Anonymous
Post 11/09/2011 17:58     Subject: Thanksgiving Menu
DH and I are both native Georgians. We usually have Thanksgiving dinner at his sister's house with my MIL, my SIL and I making most of the food. This is our normal menu there:

Fried turkey
Chicken and dumplings
My MIL's homemade dressing
Candied yams
Green beans
Macaroni and cheese
Collard greens, sometimes
Dinner rolls

Dessert is usually my DH's aunt's 14 layer chocolate cake and her coconut cake, my BIL's red velvet cake, and DH's OTHER aunt's chocolate pie and lemon pie.
Anonymous
Post 11/09/2011 17:29     Subject: Re:Thanksgiving Menu
My grandmothers family was an old Maryland family and they always served Oyster Stew for Thanksgiving, aka oysters floating in cream. Delicious but rich.
Anonymous
Post 11/09/2011 17:18     Subject: Thanksgiving Menu
Anonymous wrote:Oh, boy, do people eat my rolls and biscuits! You obviously have not eaten my rolls and biscuits. They are from scratch, and they are served hot from the oven just as we all sit down at the table. My family won't let me not make them.

Brussels sprouts must be served soft. Crunchy, even just a little, is no good!


I agree, except I'd say soft but not mushy.
Anonymous
Post 11/09/2011 16:34     Subject: Thanksgiving Menu
Hi, Memphis Girl! I like how everyone's got her one thing that you have to have on the T-giving table; your grandmother's got her potato salad, and I bet she makes a good one. Well, it's not Thanksgiving at our house without orange fluff!
Anonymous
Post 11/09/2011 16:30     Subject: Thanksgiving Menu
Hey Nashville Girl! I grew up in Memphis-I am also the OP! Maybe it is just something my grandmother does! I haven't had orange fluff in years.
Anonymous
Post 11/09/2011 13:37     Subject: Thanksgiving Menu
Oh, boy, do people eat my rolls and biscuits! You obviously have not eaten my rolls and biscuits. They are from scratch, and they are served hot from the oven just as we all sit down at the table. My family won't let me not make them.

Brussels sprouts must be served soft. Crunchy, even just a little, is no good!
Anonymous
Post 11/09/2011 12:54     Subject: Re:Thanksgiving Menu
Do people really eat the rolls, biscuits etc. on Thanksgiving? I stopped bothering with them a few years back as there is enough strachy food to fill us up.

Re brussel sprouts, are they still a bit crunchy when served or are they soft?
Anonymous
Post 11/09/2011 11:59     Subject: Thanksgiving Menu
I'm from Nashville, Tennessee, and I have never heard of potato salad at the Thanksgiving table. I have always wanted to include mac and cheese, though I never have managed to add to this groaning board:

Turkey

Giblet Gravy

Cornbread Stuffing

Mashed Potatoes

Sweet-Potato Pudding

Brussels Sprouts

Peas

Orange Fluff (orange Jello, Cool Whip, cottage cheese, canned pineapple, canned mandarin orange, chopped walnuts)

Yeast Rolls

Biscuits

Chess Pie

Japanese Fruit Pie

Pecan Pie

Pumpkin Pie

Pear Pie

Cranberry Sauce

Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider





Anonymous
Post 11/08/2011 19:49     Subject: Re:Thanksgiving Menu
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:




We'd love to come to your home for dinner! Seriously, would you please post your recipe for the brussel sprouts? Thanks!


I haven't actually made this one before but have made a similar version so I think it will be good. It says it serves 6-8:

2 lb brussels sprouts
6 oz bacon, cut in 1/4 inch pieces
4 T butter
1 1/3 cups finely chopped cooked chestnuts

Trim and shred/julienne the brussels sprouts.
Cook the bacon for 5-7 mins until golden brown and drain on paper towels.
Drain off the bacon fat and melt the butter in the pan. Cook until brown but not smoking. Add the brussels sprouts and cook until tender, 5-7 minutes. Add the bacon and chestnuts, stir to combine and cook 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately.


I think the cooking time for the sprouts sounds a little long. Shredded sprouts tend to cook very quickly.



