Alexa, your menu looks perfect! I would eat everything you are serving! I'm also looking for something new this year. Something green and a buttery dinner roll. I usually make plain green beans but I may branch out this year if something catches my eye. It's just us four and my parents this year and they will eat anything.

Our menu is

Turkey and dressing
Sweet Potato Souffle
Mashed potatoes
Corn Pudding
Dinner Rolls
Homemade applesauce
Green beans
Cranberry Relish

Dessert

Apple Pie
Pumpkin Roll
Homemade vanilla ice cream

Alexa....scalloped oysters?

Both of those menus sound perfect to me. I am have 3-4 guests for Thanksgiving so there will be 5-6 of us. I might invite another couple to join us, so that would make 8. Here's the catch, 2 of them are vegan!!! So here is the tentative menu. * are vegan friendly.

Appetizers (not fully planned out yet)

*Hummus with raw veggies & pita chips
*Spring rolls and dipping sauces
Baked brie in puff pastry with walnuts & brown sugar

Main Dinner:

Roasted turkey
Sausage & bread stuffing
*Apple and walnut stuffed acorn squash or butternut squash ravioli
Mashed potatoes (non-vegan)
*Mashed potatoes
Gravy (non-vegan)
*Mushroom gravy
*Cranberry sauce with apples & oranges
* Roasted Brussels sprouts with cranberries & balsamic reduction
* Green bean almandine
*Roasted winter vegetables (butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots & parsnips)
* fruit salad with a ginger sauce
Homemade bread

Dessert:

Gingerbread cookies
*Dark chocolate mousse with pomegranate
*Pumpkin cupcakes with "cream cheese" frosting
*Ginger palmiers

Apple cider to drink. The vegans do not drink anything with alcohol or caffeine.

It's ambitious and enough food probably to feed 20 as opposed to 6-8 people! At least Dh and I will be fat & happy for a while!

Our menu is not as extensive, but includes all the favorites:

wine or apple cider

roasted turkey
mom's dressing and giblet gravy
cranberry sauce two ways
sweet potato souffle or candied yams
green beans
spinach salad
gratin of winter squash topped with the apple-pecan stuffing (if our vegetarians are with us)
homemade quick butter croissants

lemon chess pie
gingerbread with lemon sauce

iced tea and water

We don't do mashed potatoes with our holiday turkey dinner, more room for Mom's dressing and gravy we all love!

Teresa

Teresa, when my grandmother made Thanksgiving dinner she never served mashed potatoes or bread for the same reason. More room for stuffing and gravy.

I'm still figuring out the menu...

Eileen

I am adding an orzo salad this year. Here is my menu...

Turkey
Ham
Oyster dressing
Regular dressing
Orzo salad
Broccoli casserole
Sweet Potato casserole
Green Bean casserole
Corn
Mashed Potatoes
Fruit skewers
Cranberry sauce
Pies
Apple cake

I want to try the split turkey technique a la tyler florence...has anyone ever tried it?

I am making these for one of the appetizers. I hope they are as good as they sound.

MARINATED OLIVES
These are so tasty and get better with time. Store these in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Meg, NY 11-21-2002

1 orange
1/2 lemon
1 can black olives, drained
1 clove garlic
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Dash of cayenne pepper

Cut orange in half. Dice up one half into large chunks and squeeze the juice of the other half into a bowl. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lemon into the same bowl. Discard squeezed orange and lemon halves and place diced orange in bowl of juice. Add rest of ingredients to this mixture and keep in refrigerator at least 24 hours. When you serve let come to room temperature.

Your menus look great!

Lat year I used this recipe recommended here on this forum and will repeat because it was so good!

You could make the herb butter ahead of time refrigerate and then just cook the green beans the day of and toss with the prepared butter.

Also - I don't think I had tarragon so I skipped it.

Haricots Verts(small string beans) with Herb Butter
Gourmet : November 2007
Melissa Roberts
ake it again
total time: 30 min
By mixing butter, shallots, fresh herbs, and lemon juice together right in the serving bowl, you get an instant dressing on contact with hot haricots...
iIngredients
� 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
� 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
� 3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
� 2 teaspoons finely chopped tarragon
� 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
� 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
� 2 lb haricots verts or other green beans, trimmed
preparation
Stir together all ingredients except haricots verts with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until combined well.
Cook beans in a large pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt for 6 quarts water), uncovered, until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes, then drain. Toss with herb butter.

Posted by AnnieDeighnaugh "I want to try the split turkey technique a la tyler florence...has anyone ever tried it? "

Yes I have. It is a better way to make a turkey without overcooking part of the turkey.

