How do you fix your Thankgiving feast?

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Since one of my more favorite holidays is fast approaching, I thought it would be a good time to see how everyone likes to fix their food!!!

Not only did the Grumpy Pirate family start to fry our turkey many years ago (with the gift of a kit to me!!) but we have also established certain "traditions" due to funny situations that have happened over the years.

Please post your stories, recipies, and any other interesting information that we can use, laugh at, or feel superior and judgemental about! (HA!)

Please keep it light, remember...Santa is watching!!!

 

[mickeyboat]

DH does all the cooking in our house! Jealous? He even helps with the planning and shopping. I am so lucky.

He is going to be hunting Thanksgiving morning, but he will get up early and get the bird ready for me to put in the oven when I get up.

Edited to add: DD8 loves turkey so much that she asked for a turkey dinner for her birthday. DH took the day off from work to make it for her.

 

[okeydokey]

My DH does the turkey and stuffing. I just cannot put my hand inside that dead bird. We roast the traditional way, including cooking the stuffing inside the turkey.

 

[Justanopinion]

My dad cooks turkey in the oven.

My California family cooks it by digging a whole in the ground, don't know exactly.

Our biker family, we fry about 5 turkeys, all with a different flavor.

DH's aunt cooks it in the oven.


I keep trying to talk mom into cooking most everything the day before. The leftovers are better. She still won't go for it.

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

My 89 year old Grammy cooks our turkey! She won't let us help with any part of it, other than bring a side dish if we insist. The one time I did cook a turkey for a thanksgiving celebration with my husband's mom, my grammy did all the dirty work. I just had to put it in the oven and cook it.

 

[Barb D]

I voted "another way." We used to roast it, but last year everyone was sick and we ended up getting a "Thanksgiving in a box" from the grocery store. The turkey was pre-cooked and just had to be heated. It came with a few side dishes and a pie. We just added a few more side dishes (plus more mashed potatoes, etc.) We're definitely doing that again from now on. Sure, it was more expensive, but SO much easier and the turkey was delicious.

 

[NHdisneylover]

When we have turkey (most years) we make it out on the grill. Yummy.

We also have: homemade cranberyy chutney, cornbread dressing, fresh rolls, my mother in law's recipe for twice baked mashed potatoes (to die for and absolutely horrible for you), carmelized pearl onions, some type of remotely healthy veggie (varies, might be salad, carrots, roasted pumpkin or sqaush, etc) and gingerbread pudding and pumpkin pie for dessert.

DS does not love these foods he will make himself a PBJ and have a roll. He'll grab a piece of fruit and he WILL eat the pumpkin by with us

My best story is from before I was born and explains why as a hcild Thanksgiving meant chicken enchiladas at my house. My parents were young (just turned 19 and 21) and relativly newly married. My mom was 8 1/2 months pregnant and they were having their first Thanksgiving together as a family. They had recently moved to Virginia Beach and rented a little beach cottage. My mom prepared the turkey and put it in the oven and she and my dad went for a nice long walk along the beach. They returend to find the fire department packing up and the charred remains of the cottage. It was determined that the oven was wired incorrectly and that caused the fire. Even though it was not her fault, my mom could never bring herself to make a turkey again

 

[Laura]

I don't eat meat, but the rest of the family does. The turkey is brined, then roasted.

 

[MsDisney23]

I always do the cooking. I always stuff and roast the turkey in the oven... However since there will only be 3 of us this year, I am going to pick up a pre-season turkey breast in BJ's. I like to cook a whole turkey in February when it is real cold or a when we get a snow storm....

 

[NVDisMom]

I voted roasted...we brine it the night before, a la Alton Brown, and roast it with lots of butter and wine. Its stuffed the old fashioned way (with more in a seperate roasting pan...we our stuffing) Sides are all pretty traditional and always home made. Zinfandel cranberry sauce, grand marnier(sp?) sweet potatoes (no cans or marshmallows here), fresh green beans with ham and onion, cream cheese mashed potatoes, gravy, and croissants. I love to cook and spend almost all day Wednesday doing the cranberry sauce and prepping as much as possible. There is a veggie platter and crackers and cheese to munch on all day and pies galore for dessert. Usually the pies aren't eaten until the next morning...Breakfast, yummy!

 

[Swimnoid]

I love that the boards are giving up on politics and going on to Thanksgiving! My favorite holiday!

I will probably roast a turkey breast since there will just be 3 of us. I did turkey in a box last year from the grocery but wasnt pleased with the results...not bad...just not good enough!

I'll be watching these threads for some new ideas.

 

[islangrl]

My mom roasts the turkey.

