Thanksgiving!

[spotty_dog]

I'm slowly going through past years' threads and I would love to hear about y'all's plans for this year.

Whatcha cooking? What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving recipes?

I can't decide for the life of me how to cook the turkey, and I'm running out of time. I think I'm deciding between a simple brine, a 48-hour salt rub, or a fancy brine -- hm, I think I just swayed HARD toward the fancy brine because someone in one of the threads here mentioned Alton Brown's brined turkey and that's the exact recipe I dug up in my stashed ones that sounded good! If I do that I might go ahead and make the gravy separately with some pre-roasted turkey parts...

There will also be cranberry sauce with orange zest (and a splash of Grand Marnier), reg'lar ol' smashed potatoes, bread stuffing (well dressing, I don't stuff the bird) with nuts and apples and dried fruit, delicata squash, Parker House rolls, and I need to figure out some green vegetable thing. Green beans and/or brussels and/or leafy greens and/or green salad? Dessert will be pumpkin pie (probably won't be rendering my leaf lard in time to make pie crust, alas) and my mom is bringing a "fruit bowl".

[rainbabies]

I'm just doing the basics. Turkey, Apple stuffing(skipping the sausage this year due to FIL) asparagus/green beans, mashed pot, sweet pot, squash, rolls, homemade cranberry sauce.
Cheese/crackers, deviled eggs
Pumpkin cheese cake and apple pie
My FIL is joining us and says I don't need to make a tofurkey, that he's happy with just sides, but I'm thinking I may stop at the local health food store and check out my options.


~shacked up with an ob/gyn~
~three munchkins 10,11,12~

[Ladybug]

Brine makes a turkey world of difference. Ill put my stuffing up tomorrow. Family is so excited about thanksgiving this year. Starting pies tomorrow

I've been heming and hawing about buying a big green egg grill/smoker for DH. One of my student's father lives by it. Has the bumper sticker. Grew up with a family restaurant. I asked a high school friend that has a BBQ business about it. Some of his BBQ buddies are followers. They are pricey though. His birthday is 12-2. Tomorrow is my last day if I want a smoked turkey...and I really do!

[MrsK]

We're going to my brother's. Here's the menu his wife planned. She's very ambitious:

APPITIZERS

Melon & Prosciutto

Hummus & Veg

Cheese & Fruit Plate

Stuffed Mushrooms



DRINKS

Thanksgiving Cocktail – Pumpkin Spicetini

Hard Apple Cider



Regular Apple Cider

Sparkling Cider

Water



1st COURSE

Mushroom Soup

Rolls



2nd COURSE

Turkey

Stuffing

Gravy

Cranberry Sauce



Sweet Potatoes

Mini Mashed Potatoes

Corn Bake

Noodle Kugal



Greenbeans

Kale Salad

Assorted Roasted Veg



3rd COURSE

Apple Pie

Pumpkin Pie

Fruit Plate

Choc Chip Cookies

[spotty_dog]

My old college friend has had his Big Green Egg for years, we lived closer when he was researching and finally got it, those things seem like the bomb!

On the one hand, I've really liked the brined poultry I've done before. On the other hand, Alice Waters says the heritage breeds of turkey don't need it, and since we're paying local bird prices I kind of want local bird flavor? Plus not dealing with a giant bucket of turkey steeping water is a bonus. Dilemma.

[MENTION=1084]rainbabies[/MENTION], since I've been part-time vegetarian for a while, I decided to challenge myself to make the sides veg-friendly this year. So no sausage or bacon in my stuffing either, and I'm moistening it with vegetable stock. Oh, and one of the veggie side recipes I'm considering would be green beans/asparagus/fennel. How are you doing yours?

[spotty_dog]

We're going to my brother's. Here's the menu his wife planned. She's very ambitious:

Nice! I have had multi-course dinners before, but my husband really urged me to do "just a few big dishes" this year. Given that we have only one oven and remarkably few pots and pans, plus DH is doing a 4-pound beef roast when his parents arrive Wednesday, this is probably really wise. I like the look of kale salad...that is VERY tempting as our green side. I always end up overwhelmed by the number of rich cooked dishes on the Thanksgiving table!

