Share your Thanksgiving cooking flops and successes.

[Anonymous]

I will tell you my SIL's flop. Her tablecloth was so smooth that I got suspicious. While everyone was watching a football game replay, I checked and yes, 100% polyester. The shock! How can she live with herself serving everything on a tablecloth that is not, yes let's admit it, actually fabric?

[Anonymous]

Ha. Just wanted to update on my melted tablecloth. I washed it and the mark is not nearly as visible. If you didn't know it was there, you probably wouldn't notice it.

So, yay, I get to use my pretty, red, shiny, fabric looking plastic tablecloth again!

[Anonymous]

My only flop was the biscuits, which I made with self-rising flour because I was out of baking powder. They didn't rise, but still tasted great.

Otherwise, DH declared it the best Thanksgiving dinner ever and we all had a hard time figuring out what to take a bite of next.

[Anonymous]

No flops--but everything I made is something I've made several times in years past, so nothing new. Also, I know which things I'm just not good at making and just do store bought (like gravy and pumpkin pie.)

We had:
Turkey (basic, simple--no fancy brining or anything)
Gravy (store bought in a jar--I don't like gravy but my husband and kids do, and they aren't picky about it being homemade)
Sweet potato Casserole http://www.food.com/recipe/ruths-chris-sweet-potato-casserole-278583 (Amazing! But read the reviews, because there is an error. The sweet potato mix should be 1/4 cup butter, not 1/2!)
Brussel sprouts with apples and bacon
stuffing (just a bag of Pepperidge Farm brand)
cranberry sauce (homemade)
Cranberry glop http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cranberry-glop/
Cranberry nut bread http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cranberry-nut-bread-i-2/ (can you tell I LOVE cranberries?)

Pumpkin pie (purchased from Costco)
Cannoli (purchased from Costco)

[Anonymous]

Everything came out great for us, too. Although it was just DH, DD (2.5) and me. Cooked waay too much.

My favorite was candied yams with maple syrup that were amazing!

[Anonymous]

My husband cooked and everything was fabulous this year. My only flop was eating too much!

The big success was remembering that our oven has a convection setting, which speeds up and evens out the cooking immensely! For some reason, we always forget about it.

[Anonymous]

My apple pie was awesome. Turkey was dry, but gravy saved it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm due in a week and had this awesome idea to bake a caramel apple pie. I hate pie and have never baked one in my life and did it all from scratch.

The top and first half were cooked perfectly. The bottom was soggy, mushy, and not totally done. Everyone tried to say it was delicious and not make a big deal that it was disgusting, I excused myself to the bathroom and cried a little. I blame hormones.

Oh, PP, don't be so hard on yourself! Caramel apples don't need a bottom crust! I'm sure it was delicious!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The breast of my spatchcocked turkey was still raw at the bone despite the thigh thermometer reading 165. Had to put it back in. Have decided unless someone else is bringing and cooking the turkey, from now on our Thanksgiving meat is the spiral ham we prefer anyway.

Depends how raw it was, but if just a little tinged with pink but reasonably dry, it's fine. Americans overcook their meat.

[Anonymous]

My apple pie was a flop. It looked beautiful with a lattice top, but it was too juicy (for lack of better word) so that was a flop. We had people over and my friend asked what she could do I said wash the salad, she didn't spin it very well and my amazing apple cider vinaigrette salad dressing was lost in a dry wet salad. My pecan and pumpkin pie were great, along with everything else.

[Anonymous]

My BIL made a non-traditional dish of shrimp and grits; he's made it before. Awesomely yummy! My sister made an ice cream salted caramel cake with heath bar crunch. Decadent. Flop? I feel asleep in between from too much Grey Goose. My bad. This year I'm thankful for understanding family members.

[Anonymous]

Sleeper hit. Last minute (3 hours before meal) decided to add Brussels sprouts to the menu.
Did this forum's simple suggestion of roast with kosher salt & olive oil.

College kid guests and DH loved it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ha. Just wanted to update on my melted tablecloth. I washed it and the mark is not nearly as visible. If you didn't know it was there, you probably wouldn't notice it.

So, yay, I get to use my pretty, red, shiny, fabric looking plastic tablecloth again!

Well, all of us who are contributing to this thread certainly hope you'll reconsider your thought to use a polyester (plastic!) tablecloth again for any family dinner. So gauche and plebian! Only freshly ironed linen is permissible!

[Anonymous]

Flop: Used Reynold's bag and stuffed it. Food poisoning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ha. Just wanted to update on my melted tablecloth. I washed it and the mark is not nearly as visible. If you didn't know it was there, you probably wouldn't notice it.

So, yay, I get to use my pretty, red, shiny, fabric looking plastic tablecloth again!

Well, all of us who are contributing to this thread certainly hope you'll reconsider your thought to use a polyester (plastic!) tablecloth again for any family dinner. So gauche and plebian! Only freshly ironed linen is permissible!

eh, you should try getting a life. But iron away if you must hon.