ISO Thanksgiving menu suggestions

[Anonymous]

We always travel to ILs or DH's sibling for Thanksgiving but cannot this year due to a family crisis. I usually handle the desserts but now have to do the whole meal and, with the crisis, a little flummoxed on what to serve. We are roasting breast and legs as DH doesn't want to take on the whole turkey - "it's just aesthetics" - and I'm relieved for that.

What else should I serve for a family of four (kids are college age)? We are not big potato people, so am going to punt on the mashers. Love feedback on the following:

starter: butternut squash soup

meal: roast turkey
roasted root veggies
stuffing (family recipe)
roasted thinly sliced potatoes w/rosemary (or can I skip with the stuffing - DH not big on too many carbs)
spinach salad with apples, walnuts, and blue cheese

dessert: chocolate pecan pie

Would love feedback/additions for above and suggestions for a mocktail to accompany meal.

TIA.

[Anonymous]

This sounds totally delicious and put together.

I might add cranberry sauce of some kind (jar or premade, which is always decent) and rolls.

If you do appetizers before soup, don't overthink it. Platter with crackers, a few cheeses, grapes or pear slices, some baby carrots or snap peas, tiny fig jam, bowl of nuts, and a dip (make it or buy it). You can send your college kids to the store on Tuesday with this list and they can make it.

[Anonymous]

If you aren't potato people, then skip the thinly sliced potatoes and add another vegetable. Pick your family's favorite. It's not in season but everyone in our family likes asparagus so we do a simple roasted asparagus at Thanksgiving.

Otherwise for four people that looks like a decent amount of food. I personally prefer apple to pecan pie since pecan is way too rich for me. You know your family, but maybe have vanilla ice cream or a plate of simple butter cookies as an alternative.

[Anonymous]

Mocktail - a little concentrated tart cranberry juice, sparkling apple cider, some seltzer to cut the sweetness, float some cranberries in it. If you're really fancy make tiny ice cubes from apple juice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This sounds totally delicious and put together.

I might add cranberry sauce of some kind (jar or premade, which is always decent) and rolls.

If you do appetizers before soup, don't overthink it. Platter with crackers, a few cheeses, grapes or pear slices, some baby carrots or snap peas, tiny fig jam, bowl of nuts, and a dip (make it or buy it). You can send your college kids to the store on Tuesday with this list and they can make it.

Thanks for the apps suggestion. I meant to include that in the query as am thinking we will eat late afternoon. Just want a little to take off the edge, but not overload for the meal.

Thanks again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mocktail - a little concentrated tart cranberry juice, sparkling apple cider, some seltzer to cut the sweetness, float some cranberries in it. If you're really fancy make tiny ice cubes from apple juice.

That's great - thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you aren't potato people, then skip the thinly sliced potatoes and add another vegetable. Pick your family's favorite. It's not in season but everyone in our family likes asparagus so we do a simple roasted asparagus at Thanksgiving.

Otherwise for four people that looks like a decent amount of food. I personally prefer apple to pecan pie since pecan is way too rich for me. You know your family, but maybe have vanilla ice cream or a plate of simple butter cookies as an alternative.

Everyone in family likes the chocolate pecan pie so will go with one and done here (as much as DS and I love a good apple!).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mocktail - a little concentrated tart cranberry juice, sparkling apple cider, some seltzer to cut the sweetness, float some cranberries in it. If you're really fancy make tiny ice cubes from apple juice.

That's great - thanks

I did something similar last year - froze cubes of orange juice with cranberries inside and then added them to sparkling cider. Very festive and fun!

I think your menu sounds delicious, OP. The benefit of a small Thanksgiving is that you can tailor it to your preferences.

[Anonymous]

If you don't like potatoes or carbs I'd swap that for a green salad (or collard greens or green bean casserole, if you want another hot dish). I would definitely add gravy and cranberry relish, or your leftover sandwiches will be sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you don't like potatoes or carbs I'd swap that for a green salad (or collard greens or green bean casserole, if you want another hot dish). I would definitely add gravy and cranberry relish, or your leftover sandwiches will be sad.

I think I included a green salad - spinach and fixings.

Good on the gravy - thanks. And yes, had forgotten cranberry even if we are not really cranberry people.

[Anonymous]

If you buy pre-made cranberry sauce, you can add some roughly chopped frozen cherries to it (I like the dark ones from TJs) and some kirsch if you like that flavor. The cherry cranberry combo is delicious and a little less biting.

[Anonymous]

Rolls
Gravy
Skip potatoes and do green beans or asparagus or even sautéed spinach or carrots

[Anonymous]

Mocktail- ginger beer and real cranberry juice

[Anonymous]

Does the roasted root vegetable include sweet potatoes? If not, skip the potatoes with rosemary and do a simple roasted sweet potato (no sugar, marshmallows) and swap green salad for sautéed green beans or other simple vegetable. Personally I wouldn't want soup and salad with the dinner, but opinions will vary on that.

[Anonymous]

That sounds really good, OP. I hope you have a good time and get a chance to relax. I think you can skip the sliced potatoes, since you've already got the roasted root vegetables and the stuffing.