Thanksgiving!

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

We've done Alton Brown twice too! Delish.

We've already made the cranberry sauce and I ordered the pies ahead. I wanted to make the pies because that's my fav part but since we are making absolutely everything else, I knew I wouldn't have time.

[Deebs]

We usually do kind of an open house for those stranded by EM work, but this year, it's just the 6 of us and DH is in the middle of seven straight night shifts. I'm sad - not because I'll miss the company, but really because my kids will probably each eat a roll. I'm holding back, just making a turkey breast, brussel sprouts, potatoes, rolls, fruit, and apple pie. I keep reminding myself that, while making a feast is fun, making a feast while caring for four young children really isn't fun.


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[TulipsAndSunscreen]

[MENTION=1257]Deebs[/MENTION]

I wish we didn't have family in town - we'd come over and join you! DH asked me last night if I was excited to see my family, I paused, and then after thinking about it, I said, "I'm neutral". I'm excited by the idea of my family...in reality, I'll be here playing bingo with you all over the ridic stuff my stepmom says/does.

[alotofyarn]

Hubby is on call, so I'm doing most of the cooking! We'll have 8 adults and 3 kids at the house. We have a table for 6, so we're going to have to set up a second table...somewhere.

I'm making the turkey (I've done it a couple of times before - I put an onion, apple, and poultry herbs inside, lightly season the outside with salt, pepper, and paprika, and bake in an oven bag for the recommended time, and it's usually really good!), gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and rolls, I think. My mom is making and bringing some other vegetable or salad, cranberries, mirliton casserole (it's a local thing - a chayote squash with peppers, onions, bread crumbs, lots of butter, and shrimp, crawfish, and crabmeat), and pies.

[spotty_dog]

Hubby is on call, so I'm doing most of the cooking! We'll have 8 adults and 3 kids at the house. We have a table for 6, so we're going to have to set up a second table...somewhere.

Same here, LOL. We have a dining room table for six and then we'll pull up the rickety old IKEA table from the "kitchen eating area" (that never gets used for that.) It's crowded and awkward but we make it work!

I realize I'm totally excited to make a giant kale and shredded brussels salad for my green side. I can make it ahead (no fighting for oven space with the turkey) and it's light and sounds good to me as a counterpoint to all the heavy food. But my mom hates and DETESTS brussels. I think she can handle them raw, but if she can't she's SOL for greens. I don't KNOW! Gah.

But I'm also excited for all the rave reviews for the Alton Brown recipe. I'm going for it! Especially since I'm realizing that the make-ahead gravy will take so much pressure off of cooking on the day of! (That last-minute rush after the bird is out, trying to make gravy from the drippings, while mashing potatoes, all before the turkey cools too much...maddening!)

I think I'll be making the gravy and pie crust today, maybe the rolls and cranberry sauce, and slicing the bread for the dressing so it can start drying. All make-ahead stuff has to be done by mid-day tomorrow when my ILs arrive and DH starts roasting his pot roast...

[ladymoreta]

We're hosting MIL, FIL, BIL, and SIL. MIL and FIL will be coming tomorrow, and BIL and SIL will come on Thanksgiving afternoon. We're brining a turkey, and DH is smoking a brisket. For sides, we'll do dressing, gravy, sweet potatoes (SIL), rolls (MIL), fruit salad (MIL), and probably a layered salad. MIL is bringing pie for dessert. I think we'll probably eat around 5:00 or 6:00, which will take a lot of pressure off for getting everything done before lunch like we have done in previous years.

After that, I'm leaving everyone to watch football and going shopping with my mom, aunt, and sister! I get irritated with them sometimes, but I love our Black Friday shopping trip tradition!

[gcuthbe1]

One of my new favorites is cutting up sweet potato and Apple and sprinkling with cinnamon and roasting. My forever and always favorite is grandma hazel's famous mashed potatoes
(12 servings)
5 lbs potatoes (9 large)
2 (3oz) cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp onion powder
2 Tbls butter
Cook potatoes until tender. Mash until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth and fluffy. Cool.
Cover and place in refrig. May be used within 2 weeks.
To reuse - place desired amount in greased casserole. Bake 350 degrees about 30 minutes. Stir during baking.

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[Ladybug]

Holy potatoes! I'm making those

[Ladybug]

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/corn...bacon-stuffing

[spotty_dog]

So...we ended up with a 22 pound turkey. For 8 adults and two kids. O_o I guess we will be putting the bird in the oven around 1pm?! Maybe earlier?

I think I need to start finding recipes for casseroles, soups, and turkey pot pies that I can freeze and eat later. Holy moly.

[SoonerTexan]

I bought a turkey just to make for my family. Cause dude you don't pass up a $9 15 lb turkey!

In laws bring a fried turkey and my parents are doing ham this year, but with 18 people I doubt there will be many turkey leftovers.

I'm making stuffing tomorrow along with mashed potatoes. Then orange brandy cranberry sauce and sparkling cranberries tonight. We're going to serve those over Brie. I hope they turn http://www.myrecipes.com/m/recipe/sparkling-cranberries


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[TulipsAndSunscreen]

You would gag at how much my Heritage breed, free range blah blah blah hippy yuppy turkey cost. But this is the first time we've eaten meat this month, I realized that last night, so it's ok.

And I agree, you want to have delicious leftovers (I always get two turkeys when the locusts (DH's family) eat with us.

[Thirteen]

You would gag at how much my Heritage breed, free range blah blah blah hippy yuppy turkey cost. But this is the first time we've eaten meat this month, I realized that last night, so it's ok.

And I agree, you want to have delicious leftovers (I always get two turkeys when the locusts (DH's family) eat with us.

Sounds yummy - my mom preordered her (similar in all the adjectives) bird and then drove it an hour south to have it smoked today.

Heh heh.


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[spotty_dog]

You would gag at how much my Heritage breed, free range blah blah blah hippy yuppy turkey cost. But this is the first time we've eaten meat this month, I realized that last night, so it's ok.

One of our local farms was asking $9.25 per pound. We went with another one, one of our favorite farmers, who simply adores DH. Still higher than the free-range birds at the grocery store, but supporting local farms makes it priceless! What's really tripping me out is that although we've had local heritage birds before, this is the first time we're having one that has never, ever, dipped below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

[MrsC]

Looks like it will just be the three of us and we'll probably have to bring dinner to the hospital because DH is on call. So I will do all the cooking. I got a fresh local turkey breast today. I'll make roast veggies and potatoes, gravy, stuffing and apple blueberry pie.

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