What am I supposed to make?

[tobiasknight]

So with my food passion recently discovered by my family I've been instructed to help with Thanksgiving dinner (which means do most the work) this year. She already has a turkey and a ham going but i've been instructed to bring/make my own item. It has to be at least some what traditional, which brings the problem of what is traditional here? =)

 

[Gretchen]

Something with cranberries, but it wouldn't need to be cranberry sauce. It could be a fruit compote of apples, pears and cranberries.
How about green beans--but it doesn't need to be the cream of mushroom green bean casserole. CI has an updated made from scratch one this month--or you could do green beans (get whole frozen beans at least, and haricots verts if possible) sauteed in butter with some sliced mushrooms and herbs.
Or a mashed potato casserole--there are lots going around now that use sour cream and cream cheese in them and so they can be made ahead and then heated at dinner.
Root vegetables--turnips and apples.
Or of course, any of a myriad of sweet potato dishes.
Desserts!! Pumpkin pie? Pecan pie? OR make a pumpkin creme brulee or pumpkin cheesecake.
But my idea is--exercise your new food passion with the newer updated Thanksgiving recipes of the traditional ingredients. Have a GREAT time! Thanksgiving is THE time to exercise "food passion".

 

[thumpershere2]

Where is here?

 

[Gretchen]

Hadn't thought of it that way--the US?
I guess in Minnesota you might have wild rice?
Where I grew up in Ohio, we had potatoes. Now in the South we have rice.
I grew up with bread stuffing IN the turkey (and wouldn't have that any other way!!!!). DH grew up with cornbread DRESSING OUT of the turkey--and so we have that also.

 

[SizzlininIN]

How about........


Sweet Potato Dish.....I'm making this http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_35146,00.html
Cranberry Dish....I'm making this..... http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_35145,00.html

Dressing.....here's my recipe:

Herb Dressing
Melt 1 cup of butter or margarine in a saucepan.....then add 1 cup each of coarsley chopped celery & onion. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. If you want to make it oyster dressing just add your oyster meat and cook till it curls on the sides then remove....you can leave them whole or cut them up.

While the celery and onions are cooking. Take 2 packages of hot dog buns and rip them into large bite size pieces in a extra large mixing bowl. NOTE: You may have to add 1 1/2 pkg. then after you add the liquid and the bread shrinks down then add the remaining buns.

To the hot dog buns add the following:
1 cup snipped fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried
2 to 2 1/2 tsp salt ..... I use kosher and start out with 2 tsp.
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
2 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp ground sage
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Once you have all the herbs/spices added add the celery/onions/butter mixture. Now start pouring in a can of low sodium chicken broth. It'll probably take you the whole can and maybe more so have 2 cans on hand. Like I mentioned before you may have to leave some of the hot dog buns out first before adding the herbs and such.......the broth makes the bread shrink.
Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until the top is slightly browned.

NOTE: For my taste I usually end up adding some poultry seasoning, a little more salt and more pepper.

NOTE: The good thing about this is that since there is no eggs involved you can taste and season to your palate.

NOTE: You can substitute the hot dog buns for buttered toast. Just toast a full loaf and butter while warm. Tear up in large bite sizes. My mom always used hot dog buns and thats what we prefer.
NOTE: If you like a drier stuffing then hold back on the broth.....if you like a moister stuffing then be sure to add enough chicken broth.

 

[Claire]

tobias, I always host Thanksgiving, and tell people what I make. Like Thumper, my question is "where is here?" I just tell them what I'm doing (in this case turkey, sage dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and a cucumber/shrimp coctail type salad as a starter), then invite everyone to embellish on it as they see fit. Depending on where I've lived, I've had cornbread dressing, various sweet potato and winter squash dishes, all sorts of veggie sides, pies, etc. To me the biggest job is getting the turkey, potatoes and gravy on the table. If you don't do THAT right, you can wind up with a house full of guests at the emergency room (never happened to me or any of mine, but I've known it to happen). So ask your host exactly what s/he is fixing, then accomodate it. This year my desert maker is going for either pumpkin brulee or mousse instead of the traditional pie. Our mouths are watering.

 

[tobiasknight]

Heh, so many replies.. thanks everyone.

 

[mudbug]

Make this, tobias. It uses a traditional ingredient (pumpkin) but in a very nice less-traditional way.

Many thanks and all the credit to mish, who turned me on to this recipe.

Pumpkin Flan with Brown Sugar Crust

1/2 cup brown sugar
5 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
2/3 cup granulated sugar
Dash of salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Sprinkle the bottom of 8 half-cup ramekins or other single-serving size baking dishes with half of the brown sugar.

In a mixer, beat the eggs. Add pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, salt and cinnamon. Stir in the milk, cream and vanilla extract.

Pour mixture into baking dishes. Set baking dishes into a large baking pan. Fill the pan with water so that it reaches halfway up the sides of the flan dishes. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven.

Remove flans from water or they will continue to cook. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes. You can prepare the flan up to this point ahead of time, even the day before. Refrigerate.

Heat oven to broil. Sprinkle the flans with the remaining brown sugar and pop under broiler for a couple of minutes or until nicely browned. Serves 8.