Thanksgiving Must Haves

[chez suz]

I thought it might be interesting to start a topic on dishes you must have at Thanksgiving...it might give us new ideas for our own menus.
As for myself..I am always trying something new...however my husband must have a String Bean Casserole. I would say I'm a bit of a food snob..meaning everything must be home made and from scratch..no mushroom soup for me..however I do believe that Thanksgiving is about comfort..so on this Holiday..I believe whatever foods make you feel good should be on your menu...made from scratch or not!!

As for new ideas..I'm working on spinach dishes, sweet corn pudding, hazelnut stuffing....and hoping to see a must have from one of you that might become part of my menu.

 

[JRsTXDeb]

I am totally traditional in my menu - turkey, cornbread dressing [NOT in the turkey], giblet gravy, very small green bean casserole, canned jelly cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes...[will probably try something whipped/creamy this year] deviled egg tray with raw veggies and olives, pecan and pumpkin pie. This year - it all depends on whether we are in the house or the apartment - I am NOT cooking a big meal in this tiny little kitchen

 

[marmalady]

Chez suz - So make a green bean casserole from scratch! Fresh green beans, bechemel, sauteed mushrooms in a casserole, with thin sliced flour-coated fried onions on top.

My 'must haves' are stuffing (out of the bird), cranberry sauce, and my maple/pecan/bourbon sweet potatoes. I change around the 'green' dishes and salads from year to year.

 

[chez suz]

Chez suz - So make a green bean casserole from scratch! Fresh green beans, bechemel, sauteed mushrooms in a casserole, with thin sliced flour-coated fried onions on top.

Have done similar recipes to your suggestion...I like them..but there is something about that mushroom soup and Durkee onion rings that are in a league of there own!
Your sweet potatoes sound great...want to share your recipe?

 

[norgeskog]

Great idea, chez suz, and in enough time to alter other menus.

Roast Turkey with giblet, seasoned cornbred (I cheat with Marie Cubbisons, cannot make it from scratch as good), onions, celery, water chestnuts, fresh parsley, sage, butter, chicken stock.

Mashed Potatoes seasoned with buttermilk, fresh ground pepper

Brussel Sprouts & Parsnips in dijon, roasted whole mustard seeds, and butter.

Acorn Squash roasted then mashed and seasoned with pecans, REAL maple syrup, butter, nutmeg.

Gravey made from drippings in pan w/stock added if required.

Rolls Homemade with wholewheat with wheat berries, quinoa, flax, sunflower seeds, and topped with egg wash and sesame seeds.

My daughter is a vegetarian so the following is her menu:

Tofurkey Slices stuffed with stuffing (made with No-Chicken Stock) and rolled like an encillada, in a casserole with seam down and gravey over garnished with Hungarian Paprika, scallions.

Acorn Squash stuffed and roasted with rice cooked in No Chicken Stock, with scallions, roasted pine nuts, onions, celery, parsley, rasins, and a beaten egg to hold together and get some REAL protein into the kid.

I do not worry about appetizers much, my friends/family usually bring them and I order pies from a local pie maker as I am a lousy pastry person. Eat it but have not developed the knack every time for good pie dough. Do not want a hocky puck on my table.

 

[norgeskog]

I thought it might be interesting to start a topic on dishes you must have at Thanksgiving...it might give us new ideas for our own menus.
As for myself..I am always trying something new...however my husband must have a String Bean Casserole. I would say I'm a bit of a food snob..meaning everything must be home made and from scratch..no mushroom soup for me..however I do believe that Thanksgiving is about comfort..so on this Holiday..I believe whatever foods make you feel good should be on your menu...made from scratch or not!!

As for new ideas..I'm working on spinach dishes, sweet corn pudding, hazelnut stuffing....and hoping to see a must have from one of you that might become part of my menu.

I should have read your idea before I posted mine. I am going to add hazelnuts to something on my menu, they grow wild here in Oregon.

 

[middie]

turkey, stuffing, mashed tatos, gravy, cranberry sauce
sweet tatos, deviled eggs, pumpkin and chocolate pie

 

[buckytom]

must have onions in cream sauce...

 

[luvs]

we have turkey,stuffing, yams, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, corn, peas, canned crescent rolls and butter, this green jell-o dessert, pecans, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, chocolates, red wine...

if it were up to me, sigh...
we'd have herb and peppercorn-encrusted rack of lamb, a great red wine, a lightly steamed green bean dish, potatoes in some shape or form, a cheese course rather than dessert, and a cheesecake for those who DID want dessert.