[rainbabies]

Nothing fancy with the veggies. I'll prob just roast the asparagus with olive oil/salt and pepper.



~shacked up with an ob/gyn~
~three munchkins 10,11,12~

[MrsK]

Nice! I have had multi-course dinners before, but my husband really urged me to do "just a few big dishes" this year. Given that we have only one oven and remarkably few pots and pans, plus DH is doing a 4-pound beef roast when his parents arrive Wednesday, this is probably really wise. I like the look of kale salad...that is VERY tempting as our green side. I always end up overwhelmed by the number of rich cooked dishes on the Thanksgiving table!

The best part of it is that I don't have to prepare any of it. I don't even have to go shopping for groceries in the holiday rush. My fridge is EMPTY.

[Thirteen]

I'm just doing the basics. Turkey, Apple stuffing(skipping the sausage this year due to FIL) asparagus/green beans, mashed pot, sweet pot, squash, rolls, homemade cranberry sauce.
Cheese/crackers, deviled eggs
Pumpkin cheese cake and apple pie
My FIL is joining us and says I don't need to make a tofurkey, that he's happy with just sides, but I'm thinking I may stop at the local health food store and check out my options.


~shacked up with an ob/gyn~
~three munchkins 10,11,12~

You're a good DIL.

DH has done Alton Brown's turkey recipe 3x with the brining process and the results are fantastic. Highly recommend a good brine!


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[Thirteen]

This year, no one is cooking and we are going to Fogo as a family of 4. 😂


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[spotty_dog]

The best part of it is that I don't have to prepare any of it. I don't even have to go shopping for groceries in the holiday rush. My fridge is EMPTY.

Definitely a bonus!!

[scarlett09]

[MENTION=985]spotty_dog[/MENTION], I recently this on Buzz Feed about wet brine vs dry brine vs nothing: http://www.buzzfeed.com/christinebyr...-brining-truth

This made me a little nervous about DH wet brining our turkey, but I have faith. Every turkey he has touched has turned out mighty tasty. So I have no reason to believe this one won't. 😊 👍🏻

I also like Ina Garten's turkey recipe. First time I made a breast by myself, it came out great, thanks to her. Plus it was pretty easy!

We are hosting mom and stepdad, ILs, and SIL. Turkey, stuffing (the box and from scratch), mashed potatoes (maybe in a slow cooker), roasted Brussels sprouts, biscuits. Mom is bringing green bean casserole and pumpkin pie. ILs are bringing sweet potatoes and apples and some wine. Picking up an apple crumb pie from the farm stand down the road.

Oh, and cranberry sauce from scratch and out of the can. I am in a love triangle between them and I just can't choose. 😛


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[spotty_dog]

Yeah, I have the Science of Good Cooking from America's Test Kitchen, which describes the science behind dry salting -- how it contributes to the seasoning and meat moisture just as well as brining, but with the added bonus of resulting in a super crispy skin. But...we've had success with brined recipes, chicken and turkey alike. And MIL spent like 5 years straight doing a brined Emeril Lagasse recipe with her daughter, before she finally gave up control of the kitchen and started attending at my house. She insisted I do that recipe the first year but it was WAY too much trouble (fancy brine with orange juice, AND a custom mixed cajun spice rub, AND a glaze with fresh cranberries). Doing the Alton Brown brine with the candied ginger and whatnot would be a nod to her preference? Or something? Gah.

[MsSassyBaskets]

We did the Alton Brown brine for the last 2 years, and it was perfect both times. This year, my brother has insisted that he can't possibly time his pass through town with the actual day of thanksgiving, so we're doing thanksgiving on Wednesday, when DH and I both work a half day. I'm cranky at my brother for being inconsiderate, but we're going with it and doing a small, basic thanksgiving dinner of turkey, potatoes, dressing, Brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce, and an apple pie that our realtor gave us. All super basic recipes that we can prep the night before.

[rainbabies]

Oh, and cranberry sauce from scratch and out of the can. I am in a love triangle between them and I just can't choose. 😛


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I love me some canned cranberry sauce. I'm making my own but picked up two cans. Lol! 😋


~shacked up with an ob/gyn~
~three munchkins 10,11,12~