2021 Thanksgiving Plans (U.S.A. - 11/25/2021)

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I'm spending the day with a family I know, and as usual, I'll be making dessert(s),a job I was always given. Other than that, I really don't know what I'm going to be doing.

Peking Duck?

But seriously, this - https://www.browneyedbaker.com/rainbow-ribbon-jello/ is always a big hit. To save space in my fridge, I just used the big outdoor fridge (my porch) to set each layer, This is a show stopper.

Another favorite is individual pineapple upside down cakes. Simply butter, and flour ramekins for each serving. Put butter, and brown sugar into the bottom of oven safe, bowl shaped ramekin, followed by a pineapple ring, with a cherry in the middle, and pecans spread on top of that. Then fill 2/3rds full of spice, or carrot cake batter, and bake until toothpick comes out clean

Crust less pumpkin pie custard Brule?

Seeeeya; Chef Longwind of the North

 

[karadekoolaid]

I believe that you have mentioned Ohio a few times. Will you be moving permanently or is this just a trip?

Ross

Just a trip, Ross, albeit a fairly long one. My youngest lives in Cinci.

 

[Just Cooking]

Just a trip, Ross, albeit a fairly long one. My youngest lives in Cinci.

Ahhh. I hope its a safe, enjoyable trip for you.

Ross

 

[GinnyPNW]

I'll be cooking...just not sure where I'm cooking, at this point. Either at home or in the RV at the BEACH!! We'll see. In any event, DH has request that we keep it simple. I'll try. Yesterday, I bought a frozen Strawberry-Rhubarb pie from Willamette Valley Pie Co. We'll get the great smells without all of the work. That's a win-win in my book. It may not be the traditional pie, but we all love it, DH and MIL included.

Beyond that, I'll make roast turkey breast of some sort, roasted root veggies, probably mashed potatoes and gravy. Salad...and I think I'll go with Garlic Cheesy Cornbread biscuits. Unless we are at the beach, then we'll likely have French Bread from the local bakery. The oven space is limited in the RV.

 

[pepperhead212]

Peking Duck?

But seriously, this - https://www.browneyedbaker.com/rainbow-ribbon-jello/ is always a big hit. To save space in my fridge, I just used the big outdoor fridge (my porch) to set each layer, This is a show stopper.

Another favorite is individual pineapple upside down cakes. Simply butter, and flour ramekins for each serving. Put butter, and brown sugar into the bottom of oven safe, bowl shaped ramekin, followed by a pineapple ring, with a cherry in the middle, and pecans spread on top of that. Then fill 2/3rds full of spice, or carrot cake batter, and bake until toothpick comes out clean

Crust less pumpkin pie custard Brule?

Seeeeya; Chef Longwind of the North

Here's one that I'm going to be making - a Butterscotch Pumpkin Pie, that I've been making since 2008, when it was first published. It is a true butterscotch - not just those fake chips melted. It had been requested every year since, until we had no more family Thanksgiving dinners, but the two families I have since taken it to also wanted the recipe, they loved it so much! I'll make this, and something chocolate, but not sure what yet.
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/pumpkin-butterscotch-pie

 

[Andy M.]

My daughters and family will be here as usual. I expect the menu to be unchanged from every other year. I'm not allowed to change anything.

I don't allow appetizers as they interfere with your appetite for the main event.

We will be having:

Roast turkey
Gravy
Stuffing
Rice Pilaf
Butternut Squash
Steamed Broccoli
Cranberry Sauce

Desserts will be:

Pecan Pie
Apple Pie
Chocolate on Chocolate cake
Vanilla Ice Cream
Pumpkin Roll

There would be fewer options if there were no fussy eaters in the family.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Here's one that I'm going to be making - a Butterscotch Pumpkin Pie, that I've been making since 2008, when it was first published. It is a true butterscotch - not just those fake chips melted. It had been requested every year since, until we had no more family Thanksgiving dinners, but the two families I have since taken it to also wanted the recipe, they loved it so much! I'll make this, and something chocolate, but not sure what yet.
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/pumpkin-butterscotch-pie

I can see why. That looks amazing. I may have to give that a try.Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[msmofet]

Here's one that I'm going to be making - a Butterscotch Pumpkin Pie, that I've been making since 2008, when it was first published. It is a true butterscotch - not just those fake chips melted. It had been requested every year since, until we had no more family Thanksgiving dinners, but the two families I have since taken it to also wanted the recipe, they loved it so much! I'll make this, and something chocolate, but not sure what yet.
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/pumpkin-butterscotch-pie

Can this be made without the scotch? What substitution can be made?

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Can this be made without the scotch? What substitution can be made?

Melted butter, dark brown sugar, salt, vanilla are the flavors in butterscotch. Add a bit of cream to turn it into a sauce. A hint of malted milk powder, or dark maple syrup, not enough to taste, just accent. adds flavor depth. A drop of mesquite liquid smoke will give you that bit of smoky flavor.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Just Cooking]

Here's one that I'm going to be making - a Butterscotch Pumpkin Pie, that I've been making since 2008, when it was first published. It is a true butterscotch - not just those fake chips melted. It had been requested every year since, until we had no more family Thanksgiving dinners, but the two families I have since taken it to also wanted the recipe, they loved it so much! I'll make this, and something chocolate, but not sure what yet.
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/pumpkin-butterscotch-pie

Oh Yes!!!

I will be figuring out how to reduce this for my 7" pie tins.

This I have to have.