I am thinking of making a goose this year.

dcarch

By "split turkey" do you mean butterflied, where it's cut open and cooked "flat"? I've done that with a turkey breast and it was fantastic. I watched Andrew Zimmern do it back when he was doing local television. I've never done it where you cook it on the rack over the stuffing though. That sounds good to me.

Problem is, it's hard for me to not use ol' Nesc for turkey. Easy to do, consistent results, easy cleanup. But a butterflied bird was good.

The other thing I'd probably do if I made a whole turkey would be cooking it in parts like they did on America's Test Kitchen. Again, more even cooking, less room required. Less hassle.

Booberry, how do you make ravioli without eggs? It would be great to have an egg-free option.

My step son is getting together with friends for the holiday and they are making fried oyster poor boy sandwiches. Can't wait to hear the reviews:)

Kate

Islay, I plan on following the recipe posted below for the ravioli. In the recipes I've looked at, they either substitute olive oil or canola oil for the egg.

Here is a link that might be useful: Vegan Butternut Squash Ravioli

Yes, I am making something new! I just tried a chocolate pudding recipe which is basically bittersweet chocolate, silken tofu, a little honey and a touch of kahlua. DH was sceptical, but it's amazingly good! No-one would ever think it had NO cream, eggs or other dairy.

Basic recipe:
1 lb silken (or soft) tofu
13 oz bittersweet chocolate
1 Tbs honey
1/4 cup Kahlua

Melt chocolate over double boiler with Kahlua and honey. Puree tofu in blender. Add chocolate mix. That's it.

The pudding had lumpy bits because the blender doesn't circulate the mix well. I refrigerated it to see how it sets up. From the fridge I find it too firm. I'm going to add more tofu and puree it in the food processor. It's better at room temperature or slightly warm IMO.

Try it, you'll be amazed at how good it is.

Rest of the menu is pretty traditional:
roast turkey
fiery sweet potatoes (SP with Thai curry and coconut milk)
turkey gravy
bread stuffing
cranberry relish (cranberries, whole oranges, sugar, everything minced, nothing cooked - just wonderful!)
cranberry sauce for the traditionalists
baby green peas in butter
roasted butternut squash
cranberry nut dinner rolls
Shartlesville pumpkin pie (with whiskey!)
apple pie
chocolate pudding

No mashed potatoes, thank goodness. I may make miso-marinated black cod for 2 vegetarians, but one of them sent strict instructions not to make anything specially for her so we're in negotiations.

Cheryl

Did anyone watch Iron Chef last night? They had individual servings of dressing "dumplings", made rather like Ann T makes her dressing (somewhat poached, right?). I thought that was totally cool. Along with the pumpkin souffle. They were supposed to be using up leftovers, but the judges remarked how the souffle should've made it to the first round of Thanksgiving. Both looked good. Am I doing anything new? Nope. I'll be lucky to make it through the typical Thanksgiving. We're highly disorganized and not really ready for other extenuating circumstances.

Hope everyone has a great holiday!

This year it is just the two of us. We're going to have clay pot chicken with stuffing.

I'll do mashed potatoes and am working on the rest of the menu...

items I am considering, (but certainly not all)

• sauteed green beans with bacon

• roasted asparagus and pancetta

• large slices of squash served as a "boat" with fresh cranberries and drizzle of maple roasted together

• homemade apple sauce (DH is allergic to cinnamon)

• rolls and butter

• mixed salad with gorgonzola

DH is in charge of the dessert. He got the Cooking with Chocolate: Essential Recipes and Techniques book put out by Valhrona recommended by a friend at Epicurious, and he's tried a couple things in it. Time to try some more!

Here is a link that might be useful: Cooking with Chocolate: Essential Recipes and Techniques

Yes, something " new" for the very first time in my 34 year marriage...reservations for Thanksgiving dinner out...at the assisted care facility where my 95-year-old FIL lives.

Last year we cooked at our place and he came for a brief time, but he no longer wants to leave the facility (only 20 minutes away). So DH, SIL, BIL, and I will eat with him there. Fortunately, they do offer alcoholic beverages on these occasions....

seagrass

Seagrass, I'm still trying to convince my family to allow me to put oysters in the stuffing like yours, but I dunno...

They serve alcohol at the assisted living facilities?

Annie

Annie,

This place has a bar in the first floor common living area that opens for the residents on Fridays before dinner, and on family dining events that they hold throughout the year. The level of care my FIL receives puts most responsibility on himself regarding food/beverage intake. He does like his highballs. And the ladies.

Best observed after a few gin and tonics in my experience...

seagrass

OK, Seagrass, now you have me grinning.

