Official Thanksgiving food thread

[Shamb]

 So Thanksgiving is right around the corner. What is everyone planning on making?

We've got both my side of the family and my wife's side of the family coming this year so we're gonna have alot of people.

I'm planning on making a 20lb Turkey the old fashion way in the oven this year. Sides will include stuffed mushrooms, mulligatawny soup, mashed spuds, sauteed aspargus and an assortment of pies. We're still in the planning stage so we made add/remove some item's from the menu.

What's everyone else cooking?

[junya92toy]

I take celery, mix up mayo and cheese and stuff in the celery.

[blumagoo]

I'm gonna brine and rotisserie a turkey on the grill.
One year we got about a dozen turkey drumsticks and smoked them..... they came out really good.
Definitely gonna make apple pie.
I don't have the sides worked out but I'll be watchin for ideas.

[83yota]

REAL homemade pumpkin pie and lil smokies. Yes I know I am redneck

[brainlessfool]

REAL homemade pumpkin pie and lil smokies. Yes I know I am redneck

[46&2]

Well my family has kind of fallen apart in the last few years, two big divorces in two years, last one was just email announced to everyone the other day. So basically major buzz kill for the holidays, doubtful anything will materialize this year or ever again (lame ass family). So I am planning on doing a TG dinner at my place for my sister and her kids. It will be my first time making an entire (or most of, sister will make some stuff) Thanksgiving dinner, but I am really excited. So any tips on cookin a big ol bird are gladly welcomed.

I also have a great cornbread dressing, we do two styles, a moist version and this one which is a much drier version. I can post the recipe if anyone's interested.

[*FFC*]

Our traditional Thanksgiving dinner has been for years: turkey, ham, mashed 'tatoes, candied yams, rolls, green bean casserole, lots of sweets and appetizers.

However, things are changing this year. We're going 'traditional' for us, but we're going to add a dish and take a few out. For instance, the ham is a must as is the green bean casserole, mashed tatoes and sweets. We are most likely getting rid of the candied yams, rolls, and maybe even the turkey. I want to find something different to throw into the mix for a change.

[Toymin8r]

I got elected to Deep Fry a couple of Turkeys this year.  I also usually make a Sweet Potato Souffle that has honey and bananas it it with a pecan crust on top.  It's almost like a desert.  Don't know what rest of the family is making, my mother coordinates that.

[greg_k113]

Can't forget a Shoe-fly pie!

[Shamb]

FFC last year we did a large ham and my family insisted in me making a "ham gravy"  which would be the same concept as turkey gravy... using the drippings along w/ a rue to thicken it up. Everyone really enjoyed it... only other thing I added was a good amount of pepper to cut down some of the saltyness.

Anyone that's brining their turkey this year what are you using?  just curious.. I think i'll experiment a little this year with more citrus.

Also i'd love to hear some good stuffing recipes... i've never made stuffing but probably will this year.

[superyota]

turkey season opens this saturday.  i'll have pics of Thanksgiving dinner posted up soon

[*** YELLER ***]

Am I the only one that cooks their Turkey upside down (breast down) we cook the breast on the bottom and cover with thick cut pepper bacon to add flavor and keep the white meat moist

My Ham is a spicy ham with chili pepper flakes and honey and the usual spices with pineapple rings tooth picked on the outside, sometimes I inject flavors I do the ham on the BBQ and the wife does the Turkey in the stove but have done BBQ bird too

plus we do the typical mashed taters rolls and stuffing
MAKE SURE YOU ALL 

[Shamb]

Having a hard time locating some free range turkey's this year. I went to Raley's yesterday and they said they didn't have any... called Savemart today and they told me they wouldn't be in until next week.... is it odd that there's no turkeys in supermarkets this close to Thanksgiving?

maybe because it's free range.. ?

[*** YELLER ***]

ummmmm . . . . you got a back yard there is always next year

[BadnewsBob]

Dumplings in giblet gravy

[Shamb]

ummmmm . . . . you got a back yard there is always next year

I think Turkey season starts this week too.. lol.. I preordered my bird today, should be here next week sometime.

Free Range = $$ !!

[*FFC*]

I am totally making ham gravy Shamb!!! That sounds great, and I'm tired of turkey gravy.

