opposite side of the political spectrum than I am.
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Varaile
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Post by Varaile on Oct 28, 2020 18:42:18 GMT -5
Also burnt out on politics and COVID and would love to talk turkey. Not sure what our Thanksgiving plans are - it will depend in part on if my youngest sister and her family come up. She and her DH are working from home while managing the school needs of an 8 yro, 6 yro, and 3 yro. Going to my Folk's place is a much needed break for them. IF we gather, I'll have Mom make the turkey and dessert, and I'll bring the dressing, a squash side (eyeballing one in November's Eating Well), and cranberry dressing. We did that last year and it worked <i>very</i> well. IF DH and I forgo going over, I'll probably do a smaller version of the same - turkey, dressing, squash, cranberries and a pumpkin dessert. Personally, someday I'd love to do something like lasagna...
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Post by karenw on Oct 28, 2020 18:49:42 GMT -5
It will either be just DH and I or the 2 of us and 2 of my 3 kids. The 3rd is in L.A. so he won't make it. I never do turkey since we don't like it but still have not decided what to do this year yet. Maybe just a simple roast chicken with some sides.
Varaile-too funny you mentioned lasagna as yesterday I said to my husband that maybe I'd just do some lasagna or lasagna rolls, homemade bread, salad and one side.
I am still trying to decide but I still want to do something festive even if the holiday is very different this year.
Karen
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Post by erin elizabeth on Oct 30, 2020 6:12:57 GMT -5
I am still on the hunt for the pecan custard pie I saw, but this looks good. Except, no ginger? IDK. Doesn't appeal to me that way.
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gilgamesh37
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Post by gilgamesh37 on Oct 30, 2020 9:36:09 GMT -5
It's often only been the two of us for Thanksgiving, although in recent years we've had a close friend join us, and I'm sad that the pandemic makes that not possible this year. I'll probably do a 12-14 lb turkey (we like having leftovers and always make a huge pan of turkey tetrazzini to freeze in portions), mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, and pumpkin pie. We're not really stuffing people (it reminds me of my childhood Thanksgivings and I love having one scoop of it, but then the leftovers just languish) and I want another vegetable, just not sure what. Maybe Smitten Kitchen's baked spinach--that's always way more than the sum of its parts, but it's easy to do and can be done in advance.
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Post by PattiA on Oct 30, 2020 10:02:58 GMT -5
This i=will be our first Thanksgiving at home, just the two of us. I reserved a turkey from a local farm. There will be turkey, stuffing, gravy, and breaded cauliflower, which is something DH's family had for Thanksgiving, but it doesn't travel well so we haven't had it in long time. I might make a mini version of the cranberry-lime pie I made last year. www.bonappetit.com/recipe/cranberry-lime-pie. We will have more vegetables, just not sure what yet. Something green. Our family vegetable sides are brussels sprouts (which I bring), garlicky green beans, and mashed butternut squash.
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traildoggie
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Post by traildoggie on Oct 30, 2020 10:37:54 GMT -5
Thanks mcgee.. we are alone but not lonely. DH and I are inclined to hike or ride our road or mt bikes, and were never into really big dinners. we'd usually do 2-4 guests. the politics of late November may be especially daunting this year .... too many reasons not to push forward on guests, with virus numbers climbing again. a lot of Zoom will happen. I wonder if the app will get overwhelmed? we will try to Zoom with more people than usual since travel to other homes will be off the list this year.
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chatnoir
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Post by chatnoir on Nov 1, 2020 19:16:37 GMT -5
After 5 years living in another state than my family and not taking the time to go to my parents' for the Thanksgiving (my friend and I swapped-- I would watch her cats while she and her husband went to visit their son 12 hours' drive away for that holiday, then she would watch our cats while we went to my parents' over Christmas), we moved to be much closer earlier this year and I was looking forward to the holidays. Not so much now. 😐 We've decided to visit Mom and Dad and have a pre-Thanksgiving on the weekend before the holiday. My family is rather lax with masks ("well, the president doesn't wear one and we're safe and it's ending soon anyway"... ARGGGHHH!!!!) so I just don't want to join in the familial petrie dish that will be their holiday dinner. DH and I will enjoy the holiday on our own. Traditional favorites-- turkey (a 15-18 pound one for plenty of leftovers), cornbread and sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy.... DH would be fine with only that menu but I will roast brussels sprouts, make some sort of butternut squash, and a CL recipe "vanilla mashed sweet potatoes" that has been a favorite for years. Pumpkin pie, if I can find canned punpkin. Been looking at various stores for a couple of weeks now and the shelves are bare-- is anyone else having that problem?
