Thanksgiving!

[lulu]

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.

 

[mugsy27]

mashed potatos and stuffing are a must at my house!!

if you really wanna give them a treat...deep fry the turkey!!

dang...now u got me jonezing for turkey day!!

 

[lulu]

I think deep frying the turkey (or turkeys) will be out of the question.....I would not feel brave enough. But stuffing, yum yum, how could I forget that! Thank you!

 

[pdswife]

We always have apple pie along with the pumkin.
And a salad or two.

 

[mugsy27]

if u pay my airfare...i will gladly volunteer to come and deep fry the birds for you!!

 

[vagriller]

if u pay my airfare...i will gladly volunteer to come and deep fry the birds for you!!

And I will bring the deep fryer!

:to airport security:

"What do you mean I can't bring the propane tank on the plane?"

 

[unmuzzleme]

My family always has several veggie side dishes, like corn and green bean casserole.

We also usually have what we call broccoli and/or spinach souffle, which is really this Bisquick recipe and not a souffle at all...but it's delicious!

We always have the potatoes mashed rather than roasted. And GRAVY. You mustn't forget the gravy!!!!!! YUM-O!

Wow, I want Thanksgiving now, too! Maybe Thanksgiving in August is on the menu....

 

[lulu]

OK....so a two course meal essentially....pies for pudding, and turkey, gravy stuffing, mash, sweet pots and marshmallows, assorted veg sidedishes...one of which always seems to contain broccoli, and a couple of salads?

 

[licia]

Don't forget the cranberries - either in salad, sauce, or relish. They really perk up a turkey meal. We always have ambrosia with ours, but I only use navel oranges and coconut with just a bit of sugar. We have pecan pie also. I'm sure you will get many variations on Thanksgiving. Everyone has different ideas and they are all delicious. Your post reminds me I have a turkey in the freezer I need to cook before he has a birthday!

 

[lulu]

Oh wow, pecan pie, yes. Well thats better because I have a sort of inbuilt need to serve three puddings at every meal. I just feel wrong if I don't!

Well, I'll start thinking about it and check back with you all closer to the time. Its submitting the shopping list that worries most. I am never what you would call an organised cook, and I often find the brilliant part of a dish is the thing I decide to through in last minute! This time I have to KNOW in advance what I am going to do!

 

[kitchenelf]

turkey
dressing
broccoli casserole
sweet potato casserole
mashed potatoes
we love to have the typical 7-layer salad
corn
green beans
cranberry dressing
pumpkin pie
pecan pie

last year I served a wild mushroom bread pudding and it was a huge hit!!!!

On those years where I really overdo it I will also have:
squash casserole
frog eye salad
potatoes dauphinous
homemade cranberry dressing with oranges, granny smith apples, and walnuts
oyster dressing and regular dressing (sometimes also chestnut dressing)
sherry gravy instead of the traditional gravy

 

[vagriller]

The typical 7-layer salad? What's that?

 

[lulu]

What is frog eye salad???????

 

[kitchenelf]

lol on the frog eye salad - here is my recipe along with a typical seven layer salad:

Acini de Pepe Pasta Salad or Frog Eye Salad

1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks in its own juice, drain and reserve this juice to use in the second step of this recipe
2 (11-ounce) cans mandarin orange segments, drained
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) Acine di Pepe Pasta, uncooked
3 1/2 cups (8 ounces) frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed and divided
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup flaked coconut

1. In medium saucepan, stir together sugar, flour and salt.
2. Drain pineapple, reserving juice to equal 1 cup. With whisk, gradually stir juice and egg into sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in lemon juice. Cool mixture to room temperature.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water to cool quickly; drain well.
4. In large bowl, stir together pineapple juice mixture and pasta. Cover; refrigerate several hours or overnight.
5. Add crushed pineapple and chunks, oranges, 2 cups whipped topping, marshmallows and coconut, mix gently and thoroughly. Cover; refrigerate until cold.
6. Top with remaining whipped topping; garnish with cherries, if desired.
Makes 12 servings.

For this Seven-Layer Salad I prefer to make a homemade ranch dressing versus the usual mayo, sugar, spring onion dressing most recipes call for but this version is also VERY good!!!!!

Cut full head of lettuce cut into bite-sized pieces
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. (or 1 lg.) green pepper (I usually leave this out)
1/2 c. green onions, chopped
Hard cooked eggs (2 or 3)
1 pkg. frozen green peas, do not cook
1 can sliced water chestnuts or sliced radishes

Cheddar cheese, grated
Chopped cooked bacon


I use a large trifle bowl or some other glass bowl. Place ingredients through water chestnuts or radishes in layers as listed above. Cover with a little more lettuce, the cheese and bacon. Spread dressing over the salad so it covers the edges of the lettuce - you want no lettuce showing. Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese and the bacon. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

The standard dressing usually calls for about 1 cup of mayo, 1 or 2 TBS of sugar, as many green onion slices as you want (I usually use about 1/4 cup - green parts only), The amount of mayo you will need sort of depends on the bowl you put the salad in. If you don't have a glass bowl you can always put it in a cake pan but you might need more dressing.

 

[licia]

Can the mushroom bread pudding be made with any of the bought mushrooms? Woule you please post the recipe. Thanks.

 

[TATTRAT]

The BEST part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers...turkey sandwiches with gravy,mmmmmmmm

 

[kitchenelf]

Can the mushroom bread pudding be made with any of the bought mushrooms? Woule you please post the recipe. Thanks.

I used chopped portabella, oyster, shiitaki, and I think that's all really. So, any mushrooms will work - the wild mushrooms just give a stronger flavor and are quite wonderful!

I found the recipe at http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/4531

I did not cut the crust off the bread - it was extremely yummy!!!! I believe one of the reviews stated it tasted like quiche - can't figure that one out!!!

 

[licia]

It sounds delicious. I will probably make it to go with steak or roast. Thanks a bunch!

 

[Claire]

When it comes to the dressing/stuffing you'll find different parts of the country like it different, from corn bread in the south to oyster in some places in New England. But to me the easiest shortcut for that is Stove Top brand. If I was cooking for a lot of people I'd use that and personalize it with some real onion and garlic and sage.

The hardest part about making for a lot of people is that turkey and stuffing are breeding grounds for bacteria so your refrigeration and heat are very important. I think butterball has a 24/7 800 number around that time if you need any help. One of us should be able to come up with it for you before then. If it is more than a dozen people I might consider NOT stuffing the turkey for ease.

 

[lulu]

I'm sure I'll have to make stuffing from scratch....I don't think they have packs in Italy, but its a nice job, and I am used to stufing big birds at Christmas, so I guess that part doesn't worry me too much.

You have all been so helpful, as usual!