Thanksgiving menu- what is yours?

[Chef #2068562]

Thanks for this post

[Mama Cee Jay]

I finally put together a menu for this year: Thanksgiving 2011

The actual meal may vary since it is only three of us this year. We may cook more or we may cook less. But we will have a nice quiet day together.

[Chef #1040363]

My menu has to include a favorite of each family member.
Turkey,Dressing,Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Homemade Noodles (a whole chicken for the broth)Rutabagas,Corn Cakes (like the New England Clam Cakes at Rocky Point)Sweet & Sour Brussel Sprouts, La Suer Peas, Eggplant Parmagiana (for my Italian Son-in-Law),Mashed Carrots, Cucumbers & Onions, Cranberry Sauce. I also serve Homemade Blueberry, Cherry & Pumpkin Pies. Hope everyone has a Blessed Thanksgiving........

[Saxxy Cat]

Fried Turkey
Turkey Breast
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
String bean Casserole
Brussell Sprouts with bacon
Spiral Ham
Sweet Potato Casserole
Mac n Cheese
Deviled Eggs
Homemade yeast rolls
Homemade cranberry sauce
Spiced apples and peaches
Pumpkin cheesecake
Ice Cream Birthday cake (my daughter's birthday) shaped like a turkey from Baskin Robbins

[Mama Cee Jay]

It is fun to see everyone's menus! Can't wait for Turkey Day!

[Saeriu]

wild turkey--brined and wrapped in bacon
mashed potatoes
stuffing & gravy
wild raspberry pie and apple pie
homemade rolls
sweet potato casserole
broccoli or green beans
broken glass jello bundt: http://foodlibrarian.blogspot.com/2011/11/broken-glass-jello-bundt-day-24-of-food.html

Whatever my mom brings...hopefully it's homemade. (Number one rule for holidays!!)

Saeriu

[Ann Marie F]

The gentleman friend is cooking at his house for just the two of us. We don't eat much and he has some dietary restrictions from gout, high blood pressure (so low sodium), and he's pre-diabetic, so we'll be happy with a simple menu. I see menus with many many many items, all of which look delicious, but I wonder how people can eat so much without bursting at the seams!

We're roasting an organic free-range chicken (no added water, salt, anti-biotics or hormones)
Brownberry sage & onion stuffing - not the healthiest, but it's just once a year and we like it
Green salad - maybe, maybe not
Healthy Green Bean Casserole from Scratch
Baked potatoes - easier than mashed, and we don't need the butter & cream
Gravy made from the recipe on the container of Wondra Flour
Maybe Simply Delicious Sweet Potato Casserole, maybe not - he hates sweet potatoes but he wants to make it because I like it and he wants to please me. (I said he was a gentleman. )

UPDATE: Yesterday two people invited themselves, then wanted us to change it to Noon instead of later in the afternoon as we wanted. Noon is out but we moved it up to 3:30. We had a 3 pound chicken for the 2 of us so I had to go out and buy a bunch more food. The gentleman is much more gracious and welcoming than I am.

[NorthwestGal]

Cocktails
Smith & Wesson (while playing games and chatting)

Appetizers
Shrimp Cocktails
vegetable platter with Ranch dip
Salmon Dip with assorted crackers

The main feast
Roast Turkey (with my BFF's recipe for apricot baste)
Stuffing
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Turkey Pan Gravy
Cranberry Relish
Fruit Salad
Candied Yams (standard recipe from Libby's canned yams)
Steamed white corn
Butterhorn Dinner rolls

Dessert
Two-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin Pie - I use the recipe from Libby's canned Pumpkin
Pecan Pie - if someone brings it
Mince Meat Pie - sometimes, anyway


The following days (to use leftovers)
Turkey Stew
Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels
turkey casserole (I have several, make whichever I'm in the mood for)
turkey sandwiches

And....I found a new recipe on the Kraft website this year that uses leftover turkey meat and stuffing. I haven't made it yet, but I'm excited about trying it this year. It's Turkey and Stuffing Cakes.

[duonyte]

We are guests at a family member's home, so I have it easy. I am bringing Smoked Salmon Picnic Spread, and just realized I forgot to check whether the chives are still around - I'll use a little chopped scallion if they are not.

We always get a nice platter of food to bring home, so I am hoping to try Turkey Croquettes

[Chef #1321835]

I just read your menu. I had to smile when I ssaw chocolate pie on your menu. This is a must pie for us every year. There arn't many of us, most people are all about pumpkin and I have a yankee son-in-law who rrequires raisin pie. My sister and I make a chocolate pie for every female around the table. Enjoyed your menu,,,know your Christmas menu will be yummy too.

[Roxygirl in Colorado]

Yes I would! What a great idea- How did your dinner turn out?

[Chef #2454379]

Our menu includes:

Baked Turkey
Cranberry Stuffing
Mashed Potatos
Sweet Potato and Apple casserole

[~Laury~]

We always have turducken sent from somewhere in New Orleans, a dressing or two, mashed potatoes, gravy, green peas with pearl onions, cranberry sauce and both pecan and pumpkin pie. My husband buys the side dishes and pies from our local grocery store. Then he finds out which members of our apartment complex have no family or friends to go visit. Then he makes them a plate. After he and I eat our dinner, he takes them a piece of pie. Since he works Thanksgiving, anyway, we feel this is a nice thing for him to do.

He works in the complex as an assistant to the complex manager. He works all holidays, weekends, nights and other days the complex manager isn't here. He handles alarms, unlocks doors, etc.

[Cook In Southwest]

It's just hubby and I - kids are very far away - so the meal will be scaled down a bit from most.

appetizer: spanikopita
soup: creamy seafood soup
salad: tossed green with mandarin orange, avocado, & pecans + citric dressing
meat: crock pot turkey breast
starch: crock pot dressing & garlic mashed potatoes
add-ons: turkey gravy (from a jar) cranberry sauce (made from fresh cranberries last year, now in the freezer)
vegetable: oven baked mix of rudabaga, celery, red bell pepper, carrot, garlic, onion, mushroom with condensed cheese soup and crushed potato chips sprinkled on top
dessert: lemon tart with blackberry sauce and vanilla ice cream (I may add a second dessert if I have the energy at the time.)
beverages: cocktails, white or rose wine, coffee, port (we'll be drunk by the end of the meal)

Last year, I made my standard dressing from scratch, put it in a greased crock pot and topped it with a turkey leg. I couldn't tell that it had not been baked in a big bird. Will be doing that again for sure! The leg gave us some dark meat and really made the dressing taste like it had been baked inside the big turkey suitable only for a crowd.

(This menu does require 2 crock pots - one for the turkey breast and one for the dressing.)

[Silent Whispers]

I ordered a prepared Thanksgiving dinner a few years ago, and was happy I did.Just heat and eat. I work on Thanksgiving day every year and have opted since to have the holiday dinner on the saturday after Thanksgiving, because I do love to cook it myself. But the year I bought it.. I slept until 11 am! And we had our dinner about 2 or 3 pm. My dinner cost about 70 $ and I did not have it delivered.