**Bumped**
I usually do this thread a little closer to Thanksgiving. This year we all know we might be having problems finding things, so I plan to shop for all the things I need that don’t have to be fresh this week. Anyhow, we hope you will contribute your family’s favorite recipes, and especially any new things you plan to try.
My family loves our traditional Thanksgiving dinner. My sons have all become excellent cooks, and my daughters in law are good cooks as well, so we share the cooking duties. One son will spatchcock and smoke the turkey. He is especially good at smoking meat, and we’ve had just about every kind of meat there is from his table, but all of us have loved the turkey best. Kind of strange for a bunch of red meat lovers, but it is so good. He brines it for a day or two, and then smokes it Thanksgiving morning.
We fill out the table with cornbread dressing, an array of fresh vegetables, breads, pies, and maybe a cake or two. My specialties are sweet potato casserole, homemade bread, and derby pie. Sometimes I bake a bourbon brown sugar glazed ham overnight.
Here are some links for the ham recipe we love best, and some recipes that are similar to how I make sweet potato casserole and derby pie. This ham recipe is the only one my guys want after we had it the first time. It is easy and luscious. I like Kirkland brand hams from Costco. They are cut flat and hold the glaze on well. Don’t skip the pineapple slices, they catch the glaze and keep it on top of the ham.
https://www.sweetteaandcornbread.net/2012/12/kentucky-bourbon-brown-sugar-ham.html?m=1
I can’t find a good recipe for my sweet potato casserole. I’m putting a link here, but I do not like the way all these recipes do the topping. They all have flour in it, and in my experience that messes up the topping. My topping is only brown sugar, pecans, and butter. This is a good guide for ingredient quantities, but leave that flour out!
Here’s a recipe for derby pie similar to what I make. This is a luscious, rich pie. It is tricky to know how long to cook it. If you cook it just the way I like it, the top crusts a bit and underneath a caramel like layer covers the chocolate. I do not mix in the chips, I put them on the bottom of the pie shell, so you have a layer of chocolate, the caramel like layer, and cookie crust similar top. If you cook the pie longer it has an almost chocolate chip cookie texture. Don’t forget the ice cream or homemade whipped cream. Not a traditional Thanksgiving dessert, but you won’t regret it.
https://www.thespruceeats.com/kentucky-derby-chocolate-walnut-pie-recipe-101352
Here are some links to Stella’s Thanksgiving posts. She has some really good recipes and tips over there.
I’ve made sourdough bread for years. I almost always keep the starter bubbling on the counter throughout the fall and winter. A few years ago I really got into the health benefits of fermented food, and I learned to make my own kombucha and kefir, along with fermented pickles. I have tried to make sauerkraut several times, and I almost always get pink mold, which is not the kind you can scrape off. If any of you have any tips on what I’m doing wrong I’d sure appreciate it. I’m an experienced, good cook and this is a big failure on something simple to do and I’m baffled. I’ve googled it over and over and I cannot find my problem. Sorry for the temporary side track!
So, here’s a new recipe I’m going to try. This site is full of great recipes and tips for fermenting all kinds of foods, if you are interested. I love sourdough bread, and I love cranberries, so hopefully this will be a real treat.
I love this Thanksgiving tradition of sharing recipes. Cannot wait to try the bourbon brown sugar glazed ham at Christmas this year.
I am single and have been lucky enough to be invited to other people’s homes every year, so I’ve never cooked a turkey in my life. I hope to go to my grave being able to still make that claim. I do miss the leftovers, though. One of my favorites is a knockoff of what we called Prosperity Sandwiches or Horseshoe Sandwiches. Slice of toast (one of the few occasions that white bread is required), layers of turkey and ham, if you have it, and Welsh Rarebit sauce poured over the open face sandwich. A traditional Horseshoe Sandwich (a specialty in Springfield, IL) would also have French fries on top.
My favorite thing to bring to Thanksgiving dinner is pumpkin ice cream pie. Very simple to make but I usually make it without measuring. Mix a quarter of vanilla ice cream with a can of pumpkin. Add vanilla and typical pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, cloves, etc.). Mix well (I found an immersion blender is great for that task) and pour into two graham cracker crusts. Can also be topped with whipped cream, if desired. Easy to make and a good alternative to traditional pumpkin pie, although my family still giggles when I show up at one of their houses with it.
I love your pumpkin ice cream pie! Easy and delicious.
I make a gingersnap crust for my pumpkin ice cream pie. Trader Joe’s ginger snaps are the best.
Thank you for the suggestion. I will try that this year.
Cooking a turkey is easy.
All you really need to do is thaw the turkey properly, season it and let it rest for a few hours to marinate the seasoning, and roast in an open roaster at 225F for 8 hours (5~7 kg turkey). I think it is important to have the bird at room temperature when you start roasting.
I season my turkeys (generously) with Montreal Chicken spice mixed with Montreal Steak spice the night before (usually around 9pm). I place the seasoned turkey in an open roaster in the oven with the oven timer set to start at 3am. In the morning, usually around 8am I add ~2 cups of water to the roaster. The turkey has released some liquid but it’s best to add more.
Starting around 9am I start basting the bird every hour (give or take… personal preference). At 11am the oven is turned off. I baste again and let the bird sit in the heated oven. I leave an hour to cut the bird and make the gravy. The bird stays warm in the oven. Everything is ready for the table by noon ~ 1pm. You can turn the oven on again to keep things warm while you get the dinner ready. Baste at your personal preference. I will baste the sliced bird to add flavour and moisture.
If I am targeting a 5pm dinner, I still start things off at 9pm the night before. The bird marinates in the fridge overnight in the roaster. I’ve also marinated the bird in the oven overnight, starting it at 8am instead of 3am. I haven’t had any problems.
As you will note, I don’t stuff the turkey. If I did, the first time I did it I’d add an hour or so to the cooking time. I would adjust the cooking time from there, based on experience.
You will end up with a nicely coloured bird.
Thank you for the cooking lesson. Doesn’t sound quite so scary now. Maybe I will try it for Christmas, along with the bourbon brown sugar glazed ham. Then I would really have some leftovers!
PMM:
I am going to try to make the pumpkin ice cream pie tomorrow. Could you be a bit more specific?
Q1: “mix a quarter vanilla ice cream ” A quarter of what? I use Turkey Hill vanilla bean (48 oz per container). Approximate # of cups might help Or is it 1/4 ice cream to 3/4 canned pumpkin ?