Boy, I'll tell you, give a 95 year old guy a couple of gin and tonics and he'll start acting like he's a youngster of 92 again! LOL

Good for him anyway, I've never known a facility that served alcohol. Here they'd have to get a separate and very expensive liquor license, I suppose.

Annie

cynic, what is "Ol Nesc?"

dcarch, thanks for the encouragement.

More than butterflied, this turkey is split...remove backbone, flip bird over and slice it in half through the breast bone....then nestle each half into a roasting pan. Just seems like it would roast much better that way and take up less oven space. Plus it won't need basting.

My big concern with basting is every time I open the oven, the temp drops like crazy and takes time to reheat, so the bird takes a long time to get done. This way it should be much faster.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tyler Florence Split Turkey

We will have 9 adults and 2 tots with us this year. Our menu has been pared down over the years, but the traditions are still the core of the meal. I added corn pudding two years ago, and everyone likes that too.

Roast, stuffed fresh turkey
Corn pudding
Minced meat peaches
Twice baked potatoes
Candied sweet potatoes
Pumpkin tea bread
Cranberry-orange sauce
Fruit salad (my sister's choice)
A fresh vegetable (my sister's contribution)
Dessert (also from my sister)

My husband prefers that we have just a limited amount of leftovers, so I send turkey leftovers home with my sister and/or son.

AnnieD, the "Old Nesc" is a large Nesco electric roaster. Cynic and I definitely agree on the value of those roasters.

I do a wonderful turkey in mine every year, the skin is exactly crispy all over, but I don't care. I carve the bird in the kitchen and I don't care for poultry skin, so into the Nesco it goes!

I also have the smaller 6 quart Nesco roaster that I've used for everything from roast chicken to bean soup to baking brownies. Great little piece of kitchen equipment for under $50.00.

Annie

My sister and I do Thanksgiving together. She brings the turkey, since I don't like making (or eating) it. I make sides and a turkey alternative main dish. Often it is some sort of roast beast. This year I am thinking either lobster or a Peking Duck. I'll probably choose the lobster as I am feeling lazy. Might get an extra crustacean and make a lobster bisque. For dessert, I am also going to try my self-challenge, the Paris-Brest.

Seagrass you made me laugh out loud! I wish you a very happy nd entertaining Thanksgiving, I bet you will have a great story to tell.

Everyones menu sounds wonderfully traditional. I do try to add something "new" most years and it has been met with varying degrees of enthusiasm, maybe I will stick with the T&T unless something really jumps out in the next few days.

WalnutCreek, I made these marinated olives a couple of weeks ago and will pull them out for the big day(I should have mentinoed that the olives were marinated on my initial post, and the "cheese crackers" are actually a cheese board WITH crackers, not Cheez-Its or something LOL!)

Anyway, this is how I make my Marinated Olives -

Herb Marinated Olives
Ingredients
1 pound assorted olives, such as Kalamata, Cerignola, Greek, Gaeta or Nicoise
2 cups olive oil
1 onion, julienned
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 bay leaves, torn into pieces
1 branch fennel or 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
3-inch piece orange peel, julienned
12 coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or more, to taste)
Instructions
In a large bowl combine all ingredients and stir well to combine. Marinate at room temperature at least 24 hours before serving (cover and refrigerate if longer). Transfer to glass jars with lids and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. (Allow to return to room temperature before serving.)
�
Note:� Don�t discard the remaining olive oil after the olives are gone�it is delicious served as a dipping oil for crusty French bread or drizzled over pasta or grilled vegetables.

Looks like there will be some fine eating again this year!

Alexa

As for basting, it is for the skin, not the meat under it and it really detracts from the meat cooking properly due to the oven temp. fluctuating every time the door is opened to baste. Better to just butter the bird over and under the skin and hope for the best. The skin is not good for you but it is a favorite food for many. I often kinda compromise, I baste but sparingly. Too bad they haven't invented a basting device that you can set up to work automatically inside the oven without opening the door!

We usually do duck, and for that I have to eventually open the oven door and siphon off the copious duck fat that collects in the roasting pan!

Thanks, Annie...never heard of it before. I learn so much here!

Alexa, your marinated olives sound wonderful. Thank you so much.

I'm going to do just turkey breast since none of the 6 us are fans of turkey dark meat.(Probably 2 breasts for leftovers to send home.)I've never roasted just turkey breast to get a crispy skin. Any recipes, tips?

Not necessarily anything new here...they'd revolt. However, I am finally going to brine my turkey. I've never done it before, so I'm a little late to that party.

We have a huge gathering of about 50, but it's not as bad as it sounds because everybody brings something.

