I'm hosting Thanksgiving dinner

polaris_x

tips:

if you have access to a smoker ... smoke a turkey ... it will be near impossible to cook it as moist in the oven ... but a brine is definitely a good start ... i would make a rub for it as well ... put your typical rub seasonings you would use on poultry ... also, herbs are your friend ...

buy the turkey fresh and have one sourced for your dinner ... also, if you do buy frozen ... give it time to thaw ...

homemade cranberry sauce is real easy and much better i say ...

pandora

rick1zoo2 wrote:

I will not eat any dish that has marshmallows as an ingredient

or jello

yeah marshmallows in food ... yuk o

now mini marshmallows that come in the hot chocolate mix ...
those are kind of cool

well except when you wipe out on some ice and lose them all over the driveway
wait that belongs in the drunk stories thread ...
peppermint schnapps + hot chocolate = Peppermint Patty's = holiday fun!

rick1zoo2

pandora wrote:

rick1zoo2 wrote:

I will not eat any dish that has marshmallows as an ingredient

or jello

yeah marshmallows in food ... yuk o

now mini marshmallows that come in the hot chocolate mix ...
those are kind of cool

well except when you wipe out on some ice and lose them all over the driveway
wait that belongs in the drunk stories thread ...
peppermint schnapps + hot chocolate = Peppermint Patty's = holiday fun!

I think yams and sweet potatoes are sweet enough as they are and don't need anything like marshmallows, syrup, ect.

I think I am finding that I like things better with minimal spices or extra flavoring

Get_Right

This is killer and a winner each time I make it. Add more or less horseradish or extra cranberries. I add a little extra gelatin so it holds up to all the hot food. I suggest the blender, no big chunks of fruit.

Mamasan23

To me, the hardest part is making sure that everything is ready at the same time. Wish I had a double oven, it would make things so much easier!

I know you said that you are looking for healthy recipes, but this is something I tried last year and everyone loved it:

http://www.whitecastle.com/food/recipes/view/7-white-castle-turkey-stuffing

No nasty slider affects either

Good luck on your first Thanksgiving!!!!

chadwick

Tenzing N. wrote:

Seriously- you need to grill the turkey in a charcoal grill. It's not easy, it's time consuming, and takes some planning but it's totally worth it. PM me if you want to know how to do it right.

winner...ding ding ding

smoked turkey?

davidtrios

pandora wrote:

rick1zoo2 wrote:

I will not eat any dish that has marshmallows as an ingredient

or jello

yeah marshmallows in food ... yuk o

now mini marshmallows that come in the hot chocolate mix ...
those are kind of cool

well except when you wipe out on some ice and lose them all over the driveway
wait that belongs in the drunk stories thread ...
peppermint schnapps + hot chocolate = Peppermint Patty's = holiday fun!

i think i read about this in the things that do not interest me thread...am i right?

pandora

Davidtrios wrote:

pandora wrote:

rick1zoo2 wrote:

I will not eat any dish that has marshmallows as an ingredient

or jello

yeah marshmallows in food ... yuk o

now mini marshmallows that come in the hot chocolate mix ...
those are kind of cool

well except when you wipe out on some ice and lose them all over the driveway
wait that belongs in the drunk stories thread ...
peppermint schnapps + hot chocolate = Peppermint Patty's = holiday fun!

i think i read about this in the things that do not interest me thread...am i right?

I know you are interested in Taco Bell but I'm not tellin

davidtrios

"pandora wrote:

I know you are interested in Taco Bell but I'm not tellin

ShimmyMommy

Kelly, my only suggestion is be sure to ask for help that day. If someone is good at making certain dishes, have them help you with it. That way you can enjoy some of the time, instead of working the whole time. I hope it all goes smoothly.

Dru_Cortez

SatansFuton wrote:

The number one Thanksgiving tradition you have to remember is to have a kiddie table. It's a time-honored tradition to make the children feel like second class citizens by putting them at a little shitty table by themselves, preferably with paper plates and plastic cutlery. Then when they get older and move to the grown folks table it gives them one more thing to be thankful for.

Nice.
Privilege,
not a right.
Cheers.

mensane

Mamasan23 wrote:

To me, the hardest part is making sure that everything is ready at the same time. Wish I had a double oven, it would make things so much easier!

This is always the problem. Our solution....use the bbq grill on it's lowest setting to keep things warm. we put the dishes that can hold in those disposable pans and stack them up in the grill (green bean casserole, candied yams, stuffing, mac-n-cheese).

Lizard

Dru_Cortez wrote:

SatansFuton wrote:

The number one Thanksgiving tradition you have to remember is to have a kiddie table. It's a time-honored tradition to make the children feel like second class citizens by putting them at a little shitty table by themselves, preferably with paper plates and plastic cutlery. Then when they get older and move to the grown folks table it gives them one more thing to be thankful for.

Nice.
Privilege,
not a right.
Cheers.

@ both posts!!