Q2: I plan on using Libby’s Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix. (30 oz can) I presume I use it directly from the can and I do not add the eggs and evaporated milk since it doesn’t make sense to bake ice cream. Yes?
Thanking you in advance for your help
“Mix a quarter of vanilla ice cream ”
What is a quarter of vanilla ice cream?
Just add bacon to any of it and we are good. And I do mean anything.
“To be sure, food keeps us alive, but that is only its smallest and most temporary work. Its eternal purpose is to furnish our sensibilities against the day when we shall sit down at the heavenly banquet and see how gracious the Lord is. Nourishment is necessary only for a while; what we shall need forever is taste.”
Robert Farrar Capon,
The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection
Ditto!
It’s funny that his last name is “Capon!” Yum!
My capon story. One year my wife wanted a fresh capon so I went to a butcher and ordered one. Went back the day before Thanksgiving. They gave me a chicken. Wife took one look at it and said “That is not a capon, that is a chicken! The day after Thanksgiving she went back to the shop and gave the owner hell. The owner told her he only charged her for chicken. The whole ordeal ruined our Thanksgiving.
TY Menagerie!
I make turnips with carrots. Cut up and boil turnips with cut up carrots. When cooked (soft) – mash with butter and fresh parsley. I make it every year. We love it.
Right up my alley….thanks for adding.
Sounds good and I love both …
Equal portions of carrots and turnips?
This reminds me of one time my family brought me some turnips (green leafy part) as we are from the south. I offered some “turnips” to my northern neighbor who said to just put them on the front porch as they were gone for the day. Later that afternoon, the phone rang, and my northern neighbor asked “What are these green things on my porch.” I replied, “turnips” and we all had a good laugh. In most southern homes turnips refer to the green leaves, not the roots. Maybe a few roots are chopped up and cooked with the turnips with plenty of ham hocks or other seasoning meat. The turnips are sometimes served in a bowl and eaten with corn bread or on the plate. Almost never are the turnip roots cooked and served alone. I remember that from many years ago, to specify if one is referring to the roots or the geeen leaves of turips.
We call the turnip leaves turnip greens! (-;
My Aunt makes mashed turnips with crumbled bacon and black pepper mixed in. It’s absolutely delicious. It sounds strange but it’s really good.
The Thanksgiving Day menu is not yet finalized…. But I do have the cast iron skillet all seasoned up in prep for Turkey Pot Pie using leftovers…
Potatoes mashed with parsnips…butter and cream…..yum!
Here’s my favorite simple hors d’oeuvres (there are many variations but this is easy and so good.
Rye Squares with Onion
*Preheat broiler
Rye squares
Onion
Mayonnaise
Parmesan Cheese
Finely chop one sweet yellow or white onion. Mix with 1 – 2 TBSP mayonnaise. Place bread squares on a baking sheet, top and with the onion mix. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Heat under broiler until topping is golden brown.
Serve and eat immediately!
Add some raw ground round, sans broiler, mayo & cheese. Cannibal sandwiches, aka midwest steak tartare.
I grew up in the southwest, but have to hand it to midwesterners, they eat some tasty close to home food (and very reminiscent of their European roots).
Love this…. Have made it since 1965 and it never gets old.
I definitely will be making these. Sound delicious!
Sounds awesome and easy. Thanks, I will be checking this out!
Thanks, Menagerie, so glad to see your Thanksgiving recipe thread! Makes life feel a little bit more normal.
Re your sauerkraut issue, someone mentioned weighing the salt on page 1, that’s a biggie but it’s also important to use plain salt or pink Himalayan, no iodine or additives. This is a great fermenting site, https://www.makesauerkraut.com/sure-fire-sauerkraut-in-a-jar/, and it’s fun to make sauerkraut in quart jars, carrot in some, garlic in others. I used to make it in a 5 gallon crock and can it but the heat from that kills the beneficial bacteria so now I use quart jars. Also, if you ferment other foods and your recipe calls for water, use spring or purified water. Additives in tap (city) water can ruin your ferment.
Have you seen the turkey-shaped sourdough? I’m thinking of doing it, but everyone expects my Featherbed Rolls. https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7919503/this-turkey-shaped-sourdough-is-my-favorite-thing-on-the-internet-right-now/
I’ve also seen chocolate covered turkey strawberries.
https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/chocolate-covered-strawberry-turkeys/
Thanks, I’ll check all those out. I do use spring water now, since we are on city water. I used to have well water when I first started fermenting.
Try making your kraut using a vacuum sealed bag rather than jars or crocks. No dilution of the kraut with any water at all. Simply prepare the cabbage, add 2% salt by weight, place in a vacuum seal bag and then vacuum seal it. Voila, perfect kraut every time. Of course and any additional seasonings as you like. Obey the 2% salt by weight rule and it will work like a charm.
That sounds like you are getting close to a Kimchi recipe….
I love the turkey-shaped idea. My grandson loves strawberries. It might be fun to make these chocolate-covered turkey strawberries with him this year! Thanks for both ideas!
Just put bourbon in the sweet potatoes and butter after they are baked along with butter and salt and pepper and give them another short bake. Bourbon smashed sweet potatoes. The same thing can be done with rice krispi treats.
The kids will LOVE it!
Forget the mashed potatoes.
Just put Bourbon on Tony… he’ll be most happy! 😉
Crumbled bacon on top!
I am going to give bourbon sweet potatoes are try for sure. Thnx!
Bourbon Pecan pie.
Dont forget to make it a chocolate bourbon pecan pie……
I make the same sweet potato casserole on Easter, Thanksgiving, and sometimes Christmas. I put my pecans in a Ziploc bag and beat them with a mallet because I do not like chunks of nuts in my topping – I spread them on with the other topping ingredients mixed. It is almost like a dessert because we like ours sweet, and I mix brown and white sugar into the sweet potatoes. It is only a few times a year, so why not?
I’ve used a sheet of waxed paper for years to chop nuts. I use a sharp, long knife , chop to size I need, and later, throw away the waxed paper. I also use waxed paper to roll out pie crust, measure and re-sift flour with leavening ingredients, and –use it (dedicated box of waxed paper), in woodworking glue-ups. I love this cheap, old-fashioned kitchen staple.
Use it to guide peppercorns into a pepper grinder if you don’t have a small funnel.