I am in charge of two turkeys, gravy, and a ham, cranberry sauce two ways, and most desserts. I will make one turkey the day before and brine the other for Turkey Day. I'll do the ham in the Nesco.

Funny how different people have different traditions. I can't imagine not having mashed potatoes, but we NEVER do apetizers. My mother didn't so I don't, plus it saves room for the meal, much the same way people feel about mashed potatoes. ;)

If anybody has any suggestions on the brining, let me know. I'm sure there's lots of posts here that I will check on.

Maybe I'll head over to the assisted living facility for dessert ;)

AH HA moment here!

No, I haven't found something "new" to add.... I am dusting off a recipe I haven't made in over a decade and bringing this retro-baby back to life for this year. It takes a couple of days, so planning in advance is needed and perfect for my schedule this year. Plus it makes 2 and freezes well so the second will be added to my Holiday Open House menu! (Yes, I have strained my shoulder patting myself on the back with this one... LOL)

Alexa

*****************************************************

Autumn Pate with Mushrooms and Hazelnuts

2 lbs ground turkey meat
8 oz pork fatback, diced
12 oz bulk pork sausage
1 med onion minced
5 cloves garlic
3 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 lb lean pork cut into 2 x 1/3 inch strips
4 oz thinly sliced prosciutto minced
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup Calvados or brandy
6 bay leaves
1 lb sliced bacon
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 lb shitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps sliced
3/4 cup lightly toasted hazelnuts, skins removed, coarsely chopped

1. The day before baking the pate, combine the turkey, fatback, sausage, onion and garlic. Put the mixture through a meat grinder or process in a food processor until well blended.
2. place the mixture in a large mixing bowl and mix in the rosemary, thyme, coriander, salt pepper, pork strips and prosciutto. Beat in the eggs and Calvados to bind. Cover the mixture and let sit overnight in the refrigerator.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Place a row of 3 bay leaves down the center of two 6 � 8 cup terrines or loaf pans. Line each with bacon slices arranged crosswise to line both the sides and the bottom. Let the ends of the slices hang over the edges of the pan.
5. Melt the butter in a skillet over med-high heat. Add the mushrooms and saut�, stirring frequently until lightly browned and liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
6. Layer 1/3 of the pate mixture in the prepared terrines. Top with half the saut�ed mushrooms and hazelnuts. Top with another 1/3 of the meat mixture, then the remaining mushrooms and hazelnuts. Make a final layer with the rest of the meat and pack the mixture compactly with your hands or a wooden spoon. Fold the overhanging bacon over the top of each pate.
7. Completely wrap each pan tightly with aluminum foil. Place the pans in a larger baking pan and pour water halfway up the sides of the terrines. Bake the pate 1 � hours. Remove from the oven and let cool under a weight (I use another loaf pan with several cans of beans) for at least 2 hours. Chill the pates several hours before unmolding. (It freezes well at this point)

Here in parts of Maryland (and perhaps Pennsylvania too) we wouldn't think of having roast turkey without sauerkraut cooked with ham hocks and tart apples. Yum.

Thnksgiving for me is at Sister-in-law's. What I'm taking that is new for me are Katie C's Potatoes Elegante and LindaC's Apple Cake with Cake Gravy. I'm also taking the Haricots Verts with Herb Butter, and LindaC's Cranberry Jezebel, both of which I took last year.

It'll be just me and the dog this year, and I bought some meat glue on a whim, so this may be the year of the turducken . . .

jude, would you share katie c's potatoes elegante recipe? thanks, so much!! :)

jude, nevermind.....i found it.
Potatoes Elegante

Recipe By :Katie, adapted over the years from an old sour cream recipe booklet Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Vegies

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 2 pounds (3-4 large) potatoes -- cooked and sliced salt and pepper -- to taste 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese -- * see note 3 tablespoons butter 1 1/2 cups chopped onions 1 1/2 cups sour cream 3 eggs paprika

Saute onions in butter until golden.
In a deep, oiled casserole dish, layer 1/2 potatoes (sprinkle with salt and pepper), 1/2 onions and 1/2 jack and cheddar cheeses. Repeat layers.
Beat sour cream and eggs. Pour over top. Sprinkle with paprika.
Bake @ 375� for 40 minutes.
NOTES : *The original recipe called for Monterey Jack cheese and Romano cheese, but we prefer the cheddar.