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Post by wallycat on Nov 1, 2020 19:48:24 GMT -5
I hoarded pumpkin late last year. I have a few cans. Haven't paid attention but will check. Costco or sams usually has the huge cans, but that is too much for us.
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Post by chatnoir on Nov 1, 2020 19:55:29 GMT -5
Our Sam's sells 3 of the 28-ounce (I think..) cans to a pack. I had one left from last year, and earlier in October I used it to make pumpkin muffins, pumpkin butter, and something else.... 🙄. I should have *saved* it, but who knew? I bought a cooking pumpkin last week to stuff with rice and sausage and bake. Thinking that I may use it to make pie filling instead. Like the Pilgrims did... 😂
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Post by bawstinn on Nov 2, 2020 12:39:22 GMT -5
I am just tired of it all - the election, working from home and covid. I am in Iowa and our cases per day are rising and rising (we had 2 2800+ days this weekend). I have one kids back in school full time and the other is hybrid, with her full time date sliding out more and more as our numbers go up.
I am not really ‘allowed’ to change the menu, except for the vegetables, so we always have:
* Bacon and apple stuffing from Cook’s Illustrated * Make ahead gravy from Cook’s Illustrated * Pioneer Woman make-ahead mashed potatoes * Smashed Sweet Potatoes from Ina * Cranberry sauce - Ocean Spray bag, using orange juice instead of water, a little less sugar * Pumpkin cheesecake pie from King Arthur Flour * Dutch Apple pie - local Christian school fundraiser (parents make!) * Stuffed mushrooms - an old Three Rivers cookbook DH has from home
The kids will pick another appetizer, DD always makes bread of rolls and I will figure out some vegetables to round out the meal. it is always just the 4 of us for Thanksgiving, so no changes there.
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Post by mcgee on Nov 2, 2020 12:44:28 GMT -5
Hey Bawstinn - just wanted to say HI! Nice to “see” you on here - it’s been a while.. Your menu sounds great.
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gilgamesh37
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Post by gilgamesh37 on Nov 2, 2020 17:14:11 GMT -5
hi Bawstinn - I don't know if you remember, but I'm in Iowa as well, so yeah, I'm watching those numbers with alarm. I also work in healthcare, and hearing some of the contingency planning that's starting again (I was in on some of it early on, in March/April, but this is much more dire) is incredibly sobering. I think we are in for a world of hurt this winter---the bars have been packed here ever since the college students came back. Even when the bars maintain their 50% occupancy, it just spills out into house parties. You see masks on maybe 1 in 3 people (in the bars). I'm in charge of our dept holiday event, and when I called our DJ to cancel for this year, I asked how he was doing, because I assumed his business would have tanked over the last 6 months. Oh no, he said--yeah, it was pretty non-existent in March and April, but once the weather got nicer, he said he had pretty much the usual number of parties, weddings, etc starting in May, he's still pretty booked from now through the holidays, and hardly anyone wears masks. He's 45 mins south of us, and it's unfathomable to me that people are being that cavalier given all the information we have. (There again, my own father keeps telling me it's no worse than the flu, and going into town for errands and socializing every dang day. He's 92 and I keep pointing out that the death rate in his age group is TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT last time I checked. He just doesn't believe it will happen to him.) I hope everyone stays safe
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traildoggie
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Post by traildoggie on Nov 2, 2020 18:10:22 GMT -5
I agree, cant believe so many people are being cavalier about covid, and unfortunately some will pay a huge price for this. such terrible examples being set. I have never in my life had pneumonia or anything even close. I am older now and but see no reason to test the theory. I personally think |thanksgiving will be a national "superspreader" event because many people are being misled the orange idiot and his followers.
what I wanted to say is that if you cant find pumpkin, cook some squash like butternut or similar and use that. I grow my own squash and haven't bought canned pumpkin in decades.
