Thanksgiving 2011

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cmontg34

Cook
Joined
Jul 26, 2011
Messages
95
So, I'm already starting to plan for Thanksgiving, and I'm pretty excited since this will be my first one on my own. What are some of your favorite things to make? Is anyone going to try a new/different theme this year? I'm leaning towards gourmet Martha Stewart style. :chef:
 
lol, is it time to put up the christmas lights already??? ;)

i just took them down in june.
 
Yeah, it is pretty early to be planning, but I'm really excited about it. When I lived at home with my parents, I didn't get to make many new/gourmet things, because they were pretty picky, so this year i plan on going ALL out, lol.
 
i like your enthusiasm. :)

it's so early, though, you could start a garden for the veggies and raise your own turkey by then. :rolleyes:
 
Gosh! I better start reading cookbooks for some ideas. I wonder what country it will be this year.
 
what country? they celebrate our thanksgiving in other countries? (canada doesn't count. they stole our idea and made up a bunch of cover stories)
 
Thats a good idea, haha, but I live in Phoenix, AZ so it might be a bit hot for a poor little turkey.
 
what country? they celebrate our thanksgiving in other countries? (canada doesn't count. they stole our idea and made up a bunch of cover stories)

No silly! I pick a different cuisine each year and make a 5-7 course meal. We have a turkey dinner about 4 times a year, I like Thanksgiving to be special.
 
Oh that's a neat idea, maybe I'll do that next year...hmm now I'm planning two Thanksgivings...
 
c-mon, we do our turkey very simply. just rubbed with butter, then sprinkled inside and out with a good amount of salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic. i start it breast side down for the first hour or so, then flip it.

"stuffing" is made externally - in a deep, 13x9 glass baking dish - from seasoned stuffing croutons (usually pepperidge farm brand), celery, onions, apples, italian turkey sausage, and turkey stock.

the reason it's made in a glass baking dish is to be able to see and judge the amount of stock to add. you should just see it start to fill the bottom half inch or so before it gets absorbed into the croutons. then, the top is sprayed with melted butter to help it crisp as it bakes along with the turkey.
 
The past two years I was allowed to brine the turkey, and but only seasoned it with salt and pepper, and it turned out pretty well. This year I do plan on seasoning it differently though. the stuffing is what's going to be a toughie though. I personally have not tried one that I like, but my partner loves the stuff. So I'm thinking I might go off the traditional route and try a wild rice and mushroom one, though I will probably try it out beforehand to see what its like.
 
Oh that's a neat idea, maybe I'll do that next year...hmm now I'm planning two Thanksgivings...

It's just the two of us and we both love turkey and see no reason to eat it when we want. That saves special meals for the Holidays. It's our own tradition...but you can use it too:)

No Turkish food, Bucky...we did that two years ago..or so...
 
Two must haves in our family have always been scalloped oysters and mashed yellow turnip.

I would be interested in hearing from anyone who makes a mini feast for two with some leftovers.
 
Two dishes that my family always asks me to make is scalloped corn casserole and rhubarb pie. My mother still makes oyster dressing for my dad and regular bread dressing for the rest of us.

(I like oysters. I'm just not crazy about cornbread dressing.)
 
c-mon, we do our turkey very simply. just rubbed with butter, then sprinkled inside and out with a good amount of salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic. i start it breast side down for the first hour or so, then flip it.

"stuffing" is made externally - in a deep, 13x9 glass baking dish - from seasoned stuffing croutons (usually pepperidge farm brand), celery, onions, apples, italian turkey sausage, and turkey stock.

the reason it's made in a glass baking dish is to be able to see and judge the amount of stock to add. you should just see it start to fill the bottom half inch or so before it gets absorbed into the croutons. then, the top is sprayed with melted butter to help it crisp as it bakes along with the turkey.

:sick::sick::sick::sick:
 
I made my first "Thanksgiving" dinner last year. I had wanted to do it the year before, but turkey parts were not to be had. Last year I cooked a thigh and a breast in the oven and jazzed up a box of stovetop stuffing with sautéed peppers and onions, then baked that also. And of course made gravy, had mashed potatoes and green beans (the green bean casserole didn't happen in my family, just beans). I had wanted to duplicate everything yesterday, but I seem to have misplaced my recipe and notes. So yeah, I had Thanksgiving on my mind yesterday, too.
 
Though it is very tempting to us foodies, It may not be a good idea to go gourmet on thanksgiving. Folks who are looking for their traditional Thanksgiving dinner don't always appreciate our gormet touches. You might consider preparing the turkey in a different way and making the sides as they would normally be expected in your family or make just a couple of sides with your special touches so that everyone can still find something that sparks that "home for the holidays" feeling.
 
Last year my sister had the idea to fry the turkey. She was so excited about it, I let her. I cooked a breast for leftovers. The breast I brined with the Pioneer Woman's brine and it was the best turkey that I have ever made (I've brined for years now). The fried turkey, well, was just OK. Luckily I had enough drippings from the breast to make a nice gravy, since you cannot get gravy from a fried turkey.

I hope that I can just do the whole meal this year, my turkey was soooo much better.
 
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