Gray Ajah Thanksgiving Event: Thanksgiving Dinner

[Ryrin]

 

 

 

Thanksgiving is almost upon us.  What will be on your table?  Are you traditional?  Will you potluck?  What is your favorite dish?

[Rhea]

What will be on your table?  

 

Turkey of course, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, glazed carrots, fruit salad, cranberries, bread and holiday decorations. Pumpkin pie and apple pie for desert.

 

Are you traditional?  

 

Yes, very!

 

Will you potluck?  

 

No, I make everything myself.

 

What is your favorite dish?

 

Anything with gravy on it!

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

The favorite is stuffing I believe. Gonna make it with pancetta and sausage and cornbread, onions, celery, apples, maybe some white bread, maybe some craisins and pecans.

 

Taking it easy this year with a cooked turkey breast I'll reheat in the oven and use the rest for leftovers.

 

Sweet potato something. Maybe pudding, maybe roasted, maybe candied.

 

Mashed taters, gravy of course.

 

Cranberry jelly or relish.

 

Some green thing, we'll see what we have.

 

For dessert I got little phyllo tartlet shells (for some silly reason the sheets all had soy, but this is easier anyway). I'll probably make some into cheese tarts and some into sweets, filled with jam, or chopped pecans and chocolate chips, and maybe tiny cherry pies.

 

Then the leftover casseroles and stews and stir fries and sammiches.

 

Traditional for thanksgiving with one or two things different, but the basic meal always has to have the turkey, stuffing, taters, gravy, sweet taters and cranberries or it's not right.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

Lol no potluck. Just us two. The families have their own things going on.

[Ryrin]

Yes, we are having just us.  The plan was to go to Seattle for Thanksgiving but my father in law became ill.

 

Generally we have the traditional stuff.  I like making my own cranberry sauce with mandarin oranges from my tree.  My husband makes a great stuffing.  This year we are smoking our turkey.  The green bean casserole is always a favorite.  I like to do different things with the sweet potatoes.

 

These look good:

 

 

 

Do you make or buy your pies?

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

If I was having pie I'd make it, but I don't think we'll have pie this year. The kitchen is too small to roll a crust and there'll be enough food without it anyway. Nothing wrong with buying it, but it's impossible to find dairy and soy free pie.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

Oh you mean the tiny cherry pies? I'll make a cherry filling from cherries and a sweetener and cornstarch and whatever and plop them in the phyllo tartlet shells.

[Kasia]

What will be on your table? 

 

Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, squash, rolls, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and cheesecake for dessert..

 

Are you traditional?  

 

I think so

 

Will you potluck? 

 

My mother and I make all of the dinner food- but anyone coming is welcome to bring desert.

 

What is your favorite dish?

 

all of it? I love turkey and mashed potato swimming in gravy.

[LilyElizabeth]

What will be on your table?

 

Turkey

Stuffing

Cranberry sauce

Fruit salad

Yams

Mashed Potatoes

Gravy

Shells and cheese

Pumpkin pie

 

Are you traditional?

 

Pretty much

 

Will you potluck?

 

No, but I'm having company this year and I'm letting him bring a dish.

 

What is your favorite dish?

 

All of them, except the shells and cheese. That's for the kids. 

[Ryrin]

I usually buy the pies.  My son and husband love pumpkin pie, maybe I'll buy an apple pie.  Does anyone eat mincemeat pie anymore?

 

These look good.

 

 

 

There are so many ways to make stuffing.  Any of you have a special recipe?  My mother used to make a grand stuffing.  I remember there was raisons in it.

[Sooh]

Well we don't celebrate thanksgiving, but I was wondering if you could perhaps explain to me how to cook a turkey?

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

<3 mincemeat, <3 mock mincemeat

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

Well we don't celebrate thanksgiving, but I was wondering if you could perhaps explain to me how to cook a turkey?

If you have time, Google Alton brown Romancing the Bird. Awesome cooking guide. But there's hundreds of ways to cook any bird.

[Sooh]

I have never tried before, but I'd love to cook it for my man at some point  We have to mix Norwegian and American traditions. 

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQPikU6JNQo&sns=em

[Torrie]

I have three different Thanksgiving dinners for this year. One at my mother-in-laws, one at my house, and one at my Aunts house. 

