Has anyone made plans for Thanksgiving yet?

caseydog said:
Wow, that's odd. I have never had a chicken or turkey turn out salty after brining. Hmmmmm. :scratchhead:

CD
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It depends on how much salt you are used to eating. We have a recipe for brined pork chops that was just fine years and years ago, but then we started slowly cutting down on salt intake, well I did and Craig did because he ate what I cooked. Now, I have to cut the amount of salt in that recipe in half or it tastes like a salt lick to us. We've had problems like that with several older recipes that we don't make often.
 
I've got the menu pretty much set:

Turkey & gravy
Stuffing/Dressing (done outside the bird)
Mashed potatoes
Green beans amandine
Sweet potato casserole (1/2 recipe)
Bread/Rolls & butter
Pumpkin pie (1/2 pie from bakery)
Gingerbread

That's it. Maybe a cranberry punch to make things a little festive. Pushing no boundaries and that's a-ok.
 
Colleen and Jake are taking off too see family. Its my turn to stay home with the dogs. No Thanksgiving Day plans for me. I will be hosting poker on the FRI and SAT of that weekend.

As for a Thanksgiving Dinner, I'll try and invite myself to someones house lol.
 
We were at the grocery store together this weekend (a rare thing), and I started talking about Thanksgiving. It's always a toss-up between making something at home, going to someone's house (usually a last resort, that), going out, or getting a pre-fab meal from one of the grocery stores.

I said I was willing to cook, but it was going to be pretty simple, and MrsTasty added that as long as there were mashed potatoes, she didn't care.

A couple of minutes went by, and then this:

"You know...if we're cooking, we probably should invite your par-"

"NO! NO NO NO NO NO!"

First, what's this "we're cooking" business? I'm cooking! No we, just me.

Second, you invite my parents, that automatically includes extra hangers-on, and before you know it, I'm cooking for nine people. Already been down that road. 😡
 
detroitdad said:
Colleen and Jake are taking off too see family. Its my turn to stay home with the dogs. No Thanksgiving Day plans for me. I will be hosting poker on the FRI and SAT of that weekend.

As for a Thanksgiving Dinner, I'll try and invite myself to someones house lol.
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Hey dd, I always think of rain man, when I hear you're playing poker!! :)

Russ
 
morning glory said:
I'll celebrate mostly anything if it involves food.
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DITTO!!!

Thanksgiving will be bitter sweet. My 40 year old nephew died in a car crash Sept. 29th. He has a 14 year old son and an 8 year old daughter. He died on her birthday.

The family is scattered - Colorado, Florida, Dallas and Houston Texas. Everyone is making an effort to be here for Thanksgiving to hold each other close and give thanks for the time we had with Michael. There will be much story telling, laughter and toasts in his honor.

We will gather at the home of my Middle Sister. The head count is 22 adults, 2 teens, an 8 year old and 4 babies (1 to 4 1/2 years of age.) I usually bring my Drunk Pork Roast and a side casserole. This year I am doing the bulk of the cooking. With that many people to feed and have leftovers for everyone to bring home that means casserole sides.

I will make
Drunk Pork Roast - season the night before then braise VERY early Thursday morning. I will slice it at home then finish the gravy at Sister's home.
Savory Sweet Potato Casserole - will make this week and freeze
Roasted Corn, Garlic Cheese Grit Casserole - made ahead and frozen
Spinach and Artichoke Heart Casserole - made ahead and frozen
Green Bean and Roasted Corn Casserole - made ahead and frozen

Pumpkin Bread - made this week and frozen. Add Cream Cheese Frosting later
Oooey, Gooey, Super Rich, Dark Chocolate Brownies - I will make them Tuesday or Wednesday before T.G. The best part about these brownies is that the children do not like them. They are not sweet. So all for the adults!!
Maybe Lemon Poppy Seed Cake - Make the cake ahead and freeze then add lemon drizzle and lemon frosting Wednesday before.