RKCNDY

rick1zoo2 wrote:

RKCNDY wrote:

don't forget to take the neck and giblets/livers out of the cavity first.

and if you have a good hummus recipe...add avocado, yum.

green bean casserole...I use fresh green beans, and add cheddar cheese, cottage cheese and bacon.

what about whipped cream?

only if it has alcohol in it...

and +1 on the jello/marshmallows layered Jello is cool...but not when you add fruit to it...now jello (shots) and alcohilic whipped cream :thumbup:

GivenToLukinKP

so the menu is set, I think:

Turkey (brined and roasted with spice butter, thanks for the recipe Kyle )
Homemade stuffing (crock pot recipe-saves oven space--holla!!)
scratch gravy
mashed potatoes
green beans with slivered almonds
roasted cauliflower with pinenuts
brussel sprouts with bacon and garlic
carrot/parsnip whip with cheddar cheese
sweet potatoes (not totally sure on prep style yet)
cranberry sauce (no canned jellied shit)

plus i have to make special stuffing and rolls for my picky ass little sister

I think I have my work cut out for me...if buying all the shit and lugging it up to my condo tonight is any indication, this should be great fun

thanks everyone for the tips/ideas here and via PM. much appreciated

GivenToLukinKP

oh
and the guest list has been cut by 3.
:?
i am going to have a shit ton of leftovers!

DS1119

GivenToLukinKP wrote:

so the menu is set, I think:

Turkey (brined and roasted with spice butter, thanks for the recipe Kyle )
Homemade stuffing (crock pot recipe-saves oven space--holla!!)
scratch gravy
mashed potatoes
green beans with slivered almonds
roasted cauliflower with pinenuts
brussel sprouts with bacon and garlic
carrot/parsnip whip with cheddar cheese
sweet potatoes (not totally sure on prep style yet)
cranberry sauce (no canned jellied shit)

plus i have to make special stuffing and rolls for my picky ass little sister

I think I have my work cut out for me...if buying all the shit and lugging it up to my condo tonight is any indication, this should be great fun

thanks everyone for the tips/ideas here and via PM. much appreciated

Holy fucking buffet!

GivenToLukinKP

DS1119 wrote:

GivenToLukinKP wrote:

so the menu is set, I think:

Turkey (brined and roasted with spice butter, thanks for the recipe Kyle )
Homemade stuffing (crock pot recipe-saves oven space--holla!!)
scratch gravy
mashed potatoes
green beans with slivered almonds
roasted cauliflower with pinenuts
brussel sprouts with bacon and garlic
carrot/parsnip whip with cheddar cheese
sweet potatoes (not totally sure on prep style yet)
cranberry sauce (no canned jellied shit)

plus i have to make special stuffing and rolls for my picky ass little sister

I think I have my work cut out for me...if buying all the shit and lugging it up to my condo tonight is any indication, this should be great fun

thanks everyone for the tips/ideas here and via PM. much appreciated

Holy fucking buffet!

you think? it IS thanksgiving....I didnt think it was out of hand? Plus--if something doesnt turn out, it won't be so bad...

The fun thing is going to be cooking all this shit in a single oven condo!! oh how I wish I had a double oven!!

DS1119

GivenToLukinKP wrote:

The fun thing is going to be cooking all this shit in a single oven condo!! oh how I wish I had a double oven!!

Can't be afraid of the single oven. Keep good track of time and rotate the dishes in and out as need be to cook them.

GivenToLukinKP

DS1119 wrote:

GivenToLukinKP wrote:

The fun thing is going to be cooking all this shit in a single oven condo!! oh how I wish I had a double oven!!

Can't be afraid of the single oven. Keep good track of time and rotate the dishes in and out as need be to cook them.

Ive got a tentative cooking schedule figured out. Good thing is, at least 3 things get made entirely on the stove top, and the longest anything needs to go in the oven besides the turkey is 30 minutes or so. Its part of what helped me decide what to put on the menu!

DS1119

GivenToLukinKP wrote:

DS1119 wrote:

GivenToLukinKP wrote:

The fun thing is going to be cooking all this shit in a single oven condo!! oh how I wish I had a double oven!!

Can't be afraid of the single oven. Keep good track of time and rotate the dishes in and out as need be to cook them.

Ive got a tentative cooking schedule figured out. Good thing is, at least 3 things get made entirely on the stove top, and the longest anything needs to go in the oven besides the turkey is 30 minutes or so. Its part of what helped me decide what to put on the menu!

What a planner!! :thumbup:

Suziemay

This just made me hungry for turkey

DS1119

Suziemay wrote:

This just made me hungry for turkey

Actually now that I think about it....3 good friends who went to Cornell and two girls who went to Ithaca College nearby...

Suziemay

DS1119 wrote:

Suziemay wrote:

This just made me hungry for turkey

Actually now that I think about it....3 good friends who went to Cornell and two girls who went to Ithaca College nearby...

Unless one of you looks and sounds like Chris Cornell, NO DEAL. Doesn't have to be in one package

DS1119

Suziemay wrote:

DS1119 wrote:

Suziemay wrote:

This just made me hungry for turkey

Actually now that I think about it....3 good friends who went to Cornell and two girls who went to Ithaca College nearby...

Unless one of you looks and sounds like Chris Cornell, NO DEAL. Doesn't have to be in one package

Damn it!!

of.the.girl

What time is dinner? I'm coming over.

unlost dogs

sheila0225 wrote:

What time is dinner? I'm coming over.

I can give you a ride. I'll pick up some wine on the way.

Don't forget Tupperware for leftovers.

GivenToLukinKP

sheila0225 wrote:

What time is dinner? I'm coming over.

around 3pm...that's the plan at least, no promises!! if you can deal with my boring ass family, you are welcome to come! Just show up early so I can put you to work!

rick1zoo2

will I have to sit at the kiddie's table again?

GivenToLukinKP

unlost dogs wrote:

sheila0225 wrote:

What time is dinner? I'm coming over.

I can give you a ride. I'll pick up some wine on the way.

Don't forget Tupperware for leftovers.

1- I've got no less than 10 bottles in the house right now; though they are mostly reds.
2- I bought some take home containers just for this very purpose

extra desserts are always welcome