 

The mother-in-laws and Aunts are both a pot luck dinner but the one at my house, I cook everything. It is the only time of year when I will get in the kitchen and kick everyone out. All my recipies are laid out and I have a list with cook times so everything is hot and ready when we are ready to eat. Thanksgiving (and eating) are very important in our lives. lol

 

One the menu:

Turkey, ham, squash casserole, broccoli casserole, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn pudding, spinach dip, peach cobbler, apple pie. 

[Ryrin]

I have never tried before, but I'd love to cook it for my man at some point  We have to mix Norwegian and American traditions. 

 

We are smoking it this year but when we use the oven we cook it in an oven bag.

 

http://www.reynoldskitchens.com/easy-recipes/recipe-items/thanksgiving-oven-bag-turkey/

[Ryrin]

I have three different Thanksgiving dinners for this year. One at my mother-in-laws, one at my house, and one at my Aunts house. 

 

The mother-in-laws and Aunts are both a pot luck dinner but the one at my house, I cook everything. It is the only time of year when I will get in the kitchen and kick everyone out. All my recipies are laid out and I have a list with cook times so everything is hot and ready when we are ready to eat. Thanksgiving (and eating) are very important in our lives. lol

 

One the menu:

Turkey, ham, squash casserole, broccoli casserole, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn pudding, spinach dip, peach cobbler, apple pie. 

 

Torrie!!!!  Peach Cobbler!!!!

[LilyElizabeth]

I've thought about cooking a turkey and a ham, but I can't get them both in my oven at once, and can't figure out how people do it. Do you cook one and then the other? If so, how do you keep the first one warm? If I can figure it out, I might do both this year. 

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

Standalone mini ovens big enough for a turkey, or a slow cooker big enough for a ham aren't expensive (can get a slow cooker around $20-30, a standalone roaster for $40-50).

 

If you have anywhere near a standard size oven, you can cook two small turkeys (11 lbs or so) and a ham and a couple side dishes together. It's the giant turkeys that take both shelves.

 

You could get a precooked spiral and/or glazed or whatever ham, and cook it after the turkey is done and resting (it can, and should, rest up to two hours). When I've done a whole turkey, I've just cooked it first and let it rest while I do everything else. You can nicely reheat sliced turkey just by pouring a little hot stock or pan drippings over it. You can actually have everything cooked and carved and in oven proof serving dishes all ready and heat everything up while the humans are getting settled.

 

You can borrow a neighbor or guest's oven and ask them to bring the ham. This was the go to when I was a kid.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

And you keep the turkey warm under a tin foil tent. Or the ham.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

This is what I mean by standalone oven - an electric roaster

 

http://www.amazon.com/Rival-RO180-18-Quart-Roaster-White/dp/B000G0HPEI/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1447703573&sr=1-2&keywords=roaster+oven

[Torrie]

Torrie!!!!  Peach Cobbler!!!!

 

Yes! I have an insanely easy recipe if you would like it. 

 

I've thought about cooking a turkey and a ham, but I can't get them both in my oven at once, and can't figure out how people do it. Do you cook one and then the other? If so, how do you keep the first one warm? If I can figure it out, I might do both this year. 

 

Yes, I cook one, then the other. I am done cook by about 2pm (if I start around 6), and about an hour before everyone shows, I start reheating everything. I also carve the ham and turkey, so it is easier to reheat. Just make sure to put some of the leftover juices on them or they will dry out. 

[Ryrin]

I would like it!  Thank you.

 

I found this recipe for mashed potatoes, a healthier dish.

 

"Chunky Mashed Potatoes with Buttermilk and Chives.  I think adding garlic would be good too.

 

Because the skin of Yukon gold potatoes is so thin, there’s no need to peel them first.

 

 

• Ingredients
  •   1 1/2 pound(s) uncooked Yukon gold potato(es), cut into 1-inch chunks   
  •  3/4 cup(s) low-fat buttermilk, warmed   
  •  2 Tbsp unsalted butter   
  •  1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste   
  •  1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste   
  •  1/4 cup(s) chives, fresh, chopped   
  Instructions
  • Place potatoes in a large saucepan and fill with enough water to cover them; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes; drain.
     
  • Return potatoes to same saucepan; add buttermilk and butter. Coarsely mash potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper; fold in chives. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

You can use some of the liquid you cooked the potatoes in instead of a dairy product. It makes them very creamy, and parve besides.