Thanks--I really appreciate the recipe you posted. It sounds delicious! Here's one I usually fix. People seem to love it, although I wasn't sure if people would enjoy the garlic at Thanksgiving.


Bacon-Topped Brussel Sprouts
(from Taste of Home—online recipes)

Ingredients
2 pounds fresh brussel sprouts (smaller size is preferable)
3 tablespoons minced onion
2 tablespoons butter, melted
½ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
½ pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled

Cook brussels sprouts (steam for 6 minutes) and drain. Add butter, garlic salt, and oregano; toss. Place in a serving dish. Top with crumbled bacon.
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2011 10:35     Subject: Thanksgiving Menu
Our half meat eaters/half vegetarian menu:

Crackers and various cheeses
Crudites?

Turkey
Lentil Loaf
Meat Gravy
Vegetarian Gravy
Dressing cooked with and out of the bird
Garlic mashed potatoes
Corn Pudding (not the southern sweet type though)
Green beans with shallots
Buttermilk biscuits and sweet potato biscuits

Pumpkin Pie and Apple Pie

We also have 2 Thanksgiving birthdays, so we do a day after dinner too that has some other Tday type dishes we love:

Curried Pumpkin Soup
Wild Rice Salad (from the Native American Museum)
Stuffed Acorn Squash
Peas with Pearl Onions
that's as far as we've gotten with that menu, but something as a vegetarian protein and probably turkey leftovers.
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2011 10:11     Subject: Thanksgiving Menu
You have to try Ina's. There is no other spinach gratin/creamed spinach after you've eaten that.
nannynextdoor
Post 11/08/2011 09:58     Subject: Thanksgiving Menu
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
nannynextdoor wrote:Love the ideas, keep them coming!

I'm going to try a new dish this year: spinach au gratin. Other than that, dinner will probably consist of the traditional fare.


Are you making Ina Garten's recipe? It is fantastic! I started making it 3 or 4 years ago and it's my favorite side dish. It reheats so well, too.


Yes! I second this, you must use Ina's recipe. So good you will want to get in it and swim around while taking bites.


Actually, I was planning to use this recipe: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/10/makeover-spinach-gratin.html#more

After all the rave reviews though, I may have to try Ina's. It is Thanksgiving, after all!
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2011 09:49     Subject: Re:Thanksgiving Menu
Anonymous wrote:




We'd love to come to your home for dinner! Seriously, would you please post your recipe for the brussel sprouts? Thanks!


I haven't actually made this one before but have made a similar version so I think it will be good. It says it serves 6-8:

2 lb brussels sprouts
6 oz bacon, cut in 1/4 inch pieces
4 T butter
1 1/3 cups finely chopped cooked chestnuts

Trim and shred/julienne the brussels sprouts.
Cook the bacon for 5-7 mins until golden brown and drain on paper towels.
Drain off the bacon fat and melt the butter in the pan. Cook until brown but not smoking. Add the brussels sprouts and cook until tender, 5-7 minutes. Add the bacon and chestnuts, stir to combine and cook 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately.


I think the cooking time for the sprouts sounds a little long. Shredded sprouts tend to cook very quickly.

Anonymous
Post 11/08/2011 09:28     Subject: Thanksgiving Menu
I'm PP who makes cranberries in slow cooker. I have a tiny one, the kind you use for breakfast oatmeal, so it doesn't take up counter space, I don't have to reheat it later, and I serve from the tiny crock. Once you invest in a small cooker, if you love cookers, you'll start using it for a lot of things and it won't seem odd. I use the big one for mulled cider on Thanksgiving too - it's wonderful and great for all of us PG/nursing/nondrinkers.
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2011 04:50     Subject: Re:Thanksgiving Menu
Anonymous wrote:

Salad course - probably with smoked trout/goat cheese

Turkey
Giblet gravy
Buttermilk mashed potatoes
Brussel sprouts with chestnuts and bacon
Stuffing with sausage and apple
something with sweet potatoes because I love them

pumpkin pie brulee with whipped cream
apple pie from the silver palate that uses a 1/2 cup of cream mixed with the apples



We'd love to come to your home for dinner! Seriously, would you please post your recipe for the brussel sprouts? Thanks!