Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Vegan side/main suggestions? We have two vegan guests coming. Thanks!

https://minimalistbaker.com/104-easy-vegan-thanksgiving-recipes/

When we have had vegan guests, we've made acorn squash stuffed with wild rice as an alternative main. Everything else was easily made vegan: Mashed potatoes with nondairy butter and milk (couldn't tell the difference), mashed squash, green beans, stuffing made with veggie stock. I even made whipped cream from coconut milk for the pies (which was decent, but I'll whip real cream for the rest of us next time.) It wasn't as hard as I thought.

Anonymous wrote:Vegan side/main suggestions? We have two vegan guests coming. Thanks!

Carrot Soup can be creamy without cream. Different squashes can be added too... I roast them first.

AFter some experimentation, I leave out the potato. Not necessary.

https://www.audubon.org/news/mark-bittman-recipe-creamy-carrot-soup

Anonymous wrote:For salad I often make endive boats with apples, goat cheese, dried cranberries, watercress - people can take a boat and put it on their plate... it works a bit better than a regular salad I think. And it's a bit more fancy.

I've done even simpler endive boats and yes, they are fancy and popular. ...and versital.

If you don’t eat pecan pie for breakfast the next day, you’re not living life right.

Anonymous wrote:What’s THE best stuffing? Cornbread? Chestnut? Oyster? sausage?

Oyster followed by Stove Top. Hate chestnut but mostly b/c it's a PIA to make.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Favorite cranberry sauce recipe?

I just boil a package of cranberries over medium with one cup of water and 3/4 cup of sugar until they start popping, then I lower/stir/eventually turn off the heat. I like my cranberry sauce really simple. I always do this one or two days before.

Two cans: One jelly and one with whole cranberries. This is important: It must be left in can-shape! Add butter knife so people can slice their own width.

Anonymous wrote:I think I cross the threshold for low class and trashy per DCum, but I loved canned cranberry (and how it's a long blob that falls out of the can) and purposely slice it (cutting it, too, is satisfying) next to the mashed potatoes on my plate so that there's a happy harmony of subtle mixing.

Anyone else have secret indulgences (that may or may not be low class or gross to others)?

The old-fashioned cheese ball (rolled in finely chopped pecans) as an appetizer. They were made and sold as a fundraiser for a local organization, and they shopped making them last holiday season because of COVID. (It’s a women’s group and they used to rent out a local elementary school kitchen and make them over the course of a long weekend.) So I’m hoping they do it again this year, because there is no homemade or store-bought version that can replicate the superfine coating of pecans that can be produced in that elementary school kitchen. It is the smoothest, spreadiest-yet-still-slightly-textured stuff on the planet.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Should I try a smoked turkey this year? Just saw they're offering that at the farm where I'm ordering. I've never had one. Will it just taste like lunchmeat?

Before moving away from DC, we bought a smoked turkey at (what is now called) Sho Nuf turkey farm in Fulton, MD. My family loved it so much that I'm actually driving from 2 hours away to pick one up this year. I'm a vegetarian, but they said it was the best turkey they had ever had. And it was so easy to serve--just heat it gently in the oven for an hour or so. No drippings for gravy though.

!! This is an excellent recommendation thanks. This is the farm I am ordering from! Did the traditionalists complain or was it pretty similar to roasting your own?

This looks great. Would you recommend either smoked whole turkey or the breast?

Anonymous wrote:I think I cross the threshold for low class and trashy per DCum, but I loved canned cranberry (and how it's a long blob that falls out of the can) and purposely slice it (cutting it, too, is satisfying) next to the mashed potatoes on my plate so that there's a happy harmony of subtle mixing.

Anyone else have secret indulgences (that may or may not be low class or gross to others)?

Cranberry bread from a mix. We had it every year. Now it’s hard to find but my mom has found a store near her that has it. I am not even sure I actually like it anymore, but I cannot imagine thanksgiving without it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Should I try a smoked turkey this year? Just saw they're offering that at the farm where I'm ordering. I've never had one. Will it just taste like lunchmeat?

Before moving away from DC, we bought a smoked turkey at (what is now called) Sho Nuf turkey farm in Fulton, MD. My family loved it so much that I'm actually driving from 2 hours away to pick one up this year. I'm a vegetarian, but they said it was the best turkey they had ever had. And it was so easy to serve--just heat it gently in the oven for an hour or so. No drippings for gravy though.

!! This is an excellent recommendation thanks. This is the farm I am ordering from! Did the traditionalists complain or was it pretty similar to roasting your own?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think I cross the threshold for low class and trashy per DCum, but I loved canned cranberry (and how it's a long blob that falls out of the can) and purposely slice it (cutting it, too, is satisfying) next to the mashed potatoes on my plate so that there's a happy harmony of subtle mixing.

Anyone else have secret indulgences (that may or may not be low class or gross to others)?

I love the green bean casserole with canned green beans, canned soup, and fried onions on top.

Awwwww, yeahhhhhh.

My mom makes a similar casserole with a whole bunch of canned veggies, cream of mushroom soup, shredded cheddar mixed in and crumbled ritz crackers on top. Lots of food snobs in my family and this is still everybody's favorite.

Anonymous wrote:Should I try a smoked turkey this year? Just saw they're offering that at the farm where I'm ordering. I've never had one. Will it just taste like lunchmeat?

Before moving away from DC, we bought a smoked turkey at (what is now called) Sho Nuf turkey farm in Fulton, MD. My family loved it so much that I'm actually driving from 2 hours away to pick one up this year. I'm a vegetarian, but they said it was the best turkey they had ever had. And it was so easy to serve--just heat it gently in the oven for an hour or so. No drippings for gravy though.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think I cross the threshold for low class and trashy per DCum, but I loved canned cranberry (and how it's a long blob that falls out of the can) and purposely slice it (cutting it, too, is satisfying) next to the mashed potatoes on my plate so that there's a happy harmony of subtle mixing.

Anyone else have secret indulgences (that may or may not be low class or gross to others)?

I love the green bean casserole with canned green beans, canned soup, and fried onions on top.

Awwwww, yeahhhhhh.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am bringing Thanksgiving dinner to my elderly mom’s house this weekend - about 10 of us. She lives 35 minutes away, and I should be there at least an hour before we eat. What to do with the darn turkey? Fully cook at home and reheat? Spatchcock it and go earlier than I’d like and cook there? Can I bring it up to 140degrees or so and then wrap it up for the drive and then finish cooking there? What would you do?

Finish it completely at your house. The turkey needs thirty minutes to rest anyways. The other thing you could do is go cook at your moms house.

My brother hosts at my elderly grandma's house each year. She has a big open house still, but no longer cooks. He gets up and spends the morning cooking at her house. Prepping a little at his house the days before. It's easier than hauling everything cooked, and it's one of their annual bonding times. She drinks her tea and gives out suggestions (she hosted for over 40 years). Sometimes they bicker a bit, but both enjoy it.

I love this! Your family sounds like lovely people.

I’d love to do this.

Anonymous wrote:I think I cross the threshold for low class and trashy per DCum, but I loved canned cranberry (and how it's a long blob that falls out of the can) and purposely slice it (cutting it, too, is satisfying) next to the mashed potatoes on my plate so that there's a happy harmony of subtle mixing.

Anyone else have secret indulgences (that may or may not be low class or gross to others)?

I go both ways. Fancy homemade and straight out of the can. Need both for table to be complete.