With all the heavy stuff on this board. How about something lighter? Our family is thinking about Thanksgiving dinner next Thursday and the list is pretty well set. After 20+ years of marriage traditions happen. Here are our involate laws.
1. Cranberry sauce made form scratch. 2. Apple raisin stuffing and any sage will result in my immediate death. 3. sweet potato bourbon casserole 4. from scratch pumpkin pie (buy a pumpkin and make the filling form scratch) 5. invite someone or someones who will be alone to dinner with us. 6. my tradition involves scotch.
Just curious if yours are the same, different, or it isn't much of a holiday. For us, giving thanks is a big deal and one federal holiday that really makes sense (in addition to Veteran' Day, the 4th, and memorial day).
Originally posted by gugs1. Cheap-ass turkey 2. Macy's T-Day parade 3. Canned cranberry sauce 4. Frozen peas 5. Frozen corn 6. Mashed potatoes 7. Dallas Cowboys football
Eat till dizzy, sleep twelve hours, repeat until Monday.
Pass on #1. Get yourself a good-priced, big-ass bird! Means sandwiches 'till St. Nick's.
#2: OH HELL YEAH. My late grandma taught me that much.
Pass on the rest except for #3 and eat/sleep/repeat.
Although my Thanksgiving tradition seems to be road trips to Detroit to shoot the Packers/Lions game...this is twice in the last 3 years now. An old NFL tradition I'm glad to see return...even if Lombardi hated it.
Star wipe, and...we're out. Thrillin' ain't easy.
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1) Big ass turkey 2) Home made stuffing 3) Mashed Potatoes 4) Homemade rolls 5) Green bean casserole 6) crasnberry sauce 7) Homemade pumpkin & apple pie 8) Football 9) more football 10) Falling asleep in a recliner
Mr. Burns: You are of course familiar with our state usury laws? Homer:U-sur-y? Mr. Burns: Oh silly me, I must have just used a word that doesn't exist.
I'm a cook, which means everyone wants ME to host it. Most years I do. This year's menu:
Turkey brined overnight, cooked in the Weber grill with mesquite chunks strewn over the charcoal. Comes out moist, juicy, well-seasoned and smoky. Makes ambrosial sandwiches if any is left over. Homemade cranberry sauce, usually with kumquats or oranges plus cinnamon and cloves. Bread dressing with butter, mushrooms and celery, baked separately so it will brown on top. Gravy from homemade turkey stock with white wine and wild mushrooms (hey, I like mushrooms). Green beans with walnuts and garlic. Salad (Mom brings that; I am not into salads. Probably white endive and watercress.) No sweet potatoes; my husband would kill me. Homemade apple pie from the apple tree in my yard; homemade pumpkin pie. I do not cook the pumpkin from scratch--I tried it once and it didn't make any difference that I could detect. Lots of wine, also brought by parents: usually California and Oregon zinfandel and nouveau Beaujolais with the turkey, with whites before dinner. One year Hubby bought a full-size bottle of Sauternes to have with dessert, but that ain't in the budget this time around!
Originally posted by Madame MangaI'm a cook, which means everyone wants ME to host it. Most years I do. This year's menu:
Turkey brined overnight, cooked in the Weber grill with mesquite chunks strewn over the charcoal. Comes out moist, juicy, well-seasoned and smoky. Makes ambrosial sandwiches if any is left over. Homemade cranberry sauce, usually with kumquats or oranges plus cinnamon and cloves. Bread dressing with butter, mushrooms and celery, baked separately so it will brown on top. Gravy from homemade turkey stock with white wine and wild mushrooms (hey, I like mushrooms). Green beans with walnuts and garlic. Salad (Mom brings that; I am not into salads. Probably white endive and watercress.) No sweet potatoes; my husband would kill me. Homemade apple pie from the apple tree in my yard; homemade pumpkin pie. I do not cook the pumpkin from scratch--I tried it once and it didn't make any difference that I could detect. Lots of wine, also brought by parents: usually California and Oregon zinfandel and nouveau Beaujolais with the turkey, with whites before dinner. One year Hubby bought a full-size bottle of Sauternes to have with dessert, but that ain't in the budget this time around!