Being the only one in my house who eats sweet potatoes, I have had to improvise for smaller servings. Take a couple of sweet potatoes and clean them, and rub some type of shortening or coconut oil on it. Bake in oven in iron skillet or heavy baking pan until they can be pierced. Scoop out the sweet potato centers and add butter, salt, cinnamon, or pumpkin pie spice, and some maple syrup and mash until smooth. Add back to sweet potato shells or just slice the sweet potatoes and mash insides with a fork until smooth and then add the other ingredients. Top with brown sugar and syrup. Place back in oven a few minutes. Takes like sweet potato pie for one. Can also be cooked in microwave oven if potatoes are pierced and placed in a microwave safe bowl and a very small amount of water. Zap for a few minutes and keep testing for doneness and then proceed with filling and topping.
Oh boy, I love you all so much! Was just thinking about my menu today, I’m a bit of a foodie, the recipients not so much, they think green beans grow in a can. Suggestions for a salad much appreciated.
Have to spring something new on them each year. Got them hooked on roasted brussels sprouts years ago.
I’m in charge of the green salad this year, again, so your post reminded me to share my idea. I am going to use 2 kinds of green leaf lettuce, some spinach (not much because it’s a pain to wash). I add small pieces of walnuts and pecans or some dry roasted peanuts, I add slices of strawberries, blackberries and if I can get them, raspberries. Then it’s just the usual lettuce salad stuff like finely chopped celery, green onions or a red onion sliced into rings, black olives. Then I add a few croutons after I put the dressing on. I found a dressing recipe online which is a copy of the stuff from Olive Garden. If you can’t find a dressing you like, just add a little olive oil to a jar, toss in some raspberry flavored vinegar, shake it up and let each person add their own. Some like a little, some like a lot. Easy peasy. My salad bowl comes home empty every year.
I don’t buy lettuce, it adds nothing in nutrition. I bought a salad spinner in the thrift store for $2.50, and we(2) go through at least 1 bag of spinach per week! Love it!
Not so… though Iceberg though has nothing much in nutrition. I use other types, most often, butter leaf and other varieties.
I made up a salad, kinda a spin on ceasar salad..
Romaine lettuce
Purple onion
Feta cheese (crumble)
Cheddar (grated)
Bacon crumbles
Croutons
Kens creamy ceasar dressing
Topped with roasted, salted pumpkin seeds (w/o shell)
Salt/pepper
It is a big hit regardless of the occasion. We make a dinner of it with chicken strips quite a bit also.
Kens is great, homemade is better!
Sounds wonderful!!
Waldorf Salad
2 C. Bite size Apple pieces, unpeeled
1 C. Sliced celery
1 C. Red seedless grape halves
1/2 C. Toasted walnut pieces
1 T. Lemon juice
1 T. Sugar
1/2 C. Whipping cream
1/4 C. Mayonnaise
Toss apple pieces with lemon juice to keep them from browning. Sprinkle with sugar. Add celery, grapes and walnuts. Whip cream till stiff, fold in mayo and stir into salad. Taste and add a bit more sugar or white Karo syrup if needed. 4 to 6 servings.
Use any apples you like or a combo of different apples. If you don’t like grapes use raisins or dried cranberries.
Cranberry Cream Salad
1 (6 oz.) Pkg. Cherry jello
2 C. Boiling water
2 C. Cranberry sauce — homemade or 1 (16 oz.) Can
2 C.. Sour cream
Dissolve jello in boiling water, whisk in cranberry sauce and sour cream. Pour into serving bowl, refrigerate. Can also use a 6-cup mold and unmold onto a plate or put into individual serving size cups.
I use a cut glass bowl because it’s a pretty salad, looks great on the table. Could use a different flavor jello like raspberry or cranberry, sugar free is okay too.
Big fan of Waldorf salad, thank you for the reminder.
My mom made it. Great memories.
Have you tried broccoli salad?
Fresh broccoli florets from 2 heads of broccoli
1/2 purple onion, finely chopped
1 bag dried cranberries
1/2 to 1 cup salted sunflower kernels
Mayonnaise mixed with honey to taste for dressing.
Toss broccoli, onion and cranberries together. Mix up mayonnaise and honey in an amount to lightly dress the salad. Sprinkle the sunflower kernels over the top. Cover and refrigerate a couple hours to let flavors blend.
I’m addicted to this salad from the first time I had it in a deli in Salinas CA.
Yes, love that. Think I’m going to try a shredded brussels sprout salad. Walnuts, craisins, etc. Family may hate it but I’ll love it, lol.
Yes! But you need to add bacon!!!! Then it is perfect.
we add bacon to that recipe. Yum!
Here’s my favorite fall salad, with a cranberry and balsamic vinaigrette:
2 cups cranberry juice (I use Ocean Spray)
3 Tbs balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs minced shallot
1 tea minced fresh thyme or 1/2 tea dried
1/2 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tea salt
1/2 tea pepper
1. Simmer the cranberry juice in a small saucepan over medium heat until slightly thickened and reduced to 2/3 cup, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate until cool, about 15 minutes.
2. Shake the chilled, thickened juice with the remaining ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid until combined. The dressing can be refrigerated for up to 4 days; bring to room temperature, then shake vigorously to recombine before using.
For my salad, I put in red-leaf and butter lettuces, thinly sliced red onion, dried cranberries, crumbled goat cheese (chevre), sweet and spicy pecans (from Trader Joes), and croutons. You could add apples or pears, as well.
I usually double or triple the dressing recipe for Thanksgiving, when we have a large group.
With a big meal, I prefer to keep the salad rather clean; and I like the idea of sticking with the products of the season. Use a mesclun and add some thinly sliced pear or apple, spiced roasted walnut halves, a bit of bleu cheese, maybe a sprinkle of dried cranberries, and a maple vinaigrette. This works well for a small group/more formal setting because you can prep the chilled plates ahead of time (except for the dressing which should be drizzled on.) I use Sprite instead of lemon juice to deter the browning. Straight lemon juice on the fruit leaves a funny taste, IMHO. I guess lemonade could be used as well, if you have some in the house, which we always do, as my husband has a propensity to develop kidney stones and he drinks a glass of lemonade every day to keep them at bay.
You may want to also use a ceramic knive. This slows the oxidation when cutting fruit. Doesn’t stop it, but slows it.
Rinse with a vitamin c tablet (ascorbic acid) dissolved in water. That is a standard pre-treatment in dehydrating fruits to prevent browning, doesn’t impact the flavor.
