Thanksgiving!

[jkath]

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Here are a lot of ideas for you as well. Since joining this board, my all time favorite recipe for Thanksgiving (and many other days too) is Konditor's Sweet Potatoes (or yams) in Orange Cups. I'm sure the recipe's in one of those postings.

 

[kittyjo]

Don't forget the whipped cream for the pumpkin pies

 

[lulu]

Ok, so my problem now is that I want to cook all of this stuff, and so many of the variations look so good, I need duplicates!

And aswell as having to pace my self tasting every thing my new city has to offer (I still have not had Italian pasta outside of our house....!) I want to eat all these great american recipes.

And I don't have a car in Milano yet, so I sense a very very heavy journey back from the supermarket on Public transport and foot as I try to gather up stuff for greedily eating....sorry I mean careful evaluation and sampling to help choose which recipes I'll use for thanksgiving itself!

 

[expatgirl]

What did your husband do at the office that YOU got the punishment?????????? Just kidding---I'll post some ideas as we go along-- Seriously, now, do you know approximately how many people might be coming? If it's more than 10 don't hesitate to ask people to help out------AND be sure that you have enough ice on hand----when we lived in Egypt and I had to entertain for many people and none of us had ice makers-- I always made sure that people brought coolers of ice----never been to Milano so don't know what your conditions are--------Can you get decent turkeys over there???? Too bad you can't deep fry them----out of this world!!!!!! Let me commend you on thinking about this early on so that your hubby can gift you appropriately at Christmas---I hear that Italian gold is gorgeous!!!!

 

[lulu]

Re numbers, I won't know exactly until two weeks before, but then I can adjust shopping list and he office take care of all of that....presumabably they know where to get turkeys from! I have a feeling I'll have to make my pumpkin pies from scratch (I have only used cans of pumpkin before now)

But there is a huge kitchen set up for fairly large scale catering at the office (they plan to get a chef at some point in the future to deal with catering for office) and so I am fairly sure I'll cope. I am working on the basis of about thirty people, but I am just going to go with a list of recipes I would do at home and make more of each food. Most I have cooked for a sit down meal before was 20.....at christmas, so a similar scale of catering to thanksgiving, so its just another jump up in numbers.

I plan to do anything that can be done the day before, so that my day is clear, and someone else is doing the clearing away and the setting up (always the worst bits!) .

I am really determined that this is something that the Americans will find comfortingly familiar and good and that the Italians will enjoy too. They seem to be a fairly open minded bunch of eaters....they have sushi Thursdays and regularly have themed events with unusual food.

I do think it better be a great Christmas though! Actually, the reson I have been commandered is because the Husband mentioned I was settling in well in Milan better since I had internet because I was an enthusiastic new member of a cooking forum......lol

 

[jrticer]

I am having Thanksgiving twice this year. First in October with family on our Mountain vacation. Im trying to think of things to make a head of time and freeze. Any ideas?

 

[buckytom]

lulu, if you are going to make stuffing with sausage, try using turkey and fennel sausage.

the only thing i can add to the suggestions so far is pearl onions in cream sauce as a side dish.

 

[ChefJune]

Lulu, you may be interested to know that in Italian-American families, stuffed artichokes and lasagna are "de rigeur" for Thanksgiving dinner, along with all the American trimmings... as well, the dressing for the bird would definitely include crumbled Italian sweet sausage....

 

[abjcooking]

Mine is similar to what's posted above. Some of my friends and family have brought different dishes however that is tradition in their family.

Hot apple cider/wine
spiced nuts
cheese ball
spinach and artichoke dip (friend)
turkey
stuffing
oyster stuffing (friend)
gravy
noodle gravy (bf's grandmother makes this)
green bean casserole
vidalia (sweet onion) casserole
sweet potato casserole- I make the one with nuts and brown sugar topping
cranberry relish
pumpkin chiffon pie
chocolate cake for the kids

 

[mish]

OK, I know this is very early, but my husband's American office hee in Milano have asked me, an English woman, to cook thanks giving dinner this year. Aparently the American wife who has done it last few years HATES cooking and is not so good at it and so they have been looking for a replacment for some time. I don't know how many people yet but I'll use the huge kitchen at their offices, so that doesn't worry me in itself.

Having had a few years in US as a child I remember Thanksgiving vaguely. A big roast turkey, sweet potato wirth marshmallows, gravy, cranberry sauce.....PUMPKIN PIE (my favourite!) but what else is considered mandatory on the perfect Thankgiving table? Should it be mashed potatos or roast ones? And what do you do about starters?

I have the luxury of not having to consoder cost too much as the company will pay for it, I just have to give them a shopping list two weeks before. I magine more than half the people will be Italian, but there will be the big US bosses and their families who I want to impress for my husband, LOL.

The basics for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner usually are:

Turkey
Stuffing
Gravy (if you like)
Cranberry sauce or cranberries
Sweet potatoes/Yams
Pumpkin Pie
Biscuits/rolls/bread
salad - for a starter
Vegetable side dish

Every family/person has their own 'traditional' dishes that they prepare and like for sides/accompaniments. Thanksgiving dinner can be a daunting task, if you'e not accustomed to preparing so many dishes at once. I would keep it simple, to start.

Try a search on this site re Thanksgiving, as there many contributions from members here.

If you can get an idea of how many people are attending, it will help take the guesswork out of the size bird to buy and amounts needed for preparing all your recipes.

A timesaver is, preparing as much as you can ahead of time (other than the turkey), covering and keeping in the refrigerator.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I'l add two things to this meal, and they are essential at my home, and in my extended family's homes as well. That is: Sea Breeze Salad, and mashed rutabeggas with a bit of butter and brown sugar mashed in. after that, everyone else has given you what you need. Adn remember, if you take the bird out of the oven when the internal temp reads 255, and let it rest for fifteen minutes, you will be rewarded with the juciest and most tender bird ever. Also, remove the breasts whole and cut accross the grain to enhance the tenderness of the meat and give everyone a piece of that golden skin. Just arange the breasts sliced and layerd side-by-side, with drumsticks and wings in the appropiate places on the platter. It's great on a bed of flowering kale. Makes a great presentation. And save the turkey oysters for yourself and someone extra-special. Got a child you particularly like. Invite that youngster into the kitchen before the meal is served and give hi or her one of the oysters while you eat the other. It will be just for you two.

The oyster is the meat found on the turkey back, in the depression just behind the wing joints. The meat is called the oyster because it's approximately the same size and shape. And, its the choicest meat on the bird. I always shared one of the oysters with my favorite nice, or my youngest daughter. And you know who the favorite uncle is in my family.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[kitchenelf]

I am having Thanksgiving twice this year. First in October with family on our Mountain vacation. Im trying to think of things to make a head of time and freeze. Any ideas?

I found this link that may be useful.

 

[shpj4]

Thanksgiving is really not that far off. I usually go with my best friend to a restaurant in the Marina City Club which has a great buffet.

Because it overlooks the water in the channel and the restaurant is on the top floor not only do you get wonderful food but a great view.