MM
So what time should I come over? That sounds de-lish.
Ralph Wiggum: "We're going to Africa; land of lions and giraffes and Santa and balloons ... "
Madam Manga, I agree with Mayhem, sound magnifcent. Your husband shoul try the sweet potato casserole with bourbon, orange juice, brown sugar and some spices. I never cared for them either but this recipe is great and goes well with turkey etc. I agree that canned pumpkin puree is about the same but tradition is tradition.
I also never cared for cranberry sauce until my wife made it from scratch and it sounds alot like you recipe. really sets off turkey. I'm glad I'm not the only one who uses white wine in gravy.
Just curious. How long does it take to prepare a 20 lb turkey on the grill?
Originally posted by DrDirtJust curious. How long does it take to prepare a 20 lb turkey on the grill?
You can't fit a 20-pounder under the grill cover, unfortunately. We usually do a 13 or 15-pounder, but we can squeeze in a slightly larger one if we have to. Hubby performs the incendiary part after I lug the soaked bird out to the back deck, so he's responsible for the timing--IIRC, it's something like two or two and a half hours. Much shorter than oven roasting, I think, but I haven't put a turkey in the oven in decades, since the grilled version is so tasty.
With enough bourbon and brown sugar in the recipe, I think even Hubby might try sweet potatoes!
Originally posted by DrDirtMadam Manga, I agree with Mayhem, sound magnifcent. Your husband shoul try the sweet potato casserole with bourbon, orange juice, brown sugar and some spices. I never cared for them either but this recipe is great and goes well with turkey etc. I agree that canned pumpkin puree is about the same but tradition is tradition.
I also never cared for cranberry sauce until my wife made it from scratch and it sounds alot like you recipe. really sets off turkey. I'm glad I'm not the only one who uses white wine in gravy.
Just curious. How long does it take to prepare a 20 lb turkey on the grill?
Thanks for reminding me about my favorite dish in the world (and I'm VERY picky), Sweet potato casserole. I don't even like sweet potatoes by themselves, but when it's baked like that, and when my mother crushes up a cereal to use as a topping, there is none finer.
Boy, now I wish my moms wasn't in San Diego. Thanks a lot :-p
Molly, Stacy and Daffney all in WWE? I suddenly lost all my will to complain about anything regarding the WWE. Hope I don't lose my street cred for this.
When I was a kid, my mother taught me how to make a fruit-relish on an old food grinder we had. It would basically be several cut up pieces of apples, oranges, lemons and cherries, ground up and combined with sugar to taste. While it doesn't sound very appetizing, it was always fun to make and really wasn't that bad.
This will mark the fourth year in a row that I won't be in Miami for Thanksgiving, actually...and only now do I realize the stuff that happened every year.
1) The turkey never being finished on time. 2) My aunt and my uncle disagreeing on the temperature of the house. 3) The Youth Group Alumni Pickup Football game. 10 o'clock, TG morning. Gloria Floyd Elementary. And of course being that we were all in our early 20's on the alumni side, we were all still crazy enough to play full contact with just minimal gear on. Which also went along with one of my other thanksgiving traditions: The Groin Pull 4) Chutes and Ladders. No shit. Every single year one of my younger cousins always dragged me upstairs to play a board game...usually Chutes and Ladders, or Candy Land. And for a 5 year old, she was the Enforcer of The Game Rules without question. God help her 7 year old sister if she cheated. 5) About 1800 desserts for 20 people, but no pumpkin pie. I had to bring my own most years if I wanted any. 6) Trying to find a convenience store that's open at 9 pm on TG night, because there's no soda/beer in the house. 7) The annual friends gathering at someone's house at about 10 p.m. And usually the reason you're looking for beer at 9 pm on TG night. Since nothing is usually open this usually involves drinking, and a card game breaking out.
If Martha Stewart's obituary had a typo in it, would it read "Beloved Aunt"?
Grandma is gone now but her traditions live on - I'll be responsible for the Cranberry Salad, the corn muffins and the sweet potatoes (brown sugar & butter). I'll also make some whipped butternut squash and pumpkin bread. The most daunting task however will be trying to fill Grandma's shoes and make the gravy - my aunt tried last year and failed miserably - I hope I have learned from her mistakes
next year - the in-laws come to visit and I get to do the whole works
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Originally posted by Blanket JacksonThis will mark the fourth year in a row that I won't be in Miami for Thanksgiving, actually...and only now do I realize the stuff that happened every year.
