How many sides for Thanksgiving?

[TallyLassie]

For the past few years I have cooked Thanksgiving dinner for my DH's family (about 12+ people). This year I think I want to simplify my life. Ususally I make sweet potatoes, but wait, some folks don't like them (me) so I make mashed. I make squash casserole, but wait, the kids won't eat those, and on it goes with dessert, etc.

My DH has two step brothers that will show up at the last minute, still in camofauge from hunting with their signficiant other at the moment. Although they offer to bring something they are not exactly reliable. I would rather just make it all myself.

How many sides do you make for Thanksgiving?

Do you do formal or casual? Last year I made a beatiful table with china, etc. and my BIL informed me he would rather eat outside at the patio table.

 

[paigevz]

As many as possible.

We have mashed potatoes, stuffing (not sure if you think that's a side), beets, squash casserole, sweet potatoes, green beans, corn, rice and beans (Mexican staples you know), whole cranberry sauce AND cranberry jelly, salad, and rolls with our Turkey.

 

[alldiz]

stuffed mushrooms
pepperoni,cheese,crackers etc..
stuffing
turnips
mashed potatoes
stringbeans with pignoli nuts w/lemon olive oil
broccoli casserole
just some ideas
Kerri

 

[LisaNJ25]

As many as possible.

We have mashed potatoes, stuffing (not sure if you think that's a side), beets, squash casserole, sweet potatoes, green beans, corn, rice and beans (Mexican staples you know), whole cranberry sauce AND cranberry jelly, salad, and rolls with our Turkey.

My husband is Puerto Rican and I still cannot have rice and beans on the table at Thanksgiving.. Just cant do it.

hmm we have yams with marshmallows, green beans with the onion things on top, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, asparagus, pearl onions with sauce.. and I am drawing a blank.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Here's a list of the side we usually have
rice
collard greens
candied yams
macaroni and cheese
dressing
cranberry sauce
gravy
rolls

apple pies
a ton of cakes
sweet potato pies

 

[MareQ]

We do quite a few:

Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potato casserole
Creamed Spinach
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Green Bean Casserole
Home made cranberry compote
stuffing
corn
corn bread pudding

This year we're only 14(as opposed to 34 last year) so we'll probably be more casual than usual but will still break out the china and good table cloths

 

[Swimnoid]

Keep them coming. I'm getting some good ideas from you all.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Very interesting.

I want to have Thanksgiving but I usually only have stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, celery and olives, and rolls. SIL has multiple side dishes and I just can't compete with it.

 

[Disney Doll]

We do mashed potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberry creamed onions (DH is the only one who likes these but since he does most of the cooking, he makes them), and some kinid of autumn-ish squash(ie-butternut).

 

[becka]

We do Thanksgiving fairly casually but we still have lots of food. For sides we usually have:

mashed potatoes with giblet gravy
stuffing
corn
green beans with bacon
broccoli casserole
cranberry sauce
pistachio salad
green lettuce salad
rolls

And of course lots of desserts: pecan, apple and pumpkin pies.

 

[TallyLassie]

Here's a list of the side we usually have
rice
collard greens
candied yams
macaroni and cheese
dressing
cranberry sauce
gravy
rolls

apple pies
a ton of cakes
sweet potato pies

You have got to be a transplant to Brooklyn. Your sides are so southern - "dressing" not stuffing and collard greens. Sounds like what we have in NW Florida.

 

[marybet]

There's just me and DH. We'll have turkey, stuffing, maybe mashed potatoes. Last year I made cinnamon apples instead of potatoes. I do make homemade stuffing, not Stovetop.

 

[minkydog]

Usually it's just my immediate family, DH and the kids, but I still make all the stuff. DH is on a very low sodium diet so I have to make certain things for him, but I don't want the kids to feel deprived so I make traditional things for them.

low sodium
turkey
collards
Mandarin salad
whole cranberry sauce
Greek green beans
whole sweet potatoes
corn onthe cob
baked apples
pumpkin pie

regular
Greek dressing
carrot souffle
coconut pie
gravy
rolls
Mashed potatoes

 

[disneyjunkie]

You have got to be a transplant to Brooklyn. Your sides are so southern - "dressing" not stuffing and collard greens. Sounds like what we have in NW Florida.

Both my parents are from South Carolina. They moved to NY right after I was born.

OT-when I was in 3rd grade I got in trouble twice for "lying" about the type of meals my family ate.

Once was for listing the "wrong" foods for Thanksgiving. The other time was for listing the "wrong" things for breakfast. I can still hear that teacher saying "LaTanya, your mother does not feed you dirt for breakfast!" That was after I told the class we have GRITS, eggs, and biscuits for breakfast.

 

[doxdogy]

Usually it is just DH and I for Thanksgiving. If my dad is in town, I will fix a plate for him. I usually make sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans, deviled eggs, stuffing and gravy. Mincemeat pie for DH and pumpkin for me.

 

[malibuconlee]

In past years when we've been away from family we invite friends over and go all out no matter how many show.

Turkey
dressing
mashed potatoes,
homemade noodles
green bean casserole
baked beans
pie
deviled eggs
some years oreo pudding dessert
veggie tray
rolls
plus whatever anyone else brings which us usually yams/sweetpotatoes

 

[Stacerita]

We generally have the same things every year for Turkey day. Sometimes if others join us they will bring a new side, but we like to have the same ones.

Stuffing
Mashed potatos
Gravy
Yams with marshmallow top
Green bean bake
Cranberry salad
Salad
Corn
Relish Tray
Rolls

Prior to dinner we snack on cheese and crackers or a simple dip. If we have certain people coming over, we will also do a ham. For dessert we usually have pumpkin pie and dutch apple. This year Im considering doing a pumpkin cheesecake instead.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

Turkey
Mashed Potatoes
Mashed Sweet Potatos
Candied Yams
Squash-mashed w/butter
Corn
Stuffing-made w/bells seasoning
Stove top stuffing for DH
Cranberry sauce
pickles
black olives
green olives
biscuits-see my tag


Desserts
Apple pie
Pumpkin pie
Homemade cheesecake w/strawberries
Spice cake w/cream cheese frosting
cookies

Can't think of anything else right now!!

 

[camreesmom]

We have a big crowd over - I come from a family with 6 kids, everyone is married and has their family now - so we end up with 30-40 people, plus we always invite anyone who doesn't have somewhere to go. We do a very casual table with divided foam plates and solo cups just to make cleanup easier!

We always have two turkeys, one baked and one that DH deep fries outside with cajun seasoning. Our sides are:

mashed potatoes
both dressing and stuffing
green bean casserole
broccoli rice & cheese casserole
cranberry sauce
corn
pea salad
rolls
sweet potatoes
relish tray with black olives, dill pickle spears and sweet pickles

desserts:
lemon meringue pie
coconut cream pie
apple pie
pumpkin pie
chocolate cream pie
pistachio pie

No wonder we're stuffed!

Julie

 

[summerrluvv]

We have:

Corn
Green Bean Casserole
Mashed Potatoes
Sweet potatoes with marshmallows (I hate these, but my sister loves them)
Rolls
black olives

Mmmmmm I'm hungry now!