I am also making an assortment of compound butter - Thyme, Basil, Sage and Rosemary. I make that ahead and freeze in silicon candy molds then put in a zip bag.

Middle Sister will make Cornbread Dressing. Baby Brother will make Rice Dressing. We want Mother to make her lemon squares and her mint brownies - the children love those.

I know Mother will want to bake a turkey. We are trying to intervene by having Nephew-in-law cook the turkey in G's Big Easy Infrared Cooker.

There will be breads and salads and probably other deserts. Boudin and Cracklins will probably show up for snacking. Iced Tea, water and wine (lots) and beer.

We will eat well and love each other well.

I will post recipes as I make them.
 
ElizabethB said:
Thanksgiving will be bitter sweet. My 40 year old nephew died in a car crash Sept. 29th. He has a 14 year old son and an 8 year old daughter. He died on her birthday.
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So sorry to hear this.
ElizabethB said:
We will gather at the home of my Middle Sister. The head count is 22 adults, 2 teens, an 8 year old and 4 babies (1 to 4 1/2 years of age.)
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Wow - that is so many people. I hope the extended family support will be of comfort to his children.

Great menu! Can you save me some Spinach and Artichoke Heart Casserole, please?
 
morning glory said:
Wow - that is so many people. I hope the extended family support will be of comfort to his children.
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Yes - a lot of people. The most amazing thing is that we all love each other and get along. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family.

morning glory said:
Can you save me some Spinach and Artichoke Heart Casserole, please?
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I doubt that there will be any left but I will post the recipe.
 
medtran49 said:
It depends on how much salt you are used to eating. We have a recipe for brined pork chops that was just fine years and years ago, but then we started slowly cutting down on salt intake, well I did and Craig did because he ate what I cooked. Now, I have to cut the amount of salt in that recipe in half or it tastes like a salt lick to us. We've had problems like that with several older recipes that we don't make often.
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Good point. In my mind, extra salt on poultry is not needed. Some of the condiments I may use do contain salt, but in balance with that condiment. Beef, however, does need a bit of salt to work its best.

I use salt - but I have no need to over-spend it on my taste buds. Which comes down to why I won't ever brine my poor poultry again. I wouldn't even feed the leftovers of that brined (and WASHED) turkey to my cats -- not wanting to set the little guys up for kidney failure!
 
ElizabethB - very sorry to hear about your nephew's passing. What a wonderful way to honor his memory, though!

Yes - a lot of people. The most amazing thing is that we all love each other and get along. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family.
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One of my SIL's married into the family late, and at our first family gathering after she met my brother, she commented on how it was "unusual" to her that parents, six siblings, and associated partners and offspring were all able to gather without WWIII breaking out - she said in her family, no one gets along; parents divorced but lived nearby and antagonized each other until they were dead, four siblings lived on three different continents because they couldn't stand to be near one another, and to her, that was the norm.

In my family, it's mainly my sister who's the problem, but we all work to minimize her damage and keep her in check, and one or more of us are always meeting for lunch or breakfast or something like that.

Kudos to you, BTW, for making all that food!
 
TastyReuben said:
Kudos to you, BTW, for making all that food!
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No Kudos necessary. I have the most amount of time and the love of cooking. Planning is the big deal. Cook ahead and freeze.

I am sorry for your SIL. That is so sad. Unfortunately I hear that all too often. Siblings who never speak to each other. Families that are divided. I can not wrap my mind around that.

Sweet Michael was my Brother's only child. He loved being with our family. Whenever we got together, major holidays or a family picnic or grilled burgers, he always showed up. Usually with his children. He always said that he loved our family. If you asked about his Mother's family he said they were "all just crazy." The kind of thing you are talking about. Arguing, fighting, showing no love or respect for each other. I am so grateful that he saw our family as his safe haven. It did not matter what foolishness he might be up to, he knew that he was loved.

I plan to take pictures to share with all of you.
 
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