For stuffing, I have a cranberry orange stuffing mix that we're going to try out. I've never really made it from scratch before, and I'm going to omit the celery regardless. Never really understood the stuff unless it's juiced.

I'm making a pumpkin dip for dessert (that's the plan for now anyway). I'm going to add my own twist and probably sprinkle some roasted almonds or candied walnuts over the top. 

Pumpkin pudding/cool whip dip: 1 can pumpkin, 5oz box vanilla pudding, 16oz cool whip, 1/2tbs pumpkin spice, 1/2 tbs cinnamon, and 1 pumpkin!

[Shamb]

looks yummy FFC, i've thought about doing a old style pumpkin pie served in a pumpkin as well... i doubt i'll have time for that though.. next week is going to be nuts w/ the amount of cooking I have to do!

We're going to have 2 appetizers and around 5-6 sides. One of those times I wish I had a big 6 burner!

[Shamb]

So here's the list we've come up with so far.

Appetizers:
mulligatawny soup
deviled eggs
spinach dip in a sourdough bread bowl

Main Sides:
mashed potato's
fruit/cabbage salad
some type of bread/biscuit
aspargus/bacon/pine nut sautee

Dessert:
french vanilla ice cream
caramel apple cake

And of course the turkey itself along w/ turkey gravy.

We may do a pie of some sort and add stuffed mushroom's to the appetizers if time permit's.

Alot of work for one person!  lol...

[Shamb]

 So we started baking last night, finished around 10:30     did a coconut cream pie and a carmel apple cake!

The bird went in at 12:00, should be done around 4:30 then a good rest for an hour or so.

We've already finished all but one appetizer, I forgot to thaw my chicken breast's so i'm trying to thaw them as quickly as possible so I can start this soup!

Then all i'll have left to finish is the aspargus.

What a day already, i'm BEAT!  on top of being a little sick (again)   

[*** YELLER ***]

made Ham and Ham gravy . . .made Turkey and Turkey grav,y ate it and never got a picture but it was good

[Cheesemaker]

Nothing but smokey goodness in my belly.  Smoked a 18# bird, I brined it, and it helped.  It got done a little earlier than I planned, But I tossed it in cooler all wrapped up, while I did the taters.  I did potatoes on the grill again.  Dice them up, put olice oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and wrap in foil till soft.  Then mash with butter and milk.  Awesome!  Then sweet taters, diced in foil with butter and brown sugar.  Very yummy. 


I'm going to lay down now!!! 

[Shamb]

yea my bird got done a bit quicker than normal too, only went for 3 1/2 hrs.. and that was a 20 lb bird. I did the Alton Brown roasted turkey recipe and everyone loved it. The gravy was different but very good.

Stuffing consisted of steeped apples, onions, cinnanmon stick and fresh rosemary/sage. So the drippings tasted like an apple pie... sounds kinda odd but it worked out w/ a little chicken stock and rue!

My mother inlaw made this killer spicy cranberry sauce, I have never looked forward to leftovers so much in my life.

People where tearing into the bird before I could even get it carved, I'll try and honor my picture taking with a shot of a super bird tomorrow / all the goodies inside.

[Rocksurfer]

Since I had to work tonight went easy on the T-day grub, a spiral ham, mashed taters, gravy, green beans, buttered rolls and a piece of pumpkin pie. I will be going for round II in about 5 min. leftovers that I brought with me brb.

[Cheesemaker]

Just made me a turkey sammy for work today.  I don't know if that is a good thing.  At least I'm taking some killer percolated coffee with me.  And if that doesn't work, I got a Monster in the truck for a back up.   

[Shamb]

just made a turkey sammie as well!  soooooooooooooooo GOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!

[brainlessfool]

just dramk mine

[Shamb]

shuffling through the wifes camera she did get some pictures of T-day, none of the bird though... hah..... oh well

all in all we've decided not to do a free range turkey next year, it was very expensive and didn't have that much better of a flavor. The dark meat really shined but the white meat just tasted like regular ol' white meat... nothing special.

Alton Brown recipe was very tasty and made for some outstanding gravy.

[Rocksurfer]

Mmmmm, had grilled cheese & ham sandwiches for dinner tonight.