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gilgamesh37
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Post by gilgamesh37 on Nov 4, 2020 8:57:22 GMT -5
I was in Walmart yesterday and there was a huge endcap display of canned pumpkin
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Post by beth on Nov 4, 2020 10:07:05 GMT -5
Hi, all. My oldest will not be coming home, so we will probably be doing something with our younger son, but he is a teacher and whether we can actually get together may depend on how his school and the area are doing with COVID. Since he has been back in the classroom, we have only had meals together outdoors, eating at separate tables with a fan between us, blowing away. We may do that at Thanksgiving if the weather is nice or we might cook (probably just a breast or a breast and drumsticks) and take food over to him if the weather is bad.
Our older son and his GF are planning on driving down the second week of December and staying until about the same point in January, all based on her grad nad law school calendars (she is in a joint degree program with 2 universities). We will probably do a full turkey when they come, but it will be a simple dinner other than the turkey and dressing. We may do sweet potatoes, but I have come to like fairly simple green beans (maybe with toasted almonds and/or red pepper) and a salad with turkey dinner -- and cranberry sauce, but even that fresh, but pretty simple. DH will probably pull out a better bottle of wine or two. I'm kind of over the excesses and just want fresh food, simply prepared -- the goodness of the harvest, right?
My dilemma will be how to shop for a turkey. We have been doing curbside shopping for the most part and as numbers have gone up we plan to be more strict about that -- but I wanna pick out my turkey! We'll see. I might have to let that go for a year.
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Post by Cher on Nov 5, 2020 15:47:25 GMT -5
My Thanksgiving menu is pretty much the same, whether I serve 8 or 20.
Turkey stuffed~stuffing with sausage, celery and onions. I also make so much I bake some in a separate pan as my oldest doesn't like stuffing in the bird. Homemade Mashed Potatoes Candied Sweet Potatoes Green Bean Casserole (one year I didn't make this..and BIL at the other end of the table said..pass the green bean casserole..and I had to tell him I didn't make it. His response was "Say it isn't so...." LOL I bring out some of our frozen sweet corn Always have cranberry sauce~2 kinds~Jellied and whole My MIL usually makes the pies for dessert.
Other than that..we also have rolls.
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Varaile
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Post by Varaile on Nov 7, 2020 6:59:38 GMT -5
Reporting back in re: canned pumpkin. I was at the co-op and they had a three foot high stack in the cardboard flats of organic and one with with non-organic in 14.5 oz size. The local grocery store had a full supply of both 14.5 and 28 oz cans. However, I did note - both at the co-op and the grocery store it was the Festal (sp?) brand and not Libby's. Also of interest, the co-op was charging $1.39 for the Festal and the grocery store was $1.29.
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bawstinn
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Post by bawstinn on Nov 12, 2020 8:34:08 GMT -5
Explanation for the pumpkin shortgage? www.thepioneerwoman.com/news-entertainment/a34302324/canned-pumpkin-puree-shortage/I saw at Trader Joe's and our local grocery store (HyVee). gilgamesh - amazing how much changes in a week, the number of positive cases this last week are astounding. We were thinking of asking a coworker and his wife to join us or Thanksgiving, but with the rise in cases and my kids still in school we opted not to risk it.
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Post by wallycat on Nov 19, 2020 20:21:56 GMT -5
Our little town is also having a spike in cases. Makes me nervous when DH goes into the hospital for his monthly shot. Nothing like the bigger cities, but it is still quite unnerving.
Today I dry rubbed our free range turkey thigh with gochujang and spices. I will roast it tomorrow with sweet potatoes and brussel's sprouts. I may make a cranberry/cherry "chutney" of sorts (relish? chutney?) and maybe make an apple dessert. I guess we're doing T-day tomorrow, LOL.
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Post by emma on Nov 20, 2020 10:51:57 GMT -5
That is undoubatly true, but I had to laugh when I saw all those fields of pumpkins pictured in the Pioneer Woman article. "Libby's Pure Pumpkin—the quintessential American canned pumpkin brand—is responsible for 85% of canned pumpkin sold in the world. When we think of a pumpkin, we usually imagine either the rotund, bright orange specimen that we buy up at Halloween to carve into a jack-o-lantern—which, while edible, isn't good for cooking—or its smaller, tastier cousin, the sugar pumpkin. But instead of those pumpkin varieties, Libby's grows a proprietary strain of tan-skinned Dickinson squash. And although Libby's does refer to its fruit as "pumpkin," in appearance, taste, and texture (not to mention species) it more closely resembles squash. In fact, its closest high-profile relative is butternut squash." Source: epicurious - www.epicurious.com/ingredients/what-is-in-canned-pumpkin-article
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