One year my dingbat uncle wanted to deep-fry the turkey. He'd heard it cooks faster.
Well, he didn't light the fire (or whatever it is you do) under the GIGANTIC pot of oil until everyone had arrived.

We sat around for 4 hours waiting to eat dinner!

It did taste good though!

 

[Tricia1972]

We roast our Turkey. Mmmmmm...

Wild Rice Stuffing, Homemade Blue Cranberries, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Corn, Green Bean Casserole, Sweet Potatoes, Fruit Salad, Pumpkin and Banana Cream Pies.

Suddenly my Lean Cuisine is losing it's appeal.

 

[Chicago526]

We roast it on the charcoal grill. It's gets this very light smokey flavor. It's very good! It's no different than roasting in an oven, really, and it leaves the oven open to make all those side dishes!

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

I voted roasted...we brine it the night before, a la Alton Brown, and roast it with lots of butter and wine. Its stuffed the old fashioned way (with more in a seperate roasting pan...we our stuffing) Sides are all pretty traditional and always home made. Zinfandel cranberry sauce, grand marnier(sp?) sweet potatoes (no cans or marshmallows here), fresh green beans with ham and onion, cream cheese mashed potatoes, gravy, and croissants. I love to cook and spend almost all day Wednesday doing the cranberry sauce and prepping as much as possible. There is a veggie platter and crackers and cheese to munch on all day and pies galore for dessert. Usually the pies aren't eaten until the next morning...Breakfast, yummy!

Can you share the recipe for the cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes?

 

[rentayenta]

DH cooks the entire meal and I just help. He's a great cook. The only thing I make is my grandmother's cranberry salad. I do most of cleaning which is fine by me because I can clean as he cooks.

We roast our turkey with stuffing in and out of the bird.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorites too!

 

[Rora]

We're traditionalists- we roast.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Wow..GOOD start people...Please, some of you, if you can, SHARE some of the recipies with us.

AS I said before we fry the turkey(s). I use a kit that I got from Cabelas as a gift. (warning to those that are thinking about it! get a good STURDY set that has a strong and stable base.) ANd you must go OUTSIDE not in the garage!!!

WE inject marinade (butter creole..MMmmmmm!!!! or herb garlic!!)

Since it takes about three to three and a half minutes per pound, usually its about an hour per turkey.

The reason I do two turkeys is that SOMETIMES we can get a two for one deal at the grocery store. And we end up eating the first one, so DW cuts up the second one for "leftovers" for everyone to take home!

(Since I have the oil nice and hot, we also deep fry several chickens and then cool them and put them into freezer bags, for future meals)

Since I put a "rub" on the turkeys, some of that ends up in the oil. I saw a "trick" where someone told me to slice a few potatos, and put them in while the oil is hot. The potatos of course fry, but they clean the spices by adhearing to the potatos. It makes the most wonderful Snack before dinner!!

Served with a dip!!

I do use a good quality peanut oil, and after straining it, and proper storage, it can be re-used!

More later.

Anyone have some good ideas on homemade cranberrys?

Mmmmmm!!

 

[NVDisMom]

Can you share the recipe for the cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes?

Zinfandel Cranberry Sauce- I basically follow the recipe on the back of the ocean spray bag, but I replace the liquid with a berry forward red zin and add a little orange zest. It makes the flavor more complex.

Grand Marnier Sweet Potatoes- I bake the potatoes the day before in their skins. Allow to cool to room temp and peel off the skins, cut into chunks and pour a glaze of grand marnier, orange juice and brown sugar. Sometimes I'll add fresh ginger too.

I don't have any recipes on Thansgiving, I cook by feel almost all the time.

 

[liamsaunt]

We usually make two turkeys--one is brined and roasted in the traditional way, with bread stuffing inside, served with regular turkey gravy, both with and without giblets. My mother prepares this one. The second turkey is normally mine to cook, and I like to try different flavors. One year I did a maple-glazed turkey with a cranberry-sausage stuffing that went over well. Last year I wanted to do an injected cajun style turkey but everyone rebelled and we ended up with two traditional ones. This year I am back to doing something unorthodox with mine...have not decided what yet. Side dishes that remain the same are:

homemade cranberry sauce
roasted root vegetables (sweet potatoes, red onions, brussel sprouts, cipolini onions, carrots, parsnips, turnips)
mashed potatoes
butternut squash pureed with cinnamon
green beans with buttered almonds

other vegetable sides rotate out depending on the mood, and include:

sweet potato praline casserole
mixed wild mushrooms with shallots and thyme
the dreaded green bean casserole (only my Dad likes this--everyone else hates it, so it does not appear very often)
spinach gratin with parmesean and shallots

Dessert is always the same, a choice of homemade apple pie or pumpkin cheesecake.