1) The turkey never being finished on time. 2) My aunt and my uncle disagreeing on the temperature of the house. 3) The Youth Group Alumni Pickup Football game. 10 o'clock, TG morning. Gloria Floyd Elementary. And of course being that we were all in our early 20's on the alumni side, we were all still crazy enough to play full contact with just minimal gear on. Which also went along with one of my other thanksgiving traditions: The Groin Pull 4) Chutes and Ladders. No shit. Every single year one of my younger cousins always dragged me upstairs to play a board game...usually Chutes and Ladders, or Candy Land. And for a 5 year old, she was the Enforcer of The Game Rules without question. God help her 7 year old sister if she cheated. 5) About 1800 desserts for 20 people, but no pumpkin pie. I had to bring my own most years if I wanted any. 6) Trying to find a convenience store that's open at 9 pm on TG night, because there's no soda/beer in the house. 7) The annual friends gathering at someone's house at about 10 p.m. And usually the reason you're looking for beer at 9 pm on TG night. Since nothing is usually open this usually involves drinking, and a card game breaking out.
Blanket, what's really funny is that only later will you realize that on some level you miss it. We live over 1,000 miles from where we were born and raised. After marriage holidays were a hassle with both sets of parents figthing over where you were when last year and having to get up early and drive all over the countryside to keep them all happy. God forbid WE wanted a little time in our own home. My wife's mother would set dinner for noon and we would tell my parents we would show at 3 or so. Mommy-in-law would maybe have dinner on by 2:30. Then procalim she was too exhausted to eat, even though she refused all offers of help. Similar at my parents house. In spite of that, I can't help but feel my daughter misses out because we are not there. Later your memories will mellow and with embellishment become a fond remembrance.
Originally posted by DrDirtBlanket, what's really funny is that only later will you realize that on some level you miss it. We live over 1,000 miles from where we were born and raised. After marriage holidays were a hassle with both sets of parents figthing over where you were when last year and having to get up early and drive all over the countryside to keep them all happy. God forbid WE wanted a little time in our own home. My wife's mother would set dinner for noon and we would tell my parents we would show at 3 or so. Mommy-in-law would maybe have dinner on by 2:30. Then procalim she was too exhausted to eat, even though she refused all offers of help. Similar at my parents house. In spite of that, I can't help but feel my daughter misses out because we are not there. Later your memories will mellow and with embellishment become a fond remembrance.
Actually, that WAS me speaking fondly of it :).
I could have told about 5 stories apiece for each thing on the list, and beleive me, I miss stuff like that more than the big stuff.
The last 3 years I was up north and ate with my then-GF's family for the holidays. This year I'm closer than I was the last 3 but circumstances acted up like a Mofo this year...so I'm hoping to get down there for Xmas at least. One of my friends up here took pity on me and invited me to dinner (which is the only way I would have had it...I despise things like inviting myself anywhere), but that's way different.
Actually there's one story I can tell: 1993. The year where football took precedence over everything. We get there about 4-ish, just in time for kickoff (for those of you with better memories, you'll remember this game as the Leon Lett Bowl where the Dolphins won). And most of us were sitting in the living room watching...and then halftime struck. This must be what happens in Texas on the holidays. Because the next 15 minutes was everyone piling up a plate for themselves and then bringing it back into the living room (where the "no eating in the den" rule for that day was unenforced at my aunt's house) just in time for the 2nd half. For the record, no one ate at the table that year.
And also, in terms of Moments of Mass Confusion in my family's history, the mass debate that was sparked by Leon Lett's goof-up would have to be in the Top 3. There's nothing funnier than having your great aunt, who you can tell is 70 years old and slowly losing her crackers take on your 15 year old Sports Encyclopedia Cousin in a battle of NFL Rule Interperetation....and the Aunt being right! That was good for high fives all around, let alone the result of the game.
If Martha Stewart's obituary had a typo in it, would it read "Beloved Aunt"?