I am making this spinach salad this year. Haven’t tried it before, but it looks and sounds amazing and easy: Apple-Cranberry Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese Recipe | EatingWell
Mine isn’t really a “recipe” it’s an idea, but it’s a good one.
Instead of making 3 or 4 or 5 pumpkin pies, depending on the size of your guest list, I make pumpkin slab pies. I make a double crust recipe (use whichever recipe you prefer, we like pie crusts made with REAL lard not the junk you buy at the grocery store, and pour the pumpkin pie filling into the pan after it’s on the oven rack and that way I stand less chance of having it on the floor of my kitchen. 😉 You hafta watch it a little closer as it bakes, and if/when necessary you might have to cover the edges of the crust with tin foil to protect it from burning while the middle of the pan finishes up baking all the way through. Knife inserted in the middle, comes out clean, you’re fully baked. Depending on how much wine you have while you’re doing your holiday baking, you might stand a chance of being ‘fully baked’, too!
I remember well being invited to Sunday dinner at the house of a friend’s aunt and uncle. The aunt was slaving away in the kitchen while nipping at the rat cheese (red wine). All would have been well but unfortunately the aunt’s daughter was delayed and just a few minutes turned into two hours. The poor woman had to be put to bed long before dinner was served. Worse yet, it was tannic, low-end Trader Joe’s wine. God knows what kind of hangover she had the next day.
LOL! Sounds brilliant!
There are two dishes that are family traditions. First, let me start by saying my family has been here before we became a Country. They resided mostly in NY. My parents moved to SoCal[Inglewood, to be precise] in 1960 from NY. Somewhere and somehow Mashed Rutabaga and Boiling onions served in milk (I suspect the depression era led to using milk instead of heavy cream, i.e.; Creamed onions) made its way into our family tradition.
Rutabaga: Dice into small cubes (Rutabaga takes quite a while to cook. The smaller and uniform the dice, the quicker it cooks. Confident that all of you know this already.) place in an adequate sized pot with enough salted water to cover the Rutabaga by an inch. Bring to a hard-boil, then reduce heat to medium low. Cook until fork tender. Drain water, add butter and pepper to taste, then mash.
Boiling Onions [not to be confused with pearl onions]. Peel onions, cut off both ends, add to enough salted water to cover by an inch, bring to hard-boil, then medium low heat until tender. Drain water, add as much milk or 1/2&1/2 or a combo of both [Heavy cream is actually much to thick] as you want/desire. Add at least a tablespoon of butter, more maybe necessary if you add more than 2 cups of milk. Add black pepper to taste.
Both are easy peasy to make, as you can obviously see. Our Thanksgiving layout includes the two mentioned dishes, Turkey and scratch gravy [duh], mashed potatoes, Dressing, LeSeur Baby peas, Cole slaw, Scratch made Cranberry Sauce and rolls. Seems like I’m forgetting something, I just don’t know what. Dessert consists of Apple Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Pineapple Chiffon Pie [Pineapple Chiffon is one of my two very favorite pies. The other is Strawberry Rhubarb] and Ice Cream, sometimes a cheesecake as well.
God’s Blessing, well wishes and a wonderful Thanksgiving to all.
Failed to note where my family came from. They came from England on the Mayflower. So, Rutabaga and Onions in milk didn’t come with us from Italy, Spain, China etc..lol 😉
Can trace my ancestors to Braintree mid 1600’s. Isn’t it fun to research our heritage during that time?
Wow.Not far from President Adams‘ homestead in Quincy, MA. Wouldn’t it be a kick if your ancestors knew them?
Oh yes, they knew them. Married into the line.
Deacon Samuel Bass(e) is my 10x ggfather.
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~celiadon/ps11/ps11_267.htm
Recently traced through my maternal side to the Mayflower – Mary Chilton Winslow and John Winslow.
Us too , related to the “cheesbox” Monitor Winslows .
Mine too, Robert Cushman, mom’s side 🙂
Patriot royalty.
??
Ah, haven’t had strawberry rhubarb pie since I lived with my grandparents as a preteen. I love ❤️ that pie. Grandma was a great cook. She raised 11 of her own kids and 4 grandkids, feeding us all using a wood burning stove. Bless her.
My dads favorite was homemade (by mom) strawberry rhubarb pie. Strawberries and rhubarb picked from our garden.
Nice…. but this year it’s gonna be a very small dinner.
So, we’re thinking Japanese. We might try our hand at doing a Tony-no Domo Arigato Kaiseki dinner.
All are different small plates, served sequentially:
miso soup
sashimi
boiled roots
chawanmushi with chicken
picked veggies
braised white fish
fresh soft tofu in ponzu
waggyu sukiyaki with rice
sweet bean ice cream
green tea
All with a good sake.
Figure about $500 for two at a restaurant. We’ll take our time making it.
Might as well.
What? No turkey onigiri? 😉
I worked for a Japanese Family who were all very successful … and very conservative. They loved this country with their every fiber, despite spending WWII in Tule Lake, CA … quite against their will.
They celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas … and esp. New Years with BOTH traditional Japanese Foods … I loved the sashimi and the Inari sushi balls wrapped in seasoned tofu pouches … and traditional American foods- Turkey, Beef Roast, and all the trimmings.
Food and fellowship were big with them, and they celebrated BOTH cultures that were essential to their lives. I still LOVE that family even though the Patriarch and Matriarch are gone.
Eeeeeek! I have cooked a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for my large family for almost 45 years. I’m cheatin’ like the dickins this year, bought the turkey (frozen), bought frozen bread dough (eeek), frozen pies (eeeek), pre-made stuffin’ mix (!), and I can hardly bear to admit it. I used to cook for DAYS… every pie crust had to be perfect and made from scratch, pies baked the night before, freshly whipped cream, a green salad, a fruit salad, two vegetable casseroles, appetizers, delicious beverages… I just don’t have it in me any more to cook for 2-3 days, then clean up for a couple of days. I’ve streamlined the process. I’m hoping just being together is what it’s really about.
God bless all you cooks this year!! I know the effort is all about Love of Family.
LOL, I used to spend a day making stuffing and cranberry sauce. Family prefers Stovetop and Ocean Spray can o jell.
My hubby is the only one that eats the cranberry sauce, and he said if he can’t see the lines from the can, he doesn’t want it. lol
Too funny on cranberry and the “lines from the can”!
I have guests – my Dad primarily, who must have the type with the lines from the can, while others insist on whole berry cranberry.
Me, I’m not a cranberry fan……….I buy both the “lines in the can type” and whole berry, everyone’s happy.