I made this last night. It is the best cranberry sauce I've ever tasted. I decreased the white sugar to 1/2 cup and cooked the berries about 15 minutes instead of 6. I also added a 1/4 tsp cinnamon.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cranberry Sauce with Port and Dried Figs

It's just two of us this year, but I still plan to cook so that we can get leftovers. We bought an organic roasting chicken at TJ's along with a turkey breast, and I'm pondering how to cook them together. I think I will use the smoker, butterfly the chicken, and put the turkey breast under the chicken, since the turkey breast has almost no skin, and I am afraid of it drying out. Anyway, this will be something new for me to do. I was thinking of using the barbeque instead, but I don't feel like dealing which the charcoal. I might use the small barbeque and roast some chilies and other vegetables, however. Weather should be cooperating - there is only a 10% chance of rain.

I'm also cooking a butternut squash, although I have not settled on a recipe. I am leaning toward the kimchi recipe in the latest issue of Los Angeles Magazine, but I would have to start that today or tomorrow, and I do not have the kale yet.

Lars

I think I'm going to try Art Smith's Soul Food Chutney that was heard on NPR recently.

If I want to use dried ground ginger instead of the cystalized ginger, what amount do you think to use?

Teresa

Here is a link that might be useful: Art Smith's Soul Food Chutney (scroll down)

jadeite,

Would you mind posting the recipe for
fiery sweet potatoes (SP with Thai curry and coconut milk)

I'm bringing some sweet potatoes that I just dug up from the garden a couple of days ago, and the host, a brother-in-law who's a really good cook seems to be wanting me to come up with a special way of making them. Your recipe might be interesting.

I just noticed yesterday at the store that sweet potatoes were on sale for $0.39 / lb. So given that I got about 6 lb or so from the garden, that adds up to about $2.40 worth, which is just a little bit short of the $2.99 that it cost to buy the 6 sweet potato plants back in April. Yay.

No, it is just the traditional basics here. DH and son like it that way. Dog doesn't care as long as she gets some of the leftover turkey. Bought a 9.5 lb. Butterball turkey that I stuff with a Meyer lemon - sliced, celery and fennel. I make enough to heat up for a second meal on Sunday. I always enjoy it more the second time around.
Clare

I have found something new to add to the menu... you knew I would LOLOLOL! So here is the "warm up" cocktail before the festivities begin for real!

Alexa

Oh yea... it is compliments of my good buddy Rachael Ray
Ginger Snap Martini
Ingredients
� 1 ounce Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur
� 1 1/2 ounces vodka
� 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
� 1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
� 1/4 teaspoon agave syrup
� Pinch of ground cloves
� Pinch of ground cinnamon
� Pinch of grated nutmeg
� Cinnamon stick, for garnish

Put everything except the Cinnamon stick in a cocktail shaker with a little ice. Shake hard. Pour into a chilled martini glass and garnish with cinnamon stick

We always do a potluck at get togethers because we all like to cook. But the group is smaller this year, so we're keeping the menu modest. Also, the Gen X'ers prefer the traditional, so we save the wildly creative for the rest of the year, lol.

One new recipe: a rye bread/whole wheat dressing, with mushrooms and dried cranberries. Making it with a super-rich vegetarian broth as we have 2 vegetarians at the table this year.

Homemade sushi
Goat cheese & red pepper mini-quiches
Artichoke heart appetizer
Mushroom soup
Traditional roast and brined turkey with gravy
Rye/whole wheat dressing (vegetarian)
Cranberry sauce: canned, homemade chunky, and homemade sugar free
Slow-roasted mixed veggies
Mashed potatoes
Lemon curd cheesecake
Sugar-free pumpkin pie custard

Cyalexa - That looks like a great recipe! I've already made the cranberry sauce but will put on the list for next year!

Dawn

Oh yes! for dessert, I am ordering Twinkies.

dcarch

bob_cville, I'm happy to post the recipe. It came from the New York Times in 2009.

Fiery Sweet Potatoes
Time: About 2 hours

5 pounds sweet potatoes

1 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt.

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake potatoes on a baking sheet until very soft, about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, peel and mash.

2. In a small saucepan, heat coconut milk with curry paste over low heat. Mix coconut milk mixture, half the sugar, half the butter, and salt into potatoes. Keep warm until ready to serve, or cover and refrigerate up to two days.

3. At least 30 minutes before serving, heat oven to 425 degrees. Put potatoes in a baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover potatoes, dot with remaining butter and sugar and broil until brown and crusty on top, checking often to prevent scorching.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings.

Notes: I've made this, the full 5lbs, following the recipe up through step 2. I've frozen it in portions at this stage. If I'm serving it to guests, I'll finish it with the butter and brown sugar because it makes a prettier presentation. If it's just for DH and me, I skip this. It's good enough as is.

Cheryl