Holiday recipes

[Auspicious]

I love this thread. I do. Mmmm.

I can't wait for Thanksgiving. My mom will be cooking like always. My favorite parts are the sweet potatoes (with brown sugar and marshmallows, thankyouverymuch) and the cranberry sauce--the kind that's not only from a can, it's still shaped like the can. Can you tell I wasn't raised in a very sophisticated food environment? I've since branched out, but for Thanksgiving it's back to the basics.

[Rapunzel]

Jon has been begging to have a fried turkey (it must be a guy thing). We've both heard similar rave reviews from friends who have eaten fried whole turkey. Maybe we'll do that this year....

It's funny about the sweet potato dishes - people seem to fall into definite "with marshmallows" and "without". I am one of the "withouts" (sweet potatoes, cinnamon, brown sugar, pecans, applesauce dotted with butter for me!). My husband grew up "with" and asks me every darned year if I am going to put marshmallows on the sweet potatoes! (I never do :P ).

Jennifer

re: the fried turkey -- if you have or have access to back issues of Martha Stewart Living, I think there is an article on fried turkey in the November issue of 1999 (???). I'm trying to remember where our friends purchased their turkey fryer -- maybe Costco? I think you can make your own but it is easier (and probably safer) to buy a fryer specific for turkeys.

I fall into the "without" camp on the sweet potatoes and make mine with mashed sweet potatoes, pears, pear nectar, brown sugar, and spices. But, when having Thanksgiving elsewhere, I am always happy to see them topped with marshmallows.

[DCJenn]

Jennifer-

The fried turkey thing was huge in San Antonio- have one of your Texas relatives look for you if you cn't find anything in Massachusetts. Everyone that I know of who has had says it great if it's done right. Bobby Flay or Emeril did one on the Food Network Thanksgiving special they ran last year. I'm sure you can find directions on their website, too.

As for the marshmallow thing- it's not even up for a discussion. There will never be marshmallows anywhere NEAR my thanksgiving table.

Jenn

[houseelf]

Jenn, you really should play nice and make friends with the marshmellows. Life is too short to forget the marshmellows.

As for me, I am a loyal honey baked turkey buyer every year. Honey groaned about the price but I actually spent MORE money when I tried to do it myself. Love that honey baked turkey. Again, I'm all about the sugar.

Kelly