We are pairing it way down this year exactly so we CAN concentrate on just being together.
That’s what is important. A lot of time, work and mess. We’re going to find a church dinner for Thanksgiving. Just the 2 of us, and really can’t see doing something I really can’t afford this year.
We decided to have Thanksgiving a week early to avoid the traffic among ohter things. Today at my Aunt’s and Uncle’s house (my aunt used to be a nun and she has never lost her spiritual connection and love of people) my mother and I (45 min drive) and my sister who drove in last night from 250 miles away enjoyed a beautiful turkey dinner with appetizers of delicious breaded mushrooms in sweet and sour mustard sauce and my sisters newly created Brie Cheese fluffy dough omelette kind of thing that had pepper glaze and was fabulous.
The point is though that my sister, a newly elected liberal zoning board director in Connecticut and me (an obvious conservative, cynical of all liberal things) were crying together at the connection we all made with my 92 year old widowed mother who was loving the togetherness of this unusual family get- together and meal.
Later on at my ‘fellowship meeting’ in my home town I cried again when I recounted to the group about how the promise came true, that we will intuitively know how to handle situations that used to baffle us and we will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. Truly a rare and lovely Thanksgiving.
I believe my husband attends those fellowship meetings — so many blessings, and thanks for this beautiful story.
Everything will be all right. Bob Marley is singing in my head:) Enjoy yourself!
Well I have found if I limit myself to just a couple of involved, from scratch family recipes, all other items can be boxed or canned or from frozen and everyone is just as happy and I am not as exhausted.
It’s only the two of us this year and my husband said instead of frying a turkey we can to fry a chicken. Geeze o’ man the price of a chicken ahs skyrocketed! His job will be the fryer (outside) and I’ll do the quick route of boxed and cans this year. I’m thinking a pumpkin dump cake instead of a pie.
Agreed! It’s time for the kids to take over- I’m tired! Plus, now many are requesting special diets. Be gone with them!!
Just add some sauteed celery and onion to that stuffing mix. It’ll be fine!
I am too this year. My husband (we BOTH work magically -now after 30 yrs-in the kitchen together for this) and I have always had his Moms Traditional Thanksgiving for our siblings and anyone’s children that want to come. It varies from year to year from 28 -45 ppl.
I always pride myself on the most beautiful settings at each table ,deco- goblets, China, etc. (all had to be washed by hand)- this year I have my first grand babies ? joining. And I want to enjoy ‘their’ first Thanksgiving . So we have decided to something had to be cut down. Options:
1) people 2)divide food for others to bring 3) disposable tableware.
since my husband said – no way on gods green earth is anyone else cooking the food! And those loved ones… – who do you say no to? We obviously went with option 3 ) Simple set up with disposable tableware . No hours unpacking /repacking,washing and set up. … now onto the meal and Gods prayer for it all. And never a year goes by – I don’t read George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation.
Cuban-American Stuffing:
1 bag of onions (about 6 to 8 depending on size)
3 lbs of ground pork
2 lbs of cooked ham
6 to 8 onions – chopped large
Grind together (we use old timer’s hand grinder) – pork and ham
12 boiled eggs chopped
2 bags of the regular bread stuffing – moistened with milk (kind of want it mushy) – drain excess milk
1 large jar of olives – chopped
Then Grind the onions (do not mix with the meats)
In large cast iron pot – melt margarine (about 5 table spoons)
Cook the onions in butter
Then add the grinded pork and ham
Add 1 cup of Spanish cooking wine (Edmundo brand)
Season to taste with salt and pepper – and cook through
Add the bread slowly constantly stirring
Add at end of bread being incorporated – the eggs & olives
Let stand overnight in fridge covered overnight.
WEAR LARGE FITTING PANTS WITH ELASTIC BAND!
I am looking forward to smoking a turkey over charcoal on a rotisserie.
I have burned out a couple of motors but I think my OneGrill motor will be up to the task.
OK some may call me crazy, but this is my mother’s “recipe” that I do every holiday and it is gangbusters!!
Ham Gravy
Yes – you heard me – ham gravy
You make your gravy as you always would using the drippings from the ham. It helps to have a nice fatty ham to start with with lots of brown sugar and cloves. Use a rack at the bottom if possible to allow for the drippings. Get as much as you can, but it’s not bad now matter what you can get.
I save my sweet potato water to use for the gravy (like I use my regular potato water to make my turkey gravy.) I mix my Wondra flour with my warm potato gravy and mix before adding to the drippings. From there I just start making it like normal gravy and continue to test add flour/water and brown sugar as I continue to cook it up and make it bigger and bigger. I also add salt and pepper to season as I go along.
When done, the gravy shoud appear thick, rich and dark brown. My family slathers it over their ham, mashed potatoes and pretty much everything else!
Sorry it isn’t an actual “recipe” but it is soooo yummy and by far the most popular item on my holiday dinner tables.
I should add that if you don’t appear to be getting enough drippings from your ham, you can pour a little water (almost like basting) over the ham as you cook. I’ve also thrown a couple of pats of butter on top when particularly not getting enough juices.
I haven’t seen ham gravy in years, very southern, this is most excellent! As a northerner no Wondra to be had, alas. We make do 🙂
My grandmother made a ham gravy (a long time ago). I never knew how she did it. Your description sounds so much like what she put together. Thank you! I will be giving this a try! Happy Thanksgiving.
My dad was the gravy maker. Ham gravy was called red eye gravy . Thickened ham drippings with a splash of black coffee added. He made venison gravy the same way. Good enough to drink.
Our SIL bought us Traeger electric and wifi smoker/grill so my husband is going to do the turkey in that on Wednesday. We’ll see how that goes. The plus of it is I’ll have the oven for the three pies and pumpkin bread. Making sweet potato, pecan and pumpkin pies. I’ll make the cranberry relish on Tuesday and collard greens with ham hocks Thanksgivibg morning. Our daughter and granddaughter are cooking the rest.
On Thanksgiving we’ll be loading up the car with all of the goodies to take to our kid’s home. We’re having a large gathering 0f family, some coming from California.
It should be an interesting time since we aren’t injected here. We’ll see how much of a Karen one or two Cali peeps are.
God bless and keep you all everyday.
A big thank you to you Menagerie for doing this thread every year and to all who join in.
California is a big state in terms of size, people and politics.
There are two states -of mind- California and Calimexistan.
Please don’t forget rural northern ca.Way different from both. Northern as in Mendo and above.