Ross

 

[GinnyPNW]

I'll be cooking...just not sure where I'm cooking, at this point. Either at home or in the RV at the BEACH!! We'll see. In any event, DH has request that we keep it simple. I'll try. Yesterday, I bought a frozen Strawberry-Rhubarb pie from Willamette Valley Pie Co. We'll get the great smells without all of the work. That's a win-win in my book. It may not be the traditional pie, but we all love it, DH and MIL included.

Beyond that, I'll make roast turkey breast of some sort, roasted root veggies, probably mashed potatoes and gravy. Salad...and I think I'll go with Garlic Cheesy Cornbread biscuits. Unless we are at the beach, then we'll likely have French Bread from the local bakery. The oven space is limited in the RV.

Changing...instead of "mashed potatoes" I think I'll do "Better Than Grandma's Mashed Potatoes"! Slipped my mind! I've been making them for many years. They can handle gravy, but they do not require gravy.

I found the recipe in my copy of America's Best Recipes, a submission from a cook in Hawaii (K-Girl!)...but here's a link to it: Better Than Grandmas Potatoes Recipe SPECIAL NOTE: In my Opinion, 1-1/2 cups of sour cream is waaayyyy too much. Eyeball it. Usually about 1/2 cup is plenty.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

If you haven't ever tried it, purchase a softball size rutabaga. Pell wax off with veggie peeler. Cut into 1 inch cubes. Boil until tender. Serve either as is, with butter, black pepper, and a touch of honey, or my favorite, mash with salted butter, and 1/4 cup of dark brown sugar. Other than savory bread dressing, this is my favorite Thanksgiving side dish, though /i also love sweet spuds, and mashed potatoes with real turkey gravy.

Seeeeya; Chef Longwind of the North

 

[karadekoolaid]

You call it rutabaga, we call it swede; doesn´t matter, it´s delicious just like you say it is. At home when I was young we used to have it mashed with just butter, salt and pepper ( that was about the limit of my mum´s creativity), occasionally with mashed carrots as well. I reckon it´d be good with a grating of nutmeg as well.

 

[pepperhead212]

I love rutabaga, and one of my favorite things to do with them is to mash them with an equal amount of russet potatoes, and a generous amount of butter. I think I found this in one of Julia Child's books, and I always served this with a favorite recipe of Mom's - a pork ragout.

I remember that name swedes from some old cookbook(s), but it's been many years since I saw that!

 

[pepperhead212]

Oh Yes!!!

I will be figuring out how to reduce this for my 7" pie tins.

This I have to have.

Ross

You won't be disappointed!

I always bake this in an 8" deep tart pan.

msmofet I never made it w/o the scotch. In fact, there is a bottle still in my liquor cabinet that Mom gave me, just to make this with! One of those things I put one of those Vacuvin rubber tops on, to vacuum seal it, and keep it good, since I don't drink it! Bourbon would probably be too strong, but only one way to find out! Many years before I made this, another pumpkin pie I made for family gatherings was a large, 10" pie, with a quarter cup of cognac in it (I remember it was a cover photo for Gourmet magazine, to give an idea of how long ago!), and that was the one requested for many years! Not sure how cognac or another brandy would be in the caramel syrup, but I think I've done that for a type of flan, and it was really good.

 

[GinnyPNW]

Well, just got back from MIL's. Spent 4 hours there, waiting for the HVAC guy and then waiting for the work to be done. Kept busy by paying her bills, troubleshooting her TV remotes, etc. Checked email, straightened up her garage (with DH). Had a new thermostat installed for the HVAC. One that works & one that I can program (identical to ours)...got it programed. Showed her what it does and how it is set for daytime and nighttime, but she doesn't need to do anything.

As we are leaving, she says, "Oh, by the way, I'm off turkey now. So, unless you want to make meatloaf or something instead of turkey, count me out."

On the way home, I told DH, at least this year she's "begging off" two weeks before the event, instead of when we call to say DH is on the way to pick you up! Maybe we will just go to the BEACH!

 

[dragnlaw]

You just know that if you go to the beach she'll turn around and say she didn't know you were going to the beach and she was waiting for you to come pick her up for dinner. How could you do that to her!

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

... snipped ...
I buy those Jennie-O Turkey Breast Loins, season it up roast that off
Dressing Casserole, made with Linguicia (an homage to my paternal Grandmother) and dried Cranberries
Mashed Potatoes with gravy (I'm terrible at gravy, so I buy TJ's)
My take on Brussel Sprouts
and Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, per DH's request

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That's my plan, and I'm stickin' with it!

I have been looking for one of these Turkey Breast to no avail.
It's a good thing I have one in the deep freeze!
I was going to make it a coupla weeks back,
but just never got to it, geez!

 

[GinnyPNW]

You just know that if you go to the beach she'll turn around and say she didn't know you were going to the beach and she was waiting for you to come pick her up for dinner. How could you do that to her!

Sadly, nah. She's really a loner, these days. She'll be grateful that she doesn't have to get out of her PJs. She doesn't get out of bed until 1PM. And, unless we give her 24 hour notice of a visit, she isn't dressed...no matter what time we visit.

That said, we always mark our trips on her calendar, so she can't pull that, "I didn't know, you didn't tell me!" She get her meals delivered, so she can choose whatever she wants for Thanksgiving.

 

[dragnlaw]

Well Ginny, sadly I can relate to her. I wish at times I were able to be blunt and say what I feel.

And although I am often blunt, it's usually at inappropriate times!