 

[mudbug]

I'm sorry, chez suz - it's a law that the green bean casserole appear on the table at Thanksgiving. However, you may make it from scratch.
I am always surprised at how many people have mashed potatoes on this holiday. We never do - sweet potatoes only. The gravy goes on the non-cornbread stuffing.

 

[marmalady]

Here's the sweet 'taters - again, no specific amounts - depends on the # of peeps - below is for about 6 folks -

6 big sweet potatoes - boiled til almost done, and peeled, cut in chunks.

Toasted pecans

Then, in a saucepan, melt 1 stick butter, about 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/3 cup maple syrup (sometimes I add a few drops of maple extract to punch it a little), 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/3 cup bourbon (Maker's Mark is my fave).

Put the taters in a buttered casserole dish, pour the sauce over them, and sprinkle with pecans; bake at 350 for about a half hour, or at 325 (if this is what you have your turkey at) for about 45 minutes.

I love this, 'cause it's not too, too sweet.

 

[chez suz]

Thank you Marmalady...the taters sound great...I think the kids will get theirs w/marshmellow topping....made by a friend of mine...as for me these will also make the table.

 

[middie]

i was pretty much told by his family that i'm the only one allowed to make sweet potatoes from now on. pretty good feeling to me lol. so that's my contribution to his side of the family. on my side it's deviled eggs.

 

[AllenOK]

Here's what I like to see on the table:

Roast Turkey
Gravy made from drippings and stock made from the giblets
Cornbread dressing (not in the bird)
Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild rice
Mashed potatoes
Corn
Broccoli?
rolls
Pumpkin pie w/ whipped cream

My DW is basically the same, with the following exceptions:
BREAD dressing baked IN THE BIRD - I refuse to eat this, and they won't accept my reasons why.
They don't normally do the rice

 

[limebasil]

I've been assigned a side dish this year. I'm bringing Roasted Fennel with Parmigiano-reggiano. Our turkey will be stuffed with bread, pepperoni and sharp Italian cheese.

 

[buckytom]

here's the recipe for the pearl onions i'm going to make this year, along with norgeskog's fiskebolla, both are my mom's fav's.

Pearl Onions in Creamy Onion Sauce

8 Servings
"Frozen small whole onions are a terrific
holiday time-saver because they're already
peeled."

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
1 cup dry bread crumbs
3 medium onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 packages (16 ounces each) frozen small
whole onions

Preheat the oven 350 Degrees F. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Pour half of the butter into a small bowl and stir in the
bread crumbs. Set aside.

Add the chopped onions to the remaining butter in the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions
are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour over the onions and whisk to combine, about 1 minute. Increase the heat to moderate, slowly add the milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir
in salt and pepper.

Place the whole onions in a 2-quart baking dish. Pour the onion sauce over them and mix well, spreading the onions in an even layer.
Sprinkle the reserved buttered bread crumbs over the top. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the topping is crisped and the sauce is
bubbling around the edges. Serve hot.

Recipe Source: Marion Cunningham
The Best of Food & Wine
Holiday Collection - 1992

 

[Juliev]

my must-haves are home-made mashed potaters, my grandma's stuffing and her juicy turkey. My aunt makes scalloped potatoes too, and of course the green bean casserole..........and the pumpkin pie.

 

[norgeskog]

turkey, stuffing, mashed tatos, gravy, cranberry sauce
sweet tatos, deviled eggs, pumpkin and chocolate pie

middie, I posted my menu yesterday and I totally forgot one of the most important things on the menu - cranberry sauce which I make with orange zest, whole cinnamon sticks and whole cloves and orange slices, and I use either brown sugar or raw sugar. Thanks for reminding me with your mention of the cranberries.

 

[Vegas Girl]

When we used to have Thanksgiving at my in-laws, every year my mother-in-law would leave the cranberry sauce in the fridge and forget to put it out.

We were disappointed one year because they had duck (instead of turkey) and no mashed potatoes.

 

[norgeskog]

When we used to have Thanksgiving at my in-laws, every year my mother-in-law would leave the cranberry sauce in the fridge and forget to put it out.

We were disappointed one year because they had duck (instead of turkey) and no mashed potatoes.

VG I have done that too, once I even forgot the whipped cream for the pumpkin pie, I was really in trouble that day. My daughter and her cousins discovered the whipped cream after everyone had left and we were cleaning up, they grabbed spoons and ate it all.