I went to college there in Butte Co but SoCal south of LA and Eastern CA are VERY different than coastal CA from LB to SF…I lived there for near 50 years and boy did it change over the years….I was always in the High Desert except for my time in USN in SD
Eastern shore stuffing? Mincemeat pie? Never liked either but very fond memories of my grandfather who made both, he taught me how to make bread. He wasn’t cheap, but was quite frugal.
Did you eat real deal, homemade mincemeat or the jarred raisin mix passed off as mincemeat? The real deal – made with minced meat as a key ingredient – is unbelievable. Served warm with vanilla infused whipped cream – yes! I just completed a half recipe (12 pounds of mincemeat filling) that just might last a year before it is all eaten! I did cheat and use quality ground beef to save some time in the processing. Made correctly, the mincemeat can be safely stored for years, aging like a fine wine. But then when made correctly, who can ever let it last more than a year.
Asparagus with hollandaise sauce
Microwave your asparagus!!!! That’s right – nuke it! Pour a thin layer of water at the bottom of a microwave safe casserole dish and cover it. I prefer a long shallow pan myself with a cover. You can also just add saran wrap to the top. It will steam the asparagus perfectly. If after 8 minutes it’s too al dente for your liking, cook in minute or two-minute intervals till it is just to your liking.
For the hollandaise sauce, I usuallly use about 6 egg yolks and the juice of one lemon and mix it up in a pan with a whisk. Keep it on as low heat as possible and SLOWLY melt an entire stick of butter while constantly whisking. DO NOT WALK AWAY. Get someone else to do the sauce if you can’t fully focus on it yourself. If you see your sauce starting to curdle as it cooks add extremely hot water or even a little boiling water to it to thin it out. When the butter is completely melted, keep stirring it often as possible for about another minute or two. It should end up being a thick, creamy almost fluffy texture when ready. I turn off the heat and let it sit for a bit to thinken even furhter.
I make sure to strain the asparaus VERY WELL and then pour the sauce over the asparagus right before serving. Sprinkle with a little paprika and voila. Always a fave.
Blender hollandaise, trust me.
Asparagus cooked in boiling water on the stove only takes 4 minutes.
Yes that works as well, but with the microwave, it “steams” it and gives it a different texture. Plus, it’s kind of stick in in there and forget it.
Air fryer is a delicious way to prepare asparagus.
I predict that this spring we will have postings of how to grow a vegetable garden and then in the summer we will learn to can/freeze our crops. Perhaps it is time to purchase seeds now!
Raised beds using 2×6 or 2×8 no bigger than you can reach every part of the dirt without walking on it. Put them where you see them everyday and you won’t suddenly realize the weeds have taken over. Use square foot method where the foliage ends up touching and blocks light for the weeds. Once everything gets growing good you have less and less weeding and more harvesting.
Most people try to have a big space out back where it’s too easy to ignore. A small manageable space on the edge of your patio is decorative as well as much easier when starting out. I would also reccomend growing things that are not easy to buy in grocery stores or farmers markets. I also look for edible things that are ornamental and that stores don’t carry because they spoil fast.
Here’s a basic list. Different colored carrots, specialty peppers and eggplant, beets of all kinds for greens and the root, specialty radishes, cherry tomatoes, and all kinds of herbs. Sage is a very nice looking plant and lemongrass can be planted by buying one at the grocery and just sticking it in the ground. Dill and cilantro come up at random if you let some go to seed and many lettuce varieties are very colorful and best just picked. Another very tasty ornamental is okra and some kales.
Start small and you won’t be disappointed!
Thank you for this.
I didn’t realize I had space enough for a garden.
The best damn mashed potatoes ever:
Made in a crock pot. This is an all-day recipe that works in proportions. You’ll need potatoes of your choice, peeled or unpeeled based on family preference. (I use them skins-on for this.) You’ll also need milk (or cream), butter, minced garlic, salt and pepper. (This is versatile, feel free to experiment on other seasonings.)
Per 1lb of potatoes, measure a cup of milk, half stick of butter, and a massively heaping tablespoon of minced garlic. Sprinkle salt and pepper. (Don’t feel like you have to go overboard on these, as you can add more later.) Put everything in the crock pot, set on low, put the lid on. Stir every hour or so.
After at least 4 hours, the potatoes will be soft enough to fall apart into a “mashed” state when stirred. They will be very thick and chunky. If they appear too chunky, you can add more milk, a no more than 1/2 cup at a time. If you add too much milk and they become looser than you wanted, give the taters another hour in the crock pot.
Once they’ve hit the consistency you want, take a taste, and if you need more salt/pepper/other seasonings, now is a good time to balance them out. The potatoes will take on a golden-brown, almost toasted color. Now eat ’em!
When I was a young kid, Halloween was my favorite holiday. As I got older, it became Thanksgiving. The whole family got together with my grandfather (they lived next door) at the head of the table. We were about twenty by and by. When I got to high school, my friends started piling in – because there was so much awesome food. And we ate Thanksgiving leftovers for weeks. It was always a sad day when the last bit of turkey, stuffing or yorkshire pudding was gone.
Simple Cranberry relish from the “gateway to cranberry country” (you can look that up). You don’t need to age or ferment this. The KISS idea is to make it, then eat it, then store it, then eat it some more. Besides being great with your sourdough, on the side with the meal it makes a fantastic palate cleanser with all the other heavy parts of the meal.
Grind (in food processor):
2 c raw cranberries
3 large apples
1/2 orange peel
1 orange
3/4 c sugar
Mix & refrigerate; keeps 2 weeks.
My inlaws always do a Thanksgiving bash; I’m finally allowed to help this year. They’ve put me in charge of collards and sweet potatoes. I’ve been looking for a pecan crumble sweet potato topping – not a fan of candied yams – and I really appreciate this, Menagerie!
I make this every year for Thanksgiving. Coconut Pumpkin Chiffon Pie. It’s delicious!
I like to make yams with drained pineapple pieces. I add cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and bake.
Then, you top off with marshmallows the last couple of minutes until they’re toasted.
You’re on your own with oven temps and spice measurements!
Main thing, be grateful and praise God for all your blessings with family and friends. It’s a holiday everyone can celebrate. In spite of it all, we ARE blessed.
A couple of quick comments: Stella, try making sauerkraut in a vacuum sealed bag. Prep the cabbage, add 2% Kosher salt by weight – add the whatever like caraway seeds, chipotle powder – then vacuum seal and let the lactose-bacillus do their magic. The easiest and best way to do kraut!.
