“Menu will be in favor of potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and skip veggie things”
A quote from an email from Sam the Archaeologist talking about her planned Thanksgiving dinner. She’s done a survey and therefore has all the charts and graphs, so she knows what people want.
And I agree. The truth is that a lot of us look forward to turkey and mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving. I cook a turkey once, maybe twice a year and I am cooking one this year, even though there will only be the two of us. I think I have the smallest turkey in the universe. It probably has less meat on it than one of those turkey breasts. And that’s okay. There’ll be some leftovers and we’ll make turkey tetrahedron and maybe some wrap sandwiches out of the leftovers and whatever is left from *that* will get frozen. I will definitely do some mashed potatoes although we cook those fairly frequently around here anyway. Stuffing/dressing? We usually grill our turkey stuffed lightly with orange and lemon slices. I’ll do some stuffing/dressing in a separate dish. I’ll give a nod to veggies with that loverly old green bean french onion casserole. The one with the mushroom soup. I think it was the first Thanksgiving after Lizard Breath went to college that she called to ask if we were having that for Thanksgiving. I almost fell on the floor! She *wanted* that casserole? I can remember when I had to cook that fluorescent orange macaroni and cheese just to make sure little girls (and the grandchildren next door, etc., etc.) got something to eat! Oh yeah, cranberry sauce. I hardly think that qualifies as fruit after you put all that sugar in it. So what! Pie? I’m not sure I want to be bothered with pie for two people who won’t even begin to finish it. Maybe I’ll check out the grocery stores around here for some small ready-made pies or something. I also make a big deal out of breakfast on the winter holidays. Cholesterol Bombs Eggs Benedict! I cheat on hollandaise and use the packaged sauce. It’s still good and it’s okay, we’ll walk it all off!
Tonight I am cooking Potato, Panir & Pea Curry from the original edition of The Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Molly Katzen. I have owned the Moosewood cookbooks since Seventh St. or before but it’s my kids who introduced me to this particular recipe and I’ve made it many times. Page 210. Love you girls. Moom.
Oh, and I am also making gravy for Thanksgiving tonight (and tomorrow, it’s an all day or two day process). I will freeze it and then spike it with some sherry or citrus or I dunno what. We’ll see. I never have gotten the hang of making gravy in the pan, despite the efforts of some excellent teachers.
What are you cooking (or eating) for Thanksgiving and where are you spending it and who are you spending it with?
November 14th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Where? The Soo
Who with? Fran, Val, Janet, Betty, Mike, Bootbiter and Knucklehead
What? Stuffed boneless pork roasts (one cherry-almond, the other apple-some-kind-of-nut). And what-all else Fran & Betty and Chef Nook may scrounge up!!
November 15th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Still in the Keys today but will be home on Tuesday (11/20) . Looks like Doug and I will be alone on Thanksgiving and will celebrate on Sat. when Susie has us over for dinner. For standing rib roast. Wewent to HL 2 years ago to see the lake freeze and thaw in 4 days. It was cool! We had a lamb roast for dinner -not turkey. I don’t know for sure what we are doing this year but we might have a turkey. I think all of the girls are going to their “other half” families. Steve will be in Seattle. Scott is taking a trip I think. We will have mashed potatoes and gravy with something. Pie? Most restaurants sell by the slice. Probably you 2 can split a slice – or walk it off. Whatever – Have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving. Love, Kathy
November 15th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
I have never liked the green bean/onion ring casserole. To each his own.
I believe I will eat a turkey sandwich in LAX as I spend 5 hours waiting for my next leg – 14 hours to Taipei, followed by another flight to Bali – the actual destination. I am good with skipping a traditional (or non- as the case may be) T-giving dinner to begin an excursion of a lifetime. Now, if only I can get everything done by next Wednesday…
November 15th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
Our most non-traditional T-giving meal was when we were stuck on the US side of the US-Mexican border on a Sunday a couple of days before the actual holiday, waiting for the special Mexican auto insurance places to open on Monday morning (you can arrange for a policy on the web now, I think). We went to a HEB, somewhat like a Texas-style Target, and bought a pumpkin pie. We found a lovely place outside of town to watch the wind riffle the stands of grass in the sunshine and passed it back and forth until we were gorged. Great fun! [Travel safely, Jane!]
November 15th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
I might (try…) making Bhindi (which is an Indian dish, consisting of okra, green chile peppers, and seasonings) …. we need a little non-American cultural flavor at Thanksgiving 😉
November 15th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
One dish I don’t recommend is lima bean puree. 😉
November 15th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
I will be celebrating Thanksgiving on the end of a long finger of rock extending into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Maine, at Smallpoint. I am housesitting in this amazingly gorgeous location because my friend Laura went off to have Thanksgiving on the “good coast” in Western Washington. I am having several West Coast USM students from my nursing program come join me there, so we will enjoy turkey and pies and whatever else we bring, even if the water looks like it is on the “wrong side”. I make my pumpkin pies with Kuri squash, coconut milk and cardemon these days, I hope someone else brings the cranberry sauce. We’ll be incredibly grateful that there are no tests or assignments due that day! Happy Thanksgiving to all! Aimée
November 16th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
jess, tyson, jon, whitney, COLLEEN (straight from detroit), and whatever other wayward far-from-homers we come across… i don’t think we’ll have green bean casserole, but if it’s anything like last year, there are sure to be plenty of pies… and carrot ginger soup! oh, and a turkey =)
November 16th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
i forgot, of course we’re having mashed potatoes. that’s the best part.
November 17th, 2007 at 9:24 am
This year my wife decided to have a dry run thanksgiving day to test out her recipes. We soaked the bird in a brine solution she got at William Sonoma, it really kept it moist. OMG, the turkey was so good and I get to do it again in a few days!