And as far as ham? There is only one best way to make ham – double smoked – courtesy of the genius Meathead at AmazingRibs.com. https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/pork-recipes/ultimate-smoked-ham-recipe/. No words to describe the incredible flavor and oh my, the apricot glaze from Chris Lilly! Dare you to try it!
And another offering for a different kind of sweet potatoes. Who wants them candied when you can have them with tequila!
2 pounds of sweet potatoes
3/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons tequila (reposado or anejo preferred)
1 tablespoon lime juice
Salt and pepper
Lime wedges
Peel the sweet potatoes; coarsely shred.
In a 12 to 14 inch frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shredded potatoes and sugar. Cook, turning occasionally, until potatoes begin to caramelize and become slightly translucent in appearance, about 15 minutes. Stir in the tequila and lime juice and continue to cook for about 3 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with lime wedges.
By next year we won’t be able to afford turkey.
Cranberries. I don’t like canned and I don’t like fresh berry skins in my relish. So, if you like making your own course sauce go for it but I have a tip that hits the middle.
After cooking your favorite cranberry sauce push it through a screen sieve to leave all the skins behind. Refrigerate and you end up with a luscious sauce that is neither stiff jelly nor throat scratching course, it’s just right.
Cranberry sauce is the highlight of Thanksgiving for me. When I was a kid we only ever did the jellied sauce from the can (that retained the shape), but nothing beats fresh cranberry sauce. It’s so easy! My favorite easy cranberry sauce:
2 bags fresh cranberries
Water
Sugar to taste
Orange zest
Pour cranberries into a large saucepan. Add water to cover berries and bring to a boil. Add orange zest, sugar to taste (I use about 1 cup for 2 bags). Boil until berries burst. Optional: Add nutmeg or any other seasonings that strike your fancy.
You can find a version of this basic recipe on the back of Ocean Spray fresh cranberries.
A small amount of onion, cinnamon, and ginger is very nice. See above post for how to please everyone with a sauce that is both smooth and fresh.
Easy but fantastic. Full size carrots wrapped in bacon. Put them in a pyrex and put them in the oven at 350 for an hour and then drizzle maple syrup or honey over them.
If you have a smoker, cup of sea salt or kosher salt, cup of brown sugar, whole peppercorns and about a gallon of water. Heat until the sugar and salt dissolves. Cool to room temp. Put your turkey in a plastic bucket pour the brine in and squeeze oranges and lemons into the bucket. Add water until it covers the turkey. Put ice over it let set overnight.
Wash off the turkey and mix a garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary and cumin rub on it (no salt). Smoke with applewood to safe temp. Because of the brining, it’s about impossible to have dry breasts.
If roasting your turkey, remember breast side down. Always…
Love the carrot ? recipe- you had me @BACON!
We fix the carrots almost every year. It’s an easy recipe to prepare, and even those who don’t like carrots especially love it. It gets my vote as the easiest holiday dish to prepare.
I don’t really have any set Thanksgiving recipes as I like to mix it up each year… with one exception … classic pumpkin and Apple pies. My family BEGS for my Apple pies each year.
The rules:
#1: BUTTER pie crust … simply MAKES the pie. Anyone who can mix drywall compound can make perfect homemade pie crust … same touch and feel.
#2: saute’ apples in sugar/spice/butter to soften … but not too soft. thicken w/ cornstarch before placing in crust
#3: Apple mix. I prefer Granny Smith with Honeycrisp apples, about 70-30 ratio
Can’t beat a deep fried turkey…unless you like leftover turkey. At our house there is never any leftover turkey it is so delicious! Injected with garlic butter marinade and fried at 350 F degrees in peanut oil or sunflower oil for 45 minutes and the average 15 pound bird is ready to enjoy! We add all the traditional sides….green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, giblet gravy, cornbread dressing, pecan pie with homemade whipped cream….topped off with a good football game and we are good to go….have blessed Thanksgiving Day patriots and may God speed the emancipation of our nation from these godless commies!
Going to try a recipe for a cranberry curd pie. Maybe tomorrow. Will report back when I try it out. This might be better for Christmas re the color red. But this recipe is something that resonates with me now. Red food.
That was funny but I must agree. My old favorite, blueberry pie; well in Biden’s America, not so much anymore.
Amen to the butter crust. Besides, at least in my part of Florida good luck on getting a baker’s quality of lard (Morrell ‘s and Armour don’t cut it IMO) like Canada’s TenderFlake at a grocery. The online prices make it higher than butter, so why not go all butter!
If anyone else loved the French fry seasoning at TGIFridays years ago, I found a Weber seasoning that is frighteningly similar. It is the Weber “steak and chop” seasoning. It is real and it is amazing!
Just a tip….there are tons of copy cat seasoning recipes on the net. And you probably have most of the ingredient seasonings at home anyway. Cheaper, too.
i was really hoping NimRodman would post something here.
A note about SHRIMP.
Go Easy !
Shrimp cook fast … 2 – 3 min. BAM /// done … do them last , do them fast , dont walk away ( I am sooo guilty of this ..)
stay with it , pull it , it continues to COOK for 1-2 min after removal from heat
Tender shrimp = good
Rubber shrimp = bad
And PLENTY of fresh horseradish in your Louis dressing!
This is the sweet potato casserole I make every year! Everyone loves it, it is delicious!
It is dessert in the midst of dinner 🙂
I am making this again this year. I found this a few years back. It is truly simple and so amazing (don’t forget the ice cream!):
Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler | Lauren’s Latest (laurenslatest.com) Fabulous!
Love this thread….bookmarked!
Thanks so much to everyone for getting my Thanksgiving juices flowing….been a difficult year.
Thanks for the recipe and idea of the Pecan topping. 🙂
Yummy. Thank you for the wonderful recipes. Happy Thanksgiving!!
Menagerie, adding some coconut to the topping on your sweet potato casserole adds some really good flavor!
One thing I like is when dried cranberries are added to the cranberry sauce to “beef up” the berry portion of the sauce. All you need to do is heat the canned sauce to simmer (not boiling) and add as many dried cranberries as you like. Do this a day or so before Thanksgiving to let the berries meld nicely into the sauce.
Thanks for bumping, Menagerie. I almost always miss this.
My family has always had a traditional sausage stuffing. It’s pork sausage (break up the 1-lb package), a big apple, a medium onion, and mashed potatoes. Fry the first 3 together (draining at least some of the fat is a good idea), and mix with the mashed potatoes.
Great either cooked in the bird or warmed over in the oven. A warning – it looks kind of like slop – but it tastes divine.
Retired Magistrate here: Well, I have to made an admission; I am not a great cook. I cook because we don’t want to starve to death. It is just the two of us for Thanksgiving, so I use Stove Top Turkey dressing and add some of my own seasonings; it is good and easy.
For the turkey, I got a turkey breast in a baking bag. Put it in the oven, cook for three hours and viola, a hopefully good turkey. Jellied cranberry sauce in a pan, carrots cooked in brown sugar and a purchased pumpkin pie. Not fancy, but we will not starve!
I am envious of all you good cooks out there. I spent summers on my grandfather’s farm and certainly know how to “farm cook” I just don’t like to do it.
I grew up cooking and when the Food Channel came on my skills skyrocketed. As you get to be a better cook you learn ways to make things better and with less work, upping the enjoyment. Nothing better than trying a new recipe or method and have it come out fabulous.
My latest is kale which I’ve never liked all that much. Here we go. Boil it 10-12 minutes, drain, place in a nonstick pan on medium heat until the water is just evaporated. While it is lightly sizzling in a pan I make my sauce which is a basic Korean theme.
1 tbsp Peanut butter,soy sauce, mirin, and water, 1 tsp gojujang and miso, heated/stirred until combined and smooth. Now add a splash of sesame oil and a sprinkle of sesame seeds to the kale, stir and serve with the sauce on ramen, rice, or as a side dish. I now really enjoy kale!
I am gonna save and try this. Super healthy, too.
A simple appetizer. Take a round of Brie cheese and rolled out pie crust. Fold the pie crust around the brie and then get creative. You can form a sunflower , a turkey, anything is possible, then bake your creation until the pie crust is golden brown. It only takes 20 minutes or so.
You can also add a rasberry jam to the center of your flower. The end result is warm brie cheese in a crust . Heavenly.
Yum! I make a similar brie recipe but I saute chopped pecans in butter and cinnamon and add them to the top of the brie and fold the pastry over that and bake. Another option is to just add jam (blueberry or seedless mixed berries) to the top of the brie and wrap in a pastry and bake. It’s delicious served with pear slices. I like how you form a sunflower on top – I’ll have to try that!
Oh goody!!! I was hoping this thread would get bumped. Thanks.
I will be alone cooking a turkey roll, pumpkin pie and whipped cream from Ralphs and a Michelob ultra.
I probably will be too!
You won’t be entirely alone. I’ll include you in our small family’s T-dinner grace and hoist my glass of Woodford Bourbon in your honor.
Lucky you! For the first time in 40 years I was free of the responsibility of cooking for 20-30 people. I love that our home has always been the gathering place for holidays, but this year I am visiting my son’s family in Texas. He decided to move from California after all the BS following the 2020 election. His family had planned to spend the holiday with the wife’s sister in Austin. I declined the obligatory invitation to join them and was planned to grill a hot dog and drink Vitamin Water.
My DIL decided for me that was too sad of a way to spend Thanksgiving and changed plan to bring her sister’s Leftist family to her house so I could join them. I tried to stop this from happening but the only way out now is to risk upsetting my son’s wife. Every time I tried to explain how much I wanted to be alone, the DIL kept saying it “makes me sad” or “that hurts my feelings after I went to so much trouble to include you”.
So now I will be eating a store bought Thanksgiving dinner made by HEB and spending the day with Commies. I am trying to stay positive and have some fun with it, but given a choice between spending Thanksgiving with Commies or having hot wax poured on my eyeballs, I would choose the hot wax treatment.
Just go to their house, keep smiling, and keep repeating Philippians 4-13 to yourself. That’s how I quit smoking over 30 years ago, so if it works for that, it’ll work to get you through one difficult afternoon!! If there are grandkids, just enjoy them and the time will go by quickly.
I feel for you, Mrs. Jones. It can be difficult to maintain a little privacy at this time of the year. God bless.
You’re too accommodating!! All you have to do is bring up one topic after another. Gas prices, leaving Americans behind in Afghanistan, leaving 85 billion in equipment behind, inflation and heating our homes this winter, no more energy independence, Joe begging OPEC for oil, Joe releasing our EMERGENCY stock of oil reserves, the border, the immigration cluster, etc etc. Just keep smiling and bring up one topic after another!!! They;ll gladly let you go home early!!
“How ’bout those gas prices?”
I love it!
Bet at least 90% will be “All Trump’s fault.”
Oh, Mrs. Jones! Had I known, I would have invited you to my small little family dinner (only 4 of us here this year) and then you could have politely declined and said you were visiting old friends (I am 74 and my sister who will be here is 71)!
I would happily give you an out. When I lived in FL, many miles from my family in OK, I used to enjoy a nice quiet, simple lunch, relaxing with a book, a phone call or 2 and just chilling by myself. It is not at all sad to be alone; but in my humble opinion a very pleasant way to spend the day.
I will keep you in my prayers, and pray that something of your generous nature will positively impact one or more of the commies you will be forced to interact with!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and know you are blessed and prayed for!
Don’t take no crap off a bunch of gdcommies – you’re a treeper and we give as good as we get, better actually
Do you drink? If not, it might be a good day to have a glass of wine or two, or three. Will there be a dog you can walk, frequently? Do what everyone else does these days, keep your face in your phone and zone them out.
Dealing w/Commie relatives is so difficult. More than once I have remained home due to the Communists in my family.
Just remember an eyeroll is worth 10 comments
Enjoy your son and any grands you might have.
Or, better still, have your DIL tell them you’re unvaccinated!
I find fun in saying nothing in response.
Feign illness.
I also will be alone – have a broiler chicken I raised thawing in the fridge, plan to rotisserie. Whole cranberries/orange zest sauce, haricot green beens (from the garden) and my version of Lyonnaise sliced potatoes that include butter, parsley, shallots and topped with mozzarella cheese then browned a bit. Been single now 19 yrs (I had to stop and think) so I celebrate with my two Eng Springer Spaniels. I’ve found it’s important to maintain culture and traditions. I’ve decorated the front porch today, weather was mild 59*F and plan to decorate the inside sometime Thanksgiving day or Friday. Then at Christmas I’ll indulge in another find holiday meal. The planning, prep and eating are all equally enjoyable for me.